"Although I can't play, I will sit in the stands at Elland Road and watch the team win at home with all the fans."
This is what Alan Smith said in an interview.
After he finished speaking, he also showed his ticket, letting all the spectators see which area and row he was sitting in.
"This was given to me by our head coach. Originally, the club wanted to give me a box, but he said he wanted me to sit among the fans and lead the fans to cheer for the team."
"In three days I will be the fans' captain."
Finally, he left a Leeds United slogan.
"Glory to Leeds."
^^^
The first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals came as scheduled and was played at Elland Road, the home ground of Leeds United.
On the day of the game, Smith, wearing a team jacket, arrived at the stadium very early and cooperated in taking photos with Leeds United fans outside the stadium.
It wasn't until the game was about to start that Smith reluctantly said goodbye to the fans and began to enter the stadium.
"Everyone, everyone, please give way."
Perhaps Smith took the initiative to announce his seat, so the ticket prices for the seats next to his seat increased a lot. Some Smith fans bought scalped tickets at high prices specifically to get closer to their idol.
So this resulted in Smith still being surrounded by fans after entering the stadium.
After finally reaching his seat, he took the initiative to say hello to the people around him.
"Sean, Carl, Helen, Wendy..."
After greeting these people first, he started to hug the next few people.
"Wesley, James, Layton..."
Not only Lee George's family and friends are here, Leeds United's injured players and players who are not on the roster are gathered in the Don Revie Stand to cheer for the team.
Of course, the board members and senior management of Leeds United were in the box.
"Should we start?"
Smith asked the person next to him as soon as he sat down.
"..." He was answered by a girl's voice, but the voice was very small and was completely lost in the noisy stadium.
I turned around and saw that it was Charlotte Black's girlfriend Wendy. Smith thought about it and let it go, and turned to ask Carl Olson, who was eating a lot.
"How far have we come?"
"Introducing the starting lineup, oooooooo~" Olson pointed to the big screen in the opposite stand, which was playing the team's starting lineup.
Leeds United started here with the team's main goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who had just returned from injury. He also returned after a period of injury. Now that Van der Sar is back, there is no doubt that Schmeichel will have to give up his starting position in the team.
Although many teams wanted to buy Schmeichel Jr., they were all rejected by him. He knows that after Van der Sar retires, the team will correct his main position. What he has to do now is to pay close attention to training and constantly accept the new tactical ideas required by the head coach.
The team's defensive line changed a lot today, as three-quarters of the starters sat around Smith. Today's starting lineup for Leeds United from left to right is Bell, Granqvist, Albchesson and Black. Because Mathisen can play both the center back and left back positions, he was arranged by Lee George as a substitute. Otherwise, if the team needed Bell's position, Lee George would not dare to let Danny Rose play at the left back position. of this location.
So excluding the injured and those who are too young, George Lee only has these few defenders left.
And in order to allow Bell and Black to move forward boldly, Leeds United's three midfielders today are all defensive players.
"No. 5, Scott Parker!"
"No. 23, Joey Barton!"
"No. 18, Gareth Barry!"
In the passionate voice of the on-site DJ, the names of Leeds United's three midfielders today were read out one after another.
These three people have played together almost no times, which means that Leeds United is destined to fight a "meat grinder" battle with Chelsea in the midfield today.
"Octagonal Cage".
This is the tactic that Lee George defined for several midfielders on the team before the game.
The front three are Arneson, Kuyt and Robben.
On the other hand, at Chelsea, Cech is still recovering from injury, so Cudicini is still the starter.
In the defense, due to Ashley Cole's accumulated yellow card suspension, Bridge filled his absence today, and his partners Terry, Carvalho, and Belletti formed Chelsea's starting defense today.
As for the midfield combination of Lampard, Ballack and Essien, it can also be seen that Grant here at Chelsea wants to have a hand-to-hand battle with Lee George in the midfield.
In the frontcourt, due to the departure of Robben, there are not many real Chelsea wing players. Joe Cole is on the left side of his opponent, and Mourinho initially promoted the introduction of cards that he did not use. Law plays on the right.
The top player is definitely the African "elephant" who will not change the forwards no matter how the head coach is changed, Didier Drogba.
Judging from the lineup, the two teams are evenly matched.
Leeds United's midfielder may not have enough firepower in attack, while Chelsea may not be able to open up the wing attack.
But in other aspects, the two teams are head-to-head.
After looking at the starting lineup, it was time to wait for the two teams to enter.
Smith, who was impatient in the stands, had already taken off his jacket, revealing the Leeds United long-sleeved jersey underneath, and led the nearby fans to cheer and cheer for his home team.
"The game hasn't started yet, can you save some energy?" Woodgate pulled Smith down, who was almost standing on the stool, and asked him to calm down for a while.
"What are you doing? I haven't shouted enough yet." Smith was a little reluctant after being pulled down, and kept complaining to Woodgate.
"I'm afraid you'll get injured if you fall from above. Do you still want to play the second round?"
"It's okay again."
Although he said this, Smith still had some estimates and returned to his seat honestly.
However, not long after he sat down, the two teams came out under the leadership of the referee and with majestic background music.
I don’t know why, but every time he hears this music in the stadium, George Li will think of a certain brand of beer.
After the two teams entered the field, they spread out to both sides in turn, and the game was about to begin.
In the stands, Smith, whose butt had been touching the seats for probably less than a minute, bounced up again and began to cheer with the fans around him.
This time, Woodgate on the side did not hold Smith back. Instead, he was infected by the surrounding atmosphere and stood up with other teammates to cheer for his team.
Everyone except Bowyer gathered together to cheer the team.
Because Bowyer is in a wheelchair, his position is at the front of the stands, which is the VIP among VIPs.
