Chapter 132: Filling in the Final Gap

“The new year kicks off with a major event!” After completing an extra set of 100 shots with his left foot, Dai Zhiwei glanced at the match schedule posted in the locker room and sighed deeply.

Following this winter break, Villarreal’s first La Liga match would be their season’s initial clash with Barcelona.

Fortunately, the team had already abandoned this season’s Copa del Rey, so Escribá planned to field mostly substitutes in the two-legged Copa del Rey matches against Barcelona and Real Sociedad before the Barcelona game. Otherwise, once the Champions League knockout stages began in March, Villarreal simply wouldn’t have the capacity to compete on three fronts.

“This time, my left foot should really surprise Barcelona,” Dai Zhiwei said confidently, mimicking a shooting motion aimed at Barcelona on the schedule.

Returning from the winter break with ample points saved up, he finally redeemed a skill to enhance his left-foot ability—the Left-Footed Power Shot of Karl-Heinz Schneider.

Karl-Heinz Schneider, the captain and ace striker of the German national team in “Captain Tsubasa,” is known as the “Emperor of Football,” hailed as Germany’s “Young King of Football,” and recognized as one of the strongest forwards in the series.

Though the skill “Left-Footed Power Shot” sounds ordinary and lacks flashy execution, it is one of the few left-footed skills in the “Captain Tsubasa System.”

While many players in “Captain Tsubasa” have balanced abilities with both feet, very few have evolved their left-foot skills into signature moves. The Left-Footed Power Shot, costing 30 points, suited Dai Zhiwei perfectly.

After acquiring this skill, his left foot’s rating instantly rose to 85. Whatever his right foot could do, his left foot could now replicate flawlessly.

Dai Zhiwei even felt that if he continued honing this left-foot skill, his dominant foot might eventually switch to the left.

With his left foot improved, Dai Zhiwei achieved true ambidexterity, filling the last technical gap—though his defensive and goalkeeping skills remained poor and amateurish, these were largely irrelevant for a striker.

However, if he were to join Manchester United next season, he would need to work on his defensive skills, as Romelu Lukaku, a center forward, was occasionally deployed as a fullback under Mourinho in the Red Devils.

Having filled this final gap, Dai Zhiwei’s other attributes also saw comprehensive improvements. Although these were incremental, for a player of his caliber, even a single point gained was a qualitative leap, elevating his overall rating to an epic star level. He now had the confidence and strength to truly contend with Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo, born in ’85; Messi, born in ’87; Dai Zhiwei, born in ’94.

“Come on! The era of football’s changing of the guard has arrived!” Dai Zhiwei was eager beyond measure.

…

Villarreal faced Barcelona as their first major challenge after the winter break, and on the other side, Barcelona was wary of the Yellow Submarine, now bolstered by Dai Zhiwei.

Villarreal sat fourth in the league, only three points behind leaders Barcelona. The importance of this match was undeniable.

Last season, Barcelona had been held to a draw at Villarreal’s home, losing two points.

Suárez was currently second on the La Liga scoring chart, just one goal behind Dai Zhiwei, making their goal-scoring duel a key highlight of the match.

Conversely, Neymar had recently fallen into a scoring drought, having failed to score for two and a half months.

There were no pre-match antics between the sides—they were old rivals who knew each other well, and since Villarreal wasn’t a title contender, both sides maintained a relaxed attitude.

At referee Marienko’s whistle, Barcelona kicked off first!

From the very first second, the match erupted into intense confrontation. Familiar foes, neither side held back, and the game quickly heated up.

Iniesta received a pass from Busquets and launched a long ball that tore through the unprepared Villarreal defense. Before the Villarreal defenders could organize, Suárez successfully timed an offside trap.

Amid the roaring cheers of Barcelona fans, Suárez shot inside the box. Fortunately, Villarreal keeper Asenjo reacted swiftly, punching the ball away from the goal.

After Barcelona’s early show of force, Villarreal center-back Musacchio finally snapped to attention and nervously cleared the ball out for a throw-in.

