Chapter 083: Facing the Old Club
Real Madrid equalized with Tang Zheng's shocking kick in the last minute of regular time, and the Real Madrid fans in the stands became more passionate, and the deafening huge cheers rose higher and higher.
Looking at the whole stadium, not a single fan was sitting there watching the game, and they were all standing in front of the seats with excitement, nervousness and anticipation coexisting.
Real Madrid, who equalised, was like a rainbow and ran at the expense of physical strength amid a huge shout, hoping to overtake the score before the end of injury time.
However, after all, Real Madrid played one less man, and the space in the huge Bernabeu Stadium was not used well, and Barcelona's comprehensive retreat did not leave much room for Real Madrid to attack, and the physical consumption of Real Madrid players in injury time was more serious.
The defenders were also a little worried that Barcelona, who had retreated in full swing, would seize the opportunity of a quick counterattack to overtake the score again, and based on this situation, the two full-backs did not dare to participate in the attack at the same time.
The deterrent power of Messi, Sanchez and Iniesta is there and should not be underestimated.
Therefore, until the referee on duty Marienko blew the end of the game, the score remained unchanged, 4:4, and both sides scored one point each.
This result is naturally unacceptable to both sides of the game, but it is also within an acceptable range.
Of course, the most satisfying is Atletico Madrid, which won this round.
With one point each for Real Madrid and Barcelona, Atletico Madrid's points lead has gone from four and five points to three and four.
With nine league games remaining, three and four points could be a big part of their title race this season.
Referee Marienco just blew the whistle at the end of the game, and Yang 5 commentator He Wei couldn't wait to shout: "The game is over! The game is over! Real Madrid, who sat at the Bernabeu Stadium, finally drew 4:4 at home with our player Tang Zheng in the last minute of regular time! But we have to know that it is not difficult to draw against Barcelona, the difficult thing is to turn the defeat around with one less player, and if the game is longer, I think Tang Zheng's Real Madrid may reverse Barcelona at home......"
While Hevy was gushing, the Real Madrid players were not as excited as they imagined, and the same was true for Barcelona.
Obviously, not a single point was the result of their plan.
Tang Zheng, who wore the armband of the Real Madrid captain for the first time, crossed his hands on his waist and looked helpless, and his brain unnaturally thought of the injury time, if the offensive organization was patient and the kick was more accurate, the score would be ...... Subject to change.
At this moment, a hand was placed on Tang Zheng's right shoulder.
He looked back and saw that it was his friend Sanchez.
Suddenly, Tang Zheng smiled, raised his right hand, and shook it with Sanchez's raised right hand, and his left hand went to Hug Sanchez, and said with a smile: "Hey~ Dude, I'm sorry, I didn't let you win the game." ”
After that, I felt a little bad, adding: "You did well, but you gave you too little time......
Instead of smiling as he imagined, Sanchez sighed meaningfully.
Tang Zheng is very good friends with Sanchez, from the time he played for River Plate until now, so he still knows Sanchez well, he said: "Unhappy? or ...... Come to our team?"
"Come to Real Madrid?" Sanchez's eyes lit up, but then he shook his head and said, "Forget it." ”
Sanchez, who was about to say something, saw a Real Madrid player coming over, and he said: "Tomorrow you invite me to dinner." ”
“OK!”
As a common practice between good friends, it is not appropriate to get together before the game, and there are no scruples in this regard after the game, so Tang Zheng is very refreshing.
As soon as Sanchez turned around and walked away, Ramos walked up to Tang Zheng and opened his arms: "Thank you, Don." ”
'You also keep hope for the team. Tang Zheng patted Ramos on the back and said with a smile: "We are a team, but it's a pity that we couldn't win the game." ”
Ramos is a lover, he didn't say too many sensational words, patted Tang Zheng on the back and apologized to other teammates.
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Although the result of the game was a bit difficult for Ancelotti and Martino to accept, a point was not the worst result, so the coaches of both sides did not lose their manners after the game, and each took the initiative to walk towards each other and shake hands.
Immediately, the on-site director gave Messi a close-up.
