Chapter 364: Chapter 35: The Mei-Chen Connection

If in the match against Barcelona, the team can focus on control, hold the ball, gradually control the pace of the game, and deplete Barcelona’s stamina.

Then can they make a significant impact?

Instead of letting Barcelona control the ball and exhaust our players, why don’t we control the ball and exhaust Barcelona?

Chen Zhong expressed his approval of Pellegrini’s request.

Because he hasn’t faced Guardiola’s Barcelona, while Pellegrini had a direct confrontation last season, he is willing to follow Pellegrini’s instructions.

After Chen Zhong left, Pellegrini also breathed a sigh of relief, but it was only that, just a sigh.

After an all-night discussion with Francisco, they built a counter-Messi plan, establishing a new system dedicated to defending Messi.

This system was built based on detailed research on Messi, aiming to solve four of Messi’s issues.

1. Messi’s inside cut from the right.

The right is a position Messi is very accustomed to.

He often receives the ball on the right and seeks to advance with it. He has many options here, such as going inside or outside, but generally speaking, the goal is to enter the penalty area.

The first thing Real Madrid must do is prevent Messi from entering the penalty area.

Messi is extremely agile and has fast acceleration, which earned him the nickname “Little Flea” early in his career. Facing such a player, it’s difficult for one player to mark him.

When Messi first started, people used double or triple marking to watch him, and he would pass the ball back, but not anymore. Now, he will try to break through opponents to perform incredible feats.

2. Messi receives the ball in the center to advance.

In Barcelona’s unique system, Messi and Ibrahimovic’s issues mainly appear here.

Guardiola gave Messi a lot of freedom; he can choose to advance with the ball himself or opt for a one-two with teammates, similar in this respect to Chen Zhong.

Chen Zhong also likes to be in the central position, and when he sees an opportunity, he directly advances with the ball and seeks cooperation with teammates.

Entering the new season, Messi increasingly receives the ball and breaks through in the center, mainly because receiving the ball in this position is more relaxed and easier for him.

However, Ibrahimovic isn’t content being a supporting role.

In Real Madrid, when Chen Zhong receives the ball in the center, the strikers upfront, whether it’s Negredo, Benzema, or Higuain, will position themselves to stretch the opponent’s defense.

If successfully pulling away the opponent’s defenders, Chen Zhong will advance or take a long shot, but if not, he will pass the ball to a player in an open space.

Now, Messi is increasingly receiving the ball and breaking through in the center. In the center, Messi has an easier time receiving the ball and greater attacking freedom.

Pellegrini is most troubled by Messi’s lightning-fast advancing speed.

3. Messi moves horizontally from the right to the center for a shot.

After securing his position as Barcelona’s main player, Messi helped the team score many goals in this manner.

He’ll receive the ball on the right, then move horizontally towards the center, and then perform one-twos with teammates, or cooperate with overlapping fullbacks, or pursue a solo breakthrough shot.

His choices are entirely based on the defense players’ decisions.

Facing Barcelona’s tactically harmonized training from a young age, various teams often fall into imbalance because of their tactics, ending up confused by Barcelona.

Relying on this repeatedly tested routine, Barcelona became Spain’s first Triple Crown team, even making people believe that any manager could achieve significant success there.

Guardiola is just a lucky one.

4. Messi attacks while holding the ball at the corner of the penalty area.

Another ironclad proof of Guardiola’s current achievements due to Messi.

Messi’s individual ability is unquestionable; he often gains the opportunity to attack near the corner of the opponent’s penalty area.

Defenders need to be very careful in these situations.

On one hand, they can’t allow themselves to be easily bypassed by Messi, and on the other hand, they must be cautious not to recklessly concede a penalty.

But Pellegrini has another point of focus: defenders can’t wait passively for Messi to act, because if they don’t press Messi, there’s only one outcome.

Whether it’s passing to overlapping Alves on the right, feeding the ball to Xavi surging from the center, a horizontal pass into the box, or taking a solo run and shot, praying that the team’s goal survives an assault.

Messi has countless choices in this position.

If you let him decide calmly, it’s practically announcing your own defeat.

Pellegrini, pulling his hair, finds himself in agony over how to restrict Barcelona’s Messi.

This could be a topic of heated discussion for some time in football.

Of course, Pellegrini isn’t alone; Guardiola is also troubled by Real Madrid.

Just like Pellegrini, the highly appreciating Chen Zhong’s abilities, Guardiola has established a counterplan specifically for Chen Zhong.

Chen Zhong’s central advancement, one-two cooperation, long passes, and long shots all cause headaches for Guardiola.

Especially in terms of height and strength, Barcelona’s midfield has difficulty matching Chen Zhong, considering his numerous headers against Milan.

Barcelona, often on the losing side in this regard, has to consider improving this aspect.

…

As both sides are warily observing each other, the time arrives for the match day.

At Camp Nou, Barcelona’s fans arrive early in their red and blue attire, gathering outside the stadium to cheer for the team, with plenty holding signs saying: “Just missing you!”

Chen Zhong is in his first season with Real Madrid during Schuster’s tenure.

Real Madrid clinched the championship early, with Barcelona forced to line up and welcome Real Madrid players at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, a match Barcelona left humiliated.

Although in the second season, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in both encounters, they still remember one man.

That man is Chen Zhong!

As the creator of that “disaster,” he’s the only player who escaped retaliation.

This makes some extreme Barcelona fans feel dissatisfied.

Besides them, various people with unclear motives also raised various signs expressing their opinions towards Chen Zhong.

For example:

[You don’t deserve this salary.]

This refers to Chen Zhong’s 12 million Euro salary, talking about him being the highest-paid in football.

[Your goal numbers are rigged.]

This claims Chen Zhong’s recent goals are collected from weaker teams, considering this an unethical act, as in their view, Chen Zhong should score just a couple to avoid inflating his numbers.

[Run away! You’re a deserter.]

This comments on Chen Zhong transferring to Milan during last season’s winter window. They don’t consider the public or private battles between Schuster, Florentino, and others; they only know that when Barcelona was strong, Chen Zhong didn’t stand tall for Real Madrid but went to Italy for refuge.

“Deserter” is a nickname that haters have favored since then.

These banners did not upset Chen Zhong’s mentality; instead, he laughed internally: “The more popular you are, the more controversies you draw.”

Real Madrid players, however, are angry and seeking justice for Chen Zhong.

This made Pellegrini see it and sigh in relief, thinking the team’s spirit is ready for battle.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep