Chapter 654: Two Types of Teams

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.

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.