Chapter 327: Barcelona out
After the post-match press conference, Bayern's head coach Heathfield expressed helplessness, stating that conceding a goal at the 43rd minute was the turning point of the entire game. He said, "We not only fell behind by one goal but also lost two key players."
And it was all because of Wang Feng. This Bayern's meritorious coach praised the Chinese superstar, saying, "He was the best player on the field. When you see that control of the ball, I think everyone will be impressed by him."
On the Real Madrid side, Wang Feng and coach Schuster attended the press conference together. Schuster was naturally generous with his praise for the beloved player: "Yes, Wang changed the course of the game. At the beginning of the game, I was very anxious because the team was in a disadvantageous position and needed to break it as soon as possible."
"There is no doubt that I thought of Wang. He is such a magical star who will never let others down. To be honest, when I saw the first goal, I was more shocked than delighted. I didn't expect him to play like this."
Regarding his difficult move of high-speed ball control and change of direction, Wang Feng didn't feel complacent: "As you know, in that kind of environment, I couldn't perform other moves, so I had to try it."
"I didn't expect to succeed either. Maybe it was just luck. If I had to do it again, I'm afraid I couldn't do it so perfectly."
Regarding Lahm and Kahn's injuries, Wang Feng said, "They are both very responsible players, and it is precisely because of this responsibility that they gave their all, leading to their injuries. I admire them."
As for Real Madrid's future Champions League performance, Wang Feng said confidently, "There will be more difficult challenges ahead for the team, but we have overcome the shadow in our hearts, and the title of Champions League winner will be continued by us!"
The reporters below looked at each other. Wang Feng, who won the Champions League three times in four years, seemed to match Real Madrid, who had won the Champions League nine times. What kind of miracle would they create again?
Real Madrid smoothly entered the Champions League quarterfinals. Another team from La Liga to reach the quarterfinals was Valencia. In addition to this, the Premier League occupied three spots with Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United, Serie A occupied two spots with AC Milan and Roma, and the last spot was won by Eredivisie's Ajax.
Inter Milan, without Wang Feng, was targeted by Valencia in the round of 16. The defending champion unfortunately ended its Champions League journey prematurely, causing Italian media to reminisce about the omnipotent Wang Feng.
The Chinese superstar called to comfort the dejected Ribery: "You are still young and far from reaching your peak. I believe you can come back in a year or two."
Ribery complained: "Big Brother, I feel that the atmosphere within Inter Milan is very bad now. Many old players lack fighting spirit, and the newly joined players have different factions."
"To be honest, Chairman Moratti's judgment of players is not very good. He has introduced many players who don't live up to their reputation, not only wasting resources but also taking away the playing time of useful players."
"Yes, Frank, every club has its own problems, just like Real Madrid, where defensive flaws frequently occur, and they often lose games they shouldn't."
"But we can still choose to be the best version of ourselves and infect everyone with a positive attitude. By the way, as a core player, you can also raise doubts to Moratti through Cambiasso about some of the club's issues."
The two then chatted for a long time, and what Wang Feng said benefited Ribery a lot.
Another upset was Barcelona being eliminated by Liverpool. In the first leg, they lost 1-2 to the Reds at Camp Nou, and in the second leg at Anfield, they won 1-0 thanks to Ronaldinho's brilliant strike.
With an aggregate score of 2-2, Barcelona lost on away goals, causing a huge uproar in Spain, especially in Catalonia's local media, which were filled with negative comments.
You must know that they reached the final last year, so how did they become the round of 16 this year? Everyone couldn't accept this result. Who would bear the responsibility? Coach Rijkaard was the first to be blamed, and Ronaldinho was not spared either.
Ronaldinho flipped through one newspaper after another, which constantly hyped up his alleged poor form at nightclubs, but he hadn't been there for a long time. These were all old news.
And his form was obviously very good. He even scored a goal against Liverpool in the decisive match, but since they didn't win, everyone blamed him, who had scandals hanging over him.
Since joining Barcelona, Ronaldinho has felt a gap with the club. He initially thought it was because he wasn't Barcelona's first choice—Wang Feng was—so he felt this way, thinking that as long as he performed well, everything would be fine.
Gradually, he realized that things weren't so simple. Barcelona is extremely strict with foreign players. Only by truly integrating into Catalonia can they gain their recognition and understanding. Otherwise, once their form declines, criticism and insults will come as expected.
Maybe it's time to leave. Ronaldinho felt a lot of reluctance in his heart. If Paris was where his European football career began, then Barcelona witnessed the most glorious days of his professional career, defending the league title and winning the FIFA World Player.
But this is not his belonging after all. Thinking of this, he took out his phone and called his agent, "Assis, I want to leave Barcelona this summer. Help me find a suitable club. My only requirements are salary security and a big city."
Assis was surprised, "Didn't we just signed a contract extension with the club not long ago? It seems a bit sudden to talk about leaving now."
"Well, Rijkaard has always had opinions about me, even threatening with starting positions. If I stay, my playing time will probably become less and less, and when my form declines significantly, I'll have even less autonomy. Go and talk to the club. If they offer a good price, I believe they will be happy to see it happen."
Assis could only agree. La Liga is definitely not suitable for him anymore, and Ronaldinho doesn't like the atmosphere in Germany either; it's like a big village. The only choices available are the Premier League and Serie A.
While Ronaldinho was contemplating his future, Messi was feeling somewhat guilty. Although the media did not target him directly, his performance in both Champions League matches against Liverpool was not good.
Since entering the first team in 2003, Ronaldinho has taken very good care of him. He has witnessed Messi's journey from a spirited young man to a depressed state, so he deeply understands how important the self-discipline of professional players is.
So he rarely hangs out with the South American gang in nightclubs, but constantly improves his physical fitness and skills through training. Although he can't be as diligent as Wang Feng, compared to ordinary football players, he is already serious enough.
"It's not enough!" Thinking of the last derby experience, Messi realized that the gap between him and Wang Feng is still far away. It is estimated that for a long time in the future, he will have to face this formidable opponent.
In any case, this time at Camp Nou, they must defeat Real Madrid. Messi secretly made up his mind. This game not only concerns the fight for the league title but also the atmosphere within the Barcelona team. The young Argentine keenly perceives that the team can no longer afford another failure, otherwise it will inevitably fall apart.
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