I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 835: Chapter 71: Ambitious

Mourinho showcased his ambition, and after this press conference, everyone knows that Real Madrid’s goal is to achieve the Triple Crown, a feat they’ve never had in their history!

Barcelona is still hoping Real Madrid will slip up in the league, and it seems Real Madrid might indeed have given them an opportunity.

Just three days after claiming the King’s Cup victory, Real Madrid returned to the Mestalla Stadium, but this time for a league match against Valencia.

As planned, Valencia players will form a guard of honor for Real Madrid before the match starts, paying tribute to the King’s Cup champions.

Some might have forgotten, but indeed Real Madrid has a league match to play between the end of the King’s Cup and the start of the Champions League.

In this match, Mourinho will adopt a rotation strategy, providing a performance opportunity for substitute players.

However, for Valencia, this match holds much more significance as they need to secure the third place in the league. Currently, Valencia, in third place, is 6 points ahead of Villarreal in fourth.

It can be expected that Real Madrid will field a substitute lineup, but only coach Mourinho knows the extent of these ”substitutes.”

On the defensive line, the resting Ramos and suspended Alvaro will watch from the sidelines.

Additionally, Kaka, who took a knock in the King’s Cup final, will also rest to prepare for the Champions League next Wednesday.

Real Madrid captain, Chinese midfielder Chen Zhong, will likely get a chance to rest in this match; everyone knows how crucial Chen Zhong is for Real Madrid when facing Barcelona.

In this match, Nacho from Castilla had the opportunity to start, possibly as a left-back, with Alvio playing right-back, and Galai and Cavaleiro partnering as center-backs.

The biggest question mark lies in the midfield, as it’s unclear if Mourinho will continue with the three defensive midfielder tactic, but a simultaneous start for Parejo and Granero is highly likely.

On the attack line, Callejon, Higuain, and Benzema all have opportunities to showcase themselves.

In contrast, Valencia’s lineup is much clearer.

Barring any surprises, Emery will continue using the starting lineup from last week’s win over Almeria, with Topal, Maduro, and Banega forming a solid defense to stand against Real Madrid’s formidable force.

Pablo Hernandez, Mata, and Soldado will look for breakthroughs and scoring opportunities in the mid-front field.

Before this match started, Soldado called Chen Zhong. He expressed some regret for not being part of this great season for Real Madrid and also conveyed his respect for Chen Zhong, finally stating he would give it his all.

For Real Madrid, this league match might not be that important, but for Valencia, it’s a crucial game.

Pre-match analysis suggested a fierce battle, but fresh off a championship win, Real Madrid entered the game full of momentum.

Before the match at Valencia’s home ground against Real Madrid, the members of the ”Bats” lined up at the pitch’s entrance to welcome Real Madrid players, expressing their respect for the new King’s Cup champions.

However, among the Real Madrid players welcomed by Valencia, several did not appear in the King’s Cup final.

During the match, Real Madrid players didn’t show any courtesy towards Valencia, as they leisurely handed Valencia one of the biggest defeats in their history at Mestalla Stadium.

Even with a Plan B, Mourinho still managed to demolish La Liga’s third place, which stunned the Spanish media.

Diario AS stated: ”This situation should serve as material for reflection, prompting the Spanish football community to analyze the severe imbalance in team strength currently facing La Liga.”

At Mestalla Stadium, Real Madrid demonstrated the same ambition, intensity, sacrifice, and focus as they did three days ago. Every minute of the match was like that. Real Madrid’s desire didn’t wane with the continuous goals, even though only Casillas and Cavaleiro from the starting lineup played in the King’s Cup final, Real Madrid’s ”B squad” could still effortlessly wield the hammer, ruthlessly striking Valencia.

There is no doubt that Real Madrid has a deep bench; it’s just that before, Mourinho overly relied on the main squad, giving too few opportunities to the substitutes.

Additionally noteworthy is that the Real Madrid bench was unprecedentedly luxurious in this match, with Chen Zhong, Kaka, and Cristiano Ronaldo all watching from the bench.

This also made the substitute players on the field enter the game with great momentum, especially Callejon, who performed diligently in this match.

The King’s Cup victory lifted Real Madrid players’ morale significantly, and also eased a great deal of the tremendous pressure that had troubled the team for a long time.

However, facing Valencia, Real Madrid still maintained a high level of tension, as Mourinho’s team played with direct and lightning-fast football, overwhelming Valencia.

Real Madrid used quick counterattacks, some textbook examples, to destroy the opponent, and Valencia had no response, like puppets at the mercy of an entertainer.