Chapter 194: What Does It Feel Like to Win the Championship

On the afternoon of January 28, Madrid time, Villarreal suffered a shocking 0-1 home defeat to Granada, and head coach Escrivá attended the subsequent press conference.

A reporter noted that Villarreal's league performance in January was far worse than in previous months, asking if this was because other teams in the league had fully analyzed Villarreal.

"This is the problem we are currently facing; our opponents are gradually becoming familiar with our main tactics, which is why I am making adjustments to the team's strategy. We are in an adjustment period now, so losing matches is quite normal, and we can bear this risk."

"The Copa del Rey semi-finals are coming soon. With your very dense schedule in February, will you slightly deprioritize the league matches for the sake of the Copa del Rey, just as Real Madrid does?"

The reporter raised the question that all fans currently wanted to know.

In February, Villarreal faces a total of eight matches across the league, the Europa League, and the Copa del Rey.

It is impossible for Villarreal to exert one hundred percent of their strength in all eight matches, so how to prioritize has become a question worthy of consideration.

In response, Escrivá stated that Villarreal would do their utmost to complete every single match.

As for the prioritization between the league, the Copa del Rey, and the Europa League, Escrivá did not state this explicitly to the reporters.

While the situation regarding the league and the Europa League remains uncertain for now, one thing is definite: Villarreal will absolutely bring their full strength to the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Because this is the closest Villarreal has ever been to the Copa del Rey in the club's history!

They must devote all their heart and blood to it!

Check Dongqiu Di Match Report: Villarreal loses 0-1 at home to Granada, securing their third league defeat in January; Aleix's header was disallowed for offside.

"I'm really fed up; that goal in the first half shouldn't have been offside..."

Sitting on a bench in the locker room, Tang Ye hung his head low.

Granada was not strong; before the match started, he had thought today's game would be a sure win, but right after kickoff, the opponent scored from a corner kick, completely disrupting the team's rhythm.

"Maybe the angle was different; from my position, it did look slightly offside,"

Rodri said.

However, discussing this offside issue further was unnecessary; the result of the match was already decided, Villarreal had lost the game and gained zero points.

The players' energy is limited; the Copa del Rey match against Alavés three days ago had consumed too much of the players' mental focus.

Playing against Granada before their condition had fully recovered made losing the match an unavoidable outcome.

At this moment, Ruiz in the distance asked Tang Ye for some chewing gum; Tang Ye reached into his backpack on the ground, took out two sticks of gum, and tossed them to Ruiz opposite him.

Then he reached into his own backpack again and took a piece for himself.

Tearing open the wrapper and looking at the chewing gum in his hand, Tang Ye fell into deep thought.

"The semi-finals are coming up soon; I heard fans say we can easily beat Celta. Rod, do you think what the fans are saying is reliable?"

Tang Ye popped the chewing gum into his mouth and turned to look at Rodri beside him.

"What fans say doesn't count, but... if we only look at historical records, our chances of winning are indeed slightly higher."

Rodri explained, "But it's hard to say for sure; Celta is not weak. With little hope left in the league for them, suddenly realizing they can reach the Copa del Rey final, they will definitely fight us tooth and nail."

Although the February schedule is dense, Celta can abandon the league to focus solely on the Copa del Rey, something Villarreal cannot do, as they must divert part of their energy to deal with the league.

Atlético Madrid and Sevilla have been itching to move on the standings table at the fourth and fifth positions for a long time!

"Tom, do you really want to play in the final?"

"Of course!"

Tang Ye answered quickly, "Not just the final; it would be best if we could win the championship."

"The championship?"

Rodri raised his eyebrows, "If we actually make it to the final, our opponent should be Barcelona; we must beat Barcelona to win the championship."

Tang Ye rubbed his fingernails, "It is very difficult, but I feel we have hope. The feeling of winning the championship is wonderful."

"The feeling of winning the championship?"

"Yes."

Tang Ye began describing it to Rodri, "Last year I won three championships; the Eredivisie award ceremony was the most luxurious. Golden confetti suddenly exploded, falling onto your face. The Eredivisie championship trophy is a shield; back then, my captain and I would lift the shield up so the confetti wouldn't fall on us."

"However..."

Thinking carefully for a moment, Tang Ye continued, "Actually, I quite like the feeling of confetti sprinkling over my body, but I thought lifting the shield above our heads was interesting, so I did that. My captain and I hid together under the shield, and at that moment, the fans in the stands would shout your name. Rod, you must experience this feeling."

