Chapter 384: Reunion moment
Back at his own villa in Madrid, it was a sunny morning. Wang Feng had experienced international travel, jet lag, and official matches in a short period of time. Even if his body was strong, he still felt a bit overwhelmed, showing obvious signs of fatigue on his face.
The housemaid informed Lu Yao, who hurriedly ran to Wang Feng, looking worried as she approached him. "My little ancestor, you can't run like this. What if something happens?"
"It's okay, the doctor has already said that the baby is very healthy now." Lu Yao smiled and said, her belly slightly bulging, nurturing a little life.
"It's actually you who looks tired. Go freshen up and rest quickly. By the way, isn't there a Real Madrid match tomorrow? I'm worried about your health."
"Don't worry, the head coach has given me a day off. I'm not on the squad for tomorrow's match, so I don't need to go to the club." With that, he washed away the dust of the journey and then lay down in the bedroom with Lu Yao by his side.
The two chatted casually, and gradually Wang Feng fell asleep. The warm family environment made him very relaxed, so he slept soundly.
Looking at the handsome yet slightly immature face in front of her, Lu Yao showed a happy smile. She recalled the first encounter between the 17-year-old boy and the 16-year-old girl on that afternoon years ago, which seemed like a fairy tale.
In the 23rd round of La Liga, Real Madrid hosted Real Valladolid at home. The newly promoted team's strength was not outstanding, currently ranking only 15th in the league standings.
With goals from Raúl and Cassano, the Galacticos defeated their opponents 2-0.
A week later, in the 24th round, the Galacticos challenged Real Betis away. Since the UEFA Champions League knockout stage was officially underway midweek, the head coach Schuster rested some key players. However, Wang Feng, who had returned, started the game.
Like Real Valladolid, Betis struggled in the relegation zone, but they were much stronger than the newly promoted teams. They showed great energy during the game.
In the first half, the home team took a two-goal lead with goals from forward Edu and defender Llera.
In the 64th minute of the second half, Diarra intercepted the ball in the backcourt and passed it to Wang Feng nearby. The Chinese superstar dribbled the ball all the way, shaking off four Betis defenders one after another, and dashed into the penalty area.
Facing the goalkeeper Doblas' charge, he calmly pushed a low shot, the ball passing just under the Spaniard's crotch and into the Betis goal.
However, Wang Feng ultimately couldn't save the team, as they lost 1-2, but Real Madrid still led Villarreal on the league table. It's no wonder Schuster dared to make bold rotations.
Setting foot on Roman soil again, Cassano felt a mix of emotions. Since joining the Serie A powerhouse in 2001, he had lived here for nearly seven years, witnessing the last glory and continuous decline of the "Red Wolves".
It would be false to say that he had no feelings for the club, but the ruthlessness of the management and the harsh criticism from the fans deeply hurt him. It was clearly because of the team's financial crisis leading to a decline in overall level, but everyone pushed the blame onto him.
Seeing Cassano's fluctuating expression, Wang Feng said, "What's wrong? Still feeling resentful? Want to take revenge for being banned?" He hadn't played a single game for Roma this season, so he could fully represent Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The Italian shook his head. "Being able to come to Real Madrid and start afresh is lucky enough for me. Any resentment has long dissipated. I just feel a little embarrassed thinking about the reckless things I did when I was young."
Wang Feng agreed with his statement. Cassano had indeed been a bit excessive in the past few years, not only falling out with the club's management. He also exchanged harsh words with his former mentor Capello and his senior Totti, who had brought him into the limelight. As a result, he was almost isolated by everyone, hence being banned for so long.
All of this stemmed from a disturbed mindset, but this low point had also tempered him. If Cassano had chosen to leave Roma back then, he might have repeated the same mistakes and fallen into an even bigger career crisis.
On February 20th, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 officially kicked off.
Shortly after the kickoff, both sides began intense battles after some initial probing. Roma had to go all out for victory to have a chance to advance to the next round because it was too difficult for them to conquer the Bernabéu in their current state.
However, there was an obvious gap in strength between the two sides. Whether it was the decline of Serie A or Roma's own financial difficulties, they couldn't support the team in creating a strong lineup.
So Real Madrid gradually took control of the game. Roma could only rely on stars like Totti to create opportunities. In the 17th minute, Real Madrid penetrated the home team's defense after a series of amazing short passes from the midfield.
Wang Feng shot with his right foot from a position 15 meters from the goal, aiming for the bottom right corner. Roma goalkeeper Doni made a desperate sideways dive and managed to deflect the ball out of the bottom line, causing a cold sweat among the fans in the stands.
Real Madrid won a corner, and Wang Feng personally delivered it into the penalty area. Sneijder, who was inserted from the far end, headed the ball into the goal, breaking through Roma's defense, 1-0! The Galacticos eventually took the lead.
In the 21st minute, Roma also had a great opportunity. Totti launched a quick counterattack all the way into the penalty area, but his shot was blocked by Casillas. Perrotta's follow-up shot went wide.
The Italian defender scratched his head in frustration. How could they miss such a great chance?
Just 6 minutes later, under Wang Feng's pressure, De Rossi made a mistake in the midfield when passing to his teammate. His angle was off, and the Chinese superstar intercepted the ball with a stretch of his foot.
Then he swiftly charged to the edge of the home team's penalty area, used a classic Cruyff turn to shake off Panucci, and cut into the heart of the defense. He then pushed the ball into the far corner of the goal, once again piercing through Doni's hands!
"Goal! Wang Feng extends Real Madrid's lead!"
"Roma should still remember the strength of the Chinese superstar, as he has defeated them many times during his time in Serie A. Therefore, before the game, many fans expressed pessimism about the outcome."
"Now it seems that Wang Feng's goal and assist have helped the Galacticos breach the home team's goal twice, gaining a lead and precious away goals. The home team's hope of turning the tables in the second leg seems almost impossible."
In the second half, in the 74th minute, Wang Feng received a through pass from Robben on the wing, then used a Cruyff turn to evade Mexes and cut into the penalty area.
Before the other defenders could catch up, he suddenly shot with the outside of his foot. The ball looped in the air, hanging into the corner of the goal. Doni could only watch the ball with resignation as the Chinese superstar scored his second goal!
In the final moments, Roma pulled one back with a long shot from Totti, setting the score at 3-1. Their hopes of advancing were very slim.
After the match, Cassano, who was on the bench, took the initiative to find Totti, expressing his apologies and gratitude for his past bad attitude and thanking him for his care.
"It's nothing, Antonio. I'm happy to see you getting back on your feet. I hope everything goes well for you at Real Madrid." With that, the "Roman Prince" walked back to the dressing room, looking somewhat lonely.
Read latest chapters at f(r)eewebnov𝒆l Only