Chapter 183: Never let Real Madrid wreak havoc again
When the referee blew the whistle to signal the end of the first half, the numbers on the electronic scoreboard deeply frustrated Wang Feng: 0-2! Inter Milan seemed powerless and was being dominated by Real Madrid.
At Old Trafford, the stadium turned into a sea of white as Real Madrid fans began celebrating their club's historic tenth championship early. From the looks of it, Inter Milan had little chance.
Not only the spectators in the stands, but even the commentators from various countries in the live broadcast room, including Zhang Jun who had come all the way from China, held a pessimistic attitude towards Inter Milan.
"The trend of this game is regrettable, but Wang Feng, as the first Chinese player to reach the pinnacle of the European Champions League final, has performed remarkably. I hope he can regroup and score in the second half. Even if he can't help the team win in the end, he will have fought without regrets."
The Spanish television commentators were even more critical: "Inter Milan is no match for the Galacticos at all. It's a shame we took them so seriously before the match."
"Real Madrid's form is so hot, they are sure to score again in the second half. Since the Champions League was restructured, no player has ever scored a hat-trick in the final. Now Raul has already scored twice, he has a great chance to make history tonight!"
"Inter Milan has shown their embarrassment in front of a true powerhouse. Serie A has never had three powerhouses; only Juventus and AC Milan stand out, just like Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga."
"I don't deny that Wang Feng is a phenomenal forward, one of the top players in the world currently. But in the first half, he only orchestrated four attacks and two shots. Obviously, the other Inter Milan players couldn't support him well. One person can't defeat a whole team."
"Vieri's form is very poor. His only header opportunity came from Wang Feng's pass. Otherwise, he seemed lost. We couldn't find him in the forward line at all. It seems that the injuries he suffered earlier in the season have really affected him."
"Inter Milan's journey to the final relied mainly on unparalleled luck. In the group stage, only Ajax posed a threat to them. In the second group stage, they faced a chaotic Barcelona and a declining Bayer Leverkusen."
"Valencia in the quarterfinals and AC Milan in the semifinals had slightly higher strength, but Inter Milan's victories over them were extremely difficult. To lift the Champions League trophy again, they probably won't have such good luck."
"Forty-five minutes left, Real Madrid fans in front of the TV, Spanish fans, we are about to witness history! Real Madrid will bring back the tenth Champions League trophy for us!"
The halftime break was very brief, and the second half of the match was about to begin.
Old Trafford Stadium today welcomed around ten thousand Inter Milan fans who had traveled from afar. Some of them were praying with clasped hands, while others were calling out Wang Feng's name, hoping for the miraculous figure to appear again.
As both sides returned to the player tunnel, Ronaldo, Figo, and Zidane all cast comforting glances at him. Wang Feng didn't like this feeling at all. The game wasn't over yet, why assume that we would definitely lose!
Seeing his teammates all looking downcast, Wang Feng felt even more annoyed. How should he put it? He hadn't been at the club for long, and although he generally commanded respect, his experience was obviously lacking. At this critical moment, if he wanted to boost everyone's spirits, some players probably wouldn't buy it.
When he caught sight of Ribery also looking dejected, Wang Feng had a sudden inspiration. He stepped forward and gave Ribery's head a firm pat, pretending to be angry, and said, "What's with all the sighing?"
Ribery was a bit stunned by the gesture, but Wang Feng was completely entitled to do so. Without Wang Feng, he wouldn't have the glory and status he had now. Wang Feng continued loudly, "Isn't there still forty-five minutes left in the game? In the past two years, how many of our honors have come easily? Just because we're behind by two goals, have we seen so few of these situations?"
Other teammates couldn't help but feel a surge of spirit at his words. Yeah, we've faced even tougher situations before. Just because it's the Champions League final, do we have to be so dejected?
Wang Feng looked around at his teammates and locked eyes with each of them. They could see the strong unwillingness and high spirits in Wang Feng's eyes. "Everyone, the defense of Inter Milan is up to you. We absolutely cannot concede any more goals. As for the attack, leave it to me. That's my specialty. Trust me!"
Zanetti gritted his teeth and said, "We won't let Real Madrid rampage in our half again!" Cannavaro and Cordoba exchanged a glance. At this point, personal grudges no longer mattered. They all expressed that they would do whatever it takes to defend the backline.
As for the attacking players, Vieri patted Wang Feng on the shoulder. "I didn't perform well in the first half, especially missing a chance. I'll do my best to assist your attack in the second half. Let's work together."
Ribery nodded incessantly. "Boss, I'll assist you with all my strength. Let's take on Real Madrid!"
Cooper, seeing this scene, couldn't help but recall Valencia of the past. It was because they didn't have a Wang Feng-like figure that they missed out on the championship trophy twice.
To be honest, the first half of the match had made Cooper feel hopeless. He thought he would once again fall before the Champions League trophy. Three finals, three losses. Perhaps no other coach had experienced such a fate.
More importantly, he didn't have any good tactics to adjust. The current lineup and style of play were the best Inter Milan could offer. So, during the brief break, Cooper could only emphasize the need to defend.
His words didn't move the players, because even he himself lacked confidence. Unexpectedly, just before going on, Wang Feng's actions completely activated the players' desire to win.
If Wang Feng could really lead this Inter Milan to complete a miraculous comeback, then his position in the locker room would surpass everyone, including the captain, Zanetti.
As both sides returned to the field again, everyone was surprised to find that the despondent look of Inter Milan before the end of the first half had disappeared without a trace, replaced by a spirited and confident demeanor.
The Real Madrid players, who were joking and preparing to face the second half lightly, felt a chill in their hearts. They knew that the second half would be a tough battle.
"We can see that neither side has made any personnel changes. Real Madrid doesn't need to, and Inter Milan probably doesn't have anyone to use."
"Injuries are also affecting the performance of this team. They are missing at least three absolute key players due to injury."
"Inter Milan has no way back, but their momentum looks good. Can they create a miracle belonging to the Nerazzurri? We can only wait and see."
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