I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 122 - 36: Attack, Attack, and Attack Again

Weser StadiumThe emotions of the fans from both teams were running high.

The boos, whistles, and cheers echoed from the stands, even the commentary on TV was extremely excited.

"Werder Bremen has taken the lead in scoring."

"It looks like this will be an exciting offensive showdown."rying to switch to the other side under Real Madrid’s pressure.

But Ramos headed the ball out.

Chen Zhong was competing with Werder Bremen players in midfield, winning the ball with pre-emptive positioning and excellent physical strength.

After securing the ball, Chen Zhong chose not to pass sideways but instead pointed forward and sent a through ball.

Robinho ran forward, naturally gaining possession of the ball. It was undoubtedly a single-handed chance, but for some reason, Robinho suddenly slowed down.

He looked a bit confused, slowing his steps amidst the overwhelming boos, as if pondering life.

Then, Werder Bremen’s central defender Naldo successfully tackled him from the side in the penalty area.

Robinho got up from the ground, looking somewhat annoyed, gave a thumbs up to Chen Zhong, who frowned and pointed at his own head, seemingly asking him, what were you thinking?

"What is he doing?" Schuster could hardly believe his eyes, turning to Francisco and shouting, "Do you know what he’s doing?"

There was destined to be no answer.

In the subsequent moments, possession between the two teams changed hands multiple times.

Almost every player had experienced or performed flying tackles.

By the 25th minute of the match, Marcelo intercepted the ball at midfield and passed it to Chen Zhong. After receiving the ball, Chen Zhong quickly delivered it to Sneijder, who then gave it back to Chen Zhong. Chen Zhong passed it to the retreating Raul, who returned it to Chen Zhong again.

This series of one-two plays caused Bremen’s defense at midfield to fall into disarray.

Dodging a sliding tackle from a Bremen player, Chen Zhong lofted the ball to the left side where Marcelo surged forward and made a direct pass to Robinho. After cutting into the penalty area, Robinho curled the ball with his right foot into the far corner, leveling the score at 1:1.

"A beautiful goal!"

"A very composed finish by Robinho."

"Chen Zhong’s sudden change of pace caught Werder Bremen off guard."

"This time, instead of choosing a direct pass, he engaged in several one-twos with his teammates before passing to Marcelo, who provided an almost perfect assist."

"Even though Robinho was the scorer, Chen Zhong’s midfield playmaking and Marcelo’s final through ball were crucial to the goal."

The Bremen fans in the stands could only express their dissatisfaction with boos at Real Madrid’s recent fluid and elegant attack, while the Merengue supporters were very pleased.

Shaf frowned on the sidelines, but he wasn’t overly concerned as they had pinpointed Real Madrid’s weak side. It would now depend on which team could score more goals.

In the next 5 minutes, both teams managed 3 threatening shots, a long-range shot from Marcelo outside the box, a low strike from Sanogo inside the box, and Tosic’s long-range shot, which was blocked by Chen Zhong.

Time quickly moved to the 42nd minute, as Real Madrid launched an offensive. After a series of one-twos with his teammates, Chen Zhong passed the ball to Marcelo on the flank. Marcelo then lofted the ball to Van Nistelrooy.

Van Nistelrooy controlled the ball with his chest, turned while holding off a Bremen player, and fired a shot.

"Boom"

The shot was powerful and forceful.

However, Bremen’s goalkeeper reacted quickly and saved it.

The defender swiftly cleared the ball, and Rosenberg collected it downfield. Faced with pressure from Diara, he backheeled the ball through Diara’s legs and got past him. Metzelder tried to cover, but he was a step late.

Marcelo, out of reach, could only watch as Rosenberg sent in a graceful and effortless cross from the right flank. Sanogo, attacking the near post, volleyed it.

The ball soared over Casillas’s head and into Real Madrid’s net.

The Bremen fans in the stands erupted in cheers, while Sanogo ran towards the corner flag waving his arms, sneaking a glance at Chen Zhong.

In this match, Chen Zhong wasn’t a central defender, which was fabulous.

He had already scored two goals in a row.

"2:1"

"Werder Bremen have taken the lead."

"Their two goals were almost identical."

"Both attacks exploited Real Madrid’s left flank, taking advantage of the space Marcelo left when he advanced forward and then crossing the ball."

"Players then sought opportunities in the center."

"In the first goal, Metzelder intended to cover for Marcelo but was a step too late, and Pepe’s attempt to cover left Rosenberg with some space."

"In the second goal, Sanogo’s positioning was excellent, and it wasn’t really Pepe’s fault."

"Marcelo’s forward run was again utilized by Werder Bremen to exploit the left-side space."

"In the previous match, Werder Bremen and Real Madrid had the same scenario, but why was it not as easy for them to score then as in this match?"

"It’s mainly the difference between Chen Zhong and Metzelder."

"Metzelder’s inadequate covering, his lack of coordination with Pepe and Marcelo, and the absence of Chen Zhong’s imposing defensive presence are evident."

"Metzelder has been detached from Real Madrid’s defensive system. His late covering and slow turning and retreat are clear."

"This is the reason Real Madrid’s defense was vulnerable to consecutive goals."

"Although Chen Zhong’s performance in the midfield has been outstanding, if I were Schuster, I might assign Chen Zhong more to the defense."

The commentator’s analysis was incisive, emphasizing that in such an aggressive play, it’s not just about whose attack is sharper but also about whose defense is more robust.

Schuster also realized the team’s problem. He also noticed that Van Nistelrooy, Robinho, Diara, and Ramos were not in top form, likely due to the "FIFA" virus.

"Damn it," Schuster cursed under his breath, and he turned to Francisco, saying, "The attack on Ramos’s side is already ineffective. It’s clear they want to exploit our left flank."

"Do you have any good suggestions?"

Francisco opened his mouth, considering proposing to move Chen Zhong to the center-back position, but the issue was Sneijder’s poor form in midfield too!

"Do we have to engage in a slog with Lazio in the next match?"

"Or should we..."

"Pin our hopes on a youngster?"

Pre-game tactics have been set, but on the field, players’ performance often determines the outcome, and Real Madrid’s only variable right now is Chen Zhong.

The first half ended with Werder Bremen leading by one goal as they headed to the locker room.