We made you the King of Prisoners, and now you've become the King of Football?

Chapter 97 Anfield

England.

Liverpool.

Melwood Training Base.

With the international break over, Liverpool players are gradually returning to the team.

But Klopp's expression didn't look good.

"How is Origi?"

"The thigh strain is still under investigation, but the current situation should be okay."

"What about Firmino?"

"My hamstrings are tired, I need to rest for a few days."

"Benteke?"

"My knee feels a bit uncomfortable; it might be a ligament problem."

The assistant coach kept reporting on the players' injury situation.

This time, Liverpool clearly couldn't escape the FIFA virus.

Klopp rubbed his temples.

The Europa League knockout stage is about to begin.

Unfortunately, the team is facing injury problems at this very moment.

The assistant coach then placed the schedule on the table.

"Boss, our next match is at home against Tottenham."

"Next up is the Europa League quarterfinals."

"We need to play the first leg against Monaco at home."

"Given the team's current situation, I think we need to make some trade-offs —"

Klopp nodded in agreement.

He was also carefully considering things in his mind.

The team has played 29 rounds of matches and has only accumulated 44 points, ranking ninth in the Premier League.

They are 7 points behind Manchester City, who are in fourth place in the Champions League zone with 51 points.

In the competition for Champions League spots, a team's performance is not the only factor; the results of other teams' performances also matter.

This situation is very unfavorable for the team right now.

However, if they can win the Europa League title this season, they will not only add a European trophy to their trophy cabinet.

They can also qualify directly for the Champions League group stage next season by winning the Europa League.

Therefore, prioritizing the Europa League over the league seems to be the best strategy.

Klopp nodded to himself, having made up his mind.

Focus on the Europa League!

If they can win the Europa League, then his first season in charge of Liverpool will not be a failure.

Thinking about it, he turned his gaze to the documents on the other side.

Monaco.

Klopp was not satisfied with the draw for the quarterfinals.

But at least they didn't run into Seville.

However, Monaco is definitely not an easy opponent to sign either.

At the beginning of the season, most European teams didn't even take this Ligue 1 team seriously.

However, in just a few months, they have become one of the most surprising teams in Europe this season.

In Ligue 1, they are constantly chasing Paris Saint-Germain, who are ahead of them.

They even made it all the way to the quarterfinals in the Europa League.

The team is comprised of a group of incredibly talented young players.

Bernardo Silva, Fabinho, Bakayoko, Mbappe —

And the Chinese youths he had scouted and considered potential transfer targets.

Klopp reached out and opened the document.

The data for Monaco this season is densely recorded on it.

The energy and dynamism of the young players allowed Monaco to unleash their full offensive firepower.

Add to that Yaldin's unpredictable and ever-changing tactics—

"Looks like I've met my match this time," Klopp murmured.

This Europa League quarter-final match has already caused a huge uproar in the country.

The news was featured on the front page of major sports media outlets.

—"Stepping into Anfield! Chinese Youth Face the Iron-Blooded Red Army!"

—"A major battle is imminent! A clash between two great managers! Klopp vs. Jardim!"

—Klopp's Redemption Battle! Liverpool Go All In for the Europa League!

—A clash of red and white! A young dark horse versus a century-old powerhouse!

The Daily Mail: The fairytale of Chinese talent will end at Anfield!

Comment area.

"It's a pity this match needs to be decided. I'm a 30-year-old Kop member, and I want Liverpool to win, but I also don't want our young Chinese players to lose."

"I'll teach you what to do: bet on Monaco to win. That way, you'll be happy whether Liverpool wins or Monaco wins, thus hedging your risk."

"You're a fucking genius."

"I have a feeling this match won't be easy for Liverpool."

"Origi, Firmino, and Benteke are all suffering minor injuries while on international duty and their participation in this match is doubtful. Will Liverpool be overwhelmed by Monaco?"

"Logically speaking, it shouldn't be a problem. I believe Klopp's tactics can fill the gaps left by the players!"

England.

Liverpool.

The fog along the Mersey River enveloped the entire city like a thin veil.

Abandoned dock cranes stand on the riverbank, telling the story of this industrial port city's former glory.

The streets are lined with Victorian-era red brick houses.

