I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 159: Chapter 54: Interview: Challenging the Epic Quest (Part 2)

And shortly after Sneijder came on, in the 83rd minute of the game, Barrella made a direct pass from the middle, Cannavaro was out of position, and Ibagaza accelerated to get the ball before Cannavaro.

Dudek abandoned his goal and charged out, but his speed was just too slow.

Substitute Ibagaza was full of energy, focused, and chipped a shot directly over Dudek, sending the ball into the net.

0:1

Seeing Ibagaza celebrate recklessly, the entire Bernabeu trembled with anger.

Finally, Bernabeu was defeated 0:1 at home by Mallorca, with the team being eliminated by Mallorca with a score of 3:1.

Mallorca advanced to the Spanish King’s Cup semifinals, while Real Madrid stopped at the quarter-finals, becoming the biggest upset of this Spanish King’s Cup.

In other matches of the Spanish King’s Cup, various teams demonstrated their expected strength, eliminating their opponents and advancing to the next round.

Among the brightest were Atletico Madrid’s Aguero and Villarreal’s Rossi, one helping their team score a crucial away goal and the other scoring a winning goal.

In the post-match interviews, both of them coincidentally mentioned Chen Zhong of Real Madrid.

After all, Chen Zhong is considered one of the hottest young players recently, at the age of 16, showing remarkable achievements, having secured a place in Real Madrid’s midfield, and even becoming a key player.

First to be interviewed was Rossi, the former Manchester United player who helped Villarreal with a winning goal. Known as a talented young footballer, he has always been under the media spotlight, and after joining Villarreal, he has started to fulfill his potential.

Faced with the camera, Rossi seemed quite spirited.

”Being able to score the winning goal for the team makes me very happy.”

”I feel somewhat regrettable that Real Madrid was eliminated, as I wanted to compete with Chen on the pitch once more.”

”I’m a bit older than Chen, and I wasn’t well-prepared for him, which caused me some disadvantage, but in the next encounter, I think the results will be different.”

Compared to Rossi still expecting the next encounter, Aguero is about to meet Chen soon, as Atletico Madrid will play against Real Madrid in the league in a few days.

Aguero scored a crucial away goal in this round of the cup, ultimately helping his team eliminate their opponents and advance to the next round.

Facing the camera, this player known as ”Kun” by Chinese fans, spoke more directly with his words.

”In the past 15 seasons, this is the time when the strengths of both clubs are most similar.”

”Perhaps Chen is a talented player, but I have seen many whose talent surpasses his.”

”You should know we broke through the opponent’s goal within just 55 seconds last time, yes, it was my goal.”

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are both clubs from the Madrid Region, historically symbolizing the working class and aristocracy respectively. From a relationship perspective, even if they’re not bitter enemies, they’re fierce competitors.

Centuries of rivalry make their city derby filled with gunpowder.

Especially since Aguero believes Real Madrid has recently defeated Barcelona when they were vulnerable, bullying his ”beloved friend and brother” Messi, naturally he holds no friendly sentiment towards Real Madrid and Chen Zhong.

The tension had already started brewing, and Aguero’s remarks further ignited pre-match disputes.

Soon, the media caught the scent and found Chen Zhong. Facing the reporters, Chen Zhong appeared very composed, showing no signs of being flustered or intimidated. His calm and confident demeanor left some first-time reporters amazed.

When reporters inquired Chen Zhong about his thoughts on Rossi and Aguero’s comments, Chen, with great composure, replied: ”Rossi, I have some impression, but not very deep. Perhaps in our next encounter, he can use his actions to make a deeper impression on me.”

”As for Aguero and his goal...”

”I can only say, his luck was good.” Chen Zhong shrugged with a smile: ”After all, I was on the bench back then, if I were on the pitch, his performance could speak for itself.”

”He doesn’t have the ability to break through Real Madrid’s goal.”

This season’s first round was the city derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, where Aguero broke through Real Madrid’s goal in 55 seconds. Shortly after, Pepe pulled a muscle on the pitch, leading him to miss a significant number of matches.

And when Chen Zhong came on, he closely followed Aguero, making Aguero effectively invisible on the pitch, so unless Aguero manages an explosive 1V1 against Chen in their next match, there’s truly no room for ”excuse.”

The reporters saw Chen Zhong being so sharp-tongued and couldn’t help asking Chen Zhong about his views on the next match, playing away against Atletico Madrid.

They even specifically reminded him: ”The Calderon Stadium is known as the Devil’s Home Ground.”

Atletico Madrid’s home is officially known as ”Vicente Calderon Stadium,” named in 1971 to honor Atletico Madrid’s greatest chairman, Vicente Calderon. It’s one of the best stadiums in the world and uniquely a five-star stadium.

It’s also one of Spain’s famous Devil’s Home Grounds.

In Spanish Football, it’s rare for teams to conquer 4 Devil’s Home Grounds in a single season, and this season Real Madrid has already conquered Barcelona’s Camp Nou, Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium, and Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium.

The last time Real Madrid accomplished the epic task of conquering the ”Four Devil’s Home Grounds” was 44 years ago.

In the long span of these 44 years, completing this epic task has been deemed as ”an impossible mission.”

Strictly speaking, the truly capable teams challenging this epic task, this impossible mission, are only two and a half: Real Madrid, Barcelona, and the other half being Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona or Atletico Madrid would need to replace their home with Bernabeu to complete the epic task of the four Devil’s Home Grounds.

Chen Zhong naturally understood the significance, he initially did not think of this, but when the reporter brought it up, as a flag bearer of Real Madrid youth training, Castilla’s pride, he naturally recalled Real Madrid’s glorious history.

So, facing the camera, with a serious expression he said: ”I know Calderon Stadium is a Devil’s Home Ground.”

”But, we have already conquered Camp Nou, San Mames, Mestalla.”

”I hope to complete what is called an impossible mission with the team, achieving the feat we accomplished 44 years ago in La Liga.”

”To conquer the four Devil’s Home Grounds in a single season!”

These words were firm and direct, leaving the reporters present with complex emotions, the ones leaning towards Madrid were excited.

This season, led by Schuster, Real Madrid has set numerous records, winning streaks, points record, first-win record, and now aiming to replicate the challenge from 44 years ago, attacking the impossible!

On the other hand, neutral and hostile reporters towards Madrid had more mixed feelings. Some felt Chen Zhong was getting overconfident, some thought there was much exaggeration, and others considered this youthful audacity.

But regardless, they were going to capitalize on this wave of attention.

Atletico Madrid’s head coach, ”Elegant” Javier Aguirre, upon seeing the relevant reports, elegantly folded the newspaper and declared with resolve: ”To complete the impossible task on my behalf is absolutely impossible!”