Chapter 142: The Prince of Love Songs

On the pitch, after receiving a pass from Gaspar in the Manchester City half, Dai Zhiwei challenged Fernandinho for speed. He surged past the defender, leaving him completely in his wake as he charged straight toward the Manchester City penalty area.

It was the football version of Fast and Furious!

Stones rushed over to cover, but with a sharp, right-angle feint, Dai Zhiwei treated him like a training cone, gliding past him with ease into the box.

This solo counterattack launched by Dai Zhiwei was so swift that Manchester City had no time to react before he had already breached their penalty area and prepared to shoot.

Kolarov finally jolted to his senses, rushing over in a panic and raising his right leg in an attempt to block Dai Zhiwei’s shooting angle.

"Are you trying to be funny?" Dai Zhiwei glanced at Caballero on the goal line. Ignoring the lunging Kolarov, he unleashed a thunderous strike!

Kolarov’s intervention actually served as a screen for Dai Zhiwei’s shot. By the time Manchester City goalkeeper Caballero saw the ball zip through Kolarov’s legs, it was too late to react.

"Swish!"

The sound of the ball rippling the back of the net!

1-0!

With an aggregate score of 4-5, Villarreal was now only one goal behind!

After scoring, Dai Zhiwei sprinted toward the camera near the corner flag and roared: "Remember, this is the Estadio de la Ceramica!"

In the previous leg in Manchester, Dai Zhiwei had accepted defeat with grace, but back at the Estadio de la Ceramica, he absolutely refused to lose!

Dai Zhiwei’s goal sent a cold sweat down the spines of the Manchester City squad. Guardiola, unable to sit still any longer, unbuttoned his suit jacket and began shouting from the touchline, clearly dissatisfied with Fernandinho’s positioning. With their aggregate lead reduced to just one goal, they could not afford to concede again!

Fernandinho, however, was in a difficult position. Dai Zhiwei’s burst of speed had been too quick; he hadn't had time to slide in for a tackle. Had he attempted a tackle from behind after the player had already passed him, it would have been an obvious foul, and the referee would surely have produced a red card.

Being sent off at the start of the match was not an outcome Fernandinho wanted. He had gambled on the hope that Dai Zhiwei wouldn't score and that Stones and Kolarov would make the stop. Unfortunately, it turned out that the center-back pairing of Stones and Kolarov had served the ball up to Dai Zhiwei on a silver platter.

"One more! Just one more! We can do it!" Dai Zhiwei shouted to his teammates who gathered around him.

"Exactly right!"

"Let's go!"

Fernandinho glared at Dai Zhiwei, whose face was dark with frustration. Noticing the clenched teeth and disgruntled expression, Dai Zhiwei playfully pulled a face.

This only infuriated Fernandinho further, as he perceived the grimace as a direct provocation.

"Kid, you won't be so lucky next time!"

Dai Zhiwei had no time to ponder what was going through Fernandinho’s mind; he was too busy reliving the sensation of his shot. "My form is truly excellent today. The heavens are helping me!"

As it turned out, Dai Zhiwei’s touch was indeed on point. His next long-range effort from 40 meters out was struck with such quality that it forced Caballero to tip the ball over the end line, earning Villarreal a corner.

"Caballero is in good form today!" Motson praised.

This season, the news surrounding Manchester City’s goalkeeping position could fill a book. First, Guardiola dropped England’s number one, Joe Hart, and brought in Bravo.

In terms of ability, Bravo’s talent was never in doubt. During his time at Real Sociedad, he was one of the most consistent keepers in La Liga, and after joining Barcelona, he quickly made fans forget about Valdes, his steady performances helping Barcelona win two consecutive league titles.

However, after joining Manchester City, Bravo’s poor performances left fans baffled—perhaps he had yet to adapt to the style of the Premier League, or perhaps he was suffering from a temporary mental block.

And so, Caballero had become the unexpected starting goalkeeper for Manchester City this season.

