Chapter 674
The Chinese national football team announces its 23-man squad for the World Cup!
Real Madrid is awesome, they've made it to the final again!
It feels like Real Madrid owns the Champions League; they can get in whenever they want!
If your club could have players of both Lin Feng and Cristiano Ronaldo's caliber, you could easily reach the Champions League final!
[Real Madrid is so strong, can the team still compete without nerfing them?]
The news that Real Madrid eliminated Chelsea to advance to the Champions League final has left many fans feeling somewhat numb.
For the past three years, it seems that the story has been that Real Madrid swept through the competition, eliminating a host of opponents before lifting the championship trophy.
The plot of this year seems to be no different from previous years.
Real Madrid has reached the Champions League final for three consecutive years, and their opponents in the final, Manchester United and Barcelona, are both former Real Madrid opponents. In the last three years, these two teams have almost no victories against Real Madrid.
Therefore, in the eyes of many fans, this year's Champions League trophy seems to have already been reserved by Real Madrid.
For a team, winning three consecutive Champions League titles would be an absolute achievement, creating a dynasty!
Greatness needs no further explanation!
But for fans of other teams, watching the Champions League title be monopolized by one team for a long time is definitely not a good experience.
If this continues, it could even negatively impact the commercial prospects of the Champions League.
A game without suspense is unlikely to attract fans and sponsors.
Therefore, apart from Real Madrid fans, other fans are hoping that a team will step up this year and stop Real Madrid from winning the title!
Who do you think has a better chance of stopping Real Madrid in the final, Manchester United or Barcelona?
Although Manchester United have reached the semi-finals again, their strength seems to have declined compared to last year. If they were to face Real Madrid, I feel their chances of winning would be less than 30%!
[But if Barcelona were to reach the final, I feel they would have around a 40% chance of winning, considering Real Madrid's record against Barcelona this season hasn't been particularly favorable!]
Real Madrid and Barcelona have faced each other four times this season. In the Spanish Super Cup, Real Madrid won one and lost one, resulting in a draw.
In La Liga, both teams drew 2-2 in their home and away matches.
As for Manchester United, they have faced Real Madrid four times in recent years, and Manchester United have not won a single one of the four matches. In fact, they have lost by two or three goals in most of those matches, showing a very clear gap in skill.
Therefore, based on recent head-to-head records, Barcelona does indeed have a slightly better chance of winning.
Even for Barcelona, the odds of winning against Real Madrid are still less than 50%.
Messi is very strong, and Barcelona is very strong.
But Real Madrid is stronger. The combination of Lin Feng and Ronaldo is comparable to the golden combination of Di Stéfano and Puskás in Real Madrid's first dynasty, which is simply invincible.
……
On their return trip from London, the Real Madrid players once again experienced the arduous journey by bus.
Real Madrid's team bus is luxurious and fully equipped, but even the most luxurious bus can be tiring to ride for a whole day!
But the end of the semi-finals means that they will not have any international matches for the next month and will no longer have to travel back and forth abroad.
That way, they can focus their energy on the league.
After Barcelona closed out the gap to three points in the last round, Real Madrid's lead has been reduced to four points.
If Real Madrid loses again in the next round, they will fall to the brink of elimination, leaving no room for error.
Therefore, Real Madrid must win this match on May 3rd!
On his way back, Lin Feng didn't forget to keep an eye on the result of another match.
The semi-final at Old Trafford was very intense. Although most people predicted that Barcelona would defeat Manchester United and advance to the final, Manchester United, playing at home, did not intend to give up so easily.
Led by Kaká and Rooney, Manchester United launched a fierce attack on Barcelona.
In the 23rd minute of the first half, Kaká unleashed a stunning long-range shot from outside the penalty area, the ball sailing over Valdes' outstretched fingers and into the Barcelona goal.
The score is now 1-0!
The overall score has been tied at 1-1!
The two teams are back to square one!
Manchester United's morale soared after the goal, and they dominated Barcelona for a time.
But just when Manchester United players were getting carried away, that man stepped forward.
Towards the end of the first half, Messi used his superb dribbling skills to maneuver skillfully in the narrow space inside the penalty area, creating space for a clever chip shot while being surrounded by three Manchester United defenders.
The shot wasn't fast, nor was the angle particularly tricky, but it was very unexpected.
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar made a hasty save when caught off guard, but failed to reach the ball.
The score became 1-1, and Barcelona quickly equalized, taking the lead on aggregate once again.
Messi's goal was a devastating blow to Manchester United!
Because this was an away goal, they need to score two goals to catch up!
With little time left in the first half, how can we use the remaining 45 minutes of the second half to score two more goals against a team like Barcelona?
Looking at the entire football world, who can guarantee that this kind of thing can definitely be accomplished?
