The quarter-final match between Roma and Tottenham naturally attracted the attention of fans, and the performance of the two teams was viewed differently by different fans.
The two penalty kicks in this game have become the focus of controversy among fans.
I originally thought that Roma's tactic was to achieve a small victory with a one-goal advantage at home, and then draw the opponent away from home. No matter what happened, they would not lose at home.
But who would have expected that even in Italy, Tottenham would show strong determination to win.
After 80 minutes of fierce battle, Tottenham also responded with a penalty kick.
And Wang Xiaodong’s penalty kick.
So cool!
Who would stand directly in front of the ball during a penalty kick without running up?
Who can keep one leg on the ground and swing the other leg back to 180 degrees?
It seems to be just for the fans to appreciate.
Wang Xiaodong's pose lasted for a full second before he swung his leg and volleyed.
Even without any run-up, Roma goalkeeper Doni still had no reaction to the ball.
Think back to a few years ago when Ronaldinho mesmerized the Chelsea generals with his dance moves outside the penalty area, and then used his toes to head the ball directly into the net.
Wang Xiaodong's shot was also a shot without any run-up, which was a completely different visual experience.
No matter what, Wang Xiaodong's penalty kick, together with Ronaldinho's dreamy kick, will forever be passed down as the best goal in the Champions League.
...
After the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, some were happy and some were sad.
The results of the other three games were Barcelona 1-0 Schalke 04, Arsenal defeated Manchester United 1-1, and Fenerbahce defeated Chelsea 2-1.
Also as a dark horse, the Turkish Super League team Fenerbahce's 2-1 victory over Chelsea at home is actually not too shocking.
First, the atmosphere in the Turkish Super League is very good, and it is difficult for the Blues to gain an advantage on the road; secondly, this score is nothing to Chelsea. Back at Stamford Bridge, they have many opportunities to overtake their opponents.
In contrast, there is actually a voice in the market about "Tottenham winning the championship".
Originally, Tottenham's chances of winning the championship were ranked third from the bottom in the eyes of the fans. Now after defeating Roma, the situation has been reversed in an instant.
First of all, White Hart Lane is a famous devil's home stadium throughout Europe. Tottenham have almost never lost at home this season.
In other words, it is quite difficult for Roma to make a comeback at White Hart Lane.
If Roma can't stop Tottenham, then only Barcelona can.
Barcelona has almost missed the league title this season, so all their focus is on the Champions League.
But what if Barcelona can't stop Tottenham?
So in the final, Tottenham has a high chance of facing a Premier League team.
Looking at the data of Tottenham's games against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United in the past two seasons, except for Manchester United which won a few games against Tottenham, the other two London teams were beaten by Tottenham.
Even Manchester United and Tottenham have the experience of beating their opponents.
So for Tottenham, the semi-finals are likely to be their "UEFA Champions League final."
As long as they beat Barcelona, no matter which Premier League team they encounter in the final, Tottenham will have the confidence to defeat their opponents.
Now, we are just waiting for the second round of Rome's battle.
According to the gossip of "Corriere dello Sport", the Wolf King once again left the team training after the game. It seems that his strain was torn apart during the game.
Under such circumstances, whether Totti can start in the second round is a question.
Without the Wolf King, how can Roma attack Tottenham's steel defense?
This is definitely sad for Roma fans.
They seemed to have seen the end of the team.
...
Early the next morning, many congratulatory calls came to Wang Xiaodong.
There are family members, girlfriends, friends, and even some teammates from the national team.
After all, Tottenham have now entered the semi-finals of the Champions League with one foot, and Wang Xiaodong's number of goals tops the list.
Even if Tottenham are eliminated now, Wang Xiaodong is very likely to win the Champions League Golden Boot.
It was as if Wang Xiaodong had booked the most dazzling personal honor in the Champions League in advance, and words of blessing certainly rang in his ears frequently.
After I put down the phone, it was already noon.
It was a rare day off for himself. Wang Xiaodong did not go to the training ground. He just lay in bed alone, emptying his mind and enjoying the rare silence.
For an athlete, frequent competition in a high-pressure environment is definitely a tiring thing, and may even affect X function.
So when Wang Xiaodong woke up again, it was already another early morning.
After sleeping for more than ten hours in a row, Wang Xiaodong's fatigue was swept away, and his whole body was filled with energy.
When we arrived at the training base, it was still empty.
Wang Xiaodong carried the net and a lot of balls to the venue for stretching training.
If the guess was correct, those guys would have been having fun all night long.
Thinking of Bell and Lennon's embarrassment when facing the stripper, Wang Xiaodong burst into laughter.
Everyone has different ways of venting, and Wang Xiaodong doesn't want to interfere too much in their private lives.
A few hours later, teammates began to arrive.
After winning the away game, the players on the training ground were very relaxed, and even Martin Joel had a smile on his face.
The feeling of winning the first round is simply too pleasant. The pressure to advance is all on Roma's side!
In a lighter mood, Spurs host Blackburn Rovers three days later.
The violence did not bring much hindrance to Tottenham, and they were defeated after only 30 minutes of play.
At the end of the first half, Tottenham was already leading 2-0, and Wang Xiaodong used a free kick to put the icing on the cake for the team.
At the 54th minute of the second half, Martin Joel replaced Wang Xiaodong in order to preserve his strength.
In the end, the score between the two teams was fixed at 3-1. Tottenham completed a warm-up with their Premier League opponents before the second round.
Take a look at the remaining opponents in the league, Middlesbrough, Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, Reading FC and Liverpool.
Among them, only the Red Army could cause some hindrance to Tottenham, but when the two teams met, it was already the final game.
Therefore, Tottenham can completely focus on the Champions League at the moment. Defeating their opponents and reaching the final is the key!
For Tottenham this season, the league championship and Champions League championship they dream of are both right in front of them, and neither one can be given up easily.
On April 8, the Roma team bus slowly drove into London.
At the pre-match press conference, when they heard that Totti's name was still missing from Roma's starting lineup, the audience instantly boiled.
Many reporters hurriedly left the press conference before the Roma coach finished speaking.
In everyone's eyes, the Roma team is "finished"!
They surrendered!
Two hours before the game, White Hart Lane was packed with fans and buzzing.
These fans sang "Glory Belongs to Tottenham". It seems that they can't help but look forward to the team to beat Barcelona!
