Chapter 299: Chapter 298: Midway Finale
The first half saw both teams prematurely enter vacation mode, with nothing noteworthy to report.
In the second half, after Trigella managed to get Quaresma under control, the entire team started to get serious.
In the end, after a series of crisscross runs between Deng Kai and Drogba, Ronaldo won a penalty with his speed, took the shot himself, and scored, wrapping up a perfect first half of the season for the team.
Sporting Lisbon became the champions of the Portuguese league’s winter window!
They enjoyed a perfect first half of the season!
Statistics speak volumes.
At the halfway point of the season, the fans had formed a deeper impression of the club’s players.
For instance, Pepe was impulsive and prone to receiving disciplinary yellow cards.
Terry was almost the most stable element on the defense line; if only he belonged to Sporting Lisbon, everything would be perfect.
Barzagli was truly worth every penny, to say that 200,000 euros was a steal, even for 2 million, wouldn’t give him justice.
Comparing Drogba and Ibrahimovic was like comparing two shining stars; it was hard for the fans to decide who was better.
Of course, even Drogba’s fans had to admit that although he was the team’s first-choice striker, if you asked which of the two players had a brighter future, everyone would choose the abundantly talented Ibrahimovic.
Let’s not even start on Matthaus, Deschamps, and Joao Pinto, three old treasures. The proof was in the pudding; a waning star was still a star.
This was far better than the complete freeloader Paolo Bento.
Viana completely adjusted to the pace of the Portuguese league and even carried the team’s midfield momentum at times.
In past years, at the age of 18, Viana would have been thriving in the Portuguese league, with four goals and eight assists in half a season—blindingly good stats.
Isn’t that unequivocally a midfield Simon?
million euros might be a little overpriced, but 10 million and you’d be making a killing for Barça!
But times have changed.
These stats from Viana would have been godlike in the past, and could have had him hailed alongside Quaresma as dual marvels even last year.
But not this year.
Because this year, Sporting Lisbon has unveiled the strongest and youngest trident in its history!
Ronaldo scored 15 goals in 15 league rounds, rightly earning the title of the team’s top scorer!
Six goals over six rounds in European competition, averaging a goal a game, frighteningly consistent.
Twenty-one goals in half a season!
These were the results that Ronaldo delivered!
That’s nearly as many as he scored in half a season in the Portuguese second division!
He truly turned the premier league into the second division.
Viana: Really? Well, let’s look at Comrade Ronaldo’s assists...
Cough cough!
A forward in good shape shouldn’t bother with assists...
Zero assists!
It really is a bit outrageous.
You might not think it’s possible, but in 21 games across two fronts, Ronaldo really has... zero assists!
For this, Ronaldo himself was also helpless.
If he could score, of course he would.
If he couldn’t score, passing the ball often wouldn’t help his teammates score either.
Ronaldo and Quaresma were different; Ronaldo’s opportunities were often clear-cut.
He didn’t need to pass the ball, as long as he could score.
When facing a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, passing was really unnecessary.
Perhaps in two out of ten one-on-ones passing might have been better, but in the other eight, passing would have made things worse.
Ronaldo’s judgment in this area wasn’t quite there, and as Deng Kai said, it was simpler not to worry about it and just shoot, which was the most relaxing!
The second member of Sporting Lisbon’s trident was naturally Quaresma, who complemented Ronaldo.
In 16 league games, he scored 13 goals and provided eight assists.
In six European matches, he notched one goal and six assists.
Over half a season, in 21 games, he amassed 14 goals and 14 assists!
Fourteen and fourteen!
Apart from being unlucky, there was almost nothing wrong with that!
This performance already matched Quaresma’s total output from last year.
And last year’s Quaresma was hailed as surpassing Simon because of those numbers.
If he completes this season, Figo might consider giving way to my brother Quaresma.
This summer, how much did Barça offer for Quaresma?
Seven million euros!
Now you’ve got to multiply that by three!
Twenty million euros is Lisbon Athletic’s bottom line for Quaresma.
This is undoubtedly a better devil winger than Simon!
Stronger and younger too!
The folks at Barça are turning green with regret.
You spent a not-so-small fortune this summer to bring all this and that from Arsenal, and in the end, they’re no good, eh?
That Overmars actually cost Barça a real 36 million euros.
If they had just shaken a little more money out for Quaresma at that time, wouldn’t they have made a profit now?
It’s all the fans’ fault, venting their anger at the Portuguese players because of Figo, and now that they’ve discovered Portuguese is still fragrant, what do they do?
Since we’re talking about the two already, the hilt of the strongest trident in Lisbon Athletic’s history, oh no, the Trident King should make his appearance.
Without a doubt, it’s Deng Kai!
Seven goals and twelve assists in the league, pretty ordinary.
Five goals and four assists in European competition, keeping it low-key.
In the first half of the season, 21 matches, twelve goals, sixteen assists...
Quaresma: He creates as many opportunities as I do, so why is he better than me?
Deng Kai: The ratio of goals to assists matches the golden ratio, more scientific and nutritious by a fraction than a fifty-fifty split, baby formula is best with a golden mix!
But seriously, in terms of importance to the team’s regular attacks, Quaresma is more important.
However, Deng Kai shows too much strength when it’s time to break through.
If you were to score every goal and assist according to its impact on the match, then the twenty-eight balls that Deng Kai created would score higher than Quaresma’s.
That’s also why he’s the Trident King.
But speaking of which.
We’re all on the same team here, there’s no need to pull rank or order ourselves by seniority.
We’re still one big harmonious collective, after all.
So, under Deng Kai’s initiative, with him standing in the center, everyone got together for a family photo of the season’s first half.
This photo will be used for various promotions afterwards.
Split into versions for the whole team (Deng Kai in the center).
The solo version with the center spot.
The Trident version (Deng Kai in the center).
The version with the "Fab Five" (including two more strikers, Deng Kai in the center).
Ronaldo suggested to the team that, given his height, he could stand in the middle for the Trident version.
Quaresma also said that as the oldest, it would be reasonable for him to stand in the center, right?
But both were rebuffed by Deng Kai.
Deng Kai’s exact words were, "The positions you two play on the field are naturally on the left and right. It’s a sin for either of you to change your positions. Let me take the center, midfield is in my name, after all, with ’center’ in it, haha!"
Ronaldo: I’ve made appearances as a striker; I can do it!
Deng Kai: But you’re just filling in!
Quaresma: I’ve played as a striker too!
Deng Kai: That’s called being strikerless!
Drogba: There’s a striker here, shall I do it?
Deng Kai: You haven’t scored in over a dozen rounds; got the cheek to talk?
Ibrahimovic: Zlatan is always center stage!
Deng Kai: The starters are all here, substitutes should keep quiet, haha!
...
The truth is, Deng Kai wouldn’t really fight with his teammates over being in the center or not.
It’s just not necessary.
How many people are going to see an internal promotional poster for Lisbon Athletic?
You do know that our Kai has landed three consecutive appearances at the Golden Ball Award ceremony, right?
That’s right!
At this year’s Golden Ball Award ceremony, Deng Kai received yet another invitation!
