I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 114: Chapter 29: This Is What a Genius Looks Like!!

Inside the roaring stadium, Mallorca launched another attack.

They had already scored two goals in this match using similar methods.

The Merengues in the stands were visibly anxious, too distracted even to wave their white handkerchiefs. However, compared to previous chaos, Real Madrid’s defense handled this one very well.

Marcelo held his ground on the wing, delaying Mallorca’s advance, while other players blocked the passing lanes and came back to defend.

This meant that when Mallorca passed the ball, Real Madrid’s defenders were basically already in position. Guisa tried to repeat his tactics, but this time he faced a well-prepared Metzelder with Chen Zhong closely guarding him.

In a stumble, he lost possession of the ball.

Chen Zhong squeezed out Guisa to control the ball. Mallorca tried to reclaim possession instantly, with the nearest Guisa and Sisco pouncing first and Nunes getting closer from afar.

”Very good!” Mansano, watching from the sidelines with shining eyes, exclaimed: ”After intercepting the ball, counterattack immediately, score another goal, and secure the victory.”

In Mansano’s eyes, Chen Zhong, encircled by three defenders, was as helpless as a fish on a chopping board, awaiting his fate.

However, Chen Zhong remained utterly unfazed. He looked at Sneijder, who had barely shown anything noteworthy the entire match, and chipped a pass to him with precision, instantly placing Mallorca in a risky position.

”A very calm handling.”

”Chen sent the ball out calmly, under the pressure of three players.”

”Sneijder received the ball in open space, giving him plenty of time and space to handle it.”

”The ball is with Raul, Raul dodges past the defender.”

”But Mallorca’s recovery speed is very fast.”

White and red intertwined outside Mallorca’s penalty area. Raul delayed slightly after getting past one player, but two more defenders appeared ahead of him.

With elegant long hair clinging to his cheeks, the black captain’s armband on his left arm, Raul spotted a white figure in his peripheral vision, and without hesitation, he passed the ball.

”It seems a bit too light.”

Raul thought, already prepared to run back for defensive coverage, but the next scene left him stunned in place.

Chen Zhong, rushing from the backfield, realized it was impossible to get the ball in a conventional way, so he opted for a sliding tackle.

This risky move made Nunes, who was about to gain the ball, mutter and leap to evade Chen Zhong’s action.

”Madman!”

”He’s a complete lunatic.”

”What’s the point of doing this?”

Nunes clearly remembered that there were at least two teammates behind him, so even if he tackled the ball away, what was the use?

Cussing, he turned to track the ball’s trajectory, and soon, with astonishment, he discovered that Chen Zhong’s slide wasn’t blind but purposeful. The ball skimmed past his teammates, intending for the goalkeeper to take it!

However!

A young lad wearing Real Madrid’s number 10 jersey dashed out from the side, deftly flicking the ball over the goalkeeper before he could react.

The ball, like a playful deer, leaped over the goalkeeper.

In Nunes’s wide-eyed view, it darted straight into the net.

”Beep!”

The referee blew the whistle, pointing to the center circle to signal a valid goal.

Following the whistle, the stadium erupted in enthusiastic cheers. After scoring, Robinho ran towards the corner flag, while Chen Zhong, getting up from the ground, was the first to rush into the net to retrieve the ball.

”The ball is in!”

”2:2”

”In the 27th minute of the match!”

”Real Madrid has equalized.”

”Chen initiated a counterattack after intercepting the ball in the backfield.”

”When the counterattack seemed doomed, he executed a brave tackle to create an opportunity.”

”The ball landed at Robinho’s feet.”

”He did not let Chen Zhong down.”

”Faced with the goalkeeper, he deftly chipped the ball, leveling the score for the team.”

”The genius youth from China.”

”Continues to perform at the Bernabeu.”

”His ability to read the game, his vigorous fighting spirit, and his courageous heart on the field are all eye-catching.”

”If he were to wear the captain’s armband for Real Madrid in the future.”

”Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.”

Mansano stood at the sideline, feeling a bit isolated, remembering how he had declared in front of reporters before the match, ”Who is Chen?” Now, every time he closed his eyes, all he could see were the post-match headlines, knowing those damn reporters would definitely make a big story out of it.

