Compared to last year, Leeds United's Champions League group stage draw this year was relatively less favorable. Under Li Shiguang's watchful eye, Leeds United were drawn into Group F in the penultimate round.
Their group includes last season's Serie A runners-up Roma, the Portuguese Primeira Liga runners-up Sporting Lisbon, and the Ukrainian Premier League champions Dynamo Kyiv. None of these three opponents are weak, with Roma having spent a significant amount of money strengthening their squad this summer.
However, in Li Shiguang's view, given Leeds United's strong performance since the start of the new season, apart from Roma who are likely to pose some threat to Leeds United, the other two teams in this group are just so-so.
Immediately after the draw ceremony, discussions about this year's Champions League group stage draw began online.
[We've been pretty lucky this year; it feels like all four teams are a sure thing to make it to the round of 16!]
Leeds United, Chelsea, and Arsenal should be no problem, but with Manchester United in their current form, they probably won't be able to beat Porto and Marseille.
Trust Ferguson; Manchester United has adjusted since the last match! Apart from Porto, the other two opponents in Group A shouldn't pose a significant threat to Manchester United!
Looking at this group stage, this year truly is our best chance yet. Arsenal, please don't let us down!
With the Champions League group stage draw concluded, the summer transfer window has also come to a close.
Just as Li Shiguang had predicted, Leeds United became the absolute protagonist in Europe this summer, with Kaká becoming the most expensive player in the 2007 summer transfer window with a transfer fee of 45 million euros!
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As September arrives, Leeds United's match schedule gradually increases.
Leeds United will play four league matches, one Champions League group stage match, and one League Cup match this month.
Most importantly, an international match day will be interspersed between these competitions.
This is what Li Shiguang is most worried about.
He still remembers sending Sun Jihai back to participate in a friendly match last year, only to have the Chinese Football Association send him back a seriously injured player.
Leeds United is no longer the Leeds United of the past. Now, during international breaks, Leeds United's main squad is basically emptied out, and even most of the substitutes are taken back!
This is not good news for Leeds United.
But the international match day hasn't arrived yet.
In the Premier League, during the fifth round match between Leeds United and Newcastle United on September 1st, this "magpie" brought a sudden brake to Leeds United, who were already speeding along the road!
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"Oh! Cannavaro's timing for that tackle was terrible; he tackled Viduka squarely on the foot!" Lineker, his eyes fixed on the referee running towards the spot where Cannavaro committed the foul, was filled with worry. "This isn't good news; I saw the referee reaching into his pocket!"
"It was most likely a red card... and sure enough! The referee showed Cannavaro a straight red card and sent him off the field!" Jon analyzed rationally. "We saw Lee standing on the sidelines with a livid face, not saying a word, but there was nothing he could do. Newcastle United had already launched a quick counter-attack, and once Viduka broke through Cannavaro's defense, he would directly threaten Neuer's goal! It's good that Cannavaro got the ball, but unfortunately, he tackled Viduka's foot directly, and the referee saw it very clearly!"
Jon's words made Reinkel, who had wanted to put up a fight, give up. Even Li Shiguang didn't go to the fourth official to protest after seeing Cannavaro being sent off, so it wouldn't make a difference if he protested while sitting in the studio.
The two commentators are right.
Standing on the sidelines, Li Shiguang clearly saw Cannavaro's foul and there was really no need to protest.
Although Li Shiguang immediately made an adjustment, replacing Ibrahimovic with Silva.
But Newcastle United is no pushover.
The two teams battled for nearly ninety minutes before Michael Owen finally broke through Leeds United's defense in the eighty-seventh minute with a long-range shot from outside the penalty area.
Ultimately, Newcastle United ended Leeds United's unbeaten run at home with Owen's goal!
The Leeds United players looked slightly disappointed as the referee blew the final whistle.
Jon, speaking in the Sky Sports studio, was also deeply moved: "September seems to be cursed for Leeds United. Last year, they suffered a massive wave of injuries after entering September, and their points total dropped to outside the top ten! And this year, they suffered a defeat on the very first day of September. Actually, before Cannavaro was substituted, Leeds United dominated the game, with far more possession and shots than Newcastle United! But there's nothing we can do; that's football. Anything can happen in 90 minutes!"
Li Shiguang, who was on the court, also sighed slightly.
He knew his players had done their best. Several times Kaka had made one-on-one breakthroughs with his great strength, but he just wasn't lucky with the final shot and couldn't score!
But as the backbone of the team, even if he was disappointed, Li Shiguang could not show this emotion in front of the players.
After pulling Simeone and Rivaldo off the bench and giving them some instructions, the three of them went off onto the pitch separately to comfort the Leeds United players who were in low spirits.
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After suffering their first defeat of the season.
The entire Leeds United team disbanded in Newcastle. Players called up by their national teams boarded planes to return home, while several young players who were not called up were granted a precious three-day vacation by Li Shiguang.
Back in Leeds, Lee Shiguang originally planned to spend a few days enjoying some quality time with Shakira at home.
But on the second day of his vacation...
A phone call from scouting director Ron summoned him to the Thorpe Arch training ground.
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When Li Shiguang arrived at the door of his office.
Simone, Ron, and Rivaldo were already waiting at the door.
"Boss! We're supposed to have three days off? You'd better pay us overtime today!"
As soon as he reached the three men, Simone started shouting.
"Get lost!" Li Shiguang chuckled and kicked Simone in the backside.
Simone lightly jumped aside to dodge Li Shiguang's attack, but his mouth didn't stop: "Look! Look! Ferreira, this is what I just told you, the face of a capitalist, he actually wants us to work for free!"
"Alright, get in here!" Li Shiguang pulled out his keys, opened the office door, and pointed at the stack of papers Ron was holding. "So many scouting reports, are you planning to make me read them all by myself? Selecting good prospects is your job as an assistant coach, okay?!"
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