Dai Zhiwei’s missed long shots did not displease his coach, Escriba. If every shot from outside the box went in, it wouldn't be football; it would be the NBA.

But soon, Escriba was breaking into a cold sweat that made him want to jump up and curse—

As the first half neared its end, the "Yellow Submarine" played with fire in their own half. Gaspar attempted a change of pace to bypass Aguero, but his feint was far too clumsy. Aguero used his body to shove the Spanish full-back aside, before sliding a pass to Silva.

Manchester City launched a counterattack before Villarreal could react. Silva, upon receiving the ball, did not hesitate; he chested it down and immediately sent a lofted through ball over the head of Musacchio.

Sterling collected the ball 10 yards out on the right side of the penalty area and, before Ruiz and Musacchio could close him down, fired a powerful shot with his left toe toward the near post.

The shot was heavy and dangerous. Had it gone in to level the score in the first half, a 6-4 aggregate lead would have "kicked" Villarreal back into the abyss.

However, Asenjo did not let Caballero steal all the spotlight. His instinctive reach blocked the trajectory of the ball.

The ball deflected off Asenjo’s hand and hit the goalpost, and Ruiz scrambled to clear it out of the danger zone.

After that narrow escape, Villarreal and Manchester City finished the first half at 1-0. With just one more goal, they could overturn the deficit against Manchester City and proudly advance to the Champions League round of eight.

After the restart in the second half, Manchester City attempted to ruin Dai Zhiwei’s dream. At the Estadio de la Ceramica, they played with the momentum of the home side, engaging in an end-to-end battle with Villarreal.

Manchester City nearly leveled the score in the 50th minute. After Gaspar fouled Sane on the wing, Silva delivered a free kick into the box. Kolarov, unmarked, hammered a shot from 20 yards out that struck the underside of the crossbar before being cleared off the line by Asenjo.

Though the goal didn't stand, it sent a cold sweat through the Yellow Submarine. Escriba jumped up on the touchline, constantly berating his back line for their lack of focus.

But just as Escriba was warning his defense to stay alert, a massive roar erupted from the Estadio de la Ceramica—

It turned out that after their failed attack, the Manchester City players seemed to have lost their concentration, leaving a gaping hole in their defense.

Asenjo threw the ball directly to Trigueros in front of the center circle. Trigueros launched an immediate long pass to Dai Zhiwei in the front court without taking a touch, and the sudden pass caught the Manchester City defense completely off guard!

Although the Manchester City defenders recovered quickly, the pass from Trigueros had been too abrupt. Even as they scrambled desperately to intercept, Dai Zhiwei reached the ball first.

The cheers at the Estadio de la Ceramica reached a crescendo. The Yellow Submarine fans never expected such a golden opportunity to arise immediately after escaping disaster!

It was a one-on-one. Dai Zhiwei had secured the ball first, and as the Manchester City defenders failed to track back in time, he utilized his blistering pace to sprint past them. He knocked the ball forward with power and stepped into the penalty area as the Manchester City players watched in panic!

Once inside the box, Dai Zhiwei was calm. He controlled the ball steadily and charged toward the goal.

Manchester City goalkeeper Caballero had panicked the moment Dai Zhiwei broke through, but he had underestimated Dai’s speed. Before he could rush out far enough, Dai Zhiwei had already strode into the six-yard box.

Caballero hesitated. Having already conceded four goals to Dai Zhiwei across the two legs, he felt a genuine sense of fear. He didn't know what to do; he had missed the optimal moment to charge out, but if he allowed Dai Zhiwei to keep advancing, it would be even harder to block the shot later.

Dai Zhiwei didn't have as many thoughts as Caballero. He only wanted to seize the chance to breach the goal guarded by Caballero before the defenders could return. His eyes were locked firmly on the keeper.

Caballero no longer had time to think; he had to make a decision!

Gritting his teeth, Caballero lunged toward the closing Dai Zhiwei.

Facing the keeper’s fierce charge, Dai Zhiwei did not panic in the slightest. With a subtle drag of the ball—a change of direction split from his right-angle feint—he completely bamboozled Caballero.