Even Real Madrid, with its stars Lin Feng and Cristiano Ronaldo, probably wouldn't dare to make such a boast!
Despite Ferguson turning the hairdryer to its maximum in the locker room during halftime, giving the Manchester United players a real boost of energy.
Manchester United were unable to replicate that miracle in the second half, and the score remained 1-1 until stoppage time.
This match showcased Barcelona's terrifying defensive capabilities, whereas previously everyone had only focused on Barcelona's powerful attacking prowess.
With an average possession rate of 60-70% per game, dozens of shots on goal, and frequent victories by four or five goals, it's easy to overlook Barcelona's low number of goals conceded, which is among the lowest in both the league and the Champions League!
Ultimately, Barcelona, playing away, drew 1-1 with Manchester United, advancing to the final with a 2-1 aggregate score.
This marks Barcelona's return to the Champions League final after four years.
The start of the Dream Three Kingdoms dynasty seems to be just missing a championship trophy!
……
"It really is Barcelona!"
Lin Feng wasn't too surprised to learn that his opponent in the Champions League final would be Barcelona.
Although he actually wanted to face Kaka again, the last time the two had played against each other was more than three years ago.
He wondered how much that guy had improved over the past three years, and he wanted to experience it for himself.
As for Messi and Barcelona, Real Madrid has faced them so frequently in the league that they've long lost their novelty.
Moreover, in terms of difficulty, Barcelona's situation is indeed more challenging.
With the World Cup just around the corner, he actually doesn't want to face a tough opponent like Barcelona.
With only a month and a half left until the World Cup kicks off, if he gets injured now, he will basically miss the World Cup.
As May approached and the World Cup drew near, teams from various countries began to announce their 23-man rosters.
On May 2, amidst great anticipation, the Chinese Football Association announced the 23-man roster for the national team to compete in the 2010 South Africa World Cup.
Goalkeepers: Yang Zhi, Wang Dalei, Zeng Cheng.
Defenders: Sun Jihai, Sun Xiang, Li Weifeng, Du Wei, Feng Xiaoting, Zhang Linpeng, Xu Yunlong
Midfielders: Lin Feng, Chen Tao, Zheng Zhi, Zhao Xuri, Cui Peng, Hao Junmin, Zhou Haibin, Shao Jiayi, Zhao Junzhe
Forwards: Gao Lin, Han Peng, Dong Fangzhuo, Wu Lei
The release of this roster unsurprisingly caused a huge uproar. Aside from a few key players like Lin Feng whose positions were undisputed, the other positions were subject to considerable debate.
In the goalkeeper position, Old Zhu abandoned a large group of veterans in their prime and chose three young goalkeepers.
Of the three, the youngest is Wang Dalei, who is only 21 years old this year.
The oldest is Yang Zhi, who is only 27 years old.
27 years old is indeed the prime of a goalkeeper's career, but he is not the first or second goalkeeper for this national team; he is the third goalkeeper.
Some fans think this is just ridiculous.
Why make a 21-year-old the starting goalkeeper, while the oldest player is the third-choice goalkeeper?
But Wang Dalei has proven himself in both the national team and the Olympic team, and he is also an Inter Milan player. Given his status, although there are doubts, they are not significant.
The biggest controversy comes from the forward line, that's right, it's Wu Lei!
Who is Wu Lei? Is he a nepotism hire? Why was he selected for the team?
I checked, and this guy has almost no playing time in professional leagues. Could he really be a nepotism hire?
Are the people upstairs from Mars? Don't they know Wu Lei is a Barcelona youth academy player?
This is our Chinese team's Messi, show him some respect!
[666, even Messi is here! There's a limit to how much you can brag. You've got no shame!]
Besides Wu Lei, Zhao Junzhe's return to the national team also seems to be somewhat controversial.
[It's not that I disrespect veterans, but Zhao Junzhe's form is so poor, can his performance compare to Huang Bowen's outstanding performance in the German Second Division?]
[Deng Zhuoxiang is in such good form this season, he deserves a spot on the roster!]
[Jiang Ning from Zhongneng has also performed well; I think it's worth taking him out to broaden his horizons!]
[By leaving out speedy strikers like Qu Bo and Yu Hai, I think Zhu Guanghu will suffer sooner or later!]
[We should replace that 19-year-old brat and just take one of them to South Africa as a precaution!]
……
As the saying goes, it's impossible to please everyone. Every fan has their favorite players, as well as players they don't know or even like.
The list announced by Zhu Guanghu includes many unfamiliar faces, such as Wu Lei, who is not yet 19 years old, and Zhao Junzhe, who has been away from the national team for almost a year. Their selection has aroused controversy among many fans.
