Chapter 129: The Sprint Before the Winter Break

Having secured qualification to the Champions League Round of 16 as group leaders a round early, Dai Zhiwei and his teammates celebrated enthusiastically that day, nearly leaving them drained for the 13th round of La Liga two days later.

In that match, Villarreal hosted Alavés. Just eight minutes into the game, Edgar Méndez delivered a cross from the right, and Devison headed a shot from twelve yards that struck the left post and bounced back. Iñaki Gómez was quick to react, volleying the rebound into the net, putting Alavés ahead 1-0.

By the 17th minute, Musacchio made a mistake, and Camarasa slotted a close-angle shot from the left side of the box, doubling the visitors’ lead to 2-0.

Trailing by two goals, the Yellow Submarine finally awoke from their daze but, unfortunately, it wasn't until the 83rd minute that Dai Zhiwei’s long-range strike from outside the box pulled one back. Despite their efforts, they had to accept a 1-2 home defeat.

Three days later, Villarreal faced their first Copa del Rey match of the season. As is customary for La Liga sides, they only began to field their players from the fourth round onwards.

Given the weak opposition, coach Escriva deployed mostly substitutes and young reserves; Dai Zhiwei did not even make the squad list.

Escriva’s decision proved wise as the team easily dispatched Toledo 3-0 away, advancing to the next round.

Over the weekend’s La Liga fixture, Villarreal traveled to face Leganés.

Confronted with Leganés’ solid defensive line, Villarreal found it particularly difficult to find scoring opportunities in open play, and Dai Zhiwei struggled to break through.

Fortunately, in the 67th minute, Castillejo won a free kick, and Dai Zhiwei curved a shot into the net, scoring his 15th La Liga goal of the season and securing a vital 3-point away victory.

In recent weeks, Villarreal had been playing twice a week. Last midweek saw their Copa del Rey match, and this week featured the final Champions League group stage game against Bayer Leverkusen.

Following the previous round, Villarreal and Leverkusen had already secured first and second places in Group E, respectively, advancing early to the Round of 16. Thus, this match at Leverkusen’s home felt more ceremonial than competitive.

Neither side showed strong desire for victory at the outset. It wasn’t until the 30th minute that Leverkusen’s Wendell intercepted the ball. Yurchenko carried it laterally before unleashing a right-footed long-range strike into the top corner—his first Champions League goal—giving Leverkusen a 1-0 lead.

Early in the second half, in the 48th minute, Brandt received a pass from Çalhanoğlu and made a forward run. Çalhanoğlu’s exquisite assist set Brandt up for a tap-in from the left side of the box, doubling the lead to 2-0.

Notably, this was Brandt’s first Champions League goal, making him the youngest scorer in the club’s history at 20 years and 219 days.

The match then settled into a lull, and Leverkusen ultimately triumphed 3-0 over Villarreal.

Dai Zhiwei remained on the bench throughout, conserving energy for the 15th round of La Liga.

Their next opponent was Atlético Madrid, one of the “Big Three” in Spanish football.

“Ah, it really is Cristiano Ronaldo!” The afternoon before the Villarreal-Atlético match, the entire Villarreal squad had settled into a five-star hotel in Madrid. Dai Zhiwei was engrossed in reading L’Équipe.

Yesterday, the 2016 Ballon d’Or winner was announced: Cristiano Ronaldo had once again edged out Messi to claim the award, with Atlético Madrid’s standout forward Griezmann finishing third.

After learning he had secured third place, Griezmann gave an interview to L’Équipe and shared his thoughts.

Griezmann said, “Being third makes me very happy. I am extremely grateful to those who voted for me. It’s a great source of pride, and while I am joyful, I am also somewhat surprised. I am on the right path and will keep working hard.”

He also spoke about Ronaldo and Messi, saying, “Cristiano and Messi are monsters, legends really. To be ranked just behind them fills me with pride and happiness. I will maintain my form, keep scoring, and repay the fans who support me with strong performances.”

When asked if he thought he could surpass Ronaldo and Messi to win the Ballon d’Or in the future, Griezmann replied, “It’s really tough to overtake Cristiano and Messi, but I will keep trying. I hope to perform as well next year as I did this year.”

“Think Ronaldo and Messi are monsters?” Dai Zhiwei chuckled. “Many in football see them as Griezmann does, but the monsters aren’t limited to just those two.”

The 15th round La Liga clash against Atlético was crucial for Villarreal, who were level on points with Atlético but trailed in the standings due to goal difference, sitting fifth.

A win would allow Villarreal to leapfrog Atlético into fourth place.

Atlético’s recent form gave Villarreal confidence: Simeone’s side had won only one of their last four matches across La Liga and the Champions League, showing signs of vulnerability.

With the referee’s whistle, the match began. Villarreal immediately took control, their entire unit igniting with intensity. Even Castillejo, rarely a starter this season, displayed destructive prowess.

Castillejo received a long pass from Musacchio on the left wing, used his skill to shake off Atlético’s Juanfran, then decisively cut inside into the box.

Crossing the edge of the penalty area, Castillejo found a narrow gap amidst the defenders and unleashed a low shot with his right foot.

Atlético’s goalkeeper Oblak managed to block the effort with his thigh, but the ball ricocheted far from the goal.

The rebound fell just outside the small box, where the advancing Trigueros pounced, seizing the chance without hesitation and volleyed the ball cleanly into the top left corner.

1-0!

“Well done, Manuel!” Castillejo exclaimed, believing he had missed the opportunity, only to see the ball miraculously find Trigueros’s boot.

