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"In short, we will seriously prepare for these two games. None of the teams that can reach the knockout round is an underdog. To despise the opponent is to insult yourself."

The screen of Simeone's interview was played on the TV, and then cut back to the studio. The host smiled and said: "Simeone said that with a serious face and looked quite sincere. When I thought it was just It's just a scene - of course he couldn't say in front of the media that he didn't take Sampdoria seriously. But the reality is that a team like Sampdoria doesn't care whether they are in the group stage or not. No matter how he performs, there is no need to make Atletico Madrid so nervous...I have to say, don’t look at Simeone’s crazy performance on the coach’s bench, but when facing the media, he knows what to say and what not to say, and he does Players, this cunning 'fox'..."

"Dad, is this really the case?" A young man in front of the TV turned around and shouted behind him.

"Your father is not a fox." A middle-aged man's voice sounded.

"Am I asking if what you said on camera was completely different from what you thought?"

The middle-aged man who stepped out of the shadows was none other than Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone.

He handed the tablet in his hand to his son, and did not answer the question directly, but said, "Look."

After the son took it, he found that it was a player highlight video, and the player was wearing a Sampdoria jersey.

He looked up at his father curiously.

"This is a collection of the goals that Sampdoria's core striker has scored in the Champions League and the league this season."

Hearing his father's explanation, he looked down.

Soon he exclaimed: "Oh! This ball..."

"This technology is really beautiful!"

"Unbelievable, can you still do this?"

"He has obviously been knocked out, why can he still..."

Simeone stood by, quietly listening to his son's exclamation while watching.

After his son finished watching the highlight video, he asked: "Do you still think what I said in front of the media is a scene?"

The son frowned and thought for a while, then said: "I admit that he is very strong, Dad.

But football is not a one-person sport. If Sampdoria relies on him alone, I think it still cannot be compared with your Atletico Madrid. "

"This is what a normal person thinks. The Celtics and Ajax also thought the same way. But the result..." Simeone curled his lips. "Football is indeed a collective sport, but Giovanni, remember, football is also a stage for individual heroes. Some people can change the outcome of a game by themselves."

Giovanni Simeone was a little surprised: "Dad, do you think so highly of him? Don't worry, I won't leak the conversation between us..."

He thought Dad was wary of the paparazzi all over the place.

But Simeone shook his head: "Giovanni, you also play as a striker. If you still can't see the horror of this person, then I am very disappointed."

Giovanni Simeone looked back at the tall, oriental-looking man in the video.

He frowned slightly, disapproving of his father's words. If Dad said the truth, then he would be very disappointed in Dad...

How could such a person be scared out of his wits?

He admitted that this man's goals are beautiful and his personal ability is outstanding, but his weaknesses are also outstanding. Just look at his figure, you should guess that he is not good at physical confrontation. Highlights will only show the player's strengths, but his weaknesses will not be revealed...

As long as he is stared at in the game, with Sampdoria's overall strength, how could it be possible for his father to be so afraid?

He didn't believe that with Atletico Madrid's defensive hardness, he couldn't restrain the man in front of him.

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After the result of the draw came out, Sampdoria coach Di Francesco was also approached by the media to ask him his opinion on the result.

But Di Francesco said: "I am not thinking about the game in February next year. The problem before us is the league. So I will not make any comments on it."

Maybe some media interpreted his words as "admitting counsel". He doesn't care, and he hopes that everyone thinks so.

But he spoke the truth.

Being able to reach the Champions League knockout stage has actually completed his mission for him. He chose a very risky strategy in the first half of the season, that is, to give up the league and focus on the Champions League. It's a bold strategy, but it's also risky. Fortunately, he got what he wanted in the end.

Then the next step should be to shift the focus back to the league.

Although Sampdoria's performance in the league in the first half of the season was not bad, at least it did not fall into the relegation zone, but Di Francesco still hopes to improve the team's league ranking. If you can play in Europe next season - not the Champions League - as long as you can play in the Europa League.

He doesn't know how long Gao Zheng will stay in this team, and Gao Zheng's stay is not up to him. All he can do is to seize the opportunity that Gao Zheng is still in Sampdoria, Gao Zheng's role was maximized.

After the Champions League game against Ajax, Sampdoria went away to challenge their league opponent Chievo. In this game, Di Francesco did not carry out a large rotation. After all, there is no need to fight on multiple fronts. The UEFA Champions League group stage is all over, and the Coppa Italia will not restart until January next year. Before the Christmas holiday, There are only two games left for Sampdoria, and there is no need to save any energy at all. After these two games, the team will have a holiday and will not regroup until New Year's Day next year.

In the end, Sampdoria defeated Chievo 1:0 away.

A week later, they defeated Parma 2:1 at home, and Gao Zheng scored the winning goal for the team.

After this game, Serie A entered a very short winter break.

After seventeen league rounds, the league schedule has not yet passed halfway. Sampdoria has eight wins, four draws and five losses, with 28 points, ranking seventh in the league. At present, the team has won four consecutive victories, and the momentum is very good.

However, the winter break will definitely interrupt the team's state. After the short vacation is over, it is hard to say whether the team can still show such a performance when assembled.

Therefore, Frécello, the team reporter of "Nineteenth Century", expressed his regret for the winter break on social networks.

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In the locker room after the game, Alberto Massi sent an invitation to Gao Zheng: "We are going to Mallorca, do you want to go with us?"

Gao Zheng nodded: "Okay, I'll go."

Anyway, he was fine in Genoa over the Christmas break. Before, there were Feng Shiyao and Xiao Yingying, who called out to have a meal on Christmas, but this year there is no such treatment.

So after finishing the club's Christmas dinner, they left Genoa together and flew to Mallorca, a resort in Spain.

There, they will spend four days in total relaxation before flying back to Genoa to prepare for the eighteenth round of the league.

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