Chapter 203: superstitious

After finishing the warm-up and returning to the locker room, coach Tony Clark and other players changed their clothes. After nothing happened, did they stand up and do the final "pre-war mobilization" for the team.
"This is the Europa League final, our first time, but for us, many things are the first time. So the first time is the first time, I don't have any special feelings anyway."
Clark said that, everyone remembered the experience of these two seasons, there are indeed too many firsts.
First time to win the Premier League, first time to participate in the Community Shield, first time to participate in the Champions League, first time to win in the Champions League, first time to participate in the Europa League, first time to win in the Europa League... This way, participating in the Europa League final for the first time seems logical.
The psychological impact on the players is not great.
"We are creating the history of this team, this club, so we will encounter many first times that we have not experienced before. We have no experience in this area, which is normal. After all, the first team to win on this planet The UEFA Champions League team has not had the experience of winning the UEFA Champions League before. So I don’t agree with the statements in the media..."
Before the game, media from all over the world analyzed the game, and they were generally more optimistic about the Seville Navigator.
Even if they put aside the fact that they are the team that has won the most championships in the history of this tournament, and replaced by other teams and Leeds in the Europa League, as long as this team has participated in the Europa League final, they will all Than Leeds City is more worthy of being optimistic.
Because they are more experienced.
The experience of playing the Europa League, the experience of playing the Europa League final.
The Seville Navigator also has the experience of winning the Europa League trophy. The last time the Seville Navigator won the Europa League was in the 2023-2024 season, there are still many players on this team. Participated in the final at that time.
So they have not only won the Europa League in the history of the club, their players themselves have also won the championship trophy.
Therefore, the media is more optimistic about the Seville Navigator.
But in fact, putting aside these historical and empirical theories, the strength of Leeds is no worse than the Seville Navigator.
As the Premier League champion last season, although he ranked poorly in the Premier League this season, it was also the result of choosing to abandon the league because of the constraints of multi-line combat.
In fact, when Leeds talks with a strong team, as long as they don't give up on their own initiative, they will never fall behind.
Take London Bridge in the semifinals as an example. In the league, they voluntarily gave up, so they faced London Bridge with one win and one tie. After the Europa League, they could double their opponents at home and away.
Can you say that Leeds is weaker than London Bridge?
"... The Europa League final is a single game. Past experience and history are not helpful. The most important thing is to play in this game. We are confident that we can play our strongest level in a game. ?"
Clark asked.
All his players responded without hesitation: "Of course there are!"
Clark nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, very good. I also hope everyone will remember that Leeds City, from a relegated team two seasons ago, to the Europa League finals, we rely on absolute It’s not luck, but our own strength. So we are qualified to stand here and compete with the overlord of this event! We compete with the Seville Navigator in the way we do best, since we Can win the Premier League championship, then we can face any team in the world!"
For Leeds, the Premier League champions are really their eternal source of strength.
The football world believes in actual results, not those analytical reports.
So as long as you have won the championship, then you are a championship-level team.
Especially this championship is the one you won recently.
This is the source of confidence and confidence for a team.
Clark has repeatedly mentioned this point and hopes that everyone will be aware of it and not be frightened by the title of the "Sevilla Voyagers Cup".
"From the very beginning of this game, we have to attack. Don't think about the mess and things. If we are good at attacking, we will attack. As for how the opponent responds, that is not in our consideration. Remember, in this game During the game, no matter when and under what circumstances, we insist on our football! Have you heard?"
Everyone answered in unison: "I heard it!"
Clark raised his voice and asked, "What is our football?!"
"In-attack!" everyone shouted hoarsely.
"very good!"
※※※
"Leeds City will definitely attack after the start of the game. This is what they are best at and the only thing they can do."
In the locker room of the Navigators of Seville, head coach Pierre Brent is admonishing his players.
"So we don't worry after the game starts, first hold steady, after the most violent offensive in Leeds City, take advantage of their offensive exhaustion, and then the opportunity to lose strength, and then quickly attack! They are on the two sides when switching offensive and defensive. There will be loopholes, because one of their midfielders, Jay Adams, will go up to help Pete Williams organize the offense. There is only the Japanese behind him. He is not enough to cover the entire width of the court. He will definitely lose sight of the other. We are going to use the diagonally long pass to quickly shift the attack direction and hit their weak side!"
"Whether it is strength or experience, we are better than them. As long as we can perform normally and don't make mistakes, victory will definitely belong to us! You must have such self-consciousness and confidence. We come to Paris and do only one thing!"
Brent raised his right index finger.
"Champion! Champion! Or fuck...champion!"
※※※
The silver gleaming Europa League trophy was placed on an exquisite dedicated table, right at the exit of the player channel. When players from both teams walked out of the channel, they would pass the trophy.
And now even if they are in the passage and have not yet played, they can still see the trophies placed outside.
Ten minutes ago, the trophy was brought to the table by the captain of the last Europa League champion Madrid Pirates Juan Ramirez.
This is the real Europa League-every team that wins the Europa League is actually not a permanent trophy made of silver and brass. What they get is just a copy.
When the UEFA Europa League final next season, there will be a handover ceremony where the previous champion will bring the real trophy to the final arena and hand it over to the new champion.
In the past, UEFA has stipulated that any team that has won the Europa League three times in a row or a total of five Europa League championships can retain this trophy forever. However, no team has succeeded in three consecutive championships, or won a total of five championships.
