Don's mood suddenly improved, and it may not be appropriate to describe it as "suddenly bright", but that meaning is almost the same. He no longer bothered about things outside of the game, and concentrated on studying his opponents and catching training. Everyone around me can feel this change, and Tony. Don made them feel insecure, because the leader of this team was distraught himself, and the morale of the army would naturally be affected. Now that he was fine, his restless heart, which he didn't know why, had settled down, and the people around him had also settled down.

Since the final was held in faraway Russia, the team had to go to the acclimatization venue two days in advance.

Before leaving, Donn took his ticket to Gavin's graveyard. It's the norm and it's done as long as his team makes it to the final. As with this convention, before he gave Michael. Bernard sent a ticket, but this time he had a piece of paper in the envelope that said, "You don't use, Michael." Just keep it as a souvenir. ”

At Gavin's grave, Donn met George. Wood, which surprised him a little: "Is it a coincidence that we don't always get along?" ”

Wood looked back at the head coach with the flowers in his hand, "I don't know. I don't know when you'll be here. ”

"Then why do we always pick the same day?"

"Because it's only one day when the team's training ends early. "They were referring to the day before the team went to the final venue.

"You have a point. "Don crouched down in front of Gavin's grave and placed flowers on George. Wood was next to the bouquet, then pulled out a lighter and lit the ticket in his hand.

"That's how you give him a ticket?" Wood met for the first time.

"yes. I don't know Gavin's address in heaven, so I'll have to burn it to him. Burning the ticket, Don clapped his hands. Get up and look at Wood.

Gavin...... Is his dad coming back to watch the game this year? Wood asked.

Don shook his head: "No." He has his own life, and the football game is just a spice in life. ”

"Dispensing?"

"They're not professional players or professional coaches, they're just regular fans. For us. Maybe football is life, but not for them. Donn looked at Wood as he explained, and he asked. "Is your mom okay?"

"Body...... It's always been like that. ”

Don nodded in understanding. Sophia's illness is the sequelae of years of hard work, poor food, poor clothing, and poor housing and high psychological pressure. There is basically no hope of curing such a disease, and it can only be controlled slowly, and until now, it is often necessary to go to the hospital for treatment.

"George. ”

"Huh?"

"Take good care of your mother. ”

"I know. ”

"So...... Will she go to watch the final on the 21st? ”

"She wanted to go, but I wouldn't let her. ”

"Oh?" Hear George. Wood said. There's something strange about Donn.

"She's not in good health and can't do long flights. I asked her to watch live TV at home. ”

"Then you're going to have to behave better!" Don smiled and patted Wood on the shoulder.

"I've been doing well...... Wood suddenly thought of the red card in the last game of the league, what happened to Ronaldo, who was tackled to the ground and had to be carried off the pitch on a stretcher? He paid little attention to the media. "How's that Portuguese?"

"Portuguese?" Don was stunned for a moment, and quickly reacted: "Oh, you said Cristiano. Ronaldo? He...... Well, nothing serious, just rest for a few days. Now he's alive and well in the Portuguese national team's training camp. You don't have to worry. ”

Donn exaggerated a little. Ronaldo did appear in the Portuguese national team's training camp for the European Championships, but he was anything but alive. Until now, Scolari has not allowed Ronaldo to train with the ball, his task is to recover and rest well. Out of an abundance of caution, the Portuguese national team's team doctors advised Scolari to wait for the second game of the group stage before sending Ronaldo to play.

Because there are European Championships and Olympics this year. The leagues in various European countries are coming to an end, and the players of the clubs are reporting to their respective national teams. Only Nottingham Forest and Chelsea have postponed their breakup due to the Champions League final. Champions Cup, European Championships, Business Competitions, Olympic Games...... It's going to be a busy summer for the Nottingham Forest players.

Wood had no expression on his face, but he was slightly relieved in his heart.

It's not the same as the last time he kicked Roshenbach's leg. Last time he was there to avenge Eastwood, this time it was all tactical necessity. The need to play is completely different from "I just want to do this".

"By the way, about that foul. You've done a beautiful job. "I was busy celebrating after the game, preparing for the Champions Cup, worrying about Shania's "life-long event", and I never talked to Wood about the game. He was afraid Wood would worry that his red card had put the team in trouble. This is not actually the case......

'If it wasn't for that decisive foul from you, we would have conceded the ball and we wouldn't have had that precious counter-attacking opportunity. It's you who change the course and the outcome of the game. Donn gave Wood a high rating. "To win this league. You're a great contributor. ”

Wood didn't rejoice at Donn's compliment. He was always like that, as if nothing could make him angry.

Don is not used to it.

"Shall you go back?" He said.

"Hmm. Wood nodded.

Before leaving, Donn turned to look at Gavin's tombstone and said, "Let's go first, go to Moscow for the final, Gavin." If we can defend our title, I promise we'll come back to see you with trophies. Also, don't forget to go to the stadium to watch the game. ”

With these words, Donn and Wood walked out of the quiet cemetery side by side. The flowers sway gently in the breeze. As if nodding.

The city of Moscow is no longer a strange place for Donn that can only be learned sporadically in various film and television works. This was where Nottingham Forest spent last summer's pre-season warm-up game. This time it's a revisit.

