I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 379: Chapter 41: Background Character, The End.

The ball had plenty of power.

But the accuracy was a bit off, slipping past the goalpost under the watchful eyes of Valdes and the entire crowd.

After completing this header, Ronaldo first looked to see if the ball went in, and then rolled on the ground grimacing in pain a couple of times.

He had quite a hard fall just now.

This also startled Pellegrini on the sideline, making him once again recognize Ronaldo’s ”fight-to-the-death” spirit. After hesitating for a moment, he used up his second substitution spot, bringing on Benzema to replace Ronaldo.

Real Madrid’s forward line placed Higuain on the left wing, with Benzema serving as the pivot in the middle, and Kaka staying on the right wing.

Busquets’ actions also angered Real Madrid players; in the 69th minute of the match, Messi was dribbling down the wing, trying to break into the penalty area when Pepe brought him down from the side.

The referee issued another yellow card.

He hoped to use the yellow card to regain control of the game, which was gradually spiraling out of control.

”Barcelona’s free kick.”

”Xavi and Messi stand before the ball, seemingly discussing who will take it.”

Xavi took off first, then crossed over the football, followed by Messi, who gathered his energy to make a direct shot on goal, but Chen Zhong leaped high, and the ball hit his head.

Chen Zhong shook his head, unlike Busquets, who would normally fall to the ground. He ignored Messi’s gaze and instead raised his right arm, asking a teammate for the ball.

”Real Madrid’s counterattack!”

”Messi’s free kick hit the wall.”

Chen Zhong passed the ball to Kaka’s feet, and Kaka carried the ball swiftly downfield. After Ronaldo left the game, he became the team’s new breakout player.

In less than 20 seconds, he had charged from his half all the way to the left side of the Barcelona penalty area.

A sudden stop shook off the defender, followed by a cross to Benzema in the middle.

”Benzema receives the ball!”

”Facing the goal directly!”

”A golden opportunity!”

After collecting the ball, Benzema saw Puyol quickly closing in. He adjusted himself and raised his leg.

Puyol also lifted his leg, but felt nothing. On looking again, Benzema had angled the ball to an open space inside the penalty area, where Chen Zhong came storming angrily and unleashed a powerful shot!

”Boom!”

The ball made a dull thump and shot up.

It went straight at the goal.

The fans in the stands from both sides strained their necks, while Valdes in front of the goal appeared almost godlike, using both hands to tip the ball over the crossbar.

This scene let Barcelona fans breathe a sigh of relief, while Real Madrid fans were thoroughly disappointed.

”A corner opportunity!”

”That was really unfortunate.”

”Plenty of power and not bad accuracy.”

”But Valdes’ concentration was absolute.”

Real Madrid’s players moved into the box, with Chen Zhong being closely guarded by Yaya Toure and Ibrahimovic, as the two closed him in from either side, with Yaya Toure on his left and Ibrahimovic on the right.

”Watch out for the one behind you,” Ibrahimovic said to Yaya Toure, nodding towards Benzema, who had just come on.

Ibrahimovic was referring to Benzema.

Yaya Toure glanced at Benzema, nodded, and didn’t argue with the Swede.

”Alonso is ready to take the corner.”

”Real Madrid has multiple good headers in the box.”

”Ibrahimovic is marking Chen Zhong.”

Ibrahimovic stands at 195cm, a height that looks quite intimidating.

Meanwhile, Chen Zhong is only 190cm, and in some games, he’s even listed as 189cm, giving Ibrahimovic a 5-6cm height advantage, suggesting that Chen might do better in another position.

Most fans didn’t think Chen Zhong could easily win the header against Ibrahimovic’s marking.

Only Cristiano Ronaldo on the sidelines had a glint in his eye. They had trained together at night, and Ronaldo had taught him his tricks without reservation. Chen Zhong was the first who could fully keep up with his training pace.

He was his confirmed training partner!

Alonso sent the ball flying; his passing technique was unquestionable, and the ball carved an arc in the air, its obvious destination was inside the large area where Chen Zhong was!

”Ha!”

”Fool!”

”You think I can’t mark Chen Zhong?” Ibrahimovic snorted disdainfully inside, facing an opponent nearly half a head shorter, who recently played the background in one of his moments, disregarded him.

He exerted force with his lower body, intending to jump and clear the ball.

As Ibrahimovic leapt high, he suddenly felt something hard behind him, and then noticed from the corner of his eye, in front of the incoming ball.

A shadow leaped ahead of him, connecting with the ball that was supposed to be his.

The stands at Camp Nou erupted in amazement, everyone staring dumbfounded at the scene: Sweden’s goal-scoring giant had been dunked over the top by Chen Zhong!

Fans who watched the Real Madrid vs. Milan match, and some who felt indignant thinking Chen Zhong could only dominate smaller players, suddenly found themselves at ease.

Under Chen Zhong, all are equal!

What a terrifying leap!

Valdes lay back, watching Chen Zhong ”riding” Ibrahimovic, prepared for another thunderous header, but instead, it was just a light flick.

And this flick sent the ball neatly into the corner of the net.

1:2

Real Madrid took the lead once again!

”Goal!!”

”Magnificent!”

”Chen Zhong!”

”Outmuscled Ibrahimovic.”

”Completed a beautiful headed goal!”

”A brace!”

Pellegrini punched the air in celebration, Guardiola was dumbfounded, while the fans in the stands showed completely different atmospheres.

Real Madrid fans were ecstatic, while Barcelona fans were in mourning.

Ultimately at Camp Nou, Chen Zhong scored twice, sealing Barcelona’s defeat.

After the match, newspapers supporting Real Madrid chose the photo of Chen Zhong outmuscling Ibrahimovic as the background, whereas Barcelona supporters picked the image of Ibrahimovic’s scorpion kick as theirs.

Both sets of fans also engaged in some ”criticism” of each other’s star players, Chen Zhong and Messi.

In the post-match press conference, Pellegrini faced the cameras and said, ”The season is still long.”

”Winning this match isn’t what’s important.”

”The crucial things are the matches that follow, that is the foundation of becoming champions.”

Pellegrini said winning this match wasn’t important, yet in front of the cameras, he was beaming brightly, much to the discontent of many Barcelona supporters.

In contrast to Pellegrini’s satisfaction, Guardiola appeared a bit gloomy, especially when reporters asked him about the performances of Ibrahimovic and Chen Zhong.

Guardiola said, ”I don’t want to discuss their performances.”

”After all, they are not players in the same position.”

”And their styles are different.”

As he spoke, Guardiola paused, then continued, ”But there is something I’ve realized, and that is that Chen fits Barcelona best.”

”He is my ideal midfielder model, and I’ve always told my players that.”

”He has Busquets’ technique and Yaya Toure’s physique.”

Guardiola’s remarks upset some Barcelona fans and angered Real Madrid supporters, who emphatically declared that Chen was untouchable.

Internally, in Barcelona, Yaya Toure was also interviewed because of Guardiola’s comments. Facing the cameras, he firmly stated, ”I don’t know why he said that.”

”But I don’t believe Chen is stronger than me.”

”Perhaps, he doesn’t know his players well enough.”

”I’ll prove myself in our next encounter.”

With the new season beginning, the increasingly renowned Yaya Toure was no longer satisfied with his ”utility player” status on the team and was eager for recognition befitting his skills.

If he couldn’t get it here, he’d seek it elsewhere.