Raised Expectations
On December 1st, at the Madrid Calderón Stadium, the eagerly anticipated local derby unfolded, stirring the entire city, and the outcome would directly determine the second-place position on the league table.
Lakanias, a typical die-hard fan of the Bed Sheet Legion, had experienced the glorious history of Atletico Madrid's eight-year reign of dominance in the 70s, as well as the continuous descent into darkness.
Through thick and thin, his dedication remained unwavering. However, what troubled him was the fact that his beloved grandson turned out to be a Real Madrid fan, constantly clamoring not only to defeat Atletico but also to wear a white jersey and cheer for Real Madrid at the stadium.
Back in his day, anyone wearing white among a sea of red and white jerseys would have received a beating at the very least, and could have even caused a riot. After much persuasion, his grandson reluctantly agreed not to wear the Real Madrid jersey, but still insisted on wearing a cap adorned with the Real Madrid crest.
"You little rascal," Lakanias couldn't help but chuckle. Initially nervous about potentially upsetting the home team fans sitting nearby, he soon realized that Atletico fans nowadays weren't as radical as before.
Especially among the younger generation, there were those who loved the Bed Sheet Legion but also didn't mind supporting the Galacticos, considering the numerous glories they had brought to Madrid in recent years.
Lakanias couldn't help but miss the days of the Iron Blood Legion. He believed that Simeone could surely revive the spirit of Atletico Madrid. Even if they didn't win championships, that fierce determination and tenacity should never be lost.
As if hearing the sentiments of the old fans, the match started with a bang. In the 7th minute, Koke received the first yellow card of the game for a foul on Modric outside the penalty area.
Shortly after, the away team fought back, with Etxeita receiving a yellow card for a foul on Turan, and Miranda committing a foul near the goal line against Morata, while Ramos directly pushed down Fàbregas during defense.
The match rhythm was frequently interrupted by fouls from both sides. Initially, Wang Feng wanted to stabilize the situation and reassure his teammates, but he found that the opponent's tactics were like that of a rabid dog, biting fiercely. In that case, there was nothing more to say; they had to fight back.
In the 37th minute, the Chinese superstar dribbled forward with the ball, faced with the double-team of Suarez and Gabi, he used his body and explosive force to forcibly open a path.
Before Turan's sliding tackle could reach the ball, Wang Feng skillfully lifted the ball forward and jumped vertically to avoid the tackle. Then, he caught up with the ball rebounding from the ground with two steps and unleashed a shot.
A meteor flying at 138 kilometers per hour! The sound of breaking through the air echoed throughout the Calderón Stadium, leaving the home team fans cursing in silence. Atletico's goalkeeper Courtois could only watch as the ball fiercely hit the net.
1-0! Real Madrid took the lead!
The match continued to be filled with confrontations and fouls, with Wang Feng receiving his fourth yellow card of the season. If he received one more, he would be suspended for a match.
In the 79th minute, the Galacticos sealed the victory. The Chinese superstar made a diagonal pass to Marcelo, who then crossed from the bottom line. Inside the penalty area, Iguain volleyed with his left foot, and the ball passed through Courtois' legs into the net.
2-0! Real Madrid successfully took three points from the Calderón Stadium.
Both Lakanias and his grandson left the stadium quite satisfied. His grandson was surprised; Atletico lost the game, so why was his grandfather so happy?
The evenly matched game and the iron-blooded style were enough to give hope to the fans of the Bed Sheet Legion. However, the media keenly discovered that Falcao seemed to be in a slump. In the past four games, he had only scored one goal.
"Marca" analyzed that the transfer rumors surrounding the Colombian striker had affected him. "His mood is becoming restless, and he is becoming increasingly confused and longing for the future," the report said.
There were rumors that Chelsea would take away the Colombian forward during the winter transfer window. For this, the Blues prepared at least £100 million. "Daily Telegraph" analyzed the specific expenses.
"The termination clause is about £48 million. Falcao's weekly salary is at least £200,000, totaling about £10.4 million a year. Considering Falcao's age of 26, signing a 4-5 year contract is not a problem, so the total salary would also need to be prepared for over £50 million, totaling nearly £100 million."
Even the former coach, Eduardo, of the Colombian U17 youth team openly stated that Falcao should consider joining Chelsea. "He can unleash his full potential in the Premier League. Radamel has excellent ball control and coordination, which can complement midfielders like Hazard and Mata and quickly integrate into Mourinho's tactical system."
But Simeone flatly denied the transfer news. "He is an important reliance for us in the league, and (at least) until the end of this season, he will not leave!"
Regarding the reason for the loss, the Argentine coach took the initiative to shoulder the responsibility. "I tried the unfamiliar 4-4-2 formation, which led to the failure to produce effective wing attacks, coupled with the unfavorable situation of conceding the first goal, ultimately leading to a collapse."
He said the team was still growing and progressing rapidly, and the present failures would eventually be transformed into experience to enrich everyone.
Many fans also understood a truth from Falcao: how difficult it was to maintain a high level of performance in every game throughout the season, like Wang Feng, or Messi and Ronaldo. They raised their standards and expectations for superstars.
Especially Wang Feng, not only did he have to play beautifully, but the team also had to win for him to become a football god!
After this round of matches, there was another major news: Valencia suffered a humiliating 2-5 defeat at home to Real Sociedad. The club immediately announced the termination of Pellegrino's contract, making him the second La Liga head coach to be sacked this season after Espanyol's Pochettino.
For the Bats Legion, this was a shameful defeat. They had never allowed Real Sociedad to score five goals at the Mestalla Stadium, ending their unbeaten home record since April. What's worse, they dropped out of the top four Champions League spots on the league table.
The home fans completely lost control of their emotions, directing their anger at the club president rather than the head coach. Countless people shouted "Lim go away," and some extremists even threw incendiary devices in the player tunnel, forcing Valencia to deploy mounted police to maintain order.
The local "Super Sports Report" commented that Pellegrino was just a scapegoat. He was undoubtedly a good coach, but the team and players failed to meet his requirements, and the locker room was filled with constant factionalism and disputes.
However, Lorenzo, who was at the center of the storm, had no intention of resigning. He said, "I understand the fans' complaints, but the most urgent task now is to find a new coach to help the team return to the Champions League spots."
Soon they reached an agreement with Spanish coach Valverde, who would lead the Bats Legion forward. This head coach was most famous for helping an underdog team reach the Europa League final.
That was in the 06-07 season, when the weak Spaniards, under his guidance, made their way to the final, ultimately losing to Sevilla.
Three days later, in the final round of the Champions League group stage, Real Madrid welcomed Ajax at home. The Chinese superstar contributed assists and scored twice, including a close-range shot in the penalty area, scoring three goals alone to help the Galacticos defeat the strong Dutch team 4-2.
On the same day, Borussia Dortmund showed no mercy, narrowly defeating Manchester City 1-0 at home, sending the Premier League champions packing, and allowing Ajax to secure a spot in the Europa League.