Chapter 793: Leading by Five Goals, But Only One Key Player Remains

Not knowing whether it was in preparation for the upcoming second leg of the Champions League Round of 16, Tang Ye chose to return to the club early.

In fact, many fans would find Tang Ye's action unusual, because in the impression of the fans, Tang Ye belongs to the type of "good guy" who is very willing to make sacrifices.

As a result, this time he actually chose to go back to play in the Champions League.

Could it really be for the sake of statistics?

Ggbond, you rascal!

However, there was actually more to this matter, and Fan Fan Dejiahe could be said to have played a very important role in it.

In fact, back in the hotel conference room, regardless of what Wu Lei, Zhang Zhang Yuning, and the others thought, Tang Ye would have chosen to return to the club anyway, because as early as the night the match ended, Fan Fan Dejiahe had called the national team captain.

Fan Fan Dejiahe did not make a direct request, but Tang Ye could roughly discern the meaning within it.

Poor Mr. Sitting Like; for some reason, he always seemed to encounter difficulties, and Tang Ye had truly worried his heart out over him.

……

Carrington Base.

"Whoa, they've ramped up the difficulty."

Tang Ye sat on the substitutes' bench at the training ground, with Fan Fan Dejiahe beside him.

"What do you mean by 'ramped up the difficulty'?"

Fan Fan Dejiahe narrowed his eyes, obviously smiling.

"We're missing half our people, at least half."

Tang Ye looked left and right, counting the number of people currently on the training ground.

One, two, three... he only counted roughly, but it was certain that Manchester United was indeed missing many people.

"Nothing can be done; this is how the European qualifiers are. This is the first time in my memory that the Champions League knockout stage has conflicted with the World Cup qualifiers. Qatar hosting the World Cup in winter was truly outrageous, but given the weather conditions there, holding the tournament in any other season was impossible."

"Still, we're missing far too many."

Tang Ye complained.

Dembélé was squatting on the grass cursing him yesterday, and today he had already flown away.

"Then let me ask you."

Fan Fan Dejiahe turned slightly, facing Tang Ye directly: "Who can participate in the World Cup qualifiers? Aren't they the main players of their national teams? Manchester United has too many national team main players; isn't it normal for there to be fewer people now that the European qualifiers have started?"

"But it's still too few... can we even field a starting lineup?"

Saying that they couldn't even assemble a starting lineup was, of course, a joke, because at the very worst, Manchester United could pull people from the second team; a shortage of personnel was impossible.

Tang Ye was just making a joke, but Fan Fan Dejiahe went along with it: "We'll definitely be able to assemble one; if all else fails, I'll put on a jersey and play myself, providing support for three Ballon d'Or winners!"

Fan Fan Dejiahe skillfully placed his hand on Tang Ye's shoulder.

"Hey! Come on! Forget about it."

Tang Ye pushed Fan Fan Dejiahe away.

"Don't look down on me, Tom! We've known each other for so many years. Oh, right, in your impression I'm just a coach, isn't that so? Hehe, then do you think an ordinary professional player could become an assistant coach at Manchester United after retiring?"

"Oh?"

Tang Ye leaned his upper body back, sizing Fan Fan Dejiahe up from head to toe.

Miscalculation!

He hadn't expected that Mr. Michel, who usually joked around and played pranks, actually had quite a background!

Seeing Tang Ye's astonished expression, Fan Fan Dejiahe's face showed pride.

There were indeed few people who could make a Ballon d'Or winner stare wide-eyed, and he, Fan Fan Dejiahe, was one of them.

"Guess which club I played for."

"Which club?"

"Nijmegen!" Fan Fan Dejiahe lifted his chin high.

"..."

"How about it? When you're trailing Inter Milan on the pitch later, I'll directly put on a jersey and come on as a substitute, okay?"

Fan Fan Dejiahe placed his hand on Tang Ye's head again.

"Wait, Nijmegen?"

Tang Ye still stared with wide eyes: "Anything else?"

"There's also Sparta Rotterdam."

"... Anything more impressive?"

"No."

"Wait, you damn!"

Tang Ye spread his hands, then burst out laughing: "Go wash up and sleep, Mr. Michel."

"What do you mean 'go wash up and sleep'?"

"It means go to sleep."

Tang Ye elbowed Fan Fan Dejiahe: "The Eredivisie? I was invincible in the Eredivisie when I was sixteen, and you're still pulling this stuff with me."

"... Well, I at least had some skill!"

Fan Fan Dejiahe refused to concede.

"What skill? Playing in the Eredivisie, you could tie a dog to the goalpost and still win. Seriously, Michel, don't believe it; if you let me go play in the Eredivisie for Nijmegen right now—assuming the opponent isn't PSV Eindhoven, Ajax, or those kinds of teams—you just arrange a dog in the goal, Sitting Like will do, and if we lose, I'll eat the ball."

Suddenly realizing something was off, Tang Ye quickly added.

"Oh, I'm not talking about Sitting Like; I mean the French Bulldog I bought previously in Portugal. You should have seen him at Wuzaishitang at noon."

"I don't know what a French Bulldog is; I've never seen him."

Fan Fan Dejiahe, having been mocked by Tang Ye, directly started playing dumb: "You asked Sitting Like to guard the goal like a dog; what do you think he would think upon hearing that?"

?

Tang Ye paused for a moment, and then Fan Fan Dejiahe beside him stood up.

"Hey!"

Realizing what was happening, Tang Ye grabbed Fan Fan Dejiahe: "What are you doing? Don't act rashly!"

"Sitting Like!"

Fan Fan Dejiahe directly called Sitting Like over, nearly scaring Tang Ye to death.

"..."

Fortunately, Fan Fan Dejiahe was just joking; he did not speak the threatening words he had aimed at Tang Ye. Instead, Sitting Like began chatting with Tang Ye: "I asked around. Rodri, Osman, and Martinez are all not coming back. Marcus is still uncertain, but even if he returns, it's too late for me to start him."

"I already know all that."

Tang Ye nodded, looking left and right in front of Sitting Like: "With everyone else gone, I would definitely notice."

"No, I mean, I'm not telling you about their departures; of course you know they left."

"My point is, you'll have to work harder for the match the day after tomorrow; we're relying entirely on you to hold things together."

"..."

"It's all the same."

Holding a five-goal advantage, Tang Ye feared nothing.

"Italy also has to play European qualifiers, so the difference isn't that big."

"But Inter Milan has only a few national team starters, whereas nearly our entire starting lineup has been wiped out."

Sitting Like sighed, then looked at Tang Ye with haggard eyes.

Tom, the road ahead is long and arduous!