nucmednet Chapter 18 Opening
Chapter 18 Opening
At this time, a little-known gambling website in China...
A round, large-headed man, smoking a cigarette, wearing a Manchester United jersey, sat cross-legged in front of the camera.
Laoqi TV Station, Laoqi TV Station.
"Now bringing you the first Madrid derby of the 2011-12 season during the winter break!"
"Royal Madeli~ vs. Madeli~ Racing"
"Don't laugh, you dog fans, this is a genuine Manchester accent."
"Now, let me introduce the lineups of both sides."
First, attacking from left to right on the screen, is our famous coach, the "Special One" Mourinho, leading the second Galácticos era, the world-class club Real Madrid!
"Their formation today is (4-2-3-1)."
Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas
"Defender:
Right-back: Álvaro Arbeloa
Center-back: Sergio Ramos
Center-back: Pepe
Left-back: Marcelo
Midfield:
Defensive midfielder: Xabi Alonso
Defensive midfielder: Sami Khedira
Attacking midfielder: Mesut Özil
Left winger: Cristiano Ronaldo
Right winger: Ángel Di María
Forward: Gonzalo Higuaín
Key substitutes: Kaká, Benzema, Coentrao, Varane
"And on the other side, wearing red and white checkered jerseys, is another historically significant team in Madrid: Atlético Madrid!"
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
Defender:
Right-back: Juanfran
Center-back: Diego Godín
Center-back: Miranda
Left-back: Filipe Luís
Midfield:
Right midfielder: Raúl García
Central midfielder: Gabi
Central midfielder: Li Jing
Left midfielder: Adrián
forward:
Radame Falcao
Diego Costa
"Let's all focus our attention on our central midfielders!"
"This guy is Chinese, the one who was exposed by the media a few days ago for angrily criticizing Messi!"
"It has to be said that Simeone understands how to generate buzz. If he doesn't want to be sacked and can't win games, he should focus on generating buzz first."
"He didn't even need his own starting lineup; Lao Qi really recognizes his talent for social media."
"Like Lao Qi, he's a holy grail of self-media!"
……
On the field at this moment.
The referee glanced at his watch and blew the whistle to start the match.
Real Madrid kicked off first.
Just three minutes into the game, the second Galácticos demonstrated to Atlético Madrid what it means to have an attacking force that is on a completely different level.
The Real Madrid fans in the stadium cheered!
White and silver giant waves rose and fell in the stands!
And in such an atmosphere.
Real Madrid, after a series of back passes and possession, finally launched the first attack!
Xabi Alonso received the ball in the center circle. Facing Atletico Madrid striker Falcao who was pressing forward, he didn't even look at him and used the instep of his right foot to chip the ball with extreme precision.
The ball traced a nearly straight, low arc, slicing through Atletico Madrid's midfield defense like a scalpel.
On the left flank, Ronaldo, like a high-speed supercar, intercepted the ball before the full-back could react.
Without slowing down, he effortlessly flicked his right heel back as he faced the double-team of two defenders!
No need to stop the ball.
Higuain, following up in the middle, met the incoming ball with an extremely powerful shot!
"clang!"
The ball slammed heavily against the post and bounced away.
The entire stands erupted in cheers, with Real Madrid fans letting out awe-inspiring gasps.
Atletico Madrid's defense was on the verge of collapse in the opening minutes.
The parallel defensive line looked like a leaky sieve in the face of Real Madrid's extremely smooth passing.
On the sidelines, Mourinho stood ramrod straight, wearing a long black overcoat.
He keenly observed the weakness in Atletico Madrid's right flank defense, raised his right hand, and gestured towards the field.
Upon receiving instructions from their manager, Real Madrid quickly shifted their main attacking focus.
……
As the match entered its fifteenth minute, the air at the Bernabéu Stadium seemed to ignite, with every inch of the pitch trembling with the fervor of Madridists.
If the previous attacks were tentative surgical cuts, then the next wave of offensives is a "saturation attack" with the galactic battleships operating at full power.
Xabi Alonso once again became the starting point of the storm.
This Basque man with a meticulously trimmed beard displayed a desperate calmness near the center circle.
Faced with the relentless pressure from Atletico Madrid's two midfielders, he didn't even look down at the ball. He simply flicked his left shoulder, effortlessly evaded the defender, and created space for a pass.
Immediately afterwards, Alonso swung his right leg, and the ball made a dull and powerful thud at his feet.
It was a long diagonal pass that spanned fifty meters.
The ball spun effortlessly in the air, like a precision-guided cruise missile, soaring over the entire Atletico Madrid defense.
"Alonso's 'precision guidance'!"
The commentator roared.
Di Maria had been waiting there for a long time.
This Argentine prodigy, affectionately known as "Noodles" by fans, has displayed an almost supernatural flexibility.
Instead of using his usual left foot, he followed the ball's momentum and used his right foot to hook the ball back to his left foot.
This dribble caused Atletico Madrid's full-back to lose his balance and slip and fall awkwardly onto the grass.
Di Maria looked up, and the penalty area was filled with a sea of white.
Cristiano Ronaldo has leaped high into the air, like a helicopter hovering in mid-air, blocking out the sunlight;
Benzema, like a ghost, cut into the near post, drawing the defenders' attention.
But Di Maria chose the third option.
He used the outside of his left foot to draw a highly deceptive arc, and the ball did not fly high into the air, but skimmed along the grass and sped through the jungle inside the penalty area.
At the far post, Khedira, who had been quietly moving forward, delivered the final blow.
This German powerhouse used his powerful body to break through the defense, and facing the ball, without any fancy moves, he delivered a powerful and heavy shot!
"Bang!"
Another goalpost.
……
"Looks like Real Madrid had a bit of bad luck today!"
Li Laoqi said.
……
In the stands, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez clapped gracefully.
Even though the ball didn't go in, it still excited him enough.
This is exactly the scene he has always dreamed of: every position is world-class, and every pass embodies a balance between art and violence.
On the sidelines, Mourinho finally revealed his signature, slightly arrogant smile.
He turned around and whispered a few words to Benzema and Modric, who were warming up on the bench.
This is what makes Galacticos II so terrifying: their incredible bench depth.
……
The match is in the twelfth minute.
Real Madrid intercepted the ball in their own half, and Özil made a long pass after receiving the ball.
On the right wing, Argentine international and Messi's die-hard fan Di Maria controlled the ball with great ease.
He raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the grass for over ten meters, and locked onto Li Jing, who was guarding the left half of Atletico Madrid's defense.
Di Maria saw Li Jing's figure, and a hint of dissatisfaction appeared in his eyes.
Before the match, in the locker room, these Argentine national team players had already united on one side.
Today, he not only wants to break through Atletico Madrid's defense, but also to avenge his fellow countryman Messi and, incidentally, get revenge on Pizzi, who is lying in the hospital!
Di Maria began to accelerate with the ball, his footwork extremely fast.
Now that he has a chance, he will look for an opportunity in a one-on-one fight and take down Li Jing decisively.
Li Jing bent his knees slightly, kept his center of gravity very low, and stared intently at Di Maria, who was rapidly approaching.
……