"I'm so lucky. Chelsea didn't share a flight with us. On the way from Moscow airport to the hotel, Chrislak said of their trip to the London airport. In London's Heathrow Airport is full of media. People once thought that this place had become the second "Fleet Street" (note: in the past, the street with the largest concentration of British media was a sign of the development of British media, and now various media have moved out one after another, and "Fleet Street" has become a symbolic noun used to refer to the British media base). Because Chelsea and Nottingham Forest both left England for Moscow on this day, everything collided.

"The media don't think so, and they must be very disappointed that they didn't see the excitement. Don was merciless in his mockery of the British media. "It's like you gave them the bones to see. but they were not allowed to eat as if they were eating it. ”

The two teams did not meet in advance of the game, as the media had hoped, and the airport was very meticulous in not giving them a chance to meet. Both teams also cared about the matter and asked the players not to wander around before boarding. There's a lot of animosity between the two teams right now, and no one wants anything to happen......

The bus stopped in front of the hotel where the team was staying, where a number of journalists had already gathered. After getting off the bus, the players were interviewed for a short time and then entered the hotel one after another, resting according to the group of rooms that had been allocated for a long time.

Don waited a little longer at the door of the hotel, as the leader of the team and famously with a big mouth. He was "favored" by more media.

"There's not much to say. There's been a lot of news about us lately, and it's all the same, and you don't want me to prevaricate you with outdated things, do you? Don shouted through the crowd.

"You can talk about the outlook for the final and what you hope to achieve......

"Nobody wants to lose, man. That's a poor question. Donn amused the other reporters.

Tang Jing was naturally also in it. While everyone was laughing, she squeezed in and asked, "Since the Champions Cup was restructured, no team has ever successfully defended the title." Now Nottingham Forest is very hopeful, may I ask ...... Mr. Donn. Have you fully estimated how difficult it will be to defend your title? ”

If she asks, "Are you confident that you will succeed in defending your title?" Don will definitely be ridiculed: "You are talking nonsense." In the process of constantly arguing with Don, she also learned to be smart.

Hearing this, Donn nodded: "Any final is difficult, and I actually think the Champions Cup final is the same as the final round of the league that has just ended. But my job with my players is to face difficulties of one kind or another and ...... them Kick it away! Are you satisfied with my answer, Miss Tang? Tang En winked at Tang Jing.

"Thank you. Tang Jing ignored him and continued to ask, "Can you talk about your trip to China in the summer......?"

"I'm sorry. That has nothing to do with the game after tomorrow, and I don't want to talk about it now. Don put on a yard-by-yard expression.

Tang Jing nodded in understanding, and then stopped asking other questions.

After some questions from other reporters, Donn squeezed his way out of the crowd and into the hotel. He didn't rush to rest, but held a meeting with the entire coaching staff.

The preparation has reached the final sprint stage, and there is no room for sloppiness. He has to be in control of the current state of the team at all times. After all, it's not that there are no problems on my side.

In Tony. Don had just returned to his room for a meeting with the coaches. The Chelsea team, who arrived in Moscow a little later than them, also arrived at their hotel. The two teams face each other from the north and south of the Luzhniki Stadium, the venue of the final, and are not far away. If the weather is fine. When air visibility is good. Through the window of Donne's room, you can see the spire of the hotel building where Chelsea is staying.

Blues star Frank Lampard has just experienced the loss of his mother. Speaking to reporters after getting out of the car, he said he wanted to use the first Champions Cup trophy in the club's history to comfort his mother's soul. John Terry and Didier Drogba have also said he hopes Frank Lampard can score the winning goal in the game.

Although there is always news in the Chelsea dressing room that is not peaceful in the set, support Mourinho or not, support Grant or question Grant...... But at this moment, the team is united like never before. All disagreements don't matter anymore, in Moscow they only want one thing...... That is to help the team win the final, beat Nottingham Forest and win the Champions Cup!

The players' performances made Grant, who then got off the team, very happy, and the united Chelsea added to his victory over Tony. Done's confidence.

Although Nottingham Forest has just won the league title, morale is high. However, the final round of the league has drained them a lot of energy, and it is said that David Beckham will be able to play in the final due to a recurrence of an old injury, and there seems to be news that Ruud van Nistelrooy has suffered a minor injury in training.

Compared to them, Ashley, who was injured in previous training. Cole has made a comeback and has no problem playing in the finals. And Chelsea played easily in the final round of the league and their strength was guaranteed.

And the most important point.

'There have been media reports that Chelsea lack the experience to play in a Champions League final, but I think that's our strength. Compared to Nottingham Forest, who have already won the Champions League, our players are more hungry for this honour and their fighting spirit is more than Nottingham Forest can match. Grant spoke eloquently to the reporters surrounding him. After coming to Moscow, he was full of confidence, believing that this was the stage prepared for him, and the protagonist must be himself.

'I believe in my players. I don't want to talk about myself or my predecessor at this point because it's disrespectful to my players and the credit for being able to make it to the final belongs to the whole team. ”

“…… Of course, it will be a difficult game and Nottingham Forest are not underdogs. But we have the confidence to win. I know Chelsea Football Club has never won this honour in its history and I'm looking forward to what it will be like when we return to Stamford Bridge with the trophy in hand. Grant is downplaying his rivalry with Donn, repeatedly emphasizing teamwork, and the confidence in his words has impressed reporters with the manager who has been questioned.

He behaved like a seasoned manager, neither nervous nor too excited, and calmly knew what he was supposed to do.

After seeing the performance of the whole Chelsea team, the BBC TV commentator lamented: 'It's going to be a really tight game because both sides are determined to win the title. No one throws in the towel, and humility is not a virtue here. ”