Awakening the Messi template, Florentino Pérez begs me to join Real Madrid

At the start of the second half, Shandong Luneng significantly intensified their pressing in the attacking third.

Hao Junmin's range of movement has expanded significantly. He not only drops back to receive the ball but also frequently makes forward runs to the edge of the penalty area, putting immense pressure on Evergrande's midfield.

Following Lippi's instructions, Wu Shi intensified his close marking of Hao Junmin.

It was almost like a man-to-man surveillance; wherever Hao Junmin went, Wu Shi followed, constantly making small gestures with his hands and ready to sabotage him with his feet at any moment.

The referee called several fouls, but the standards were relatively lenient.

This tactic of exchanging players can be effective, but it comes at a high cost. Wu Shi expended a lot of energy in defensive battles, leaving him with very few opportunities to touch the ball on the offensive end.

In the 55th minute, Shandong Luneng made a substitution. Number 29 came on, replacing a winger.

Chen Liang stood at the sideline, slapped his face hard, and then ran quickly onto the field. He went straight to the right flank, but his eyes glanced at Wu Shi in midfield, his fighting spirit evident.

"Hey, the top scorer in China League Two has made it," Gao Lin muttered.

Chen Liang's introduction brought changes to Shandong's attack.

He doesn't have complicated tactics; he's just a runner, aggressive, and once he gets the ball, he either rushes straight to the byline or cuts inside and shoots without a second thought.

This kind of headstrong, impulsive attack made the Evergrande defenders, who were used to Hao Junmin's refined style of play, a little uncomfortable.

In the 62nd minute, Chen Liang made a strong breakthrough on the right wing, overtaking Wu Shi who was tracking back. Zhang Linpeng's cover was not fast enough, and Chen Liang crossed from the byline. The ball was very fast, and Feng Xiaoting's clearance at the near post was not far enough, and the ball fell to the edge of the penalty area.

Hao Junmin appeared there!

Unattended!

"Oh no!" Wu Shi's heart tightened. He had been pulled away by Chen Liang's breakthrough and was now several meters away from Hao Junmin.

Without making any adjustments, Hao Junmin met the falling ball with a powerful left-footed volley!

The ball is heading straight for the top left corner of the goal!

Zeng Cheng made an almost desperate save, barely managing to touch the ball with his fingertips!

"Bang!" The ball slammed heavily against the junction of the crossbar and the post, bouncing back into play! Evergrande's defender quickly cleared the ball with a long kick.

The entire stadium erupted in uproar! Shandong fans clutched their heads and sighed, while Hengda fans were still in shock.

Hao Junmin shook his head, put his hands on his hips, and expressed his regret that the ball hadn't gone in.

Wu Shi ran back to defend, and as he passed by Hao Junmin, he heard Hao Junmin mutter to himself:

"If this were in the Bundesliga, would the defenders give you that much space to shoot?"

He wasn't sure if he was saying this to himself or to Wu Shi. Wu Shi didn't stop walking, but his heart tightened. Bundesliga-level pressing and spatial compression... he imagined it.

The game continued, time passed, and the score remained 0-0. Both sides were losing energy and making more mistakes.

In the 71st minute, Evergrande finally had their chance.

Zheng Zhi made a clean tackle in midfield, poking the ball away from the Shandong midfielder. Zhao Xuri received the ball, glanced up, and immediately launched a long pass into the open space on the left flank!

Gao Lin had already started his run, shaking off the full-back marking him, and received the ball on the left flank. He dribbled inside, attracting the attention of a Shandong center-back and a defensive midfielder.

Wu Shi began his forward run the instant Zheng Zhi intercepted the ball. He saw Gao Lin cutting inside, saw the Shandong defense drawn to the ball, and saw the opening appear on the right side of the penalty arc!

He accelerates! He sprints!

Gao Lin saw Wu Shi's forward run and, before the two opponents could close in, delivered a low diagonal pass with the outside of his right foot!

The ball weaved through the crowd and rolled precisely along the path Wu Shi was running!

Wu Shi adjusted his footwork while running and entered the penalty area! Shandong's other center-back hurriedly came to cover!

One-on-one? No, the angle is already a bit too tight, and the goalkeeper has covered the near post.

There was no time to hesitate. Wu Shi's mind flashed back to that long-range shot that grazed the crossbar in the first half, and to countless shooting sensations from training sessions.

Before the center-back could block him, he used the instep of his right foot to push a half-high ball!

A quick and accurate shot, aimed at the gap between the far post and the goalkeeper's arm!

The ball was moving very fast, and Shandong goalkeeper Wang Dalei dived to the side, stretching his arms as far as he could.

The ball grazed his fingertips, hit the inside of the far post, and bounced into the net!

Goal!

1-0!!!

"Wu Shi—!!! A shot into the far corner! Beautiful! Guangzhou Evergrande is in the lead!" the commentator shouted wildly.

Tianhe Stadium exploded instantly! A sea of ​​red erupted!

