Chapter 447: The Controversy Between the King and the Wind
When the match between Barcelona and Bayern ended half an hour later, as the referee blew the final whistle, Bayern players left the Camp Nou, their expressions filled with disappointment, departing from this "City of Hell."
Dong Fangzhuo's eyes were filled with loss. Even though he knew the hope was slim, there was a fleeting fantasy in his heart that he could help Bayern lift the highest honor in Europe, just like Wang Feng.
But reality was cruel. Barcelona's strength far exceeded his imagination, not to mention the home advantage at Camp Nou. At this moment, deep in his heart, he couldn't help but admire Wang Feng even more. The Chinese superstar had managed to stand out here, single-handedly snatching victory from their home team in front of ninety thousand people!
Just then, he suddenly heard someone call his name. The strange pronunciation left Dong Fangzhuo somewhat stunned, but he quickly realized it was calling for him. So he turned around and found it was none other than Barcelona's core, Messi, who had just scored twice on the field.
The Argentine came to him and initiated a conversation: "Dong Fangzhuo, your performance in the game was really good. Would you be interested in exchanging jerseys?" Naturally, Dong Fangzhuo had no objection. The two had met briefly at the FIFA Congress earlier in the year, but they didn't have a deep connection.
Although Messi was two years younger, in terms of both skill and fame, the two were incomparable. Therefore, when he took the initiative to show goodwill, Dong Fangzhuo felt honored.
However, he understood in his heart that Messi's main focus should still be on his compatriot Wang Feng. Sure enough, after a brief chat, the conversation inevitably turned towards the direction of the Chinese superstar.
"So he's also so competitive in the national team. No wonder he's achieved what he has now. Although talent can determine a player's floor, it's effort that continuously breaks through the ceiling."
The sidelines were not a place for long conversations. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two exchanged contact information. For Dong Fangzhuo, making connections with top world-class players would also help expand his network.
When Messi returned to the dressing room, he found that head coach Guardiola and the players were all there, their faces unusually serious. Captain Puyol even looked displeased.
"What's wrong?" Messi asked curiously. "Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester United have all smoothly entered the semifinals, and we're going to play against Manchester United next."
"Yeah, that's not surprising. We knew at halftime that Real Madrid was already leading by two goals. I think they'll definitely make it to the final. It would be most fitting to repay Camp Nou with an arrow when the time comes!" Puyol added.
"Of course, but Manchester United obviously doesn't think so. Cristiano Ronaldo completely ignored us in an interview just now. He said his only opponent is Real Madrid." Puyol added.
Messi took the smartphone from the captain to watch Ronaldo's interview video. In the video, he confidently said, "Is Barcelona strong? Maybe, but we fought in the Champions League semifinals last year, and the result was clear."
"Manchester United's focus has always been on Real Madrid from start to finish. We will definitely defeat them and lift the St. Breid's Cup that rightfully belongs to the Red Devils!"
Talking about Messi, Ronaldo said, "He is undoubtedly a talented young player, with limitless potential in the future." Although not explicitly stated, there was a sense of superiority in his words, both overtly and implicitly.
At this moment, Guardiola stepped forward and said, "Leo, everyone, since Manchester United and Ronaldo are so dismissive of us, we must respond to them. We are no longer the same as last year!"
"And only by crossing them can we possibly avenge ourselves against Real Madrid, personally defeating our archrivals to ascend to the top of Europe. What could be more satisfying than this?"
The Barcelona players were filled with excitement upon hearing this, immediately deciding to have additional training to prepare for the upcoming battle.
Ronaldo's interview video also sparked heated discussions across the internet the next day. The debate over who is the best player below Wang Feng, the so-called "Double Jewel," stirred up arguments among fans and media. Naturally, the media in the Catalonia region of Spain and Argentina sided with Messi, while the English and Portuguese media were staunch supporters of Ronaldo.
The peak showdown between Barcelona and Manchester United was much hotter than the match between Real Madrid and Chelsea.
On April 19th, in the 31st round of La Liga, Real Madrid challenged Valladolid away. The home team had only won 5 league matches so far, ranking at the bottom of the points table, and relegation was almost inevitable.
Despite most of the main players sitting on the bench, the Galaxy Battleship still controlled the game. In the 15th minute, Van der Vaart's cross from the side found Savio in front of the goal, who headed it in to open the scoring for the away team.
In the 37th minute, Garcia struck from outside the penalty area, once again breaking Valladolid's goal, extending the score to 2-0, which remained until the end of the match.
On April 22nd, in the 32nd round of La Liga, Real Madrid hosted Getafe at home. The visiting team currently ranked fourth from the bottom in the league, facing considerable pressure to avoid relegation. Therefore, they fought fiercely during the match, and the Galaxy Battleship dared not slack off, especially since Barcelona was still closely trailing behind.
In the 24th minute, Real Madrid intercepted the ball in the backcourt, and Ashley Cole quickly sent a long pass to the front. Wang Feng received the ball with his back to the goal, flicked it backward, and the ball flew over the head of the center-back Gavilan.
The Chinese superstar used his speed to reach the ball before him, then further dribbled to shake off the chase when he reached the edge of the penalty area, with defender Caballero blocking his path.
So, as he approached, Wang Feng suddenly stepped on the ball with his right foot, rotating his body 180 degrees while continuously flicking the ball with his feet, narrowly passing through the Turkish defender's side. Marseille turn!
After breaking into the penalty area, the Chinese superstar immediately shot with his right foot. The ball soared towards the top right corner of the goal, and Getafe goalkeeper Abandonacias Lefini dived to save, but unfortunately couldn't reach the ball.
1-0! Real Madrid took the lead! However, their advantage didn't last long. Just 5 minutes later, the visiting team seized an opportunity for a quick counterattack, and Soldado equalized the score.
This young player from Real Madrid's youth academy didn't have many opportunities in the Galaxy Battleship, but after transferring to Getafe this season, he secured a regular starting position and performed very well.
After scoring, he chose not to celebrate. Although they were on opposing sides, the Real Madrid fans in the stands still gave him applause and encouragement, as many had watched him grow up.
In the second half, in the 68th minute, Robben forcefully broke through along the sideline, then passed back to Wang Feng at the near post. He stopped the ball, facing defender Caballero, then suddenly flicked the ball with his right foot over the head of the Spanish defender.
The Chinese superstar then pushed aside Caballero and caught up to the ball first. Due to the cautious defending of the defenders in the penalty area, they couldn't make big moves, so they were at a disadvantage in the confrontation.
Facing the falling ball, Wang Feng suddenly swung his head sideways, passing it to the other side of the goal. At this moment, the Getafe goalkeeper had already moved to the near post, always guarding against his shot, but didn't expect a sudden pass.
Raúl at the far post rose up, chested the ball with force, and managed to push it into the visitor's net. 2-1! Real Madrid once again took the lead!
In the end, with a pass and a goal from the Chinese superstar, the Galaxy Battleship successfully won the game. Their competitors Barcelona also achieved victory, so the two teams were still only two points apart in the standings.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by fr(e)ew𝒆bnov(e)l.com