Chapter 499: Emperor of the Bernabéu
Real Madrid's new season started earlier than other teams. On August 15, 2010, at the Spanish Pisuerga Stadium, the Galacticos began their campaign in the Spanish Super Cup against Sevilla, the champions of the previous season's Copa del Rey.
In this match, Benitez opted for the most stable 4-4-2 formation, with Casillas in goal.
The defenders were Ramos, Pepe, Ashley Cole, and Marcelo.
The midfield consisted of Diarra, Xabi Alonso, Sneijder, and Di Maria.
Up front were Wang Feng and Higuain.
This was the best-performing lineup in the past month. Robben missed out due to a minor injury, while new signings like Khedira and Carvalho needed further integration.
For Sevilla fans, their team was like Lady Gaga, ambitious and eager to conquer the world, but never knowing what to expect.
The Legionnaires were currently one of the most competitive teams in La Liga apart from the big two. However, despite their loud slogans, their spending in the transfer window was discreet. They only bought three relatively unknown players, with a total investment not exceeding 10 million euros. However, they managed to earn 17 million euros through player sales. As a result, the team's strength not only did not improve but actually declined, leading to dissatisfaction among fans with the club's operations.
The game began with Real Madrid taking the initiative, launching a wave of attacks. Wang Feng roamed the flanks, waiting for the opportune moment, while Sneijder displayed great understanding, delivering precise passes.
The Chinese superstar received the ball with his back to the goal, made a lateral move, suddenly changed direction to surpass Sevilla's center-back, Zokora. Another center-back, Caceres, attempted to block his advance from the far end, but Wang Feng immediately took a shot, the ball flying past the legs of the two defenders, hitting Palop's hands, deflecting, and entering the net.
"Gooooooooooooooooal! The ball is in! The Chinese superstar opens the scoring for Real Madrid!"
"I think the Galacticos' fans should be relieved now. Wang Feng is still Wang Feng. As long as he's on the field, he can provide a consistent sense of security!"
Inspired by Wang Feng's lightning goal, Real Madrid players continued to press forward, showing a sense of reversing the roles. Higuain's header and Di Maria's long-range shot both narrowly missed widening the lead.
In the 39th minute, Real Madrid gained a set-piece opportunity in the opposition's half. Sneijder lofted the ball into the box. Sevilla goalkeeper Palop chose to come out, colliding heavily with defender Navarro, resulting in both players falling and leaving the ball at the far post.
Seizing the opportunity, Wang Feng swiftly moved out, sweeping the ball into the net, making it 2-0! A comfortable lead!
From this point on, the game was no longer in suspense. In the second half, Marcelo scored another header for Real Madrid, while Sevilla managed to pull one back through Brazilian forward Fabiano. The final score settled at 3-1, with the home team ahead and the away team trailing.
Real Madrid's victory over Sevilla wasn't surprising, but the almost powerless response from the Legionnaires was unexpected by most.
Throughout the match, Real Madrid had a possession rate of 69%, with 19 shots, 9 of which were on target, while Sevilla had only 4 shots, with 1 on target.
"The level of the top two teams in La Liga has far surpassed that of other league opponents," wrote Spain's National Newspaper. "As a perennial top-four team, despite criticism of their summer signings, Sevilla's overall framework has not changed."
"But the full-strength Real Madrid can effortlessly defeat them. The huge gap between them is evident to anyone."
"Now we look forward to what surprises Barcelona will bring to the fans. With players like Villa and the growing Messi, can they really overthrow the dominance of the Galacticos?"
Seven days later, at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup took place as scheduled.
In this match, Benitez placed Wang Feng on the bench, attempting a 4-2-3-1 formation with Iguaín leading the line alone. It turned out that without the Chinese superstar's orchestration and organization in attack, the team's offense was lackluster.
Although the home team had the advantage in possession, they struggled to break the deadlock. The Argentine forward became a spokesperson for wasteful "happy football" shots.
The increasingly restless fans in the stands began to chant his name, many of them coming specifically for him. Even though victory seemed assured, they still wanted to see the team secure their first home win of the new season.
"Wang Feng is truly the emperor of the Bernabeu," remarked veteran fan Valderrés. "Since I became a fan of Real Madrid, I have never seen such a prestigious player. Neither Hierro nor Raúl, let alone Ronaldo, Zidane, and others."
"Perhaps one day his name will appear in the stadium's suffix," joked his friend beside him. Valderrés was momentarily stunned, then chuckled, "Impossible, that's Florentino's lifelong dream, not the player's."
Amidst the clamor, Wang Feng took to the field in the 70th minute. Just three minutes later, he scored for the team. Receiving a lofted pass from Alonso in midfield, he retreated while observing his teammates' movements.
The ball quickly descended to his feet, with two defenders closing in. The Chinese superstar lifted his leg backward, skillfully tapping the ball with his heel. It then found its way to Iguaín's run, and the Argentine forward simply pushed it into the net. 1-0! Real Madrid finally broke the deadlock!
After the goal, the players celebrated excitedly. Sneijder, amidst his joy, was somewhat puzzled. Why did Iguaín always waste opportunities when receiving his passes, whereas Wang Feng's passes were always spot on?
In fact, making a perfect pass also requires skill. Truth be told, Iguaín's shooting technique was a bit rough. Therefore, during regular training and warm-up matches, Wang Feng would pay special attention to his habits and characteristics.
This allowed him to make targeted passes during the game, making Iguaín feel extremely comfortable when receiving the ball, as if he could score with just a little effort.
In the 88th minute, Real Madrid continued their relentless passing and combination play in the opposition's half, with Wang Feng once again finding the net. 2-0! With an aggregate score of 5-1, the Galacticos defeated Sevilla to lift the Spanish Super Cup.
This was the ninth time in the club's history that they had won the trophy, and the second time since Wang Feng joined Real Madrid.
When the Chinese superstar first won the Spanish Super Cup, the team achieved the legendary feat of winning six trophies in that season. Therefore, winning the trophy again brought good symbolism.
"Our goal for the new season? Do I even need to say it? We will always aim for the championship," said Wang Feng with a smile during a post-match interview. "Of course, it's very difficult. All good things come to an end. The team has won the league and Champions League for four consecutive years. Continuing to do so presents many challenges. But I like challenges, and I am very suitable for them!"
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