31-year-old Simon Francis is the captain of Bournemouth in the Premier League. He can only be considered unknown among England's defenders and has never been selected for any first-level national team.
Francis is one of the few people in the Bournemouth team who has followed from English League One, English Championship to Premier League. He is quite senior. But today he made a joke. He said in the locker room that he was the only one in the team.
Someone who has fought against Zhuo Yang.
Francis was talking about July 21, 2013, when Real Madrid came to a small town in southwest England to play a friendly match with Bournemouth, who had just been promoted to the British Championship, after preparing for the first time in the new season.
It was Ancelotti's first game after taking office at Real Madrid. The team easily won 6:0. Zhuoyang played the first half, passing and shooting.
Simon Francis, who played the entire game that day, was the only player in the current Bournemouth team to have played at that time, so he said this.
Francis took it for granted.
The starting goalkeeper, Polish Artur Boruk, curled his lips and said: "I played with Zhuo Yang's AC Milan in Celtic in 2007, in the top 16 of the Champions League."
Francis: “…”
What Boruc did not say is that he was actually beaten by Zhuo Yang in the "Battle at the Foot of the Eifel Mountain" in Hannover in 2005 when he was with Legia Warsaw. He would not say that he was beaten by Zhuo Yang in the 2007 Champions League.
Yang was so frightened that he took an unwarranted penalty kick. At that time, the referee had already punished Inzaghi for diving.
The 36-year-old Boruc has been to many places over the years. After leaving Celtic, he went to Fiorentina in Serie A for two years, and then to Southampton. In 2014, he moved to the English Championship on a free transfer in 2014.
Bournemouth.
Captain Francis was choked by Boruc and felt a little embarrassed, so he went back to make up for it: "Zhuo Yang and I exchanged jerseys, Real Madrid No. 18, do you have it?"
"Well, there's really no such thing as..." Boruk said in his heart: How the hell would I dare!
The court was back, and the Florida team was very proud. They raised their heads and asked other teammates: "Do any of you have Zhuoyang's jersey?"
The 24-year-old Jack Wilshere couldn't stand his petty and vain appearance, so he said indifferently with a cold face: "I have a No. 18 Barcelona jersey of Zhuoyang. I don't know if it counts, but it's him."
He took the initiative to come to me in exchange."
Francis' heart thumped: Damn, I forgot that this little bastard is from Arsenal.
"Zhuoyang... took the initiative to find you? Just brag."
"Believe it or not." Wilshere was no longer patient with him.
Arsenal’s ‘Prince’ Wilshere has been loaned to Bournemouth this season and is basically the only star-renowned member of this civilian team.
Prince Wei is right. The Barcelona 2010-11 home jersey No. 18 in his home was indeed exchanged by Zhuo Yang on his own initiative.
On March 9, 2011, in the 1/8th round of the Champions League, Barcelona faced Arsenal at Camp Nou. Although they won the game 3:1, Wilshere's performance was outstanding and Barcelona was frightened.
After the game, the shy 19-year-old boy wanted to exchange jerseys with his opponent, but he did not dare to open his mouth, so he asked the then captain Cesc Fabregas to help him.
Xiaofa is a good captain. He smiled and asked Serena: "Who do you want to replace? Zhuoyang or Messi?"
"Zhuoyang."
Xiaofa was so proud that he dragged Zhuoyang to Wilshere.
That's it.
However, both Boruc, Francis, and even Prince Wei and Zhuo Yang have forgotten it and have no impression.
So Bournemouth captain Francis ran over and hugged him affectionately, and gave him a series of warm and sincere blessings, which made him quite confused. From the surface, it seems that Francis and Zhuo Yang are extremely good old friends.
It’s equal to Kaka’s emotional level.
It was purely because Francis lost face in the locker room that he deliberately forced himself to get close to Zhuoyang, hugging his eyes and glancing at his teammates.
Reaching out to avoid hitting the smiling man, Zhuo Yang responded with courtesy and thanks. After Francis walked away satisfied, Zhuo Yang asked Kompany next to him: "Who are these guys?"
Kompany looked confused: "I don't know him. Isn't he your friend?"
Zhuo Yang seemed to understand, so he stopped exploring and just smiled and shook his head.
After returning from two international matches, Manchester City ushered in the fifth round of the Premier League against Bournemouth at home. The good news for Guardiola is that, except for the suspended Aguero, the entire team has several major injuries.
Kompany, Navas, Sane and Gundogan are all back from injury.
The abundant manpower gave Guardiola great freedom in scheduling. He threw David Silva, who was slightly tired after returning from the Spanish national team, into the stands to rest. Gundogan made his first start for Manchester City, along with Tintin and Fernando.
Form an inverted midfield triangle.
The front trident is still Sterling, Nolito and Iheanacho, Kompany, Navas, and Sane are all on the bench, as is Zhuoyang.
A lucky derby with Manchester City. Although everyone knows that Zhuo Yang still cannot meet the competition requirements, it has become the consensus of the Manchester City club to let him sit on the bench. Not only that, Guardiola also reported Zhuo Yang at the last moment.
Champions League group stage entry list.
Yaya Toure, a veteran of the team, not only did not make the Premier League roster in the new season, he was also not included in the Champions League roster. However, Toure said nothing and remained silent.
It is true that there are no weak teams in the Premier League, but it is also true that Bournemouth is not strong. In the 15th minute of the first half, De Bruyne broke the deadlock with a low shot, and Manchester City led 1:0.
Ten minutes later, Manchester City's passing and cutting tore apart the opponent's defense. Sterling dribbled the ball into the penalty area and then made a selfless cross, allowing Iheanacho to push into the empty goal, 2:0.
In the second half, the game changed sides again. Iheanacho returned the favor and also chose an open cross after breaking into the penalty area. Sterling almost hit an empty goal on the goal line, 3:0.
By this time, the game had basically taken shape. Guardiola replaced Otamendi with Stones in the 52nd minute to partner with Kolarov. Guardiola was still looking for the most suitable central defender combination.
In the 67th minute, De Bruyne, Clichy and Nolito completed a short triangular pass from the left and crossed into the middle. Gundogan followed up and scored with a push shot, 4:0.
Gundogan also scored his first goal in his first game, just like Zhuoyang.
Then Guardiola replaced Ding Ding with youngster Sane, and then waited until the 82nd minute when he asked Zhuoyang: "Do you want to go up and play?"
Zhuo Yang took off his pants and put on his jacket and trousers. The city stadium erupted into cheers.
But before Zhuo Yang could submit the substitution list, something happened on the court.
Nolito broke through from the wing and was knocked to the ground by Francis who couldn't stand it. This was a very common foul, but Nolito got up and hit his head on Francis's face. The referee Jon
·Moss showed the red card directly.
Guardiola: "..."
Zhuo Yang asked him: "Can I get in?"
The original plan was to replace Nolito with Zhuoyang and then go up to make things better, but now we can't replace Sterling and Iheanacho, right? It's ridiculous.
Therefore, with one less player to fight, Guardiola, out of tactical considerations, replaced Gundogan with Kompany, and Zhuoyang and Blue Moon fans were overjoyed.
Chapter completed!