This match was truly surprising!"
"In the end, Zhao Zhao's Sunderland defeated Manchester City 1-0 away, securing a valuable victory!"
"This is truly a very, very classic example of an underdog triumphing over a stronger opponent. Sunderland was on the defensive the entire match and only had one shot on target."
"But it was this one dangerous shot that broke through Manchester City's goal, while the home team attacked frantically for 90 minutes with nothing to show for it!"
"Following their away win against Manchester United, Zhao Zhao's team once again defeated Manchester City in Manchester. This can be considered a significant miracle!"
"Manchester City's strength is evident. After their rise in recent years, they have won two Premier League titles and consistently remained in the Champions League qualification spots every season."
"This season, they brought in the six-time champion Coach Guardiola, hoping to take another step forward. But to their surprise, they were unexpectedly defeated by the weaker Sunderland tonight!"
"The Sunderland team led by Zhao Zhao showed no fear against a strong opponent. They withstood Manchester City's relentless bombardment and seized upon the opponent's defensive vulnerabilities at the last moment, then launched an effective counterattack!"
"Zhao Zhao's defensive counter-attacking tactics can be said to have left a deep impression on us. Considering the previous two Premier League matches, it's clear that Coach Zhao has a very high degree of tactical flexibility."
"Defend, defend resolutely; attack, attack sharply! With such a Coach, we can expect Sunderland to perform even better in the upcoming matches!"
"Alright, today's live broadcast ends here. I'm James Jun, and we'll see you next week!"
Amidst James Jun's passionate commentary, the television's live broadcast camera at this moment also swept across the stands of Etihad Stadium.
Most Manchester City fans looked blankly at the Sunderland players and Coach who were celebrating on the field, not saying a word.
And some fans had already left their seats in disappointment and walked out of the stadium.
For them, such a result was undoubtedly unacceptable.
Although this was just an ordinary Premier League match, and not something they desired more, like a Champions League game;
But as the stronger team, failing to secure a win against a weak team like Sunderland was definitely not the result they had imagined before the match.
The camera then swept over the home team's dugout.
Guardiola was naturally very disappointed as well.
But he still stood up, and with his assistant Coach Mikel Arteta and others, walked over to the away team's dugout and began shaking hands with the Sunderland Coaches one by one.
When he shook Zhao Zhao's hand, Guardiola forced a smile: "You played very well. Your team showed extraordinary team spirit and tactical discipline. The victory in the match can be said to be well-deserved."
Guardiola was still very graceful.
Although Manchester City seemed to control the entire match, he could see that, tactically, Zhao Zhao had completely won.
And Guardiola has always admired Coaches with unique tactical insights.
Zhao Zhao also humbly said: "Thank you for your affirmation, Mr. Guardiola. Manchester City's attack is as sharp as ever. We just did our best, and luck was on our side tonight."
Zhao Zhao was like this: if you were fierce with him, he would only be fiercer. But if you were polite to him, he would display the traditional Chinese virtues of gentleness, kindness, frugality, and humility…
"Just call me Pep," Guardiola said with a smile. "Do you mind if we talk about your tactics today? I'm actually quite curious how you got your team to be so resolute and maintain such distance in defense?"
"Oh my, is it starting already?" Zhao Zhao thought to himself.
He had heard that Guardiola was a tactical fanatic, even often obsessed with tactics.
Sure enough, today he directly grabbed Zhao Zhao to talk about it…
But actually, it didn't matter.
Communication between two good Coaches often opens up more ideas for both sides, which can be said to be a win-win situation.
Moreover, maintaining a good relationship with Guardiola would definitely not be a bad thing.
Aside from getting the latest and best tactical ideas from him, those unused players in the Manchester City team were all good assets for Sunderland!
Maybe next season he would even need to get some players from Guardiola…
So Zhao Zhao replied: "Actually, it's also by strengthening this concept through your 20-zone training method. We spent a lot of time on the training ground practicing compact defense and quick counterattacks. I told my players that against an opponent like Manchester City, we must be like a wall in defense, not giving the opponent any space."
Guardiola praised: "Indeed, you did it. Your defense was very solid and full of confidence. I'm very curious, how did you motivate the players to maintain such high-intensity defense throughout the entire match?"
Zhao Zhao said seriously: "I believe the key lies in communication and trust. I encourage players to constantly communicate on the field. Everyone must be responsible for their defensive zone, and at the same time, be ready to support teammates at any time. Trust is the foundation; they trust each other to cover, which allows them to form a solid defensive system."
Guardiola nodded: "That makes a lot of sense. Communication is the most easily overlooked part of a football match, but clearly, you did very well in this regard. Also, I noticed that your final counterattack was very direct, just a cross from the wing to find the tall center forward. Was this intentional?"
Zhao Zhao smiled: "Yes, my goal was to exploit the space left behind when your formation pushed up, then advance quickly and deliver a fatal blow before your defense could reorganize. Obviously, a long pass to a tall center forward is the fastest and most efficient way."
Guardiola sighed: "You succeeded very well. Tonight's match was a lesson for us. We need to do better when facing this kind of tactic."
Zhao Zhao sincerely said: "Pep, your tiki-taka style also brought us many challenges, and I learned a lot from today's match. In fact, if I didn't adopt this 'parking the bus' approach, I really wouldn't know how to beat you."
"Haha…" Guardiola finally laughed heartily and shook Zhao Zhao's hands again, "Congratulations again on your victory, and I look forward to facing you again next season! You will definitely stay in the Premier League!"
Zhao Zhao also laughed heartily: "Thanks for the good word, Pep. I also look forward to our next encounter!"
By the end of their conversation, the two almost felt a sense of mutual appreciation and couldn't help themselves.
They also exchanged contact information so they could discuss tactics at any time.
As for the post-match press conference that followed, it naturally wasn't as tense as the previous two Zhao Zhao had attended.
It truly became a "mutual business flattery"!
Of course, Zhao Zhao calling Guardiola a world-renowned Coach wasn't flattery, but Guardiola's comments about Zhao Zhao would be featured on the front pages of many newspapers:
"I think Zhao Zhao is a genius!"
"When I was only 25 years old, I was still a player. I might have had some insights into organizing the midfield, but it was hard to figure out an entire tactical system, let alone use the most correct strategy to deal with different opponents."
"And when I truly became a Coach, I realized how difficult this profession is. It requires considering much more than a player does! It's not just sitting there as some people imagine."
"It can be said that to become a good player, sometimes you only need to possess a certain talent, such as being exceptionally strong physically, very fast, or having excellent technique."
"But to become a good Coach, you need to be proficient in all aspects, especially having a smart brain."
"Clearly, Zhao Zhao is such a Coach. He possesses the qualities to become a world-class Coach, whether it's in training, communication, or on-field command."
"Considering he is only 25 years old this year… Yes, I'll emphasize it again, Zhao Zhao is a genius!"