Chapter 612: Smooth and Unsmooth
On April 3rd, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals of the 2012-2013 season was about to kick off.
Before the match, in the players' tunnel, Wang Feng saw many familiar faces within the Galatasaray team: Sneijder, Alt?ntop, and the Beast Drogba. No wonder this Turkish Super League powerhouse could unexpectedly advance this far.
However, the Galaxy Battleship was destined to put an end to their underdog career. Seeing the spirited attitude of the Chinese superstar, the Dutchman couldn't help but feel bitter. It seemed like he was reminded of his discussion with Robben, where they both agreed not to engage in dialogue with Wang Feng.
After exchanging a few words of greeting, Sneijder told Wang Feng that his influence within Inter Milan was still very strong to this day. He would give his all in this game and leave no regrets.
Drogba nodded to the Chinese superstar. After leaving Chelsea, he never expected to encounter Wang Feng again. At the same time, he felt somewhat surprised. The strength and weakness of players like Wang Feng and Dong Fangzhuo formed a sharp contrast with the Super League.
The "abrasion" of the low-level league had severely affected his form, even impacting his performance in the Africa Cup of Nations. So, taking advantage of the salary issue as an excuse, the Beast voluntarily terminated his contract and returned to Europe.
"We can see both teams entering the field. The last time these two teams met was twelve years ago, when Real Madrid defeated the opponent 3-0 and advanced. I wonder what the result will be this time?"
"It is worth mentioning that in Galatasaray's history of twelve away games in Spain, they only won against Mallorca in the 2000 UEFA Cup, with 4 draws and 7 losses in the other 11 games. Spain can be said to be their nemesis."
"This team from Istanbul is one of the strongest champions in Turkey. They have never been relegated, hold the national record for league and cup titles, and are the first Turkish team to win the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup."
"Alright, with the start of the match after the referee's whistle, the first half is kicked off by the away team. They attack from right to left on the screen, while Real Madrid attacks from left to right."
Galatasaray quickly lost possession of the ball at their feet. Alonso passed to Modric, who, after two feints outside the penalty area, shot narrowly wide of the goal, marking the first shot of the home team.
"The confidence of the Croatian is growing day by day. I still remember the first time he stepped onto the Bernabéu stage, he was so nervous that he couldn't even move, let alone dribble past defenders and shoot."
"Yes, the harmonious atmosphere within the Galaxy Battleship and the glory of winning championships have nurtured him. I believe Modric will become a world-class midfielder."
Real Madrid, relying on home advantage and psychological superiority, quickly took control of the game. In the 4th minute, Wang Feng sent a long pass from midfield, Carvajal stopped the ball on the wing and crossed into the penalty area. Morata's header from 10 meters in front of the goal grazed the crossbar and flew out of bounds.
"Under the consecutive injuries, 21-year-old Morata gradually secured a regular starting position this season. So far, he has scored heavily in both the league and the Champions League. His outstanding performance is evident to all."
"Of course, more importantly, he has the world's best players to assist him. Since Wang Feng retreated to a deeper position, his direct goal-scoring statistics have decreased significantly, but his assist numbers have skyrocketed."
"So far, the Chinese superstar has contributed 31 league assists and 11 Champions League assists, ranking first in the assist charts. This shows that his understanding of the attack has reached an extremely proficient level, and every organization he leads can create great threats."
Galatasaray posed their first threat in the 6th minute when Riera intercepted the ball in the backfield and quickly launched an attack, passing to Drogba who charged towards the penalty area with the ball.
Wang Feng immediately closed in, and as they both chased after the ball, a fierce confrontation ensued. Drogba found himself unable to shake off his opponent, whether it was due to his age or the Chinese superstar's strength.
The two almost reached the ball at the same time, with Wang Feng slightly gaining the advantage in position. He decisively fell to the ground and poked the ball out of bounds, resolving the defensive crisis.
Drogba shook his head in frustration and pulled the Chinese superstar up, exchanging a few compliments before returning to the game. After that, Drogba's multiple attempts were thwarted by Wang Feng's interference.
In the 17th minute, the home team broke the deadlock. Wang Feng, Modric, and Alonso formed a wall pass in the middle, successfully penetrating Galatasaray's defense and attracting all defensive attention.
Seizing this opportunity, Wang Feng precisely guided a through pass to the other side of the penalty area, where a charging Higuaín faced Muslera one-on-one and calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper.
The most exciting moment of the entire game occurred in the 40th minute. Alonso passed the ball to Wang Feng, who was facing sideways towards the goal, with Alt?ntop closely marking him.
After assessing the situation, Wang Feng cleverly lifted his right leg, using the back of his foot to lift the falling ball diagonally over the defender's head, and then quickly accelerated to shake off the marking.
Alt?ntop was left bewildered as the ball and Wang Feng surged past him. A sense of foreboding welled up in him. Having been teammates with the Chinese superstar for several years, he understood his threat well.
Alt?ntop tried to turn and catch up, but he was a step too slow. In front of the penalty area, Wang Feng used his left foot to shoot directly, but Galatasaray defender Kaya immediately flew forward to block the shot.
Faced with this situation, the Chinese superstar changed his shot to a chip, using the back of his foot to lift the ball sideways, evading the defender, and then switching to his right foot for a volley. "Bang!" A meteor streaked across the Galatasaray penalty area, piercing through the goal line and hitting the net fiercely, leaving goalkeeper Muslera with a face of despair as he failed to save it.
".Goooooooooooooooooooal!! The ball is in!! Wang Feng's volley pierces through the Galatasaray goal, expanding the score to 2-0!!"
"Before the goal, he demonstrated an extremely brilliant sequence of chip dribbles. What is absolute ball sense? This is absolute ball sense!"
"The pitch is no longer enough to fully showcase the superb ball skills of the Chinese superstar. So, the sky has become the stage for his performance. The ball seems to be driven by a control system and flies to wherever Wang Feng desires."
In the 75th minute of the second half, Alonso assisted álvaro Arbeloa in scoring the third goal, ultimately locking the score at 3-0.
In comparison to Real Madrid's victory over their opponents, the match between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain was not so smooth. This match was full of controversy from the start.
The main focus was on the confrontation between Ibrahimovic and his former team, as Piqué inadvertently stabbed the team and Messi during an interview before the match.
The issue originally revolved around Piqué's wife, Shakira, and their newborn baby. "You wouldn't believe it, but she is a complete football ignoramus. When recording the World Cup theme song, she had only heard of Wang Feng's name."
When asked about Messi, Piqué smiled and said his wife didn't know about him at first, but now she does. "Leo is an absolute protagonist of Barcelona, and he is also one of the representatives of the football world."
The Spaniard admitted that Ibrahimovic is an excellent player, but his style of play is unique and requires a significant role, which Barcelona evidently couldn't provide.
"That belongs to Leo, and no one can shake it. So, in the end, he let Ibrahimovic leave."
This statement caused a stir, and Barcelona also experienced a tough battle at the Parc des Princes, ultimately drawing 2-2 with Paris Saint-Germain.
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