Dai Zhiwei joined in the celebration, lifting Trigueros in a joyful embrace. Taking an early lead against such a formidable opponent less than ten minutes in was a dream start.

Simeone’s frustration was palpable. His team’s recent struggles due to the dual demands of competitions and injuries had left them shaky. His plan had been to stabilize the defense and wait for Villarreal’s mistakes, but conceding so early shattered those hopes. Now, his sole focus was to hold the scoreline until halftime and adjust tactics during the break.

As Simeone pondered strategy, Villarreal launched a fierce attack following their goal.

The Yellow Submarine’s wide men, Dos Santos and Castillejo, surged forward at high speed, repeatedly ripping apart Atlético’s defense. In the middle, Roberto Soriano and Trigueros orchestrated play, supported by the swift, versatile striker Dai Zhiwei and the powerful Bakambu up front. Atlético’s goal looked as fragile as paper, ready to be pierced with a single thrust.

Dai Zhiwei was determined to score. To him, goals against strong opponents carried far more weight than those against weaker teams. He had no desire to be like Lukaku, a striker who only scored against lesser sides.

Faced with Dai Zhiwei’s fierce intent, Atlético’s center-backs Savic and Godín were on edge. Had it not been for Oblak’s extraordinary performance, their defense would have been torn apart.

After nearly twenty minutes of relentless pressure, Villarreal extended their lead. Dos Santos received a pass from Soriano, deftly maneuvered past Gabi and Juanfran, cut inside, and, ahead of Godín, slipped the ball to Bakambu, who had moved into space. Dos Santos then carried on, drawing Juanfran’s attention.

Bakambu promptly lofted a precise ball to the advancing Dos Santos, now inside the box.

Juanfran retreated swiftly to intercept, but Dos Santos paused, observing as Godín and Savic turned their backs in pursuit. Seizing the moment, he delivered a left-footed outside-of-the-foot through ball, threading it between the two defenders to the penalty spot.

There, a yellow-clad figure was speeding in.

As Dos Santos regained control, Dai Zhiwei made an angled run into the box. By the time he arrived, the ball was arriving perfectly.

He smoothly controlled it, the ball seemingly glued to his left ankle, then prepared to strike with his right foot.

“Anyone there?” Dai Zhiwei sensed a looming shadow from the side but did not look up. The instincts of a shooter told him to shield the ball, evade Oblak’s block, and with a flick of his ankle, he sent the ball soaring across the goal line.

“Goooooooooooooooooooooal!”

2-0, undoubtedly!

Dai Zhiwei cupped his hand to his ear, fingers spread wide, luxuriating in the adoration of Villarreal’s fans. Of course, since the match was at Atlético’s Calderón Stadium, the sounds reaching his ears were more jeers than cheers.

“That’s how it’s done!” Dai Zhiwei laughed heartily. The jeers of the opposing fans were, in his eyes, the highest form of praise.

After taking a 2-0 lead, Villarreal eased their assault slightly, while Atlético attempted to mount some attacks of their own. However, Torres and Griezmann were lackluster, squandering several promising chances.

“Torres really is past his prime…” Dai Zhiwei shook his head as Torres was once again stopped during a dribble. The once-promising Spanish prodigy now belonged to memories alone.

In stoppage time of the first half, Atlético launched a final attack. Saúl passed from midfield, and Carrasco’s cut-in long shot went wide. The half ended with Villarreal holding a 2-0 advantage.

In the dressing room, Escriva offered no new tactical instructions, simply urging players to maintain the rhythm of the first half before allowing them to rest. Then he quietly left.

Since the early-season upheaval, ever since their comeback victory over Monaco to qualify for the Champions League group stage, Villarreal had given Escriva little cause for worry. Their form remained excellent, and even occasional losses were due to squad depth issues. Escriva felt confident enough to consider himself a contender for La Liga’s Best Coach this season.

Of course, he knew precisely who was the true cornerstone of this Villarreal side.

The fifteen-minute halftime break concluded, and the players returned to the pitch.

Watching Dai Zhiwei emerge from the tunnel, Escriva silently resolved: if ever Dai Zhiwei left Villarreal, he too would prepare to depart.

The match resumed, and Atlético immediately surged forward into Villarreal’s half, clearly ramping up their offense.

Simeone stood with arms crossed, eyes fixed intently on the pitch. Trailing by two goals, defense was no longer sufficient; it was time to gamble everything.

Atlético’s attacking play was less refined than their defense, relying heavily on aerial balls to generate danger and fierce midfield battles.

They aimed to disrupt Villarreal’s rhythm with aggressive pressing, launching immediate counter-presses upon losing possession. Villarreal found themselves embroiled in midfield tussles.

Around ten minutes into the second half, Villarreal’s control waned. Compared to the first half’s ease, the team on the pitch appeared transformed.

Unable to release the ball quickly, their attacks stalled, and the burden shifted heavily onto Dai Zhiwei, who was consciously sought out.

Dai Zhiwei once again drove past Savic, but his shot was saved by Oblak, hitting the crossbar and bouncing out over the goal line. On the sidelines, Simeone finally erupted in fury, berating his defenders fiercely.

Following the scolding, Atlético’s defenders changed their approach. They began marking Dai Zhiwei as they would Ronaldo or Messi. Godín shadowed him relentlessly, expending every ounce of energy to stay close.

Diego Godín, nine centimeters taller and bulkier than Dai Zhiwei yet remarkably agile, made it nearly impossible for Dai Zhiwei to link up with teammates, let alone score.

With Dai Zhiwei subdued, Villarreal’s attack ground to a halt. Under Atlético’s relentless pressure, their goal was under constant threat.