Chapter 189: Chapter 68: Heated Debate in China, a Double Reversal

However, local excellence will not make the problem disappear; the weak links in the entire defense line will still exist. As long as Real Madrid is attacked from the flanks by the opponent and long balls target tall center forwards, the scenes of consecutive conceded goals today may reappear.

This issue has become very serious. If Real Madrid is overtaken by Barcelona in the second half of the season, then everything before will become a blade stabbing Real Madrid.

Simply put, Schuster has to admit one thing, that is, Real Madrid is sick.

Suffering from “Chen Zhong Dependency Syndrome.”

In matches without Chen Zhong, it is very difficult for them to win.

…

This issue is not only noticed internally at Real Madrid but is also gradually becoming a hot topic outside regarding Real Madrid suffering from Chen Zhong Dependency Syndrome.

[Real Madrid lost to Betis.]

[It was another match without Chen Zhong!]

[So, does that mean Chen Zhong is the midfield core of Real Madrid?]

…

Domestically, there has always been a problem, which is being lenient towards foreign athletes but stricter towards domestic athletes, and this is also true in football.

They are always easily incited by some mysterious forces to target some genius players, and even suffer from some “tackling crisis” within the team, such as the case of the Four Flying Swans, Brazilian Zhang.

This player had outstanding footwork, regarded as the most talented player back then, with movements resembling a samba dancer. However, during a training camp, he was tackled and had his leg broken after playing tricks on a “teammate,” ruining his career.

The case of Brazilian Zhang is not isolated, yet lessons are rarely learned. Manchester United Director is gradually fading from fans’ memories, as he rarely gets a chance to play at Manchester United, and even if he does, it is usually when there is not much time left, and his performance isn’t impressive.

With Chen Zhong’s brilliance preceding him, he’s also recently faced much criticism.

This season, Chen Zhong is regarded as a “genius” abroad, showing quite remarkable performances. However, in the eyes and mouths of some “knowledgeable” domestic people, seemingly to demonstrate their uniqueness, they like to nitpick on some details.

“Chen Zhong still isn’t quite there. I’ve seen more talented players, he is…”

“Chen Zhong is still a bit lacking; sometimes, he’s not quite calm on the field, no need to be so excited after scoring…”

“Chen Zhong still has issues; when he’s passing, the actions aren’t standard enough, sometimes with heel passes, and cross-leg passes, which isn’t good…”

…

But these things have almost disappeared recently, especially after Chen Zhong created 5 goals on his own, everyone has to begin recognizing this 16-year-old youngster and has to admit that maybe Chen Zhong is becoming the best football player in China.

Once this notion emerged, the selection for the national team and the National Olympic Team became a hot topic for the entire nation.

On this level, there’s always been a notion of disliking “global players,” those world-class and well-known players, because such players are hard to control.

Especially with Chen Zhong being only 16 years old and having acquired so much wealth, it’s hard to precisely grasp his temperament.

Initially, they wanted to ignore it, but as even Real Madrid couldn’t escape the dependency on Chen Zhong, the public started questioning why they remain indifferent, forcing them to make some clarifications.

First, on the national team level, they politely stated that they had contacted Chen Zhong, but he rejected the national team’s call-up.

This statement sent most “fans” into a frenzy, with many in the country directly accusing Chen Zhong of being an “ingrate.” However, a few real fans remained calm, remembering that Chen Zhong had said in an interview: “I don’t want friendlies and exhibition matches to affect my form. At a club like Real Madrid, I hope to fully commit to securing my position.”

On this point, many genuine fans see no issue, knowing that the back-and-forth travel impacts a player’s form, and many examples prove this wrong.

After the national team made a statement, the National Olympic Team also commented, stating Chen Zhong’s age is too young and that he lacks chemistry with the team, which could cause problems and even impact the team.

Under these continuous blows, Chen Zhong faced considerable pressure, even his family suffered misfortunes.

This also affected Chen Zhong’s mood.

While these discussions were ongoing domestically, the national side stepped in, not by commenting, but by announcing that Chen Zhong would become an Olympic torchbearer and one of the stars singing the Olympic theme song, instantly turning his public perception halfway around.

Almost simultaneously, seemingly to avoid further debate, the National Olympic Team announced a preliminary roster, mainly comprising players born in the ’80s, with a few from the ’70s, leaving out ’90s players entirely. Both Chen Zhong and the recently discussed Barcelona’s Wu Lei and Chelsea’s Zhang Linpeng didn’t make it onto the National Olympic Team roster.

Some even explained the age restrictions for the National Youth Team and National Youth. If based on age, Chen Zhong could at most enter the under-17 National Youth Team.

This shifted public opinion, with the people who initially criticized Chen Zhong starting to voice support for him.

“I think our mindset should be more open; if young players are capable, there’s no harm in promoting them.”

“Chen Zhong is actually a ’90s kid! I thought he was an ’80s kid having established himself at Real Madrid.”

“It turns out he didn’t refuse to join, but the age regulations are limiting him! He’s already established in La Liga, I think even joining the national team wouldn’t be a problem!”

“People with talent will always have privileges; if Chen Zhong has such skills, why not let him in?”

…

Amidst the discussions, Real Madrid Club also made a statement.

Calderon said in a news interview that because Chen Zhong is relatively young, they wouldn’t allow him to participate in the Olympics as it might lead to injuries when facing some overage players.

Calderon’s statement drew considerable attention, with many finding him amusing.

Chen Zhong has played numerous times in La Liga and Champions League, yet you weren’t worried about him getting injured then?

Yet, you’re worried about injuries now that he’s going to join the National Olympic Team?

…

The external discussions subsided, with Pimenta contacting Chen Zhong to discuss the Olympic torchbearer routes and recording the Olympic theme song.

If these two tasks are done well, they could positively enhance Chen Zhong’s image in the country.

In fact, Chen Zhong’s existence has already greatly benefited domestic football. With his outstanding performances at the club level, many talented prospects have already been scouted by foreign clubs.

This differs from past abroad opportunities, as foreign clubs spend resources and energy uncovering talents from local streets and stadiums.

Besides the well-known domestic players like Gao Lin, Wu Lei, and Zhang Linpeng, nearly a thousand players have been scouted by clubs worldwide recently.

This targeting of the main vein of Chinese football has left Chinese fans unsure how to direct their attention.

But this is no longer related to Chen Zhong. He is about to head to Italy to participate in the Champions League round of 16, create history, and challenge Rome.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep