Chapter 667: Missed Opportunity to Catch Up
"This was a very rough game; Atletico's style of play was too violent," said Real Madrid's coach Ancelotti without hesitation, using "rough" and "violent" to describe the Bed Sheets Legion in the post-match press conference.
"We played very difficultly; from start to finish, the team was constantly trying not to be influenced by the opponent's actions, attempting to change the game and bring it back on track."
"Although we didn't achieve the expected results, at least Real Madrid stuck to their own football, and all the players performed very well."
"Now we are the leading side, so getting one point is more advantageous for us."
Regarding Wang Feng's equalizing goal, the Italian couldn't help but praise endlessly: "This goal can be called the pinnacle of art, right? He's like a dancer pirouetting in the mud, untouched as he moves."
Substituting Khedira, Ancelotti deployed the 22-year-old Casemiro to take on the midfield responsibilities, stating that with Atletico's frenetic pressing, the Germans were already very tired, and the young Brazilian had more energy.
"I'm very worried about Sami's old injury; he was knocked down by the opponents several times. At midfield, he told me he couldn't run anymore, so at that moment, I replaced him."
"Carlos is a smart kid; he has always performed well, whether in training or coming off the bench. So, I trust him to handle the defensive tasks."
"Moreover, Atletico expended a lot of energy with their sustained high pressing, and the new players could have a better effect against them."
Regarding the Italian's "rough" accusations, Simeone was quite disdainful. He stated that the Bed Sheets Legion had the advantage in the game, and if it weren't for the referee's biased decisions and Wang Feng's extraordinary goal, they would have taken victory at the Bernabeu.
Even now, the Argentine still harbored grievances about not getting a penalty in the first half. "Ramos definitely fouled; Diego fell in the penalty area, but the main referee turned a blind eye and even warned me not to shout."
Speaking of the Chinese superstar's equalizing goal, Simeone readily admitted it was very impressive. Such a breakthrough relying entirely on individual ability left little for defense to do.
Both Real Madrid and Atletico ended up with a draw, each taking one point, which was good news for Barcelona fans. They finally had a chance to catch up.
But reality is often cruel. In the 26th round of La Liga held a day later, Barcelona faced Real Sociedad. Despite initially leading by one goal, the Catalan team was scored against three times in a row, eventually losing 1-3.
The failure to catch up was disappointing, and it widened the gap with the leading group even further. Countless criticisms poured in, all pointing fingers at the head coach, Martino.
What was most criticized was his lineup selection. The Daily Sports Report bluntly stated that Barcelona had already "committed suicide" before the match. While rotating players after a recent Champions League game was understandable, Martino made it incomprehensible by benching five key players such as Alves, Mascherano, Xavi, Neymar, and Suarez.
Meanwhile, Alex Song played as a defensive midfielder, with Busquets and Iniesta playing as wide midfielders, all of them in unfamiliar positions.
This move allowed Real Sociedad to find vulnerabilities immediately, completely cutting off Barcelona's midfield and leading them to make continuous mistakes, resulting in a comprehensive defeat.
Moreover, during the game, Martino vividly demonstrated what it meant to lose both the game and respect for others. He directed all his anger towards Real Sociedad's assistant coach, resulting in the main referee showing him a red card and expelling him.
This wasn't the first time a Barcelona coach had been sent off. Whether it was Rijkaard or Guardiola, they had clashed with referees and been expelled multiple times. Even Vilanova had experienced additional suspensions for confrontations.
But they all clashed with referees, which fans could understand. However, now, a prominent head coach was involved in a conflict with the opposing assistant coach, instantly making him unpopular.
Faced with the barrage of criticism from the media, Martino admitted his mistakes at the press conference, saying that misjudging the situation before the game led to the defeat.
"Rotation is indeed important, but it's obvious that it only looks good when it works. Otherwise, it's a serious mistake."
As for the conflict with the opponent, he didn't want to explain too much, only saying that he accepted all the referee's decisions and that he paid the price for losing his temper.
In terms of the championship race, the Argentine coach admitted that the hope was slim, but they would still persevere in the upcoming matches, and the Champions League was also a target they could fight for this season.
Messi refused any interviews after the game, but Iniesta expressed that the players were all very uncomfortable throughout the game, and losing such a great opportunity to catch up was very regrettable.
One wave subsided, and another rose. Upon returning to Barcelona, rumors spread that Martino had completely lost the trust and support of the players, and his departure was imminent. Bartomeu's first major task upon taking office was to find a new head coach.
The Argentine coach wanted to prove that Barcelona could win playing physical, aggressive football, departing from the possession-based style, and emphasizing depth in attack rather than ball control.
But more than one player questioned his decisions. An unnamed insider revealed that Martino's rotations were mostly not because of the weekly double matches, but because he wanted to experiment with two defensive midfielders early on, leading to heated arguments with Alex Song.
This tactical shift completely overturned the possession-based style of play, using physicality instead of technique, and emphasizing vertical attacking rather than ball control.
"He wanted to reform, establish his own authority completely, and completely get rid of what Guardiola left behind, but he messed it up."
Originally, the club wanted to give Martino more time to establish his system, but after losing to Real Sociedad, most of the upper management expressed incomprehension and unforgiveness.
The questioning voices in the locker room were even louder; almost everyone no longer had any direct communication with the head coach. The Argentine coach showed no intention of actively resolving the situation but chose to evade it, letting his assistants manage everything.
On March 9th, in the 27th round of La Liga, Real Madrid welcomed Levante at home.
Unlike Barcelona, Ancelotti had more confidence and reason in rotation. Varane, Coentrao, and Illarramendi entered the starting lineup.
In the 11th minute, the home team broke the deadlock first. Wang Feng dribbled past defenders on the wing, then passed to Bale, who back-heeled a cross into the middle, where Isco poked it in.
In the second half, Di María forcefully crossed from the wing, and the Chinese superstar received the ball on the left side of the penalty area, sending a shot looping over the goalkeeper into the far corner.
In the 60th minute, Wang Feng was substituted, and in the 81st minute, the Galacticos sealed the victory. Marcelo surged into the vicinity of the penalty area and then chipped a ball into the box.
Under pressure from Levante's defenders, Calaveras nervously lifted his leg, resulting in an own goal, helping Real Madrid secure the victory completely.
The final score was 3-0.
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