British Sky commentator Andy Gray shook his head and said: "In my opinion, Leo Messi, who scored a hat-trick, was not as good as Don at all, he did not contribute anything except three goals, Don is different, he has his shadow in attack and defense, and he is at the top of the list in many statistics in this game." ”
Martin Taylor pouted and said: "It's a sad thing in football, the focus is always on the players who score the most goals, and if Don hadn't scored more goals and assists in the 2012-2013 season, I think he would have been ignored by the so-called judges, right?"
At the same time, Tang Zheng, who was one of Real Madrid's best performances in the game, was interviewed by domestic reporters in the mixed zone.
In fact, the questions asked by the domestic media are much the same, nothing more than asking about scoring the world wave and wearing the captain's armband.
Scoring the world wave is equivalent to a daily operation for Tang Zheng, and many media have given him the title of 'World Wave User' in the past two seasons, so it is easy to answer, but wearing the captain's armband on his left arm makes Tang Zheng a little difficult to answer.
After all, the captain of a top European club like Real Madrid has always paid less attention to ability and international influence, and more to seniority.
Obviously, Tang Zheng, who wore the captain's armband, was a junior player on the field at that time, so Tang Zheng hesitated for about five seconds before answering: "First of all, of course, I was caught off guard, I didn't expect it at all, but with the passage of time, it was like that, but the burden on my body was heavier, but there was pressure to be motivated, and it turned out that pressure had a promoting effect on me......"
The domestic media's admiration for Tang Zheng is very high, so no matter what Tang Zheng says, the reporters are all smiling.
Because...... Tang Zheng is the pride of the whole of China!
At the regular press conference after the game, the visiting team Martino and Messi were interviewed by the media in a low mood.
Of course, the same is true for the coaches of the home team who participated later, Carlo Ancelotti and Tang Zheng.
The only difference is that Tang Zheng is full of confidence in the future, and he firmly believes that Atletico Madrid will definitely make mistakes in the next nine rounds of the league.
But......
What I never expected was that neither Atletico Madrid nor Barcelona made a mistake, but Real Madrid made the first mistake.
Real Madrid, who were at the Estadio Pizjuán, were beaten by in-form Tang Zheng, but centre-backs Pepe and Raphael Varane made a series of mistakes to turn the lead for Sevilla at home.
And the visiting Real Madrid were also unlucky, Tang Zheng and Cristiano Ronaldo each hit the crossbar once.
In the end, Real Madrid lost 1-2 to Sevilla.
In the other two key games played later, Barcelona defeated Celta 3-0 at home, and Atletico Madrid beat Granada 1-0 at home, which means that in the 30th round of the 2013-2014 La Liga season, Atletico Madrid is six points ahead of Real Madrid, two points behind Barcelona, and the ranking has fallen to third.
The hard-fought draw at home to Barcelona had already put Real Madrid under pressure, but with the defeat at the Estadio Pizjuan, the pressure on the players increased.
The Champions League quarter-finals against Borussia Dortmund will be difficult to re-enter the rhythm of next week, and the focus of preparation will definitely have to shift.
But in this case, losing to Sevilla, the much-anticipated Real Madrid was naturally judged by various media.
Whoever it is, it is criticized by the media.
Cristiano Ronaldo was considered by a large number of media to be sticky to the ball, wave shots, and Tang Zheng, whose performance has always been stable, was considered by the sensationalist media to be in a declining state, shooting was not decisive enough, and his ability to pass the ball was reduced......
For the media's judgment, Tang Zheng has long been completely ignored.
After all, the media is all about the so-called sales, and it is not something they should consider as to whether the injury hurts the judging players.
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The defeat at Sevilla was Real Madrid's third defeat of the season, with the result dropping them from second to third, and even more unacceptably being six points clear of Atletico Madrid, with two wins.
If it's the start of the league, it's not a six-point difference, the problem is that there are eight rounds left in the league.
La Liga, where the league is in the sprint stage, will Atletico Madrid allow themselves to make mistakes?
Of course, there will be mistakes, but the probability of this is not high.
However, it is not without good news for Real Madrid, who are behind on points, as Atletico Madrid will face the Basque Lions Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal away before and after the next Champions League quarter-finals.
Considering the importance of the Champions League, Atletico Madrid's focus will definitely shift, and it will be time for Real Madrid to chase points.