At this moment, Mansano had lost the initial confidence he once had.

”Damn it!”

”What’s going on with him!”

”Are you sure the information you gave me was accurate?”

”If he really is, as you said, just a strong little guy.”

”Then how do you explain everything I’m seeing now?”

Mansano vented his anger at the assistant coach beside him, knowing he shouldn’t do that, but keeping it in was so unbearable! Better to make the assistant suffer than suffer himself.

Compared to Mansano’s frustration, Schuster seemed quite delighted.

”Oh~”

”I knew putting him in midfield was the right choice.”

”Of course, if his passing could be better, his footwork more refined, and he could improve in all aspects, it would be great.”

”But, who cares?” Schuster laughed at Francisco and said, ”Do you know why I took a liking to this kid back then?”

”Because I knew he’s someone who plays with his head. I still remember his final deciding moment, deceiving an entire box of players alone, hahahaha.”

Francisco carefully dodged Schuster’s big slap and said to Schuster, who was in a good mood, ”I noticed he has a strong ability to learn.”

”It only took a short time for him to change his technical characteristics.”

”Perhaps we could arrange for some players to tutor him one-on-one.”

As they talked, the Merengue fans in the stands were also discussing:

”Is that Chen?”

”It’s my first time watching him play live.”

”I swear, he deserves to wear this jersey. I see the shadow of many people in him.”

”He is the most spirited and brave one on the field, did you notice? After communicating with other players, our defense became much more solid.”

”I know, earlier on, he was part of the team’s defense, and back then, our defense was much more solid. I feel he is a natural leader, though that’s just my personal feeling.”

At the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, not only the Merengue fans but also the Mallorca fans focused their attention on Chen Zhong, as they realized who was causing them trouble.

”My God, is he really only 16 years old?”

”I’ve been watching him closely, and I suspect he might be a robot.”

”Honestly, did you see the close-up the camera gave? When he was surrounded by three people, he had no expression on his face at all.”

”We need to do something to disrupt him.”

The game continued, and whenever Chen Zhong had the ball, Mallorca fans would do their utmost to boo him, seemingly trying to distract him, but Chen Zhong didn’t pay their boos any mind at all.

After Real Madrid scored the second goal, the entire team’s fighting spirit rose.

The out-of-form Sneijder was still the team’s organizational core, but if you observed closely, you’d find that Real Madrid’s real core seemed to be the young Chen Zhong, with the ball always finding its way to his feet and then being distributed by him.

Chen Zhong’s passing seemed ordinary, yet the whole team became suddenly active through his ordinary passes.

Moreover, critically, compared to the occasionally inspired Robinho and the invisible Sneijder, the players were more inclined to trust Chen Zhong, more willing to pass the ball to him.

At least, when the ball was with Chen Zhong, he wouldn’t let the ball be intercepted.

”Damn it!” Nunes rubbed his shoulder, eyes filled with frustration: ”He seems like an emotionless passing machine; doesn’t he have any emotions?”

This was already the third time Nunes and his teammates tried to intercept the ball from Chen Zhong’s feet, yet regardless of how many came or what moves they used, Chen Zhong always managed to protect the ball and pass it to the right teammate.

He didn’t execute any breathtaking long passes or through balls, yet through his consistent safe passes, Real Madrid gradually took control of the game.

If Raul and Van Nistelrooy hadn’t been out of form and missed two or three scoring chances, Real Madrid would have been leading by now.

”Pull back the defense!” Mansano shouted from the sidelines, as there wasn’t much time left in the first half. He decided to let the team retreat and carry the 2–2 scoreline into the second half.

With adjustments during the halftime break, they still had a chance to win.

”There’s space now!” A glint appeared in Schuster’s eyes, as Mansano’s team pulled back its defense, intending to park the bus outside the penalty area, meaning most areas were theirs to dominate. Just as Schuster wanted to signal Chen Zhong to push forward.

As if telepathic, Chen Zhong proactively started dribbling forward.

What defines a genius?

Aside from technique, talent is most crucial, and Chen Zhong’s ability to read the game was evidently outstanding. He knew when to defend and when to push forward, with a vigorous fighting spirit...

”Wait a minute, what’s happening?”

”He’s still dribbling?”