When Li Shiguang saw the usually composed Lahm finish the bowl of chicken soup and his face flush, he knew that Bayern Munich's plan to buy him back had basically failed.
And that was indeed the case.
Before Li Shiguang could even ask a question, Lahm took the initiative to say that he would no longer consider Bayern Munich's offer, and took the opportunity to reiterate his loyalty to Li Shiguang and Leeds United.
Li Shiguang was also satisfied with Lahm's statement, and went along with it, expressing his plan to renew Lahm's contract during this winter transfer window and give him a raise.
Faced with this unexpected gain, Lam naturally wouldn't refuse. After making a phone call to her agent in front of Li Shiguang, she happily left Li Shiguang's office.
In the afternoon, having resolved this sudden worry, Li Shiguang focused his work on tomorrow's Premier League Round 19 match against Aston Villa.
This was Leeds United's penultimate match in 2007, and also the match that would determine who would win the Premier League mid-season title.
Although the symbolic significance of winning the mid-season championship outweighs its practical significance.
But as the head coach, Li Shiguang didn't want to greet 2008 with a draw or a defeat!
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December 26th.
Apart from the two matches: Portsmouth's home game against Arsenal and Manchester City's home game against Blackburn.
The other sixteen Premier League teams all made appearances and began their matches.
Chelsea, Manchester United, and Leeds United, the three teams currently in the top four of the standings, have all faced their respective opponents.
3:45 PM.
Chelsea will host Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
No one expected that Chelsea, playing at home, would have such a difficult time in this match.
Fourteenth minute.
Aston Villa launched a quick counter-attack, penetrating Chelsea's defense with just four passes. Scottish midfielder Sean Maloney received the ball and unleashed a powerful shot inside the penalty area, piercing Chelsea's goal.
0-1! Chelsea are trailing at home!
They say a rope always breaks at its weakest point, but Chelsea's siege of Aston Villa for half a day without scoring a single goal, and instead conceding one, was just the beginning of their bad luck today.
Twelve minutes later.
Lampard was injured in a challenge, and the team doctor confirmed after examination that he could not continue the game.
Faced with this fact, a helpless Avran could only replace Lampard with veteran Ballack with a grim face, inexplicably using up a precious substitution.
Forty-fourth minute.
Aston Villa's sharp counter-attacks dealt another heavy blow to Chelsea. The in-form Maloney once again broke through Cech's defense, and Aston Villa were already leading by two goals away from home as the first half was about to end.
Just when the fans at Stamford Bridge were on the verge of despair.
Shevchenko stepped forward.
One minute later.
Ukraine's "nuclear warhead" received a through ball from Joe Cole and dribbled into the penalty area. Aston Villa defender Knight made a sliding tackle from behind and was penalized by the referee, giving Aston Villa a red card and a penalty.
Shevchenko then took the penalty himself and scored.
This helped Chelsea pull one back.
The two sides switched sides for the second half.
With one less player, Aston Villa manager O'Neill substituted Curtis Davis for the outstanding Maloney in the first half, filling the defensive gap left by Knight's red card, in an attempt to maintain their lead.
However, Chelsea continued to build on the morale boost from their late first-half goal.
Fifty minutes.
Shevchenko headed in a cross from Kalou inside the penalty area! 2-2, Chelsea equalize!
This goal not only ignited Stamford Bridge, but also completely inspired the Chelsea players!
Eleven minutes later.
Chelsea won a corner. Ballack's corner kick went straight to the far post, where Alex seized the opportunity, leaping high and heading it in to make it 3-2! Chelsea completed the comeback!
From heaven to hell.
Just when everyone thought Aston Villa would be completely crushed, only six minutes after Alex's goal, from a corner kick, Aston Villa defender Laursen headed in a goal to help them equalize!
With more than twenty minutes left in the game, the two teams have already combined to deliver six goals for the fans watching the match!
But the game isn't over yet!
Just eight minutes after Aston Villa equalized.
The second straight red card appeared in this match.
Carvalho was sent off for a malicious tackle from behind, but the foul was some distance from Chelsea's penalty area, so Aston Villa did not capitalize on the opportunity.
It was in the 88th minute, on the contrary.
Ballack, who replaced Lampard, found an opportunity just outside Aston Villa's penalty area.
A powerful shot from the German machine breached Carson's goal for the fourth time in this match.
Just as the fourth official on the sidelines raised the LED sign indicating four minutes of added time, Chelsea took the lead again, making it 4-3!
When Ballack scored.
Simeone, who was at Elland Road but had been watching the game closely, slapped his thigh in anger and immediately started cursing.
Li Shiguang knew that Simeone had been watching the game on his phone.
Seeing him like this, I quickly went over and asked, "What's wrong? Chelsea equalized?"
Simeone shook his head: "Not only that, they've taken the lead, the score is now 4-3!"
Upon hearing the score, Li Shiguang clicked his tongue in astonishment: "Oh my?! Wasn't it only 1-2 in the first half? How did it become 4-3? Have Chelsea's players taken some kind of 'drug'?"
"I don't know if they were on steroids or not, but this match... was quite dramatic... Holy crap!" Before Simeone could finish speaking, another exclamation rang out, "Ashley Cole got a red card too! Hahahaha, Chelsea's out, they're probably going to be overtaken by Liverpool. Cole tackled someone in the box, and Chelsea got a penalty!"
Simeone's judgment was indeed correct.
One minute later.
Barry stepped up from 12 yards and converted the penalty, leveling the score for Aston Villa. As the ball nestled into the net, the referee blew the final whistle!
Chelsea fought a tough battle against Aston Villa at home, but only managed to secure a point!
In an earlier match, Liverpool visited Pride Park and defeated Derby County 2-1.
After winning the penultimate game of 2007.
Benitez finally made it through the tough times, leading Liverpool to overtake Chelsea and break into the top four of the Premier League standings!
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