Chapter 654: Two Types of Teams
The draw for the Champions League round of 16 took place later at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, with Real Madrid facing Schalke 04 in a narrow encounter.
For Real Madrid, the draw was neither good nor bad. Although Schalke 04 was slightly weaker in strength compared to the Galacticos, Ancelotti warned the players not to underestimate their opponents.
"Their match experience is very rich, and they know very well how to face strong opponents. We cannot be arrogant because of past successes," Ancelotti cautioned.
Everyone nodded in agreement. After returning from Copenhagen, Wang Feng also began training with the team, but there were no plans for him to play at the moment.
He stepped forward to add, "Let's temporarily forget about past glory and treat each Champions League match as a new opportunity to fight. History is written by us!"
Barcelona had similar luck to Real Madrid, drawing Zenit Saint Petersburg from the Russian Premier League. It was expected that they would smoothly advance.
Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, would face AC Milan head-on. Whether the newcomers would slightly prevail or the old powerhouse would prove stronger, this round of matches would reveal the outcome.
In the 16th round of La Liga, Real Madrid faced Osasuna away. Wang Feng still did not appear in the squad for this match. The opponents were currently ranked third from the bottom in the points table, deeply mired in the relegation zone, so it was believed they wouldn't pose much difficulty for the Galacticos.
However, the course and outcome of the match surprised everyone. Osasuna broke the deadlock first. In the 16th minute, Bertrand crossed from the right, and Riera headed home from 8 meters in front of the goal.
This goal was a solid slap in the face for Real Madrid, who wanted to handle the match easily. They quickly intensified their attacking efforts but struggled to break through Osasuna's defense.
Bale, who had performed bravely in the previous round, was completely subdued, losing his sharpness under tight marking. Meanwhile, Higuain, known as Mr. Happy, repeatedly sent his ambitious shots off target under the watchful eyes of the opponents, seemingly providing benefits for the home team fans.
In the 39th minute, Osasuna got a corner kick opportunity from a counterattack. Armenteros delivered the ball into the box, and Damian headed it in amid chaos.
Casillas barely deflected the shot, but Riera pounced on the rebound and scored again!
With Real Madrid trailing by two goals, they became more anxious as the game progressed. They suffered a major blow in the 44th minute when Pepe, frustrated by the opponent's time-wasting tactics during a challenge with Torres, flashed his elbow and received his second yellow card, resulting in a red card.
In the second half, even head coach Ancelotti couldn't find a good way to turn the tide. At this moment, he deeply missed Wang Feng. If he hadn't been left behind, perhaps he could have come on as a substitute to save the day.
In the 82nd minute, the Galacticos finally pulled one back. Di Maria broke through on the flank and passed back. Isco, near the edge of the penalty area, unleashed a powerful shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.
In the end, Real Madrid lost 1-2 away to Osasuna, breaking their unbeaten streak in the new season.
The Galacticos fell in Pamplona, and the La Liga leaders suffered a shameful defeat to a relegation-threatened team!
The match result shocked all the media and fans. Was this still the team that had dominated European football for so many years?
They were not unable to accept upsets and defeats, but they couldn't accept a defeat like this. Except for possession and the number of shots, Real Madrid had an advantage in almost all other statistics.
Especially in the ability to create and capitalize on chances, the Galacticos seemed to have lost their dominance. Osasuna not only threatened with calm counterattacks multiple times but also had a very high quality of shots, even one more shot on target than the away team.
Coach Ancelotti stated at the press conference after the match that the players did not perform at their normal level, and the referee's decisions were somewhat biased, especially the severe punishment for Pepe and the missed penalty that should have been awarded in the second half.
"If these two incidents hadn't happened, I think the situation might have been completely different, and we could have taken at least one point."
A reporter asked about Wang Feng's injury progress and why he wasn't included in the squad. Was there a inevitable connection between the team's defeat and his absence? The rapid-fire questioning surprised Ancelotti a bit. Obviously, this reporter was a fan of Wang Feng and Real Madrid, so he gestured to calm down a bit.
"Wang's situation is very optimistic. At least the team doctor believes he will soon be ready to play, and we are working towards this result, which is why we didn't bring him on the trip."
"Honestly, with him on the field, we would indeed have a much easier time. He is a magical player who can change the game and create miracles."
"But I think the defeat in the match was due to various reasons. It's not doomsday, and the coaching staff will devise improvement measures for the next matches."
Meanwhile, the Spanish newspaper "El Pais" pointed out sharply that Real Madrid with Wang Feng and without Wang Feng were completely two different teams. Only with the Chinese superstar on the field did they emit an unbeatable aura.
The article stated that Bale was a talented attacker, but he lacked the ability to break through. Once he was restricted by marking, his threat greatly diminished.
Higuain was never an efficient forward. His form fluctuated greatly, sometimes scoring several goals in a row when in top form, but failing to hit even an empty goal when in a slump.
With Wang Feng leading the front line, the firepower was attracted and the space was opened up. More importantly, the Chinese superstar completely compensated for all the deficiencies, with his strong breakthrough ability and efficient attacking methods, making him the ace in the hole for Real Madrid in the league and the Champions League.
"El Pais" gave a fairly objective comment, but many other media outlets criticized Bale's invisibility throughout the match, being figured out by the opponents as a fleeting star, and called him a waste of money, among other comments.
This was how professional football worked. When you performed exceptionally, naturally, everyone praised you endlessly. But once you fell into a slump, you would face many doubts and criticisms.
The Chinese superstar had experienced similar situations before, but he quickly shut down those who underestimated him and never gave them a chance again.
So when the team returned to Madrid, Wang Feng found the despondent Welsh star to comfort and encourage him, and when interviewed, he firmly supported his new teammate.
"Gareth is a talented player. His speed and football skills amazed me. I firmly believe that he will have a place among the top stars in world football in the future."
The 2013 Club World Cup kicked off in Marrakech, Morocco, and once again, Real Madrid did not send their main lineup to compete.
In the semifinals against the AFC Champions League winners, Guangzhou Evergrande, the Galacticos won 2-0, showing the domestic fans the gap between the top clubs' substitutes and their own club's main players.
The final opponent was Raja Casablanca from the Moroccan league. After a 120-minute battle, the score remained 0-0, and Real Madrid lost in the penalty shootout, missing out on the championship.
This result did not disappoint the club and the fans. After winning five consecutive titles, their pursuit of this tournament had greatly diminished, and they mainly focused on training their young talents.
Next up was the second leg of the fourth round of the Copa del Rey at the Bernabeu, where Real Madrid welcomed Hatta Olympic. Modric and Coentrao scored a goal each, helping the team win 2-0.
With a total score of 4-0 over two legs, the Galacticos advanced to the next round of the Copa del Rey.
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