Chapter 306: Derby eve
Barcelona has arrived! The day before the match, the entire Barcelona team flew to Madrid and checked into a local five-star hotel. When they arrived at the hotel entrance by bus, many Real Madrid fans had already gathered nearby.
If the rivalry between the Milanese giants is merely mutual hostility, then Real Madrid and Barcelona are sworn enemies. Whether at the club level or among fans, there is a constant desire to fiercely suppress each other.
For example, right now, these Real Madrid fans are holding various banners. Some say, "Wang Feng will defeat you again," while others are more malicious, displaying photos of last season's Champions League final when Barcelona lost and Iniesta knelt on the ground in anguish.
In addition to the banners, the fans' mouths are not idle, with various mocking words constantly emerging, especially targeting the error-prone Iniesta and Ronaldinho.
The Spanish youngster's face turned pale. Memories of last year's despairing scene flooded his mind, leaving him feeling both embarrassed and angry. Fortunately, Puyol comforted him: "Andres, don't mind what these people say. As long as we defeat Real Madrid in this match, defeat Wang Feng, we can wipe away our shame."
Ronaldinho, on the other hand, had no particular reaction. He seemed to be in a trance, leaving some young players secretly admiring him. He truly deserves to be the World Footballer, with such outstanding demeanor. Only some veteran players understood that he was probably reminiscing about something unpleasant again.
Upon entering the hotel, the Barcelona coaching staff immediately organized a team meeting. Rijkaard passionately exclaimed, "Everyone, have you seen how the Real Madrid fans are mocking us?"
"They seem to have forgotten how we humiliated the so-called Galacticos at the Bernabeu last year. So, we must remind them!"
"More importantly, we need revenge! Get ready, lads, Wang Feng is right in front of us. This time, we'll show him that Barcelona is invincible!"
For a moment, the players were filled with righteous indignation, all expressing their determination to defeat Real Madrid and defeat Wang Feng. The coaching staff nodded with satisfaction. They deliberately chose to arrive in Madrid during the daytime before the match to use these Real Madrid fans to mobilize the players' enthusiasm. Now it seems to have worked quite well.
The atmosphere at Real Madrid is not as serious as at Barcelona. The day before the match, the focus is on tactical drills and relaxation training. Schuster does not plan to hold extra practice sessions and announced an early dispersal. However, the club regulations require all players to stay overnight at the training base.
In the evening, the players will come to the rest area to spend a few hours. Several players are playing video games, inviting Wang Feng to join them.
Wang Feng glanced over and saw that they were playing FIFA. He quickly waved his hand. Playing football in real life is enough, why bother playing games? It's simply incomprehensible.
But Ra��l pointed to the nearby table tennis table and said, "Wang, how about we play some table tennis? I heard it's the most popular sport in your country."
Wang Feng nodded with a smile, "Maybe it used to be, but now football is the most popular."
Wang Feng's table tennis skills were not very good, but fortunately, Ra��l was also mediocre. The two enjoyed playing, chatting as they played. "Wang, how do you feel about being in Real Madrid for over a month?"
"Very happy. Honestly, I feel like I've been here for a long time. I've adapted without any problems. It's really amazing."
Ra��l made a slam shot, "Haha, Florentino said that you were born to play for Real Madrid. I think he's right."
"To be honest, the atmosphere in the Real Madrid locker room wasn't good before you came. Everyone thought they were stars and looked down on each other, especially when faced with difficulties, even I couldn't avoid it."
"But I really admire you. You've done what we couldn't do. Since joining for over a month, your performance has amazed everyone."
"You will get the same status in Real Madrid as you did at Inter Milan. So, lead the Galacticos to create a dynasty!" Ra��l said solemnly.
Wang Feng was somewhat surprised. This was not the first time Spanish players had expressed their goodwill towards him. It seems that the constant promotion of the rivalry between him and Ra��l by Catalan newspapers had indeed had some influence on him.
In this situation, Wang Feng maintained his usual modesty. After exchanging compliments, the two talked about tomorrow's match. "Barcelona is obviously prepared. They have been constantly hyping up the revenge talk, seemingly to stir up the players' emotions."
Ra��l nodded, "This will undoubtedly be a tough battle, especially now with injuries rampant in the defense. But we must win. Many times, the outcome of the national derby will directly affect the final attribution of the league championship."
Wang Feng agreed. After playing table tennis for a while, they switched to playing pool. Time passed quickly, and it was time for the club's designated time for washing up and sleeping, so everyone dispersed and returned to their dormitories.
The next morning, as the players gradually arrived at the dining hall for breakfast, Real Madrid President Florentino, accompanied by several executives, was already waiting for them. Florentino warmly encouraged each player, a traditional practice of Real Madrid before major matches.
When it was Wang Feng's turn, the Spaniard hugged him, "Wang, you've been performing so excellently in the previous matches. The battle against Barcelona is crucial for us. Please do your best."
"I will give it my all. You can count on me!" Not only Florentino, but the first-team director Sandro and the team leader Amos also communicated with the players, confirming everything from living conditions to dietary arrangements. It must be said that the club's care for the players is excellent.
According to Abesai, this Spanish national derby not only attracted the attention of domestic fans in Spain but also was live broadcasted by over fifty global media outlets, with an estimated audience of around 1.2 billion, with Chinese fans being the most numerous.
With such a massive scale, it is only slightly lower in attention compared to the Champions League final, and even surpasses the average Champions League semi-final. The combination of the Galacticos, Dream Dynasty, and Wang Feng has brought unimaginable traffic.
In the city center of Madrid, fans wearing Real Madrid and Barcelona jerseys can be seen gathering in groups of three or five, loudly discussing match predictions. Many fully armed policemen patrol the streets to prevent riots and conflicts.
Match tickets were sold out long before the start of the league, and now they are even more scarce online. There are many messages seeking tickets at prices as high as �3000, but few are willing to sell.
For fans who couldn't buy tickets, bars are also a good choice. With large screens and bustling crowds, the atmosphere is not much different from being at the stadium. At times like this, ordering a beer and celebrating together when goals are scored is a great pleasure.
With great anticipation, the Spanish national derby is about to begin.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om