This regulation was revised by UEFA twenty years ago. The current rule is that no matter how many championships have been won, even if they have won three consecutive championships, there is no way to permanently win this trophy, only a special commemorative edition-the trophy will have a special mark to show the team's three consecutive championships. , Or won the glory of five championships.
The trophy made in 1972 will always belong to UEFA.
There is a useless warm knowledge: how to distinguish the genuine and the replica?
The authentic cups are densely engraved with the names of the teams that have won the UEFA Cup and the year they won the championship.
The copy only has the name and year of the team that won the championship.
The TV broadcast shot was taken from the front of the trophy. In the player channel behind the trophy, one of the players on both sides could be seen staring in the direction of the trophy. They should be watching the trophy.
Their eyes were full of longing.
Even the Sevilla Navigators players who are not short of Europa League champions are no exception.
No one will complain that there are too many championship trophies.
※※※
"That's the Europa League... eh, do you think the base is gold?"
"No, it's copper."
"It's not gold? Doesn't it mean that there is no gold in the Europa League?"
Although everyone is staring at the trophy, the performance of the two teams is still slightly different.
The Sevilla Navigator players just stared at the trophy, and the Leeds City players were still talking about it besides staring.
This performance is especially like a hillbilly who has never seen the world...
However, they have never seen the world before, so there is nothing embarrassing to admit.
After they won the Premier League championship, the media ridiculed them in comics. The honor room can only use a Premier League championship trophy to show their glory...
I don’t know if I drew inspiration from this caricature, or the Leeds City Club itself is that idea
In the Leeds City Hall of Honor, there is a special area that allows every fan who visits the Leeds City Hall of Honor to take photos with the Premier League championship trophy.
The trophy is placed on the table, there is no glass cover apart, but no one is allowed to touch it. Fans can stand next to the trophy, posing the POSE they want, and then the Leeds City Club staff will take this scene with a camera.
Finally, fans can get a photo of themselves and the Premier League trophy.
Once this project was launched, it was well received. In the first few days, Leeds City fans lined up and waited for tens of minutes to take a photo with this trophy.
Now everyone’s freshness has passed. There are fewer people. Basically, you don’t need to queue up and you can shoot when you go. In addition to local fans in Leeds, there are even Chinese students from all over the UK who have come here to take photos with the trophy.
Many of them are not Leeds City fans, they have their own home team before. They chose to take photos here to express their support and love for Hu Lai. After all, this is the first Premier League trophy won by a Chinese player.
Of all the Premier League teams that have won the championship trophy, Leeds City is the only club to do so. Other clubs put their own trophies in glass cabinets, quietly displaying them under bright lights, and never allow close contact without protection.
This is also because people have many championship trophies, and there is no need to use one championship trophy as a treasure.
For example, how can a giant club like the Stan Park Rangers, who have won six Premier League titles, take photos with the trophy? Is it taking photos with six Premier League championship trophies from different periods at the same time?
It can't be achieved at all...
Only Leeds City, the only Premier League champion, could do so.
"The Europa League... I really want to touch it..." Lasky looked at the silver trophy and couldn't help muttering.
Jay Adams next to him gave him a look: "I advise you not, Dominic."
Lasky grinned: "Of course I won't, Jay. I just said it casually..."
"I'm not superstitious, Dominic. I just don't want you to be psychologically hinted by that statement." Jay Adams explained.
Lasky nodded, thanking Adams for his kindness. But his gaze still stayed on the trophy, as if it had some magical power, it would not loosen his eyes and mind.
There are many weird superstitions in the football world.
Some superstitious behaviors are personal. For example, some players must take their left or right foot before going on the field, as if doing so can bring them good luck.
If another coach wears a red tie when he wins, he will continue to wear this red tie in subsequent games, even if it is dirty or smelly, he will not change it, unless... he wears this red tie. The tie lost the ball.
Some superstitions belong to the "universal standard" of the football world.
In the early years, the football world rejected women, did not allow women to board the team bus before the game, and did not allow women to enter the team's locker room. Because it is generally believed that women will bring bad luck, they appear in the bus or the locker room, will make the team lose.
Later, with the promotion of the affirmative movement, this kind of superstition about gender has been much less. After all, there are even female referees or linemen in football matches. But it's just a reduction in the public level. What do you think about this matter in private, and who knows?
Touching the championship trophy before the game belongs to another "universal superstition"-the side that touches the trophy before the game will eventually lose the trophy.
And because this universal superstition does not involve gender, it has not been eliminated, but still persists.
It is hard to say whether the players believe this "curse" at first, but after being hyped over and over again by the boring media, the players couldn't help but believe it.
Superstition is actually a massive act of blind obedience ~ EbookFREE.me ~ When everyone is convinced of this, you'd better believe it, otherwise it will bring you tremendous psychological pressure-how many people Dare to confront the world?
But in fact, there have been examples in history of getting the championship trophy after touching the trophy in advance. It's just that these things are slightly less than the case of losing the championship. The media will not hype and publicize, and naturally fewer people know about it.
And those players who touched the trophy in advance and lost the championship became the "cursed victims" that people talked about.
Of course, even if this curse spreads so widely, there are many lessons learned, but it still can't hold back that there are always players who don't believe in evil and can't help but touch the championship trophy before the game.
After all, "head iron" is also one of human nature.
Hu Lai, who had just used the system to give his teammates [Lingxi Cards] one by one, heard the system’s emotionless voice rang:
"Task: Get rid of superstition. Touch the trophy when you play, and then win the Europa League. Task reward: Points × 500000, [World Wave Experience Card] × 1, [Unfit sneakers] × 1."
Hu Lai was stunned.