Chapter 808: Losing in the East, Gaining in the Mulberry Grove
On April 24, 2018, at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, the electronic display board showed that it was the 89th minute, and the entire audience held their breath, staring intently at the field without blinking.
At this moment, the visiting team got a free kick opportunity from about 27 meters outside the penalty area, and the home team nervously arranged their defensive wall, while Wang Feng walked to the penalty spot with the ball.
Van Dijk ran up to protest to the referee about the positioning of the free kick, claiming it was unreasonable and needed to be moved back.
Such baseless remarks naturally didn't receive support, but the Dutch defender's purpose had been achieved: to disturb the mindset of the Chinese superstar and to buy more adjustment time for his teammates.
"I'm so nervous, I feel my heart pounding." Inside the domestic sports channel's live broadcast room, Zhang Jun's voice trembled. "This is Manchester City's last chance. Let's see if Wang Feng can seize it!"
"The defending champions' Champions League semi-final is on the brink. Crossing over means there is hope, otherwise they can only go back empty-handed."
"In the first leg, Manchester City won 2-1 at home, and in this match, after more than 80 minutes of fierce battle, the Reds lead 2-0 temporarily. Once the Chinese superstar scores this free kick, the game will be dragged into extra time."
The live camera focused on Wang Feng's face, sweat already covering his face, his soaked hair hanging down. These details indicated that he had given his all in the fight.
But the Chinese superstar still looked towards Liverpool's goal with determined eyes, longing for that crucial goal.
"We've seen this scene many times before. Wang Feng always summons miracles, saving the world time and time again. I believe this time will be no exception!"
The entire Anfield Stadium became unusually silent, with fans from both teams not daring to make a sound, fearing that any movement might affect the outcome, silently praying in their hearts.
"Beep!" The referee's whistle sounded sharply. The Chinese superstar took a deep breath, took a run-up, and shot!
"A direct shot! My god, what luck is this! The ball hit the post and bounced out. Is there a chance for a second rebound?"
"No, it's over, no chance. Robertson snatched the ball and cleared it with a big kick."
"It's such a pity, just a little bit more, just that little bit more, the ball had bypassed the wall, and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was a bit unable to save it."
"Just a slight deviation inside, and it would have been a decisive goal!"
"The referee blows the final whistle, and Manchester City's Champions League journey comes to an end! Let's congratulate Liverpool, they have overturned their opponents with an aggregate score of 3-2 and advanced to the Champions League final!"
"This is a revenge that has been years in the making. Over the past decade, Wang Feng has led his teams to defeat Liverpool several times, leaving behind the tragic story of the 'European Nightmares.'"
"Now they can finally hold their heads high, truly defeating the Chinese superstar on the field, even though he's nearly 35 years old and past his prime."
"Of course, Manchester City's loss is by no means solely Wang Feng's responsibility, but the entire team has fallen into an inexplicable state of weakness, in stark contrast to their dominant performance in the league."
"As early as the round of 16 against Basel in the Champions League, the Sky Blues encountered many problems. Despite a 5-2 victory to advance, the inexplicable conceding of goals caused quite a stir."
"In the quarter-finals against Roma, it should have been an easy match, but the team turned it into a life-and-death battle. At a critical moment, the Chinese superstar stepped up and saved the team with a hat-trick."
"But Wang Feng ultimately couldn't continue the miracle, falling outside the gates of the final. A similar situation must be traced back to the distant year of 2005 when his epic record of reaching and winning the Champions League final for 12 consecutive years came to an abrupt end."
"At this moment, we keenly feel the weight of time. Despite contributing 14 goals and 5 assists in this season's Champions League, the Chinese superstar is far ahead of other players."
"But there is still a considerable gap compared to his past records of easily scoring 20 goals. Perhaps if he were a few years younger, he could certainly continue to lead Manchester City forward."
"Regardless, Wang Feng can leave the field with his head held high. His performance tonight is worthy of respect!"
In the mixed interview area after the match, the Chinese superstar, with red eyes, took the blame for the loss upon himself: "I failed to score the crucial free kick, which is very regrettable."
"At that time, my physical condition had reached its limit, and I was too focused on the angle of the shot."
But even the most demanding fans wouldn't blame him. Guardiola, facing the media, bluntly said, "The team's problem is by no means just that one free kick, but from start to finish, Liverpool performed better than us, and they deserved to advance."
"Sometimes cup matches are like this, full of uncertainty and factors of form. Wang and the past Real Madrid are both irreplicable miracles."
Losing in the East and gaining in the Mulberry Grove, after the Champions League defeat, Manchester City reflected on their mistakes and focused all their energy on the league. In the end, they defended their league title with overwhelming dominance, breaking eight records!
Firstly, they won the title with 32 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses, totaling 100 points, setting the highest points record in the history of the English top-flight league.
Secondly, they led second-placed Manchester United by as much as 19 points, setting the record for the largest points difference between champions and runners-up.
On their way to the title, the Sky Blues won 18 consecutive matches, breaking Chelsea's record of 13 consecutive wins in a single season, and in total, they won 32 matches, also surpassing Tottenham's record of 31 wins.
They achieved 16 away victories and 50 away points, also setting historical records. Furthermore, they scored 106 goals and had a goal difference of 79, surpassing Chelsea's previous record of 71 goals.
Among them, Wang Feng contributed 36 league goals and 11 assists, winning the Premier League Golden Boot and Player of the Season once again, while his direct competitor, Salah, scored 32 goals, almost surpassing him.
What's more, Messi scored 34 goals in La Liga, only two fewer than the Chinese superstar, narrowly missing out on the European Golden Shoe.
It's worth mentioning that the top five assist providers are all Manchester City players, with De Bruyne leading with 16 assists, followed by Sané with 15, David Silva and Wang Feng tied for third with 11, and Sterling with 9.
At the same time, Manchester City's goals were scored by multiple players: Agüero scored 21, Sané scored 18, Bernardo Silva scored 16, Sterling scored 14, and De Bruyne scored 12. Remarkably, six players in the team scored more than ten goals.
Therefore, Manchester City was the biggest winner in the selection of the season's best lineup by the Professional Footballers' Association, with a total of six players selected.
In goal, De Gea (Manchester United); as defenders, Alonso (Chelsea), Otamendi (Manchester City), Vertonghen (Tottenham), and Walker (Manchester City); in midfield, Eriksen (Tottenham), De Bruyne (Manchester City), and David Silva (Manchester City); as forwards, Agüero (Manchester City), Wang Feng (Manchester City), and Salah (Liverpool).
Apart from the Manchester teams, Tottenham and Liverpool also secured Champions League spots this season, while Chelsea and Arsenal secured Europa League spots, and Burnley secured a Europa League qualification through the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the three relegated teams were Swansea, Stoke City, and West Bromwich Albion.
The promoted teams were Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cardiff City, and Fulham.
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