Chapter 517: Compete directly against each other!
Back to the league, in the 31st round of La Liga, Real Madrid challenged Athletic Bilbao away.
Although they had just experienced a Champions League battle, the players of the Galacticos did not expend too much energy. They continued their hot streak at the San Mames Stadium.
In the first half, Wang Feng broke the deadlock, and in the second half, he assisted Di Maria in scoring, eventually securing a 2-0 victory with ease.
In the later game between Barcelona and Almeria, Messi scored twice to help the team come from behind and win 3-1. The gap between the two teams continued to be 3 points.
The battle for points between the two La Liga giants stirred the hearts of all Spanish fans, and the upcoming El Clasico would once again become the key match for determining the winner between the two teams!
However, before that, they each had a Champions League quarter-final match to play. Real Madrid challenged Tottenham Hotspur away, while Barcelona faced Shakhtar Donetsk away.
Coincidentally, both teams had achieved a big victory in the first leg, so they both sent out rotated lineups to play, while the main players watched from the sidelines to preserve their strength.
At White Hart Lane, the Galacticos and Tottenham played a tough game. With the advantage of playing at home and personnel, Tottenham had the initiative on the field but still couldn't break through the visitor's defense.
In the 60th minute of the second half, Benitez decisively substituted Wang Feng to deliver a fatal blow to the opponent. As expected, six minutes later, he received a diagonal pass from Granero in the right rib area, then dribbled to the left to create space before shooting fiercely.
Tottenham goalkeeper Friedel made a flying save, but the powerful ball hit his gloves, and despite losing some momentum, it deflected into the goal, making it 1-0!
This was the only goal of the match, and in the end, Real Madrid swept Tottenham 5-0 on aggregate to advance to the Champions League semi-finals.
Barcelona also did not disappoint their fans, easily defeating Shakhtar Donetsk to advance to the semi-finals. The two La Liga giants would meet in the semi-finals, and only one team would secure a ticket to the final.
Such dramatic scenes naturally attracted great attention and discussion in European football, especially at such a critical juncture when the Galacticos achieved historic results.
Some fans joked that the scheduling seemed to imply that if Real Madrid wanted to recreate legendary achievements, they would have to step over Barcelona's corpse!
The implication was deeper than just a sports match; both clubs attached great importance to the upcoming showdown, and the eyes of the King of Spain and the leaders of Catalonia were also closely watching.
Since the establishment of La Liga in 1928, Real Madrid and Barcelona have played countless national derbies, with many ups and downs and unforgettable stories. The three upcoming matches would be no exception.
Although Barcelona won the first encounter of the season, everyone felt it was difficult to determine Barcelona's superiority based solely on that result. Since Benitez changed his approach, the shackles on Wang Feng no longer existed, making the situation unpredictable.
Some "rational" fans believed that the Galacticos should prioritize the Champions League at this time. Although winning five consecutive league titles seemed tempting, achieving total victory would be too difficult.
"The league title race is not favorable for us. I think we should focus on the Champions League. Winning five consecutive Champions Leagues is more important than anything else. This is the most important achievement to showcase Real Madrid's unparalleled influence in European football," a fan said online.
This view resonated with many people, but Real Madrid legend Hierro vehemently refuted it in an interview: "Every victory is achieved through hard work. How can we be afraid before we even fight?"
"I admit that Barcelona's performance this season can be described as brilliant, but Real Madrid is no less impressive. From the beginning, trailing by a large margin to now being just 3 points behind, as long as we win one game, we can reverse the situation."
"At this time, it is very irrational to talk about giving up. Moreover, Barcelona faces greater pressure than us. They still have to prepare for the Copa del Rey final, and a slight oversight could lead to a disastrous outcome of getting nothing."
Ronaldo, who retired in February, also came out to support Real Madrid, saying, "I will go to the scene to cheer for the Galacticos. They will definitely win all the games."
"Why am I so confident? Of course, it's because of Wang Feng. Don't forget that we fought side by side. I know his strength very well." Apart from him, Carlos, Raul, and others also expressed their confidence in Real Madrid.
Legendary superstar Stefano, who led Real Madrid to win five consecutive Champions League titles, also accepted an interview, as he had not appeared in public view much in recent years due to poor health.
"I am very happy to see the team dominate La Liga and European football again in my lifetime, equaling or even surpassing the glorious achievements of the past," the Argentine said slowly.
"Wang Feng's abilities have far surpassed mine back then, so I believe he can bring victory, and I believe he will become the greatest player in the history of Real Madrid."
Barcelona legends naturally also came out to support the Catalan team. Cruyff was the first to say that it was ridiculous for Real Madrid to think they could win everything.
"We have precedents of defeating them. We have a dream lineup. The upcoming showdown will definitely end with a victory for Barcelona!"
At the same time, he also said that this was the best time for the team to create historic achievements, just like the past Real Madrid, first securing the league title, then winning the Copa del Rey, and finally winning the Champions League to achieve the triple crown.
"What Real Madrid can do, Barcelona can certainly do too!"
Former Barcelona player Stoichkov, who contributed more than 100 goals for the club in four years, said in an interview, "Now Barcelona has the ability to win all games."
"Messi's talent and ability make all coaches envious. The midfield led by Xavi and Iniesta is the best in the world. Our strength far exceeds that of Real Madrid."
"In recent years, consecutive defeats to them were purely due to psychological blows. Real Madrid, or rather Wang Feng, knows exactly how to unbalance opponents."
"But he is just a player after all, not a superhuman. As long as we stick to our rhythm, maintain a calm mentality and play as a team, there will be no chance of failure!"
Ronaldinho, currently playing for Flamengo in the Brazilian league, also expressed his support for Barcelona and Messi on social media, with a hint of deep resentment towards Wang Feng.
It's no wonder; the rivalry between the two goes back to 2001 when he first arrived in European football. At that time, he was brought to Paris Saint-Germain as an alternative to Wang Feng and had been living under the shadow of the Chinese superstar ever since.
Having experienced a brief peak and then returning to calmness, he looked back and found that his former opponent had always been sitting on the cloud, unreachable by anyone, making it difficult for anyone to accept.
Those who shared the same feelings as him included Kaka, Adriano, and a group of contemporaries. They had long sunk into the river of history, while the Chinese superstar continued to shine brightly.
However, these people were all old friends and teammates of Wang Feng, naturally without any complaints. They only occasionally recalled the past and sighed with emotion, while also looking forward to seeing how far Wang Feng could go.
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