When Sporting de Gijón equalized the score, Ranieri was sitting in his seat. He spread his hands out in regret. His action was the same as Li Ang's action when Valencia scored the goal. The goal was lost because the goal was too spectacular, not because of the game.
Of course, if Ranieri wanted to find the reason, he could still find something he was dissatisfied with. It was that no one went up to intercept or block Carlos, allowing him to complete the entire goal without anyone defending him!
However, Ranieri knew that he had his own reasons for doing so. During the tactical analysis meeting before the match, when Ranieri mentioned Carlos, he mainly mentioned that he was a defensive player and asked the attacking players of Valencia to be careful of him. Obviously, in Ranieri's mind, Carlos was a pure defensive player. His offensive contribution to Sporting de Gijón was almost zero.
However, Carlos's spectacular long shot left Ranieri shocked and helpless. In his eyes, Carlos was supposed to be the most 'harmless' player in Sporting de Gijón's midfield, but he did something that the other attacking players could not do: he scored a goal!
Ranieri shook his head and rubbed his temples. He did not immediately get up to give the players any tactical instructions. On one hand, Ranieri had not thought about the substantial changes that the goal would bring to the team. On the other hand, he believed in his players. Valencia was the defending champion, and they had been tested for a long time. The players should be able to cope with a goal concede!
*****
When the match resumed, both sides were in a stalemate. Neither side could break the stalemate.
After the equalizer, Sporting de Gijón paid more attention to their midfield defense. Modric also took the initiative to help Carlos take on a lot of defensive duties.
On the other hand, Valencia was a little wary of the active Ribéry. When they attacked, they did not dare to put too much pressure on them.
After more than thirty minutes of the match, the timing of the goal was very delicate. Both sides wanted to score a goal to take the lead into the halftime break, but they were also worried that they would concede a goal.
With such a mentality, not conceding a goal became the wisest choice.
The two sides had been attacking each other for more than half an hour. Now, they had finally slowed down the pace of the game and started to kill each other in the midfield.
In the last ten minutes of the first half of the match, the main characters on the field were Valencia's captain, Albelda, and Sporting de Gijón's young player, Juan Carlos!
There was a duel that countless fans talked about enthusiastically.
*****
Sporting de Gijón once had a very dangerous attack in the 41st minute of the game with the individual ability of the players. It was a breakthrough formed by Ribéry on the left flank. Carboni went up to intercept, but Ribéry used a very hidden spike to slip past.
Then, Ribéry suddenly cut inward!
Then, when Ribéry faced Marchena, his upper body swayed, causing the center back to lose his judgment and lose his center of gravity.
Ribéry immediately pulled the football past Marchena. Then, Ribéry wanted to continue to break through, but he faced the aggressive Albelda. The two of them were practically face to face!
At that moment, as long as Ribéry broke through Albelda, he would almost be in front of the goal.
The French youth was brimming with talent and daring. In a very narrow space, he attempted to pass the ball by himself!
It really caught Albelda off guard. He did not expect his opponent to try to pass the ball in such a narrow space.
Ribéry saw that he was about to catch up with the football. The moment he caught up with the football in his mind, he had already completed a lob shot!
At that moment, a leg stretched out from behind him and shoveled the football out of the end line in front of him. Ribéry could not stop in time and fell to the ground.
It was Albelda. Valencia's captain managed to turn his center of gravity back after losing his position. Then, he decisively shoveled the football out with precision!
It was a textbook bold shovel from the back of the penalty area!
*****
"Penalty kick!" In the stands of El Molinon Stadium, the home fans roared.
However, the referee's gesture was clear and decisive. He indicated that it was just a corner kick.
There was no foul!
There was no penalty kick!
Li Ang could not stand it on the sidelines. When he saw Albelda shovel and Ribéry fall to the ground in the penalty area, he rushed out of the technical area to protest. He thought that it should be a penalty kick.
"Manager Li Ang is very dissatisfied with this decision," Dagestino said. "However, the slow-motion camera showed that it was a corner kick. Albelda did not commit a foul. His shovel was very clean!"
The fourth official faced the emotional Sporting de Gijón manager and had to come forward to give him a stern warning.
Deafening boos from the Sporting Gihon fans could be heard from the stands. The fans did not care so much. They only saw Ribéry fall in the penalty area, but the referee did not give a penalty kick. This was the referee's unfair decision!
*****
Carlos's eyes were fixed on Albelda. Even as an opponent, Carlos could not help but cheer for Albelda's shovel. He saw clearly that Albelda's shovel was very decisive. If he was a second slower or a second faster, it would have been a penalty kick. In the penalty area, in such a sensitive area, Albelda's defense was very beautiful!
As if he felt Carlos's gaze, Albelda looked over and saw that the little guy he had paid attention to before was looking at him.
A smile appeared on Albelda's face. It was purely a smile that did not have any special meaning. Perhaps it was an inexplicable feeling after seeing a younger version of himself in the opposing team.
However, what was interesting was that in Carlos's eyes, this guy's smile with his chin raised was a provocation. It was as if he was saying, "Little guy, learn from me!"
There was no other reason. Carlos remembered that when he was in the slums of Madrid, those guys who had fought with him, when they provoked him, they also looked like this. They put their hands on their hips, raised their chins, and had a despicable smile on their faces!
If Albelda knew what Carlos thought in his heart, he would feel extremely wronged and speechless. What was in this little guy's head? Why was his brain wired like this?!
*****
Many years later, when the two great defensive midfielders in the history of Spanish football talked about this matter, Carlos realized that he had misunderstood Albelda. Although Albelda was a fierce defensive midfielder, in the face of a junior like Carlos, he really did not have to provoke him. If there was a provocation, it was more appropriate for the younger generation to provoke the older generation. After figuring out the matter, both of them laughed. Everything was due to a misunderstanding that they did not know whether to laugh or cry!
However, it was precisely because of this misunderstanding that there was another exciting duel later on!
Carlos gritted his teeth. He was not convinced. What is this old guy so proud of? If you can do it, I can do it too!
In the face of this top defensive midfielder opponent in Spain, the young Carlos's fighting spirit was aroused!
He was not convinced!
PS: Second update, and guaranteed second update.
It's a new day. My current position is very unstable. Above me is God of Pass, and below me is the competition leader, Old Lin. With a casual kick, Xiao Qi will be sent flying.
Let's get more monthly votes, okay?
Moreover, God of Pass's chrysanthemum is seducing me. My heart is itching.
I will start to send extra chapters during the day. The 4th will still be the day of explosion. Xiao Qi will give it his all! Partners, let's give it our all!
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
