Chapter 561: Indeed, There Are Changes, with a Promising Future
"Today's Madrid Derby will be the best opportunity to test the limits of the team led by Simeone."
"That's right. Although it's not quite fair to the Bed Linen Legion since they've only just started to improve, at least we can see if the team is as ambitious as Simeone says."
With the referee's whistle, Atletico Madrid kicked off first. Real Madrid, playing at home, showed a very proactive attitude, constantly pressing and pressing.
Soon, Diego made a mistake and was intercepted by Hédiá, and the Galaxy Battleship's rapid counter-attack tactics were fully operational.
Through several passes from Hédiá to Alonso to Di María to Wang Feng, the ball successfully entered the penalty area, and finally, the Chinese superstar's sweeping shot went wide of the post.
"Come on, guys! Wake up!" Simeone shouted angrily from the sidelines. If they continued to make mistakes like this, they would probably face another defeat.
"From the current perspective, it seems that Atletico Madrid hasn't changed much, and the game is still firmly in Real Madrid's control."
"Yes, Simeone wouldn't just be all talk, right? It's difficult for a team like the Bed Linen Legion to make breakthroughs in the league and the Champions League."
As soon as the live commentary ended, Hédiá once again intercepted from the back, this time opting for a long pass to the front.
Iglesias fought hard to get to the first point and passed it back to Wang Feng, who accelerated with the ball, changed direction to shake off Thiago, and rushed into the penalty area.
Facing Miranda's block, the Chinese superstar calmly lowered his right shoulder, feinting to go to the bottom, and when he saw the opponent didn't move, he smoothly sidestepped past him.
Raising his left arm to block Miranda, Wang Feng's powerful shot at a tight angle just grazed the fingertips of goalkeeper Courtois, hit the inside of the post, and bounced into the net, with perfect accuracy.
"Goal! The ball is in! Five minutes into the game, Wang Feng gives Real Madrid the lead."
"The home team relies on sharp interceptions and precise passing to quickly tear apart the opponent's defense."
"Miranda seemed like a wooden stake in the penalty area, and Wang Feng passed him as easily as crossing a morning street."
"Did he really think he could block the Chinese superstar's feint with his stillness?"
"Let's watch the slow-motion replay again. Oh my God, is Miranda acting for Atletico? He really didn't make any blocking moves!"
Miranda felt extremely frustrated and helpless, and all La Liga defenders, including him, had carefully studied Wang Feng's playing style characteristics.
Personally, he felt that the Chinese superstar was very good at feinting and then shooting, so it was better to stay still and wait for the opponent to show their intentions before blocking.
But he didn't expect Wang Feng to react and move so quickly. Once he showed his intentions, he could immediately turn them into reality.
Moreover, this shot from a tight angle was incredibly accurate. Courtois's block was very solid, but he still found a way to the goal.
The Brazilian defender was a bit afraid to look at the coach's bench because he knew Simeone's face must be very bad right now.
Every Atletico Madrid player deeply felt the iron-handed methods of this new coach, and some even felt like they were in a military camp.
Real Madrid players could clearly feel that Atletico Madrid was indeed a bit different from the last time they faced them. Conceding early did not confuse them. They conducted their offense and defense in an orderly manner, and even the number of mistakes gradually decreased significantly.
So the situation on the field became a stalemate, until the 38th minute, when Wang Feng retreated to the vicinity of the center line to receive a pass from Hédiá. Seeing no good opportunity, he passed it back.
Hédiá brought the ball over the center line and directly passed it to Di María, who then smoothly passed it to the fast-inserting Chinese superstar.
As Wang Feng dribbled the ball along the sideline, he observed the movement of his teammates, noticing that Iglesias was coming closer from the back to send a cross, while he himself made an inward run.
The two completed a wall-pass-style cooperation to tear open the Atletico defense, and when the ball returned to the Chinese superstar's feet, he had already penetrated into the penalty area from the side, and behind him, Pereira's attempts to grab and pull couldn't stop him.
Courtois decisively rushed out of the goal, but Wang Feng used a lob to tell the young Belgian goalkeeper that he was still too green! 2-0! Real Madrid extended their lead!
At the end of the first half, the score remained unchanged. As the teams returned to the field, Atletico took advantage of Real Madrid's relaxed vigilance and Falcao scored one back.
And in the 69th minute, Reyes sent a cross from the side, and Adrian volleyed it in, piercing Casillas's ten fingers once again.
"A fantastic shot! Unbelievable, the Bed Linen Legion actually equalized the score!"
"It cannot be denied that Real Madrid has been a bit lax on the field recently, but the spirit of Atletico Madrid has indeed changed a lot. Even in a disadvantageous situation, the players are still clear about their roles and responsibilities, ultimately achieving the fruitful result of two consecutive goals."
"In fact, the team is afraid of chaos when they fall behind. Many of the matches won by the Galaxy Battleship this season were against opponents who conceded early, and being completely suppressed mentally eventually led to collapse."
Real Madrid quickly made adjustments, sending Sahin on to strengthen midfield control, and also reminding the players to focus more.
In the 77th minute, Alonso orchestrated an attack from midfield, passing diagonally to Di María on the wing, who then passed to Wang Feng nearby after a failed breakthrough.
The Chinese superstar dribbled horizontally, with Thiago and Gabi, two defensive players, coming forward to press him, trying to drive him out of the dangerous area.
But he gradually reduced the vigilance of the two by dribbling backwards towards his own half, and suddenly turned with a feint and a right-footed shot, the ball passing perfectly between Gabi's legs, successfully breaking through the double-team!
Immediately, Wang Feng chased after the ball, and Gabi, caught off guard, tried to turn his body, but still lost his balance and fell to the ground due to the suddenness.
In his panic, he reached forward with both hands and happened to grab the Chinese superstar's jersey, bringing him down as well.
"Beep!" The referee's whistle immediately sounded, yellow card + free kick in the frontcourt! This is a free kick from about twenty meters in the middle area near the goal. All the Atletico players and Simeone on the sidelines felt a sinking feeling in their hearts, as shooting directly at the goal would be too easy for Wang Feng!
As expected, the Chinese superstar personally took the free kick, and the ball flew in a beautiful arc in the air, bypassing the wall and heading straight for the dead corner, like a round moon scimitar cutting off the throat of the Bed Linen Legion.
Real Madrid once again took the lead!
With three minutes left in the game, Di María and Wang Feng exchanged passes after a wall-pass style cooperation on the wing, and then Di María entered the penalty area and passed to Iglesias at the back post, who finished calmly, setting the final score of the match at 4-2.
"Real Madrid wins the Madrid Derby, but we see the potential of the Bed Linen Legion from the game process."
"Yes, after the initial adaptation period, Atletico quickly found their rhythm. The whole team is disciplined, and the players execute tactics very seriously. They even showed a stance of evenly matched strength with the Galaxy Battleship for a while."
"The final defeat was also due to the overall strength being inferior to the opponent. I believe that if they make some reinforcements at the end of the season, they can become even more outstanding."
"Simeone has handed in a satisfactory answer to all the fans and club executives. We seem to have seen the Bed Linen Legion reborn from the ashes."
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