Barcelona fans sighed in disappointment—had Suárez’s shot been more cunning, they might have broken through Villarreal’s defense within three minutes, achieving a perfect start.

But football has no “ifs.” Though disappointed, Barcelona fans still loudly cheered their regretful striker.

Villarreal coach Escribá paced anxiously on the sidelines, shouting at his players to raise their focus and settle into the match quickly.

No one wanted a disastrous start to the new year.

Villarreal players wiped cold sweat from their brows, understanding that conceding early would not only put them on the back foot but also severely damage morale.

Under Asenjo’s loud commands, Villarreal’s defensive stalwarts guarded the penalty area like facing a mortal threat, while captain Bruno sprinted back to assist the defense.

All except Dai Zhiwei withdrew into their own half, leaving him alone up front.

In the opening phase, the relatively weaker Villarreal aimed not to break through Barcelona’s goal but at least to stabilize the situation.

Led by Iniesta and Busquets, Suárez, Neymar, and Messi repeatedly weaved through Villarreal’s defense, throwing it into chaos.

No defender dared to relax even slightly—the MSN trio’s firepower was unmatched worldwide; any lapse could be fatal.

Of course, Iniesta and Gomes were also key defensive focuses. Iniesta’s dribbling and passing were every defender’s nightmare, and his shooting was exceptional. Though young Gomes had not yet shined at Barcelona, his strength was no less threatening.

For a time, Villarreal’s defense teetered on the brink, their goal seemingly under constant threat.

In the 12th minute, Neymar was fouled outside the box by Musacchio, earning a left-sided free kick from a decent position.

“Was that a dive?” Dai Zhiwei couldn’t help but suspect whenever Neymar fell, as the Brazilian’s previous antics had left a lasting bad impression.

Iniesta launched a deadly through ball into the box. Piqué headed powerfully from nine yards, and Asenjo leapt to intercept the somewhat awkward header.

However, the header was strong and well-directed, and Asenjo failed to control the rebound fully, merely deflecting it.

“A great chance for Barcelona!” the commentator shouted excitedly from the booth.

Barcelona defender Sergio Roberto smiled upon receiving this gift, sliding in to score. Barcelona took the lead in the 13th minute!

0-1!

Camp Nou instantly became a sea of celebration. Sergio Roberto sprinted wildly to the corner flag to celebrate, and Barcelona players piled on in a group hug. Fans in the stands waved scarves and cheered loudly.

Villarreal players exchanged glances—already behind?

Dai Zhiwei sighed helplessly; Barcelona’s earlier onslaught had indeed overwhelmed his team.

It wasn’t that he was too weak—it was that the opponent was too strong!

Sergio Roberto’s goal gave Barcelona a dream start, lifting their morale to the peak as they launched a frantic siege on Villarreal’s backline.

At this point, effective counterattacks were out of the question. Even Robert Soriano and Bakambu had retreated to midfield to help defend. Aside from Dai Zhiwei, all ten Villarreal players had become defenders.

Lacking teammates’ support, Dai Zhiwei again found himself struggling against Mascherano and Piqué—the world’s top-five center-back pairing.

Though he fought to keep the ball at his feet, without support he couldn’t mount an effective counterattack, resorting instead to quick space creation and frequent long-range shots from outside the box.

As Escribá fretted anxiously, Villarreal finally withstood the toughest moments after the opening.

Barcelona grew somewhat impatient. Neymar received a pass and, without looking at the crowded box, blindly fired a shot from the edge.

The ball struck Busquets’s back, who failed to dodge in time, bouncing out of the box. Trigueros immediately sprinted toward the ball’s drop point.

As Trigueros received the pass, he caught sight of a familiar figure sprinting toward midfield. Dodging a charging Gomes, he launched a forward pass.

Dai Zhiwei, pushing himself to the limit, ran toward midfield while keeping an eye on the slowly descending ball. Fortunately, Trigueros’s long pass was excellent—not world-class, but still among the better long-ball specialists.

At the center circle, Dai Zhiwei chest-controlled the ball down, turned, and powerfully drove it forward, charging into the attack.

