Chapter 669: Chapter 87: He’s Getting Anxious! (Part 2)
Mourinho stood on the sidelines, shaking his head, looking at Casillas.
He still preferred taller goalkeepers, and Casillas was somewhat short in stature.
Villarreal’s players were celebrating wildly. Chen Zhong ran towards Benzema, patting his shoulder forcefully and said, "Hey, my friend, I don’t know what you’re thinking or going through right now."
"But I know that if you continue like this, your situation will only get worse."
"Pull yourself together, and if you don’t know what to do, just pass the ball to me."
Benzema looked up at Chen Zhong. Back then, Chen Zhong was just a "nobody," but now he had become a team leader, a star.
He was so bright and confident in what he said.
Benzema wanted to respond, but Chen Zhong was already running towards Casillas to ask for the ball, and Casillas quickly threw it over.
"The game continues!"
"Real Madrid kicked off again."
"A series of one-two passes."
"Benzema passed the ball out."
"C. Ronaldo!"
"A powerful shot!"
"Diego López made a save."
"A quick throw-in!"
The performance of Villarreal on the field gave a strangely familiar feeling, as if replicating what Real Madrid had done to them.
Now they’re trying to replicate Real Madrid’s previous fast counterattack.
The ball quickly moved to Real Madrid’s half.
"Cazorla received the ball on the wing."
"Then a diagonal pass."
"To the other side."
"A wide transfer."
"Kane got the ball."
"He already scored a goal in the first half."
"Marcelo marks him closely."
After Kane received the ball, he opted for a direct inward cut, but Marcelo’s pressure caused Kane’s rhythm change to fall ineffective. Attracting the attention of Real Madrid’s defense, Kane made a brilliant back heel pass while running, to the diagonal run by Cazorla.
It was a pass full of imagination, stunning the entire stadium.
"Kane cuts inside."
"But Marcelo is very close."
"A crisscross run."
"Brilliant back heel pass!"
"Cazorla!"
"One-on-one!"
When Kane and Cazorla crisscrossed, Kane’s back heel pass delivered the ball to Cazorla’s feet, allowing Cazorla to break through and decisively shoot.
Casillas didn’t even have time to make a saving motion.
The ball hit the net in response.
At that moment, Villarreal’s supporters were blank-minded, and Cazorla ran towards the corner flag to celebrate, only to see the linesman raise a small yellow flag.
"The linesman raised the flag!"
"Offside!"
"Real Madrid successfully played the offside trap."
"As Cazorla tried to advance, the entire defense suddenly stepped up."
"This left Cazorla in an offside position instantly."
Cazorla muttered some profanity, while Villarreal fans were filled with regret, and even some fans started having pessimistic thoughts.
They didn’t believe Real Madrid would let them play so comfortably in the time remaining.
Sure enough, in the subsequent time, Real Madrid gradually took control of the game.
"Chen Zhong got the ball!"
"Shook off Villarreal players’ entanglement."
"Passed to Kaka!"
"Kaka dribbles laterally outside the penalty area."
"A curling shot!"
"Diego López made another beautiful save."
"27 minutes into the game."
"Real Madrid launched another attack."
"Chen Zhong got the ball and passed it to Kaka again."
"Kaka’s acceleration is very quick."
"Got rid of the defenders around him."
Real Madrid’s offense came in waves like the tide, not giving Villarreal any time to breathe. Chen Zhong controlled the pace of the game, quickening when he wanted to, and slowing down when he saw fit.
During this period, Benzema faded into mediocrity.
He fell back to cooperate with Chen Zhong, while also allowing Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka space to cut inside.
This was positive for the overall situation on the field.
But for Florentino and Mourinho, it didn’t achieve the effect they wanted.
Because with this style of play, Chen Zhong was further from the goal.
Ever since recovering from surgery, resolving his injury troubles once and for all, Kaka had had a period of downturn but gradually regained his form.
At least his ability to shake off defenders and accelerate seemed to have returned to its original state.
He fended off Villarreal players around him, then at the edge of the right side of the penalty area, he made a horizontal pass to the middle to Cristiano Ronaldo, and it could only be to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Because at that moment, Chen Zhong was still running forward, and if Kaka passed directly to him, there was a high chance Villarreal players blocking the cutting route would intercept it. If he hesitated, altering the pace to await Chen Zhong, Villarreal players would regroup.
So passing directly to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was running towards the edge of the six-yard box, was the best option.
The Portuguese player’s advance was very quick, his physique giving him a definite advantage over the fullback.
He completed his shot, the ball heading towards the goal, but Diego López managed another save, firmly pressing the ball beneath him.
After this attack, Real Madrid slightly slowed their offensive, giving Villarreal a breather and an opportunity to counterattack.
Rossi, the genius highly praised by Villarreal fans, managed a hasty shot near the penalty spot.
This attempt was rushed, hitting the defender directly.
As they became familiar with Villarreal’s gameplay, Real Madrid’s defense grew increasingly secure.
After Rossi’s blocked shot, Cavaleiro blocked Cazorla’s shot from a sudden cut-in.
Cazorla chose to cut inside this time, instead of the usual cross, catching Real Madrid slightly off-guard.
"The first half of the match is about to end."
"The two teams are still tied."
"Benzema just squandered another great opportunity."
"C. Ronaldo broke into the penalty area and made an exquisite pass to Benzema."
"But facing a largely open goal, he aimed too closely, and the ball veered off the near post."
"I think after this match, Benzema needs to see a psychologist."
When Benzema missed the shot again, the fervent noise from Real Madrid fans in the stands was like boiling water, leaving Benzema shivering all over; he felt somewhat defeated.
Originally, after a couple of short exchanges with Chen Zhong, the confidence and courage he painstakingly built up evaporated instantly.
Chen Zhong glanced at Benzema and frowned. Of the people he knew, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka possessed strong inner strength, but Benzema seemed like a spoiled child; if not spurred, he was reluctant to move, and when doubted, seemed to want to give up.
Perhaps because the first half was about to end, Villarreal seemed somewhat unscrupulous.
They used rough fouls and moves, clearly wanting to keep the draw until the end of the first half.
Before the first half ended, Real Madrid got an excellent opportunity. Chen Zhong, almost as a reply to Cazorla’s previous sudden cut-in, suddenly surged forward from the midfield.
This caught Villarreal completely off guard.
His former teammate, former Real Madrid youth player Boerha Bailelo, was the closest Villarreal player to Chen Zhong. He had tried pulling Chen Zhong before and knew it was futile.
In desperation, he actually directly...
