Chapter 760: A New Era Begins
"I believe through this match, Manchester City fans have seen everything they wanted to see: the distinctive Guardiola-style possession system, and the powerful performance of Wang Feng with an assist and a goal in his debut."
"For this heavyweight debut, Smith, what are your thoughts?" The host winked at the football commentator.
The football commentator, who was invited by the television station, hesitated for a moment and said reluctantly, "Well, yes, his performance was excellent. I think he has basically adapted to the new environment and the new coach."
At this moment, Smith felt extremely awkward because before the match, he had said that the Chinese superstar would need at least a dozen matches to gradually integrate into the Premier League atmosphere and the new coaching style.
"Sunderland isn't a strong opponent. Perhaps we should wait and see how Manchester City performs in tougher matches."
"Of course, there's the Manchester Derby in early September. In recent years, the Blue Moon has been dominating under Cristiano Ronaldo's leadership, surpassing the Red Devils. I wonder if Wang Feng, who has switched sides, can continue this advantage?"
"And the showdown between Guardiola and Mourinho, it's really something to look forward to. Please continue to follow the exciting matches brought to you by the sports channel."
After the match, many media outlets also mentioned Guardiola's inherited tactical style and the execution power and outstanding performance of core player Wang Feng.
"It's not difficult to see from the match process that Wang has basically understood Guardiola's philosophy and arrangements. This is extremely important for the team. Even if other players react a bit slower, it won't affect the overall situation of the Blue Moon."
"He seems to be a born football master, always able to adapt to various environments." The Manchester Evening News praised.
The Sun, on the other hand, believed that Wang Feng's delicate technique, excellent vision, and precise passing were in line with the characteristics of possession football, and both sides could unleash powerful energy.
"Manchester City seems to be making a bold gamble, but it actually reflects their own ideas and considerations."
After the first round of the Premier League, Manchester City players had no time to rest. They immediately boarded a plane and flew to Bucharest, Romania, to participate in the crucial UEFA Champions League qualification playoffs.
Finishing fourth in the league last season helped the team retain their spot in the Champions League qualifiers, but they had to go through two rounds against Bucharest Stars to advance to the group stage, or they would be eliminated and miss out on European competition.
Guardiola didn't dare to be negligent and continued to use the main lineup without any rotation, ensuring victory at all costs.
The National Stadium was buzzing with noise, with about 2,000 Manchester City fans coming to the scene to cheer for the Blue Moon. Of course, the home fans were more spirited.
In their hearts, the status of their club was higher than Manchester City's because Bucharest Stars had once defeated the mighty Barcelona and lifted the Champions League trophy.
On the other hand, despite more than a hundred years of history and substantial financial backing, the Blue Moon had always struggled to win a single trophy, suppressed by the weight of history.
So, many fans shouted in English as the players from both teams entered the field: "We are Champions League champions, you have nothing!"
The camera swept across the visiting team, and many faces showed angry expressions. This topic was the most painful sore spot for them, especially after the club's increased investment in 2008.
Aguero glanced at the calm Wang Feng and quietly clenched his fist. "This year will be different!"
The Chinese superstar's state of mind remained unchanged. He had experienced even the most adverse environments and the most vicious insults. Now, these were just minor scenes.
So, despite being greeted with boos every time he touched the ball, Wang Feng continued to handle it steadily, like a stable engine, continuously providing strength to the team.
In the 9th minute, the away team launched an attack from the right side. David Silva passed the ball to Wang Feng on the sideline. Wang Feng then passed it to Fernandinho, who moved forward with short steps, while the Chinese superstar appropriately retreated.
Seeing the home team's defense closing in, Fernandinho quickly passed the ball back to Silva, who passed it back to Wang Feng. The three of them played a series of passes, teasing the Bucharest Stars defenders who were constantly chasing and pressing.
With a slight stop with his right foot, the Chinese superstar's ball came to the left front with a backheel, and at the same time, he instantly completed a feint to change direction.
Then he accelerated forward, and immediately sent a through ball to Aguero who had surged forward. Aguero then passed it to the edge of the penalty area where Wang Feng cleverly passed it into the danger zone.
The Chinese superstar chased after the ball in the penalty area, followed closely by a defender from the side, and another defender rushed over from the front. In the extremely narrow space and short time, he suddenly decelerated and dodged the defender's tackle.
Then, as Wang Feng fell to the ground due to the collision, he completed a sliding pass while falling, sending the ball to the unmarked Sterling at the far post.
Sterling rushed to the ball and volleyed from close range, and the ball soared just past the inside of the crossbar into the net.
1-0! Manchester City took the lead!
The noisy stadium seemed to have hit the pause button. Tens of thousands of home fans opened their mouths in disbelief. How did they concede a goal in less than ten minutes?
The seemingly harmless exchanges of passes actually tore open their defense.
After taking the lead, the away team celebrated briefly and then calmly retreated to their own half to await the restart. "The Blue Moon is gradually showing its dominance. It seems that European football will witness intense competition this year," the live commentator couldn't help but sigh.
The game continued, and the Bucharest Stars' fans were still cheering, but their momentum was not as intimidating as before. The players on the field also seemed a bit panicked. They had anticipated falling behind, but they didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
Less than 7 minutes later, the away team scored another goal, this time it was Silva, who received a cross from Otamendi, stopped the ball with his chest, turned sideways, and volleyed into the net again, piercing through the home team's defense.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Wang Feng intercepted the ball in the frontcourt and made a diagonal pass, and Aguero, who was in the right position, kicked a fierce shot to secure victory for Manchester City.
After the break, the Blue Moon continued to dominate Bucharest Stars. With goals coming from multiple players, Fernandinho scored another goal.
This completely crushed the home team's fighting spirit, and they started to play poorly while also becoming more aggressive in defense. In the 73rd minute, Wang Feng was tackled from behind by Enache when he was in possession of the ball.
The referee pulled out a red card and sent him off directly, causing all the fans to worry. On the sidelines, Guardiola kept regretting not substituting him earlier!
Fortunately, Wang Feng seemed to be okay, after rubbing his ankle, he got up on his own and signaled to take the free kick before leaving the field.
Then, a spectacular free kick appeared at the National Stadium. The ball soared over the wall and suddenly curved, leaving the goalkeeper helpless.
5-0!
When the Chinese superstar was substituted off, Manchester City fans stood up and cheered, even many home fans were impressed by his performance and gave him applause.
With one goal and two assists, Wang Feng's core driving force was undeniable.
In the next match, Manchester City faced Stoke City away in the second round of the Premier League. Guardiola rotated the squad, and the Chinese superstar remained on the bench until the 75th minute. Manchester City narrowly won 2-1.
In the second leg of the UEFA Champions League playoffs, with almost assured qualification, the Blue Moon continued to rotate their squad against their opponents. With a goal from Yaya Toure, they won 1-0, completing a 6-0 aggregate victory over Bucharest Stars and advancing to the group stage.
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