Barcelona fans gasped—just moments ago, their team had pressed high, leaving their defense extremely vulnerable.

Realizing this, Barcelona players tensed. Defensive midfielders Busquets and André Gomes hurriedly retreated from Villarreal’s half, scrambling back.

The moment Dai Zhiwei received the ball, the entire Camp Nou erupted into a thunderous chorus of boos.

The fans naturally hoped to unsettle Dai Zhiwei with their jeers, but he was no rookie. He ignored the noise, maintaining his fastest pace toward Barcelona’s defense.

Barcelona fullback Lucas Digne noticed the empty Villarreal flank and, under Piqué’s command, charged toward Dai Zhiwei.

Their plan was simple: use Digne to slow Dai Zhiwei’s dribbling. Once Barcelona defenders returned, this attack would fizzle out.

A straightforward tactic and an effective one—Digne, born in ’93, was no stranger to high-speed duels.

Faced with Digne’s challenge, Dai Zhiwei had no intention of engaging directly. He sharply kicked the ball forward and, astonishing Digne, raced past him like the wind.

Dai Zhiwei’s speed and ball control left Digne completely outpaced. When Digne scrambled to block him, he only grasped at thin air.

In counterattacks, breakthroughs often don’t require complex techniques—speed alone can solve everything.

Naturally, Digne wasn’t ready to give up. He quickly turned around, but although fast, he was still slower than Dai Zhiwei.

By the time Digne faced forward again, Dai Zhiwei had already put two meters between them.

After beating Digne, Dai Zhiwei remained composed. He knew every second counted and seized each moment.

Piqué, as Barcelona’s defensive core, experienced and wise, understood he had to act—to keep Dai Zhiwei outside the box.

However, whether during his time at Guangzhou Evergrande or after mid-season transfer to Villarreal last year, Piqué had little success containing Dai Zhiwei.

Facing Piqué’s bluff, Dai Zhiwei was calm and even kept an eye on the other Barcelona center-back Mascherano’s position.

Suddenly, Piqué snapped out his right foot to block Dai Zhiwei’s path. Not content with just his foot, he pushed hard with his right hand against Dai Zhiwei’s waist to prevent escape.

The vast Camp Nou fell silent as Dai Zhiwei was sent flying, tumbling clumsily into the penalty area.

Referee Marienko blew his whistle sharply and hurried toward the scene.

Could it be a penalty?

…

Latest stats for Dai Zhiwei—

Offensive Ability: 98 (Top-tier)

Defensive Ability: 35 (Very poor)

Body Balance: 90 (Excellent)

Left Foot: 85 (Good)

Right Foot: 87 (Good)

Stamina: 84 (Good)

Top Speed: 98 (Top-tier)

Acceleration: 96 (Top-tier)

Reaction: 98 (Top-tier)

Agility: 92 (Excellent)

Dribbling Accuracy: 96 (Top-tier)

Dribbling Speed: 91 (Excellent)

Short Pass Accuracy: 93 (Excellent)

Long Pass Accuracy: 71 (Average)

Shot Accuracy: 90 (Excellent)

Shot Power: 97 (Top-tier)

Shot Technique: 90 (Excellent)

Free Kicks: 99 (Top-tier)

Turning: 90 (Excellent)

Heading Accuracy: 91 (Excellent)

Jumping: 94 (Excellent)

Skill: 92 (Excellent)

Goalkeeping: 40 (Amateur)

Teamwork: 90 (Excellent)

Health: 7 (Excellent)

Skills: Millerga’s Thoughtful Dribbling, Raisei Kohei’s Off-the-Ball Movement, Soaring Header, Hyuga Kojirō’s Fierce Tiger Shot, Robert Hongo’s Bicycle Kick, Aoi Shin’go’s Sharp Fake, Pierre El Sid’s Eiffel Pass, Tsubasa Ozora’s Curved Shot, Karl-Heinz Schneider’s Left-Footed Power Shot

Overall Rating: 98 (Epic Star Level, Top Three in the World)

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