Chapter 589: Spanish Super Cup Comes to the Homeland
While the two giants of La Liga fought to the death, nobody expected Atletico Madrid to quietly benefit from it. Later that night, they narrowly defeated Malaga 2-1 at home, climbing to the top of the league standings with 6 wins and 1 draw, remaining unbeaten!
In this match, Falcao once again scored twice to save the Red and Whites. He was precise in his shots, scoring a goal with every three shots, showing terrifying efficiency.
According to media reports, Falcao spent a whole week before the match in a gym in the suburbs of Madrid called Mahadahonda. Coach Simeone often went there to check on the Colombian's physical recovery.
Although Simeone liked to be fully prepared, he had already considered in advance that Falcao would be able to return for the match against Malaga, as they were the team's most formidable competitors for a Champions League spot.
And the Colombian striker did not disappoint the coach's trust, almost single-handedly bringing back the crucial victory for the team.
His teammate Fran praised Falcao, saying, "He has something that many forwards don't have. He is fully focused on the game, and it is this spirit that allows him to explode with great energy in the penalty area."
Falcao's former mentor, Merlo, who once coached him at River Plate, said in an interview, "Radamel is always improving. Now he is completely different from when he played under me, or even when he played at Porto."
"Simeone has brought him a whole new tactical approach and intensity. Now he can threaten the goal more decisively."
Falcao's father was also a professional footballer, and under his guidance, the Colombian striker had a solid foundation. Even now, his actions in the penalty area and his decisiveness in front of goal are reminiscent of the training he received as a child.
As the national team matches approached in October, various national team players left their clubs to participate in the World Cup qualifiers. Wang Feng, who had nothing to do, was pulled by Real Madrid to shoot promotional photos for the fourth set of team jerseys.
Unlike the first three kits used for official matches, this kit was more involved behind the scenes, helping injured players recover quickly. Its design was similar to the appearance of a mech suit, with a black bodysuit and blue sleeves, selling for up to 1000 euros.
The designer was from the UK, who had contacted the Real Madrid medical team four years ago and proposed the use of this equipment, which was eventually adopted. It would be widely used not only by the first team but also by the youth team and even the Real Madrid basketball team.
This set of equipment was actually a diving suit. Players could put it on the day after getting injured and do recovery training in the pool without feeling any pain, whether the injury was in muscles, bones, or tendons.
At the same time, it also provided significant buoyancy, allowing players to float in the water without touching the bottom of the pool, reducing the weight burden and speeding up the recovery process.
After trying it out, Wang Feng said, "The whole set of equipment can keep the body warm well, and it is convenient to make various movements."
Starting from June last year, the Heli Group from China actively promoted the Spanish Super Cup to be held at the Bird's Nest Stadium in the capital. They had rich experience, having successfully brought in the Italian Super Cup three times, allowing the Milan Derby to be played in China.
The Spanish Football Association was also very sincere. Not only did they decide to change the historic two-leg cup format to a single match with a definite result, but they also signed a 7-year contract with the Heli Group, guaranteeing that the tournament would be held domestically for at least 5 years, starting from the first edition in 2013.
Villa, the head of the Football Association, said that hosting the Super Cup in China would enhance the international image of Spanish football. This strategy had received support from many high-level officials, and this cooperation could bring indispensable influence to the development of the sports industry.
Taking advantage of the national team match days in October, the Spanish Football Association held a meeting of representatives of the top clubs to listen to various opinions. Barcelona president Rosell expressed strong opposition.
His main reasons were twofold: first, to consider the rights and interests of domestic fans, who would have to cross the ocean to support the home team; second, the exhaustion of travel would disrupt the team's preparation rhythm.
Real Madrid president Florentino neither supported nor opposed it. The two clubs most likely to participate in the Super Cup were not optimistic, casting a shadow over the matter.
After the meeting, Atletico Madrid president Cerezo said, "Most clubs are very interested in this proposal, mainly for economic reasons. Participating clubs can get more money."
"But Real Madrid and Barcelona are not short of money. They are more concerned about the competition itself. I'm afraid this cooperation may eventually come to nothing, after all, the two giants have a transcendent status in La Liga."
The media also frowned upon this cooperation. Mundo Deportivo revealed that the Football Association had reached an agreement with the Heli Group unilaterally, without obtaining support from Real Madrid and Barcelona.
"Although the organizers have the right to decide the final venue, if the participating players are unwilling, the situation will become very complicated."
The struggling Heli Group had to seek help, and they contacted Wang Feng's agent, informing him of the ins and outs of the matter, hoping he could lend a hand.
The Chinese superstar learned that many fans in China hoped to see the El Clásico in their own backyard, so he readily agreed to the request. He personally approached Real Madrid president and persuaded him,
"Mr. Florentino, Real Madrid has a huge fan base in China. The bustling scenes of the summer tours in China in recent years are the best proof. I believe that hosting the Super Cup in the capital will be very beneficial to the clubs."
Seeing Wang Feng coming forward, the Spaniards naturally could not remain indifferent. Florentino promised to mobilize all resources and spare no effort to facilitate the matter.
Soon, good news came. With the support of the Galacticos, the Spanish Football Association became more determined. Although Rosell continued to oppose it, the trend was irreversible. The inaugural Spanish Super Cup Capital Battle would be held at the Bird's Nest on August 22, 2013!
The voting process for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or officially began in October. Like the European awards, this grand prize also faced fierce competition, and it was still uncertain whether Wang Feng or Iniesta would ultimately win.
"Wang is the most qualified player to win this award," Ancelotti openly supported his beloved player. "If anyone else is selected, it would be a blatant crime!"
"The Ballon d'Or is awarded to the best player of the year, the one who performs the best throughout the season. Wang scored 100 goals last season, helping the club achieve a grand slam."
"From the summer until now, his miraculous performances have been evident, continuously leading the Galacticos forward."
As for Wang Feng's main competitor, Ancelotti commented, "Iniesta has only won one European Championship. Perhaps defending the title is great, but what does it have to do with him? I don't think his importance in the series is outstanding."
"As for Messi, he is even worse. His goal statistics are very impressive, but he failed to bring back the Champions League trophy or the La Liga trophy for the team, and he has been defeated by Wang Feng several times in direct confrontations. I don't think he deserves the award."
Real Madrid continued to boost Wang Feng's image, and Barcelona was equally unwilling to fall behind, especially when Spain defeated Georgia 4-0 in the World Cup qualifiers, topping the group ahead of France. Countless Catalan media outlets continued to promote the importance of national team matches, hoping to weaken the competitiveness of the Chinese superstar.
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