Chapter 738: Positive Development
"Your achievements and contributions deserve to be remembered forever. I hope that one day you can return to Madrid," King Felipe VI of Spain winked at Wang Feng.
There was no doubt that he was one of the insiders, understanding that Wang Feng was about to leave Real Madrid to start a new journey.
At the same time, like Florentino, he also hoped that this club legend would continue to contribute to the team in the future.
"Of course, I already consider this place my second home," the Chinese superstar smiled in response.
The flashing lights from the nearby press seats faithfully recorded the entire process.
Afterwards, Wang Feng, adorned with the medal, delivered a speech. He thanked the Spanish royal family for their kindness and the club for their nurturing, stating that he would continue to pursue football development and victory as always.
The next day, this event appeared in the political and economic news sections of various European countries. Most people were simply amazed at the special treatment Wang Feng received from Spain, but it wasn't considered particularly surprising.
In just the nine years that the Chinese superstar helped the Galacticos monopolize the Champions League title, it's unknown how much benefit he brought to the club and to Spain as a whole. Prize money from competitions was just a drop in the bucket compared to the countless endorsement deals and merchandising income.
Moreover, backed by a vast tourism market, according to authoritative surveys, over 80% of Chinese people choose Madrid, Spain as their first choice for European travel, wanting to witness their compatriot hailed as a hero in this city.
Such significant achievements have to some extent even influenced the development trend of Spain's economy during its economic crisis. It's hard to imagine that a football king from China could have such a strong influence.
However, this is also related to Wang Feng being the first and maintaining his peak for a long time. Later players like Dong Fangzhuo, who played for Bayern Munich, also enjoyed some benefits, but not to the extent of Real Madrid.
The combination of timing, location, people, and talent created such a successful partnership between the Chinese superstar and the Galacticos in history.
Feeling extremely disgusted were the Catalans. Local television stations continued to criticize the authorities for their irresponsibility in hastily awarding the highest medal.
They were well aware that Wang Feng's medal to some extent also bore their own "credit". It was Barcelona's incompetence that led to the current situation, and this history would forever be a nightmare for the Catalans along with the medal.
This winter break was particularly short. After the Christmas dinner, the Real Madrid players dispersed on the spot. On December 27th, just two days after Christmas, they needed to regroup because they had their first league match of the second half of the season on the 30th.
If the hottest club in European football last season was the undefeated champion Real Madrid, then so far this season, the team that everyone is paying the most attention to is Leicester City in the English Premier League.
This team can be said to have risen out of nowhere, leading the Premier League standings ahead of traditional powerhouses like Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool.
Coach Ranieri, who was originally a second-tier firefighter in Europe, has now become a hot new star.
Young players in the team such as Mahrez, Vardy, and Mendy, who have performed outstandingly, are being pursued by major clubs.
"I have to say, the overall excitement level of the Premier League has gradually surpassed La Liga. Especially the development and health of mid-to-lower-tier teams," Wang Feng commented while scrolling through news on his phone.
His wife, Lu Yao, agreed deeply, "I've never quite understood what the La Liga league is thinking. With such a good ready-made example to learn from and reform the broadcasting rights income, the results are still neither here nor there."
"To put it plainly, it's all about interests. La Liga always wants to protect only Real Madrid and Barcelona, so they occupy the absolute majority. This leads to situations where teams like Valencia and Sevilla could potentially face debt crises."
"Not to mention small teams like Granada. They can't compete with clubs like Fulham and West Ham in terms of investment. Could you imagine them spending a hundred million in the transfer market last season?"
"The top teams are developing, and the mid-to-lower-tier teams are also striving to move forward, which has created the current boom in the English football market."
Lu Yao nodded, showing a moment of worry, "Is it really a good decision to move to the Premier League? The competition is so intense, Feng Ge, I trust you a lot, but I'm also a bit worried, especially after you got injured a while ago!"
Wang Feng smiled and squeezed his wife's hand to comfort her, "That injury was nothing at all, just a pretext for the coaching staff and me to skip the trip to Japan."
"And besides, I've played in the Serie A before. I know the level quite well. To be honest, this kind of intensity doesn't make me feel afraid."
A strong sense of confidence appeared on the Chinese superstar's face. Time had not left any marks on his face, nor had it left any shadows in his heart.
In the 17th round of La Liga, the Galacticos arrived at the Anoeta Stadium to face Real Sociedad.
The fleeting vacation did not affect the players much, even some of the more relaxed ones were able to maintain a good state.
Real Madrid ultimately won 3-1, with Wang Feng not scoring but providing two assists for Iguaín. His dribbling breakthroughs attracted most of Real Sociedad's defensive efforts, and the Argentine striker scored his goals quite comfortably.
"Iguaín's league goals have reached 19, surpassing second-placed Suárez by two goals. It seems like there's a competition within the Galacticos to be the top scorer."
"The contribution and assistance Wang provided cannot be ignored. It's really lucky for teammates to play with him," commented García, a commentator for Spanish sports television.
Next, on January 3rd, in the 18th round of La Liga, Real Madrid faced Valencia at home. The Galacticos encountered a strong challenge from the Bats, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
The home team had the advantage during the match, but they were very unlucky. Right-back Carvajal was forced to leave the field due to injury in the second half, leading to a defensive gap in the final moments of the game, allowing the away team to equalize.
This incident further worsened Real Madrid's already depleted defense line. Marcelo, Ramos, and Varane all had varying degrees of injuries, leaving only four defenders available in the first team: Danilo, Nacho, Pepe, and álvaro, with no substitutes available.
After the match, the club's official website updated the latest news. After a detailed examination by the team doctor, Carvajal was confirmed to have a pulled muscle in his left leg, requiring further observation and at least a month of absence.
While fans felt sad, there was also a hint of relief. Several key players' injuries were not so serious, and they would at least not need to rest for the entire season. They would be able to make it to the century derby against Barcelona in April.
Currently, Real Madrid leads with 41 points, 2 points ahead of Barcelona and 3 points ahead of Atlético Madrid, occupying the top spot on the league table. The advantage is not very significant, and perhaps the next league clash will be the key to deciding who wins.
Barcelona had the opportunity to catch up and level the playing field, but they unexpectedly drew, losing points away to their city rivals, Espanyol.
Many fans were already calling for Enrique's and Bartomeu's dismissal. Despite spending huge sums on transfers, they still couldn't turn the situation around. What difference is there from before?
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