I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 774: Chapter 41: Derby de Madrid

Real Madrid successfully advanced to the quarter-finals. Before the draw result confirmed it would be Tottenham Hotspur, there was a lot of speculation about who Real Madrid’s opponent might be. Some hoped for a match against Barcelona, while others wished for a reunion with Raul’s new team Schalke 04.

Despite different personal preferences and team supports, unanimous agreement is hard to come by in the world of football. However, this time, neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid wanted to face each other in the quarter-finals, nor did they wish to battle Inter Milan, Manchester United, or Chelsea.

If one were to choose from the quarter-final teams, Raul, who left Milan for Schalke 04, would be a decent choice.

Of course, this is just the thinking of Barcelona and Real Madrid. For Schalke 04 and Raul personally, they definitely wouldn’t want to encounter two of the strongest teams in the world right now.

After the match, Real Madrid’s former No. 7, Raul, also spoke about the quarter-final opponents in an interview, saying, ”I saw they defeated Lyon and smoothly advanced to the quarter-finals.”

”I don’t want to return to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium as an opponent. You know, I stayed there for a long time, and I have deep feelings. Emotionally speaking...”

”I might find it very difficult to concentrate on playing.”

”The Champions League quarter-final draw held in Nyon, Switzerland, is entirely random, with no seeds and no avoidance rules.”

”It’s entirely possible for a Premier League or La Liga team to meet each other.”

”I don’t want the team to draw Real Madrid...”

Some also asked Raul about the current Real Madrid locker room and the issue with Chen Zhong, specifically mentioning some problems Real Madrid has faced this season.

Regarding these statements, Raul directly supported Chen Zhong, saying, ”If you understand what Real Madrid used to be like, you wouldn’t have any doubts about Chen Zhong now.”

”In terms of ability, appearance, and character, he well represents and embodies the club.”

”I know him very well; he does better than I did.”

Raul maintained a good relationship with Chen Zhong. Raul led Chen Zhong into the Real Madrid first team, and even Chen Zhong’s first league goal was from Raul letting him take a penalty. Of course, Raul’s last goal for Real Madrid was also due to Chen Zhong passing the ball to him.

For Real Madrid, the team finally broke the annoying last-16 curse after changing seven coaches and investing nearly 1 billion euros. Of course, some view Chen Zhong’s entry into the first team as the beginning of breaking this curse.

After defeating Lyon to reach the quarter-finals, Mourinho also stated that it was normal for Real Madrid to clear the round of 16, and failing to do so would be a major failure.

In recent footage, it is evident that Real Madrid players are now more relaxed, and there’s an anticipation at the Bernabeu that Real Madrid can experience a similar curse-breaking effect like the Spain National Team.

In the 2008 European Cup, the Spain National Team finally broke the quarter-final curse, and the team went on to win both the European Cup and the World Cup.

”Now we can dream of our 10th Champions Cup,” Real Madrid executives said after a 3-0 win over Lyon.

Regarding the quarter-final opponent, before the result was announced, Real Madrid had a clear preference.

Casillas expressed, ”Fans hope to see Raul return to the Bernabeu.”

Cristiano Ronaldo frankly stated, ”I hope to face Manchester United or Raul.”

Chen Zhong stated that he hopes to draw an Italian team, for example, Inter Milan.

Of course, Chen Zhong’s statement was quickly ”rebuffed” by Mourinho, who didn’t want to face Inter Milan or Chelsea, as facing former employers would place a huge psychological burden on him.

This ”confrontation” between the two did not stir up much trouble because Friday’s Marca quickly clarified that Mourinho and his players think that drawing Schalke 04 would be equivalent to drawing a good ticket, as among these possible opponents, Schalke is relatively weaker.

Real Madrid’s top management also hopes to draw Schalke 04 because Raul’s return would guarantee box office success. It’s certain that the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium will be packed, and the club hopes for ticket sales of up to 4 million euros for a single match.

Real Madrid fans also wish to draw Raul, with some club affiliation leaders stating that if Raul returns, Real Madrid and the fans should take this opportunity to express respect to Raul.

However, there are concerns within Real Madrid that drawing Schalke 04 may lead to a trap, as Real Madrid might underestimate them, and Schalke 04 is not weak. Moreover, Raul’s return and the ensuing media hype might distract Real Madrid players.

More importantly, Raul’s counterattack might deal a fatal blow to Real Madrid, similar to how Morientes once brought disastrous consequences to Real Madrid in the Champions Cup knockout rounds.

Of course, the opponents Real Madrid wants to avoid even more are Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Chelsea. If drawn together with Barcelona, both teams would face each other four times in two weeks, imposing a great psychological and physical burden on both teams.