The newsstand was already full of newspapers about the Europa League matches.

Football seems to be more precious than anything else here.

For Liverpool fans, football has never been an easy sport.

In this industrial city, football is a pastime for dockworkers after get off work, and their only source of emotional support after a long day of fatigue.

Liverpool is a team that belongs to all Liverpool fans.

.

In a decades-old bar in the city center.

It was packed with die-hard Liverpool fans.

The walls are adorned with Beatles posters and photos of Liverpool legends throughout history.

The TV behind the bar was playing highlights of the Istanbul miracle.

An elderly football fan, holding a beer mug, watched the screen as Gerrard lifted the Champions League trophy.

"Eleven years have passed in the blink of an eye."

He sighed.

"I was young then, and a few brothers and I drove to Istanbul overnight."

"When we were down 3-0 at halftime, we all thought it was all over."

"As a result, we rallied in the second half to score three goals and then won against AC Milan in a penalty shootout."

"That night, the entire city of Istanbul turned into a sea of ​​red."

A young fan nearby chimed in, "We're definitely going to win the Europa League this time!"

"After Klopp arrived, the team finally regained its fighting spirit."

"Once we get past Monaco, we're not afraid of any opponent we encounter!"

The young man's words resonated with others.

The tavern immediately erupted in excitement.

Liverpool fans raised their beer glasses and shouted.

"This is Anfield!"

"Even if Barcelona or Real Madrid came, they'd have to give us a good beating!"

"We'll show that Chinese kid what real football is!"

The song "You'll Never Walk Alone" played in the bar.

The song was deep and powerful, piercing through the mist and echoing along the banks of the Mersey.

The day before the match.

A plane from Nice, France.

We landed on time at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

A light drizzle was falling from the sky.

The Monaco bus slowly pulled out of the airport and headed towards a hotel in the city center.

On the bus.

The players are in different states.

Carvalho leaned against the window, closing his eyes to rest.

Fabinho and Bakayoko were playing on their phones together.

Mbappe excitedly peeked out the car window at the street scene.

"Wow, everything here is red."

Even the buses are red.

"Is the red-light district here also red?"

Bakayoko perked up at the mention of the red-light district.

He smiled and said to Mbappe, "It's okay, I'll check it out for you after the game."

After checking into the hotel and resting for a while.

The entire Monaco team traveled to Anfield for their pre-match training session.

The bus stopped outside Shankly Gate.

The moment the players stepped off the bus, everyone stopped in their tracks.

On the black wrought iron gate, a line of large, gold-plated characters is engraved.

【YOU「LLNEVERWALKALONE】

Next to the gate is the Hillsborough Memorial.

The names of all the fans who perished are engraved on the stone monument, and the eternal flame at the top flickers silently.

A solemn and heavy atmosphere permeated the air.

The players walked silently through the gate and down the narrow, dimly lit players' tunnel.

On the wall of the passageway hangs that famous red sign.

【ANFIELD】

Every Liverpool player who passes by will raise their hand and tap this sign.

This is a tradition that has continued for decades.

Jiang Ming walked up to the sign and stopped.

He looked up at the words.

It's as if you can feel Liverpool's century-long history.

Yaldin walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't be intimidated by the history here."

"History is made by people."

"Tomorrow, we too can write our own history here."

Jiang Ming nodded.

The group continued walking forward, and a blinding light shone from the end of the passage.

The moment they walked out of the players' tunnel and officially stepped onto the pitch.

Everyone stopped in their tracks once again.

Even though the stands were completely empty.

But in the darkness, it seemed as if countless eyes were watching them.

The KOP stands directly opposite looked like a huge red mountain range, appearing before everyone's eyes.

It's not much less impressive than Dortmund's yellow walls.

Mbappe swallowed hard: "This—this is just too shocking."

A staff member nearby said with a smile, "You'll be even more amazed when this place is full of people tomorrow."

"Fans will enter the stadium two hours in advance."

"They will keep singing until the competition ends."

"Win or lose, they won't stop."

Jiang Ming looked towards the empty red stands.

Tomorrow, this place will be filled with Liverpool fans wearing red jerseys.

Regardless of winning or losing.

They will also leave their mark on history here.