Now, only an empty goal remained in front of Dai Zhiwei!

Having bypassed Caballero, Dai Zhiwei only needed to gently nudge the ball into the Manchester City net.

And that is exactly what happened. After moving past Caballero, Dai Zhiwei lightly poked the ball forward, and it rolled easily into the vacant Manchester City goal.

2-0!

The aggregate score was 5-5. Villarreal had not only leveled the aggregate but, thanks to the away goals rule, they had successfully completed the comeback!

The joyous atmosphere at the Estadio de la Ceramica exploded instantly. The previously nervous Yellow Submarine fans leaped up to celebrate the goal, screaming at the top of their lungs, wanting to tell the whole world through their thunderous cheers—

Villarreal is the best!

Dai Zhiwei is the best!

"Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal!"

Having scored, Dai Zhiwei ran excitedly toward the nearest stand, pointing his right index finger at the crowd as he ran, letting them know that scoring was a trivial task for him!

The die-hard Villarreal fans in the stands, seeing Dai Zhiwei running toward them, began chanting his name in unison. Intermingled with "Dai" and "Dai Zhiwei" was a brand-new title: "The Prince!"

The chant of "The Prince" grew louder and more unified!

Yes, after a year, the Villarreal fans had been completely conquered by Dai Zhiwei. His fluid dribbling, his thunderous long-range strikes, his aerial prowess—everything about him was so magnificent. No one was more deserving of the title "Prince of the Estadio de la Ceramica" than Dai Zhiwei!

"What?" Dai Zhiwei was stunned for a moment upon hearing the chant, then burst into laughter. He held his head high, closed his eyes slightly, and spread his arms, embracing and enjoying the adulation of tens of thousands of fans!

"The Prince of the Ceramica? I like it."

In this moment, he forgot his ambitions of joining a giant club, and he forgot his thirst for more trophies. He only knew that he was a member of Villarreal, and that he belonged here!

"YES!" Seeing the team finally overturn the aggregate score, Escriba shouted, pumping his fist before hugging his assistant.

While Escriba celebrated, Guardiola could no longer sit still.

Manchester City’s form today was poor, and he knew that if the match continued this way, elimination was inevitable. He immediately substituted Iheanacho for left-back Clichy and moved Sterling from the midfield to the forward line, shifting Manchester City into a 3-4-3 formation.

Guardiola was going for broke!

After the restart, the Manchester City players seemed to have woken from a dream. Their fierce offensive momentum suddenly ignited at the Estadio de la Ceramica. The two flanks, led by Silva and Sane, operated like motorized wheels, constantly stretching Villarreal’s defense, while De Bruyne and Aguero created chaos through the middle.

In the 74th minute, Manchester City launched an attack from the left. De Bruyne used his body to hold off Trigueros before threading a pass to Aguero, who was positioned behind the Villarreal back line, to launch a quick counter.

For a La Liga side, Aguero—who had spent six seasons at Atletico Madrid—was far too familiar. Utilizing his speed and power, he drove forward at high velocity as Alfred N'Diaye gave desperate chase.

However, the initial gap was too large. By the time Aguero reached the edge of the penalty area, Musacchio and N'Diaye finally managed to block his path.

Seeing Musacchio’s leg obstructing him, Aguero scanned the field and saw someone signaling with their arm on his left. He flicked his right instep, sending the ball toward Sterling.

Sterling, taking advantage of a misstep by Costa, had been tracking Aguero’s run closely. He signaled his position, and the two, having built a familiar chemistry, quickly connected. Sterling comfortably controlled the ball and drove into the box.

Seeing the ball arrive, Costa slid in, attempting to intercept, but he was too late.

Costa failed to reach the ball, and Sterling had already secured possession, finding himself in an unmarked position, creating an almost one-on-one opportunity.

Sterling took a few steps, glanced at Asenjo’s position, and without any hesitation, swung his left foot and struck the ball with force.

Shot!

(End of chapter)