I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 118: Chapter 32: Thunderous Applause, He Has Arrived

”Chen, hello, I’m from Marca...”

”Chen, I’m a reporter from Diario AS...”

”Here, here, I’m from the sports field...”

One by one, the reporters got a bit excited seeing Chen Zhong appear and crowded around him. With Chen Zhong’s continuous brilliant performances, more and more fans wanted to know more about him, which increased the reporters’ interview workload.

Moreover, after finishing the match against Mallorca, the national team duties meant that the club didn’t have any match tasks for about two weeks, and the players basically went to report to the national teams. This resulted in Chen Zhong being the most valuable target in the club besides various qualifier news.

Just when Chen Zhong was about to leave, feeling a bit overwhelmed by reporters coming from all directions, Schuster’s appearance came to Chen Zhong’s rescue. He led Chen Zhong to the underground garage, got into his beloved car, and shook off the reporters’ pursuit.

Recently, Schuster had been a bit anxious because the players had left the club to play national team matches, and he was very worried they might get injured.

But looking at Chen Zhong beside him, Schuster felt somewhat better.

Because up until now, Chen Zhong had not received any national team call-ups, which puzzled Schuster a bit. Could it be that China’s football level has risen to such an extent?

A genius like Chen Zhong can’t make the selection?

But in fact, this was good too. At least after the national team duties ended, there was at least one player’s condition that could be guaranteed, and that was Chen.

The sorrows and joys of people differ. Schuster had his troubles, and Chen Zhong had his as well. After finishing the match against Mallorca, he could clearly feel that he had become popular.

In the past, he could still go out on his own, but now, various reporters and fans always tried to catch an unaccompanied Chen Zhong.

”It’s rare to see you planning to go out.” Schuster drove on the road, glancing at Chen Zhong sitting in the back seat through the rearview mirror and said, ”Why do you want to go out today?”

”My parents and agent are coming over, so I’m going to pick them up.”

”Agent? Raiola?”

”No.” Chen Zhong shook his head. Raiola was accompanying Ibrahimovic to the European Cup, and this time it was mainly to handle some advertising, endorsements, and interviews: ”It’s Pimenta.”

”Pimenta?”

”I’m not very familiar with her.”

”Honestly, I don’t like Raiola. Although I’ve never dealt with him, from past rumors, he’s not someone well-liked by clubs and coaches.”

”But.” Schuster looked at Chen Zhong through the rearview mirror and said, ”If I were still a player now, I would choose him as my agent because he would be a fierce guard dog, protecting my interests well.”

Privately, Schuster seemed much more normal than when he was at the club. He wouldn’t speak rudely or seem hyper, but rather exuded a somewhat elegant and affable demeanor.

The two of them chatted casually for a bit more, and upon knowing Chen Zhong’s destination, Schuster also took the opportunity to drive and planned to help Chen Zhong pick up his people.

After all, in Spain, it wasn’t easy to get a taxi. Schuster looked at Chen Zhong and showed a bit of kindness, feeling that at this moment, Chen Zhong finally seemed a bit ”childlike.”

Through the rearview mirror, he also noticed Chen Zhong looking at him, and Schuster thought to himself, maybe he’s feeling grateful to me right now?

The road from the club to the airport wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either—it reached that length that would typically be considered inconvenient.

It was evident that Schuster didn’t have many friends in Madrid and was quite free.

While driving, Schuster suddenly brought up some tactical issues, saying, ”Chen, although your current performance has already surprised me, I have even higher expectations for you.”

”I hope you can improve your long and short passing skills and also practice long-range shooting.”

”Your ability to read the game, stay calm on the field, and seize opportunities are quite satisfactory to me, but your basics still need some polishing.”

”Lastly,”

”Don’t go to the gym too often. You’re already strong enough; don’t end up turning your body into just muscles.”

”Practice your long-range shooting more. I can get Francisco to accompany you, and I’m sure he’d be very willing.”

With Schuster’s help, Chen Zhong successfully met his family and Pimenta, and they all had a meal together. During this period, Pimenta arranged for Chen Zhong to do some endorsements and interviews, and Chen Zhong privately made an appointment with his buddies at the Sports City for some training. Over a week passed just like that.

