After Qin Xiong's goal, Real Madrid's momentum was at its peak. At this time, Villarreal had to make a choice. With less and less time to fall behind in the score, would they stake everything to equalize the score and fight for a reversal? Or would they lose less and leave Bernabéu with self-deceiving dignity?
At this time, Real Madrid could face the game more calmly. Qin Xiong also hoped that the team would continue to work hard and take advantage of Villarreal's possible ideological differences to score another goal.
In his eyes, the game of football was actually full of endless fun. The changes in the situation, the capture of opportunities, the confrontation between individuals and teams, and so on.
But less than five minutes after Real Madrid's goal, Capello made a second active substitution.
Raúl was substituted, and Guti replaced Raúl on the field!
This time, the fans in the Bernabéu stadium erupted in loud boos.
Capello was unmoved. Although Guti could not be said to be a pure defensive player, compared to Raúl, his playing was like Beckham replacing Cassano. It was extremely dazzling in the eyes of Real Madrid fans: conservative!
Guti came on the field with the task assigned by Capello, which was to strengthen the defense on the flank and not give Villarreal any hope of equalizing the score.
In this way, Real Madrid's offense would be difficult to play as efficiently as before.
This was different from when Qin Xiong was at Arsenal. At Arsenal, it seemed amazing to use two or three attacking players to overturn the opponent's defensive line with five or six players. But there was a big premise. The team got an excellent chance to fight back. There was a large gap for Arsenal's whirlwind to create a dazzling flash attack speed.
But in Real Madrid?
Villarreal certainly would not give Real Madrid a lot of space to fight back. Coupled with the targeted restrictions on the core players, Real Madrid's player configuration was also different from Arsenal. Beckham had a foundation in passing on the flank, but when it came to long-distance attacks, he occasionally produced good works, but it was not stable. Van Nistelrooy was a killer in the penalty area. He could not be said to be incapable outside the penalty area, but his characteristics were clearly different from Henry's.
Therefore, Real Madrid struggled to play an efficient offense in the following 20 minutes of the game. Qin Xiong felt dispirited as he played.
It was undeniable that Capello was ensuring that Real Madrid got three points. But this kind of play not only made Qin Xiong feel at a loss, but also many Real Madrid players felt at a loss. It could even make Real Madrid fade into the crowd and be categorized with too many teams in the world, lacking their own style and characteristics.
Villarreal eventually became a trapped beast unable to struggle and lost 0: 1 to Bernabéu.
"At the end of the game, Real Madrid scored a good start to the new season at home with Qin Xiong's goal. The score of 1: 0 was just the result. In the last 10 minutes of the game, the familiar boos rang in the Bernabéu again. The fans were protesting against Capello. They not only wanted the victory, but also the ambition and pursuit to expand the results of the game. In any case, Capello's first official performance as Real Madrid's coach ended with a victory. I hope this is a good start and can put Real Madrid on the right track."
After the game, Qin Xiong was named the best player of the game. The league debut of La Liga's summer transfer king was recognized by all sides.
After taking a shower in the locker room, he recovered from his fatigue after the game. Then, when Qin Xiong was about to leave, Raúl took the initiative to invite him for a drink in the coffee shop outside.
Qin Xiong wanted to go home earlier to accompany Sylvia because Sylvia was in the same situation as Qin Xiong in Spain: she had almost no friends.
However, considering that it was the captain's invitation, and it was not an entertainment place like a nightclub, Qin Xiong nodded and agreed.
He drove and followed Raúl's car all the way to an elegant coffee shop in the city of Madrid.
Raúl and Qin Xiong sat in the corner on the first floor. After ordering drinks, Raúl smiled at Qin Xiong and said, "I'm very happy to be able to play with you as a teammate."
Qin Xiong also showed a smile and nodded, "Me too."
This was from the bottom of his heart. Raúl was a world-class player. His ball knowledge and football skills were obvious to all. Qin Xiong liked to play with high-level teammates, especially teammates with a dedication. The team was the most important.
After a while, the drinks were served. Qin Xiong held a glass of orange juice. Raúl was silent for a moment before he stopped smiling and said slightly seriously, "What do you think of the team's offense?"
Qin Xiong did not quite understand the question, so he asked, "What do you mean?"
Raúl's eyes contained a hint of reminiscence. He said faintly, "In my memory, you partnered with Thierry in the offensive combination at Arsenal. Although Arsenal did not have many offensive players, their offensive routines were very varied."
At this point, he paused for a moment and continued, "As you know, Real Madrid has now returned to a more conservative tactical style. I think I should know Capello better than you. We had a cooperation ten years ago. Let's put it this way. Our current situation is that we don't put too many players into the offense. This is the iron rule issued by the manager, so there needs to be a lot of variation in the offensive routines. To be honest, the offensive partnership you formed with Henry at Highbury made me envious and surprised, and I think there can be positive chemistry between you and me. "
Qin Xiong pondered for a moment and nodded, but then he shook his head and said, "No, the situation is actually still not quite the same. Arsenal's game stance in the English Premier League still depends on the situation. Because the English Premier League teams are not overly conservative at home, Arsenal can use defensive counter-attacks in the away game, but they will invest more at home. The foundation of this offense has been laid down for many years. Before I went to Arsenal, Pires, Ljungberg, Henry, they were a very strong combination. Real Madrid is now pushing everything back and starting all over again. The difficulty is far higher than when I played for Arsenal before. This is not a matter of how many players there are in the defense and how many players there are in the offense. "
Raúl nodded in agreement and said, "You're right. That's why I wanted to talk to you. We want the team to be renewed as soon as possible and move on to a stable and strong path. Communication between teammates is essential, isn't it?"
"I agree with this. If there is no communication, there is no communication. Sometimes it is necessary for everyone to actively communicate in order to make things better. After this period of training and today's game, I think there will be a lot of cooperation between you and me in the game, and the most important thing is determined by your offensive habits.
On the left flank, you tend to cut inwards towards the middle and then rush into the penalty area, and I will sometimes be active on the left flank. You and I can form a fixed offensive team on this basis, but there is a big premise. You and I will not be given new roles and tasks by the manager. One thing I have to make clear is that I am just a newcomer to Madrid. "
Qin Xiong's subtext was already very obvious. He did not want to be the person who disturbed the locker room or went against the manager.
Raúl nodded in understanding. The two continued to talk in depth and left the coffee shop an hour later.
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