Perhaps due to excessive pressure from fans, Wu Lei, who often lurks anonymously on domestic forums and online communities, couldn't take the criticism anymore and took the initiative to call Lin Feng, hoping that he could put in a good word for coach Zhu Guanghu, or perhaps remove his name from the roster.
Don't you want to play in the World Cup?
Lin Feng was surprised to hear this. He had seen players who went to great lengths to get into the World Cup through connections, and many had even pleaded with him for help.
But Wu Lei is the first person to proactively call and say he didn't want to go, like he did.
"No, no, Brother Lin, I want to go to the World Cup, but I'm afraid of being scolded by the fans!"
"People have mouths, you can't shut them up, can you? Let him curse, it's not like you're going to lose a piece of your flesh, why bother?"
"But I'm afraid I won't play well and I'll get scolded..."
Lin Feng was speechless. How could Wu Lei be so thin-skinned?
Being criticized by fans should be as normal as eating and drinking for professional players, and they shouldn't take it to heart at all.
If you're going to back down because you're afraid of being scolded, then you shouldn't play football.
Because strong mental resilience is also a fundamental quality that professional players must possess.
Although that's what I thought in my heart, considering this guy's personality, I couldn't say it out loud.
If I were to actually yell at him, I'm afraid it would drive him to despair.
Wu Lei hasn't established himself in La Liga yet, so it's normal for him to lack confidence in his abilities.
But Lin Feng knew that he was the most talented striker in the national team in the last twenty years.
Wu Lei's goal-scoring instinct and off-the-ball movement are both superior to his predecessors.
He lacked physical strength and footwork, but he made up for that in the La Masia youth academy.
Under the guidance of a professional nutritionist, his physical development was better than in his previous life, and his weight increased to 65 kilograms. Although he was still a little underweight, his physical strength was much better than in his previous life.
The only thing Wu Lei lacks right now is confidence!
But self-confidence can be built up gradually.
Thinking of this, Lin Feng tried his best to calm his tone and patiently persuaded him:
"The World Cup is so intense, you might not get any playing time. Old Zhu is taking you to South Africa mainly to let you experience the atmosphere of the World Cup. You'll have a chance to become a starting striker for the national team in the next World Cup cycle, so don't worry too much. Just watch and learn, and stop thinking about things that aren't important!"
"Oh, is that so? Then I'm relieved. Thank you, Brother Harlin."
No sooner had I hung up with Wu Lei than another unfamiliar number called.
Lin Feng had not saved this number and originally intended to reject the call.
However, the caller ID shows a domestic number. He is currently in Spain and using a European phone number, so the nuisance calls from China should not reach him.
So, this person probably got his number through someone he knew and called him specifically?
Thinking of this, Lin Feng answered the phone:
"Hello, is this Lin Feng? This is Zhao Junzhe!"
The voice on the other end of the phone surprised Lin Feng; it was Zhao Junzhe, whom he hadn't contacted in a long time... well, it seemed like he hadn't contacted him before.
No wonder it was an unfamiliar number; I really didn't have any connection with Zhao Junzhe.
"Thank you!"
Before Lin Feng could speak, the person on the other end of the phone continued:
"Thank you for letting me return to the national team and play in the World Cup again, making up for the regret of that year!"
"Brother Zhao, this has nothing to do with me. You're thanking the wrong person. You should thank Old Zhu. He's the one who submitted the list."
Upon hearing Zhao Junzhe's words, Lin Feng quickly tried to explain, as if he were the one deciding life and death with his own words.
Where does he get such power?
"You don't need to explain, I understand. We men aren't good with words, we just let things flow over drinks. When you come to Shenyang someday, just wait and see how I treat you!"
Lin Feng trembled upon hearing this; it seemed he couldn't go to Shenyang after all.
We just can't resist the enthusiasm of the Northeastern men!
He thought about it carefully and realized that Zhao Junzhe's return to the national team did indeed have something to do with him.
Previously, Lao Zhu was hesitant between Qu Bo and Zhao Junzhe, so he asked Lin Feng for his opinion.
Lin Feng was worried that Qu Bo's body had not fully recovered after the major surgery, and in order to avoid the recurrence of the injury, he advised Lao Zhu to make a careful choice.
Zhu Guanghu may have listened to his advice, or perhaps he felt that there were too many young players in the team and that more veterans needed to be recruited to pass on their experience to the younger players.
There are very few players who participated in the last World Cup, are still active, and whose form has not declined significantly.
He had recruited almost everyone he could, except for Zhao Junzhe.
Recalling Zhao Junzhe's unfortunate shot hitting the post during the World Cup, giving him another chance to play in the World Cup and witness his teammates score the nation's first-ever World Cup goal could be seen as a way of making up for that regret. (End of Chapter)