After scoring, Wu Shi turned and rushed towards the corner flag, celebrating with a knee slide!

The grass scraped against their knees, and deafening cheers filled their ears! All the pressure, the frustration of the first half, and the exhaustion from the defense were released in this moment!

From his initial run forward to receiving the ball, adjusting his position, and choosing the shooting method and angle, this entire play was based on his own judgment and intuition! Goal!

The Shandong players were somewhat bewildered, especially Wang Dalei, who knelt on the ground and pounded the turf hard.

Hao Junmin watched Wu Shi celebrate, hands on his hips, panting, his eyes filled with complex emotions. There was helplessness, but also a hint of acknowledgment that "that shot was indeed good."

Chen Liang ran back to the center circle, watched Wu Shi celebrate, gritted his teeth, and his eyes became even more determined.

The game restarted. After conceding the goal, Shandong Luneng had no choice but to push forward aggressively. Hao Junmin practically became a free agent in the attacking third, constantly calling for the ball and orchestrating play. However, time was running out, and his teammates began to get impatient, leading to more miscommunications.

In the 82nd minute, Evergrande launched another quick counter-attack. Muriqui received the ball on the right side of midfield, facing Chen Liang's defense. Chen Liang was playing a bit recklessly and made a fierce sliding tackle. Muriqui easily jumped over it. Although Chen Liang touched the ball, it bounced not far and was collected by Zheng Zhi who followed up.

Zheng Zhi saw that Wu Shi had started his forward run from the middle, and because the Qilu defense line had pushed forward, there was a wide open space behind them!

Another precise long pass!

Wu Shi has successfully broken the offside trap again! He's now in a one-on-one situation!

He dribbled the ball deep into the penalty area! The Shandong goalkeeper once again rushed out of his goal!

This time, Wu Shi did not choose to fight himself.

He caught a glimpse of the left flank out of the corner of his eye, where Gao Lin was frantically flanking and positioning himself.

Just as the goalkeeper lunged at him, Wu Shi gently pushed him away with the instep of his foot!

A selfless cross pass!

The ball went well past the goalkeeper and rolled comfortably to the far post!

All Gao Lin needs to do is put the ball into the empty net!

2-0!!!

"Gao Lin! Easy goal! Wu Shi's selfless pass, one pass and one goal! Evergrande secures the victory!"

After Gao Lin scored, he excitedly rushed towards Wu Shi, jumped onto his back, and vigorously ruffled his hair: "Beautiful pass! You little rascal!"

Wu Shi smiled, accepting the pats and hugs from his teammates. 2-0, they had secured this crucial top-of-the-table clash.

In the final minutes, Shandong Luneng didn't give up, but it was too late. During a scramble for the ball, Chen Liang collided violently with Wu Shi, both falling hard. The referee stopped the game.

The two lay on the grass, both panting heavily. Chen Liang got up first and reached out to help Wu Shi up. Wu Shi used the support to get up, and Chen Liang looked at him and said, "Not bad, little stone, one assist and one goal, MVP."

Wu Shi patted him on the back: "You're not bad either, you created a killing intent right from the start. Keep practicing."

Chen Liang nodded, the hostility in his eyes gone, replaced only by resentment and resignation: "We'll win next time."

"Wait for you."

The final whistle blew, 2-0. Evergrande defeated a strong opponent at home, securing their top spot in the standings.

After the match, Wu Shi was named MVP and gave an interview while holding a bottle of champagne (he only sprayed it, didn't drink it).

After briefly dealing with the reporters, he was stopped by someone as he walked out of the mixed zone.

"Takeshi."

Wu Shi turned around and saw Hao Junmin. He had already changed his clothes and was carrying a bag.

"Third Brother." Wu Shi nodded politely.

Hao Junmin walked over and looked him over: "You played well. That goal was a very calm decision. The assist was also selfless."

"Thank you, Third Brother. I'm still far from being as good as you. You made me lose my temper today," Wu Shi said honestly.

Hao Junmin smiled, a smile tinged with weariness, yet also carrying the air of a senior looking at a junior: "Playing like this domestically is good enough. But if you want to go to Europe, this alone won't suffice."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious: "The pace is faster over there, the space is smaller, and the defenders tackle harder and more accurately. The little bit of space I gave you today would practically never exist in the Bundesliga."

You have to adapt to handling the ball in tighter spaces and performing actions under stronger physical contact. And you have to maintain high concentration at all times—90 minutes straight, not a single second can you let your guard down.

Wu Shi listened attentively: "I understand, thank you for your guidance, Third Brother."

"It's not so much guidance as some experience," Hao Junmin said, patting him on the shoulder.

"It's good to have the opportunity to go out. But once you're out there, don't think about coming back. That place is brutal, but it's also very tough. Prepare well."

After saying that, he slung his bag over his shoulder, turned around, and left.

I won the game and got the MVP award. It feels great.

But Hao Junmin's words reignited the fire in his heart.

What is Europe really like?

He recalled the gray countdown in his mind: [45:22:11].

What changes will occur after the system upgrade?