Chapter 453: The Copa del Rey is also ours
In the other two Champions League semi-final matches, Barcelona won 2-1 at home against Manchester United in the first leg, and then secured a 1-1 draw away, thus advancing to the final with a total score of 3-2, eliminating the Red Devils.
The showdown between the two giants of La Liga at the peak of Europe! This result did not come as a surprise to most people because both teams demonstrated significant differences in strength compared to other European teams.
The only ones probably dissatisfied were the Red Devils' fans and Manchester United players. Cristiano Ronaldo scored both of the team's goals in the two matches but still couldn't match Barcelona's multiple-goal scoring.
After the match, he declined all interviews and plunged into the gym to train hard, intending to seek revenge against Wang Feng, but unexpectedly lost to the "junior" who was two years younger than himself.
The Portuguese star did not admit the emergence of any "new generation dual pearls." The only one he acknowledged as comparable was the Chinese superstar. Everyone else was just challengers who came later.
Especially when he fell behind Messi in the 2007 Ballon d'Or voting, it was a deep shame for him, but fortunately, he reclaimed it in last year's voting.
Now being eliminated by Messi, doesn't it mean he will be overshadowed again this year? Thinking of this, Cristiano Ronaldo felt as if he had been pierced by ten thousand arrows, unbearable. The biggest lesson he learned from this Barcelona team was that he needed companions, more and stronger assistants!
"It seems that it's time to have a good talk with Sir Ferguson and the club management." Cristiano Ronaldo thought firmly in his heart.
For the two giants of La Liga, they still have two heavyweight confrontations this season. The first is the Copa del Rey final, followed by the Champions League final.
For this reason, Barcelona issued a strict order internally: they must win. The Champions League is the most important, followed by the Copa del Rey. With almost no hope in the league, they can't bear any more setbacks!
Before the decisive battle, both sides will also go through a La Liga match. In the 35th round, Real Madrid will face Valencia away, while Barcelona will host Villarreal at home.
The Galaxy Battleship, with some key players rested, was ultimately assisted by Wang Feng to score the only goal of the game through Cassano. Meanwhile, Barcelona, who never gave up until the last moment, saw Henry score twice and Iniesta's long-range shot find the net, defeating Villarreal 3-1, maintaining a 5-point difference between the two sides.
On May 14th, at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, the Copa del Rey final was held as scheduled.
Perhaps affected by psychological shadows, despite Guardiola deploying the strongest lineup, the players' performance was lackluster, completely different from the fierce display in the previous two derbies.
As long as Wang Feng maintains his high level as always, there is almost no pressure on the entire team of Real Madrid, and everyone can perform at their best.
Just 7 minutes into the game, Wang Feng received a pass from Sneijder on the wing, then dribbled past Alves and prepared to cut inside, but after taking two steps, he suddenly sent a cross to the far post.
Raúl dashed out from the defensive crowd, effortlessly pushing the ball into Barcelona's goal with a simple shot. 1-0! The Galaxy Battleship got off to a dream start.
In the 26th minute, Real Madrid's Diarra intercepted Messi's diagonal pass, then passed to Sneijder, who launched a rapid counter-attack with the ball.
The Dutchman glanced at the situation in the penalty area, immediately took a shot to chip the ball in, and Wang Feng, on the right, outmuscled Puyol to succeed in controlling the ball, but there was no space for shooting or passing.
So, the Chinese superstar had a brilliant idea. Before the ball completely landed, he flicked it with his heel in a diagonal direction. It passed through Puyol's legs and landed on the grass, bouncing behind him.
At this moment, there was empty space behind the Spanish defender, and Puyol couldn't turn around in time to make up for it. Wang Feng had already volleyed with his left foot before the ball touched the ground, and Valdés had no chance at such close range. The ball soared into the net.
"Gooooooooooooooooooal!! The ball is in! Wang Feng expands Real Madrid's lead!"
"A wonderful touch through the legs, the Chinese superstar creates space even in such tight defense, and in such a short time, it's really beautiful!"
"Barcelona's state today seems a bit off, especially on the attacking end, completely lacking the sharpness of the past. Could it be that they are afraid of Real Madrid?"
"In the two league matches this season, the two sides have shown what it means to be evenly matched, back and forth, with the Galaxy Battleship relying on Wang Feng's extraordinary performance to win, but Barcelona is not without hope."
"But today's game is completely different in trend and state. Catalonia has lost their extreme control and their multiple-goal scoring. Even possession is on par with Real Madrid."
"Adjust quickly, guys! If you go to the Champions League final with this kind of state, the odds may not be in our favor."
Trailing by two goals in the first half, after the break, Barcelona's players finally regained some fighting spirit, but they were still far from their peak, making frequent mistakes.
In the 72nd minute, substitute Iguaín seized the opportunity to intercept passes from Xavi and Alves in the frontcourt, then stormed into the penalty area, faced the goalkeeper without hesitation, dodged the dive with a slanted step, and then slotted the ball into the empty net from a narrow angle.
3-0! Real Madrid completely secured the victory! And this score remained until the end of the game.
The Galaxy Battleship won its 18th Copa del Rey in club history, and this was the first time Wang Feng lifted this trophy since joining Real Madrid.
It was a silver trophy with a black wooden base at the bottom, and a slender cylindrical structure holding up the large body of the cup, convenient for players to hold. There were also wide handles on both sides of the cup, and the front bore the emblem of the Spanish royal family, presented by King Juan Carlos I himself.
When it was Wang Feng's turn to receive the medal, the Spanish king warmly embraced him: "I'm glad you're standing in front of me, kid. You will surely become a legend of Real Madrid."
"I hope you can stay with the team and help them achieve glory again, no, maybe surpass glory. I think only you can do it."
"Of course, I will do my best." The Chinese superstar responded with a smile.
Finally, Raúl lifted the Copa del Rey trophy on behalf of the team, but he pulled Wang Feng to stand on the other side, and the two raised the cup together.
While Real Madrid players celebrated their victory, the atmosphere in Barcelona's locker room was like hell. Guardiola stared angrily at each player: "Do you guys not want to play anymore? If you don't want to play, then get out! If we continue like this, there's no need for the Champions League, we might as well withdraw altogether."
In a moment of silence, Eto'o suddenly exploded: "You arranged the personnel and tactics, but we still can't beat Real Madrid. What more do you want from us?"
He was the top scorer in the team this season, scoring 31 goals, but the contract renewal was still unresolved. Laporta's promised salary increase was nowhere to be seen, and seeing one honor after another slip away, he finally couldn't bear this high pressure anymore.
With that, the Cameroonian stormed out of the room, leaving Guardiola with a grim expression: "Anyone else want to leave? You can all leave together." Seeing the atmosphere becoming increasingly tense, the old captain Puyol stepped forward to ease the situation, apologized to the head coach, and promised to urge everyone to train hard to regain their form, barely maintaining harmony.
With their own thoughts, the two sides finally dispersed in discontent.
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