Chapter 311: Both injured, still No 1 !
In October, Real Madrid played 4 games, winning 3 and losing 1. Wang Feng scored four goals twice and contributed 8 goals and 1 assist, earning him the title of La Liga Player of the Month once again.
He thus became the first player in La Liga history to win the Player of the Month award consecutively. The judging panel initially didn't intend for Wang Feng to receive such an honor, but the influence of the El Clásico was too strong. Wang Feng delivered outstanding performances, and forcing the award onto someone else would have caused even more controversy.
On November 6th, amidst a sudden downpour in Madrid, Real Madrid faced Celta Vigo at home in the 9th round of La Liga.
Celta Vigo was relegated sadly in the 04-05 season, but after returning to La Liga last season, they secured the 6th position and qualified for the Europa League.
However, this club has suffered from competing in multiple competitions in the past. Therefore, head coach Vásquez's goal was clear: to ensure a good league performance!
The pouring rain made the game difficult for both sides. Players consciously reduced ground passes and switched to long passes, but mistakes were still abundant.
Wang Feng wasn't very active, often hovering near the midfield, waiting for opportunities. Part of it was due to the weather affecting his mood, but mostly it was impossible for him to be fully passionate in every game, giving his all in both attack and defense.
Nevertheless, the presence of the Chinese superstar made Celta Vigo very wary. Defenders always kept an eye on him, and once he started running, they converged on him like facing a formidable opponent.
Both sides held each other for almost thirty minutes. Real Madrid had the upper hand on the field but conceded first. It was a back pass, and Sálgado underestimated the resistance of the rainwater on the ball, resulting in a weak pass to Diarra.
The ball slowed down halfway through its path, and although Diarra tried to catch up, Celta Vigo forward Guai Lei was faster, poking the ball away and then calmly slotting it past Casillas.
This goal severely dampened the home team's morale, but it jolted Wang Feng. He wiped the rain off his face and decided to focus more.
Five minutes after conceding, Cannavaro sent a long pass from the back to the right side of the field. Wang Feng quickly surged forward, beating the opposing center-back Oviniya to the ball.
The slippery ground made him stumble a bit, but Wang Feng managed to stabilize himself through his muscle and body control. Oviniya, on the other hand, couldn't control himself as well, rushing to intercept but ended up falling clumsily.
Receiving the ball, Wang Feng swiftly dribbled into the penalty area, dribbling past defenders Lucas and Reki, and calmly slotted the ball into the far corner with his right foot. The ball grazed the inside of the post and went into the net, equalizing the score!
In the second half, in the 69th minute, Wang Feng suddenly accelerated towards the opposing defender Pelos holding the ball in the middle. The Argentine was startled, and his hurried pass was intercepted.
Wang Feng then turned and pushed forward, seeing Reyes running quickly on the right flank. He passed the ball to the right, and Reyes, after receiving it, passed it back to the middle. Raúl rushed forward and volleyed the ball angrily from twenty meters out, piercing Celta Vigo's goal again.
2-1! After scoring, Raúl shook hands with the arriving Reyes and Wang Feng one by one. Their interceptions and passes were indispensable for this goal.
Unfortunately, their lead couldn't be maintained until the end of the match. In the 88th minute, Celta Vigo launched an attack. Pablo García passed to the right, and Guai Lei dribbled into the box, passing near the goalmouth.
Bayano ran out of space in front of the goal, leaving Cannavaro behind. The Brazilian calmly shot into the near corner, equalizing the score for the away team.
The match ended in a draw amidst the pouring rain.
Midweek, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Real Madrid won 1-0 against Eixample in the second leg of the fourth round of the Spanish King's Cup, advancing to the fifth round with a total score of 3-1.
On November 12th, in the 10th round of La Liga, Real Madrid faced Osasuna away. The club is located in the capital of the Navarre Autonomous Community, Pamplona, ??a typical northern Spanish city.
"Osasuna" is Basque for "health and strength," and it is the only team in La Liga named after linguistic vocabulary rather than a region.
Last season, the team achieved its best historical result, finishing fourth in the league and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League playoffs. Unfortunately, they lost to Hamburg from the Bundesliga in the playoffs and had to settle for participating in the Europa League.
Overall, their level hasn't significantly declined compared to last season, and they currently rank 7th in the league standings.
On the day of the match, the El Sadar Stadium was almost full. As the only team from Navarre, Osasuna was passionately followed by local fans.
The home team didn't disappoint the fans. They launched a fierce attack against Real Madrid, with Argentine forward Romeo and Spanish midfielder Juanfran scoring before halftime.
Before the end of the first half, Guti and Reyes formed a continuous passing combination on the wing. Reyes crossed into the penalty area, where Wang Feng stooped to head the ball.
At that moment, Osasuna defender Iskierdo stretched his leg to try to break the ball but accidentally hit Wang Feng's head instead.
As the ball entered the net, Wang Feng fell to the ground, feeling warmth on his hand. He must have been bleeding!
Raúl and Reyes immediately surrounded him. Raúl angrily shouted at Iskierdo, "You damn bastard did that on purpose! Why didn't you pull your foot back?"
The Osasuna players also confronted them. The referee quickly intervened to separate both sides. While ruling the goal valid, the referee showed Iskierdo a yellow card. Whether he pulled back or not, his raised foot was a fact.
Wang Feng obviously couldn't continue playing. The head coach substituted him with Ronaldo. The final score of 1-2 was maintained until the end of the game, marking Real Madrid's second loss in the league.
In the post-match press conference, Schuster announced to the media that after careful examination, Wang Feng's injury was not serious and would not affect the upcoming games. "Iskierdo's defensive action was very dangerous, and I believe he should receive a red card."
Osasuna head coach Ziganda defended his player, saying, "It was a normal defensive reaction. Wang Feng was immersed in the attack and didn't notice the incoming leg."
After this round of matches, Real Madrid had a record of 7 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses, totaling 22 points. Barcelona, ??who had a good chance of overtaking Real Madrid, were leading 2-1 against Zaragoza at home. Unexpectedly, in the 67th minute, Messi was stepped on by a defender, causing him to fall to the ground in pain.
Rijkaard had no choice but to substitute him, and Barcelona was eventually overturned by Zaragoza, continuing to rank behind Real Madrid with a record of 6 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses, totaling 20 points.
What's more heartbreaking for Barcelona is that Messi isn't as "tough" as Wang Feng. After diagnosis, he was found to have a fractured metatarsal bone and would need to be sidelined for at least three months.
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