I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 777: Chapter 42: Chen, Turning on the Charm

And this time, the core of the tactic is...

Both of them looked at Chen Zhong wearing the white number 10 jersey, and suddenly, Diego Simeone’s eyes became a lot clearer. He had noticed the changes in Real Madrid before the match.

Chen Zhong is indeed a tough opponent.

The two teams exchanged flags, and Real Madrid won the coin toss, gaining possession.

As Chen Zhong walked towards the center circle, he also checked his traits, finding that his [Trait: Super Violent Long Shot] only needed one long-range goal to advance from LV2 to LV3. At LV2, there was a change in the trait’s description, adding ”mastery,” so what about LV3?

The long-range heavy cannon has already become an important scoring method for Chen Zhong. His current improvement logic is to make his strengths more ”sharp.”

The players from both teams stood in their respective halves, and as the music played, they first held a moment of silence for Adrian Escudero, the Atletico Madrid legend who passed away earlier this month at the age of 83.

The players from both teams expressed their respect for him in this way.

”CCTV, CCTV.”

”We are now broadcasting the focus match of the 29th round of La Liga in the 2010/11 season.”

”At the Calderón Stadium, Atletico Madrid is hosting Real Madrid.”

”This Derby de Madrid has attracted a lot of attention before the match.”

”It is now exactly 5:00 AM Beijing time, and with the referee’s whistle, the match officially begins.”

”The ball quickly reaches Chen Zhong’s feet.”

”As the core of the team, he passes the ball to Marcelo.”

”Marcelo takes the ball, going straight down the flank.”

”Pass.”

”Benzema takes the ball.”

”Passes it to Chen Zhong.”

”Chen Zhong!”

Real Madrid’s offensive play is very fast and smooth. Diego Simeone initially thought Real Madrid would dominate through the middle, but after seeing Marcelo’s breakthrough and looking at Ramos, he suddenly realized that even without wingers, these two have excellent assisting abilities.

Marcelo’s advance is very fast, and Atletico Madrid defended immediately.

Originally expecting a high cross, it turned out Marcelo had no such intentions. He passed the ball to the middle, Benzema made a silky transition, and the ball reached Chen Zhong’s feet.

Marcelo passes, Benzema sets up the shot, Chen Zhong fires!

This is clearly a well-rehearsed tactic, as Diego Simeone looked over at Mourinho in horror, seeming to realize something.

On the stands, the fans of both teams watched as Real Madrid’s number 10 took a run-up, facing the ball pushed over by Benzema.

”Bang!”

He fired it towards the goal with one strike.

In the blink of an eye, Atletico Madrid’s defense was pierced by the ball. De Gea, standing in front of the goal, had no time to think, instinctively making a save.

The ball and his hand made intimate contact. After countless days and nights of training, he felt...

He still couldn’t stop it...

De Gea looked towards the goal in horror, the ball once again slipping past his hand.

However, his tirelessly trained right hand did have some effect, altering the ball’s path and resulting in a ”clang” sound.

”A powerful shot!”

”De Gea made a saving move.”

”Changed the ball’s trajectory.”

”It hit the post!”

”Very unfortunate!”

De Gea held the ball tightly in his arms, and under his teammates’ concerned gazes, he got up from the ground, shook his right hand, and shouted loudly, ”No problem!”

A trembling hand, a pounding heart, De Gea reassured his teammates, though his own heart was in panic.

On Atletico Madrid’s side, the original hearts that had been ”frightened” by the opening blitz gradually calmed down.

”Real Madrid is gradually gaining control of the game.”

”However, Atletico Madrid’s defense is very tight.”

”That action was somewhat too much!”

This has been Atletico Madrid’s usual tactic this season.

When Chen Zhong took the ball, dodged the opponent’s slide tackle, and flicked the ball to Cristiano Ronaldo, Atletico Madrid’s midfielder Suarez directly committed a tactical foul, bringing down the Portuguese man.

Mourinho rushed to the sidelines, protesting angrily, but the referee didn’t acknowledge it at all.

He calmly gave Suarez a verbal warning, while awarding Real Madrid a free kick.

Cristiano Ronaldo came to take the free kick. With great ambition, he opted to shoot directly, the ball soaring over the wall towards the goal. However, De Gea’s reaction speed was incredibly quick, firmly catching the ball.

This is De Gea’s second save of the match.

The Atletico Madrid fans in the stands erupted in cheers, while the Real Madrid fans were somewhat disappointed, though not too emotional. After all, only six or seven minutes had passed in the match, and there had already been two quality shots.

Real Madrid’s offensive forceful, Atletico Madrid’s defense solid.

However, even with staunch defense, facing Real Madrid’s attacking front, it’s hard to cover every angle.

”Real Madrid’s attack.”

”The collaboration between Chen Zhong and Benzema.”

”C. Ronaldo advancing!”

”Parejo and Alonso advancing!”

This is yet another new pattern for Real Madrid.

Chen Zhong and Benzema turned Atletico Madrid’s backfield topsy-turvy. After taking the ball and bypassing the opposition again, Chen Zhong made a through pass, not delivering it to Cristiano Ronaldo but rather to the incoming Parejo.

Parejo’s advance caught Atletico Madrid’s defense off guard. He took the ball all the way into the penalty area, evaded a sliding tackle, and stabbed a shot, attempting to score.

However, De Gea excelled, performing a crow-like save, firmly blocking the ball outside the goal.

At the sideline, Mourinho’s expression changed, while Diego Simeone’s face was full of surprise. The players’ performances on defense exceeded his expectations. What about on offense?

Diego Simeone’s gaze shifted to Reyes, the former Real Madrid player in his hands, his secret weapon, who, with his dribbling and short-field cooperation, might allow them to...

Diego Simeone’s beautiful vision was short-lived as he saw his ”hope” fall to the ground.

It’s Pepe!

As Reyes bypassed the midfield and moved toward Real Madrid’s penalty area, Pepe’s ”ferocity” brought Reyes down on the ground.

”It looks like Reyes took quite a hard fall!”

”Previously, it was Reyes’s exit that changed the course of the match.”

”He is Simeone’s ace!”

Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid relies heavily on the players’ individual abilities on offense, and in the forward line, Reyes is indispensable.

Mourinho applauded on the sidelines, praising Pepe’s performance and casting his gaze toward Ramos.

Ramos and Pepe, both ”fierce” and ”brutal” players, what if they were to pair up?

”Real Madrid’s attack.”

”Continuous ball control.”

”Goes to Chen Zhong.”

”Marseille Turn!”

”Another Marseille Turn!”

”No, it’s more than just that!”

Real Madrid had the ball in the center. When it reached Chen Zhong’s feet, it was almost as if an insurance policy was taken out. This time, Chen Zhong didn’t rashly pass the ball but carried it forward, then in front of Atletico Madrid’s players, performed a Marseille Turn.

This move, when done by Chen Zhong, carries a unique aesthetic.

Atletico Madrid’s players quickly closed in. They had rehearsed against such a situation and knew what to do, but this time it was different.

When Chen Zhong took the ball, it was with his non-dominant, no, essentially no different from his right foot, his left foot, that he lifted it up.

Yes, he lifted it up.