Chapter 341: Narrow victory!
The English forward finally couldn't bear Cristiano Ronaldo's behavior anymore. With a hot temper, he rushed up to him and shouted, "Christiano, damn it, can't you pass the ball to me at a time like this!"
The team captain, Neville, quickly ran between the two and separated them, while other teammates also stepped forward to console them. The conflict between Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo had been brewing for a long time, and their playful smiles during the World Cup were only part of the reason.
The Portuguese arrived at Manchester United a year before Rooney. Based on seniority and performance, he should have become the focal point of the team's attack. However, in reality, both players were equally important, and the club even seemed to favor Rooney more because he was English!
If Cristiano could tolerate this level of competition, he couldn't accept it when Wayne Rooney was maneuvered into winning the 2004 European Golden Boy award, as Rooney had been mostly sidelined due to a foot injury sustained after the European Championship. Even though he occasionally showed bursts of brilliance, his playing time was nowhere near as consistent as Cristiano's diligent efforts.
Moreover, with Lionel Messi, two years younger than himself, winning the Golden Boy award in 2005, Cristiano Ronaldo felt he would never again lay his hands on that trophy, becoming a regret in his professional career.
Since then, there had been a rift between the two. Fortunately, Sir Alex Ferguson had a strong grip on the Manchester United dressing room, preventing any news from leaking out. However, what happened during the World Cup brought their tensions to the forefront, and the conflict could hardly be concealed anymore.
"Manchester United gets a corner kick opportunity. Oh, what's happening? We can see Manchester United players gathering together, Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo are arguing about something, and other players are trying to pull them apart." At this point, the live broadcast cut to the scene of the conflict, exposing everything to football fans worldwide.
"It seems to be about the previous attack. Let's take a look at the slow-motion replay. Cristiano Ronaldo had the chance to pass to Rooney on the other side after his own shot, but the English forward looked unhappy, gesturing towards his position and then confronting the Portuguese."
"Internal strife like this is not good news, hoping both sides calm down soon. Let's not forget they are playing at home and are currently trailing!"
After a while of chaos, the situation finally calmed down. Rooney walked away angrily, while Cristiano Ronaldo silently took his position nearby. Neville took the free kick, lofting the ball into the penalty area, but Cannavaro cleared it with a header amid the chaos.
Unfortunately, he misjudged the angle, and the ball soared high but not far, landing near the edge of the penalty area. Wang Feng seized the opportunity, jumping up to head the ball away.
He then sparked into action, swiftly advancing towards the Manchester United half, with Raúl accelerating beside him. Most of the Red Devils' players were involved in the attack and couldn't retreat in time to defend.
At this point, a two-on-two situation formed in the frontcourt. Wang Feng, renowned for his skill, attracted the attention of Ferdinand and Vidic, who unconsciously moved closer to defend him.
The Chinese superstar had the ability to bypass the two defenders with his speed or skill, but seeing Raúl in an open position, he immediately sent a curved pass, bypassing both defenders and reaching the Spanish forward's feet.
Seeing the imminent danger, Ferdinand immediately slid to block Raúl's shooting angle. However, Raúl abruptly stopped the ball, effortlessly evading the defense, and then struck it cleanly into the net.
"Goal! Real Madrid takes advantage of the quick counterattack after the corner kick, once again breaching the Red Devils' defense! 2-0!"
"Wang Feng receives the ball near the sideline of his own penalty area, sprints more than sixty meters to the frontcourt, selflessly passing the ball to Raúl, who is in a better position. The Spanish forward doesn't disappoint, smoothly evading the sliding tackle and scoring."
"This is the vision and generosity of the top player in football! His actions completely align with what he said in the pre-match interview, prioritizing team victory above all else!"
"In contrast, Cristiano Ronaldo had just missed a chance for Manchester United's attack not long ago, choosing to shoot himself instead of passing to the open Rooney."
"The difference in their actions is clear, and the results are vastly different. Now Manchester United is almost at the edge of the cliff. Can they stabilize their mindset?"
As the halftime whistle blew, Manchester United fans at Old Trafford couldn't believe their eyes. The glaring red digits of 0-2 on the scoreboard continuously frustrated them. Was this the same Red Devils team that had been undefeated this season?
On the sidelines, the English media were collectively stunned. Before the match, they had been hyping up Manchester United's attacking prowess and portraying Real Madrid's defense as full of holes. However, reality dealt them a heavy blow.
"There's still a chance, there's still a chance," murmured Viggers, a journalist from The Times. "As long as the normal Cristiano Ronaldo returns, everything still has a chance!"
In the Manchester United dressing room, Sir Alex Ferguson stared sternly at Cristiano Ronaldo, while the others remained silent. After a moment, unable to publicly scold him any longer, he coldly said, "Cristiano, come with me!"
Outside the door, Sir Alex gave the beloved player a harsh scolding, warning him, "If you continue with this attitude and performance, I'll substitute you out!"
Cristiano felt ashamed. By now, he had calmed down. The challenge from Wang Feng and Real Madrid had exceeded his expectations. Now, the priority was to ensure the team's victory; otherwise, he would surely become the target of criticism after the match.
So he admitted his mistake, saying, "You're right. I promise not to act on my own in the second half." After Cristiano's repentance, Sir Alex returned to the dressing room to plan tactics for the second half. It was time for a full-on counterattack!
On the other side, in the Real Madrid dressing room, Schuster expressed satisfaction with the team's performance in the first half. He hadn't expected to score two away goals. "In the second half, Manchester United players will surely adjust their mentality and go all out on the attack. Our job is to defend!"
For this reason, the German coach substituted Raúl for Emerson to strengthen the midfield control, leaving only Wang Feng to harass the opponent's defense upfront. His presence alone was enough to deter the Red Devils from going all out in attack.
As the second half began, Manchester United indeed regained their organization. Cristiano Ronaldo no longer chose to go solo but cooperated with his teammates, frequently threatening the Galacticos' goal, which the away team could only barely cope with.
Fortunately, there were still some misunderstandings between Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, and their understanding hadn't fully recovered. Otherwise, it would have been even more difficult for the fragile Real Madrid defense.
The home team's efforts finally paid off in the 77th minute when Cristiano Ronaldo sent a precise through ball from the wing, cutting through the defense to find the French forward, Saha, who helped the Red Devils pull one back.
Until the end of the game, Manchester United still had the chance to equalize. Cristiano Ronaldo received the ball in the penalty area, attracting the defense. Just when everyone expected him to go solo as he did in the first half, he passed horizontally to Rooney at the far post.
The English forward apparently didn't react in time, watching helplessly as the ball slipped past his foot and rolled out of bounds, missing a golden opportunity to score.
In the end, Real Madrid narrowly defeated Manchester United 2-1 away, gaining the advantage in the series.
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