During this time, his long and short passing finally exceeded 60 points, and Chen Zhong’s long-range shooting reached 79 points. After spending some free points, it also reached 80 points, combined with 85 points in shot power, allowing him to perform quite well in long-range shooting during training.

In the 13th round of La Liga, Real Madrid challenged Murcia away, and Schuster and Francisco unexpectedly did not let Chen Zhong start, but instead paired Gago and Diara as double midfielders.

Chen Zhong didn’t have many opinions about it, possibly because Schuster wanted to try other combinations while facing Murcia.

Before the Real Madrid and Murcia match, Barcelona won 3:0 against Villarreal at Camp Nou, and in this match Bojan started and scored his first goal after joining Barcelona.

It was in the 66th minute of the match when Xavi crossed from the right, Henry made a callback from the far side, and Bojan got the ball, cleverly dodging the defenders, then shot low near the penalty point to break through the opponent’s goal.

After the match, major media rushed to report on this genius.

Facing Murcia, no one expected any surprises, after all, Real Madrid had only lost to Murcia once in the league since 1946, and in 61 years of confrontations, it was only in 2004 when they lost 1:2 as guests to Murcia, who were relegated that season.

This season, Real Madrid’s performance is strong, and with Ramos and Guti back from suspension, everyone thought this would be an undisputed victory.

But as Schuster stood at the La Condomina Stadium, he never imagined what followed would embarrass him so much.

”FIFA virus” is an unavoidable issue for coaches of strong teams.

Barcelona set an example for Real Madrid this round, Rijkaard initially hoped Ronaldinho would start, but the fitness trainer and team doctor felt after playing two matches for Brazil Team and a long flight, Ronaldinho wasn’t fit for the league, so he was finally excluded from the roster.

However, Schuster did not trust the fitness coach, and to ensure their first place in the group during the upcoming Champions League group match in Germany against Werder Bremen, he chose to let Robinho and Van Nistelrooy start after much deliberation.

At the beginning of the season, Schuster spoke: ”Players today, compared to us back then, play 20 more matches a year. Under such circumstances, to make players perform at high levels on the field, rotation is necessary.”

As the pioneer of rotation among La Liga teams this season, according to Schuster’s usual image, he should let the main players rest. Perhaps the pressure from Villarreal in the league gave Schuster considerable pressure, eventually leading to the current lineup.

Unsurprisingly.

Robinho, Van Nistelrooy, and other players seemed powerless on the field and were out of form, and Van Nistelrooy was even relentlessly marked by a bald player from Murcia.

Initially, Schuster could tolerate it, as the team hadn’t fallen behind yet, and by the passage of time, the team might gradually find their state, but at the last moment of the first half, Murcia managed to lead with a corner kick.

0:1

The cheering from Murcia sounded like a thorn, deeply piercing into Schuster’s heart. During halftime, Schuster motivated the players, using sharp words to inspire their fighting spirit.

Schuster’s words were quite piercing, and indeed in the second half, the players showed surprising positivity.

But sometimes, being too positive isn’t completely good.

”The match reached the 72nd minute.”

”Real Madrid’s attack.”

”Guti got the ball.”

”His movements were extremely graceful.”

”Murcia player’s defense.”

”Guti fell to the ground.”

”In the penalty area, or outside?”

”It’s a free kick outside the penalty area.”

Guti fell inside the penalty area, he looked at the chief referee, but the referee thought the foul happened outside the penalty area, and at this moment, Murcia’s Alzuo ran up laughing: ”Diving, you are diving.”

Guti raised his head, his eyes full of anger, he kicked towards Alzuo, Alzuo seemed waiting for it, happily approaching then painfully falling to the ground.

The referee saw it all, blew the whistle, and pulled out a bright red card.

Cheers of delight echoed from Murcia fans on the stands while Schuster’s angry roars resonated on the sidelines, and Guti instantly calmed down upon seeing the red card.

He quietly got up from the ground, trotting towards the sidelines, this game with too many small actions from Murcia’s players had pushed Guti’s anger to the limit.

After cursing a few words on the sidelines, Schuster also became clear-headed, he looked towards the bench and said: ”Put Chen on, replace Diara, he’s starting to run out of steam.”