Chapter 380: No holiday experience
Post-match press conference, Barcelona coach Guardiola expressed helplessness, saying the team had done well enough but lacked some luck, resulting in defeat.
"In fact, we had a certain advantage on the field, as can be seen from the statistics, but Real Madrid's defense is very strong, and they also have Wang Feng."
"I have been paying close attention to him on the sidelines, so I deeply understand his threat on the offensive end. Therefore, Barcelona's defense needs to be further strengthened. We believe the team will continue to improve and put an end to the recent unfavorable results against Real Madrid as soon as possible."
Real Madrid coach Schuster said that Barcelona is definitely not as weak as it appears on the league table. "Their lineup is very reasonable, whether it's the front line, midfield, or backline, they have shining stars. After the initial adjustment period of the season, they are gradually showing their strength."
At the same time, he was very satisfied with his own team's performance. "Our defense is mainly composed of young players, such as Pepe, Ramos, and Cole, they are gradually growing into a strong backbone, showing tenacity and fighting spirit."
"The defense has improved a lot compared to last year, and Wang Feng is still the key figure for victory on the offensive end. He is always so stable, making people feel extra reassured."
Wang Feng also attended the press conference. When asked about his post-match thoughts, he said, "Of course, I am very happy to win the game, but honestly, I really want to go home now. You know, today is Christmas Eve, and my wife is waiting for me at home."
This answer made everyone smile. Who wouldn't want to leave work early? So, with everyone's cooperation, all routine work was quickly completed.
When Wang Feng arrived home, it was almost midnight. However, the living room was still brightly lit. His wife Lu Yao and sister were dozing off on the sofa, with snacks and cakes on the coffee table in front of them.
"Hey, you two, why aren't you going to bed yet?" Wang Feng gently woke them up and said, "Especially Yao Yao, it's already so late. What if you ruin your health by staying up like this?"
Lu Yao said apologetically, "Just this once, I want to celebrate Christmas with you." Seeing her gentle and delicate expression, Wang Feng couldn't bear to scold her.
His sister quickly changed the subject and said, "Brother, you were so handsome today. Several times I thought we were going to lose, but we ended up winning, and it was you who sealed the victory."
Wang Feng said teasingly, "Humph, of course, we would win." Then he learned that after watching the game, the mothers wanted them to rest, but Lu Yao insisted on waiting for Wang Feng to come back. Unable to persuade the elders, they had to let her be.
"You, you." Wang Feng hugged Lu Yao tenderly. "Merry Christmas, Yao Yao!" With the arrival of midnight, the three of them raised their glasses together, of course, not with wine, but with ordinary fruit juice.
This winter break should be the shortest Wang Feng has ever experienced because on January 3, Real Madrid will host the second round of the fourth round of the Spanish King's Cup, so they have to gather and start training on January 2.
"This holiday really lacks the feeling of relaxation," Guti complained helplessly. This also resonated with many players. Most of them like to travel during the holidays, but just a few days off are clearly not enough.
"Alright, guys, stop complaining," Raúl clapped his hands and said, "At least we still maintain good physical condition, right? No need to go through painful training periods again."
Every time they return from vacation, many players are not in good physical condition and can only accept the cruel training plan formulated by the coaching staff to recover as soon as possible.
However, this time, after the team doctor's examination, no one's physical condition was very bad, but there was a feeling of mental fatigue that needed to be relieved. Therefore, the club invited a professional team of psychologists to develop a reasonable relaxation plan for the team.
This includes watching movies, holding esports events, etc., and training time has been compressed. After all, the current record is still good, so there is no reason to be tense all the time. With the progress of these relaxation activities, the atmosphere within the team has become more harmonious.
Cassano was the only player to join Real Madrid during the winter break. After spending Christmas, he came to Madrid with his family, waiting for the transfer window to open for formalities. An agreement has been reached between the Galaxy battleship and Roma, and they can get the Italian striker for only 3 million euros.
Compared to his initial value of 28 million euros, he can be said to have declined significantly, but when Wang Feng saw him, he felt as if the former Italian genius had returned.
The storms of the Roma period, even being banned from playing almost left him with no football to play, all of which made the Italian more mature. He came to the Galaxy battleship to start over.
La Liga can be said to be very quiet this winter. Most teams did not make any moves and chose to promote young players from the B team for training. Therefore, the total transfer amount is less than 30 million euros.
Valencia, who suffered setbacks in both the first half of the season and the Champions League, not only fired their head coach but will also undergo a reform throughout the club. Therefore, they completed several transactions during the winter transfer window.
Compared to the cold reception in La Liga, the Premier League can be said to be in full swing. The total amount of winter transfers exceeded 100 million euros, with Chelsea spending the most money. After a brief peak, they were knocked off the altar by Manchester United. Chelsea chairman Abramovich was very unhappy and further increased the team's investment.
Signing Anelka for 20 million euros, Ivanovic for 12 million euros, and Di Santo for 4.5 million euros, Abramovich wanted to prove that without Mourinho, Chelsea could still return to its peak.
As the league leader, Manchester United did not make any major moves. This season, with the cooperation between Ronaldo and Rooney becoming more tacit, they have jointly contributed 37 goals so far, surpassing the entire Premier League.
The team is aiming for both the league title and the Champions League trophy. Ronaldo understands that Wang Feng will definitely not lag behind, and there will inevitably be another peak duel between the two. He is a little impatient.
The Bundesliga has always been stingy in terms of transfer investment, but unexpectedly, the total amount of winter transfers exceeded 40 million euros, even higher than La Liga.
The richest club is still Bayern Munich. They successfully regained the top spot in the league and invested 12 million euros to bring in Breno, a center-back from S?o Paulo. The investment of all other clubs did not exceed 10 million euros.
What pleases domestic fans is that Chinese player Dong Fangzhuo has successfully secured a place in the team's starting lineup. Before the winter break, he has started in five consecutive matches and played the full 90 minutes.
In high-intensity actual combat, he gradually became competent as an attacking organizer, contributing 3 goals and 5 assists. This performance has been recognized by the head coach. Recently, he even began to consult him for his thoughts and specially arranged tactics for him.
"It's a good development. Sheffield seems to be grooming you towards a central role. He currently has a stable position as a coach, so you should take this opportunity to establish yourself." Wang Feng said to Dong Fangzhuo during their conversation.
"Yeah, I understand. I hope that one day, a real Chinese derby will be staged on the European stage. I think it will cause a sensation in China." Dong Fangzhuo said with anticipation.
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