Real Madrid will host Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, and after 90 minutes of fierce battle, Real Madrid, who rotated several positions, defeated Rayo Vallecano 5-0 at the Bernabeu, sweeping away the slump of last weekend's 1-2 defeat at Sevilla.
Perhaps Atletico Madrid was too concerned about the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final at Camp Nou in the middle of next week, when Atletico Madrid lost 2-1 to Athletic Bilbao at the San Mamés Stadium......
Barcelona challenged the city's rivals Espanyol away from home, and won 1:0 away with Messi's final decision.
In this way, after 31 rounds of La Liga in the 2013-2014 season, Atletico Madrid ranked first with 76 points, Barcelona ranked second in the league with 75 points, and Real Madrid ranked third in the league with 73 points.
Atletico Madrid looked to be the favourite for the league title with four points in the lead, but as the knockout stages of the Champions League approached, their lack of bench depth was magnified, and some reservations were vividly demonstrated by the defeat to Athletic Bilbao away from home.
In particular, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are only one point apart, and the two teams have three more games to meet, two of which are Champions League quarter-finals and the other is the final round of La Liga this season, when Barcelona takes on Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou.
Therefore, if Real Madrid wants to maintain the impact of the league title, they must first ensure that they do not make mistakes again, otherwise everything will be in vain.
The schedule is still more favorable for Real Madrid, their remaining eight league opponents are relatively easy to play, and only Valencia is a little more difficult to bite, but playing at home will increase some chances of winning.
Getting back to the point, Real Madrid, which has reduced the league points, shifted its entire focus and came to the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.
Real Madrid will take on defending champions Borussia Dortmund at the Bernabeu.
Now there is only one position change between this Dortmund team and the invincible Dortmund team last season, that is, Mkhitaryan replaces Tang Zheng, but Mkhitaryan's ability is obviously not comparable to Tang Zheng, so Real Madrid's hope of winning at home is very big.
However, there are no weak teams in the Champions League, especially the defending champions.
Bundesliga teams have always been the main players of La Liga, so Ancelotti's preparation is very rigorous.
After a season, against his old club on the field, Tang Zheng is actually not ready, even if the draw for the Champions League 1/4 finals is over for half a month.
If Tang Zheng was asked which team he was most reluctant to touch, he would answer Dortmund without hesitation.
Borussia Dortmund is not just a team for Tang Zheng, it is a team, a real team, with the warmth of home, and the fans are very lovely, and there will always be a deafening loud cheer at the Westphafa Lun Stadium when they don't come to the home game.
In particular, the frenetic South Stand, which was in a state of extreme activity from the start to the end of the game.
Tang Zheng, who was preparing for the Champions League quarter-finals at the Valdebebas training base, was obviously a little absent-minded, his handling of the ball was dragging compared to the past, and his passing accuracy was not enough.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti is an old fox, and he can see at a glance that Tang Zheng's mentality is wrong.
So, Ancelotti pulled his assistant Zidane and chatted a few words.
In many cases, it will be effective for Zidane and Tang Zheng, who have a better relationship, to come forward.
It turned out that Zidane, the old fritter in football, was very suitable for playing the role of a bridge between coaches and players, and Tang Zheng's attention increased significantly in the training session that afternoon.
Although it is not in peak form, Ancelotti believes that Tang Zheng will keep up with the team's progress as the Champions League quarterfinals approach.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid and Manchester United vs Bayern Munich are played on the first Champions League matchday in midweek, while Real Madrid vs Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea are played on the second Champions League matchday.
The whole Real Madrid team watched the live broadcast of Barcelona's home game against Atletico Madrid, but due to time constraints, the players watched it at home.
I don't know if it's a coincidence, the two matches of the Champions League match that rekindled the fire in midweek were all 1:1.
When the whistle sounded at the end of the game, Tang Zheng was very satisfied.
There was no winner at Camp Nou and both sides will be focused on the second leg.
At that time, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will shift their attention to the Champions League to varying degrees, and the league will naturally relax......
Real Madrid, who took the initiative to make mistakes first, will usher in a good opportunity to chase points!
Immediately, Tang Zheng got up and turned off the TV, went back to the room to take a shower and sleep, and faced his old club with a good attitude.