Chapter 598: Assists to Equal a Record
In the 15th round of La Liga, Real Madrid faced Real Valladolid at home. With goals from Morata, Ceballos, and Modric, the Galacticos ultimately defeated their opponents 3-0, with Wang Feng contributing 1 assist.
In the first leg of the fifth round of the Copa del Rey, they faced Celta Vigo away in a fierce rain battle, but Real Madrid lost 1-2 to the newly promoted team, with 17-year-old prodigy Jesse Rodríguez scoring the only goal for the visitors.
Astute observers could see that the Galacticos were not putting much emphasis on this competition, but Jesse's performance stood out. He had just become the youngest player to represent Real Madrid in a Champions League match. Under the gaze of over eighty thousand fans at the Bernabéu, he replaced Wang Feng and played for over 20 minutes.
Previously, this record was held by Raúl, who was 18 years and 2 months old at the time, while Casillas was 18 years and 3 months old. Therefore, it was widely believed that Jesse was the future star of Spanish football that Real Madrid had high hopes for.
Speaking of his Champions League debut, the Spanish youngster appeared very excited: "At that moment, my mind went blank. I never thought I would get to play. Am I younger than Raúl was in his Champions League debut? Well, I'm not yet worthy of being compared to him. Just being able to play for the greatest club in the world is the ultimate honor."
"I really like Wang Feng and Alonso, especially Wang. He teaches me a lot. He's patient and knowledgeable, always helping us young players grow. He doesn't act like a superstar, and we truly admire him from the bottom of our hearts."
According to Marca, the Chinese superstar is usually very friendly in his interactions with young players, offering constructive advice and encouragement when they improve, which creates a harmonious atmosphere within the entire club.
After the Copa del Rey match, the annual Club World Cup was about to begin. Because it was a crucial time in the La Liga title race, the club decided to send Zidane to lead a squad of substitutes and youth academy players to Japan for the tournament.
Young players like Jesse, Dennis, and Lucas would get ample opportunities for development, while mainstays like Wang Feng would focus on preparing for the three league matches before the new year.
In the semifinals against Monterrey from the Mexican Liga MX, Real Madrid narrowly won 2-1, and their final opponent was Corinthians, the champions of the Copa Libertadores. They ultimately ended the Galacticos' streak of consecutive Club World Cup titles with a stubborn defense and a 1-0 victory.
This result was within the expectations of all Real Madrid fans, as they fully understood the club's priorities.
In the 16th round of La Liga, the Galacticos challenged Espanyol away. In the 26th minute, Wang Feng received a back pass from Carvajal in midfield, dribbled forward while pressuring two defenders, and then delivered a precise through ball.
The ball passed between the two defenders, who were less than 40 centimeters apart, and Morata in the back row quickly surged into the penalty area and scored with a chip shot.
Espanyol's Sergio then equalized with a header from a corner kick. In the second half, Wang Feng repeated his tactics, continuously shaking off defenders and delivering precise passes. Modric tapped in the second goal, securing a 2-1 victory.
In the 17th round of La Liga, Real Madrid faced Malaga at home. Once again, Wang Feng assisted in opening the scoring for the home team. Facing a double-team on the flank, he remained composed and then made a back-heel pass to Essein near the penalty spot, who scored with ease.
Isco, who had just won the European Golden Boy award ahead of G?tze and Balotelli, exploited a gap in Real Madrid's defense to equalize in the 49th minute. Then, in the 76th minute, Wang Feng intercepted a pass from Demichelis to Camacho, and immediately sent a cross with the outside of his foot. Iguain, unmarked in front of the goal, slotted in a shot from 8 meters out.
The score was once again locked at 2-1.
This game was Real Madrid's last match before the new year. So far, Wang Feng had contributed 11 goals and 20 assists. His number of assists equaled Xavi's La Liga record set in the 2006-2007 season.
Breaking this record with half of the season remaining was only a matter of time for him, and he was highly likely to elevate this statistic to a terrifying level.
"The versatile master!" said Marca, praising him, "This season, Wang hasn't shown the passionate goal-scoring performances, but quietly helped the team with tight defense and organized attacks, allowing Real Madrid to remain competitive in both the league and the Champions League."
"Before him, there was no forward in the world who could achieve such a level. He is the absolute core and leader of the team. As long as he is on the field, the Galacticos will never give up easily."
Marca also wrote an article titled "Wang Feng is about to break another record, reigning supreme in La Liga history," stating that after dominating single-season goal-scoring and offensive efficiency statistics, the Chinese superstar was now aiming for single-season assists, key passes, interceptions, and tackles records.
"When future generations look back on history, they will discover that all the best records in La Liga are held by the same person. They will surely feel both fortunate and unfortunate about this era."
"Lucky for us fans, we can witness the birth of a legend firsthand, but unfortunate that the brilliance of all contemporaneous stars will be overshadowed."
"AS" believes that a part-time player has managed to give off a full-time vibe, "He might be a defensive warrior delayed by attacking duties."
They selected the top 20 defensive moments of the Chinese superstar this season, each of which could be considered a classic. "Many unexpected interceptions were not included. So far, Wang Feng has been the best-performing defensive midfielder in La Liga."
Barcelona also secured several consecutive victories in the league, maintaining a 4-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table. Messi continued to perform at a high level, extending his goal tally for the season to 21.
According to media statistics, the Argentine superstar scored a total of 91 goals in the year, which South American media outlets extensively publicized, believing that he had surpassed Pelé to become the new king of South American football.
However, the response in Europe was rather subdued. First, FIFA stated that annual goal tallies were not official records, as they focused more on a player's performance throughout the entire season.
"Such data is merely what fans and the media like to see. The so-called annual goal records are obviously collected by the media themselves."
Furthermore, when calculated properly, Wang Feng had already elevated this statistic to 113 goals, not to mention Zambia's Godfrey Chitalu, who once held the record for 107 goals in a single year.
Meanwhile, "Marca" believes that the Catalan team doesn't seem as formidable as it appears. Apart from Messi's exuberance, Villa and Iniesta both seem quite awkward.
Villa has only played twice in the last 6 matches, including in the Copa del Rey against Alavés from the Segunda División, indicating that he is being sidelined internally and gradually becoming a substitute.
However, this season, both at the club and the national team, Villa has performed exceptionally well. "At this rate, he will lose patience to continue squandering his peak career."
Iniesta, on the other hand, feels uncomfortable in his on-field position, resulting in him barely getting the ball. After the match, he directly approached coach Roura, expressing his refusal to accept the coaching staff's decision to place him on the wing.
But Roura is also in a dilemma. Messi's outstanding contributions ensure results, and if Iniesta also moves to the center, it will inevitably encroach upon the Argentine's playing space. What if Real Madrid catches up then?
In the end, he found a compromise by tailoring a "virtual winger" role for Iniesta, allowing him to operate closer to the penalty area.
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