Chapter 87: Player Number 10

Although Dai Zhiwei did not participate in the final two matches of the Chinese national team in the 2018 World Cup Asian qualifiers, he closely followed the results. On March 24th at the Wuhan Sports Center, China defeated the Maldives 4-0, thanks to a goal by Yang Xu and a hat-trick from fringe international Jiang Ning. Five days later, China secured a 2-0 victory over Qatar at home with a long-range shot from Huang Bowen and a sliding goal from Wu Lei, topping their group and advancing to the final twelve. The draw for the Asian final twelve will be held in Kuala Lumpur on April 12th.

Regardless of the draw, none of the teams in the final twelve will be easy opponents for China. Dai Zhiwei is sure to be called up and will serve as the absolute attacking core. In many ways, China's hopes of reaching the 2018 World Cup in Russia depend on his performance.

After the international break, Villarreal's internationals returned to the club. Compared to Spain’s top three, the Yellow Submarine doesn't have many national team players. Marcelino was particularly pleased that none of his players were injured during the international games, and those who stayed behind, like Dai Zhiwei and Soldado, benefited from the rest, improving their fitness ahead of the season’s final sprint.

With everyone back, La Liga’s 31st round proceeded as scheduled, and Villarreal faced Eibar, a mid-table opponent—an ideal fixture. “Hmm? Igor, Dai’s passing and vision seem noticeably improved compared to before the international break. Is it just my imagination?” Marcelino remarked after observing the match for a while.

In this game, Dai Zhiwei delivered three threatening passes in the first thirty minutes. Though one was blocked by the goalkeeper, another flew over the bar, and a third didn’t result in a shot, it was clear to all that he was playing differently than before. Previously, Dai would have chosen to shoot or dribble in similar situations.

“No, you’re not mistaken. I’ve noticed it too,” the assistant coach replied.

“So…” Marcelino’s delight was evident. “Has Dai finally had a breakthrough?”

As a forward, goals are the most tangible metric, but if he adds other weapons—especially threatening passes around the penalty area—his tactical value multiplies. Like Benzema at Real Madrid, whose goal tally isn’t high but is indispensable for his link-up play and ability to facilitate others.

In today’s football, single-purpose players are no longer the trend: center-forwards operating as wingers, midfielders stepping up to the front line, center-backs playing as strikers—it’s become commonplace.

Dai Zhiwei’s “breakthrough” was thanks to his latest system upgrade, redeeming a new skill—Eiffel Pass from El Cid Pierre.

Since joining Villarreal, Dai Zhiwei quickly became the team’s undisputed mainstay, with eleven league goals and seven in the Europa League, ranking in La Liga’s top ten and leading the Europa League scorers. Yet, at times, he seemed like a “black hole” on the pitch—once the ball reached him, it either resulted in a shot or solo dribbling, rarely anything else. He was the end point of Villarreal’s attack, the tip of the spear, rarely offering variations. In other words, Dai was a “lone wolf” on the field.

There’s nothing wrong with this style; it could easily make him the world’s top striker, scoring at will. But after facing Barcelona and witnessing Messi’s role as the core of the MSN trio, Dai’s heart was stirred. He would rather become an all-rounder like Tsubasa Oozora than a pure poacher like Kojiro Hyuga.

Dai Zhiwei’s ambition was not just to be a forward responsible for scoring; he wanted to become the unique core of the attack, a true “number 10.” In recent days, besides spending time with Yang Chaoyue, he had been consulting with Tsubasa Oozora in the system about his growth. On Tsubasa’s recommendation, instead of accumulating points for curve shots, he used fifteen points to redeem El Cid Pierre’s Eiffel Pass.

El Cid Pierre, captain and core of the French team in “Captain Tsubasa,” appeared as one of the three boss-level figures, Taro Misaki’s destined rival, modeled after Michel Platini. He possessed not only dazzling skills but also commanding leadership, earning him the title of “Elegant Commander.”

After acquiring Pierre’s Eiffel Pass, Dai Zhiwei’s short passing and vision around the penalty area improved significantly. Though still not at the level of top playmakers like Xavi or Ozil, he could now fill the attacking midfield role, no longer restricted to striker or winger.

Today’s match against Eibar was his stage to showcase his enhanced passing and vision. In the game, Dai Zhiwei assisted Bakambu and Pina in the 43rd and 61st minutes. After helping Villarreal secure a 2-0 victory, he was substituted for Soldado.

Although his streak of scoring ended, both post-match ratings and media praise highlighted him as the Yellow Submarine’s key player. Notably, with this win, Villarreal extended their lead over fifth-placed Sevilla to eleven points, and with only seven rounds remaining, they had almost secured next season’s Champions League qualification.

Marcelino’s decision to substitute Dai Zhiwei in the 62nd minute was tactical—they would soon host the Europa League quarterfinal.

Their opponents, Sparta Prague, seemed the weakest among the last eight, but Villarreal dared not underestimate them—Lazio’s defeat served as a warning.

To advance, Villarreal needed to establish a home advantage. Having eliminated Napoli and Leverkusen, Villarreal was now a Europa League favorite. After those two fierce battles, their confidence soared, and they were poised to chase the club’s first European trophy.

Against Sparta Prague, Villarreal were confident, provided they didn’t underestimate their opponents, especially in the crucial first leg at home.

No one expected that after drawing Lazio at home, it would be the Czech side that celebrated in Rome, stunning everyone with a three-goal victory.

For Prague, reaching the quarterfinals was cause for celebration, but they must be clear-eyed—the coming battles will be tougher, especially against Villarreal.

Playing away, Sparta Prague remained low-key, but still needed to seize every chance for survival.

For Dai Zhiwei, beyond hoping for the team’s smooth qualification, he was also chasing his first Europa League Golden Boot.

If he could win the Golden Boot solely from knockout stage goals, without playing in the group stage, he would become a legendary record-holder in Europa League history.

...

Dai Zhiwei’s updated stats after skill enhancement—

Offensive Ability: 94 (Excellent)
Defensive Ability: 34 (Very Poor)
Physical Balance: 83 (Good)
Left Foot: 75 (Average)
Right Foot: 85 (Good)
Stamina: 82 (Good)
Top Speed: 96 (World-Class)
Acceleration: 94 (Excellent)
Reaction: 97 (World-Class)
Agility: 91 (Excellent)
Dribbling Accuracy: 95 (World-Class)
Dribbling Speed: 90 (Excellent)
Short Pass Accuracy: 92 (Excellent)
Long Pass Accuracy: 70 (Average)
Shot Accuracy: 88 (Good)
Shot Power: 93 (Excellent)
Shot Technique: 83 (Good)
Free Kicks: 56 (Amateur)
Turning: 87 (Good)
Heading Accuracy: 91 (Excellent)
Jumping: 92 (Excellent)
Skill: 90 (Excellent)
Goalkeeping: 40 (Amateur)
Teamwork: 89 (Good)
Health: 7 (Excellent)
Skills: Millerga’s Thinking Dribble, Raisho Zheping’s Off-the-ball Runs, Flying High Header, Kojiro Hyuga’s Tiger Shot, Robert Hongo’s Overhead Kick, Aoi Shingo’s Right Angle Feint, El Cid Pierre’s Eiffel Pass
Overall Rating: 89 (Top Star)