Chapter 390: A close contest
On the evening of April 2, 2008, at eight o'clock sharp, Didier Drogba stood in the center circle of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, wearing a blue jersey, awaiting the referee's whistle.
Around him roared the deafening cheers of the crowd, some fans singing team songs to inspire the team. However, they were cheering for today's opponent, Real Madrid.
"Not for nothing is this called the hellish home ground!" thought the Ivorian, silently. This atmosphere, compared to Stamford Bridge, had a slight edge. His body trembled slightly, not out of fear but excitement. Just the thought of defeating the Galácticos at the Bernabéu made Drogba's blood boil, a cruel smile appearing on his dark face.
This match attracted global attention. Although Chelsea was not as dominant as it had been a few years ago, it remained one of the biggest-spending clubs in European football, with a squad depth that was astonishing.
Coach Grant fielded a 4-4-2 formation, with ?ech in goal.
The defenders were Essien, Carvalho, Terry, and Ferreira.
The midfield consisted of Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, and Malouda.
Upfront were Drogba and Joe Cole.
The piercing whistle echoed around the Bernabéu as the match officially began. Drogba quickly passed the ball to Mikel, who immediately sent it back to the backline. Raúl and Wang Feng entered the opponent's half to press, while others waited defensively.
Chelsea quickly launched an attack. Lampard dribbled through the midfield and then passed the ball to Drogba, who was about to start when a figure swiftly flashed in front of him, kicking the ball out of play.
"I won't let you through easily!" Ashley Cole got up and patted himself lightly, saying calmly. As a former Chelsea player, he knew best the destructive power of Drogba. Coach Schuster specifically instructed him to defend against him.
Drogba shrugged helplessly. Cole's defensive ability was top-notch. If it weren't for the chaos in the team management last summer, he wouldn't have left Chelsea. The team's performance might have been even better.
While Chelsea's attack was thwarted, Real Madrid aggressively pressed forward. Robben feinted down the wing and suddenly crossed the ball to Wang Feng near the penalty area. The Chinese star immediately slotted it diagonally into the box.
Raul barely held onto the ball under the marking of Carvalho and Terry, but his subsequent shot lacked power and was saved by ?ech.
"In the first few minutes, both sides played relatively steadily, with chances on both ends but no clear opportunities created. Oh, here we go. Sneijder steals the ball from Ballack in midfield, and Real Madrid launches a counterattack."
"The ball is sent into the penalty area, and Wang Feng shoots! The ball is blocked by Terry and goes out for a corner. The English defender's experience is truly remarkable. He accurately judged the shot's trajectory and blocked it in time. Otherwise, it could have been a goal."
"It's been reported that Real Madrid tried to sign Terry multiple times in last summer's transfer window, but his attachment to Chelsea is deep, so he turned down the Galácticos' olive branch. Remember, there aren't many players in European football who can resist their temptation."
Real Madrid earns a corner kick, which Sneijder takes. Wang Feng waits in the penalty area for his chance. Chelsea's defense looks tense; the Chinese star is closely marked by two defenders, sandwiched between them like a sandwich cookie.
As the ball is kicked out, Wang Feng quickly moves into position, unnoticed by the defense. It's Ashley Cole! At 1.72 meters, he doesn't seem threatening, but the ball lands perfectly above his head. With no one marking him, Cole lightly flicks his head, sending the ball into Chelsea's net.
"Goooooooooooooooal! The ball is in! Real Madrid breaks the deadlock with a corner kick! The scorer is Ashley Cole! He seized the opportunity when Wang Feng drew the defense away, quietly heading the ball into the net. Who says small players can't score headers!"
After scoring, Cole refused his teammates' celebration, showing respect for his former club. Chelsea's defenders looked dejected; they had let a man slip through. Cole wasn't known for his heading ability during his time at Chelsea, so instinctively, nobody marked him.
But for a top player, even if there's a weakness, it's relative. Without defense, he wouldn't miss such a great opportunity.
As the game resumed, Real Madrid continued to attack aggressively, while Chelsea defended with all their might, looking for a chance to counterattack.
In the 60th minute, Chelsea coach Grant substituted Ferreira with Haim to bolster the defense, indicating his satisfaction with a draw, knowing they would have a bigger advantage at Stamford Bridge.
Real Madrid also refused to back down. Schuster substituted Heinze with Higuaín, clearly aiming to strengthen the attack and seek victory.
When the game reached the 81st minute, Sneijder dribbled into the opponent's half and passed to Higuaín on the left. The Argentine forward intended to enter the penalty area but found it heavily guarded, so he passed to the right.
Before the ball reached him, Wang Feng, near the edge of the penalty area, swiftly moved sideways, shaking off Terry who was marking him closely. With a left-footed shot, he sent the ball spinning through the dense defense, curving sharply towards the top left corner of the goal.
The ball seemed headed for the corner flag before curving back unexpectedly, catching ?ech off guard. He couldn't make a save in time, watching helplessly as the ball flew into the net.
With this brilliant world-class goal, Real Madrid defeated Chelsea 2-1 at home, winning this evenly matched contest.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