Chapter 300: Bad line of defense
On September 14th, in the first round of the UEFA Champions League group stage, Real Madrid visited the Gerland Stadium to challenge the French Ligue 1 champions, Lyon. Since winning their first league title in 2002, Lyon has continuously defended their title for five consecutive seasons, and it seems they are poised to continue dominating the domestic league.
However, the Champions League has always been a sore spot for the French side. Despite their dominance in Ligue 1, their greatest aspiration is to lift the European Champions Trophy. Unfortunately, in recent years, their best achievement has only been reaching the quarter-finals.
Both sides attached great importance to this match, fielding their strongest lineups. Shortly after the start of the first half, Wang Feng received a lofted pass from Reyes inside the penalty area and promptly volleyed with his right foot to open the scoring for Real Madrid.
Then, in the 25th minute, Emerson broke through on the wing and crossed, with Wang Feng nodding the ball to the front post where Raúl slotted it home from 8 meters out, helping Real Madrid extend their lead.
Initially, it seemed like an easy victory for Real Madrid, but Lyon suddenly surged at home, breaking through Real Madrid's weak defense directly. Just before halftime, Tiago pulled one back for Lyon. At the start of the second half, Fred initiated another attack, bursting into the penalty area, outpacing Carlos, and beating Casillas, equalizing the score!
To make matters worse, Carlos also injured his ankle, forcing Schuster to replace him with Salgado. Lyon continued to pressure Real Madrid's defense relentlessly, with even Wang Feng having to retreat to defend.
In the 67th minute, their efforts paid off again. Forwards Malouda and Fred tore open Real Madrid's defense with consecutive passes in front of the penalty area, with Malouda delivering the fatal blow, making it 2-3! Real Madrid was now trailing!
The furious German coach continually directed the defense from the sidelines and made successive substitutions to try to stabilize the situation, but the players on the field remained unsettled.
At a crucial moment, Wang Feng stepped up once again. In the 85th minute, during another breakthrough on the right flank, Wang Feng was brought down by Lyon defender Essien, earning Real Madrid a free kick in the right rib area of the penalty area.
The home defense trembled in fear. This position was suitable for a direct shot, and it was well known that Wang Feng always treated a free kick in the attacking half as a penalty kick, with an impressive conversion rate.
Some even compiled all of Wang Feng's attacking free kick data and found that once the team was behind, the Chinese superstar's accuracy would further increase.
It was a mystical phenomenon, but Lyon had to be cautious. They constantly changed the formation of the defensive wall, and the home fans in the stands booed, attempting to disturb Wang Feng's free kick.
When the ball flew from Wang Feng's foot and successfully bypassed the carefully arranged wall, Lyon goalkeeper Coupet despairingly realized that he had no chance to save it because the ball made a significant curve in the air!
The delightful sound of the referee's whistle signaled a valid goal, and Wang Feng immediately rushed into the net, grabbing the ball and running towards the center line before the Lyon players could react.
Unfortunately, time was running out, and the main referee ended this roller-coaster group stage match in an instant.
3-3! Real Madrid only managed to salvage a draw.
After the match against Lyon, the Galacticos hurried back to the Bernabéu to face Real Sociedad in the third round of La Liga.
Real Sociedad is a football club located in the Basque region of Spain and is one of the founding teams of La Liga.
Initially named Sociedad Club, the club was bestowed the title "Royal" by King Alfonso XIII of Spain to promote football development in the region.
Nowadays, many Spanish teams also bear the title "Royal" due to this historical connection, including Real Madrid.
Real Sociedad won the league title twice in the 1980s, their peak period, but soon declined, and their current strength is far from what it used to be, having suffered two consecutive defeats in the league.
Once again, coach Schuster used a rotated lineup to face the opponents, but the match unfolded similarly to the second round, with Real Madrid trailing 0-2 at halftime, as Real Sociedad's forwards Kovacevic and Skoubo each scored for the away team.
The home fans in the stands couldn't believe it. Was this the same team that had convincingly defeated Villarreal in the first round? "We want Wang Feng! Bring on Wang Feng!" The restless fans vented their frustrations.
Schuster readily complied, substituting Wang Feng and Raúl, two attacking stalwarts, at the beginning of the second half, instantly reversing the situation on the field.
In the 51st minute, Wang Feng broke through on the right, using his dribbling skills to bypass two defenders and cut inside the penalty area, then shooting into the far corner from a tight angle, finding the back of the net.
Just 6 minutes later, Wang Feng attempted another breakthrough, this time on the left flank. He forced his way to the byline and delivered a back-heeled pass to the edge of the penalty area, where Raúl slotted it home to equalize for Real Madrid!
The fans, who had been frustrated for most of the match, could finally breathe a sigh of relief. They chanted the names of Wang Feng and Raúl, hoping they could continue their momentum.
Wang Feng didn't disappoint them. In the 74th minute, he initiated another attack through the middle, receiving a pass from Mesia 30 meters from the goal, not directly controlling the ball but letting it pass under his foot.
Immediately, he turned around, using his physicality to fend off Real Sociedad defender Diego Rivas, chasing the ball to the edge of the penalty area.
At this moment, another defender, Herrado, came to press, attempting to disrupt the ball, but Wang Feng flicked it in front of him, rendering his tackle useless.
Evading Herrado, Wang Feng unleashed a powerful left-footed shot, sending the ball soaring towards the goal. Real Sociedad goalkeeper Bravo leaped to save, but the ball hit the front part of his gloves, yet the momentum remained, deflecting into the net!
3-2! Real Madrid reversed the score!
The Bernabéu stadium turned into a sea of celebration. The home fans, who had considered leaving early, decided to stay, feeling grateful in their hearts. Wang Feng was truly a trustworthy player!
Real Sociedad, on the other hand, experienced a mental collapse. After leading for so long, the situation suddenly collapsed. Thus, they abandoned their defensive approach, pressing forward with all their might, attempting to snatch points at the Bernabéu.
Wang Feng relished these moments. In the final minutes of the game, Real Madrid seized another counter-attacking opportunity, with Salgado intercepting the ball and passing it to Wang Feng, who sprinted through the center line.
Raúl and Guti also joined the attack, forming a three-on-three in the frontcourt. Wang Feng delivered a precise cross-field pass to Guti on the other side, who immediately sent a through ball to Raúl.
The Spanish forward struck decisively, helping Real Madrid extend their lead and completing his brace!
In the end, the Galacticos won 4-2 at home, defeating Real Sociedad.
After the match, a journalist asked about Real Madrid conceding five goals in two games. Coach Schuster acknowledged the team's poor defense.
"The season has just begun, and Carlos has been absent due to injury, while our midfield and defense lack depth."
"This issue will be addressed by the club in the winter transfer window," Schuster added. "We have the best attackers in the world, and I firmly believe that Wang Feng can help the team through this difficult period."
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