After seeing the grouping results, Ling analyzed the qualification prospects of each Premier League team.
First up was Manchester United.
Among the star-studded Champions League teams, they not only avoided traditional powerhouses like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Juventus, but were also drawn into a group with Benfica, Basel, and CSKA Moscow—their luck was simply phenomenal.
At the very least, advancing from the group stage shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Moreover, with relatively weaker opponents, the chances of getting playing time would be much higher.
Manchester City's luck was also excellent—truly befitting a team backed by heavy financial investment.
Liverpool, who barely made it into the Champions League at the last moment, also landed a dream draw, with Sevilla being the only strong team in their group.
However, Klopp might feel a bit unaccustomed to it, given that he used to face Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, and Juventus year after year.
Only now did he finally realize that it wasn't his fault—it was just Borussia Dortmund's fate to be perpetually unlucky.
The remaining two Premier League teams weren't as fortunate.
Chelsea and Atlético Madrid, like a pair of star-crossed lovers, always had endless stories between them.
With Serie A powerhouse Roma also in their group, the qualification scenario remained highly unpredictable.
Tottenham, grouped with Real Madrid and Dortmund, would have to start preparing for the Europa League if they made even the slightest mistake.
Ling shook his head, pushing his expectations for the Champions League to the back of his mind.
He pulled up videos of Leicester City's first two matches and began studying them carefully.
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.
Under normal circumstances, the defender marking him would be Danny Simpson.
Simpson was also a graduate of Manchester United's youth academy, making him a senior of sorts.
He had once been highly regarded by Sir Alex Ferguson and was promoted to the first team.
Come to think of it—
When Giggs was embroiled in the "sister-in-law scandal," Simpson was confirmed to have had an affair with Giggs' sister-in-law, Natasha.
Coupled with his later struggles with alcoholism and indulgence, he was eventually cast out by Manchester United.
But this ordeal seemed to awaken him, transforming him into a different person who dedicated himself to rigorous training.
In the end, he became a key player in Leicester City's miraculous 2015/16 title-winning campaign.
Ling repeatedly paused the match footage, jotting down Simpson's technical traits.
Every player has their own defensive habits, and these are precisely what can be exploited.
For instance, most fullbacks adopt a square stance, complemented by a staggered step to counter the opponent's dominant foot, thereby limiting their attacking options.
But Simpson prefers to engage physically with a single-leg block, almost like a tiger pouncing downhill—a high-risk, high-reward gamble.
The potential payoff is huge, but so are the risks.
As long as he moved quickly enough and deliberately touched the ball early to shake off the pressure, breaking through would be straightforward.
Of course, it's easier said than done—execution in practice is far more challenging.
Before he knew it, Ling had drifted off to sleep.
.....
The next day, his precise internal clock woke him up early.
After freshening up, he headed downstairs to begin the day's training.
Since most of the Manchester United players were either away on World Cup qualifiers or enjoying their holidays,
Carrington Training Ground was nearly empty.
Ling had to handle everything himself—first fetching the equipment from the gear room, then humming a tune as he made his way to the training pitch.
"Mr. Faria, aren't you supposed to be on holiday?"
Ling asked in surprise upon arriving at the training ground and finding someone already there.
"The boss predicted you'd stick around, so he asked me to supervise your training," Faria replied, pulling out a tablet while sighing inwardly.
Not only had the boss personally adjusted the training plan, but he also demanded daily reports on progress and results.
It had been years since Faria last saw Mourinho take such a keen interest in a young player.
Jeremy Ling's performance and talent must have truly captivated him.
The training content was all very basic and was quickly completed.
Ling wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly walked over to Faria.
"Sir, there are a few tactical questions I don't understand. Could you help explain them to me?"
His thinking was simple: Faria had followed Mourinho for 15 years, so his tactical understanding must be quite advanced.
At the very least, he should be able to clear up Ling's doubts.
Hearing this, Faria's expression turned peculiar.
He probed, "Are you referring to the tactics against Leicester City?"
"Yes."
Ling scratched his head somewhat sheepishly.
Back when Mourinho was coaching Real Madrid, Iker Casillas had leaked internal information and tactics to his girlfriend without permission, leading to an irreparable conflict in the locker room.
Because of this, Mourinho was particularly sensitive about such matters, and Ling's inquiry about tactics felt a bit like he was prying like an insider.
To his surprise, Faria didn't seem too concerned and casually replied.
"Actually, the coaching staff has already completed the analysis in advance. Let me give you a brief overview."
"Leicester City's main tactic is straightforward: solid defense combined with quick counterattacks."
"They particularly like to deploy five players in midfield, creating a barrier between the opponent's midfield and defensive line, making it difficult for the opposition to penetrate."
"However, this opens up space on the wings."
"At that point, if—and I mean if—the players on the field are skilled at dribbling, they can use rhythmic ball control to continuously push Leicester City's defense back toward the penalty area."
"This creates space for teammates in the central areas, making the team's attacking buildup more multi-dimensional."
"…"
Fifteen minutes later, after finishing his explanation of Leicester City's overall tactics, Faria suddenly remembered Mourinho's instructions and added.
"By the way, analyze it again yourself tonight and write up a summary for me."
Ling's mouth twitched.
He thought to himself that even with the head coach away, he still had to do tactical review homework.
Nevertheless, he replied softly, "Yes, Mr. Faria."
...
Time passed.
Training, review, summaries…
Ling meticulously completed his daily schedule without fail.
He knew he didn't have much time and had to improve his abilities as much as possible before the match began.
His relentless, almost desperate, work ethic even shocked Faria, who raised his estimation of Ling another notch.
During this period, the Chinese national team played their final two Asian qualifying matches.
They eventually defeated Uzbekistan 1-0 and Qatar 2-1.
However, these belated victories did little to cheer up Chinese fans.
Because they had been eliminated.
Since 1981, China's quest to qualify for the World Cup had been trapped in a vicious cycle of fate.
Apart from their success in 2002, every other attempt had ended in failure.
What was even more regrettable was that the national team had faltered at the final hurdle seven times—a painful history stained with disappointment.
As Chinese fans fell into despair, they instinctively turned their gaze toward distant England, hoping to see a rising star there.
Thus, Ling found himself thrust into the online trending topics.
Pressure is a double-edged sword; it can have both positive and negative effects.
If he were still the inexperienced youngster he once was, he probably wouldn't have been able to handle it.
Fortunately, having been reborn, he possessed strong mental fortitude.
He remained largely unaffected by the outside chatter and continued to train with his feet firmly on the ground.
...
The stars shifted and time moved forward to September 8th.
The Manchester United players had all returned and gathered in the tactical meeting room.
Tap, tap, tap!
A crisp sound echoed through the room.
Ling instinctively looked up toward the meeting room entrance and saw Mourinho walking in unhurriedly, carrying a tactical board under his arm.
Then Mourinho said something that made his heart race.
"Now I'll announce the starting lineup for our match against Leicester City in two days."
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I think i make a mistake, the current season is 2017/2018 where manunited will finish second in the league and just recently win europa league.