I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 860: Chapter 81: A Battle with No Retreat! (Part 2)

This match, actually many people are quite looking forward to it. After all, with Mourinho retreating to the background, many feel that without the external factors, football would return to its original form, shedding the offside issues and the dark side.

In Barcelona, this is just a football match. No matter how well or poorly both sides play, it’s just a game.

Continuous 4 ”El Clasicos” have spawned countless episodes off the field, but ultimately, the main characters are the players on the field.

In this ”war,” the team that laughs last is definitely the one that performs better.

Without Mourinho, Real Madrid has not lost direction under Mourinho’s ”savior-like” actions.

Before this match, Mourinho did not attend the routine press conference and was also absent during the game at Camp Nou, which had an adverse effect on the Real Madrid players.

Of course, there are also people who believe that even on the field, Mourinho doesn’t let his players fully play, but instead weaves a web of restrictions over them.

On the other side, without the interference of coaching disputes, Barcelona players focused solely on playing football, completely suppressing Real Madrid in the first half, which is quite rare this season.

Many people believe that Real Madrid has great strength, and they can definitely compete with Barcelona on the field, rather than exhausting their energy complaining about the referees.

Before yesterday’s game, Mourinho delivered a surprising message through his assistant Kalanca: the game itself was secondary. In fact, for Barcelona and Real Madrid, even if it’s a kid’s game, they strive to come first. The match is played at Camp Nou, not at UEFA’s office. Real Madrid players understand this well, so they show good professional attitude as soon as they step on the field. Real Madrid players know Real Madrid is a club with excellent tradition, players must never surrender in any situation.

Of course, even if the referee made some mistakes, the current scene is a bit chaotic, core figures from both teams struggling to stop conflicts, but apart from this goal, this game remained the purest among the 4 ”El Clasicos”.

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The dispute caused by this penalty finally subsided after a while, and the referee still insisted on his decision.

”In the first half, the referee showed leniency.”

”Didn’t give Cavaleiro a yellow card.”

”This kind of penalty was just finding a balance.”

In the first half, Cavaleiro committed a scissor-kick foul. While carrying a yellow card, the referee let him go without managing two yellows into a red. Some optimistic people viewed this as finding a balance.

Real Madrid soon calmed down and quickly regrouped!

Chen Zhong took the ball again, delivering a precise through pass, Higuain in hot form received the ball before the penalty box and finished with a shot.

However, Pique’s block was very timely, directly stopping the ball!

At the second drop point of the ball, Barcelona players grabbed it, leading to a Barcelona counterattack!

”53rd minute of the game!”

”Barcelona’s counterattack!”

”Ball goes to Iniesta!”

”Danger!”

The ball, blocked by Pique, quickly transferred to Iniesta’s feet. Iniesta slightly adjusted the ball, delivering a direct pass connecting Pedro who initiated in the front!

Real Madrid’s defense line was quite loose, Pedro took a touch and completed a solo run!

Facing Pedro’s solo run, Barcelona fans are extremely excited, loudly chanting Pedro’s name, eagerly wanting to see Pedro score the goal.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid fans pinned their hopes again on Casillas.

In this match, Casillas has made several saves.

Pedro, after getting the ball, stayed very calm, facing the waving Casillas, pushed with a shot!

Casillas went down, tried to intercept the ball, but did not succeed.

Pedro’s push shot went across Casillas’s fingertips, the ball skidded across the turf into the net!

The moment the goal was completed, Camp Nou erupted in a deafening cheer, Barcelona fans raised their scarves and sang the team anthem, the scoreboard turned to Barcelona 1-0 (aggregate score 2-1).

”The ball is in!”

”Pedro scores for Barca!”

”The aggregate score changes to 2:1”

”Barca takes a 1 goal lead at home!”

The camera sweeps across Real Madrid’s half, Casillas kneels and pounds the grass, Albiol sighs at the sky, while Chen Zhong, the young midfielder Mourinho had high hopes for, clenches his fist and rushes into the penalty area, pulling up his sitting teammate.

”Get up! The match isn’t over!” Chen Zhong shouted, simultaneously raising his arms high indicating teammates to brace themselves.

He turns and rushes to the center circle, mid-way slaps hands with Cristiano Ronaldo, then pats Di Maria’s back.

This body language crossing the language barrier like a shot of adrenaline, quickly awakening Real Madrid from the slump of conceding a goal, realizing there is still time, it’s not over yet!

Guardiola looks at Chen Zhong with admiration, initially wanting to bring Chen Zhong to Camp Nou, believing he is a very suitable player.

Meanwhile, in the hotel, when seeing Chen Zhong encouraging the players on the field, Mourinho also smiles, although he cannot be present, Real Madrid’s backbone remains.

The match continues.

Chen Zhong couldn’t wait for Mourinho’s instructions anymore. After communicating with teammates, Chen Zhong’s position already moved forward.

Whether losing by one or two makes no difference.

Since it’s already like this, might as well go all out!

Chen Zhong expressed his thoughts through actions.

”Real Madrid starts attacking!”

”Chen Zhong on the ball!”

”Continuous coordination with Alonso in midfield!”

Chen Zhong completes two one-touch passes with Alonso in midfield, suddenly a 45-degree diagonal pass reaches Cristiano Ronaldo who breaks the offside trap.

The Portuguese on the left of the box volleys fiercely but is saved by Valdes, Higuain following up, attempts an empty net shot, yet Pique clears on the goal line!

In Camp Nou’s exclamations, Chen Zhong gives a thumbs-up to the disappointed Argentine forward, then rushes towards the corner flag — recalling Mourinho’s reminder: set pieces are the key to breaking Barcelona’s defense.

And Chen Zhong once birthed the meme of ”Camp Nou Height Limit” for Barcelona.

”It’s a corner for Real Madrid!”

”Players from both teams are in the penalty area!”

”Let’s see this corner kick!”

Alonso steps up to take the corner, raising his right arm, responding to Real Madrid players.

When Alonso drives the corner, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pique engage in an aerial collision, both falling, Chen Zhong flicks a header diverting the ball to Higuain, who grabs the spot aiming a header at the goal, slightly missing.

This shot makes Barcelona fans break out in cold sweat, and Real Madrid fans deeply regret.

”Higuain’s shot!”

”Just slightly off the post!”

”Very unfortunate!”

Higuain looks extremely regretful, except for the time he shot accurately for an offside, later it seems as though he lost his aim, not hitting the target regardless.

This scene also leaves Mourinho speechless in the hotel.

This Higuain, probably, is jinxed!