"Mmm..."

Rodri took a deep breath.

Although Tang Ye's description of the championship scene focused on aspects slightly different from most people, Rodri could roughly sense that scene.

Come to think of it, Rodri had never won a championship with a senior team, and most players in the Villarreal squad were the same.

Under the dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona, many La Liga players have never experienced the feeling of confetti sprinkling over their bodies.

Simply imagining the scene Tang Ye had just described, Rodri's emotions gradually became agitated, his restless toes scratching against the soles of his shoes.

He longed for it!

He longed to win his first championship with the Villarreal senior team!

But he also knew he must remain calm!

Calmly keep pace with big brother Tom!

Increase market value!

And also win the championship!

Check Dongqiu Di Match Preview: At 4 AM on February 3, in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, Villarreal travels to face Celta, as Tang Ye strives for Villarreal's first championship.

Marca Front Page Headline—Why Was Villarreal So Strong in the 2016-17 Season? An In-Depth Analysis of Escrivá's Two Sets of Tactics.

Marca's news shot up to the trending search list on Check Dongqiu Di within a short time.

As the team Tang Ye plays for, any news related to Villarreal receives considerable attention in China.

Furthermore, Escrivá's tactics are a point of great concern for the fans.

How on earth does Huang Huang Qian play football?

This is a question shared by all the fans.

In this article, the reporter from Marca divides Huang Huang Qian's tactics for the current season into three periods.

The early Tom period, the Tom period, and the late Tom period!

The early Tom period refers to the beginning of the season, when Tang Ye had just moved from the bench to the starting lineup; during this period, Huang Huang Qian employed 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 formations, and Tang Ye had not yet become the tactical core.

Huang Huang Qian's results during this period were good, but it was not yet their strongest phase.

Starting from October, Huang Huang Qian entered the second stage.

The Tom period!

This is the most crucial period of the season for Huang Huang Qian; Tang Ye evolved from a starter into the core, and Huang Huang Qian scored many goals across various competitions.

The reason Huang Huang Qian can now sit firmly in third place on the La Liga standings is mainly due to the numerous victories secured during this period.

Then comes the third stage, which is the present; the Marca reporter refers to this stage as the "late Tom period."

During this stage, the team's head coach, Escrivá, further consolidated Tang Ye's status as the tactical core, but the team also encountered some problems.

After half a season, they had been thoroughly studied by many teams in the same league!

Therefore, during this period, Escrivá made simple modifications to the team's tactics.

The most obvious example was the second leg of the quarter-finals between Huang Huang Qian and Alavés; that match was the finest exemplar of the "late Tom period."

In the final summary, the article's author, Alades, praised the abilities of Huang Huang Qian's head coach, Escrivá.

This was because he had discovered something terrifying.

Saint Escrivá was gradually optimizing Huang Huang Qian's tactics!

They were becoming stronger and stronger!

……

Dongqiu Di repost: Escrivá liked the summary article published by Marca reporter Alades.

Dongqiu Di match preview: Copa del Rey semi-final, Huang Huang Qian travels to face Celta, with Tang Ye leading the squad list.

Sitting on the bus heading to Balaídos Stadium, Tang Ye pressed his head against the bus window.

The roads nearby were not very good; as the bus drove, the bumps were severe, causing Tang Ye's head, leaning against the window, to knock against the glass at a very rapid frequency.

He was searching for the rhythm of this vibration.

"Ding!"

Just then, the phone in his pants pocket vibrated, and Tang Ye pulled it out.

【Neymar: Good luck】

Neymar had sent a blessing message to Tang Ye via WhatsApp.

"How do you two know each other?"

Rodri raised his eyebrows, looking at the contact name "Neymar" on the chat interface, his expression somewhat surprised.

He remembered that Huang Huang Qian and Barcelona had only played one match this season.

Had Tom become friends with a Barcelona star so quickly?

"Oh, you mean Junior? We met playing games; we only got to know each other last month, and sometimes we play together."

"So that's how it is."

Rodri nodded: "If we beat Celta, we will likely meet Barcelona in the final."

Rodri's words reminded Tang Ye, and just then, Neymar's next message arrived.

【After the final, let's go to an internet café to play games together, haha】

"This..."

Tang Ye didn't know what to say: "The semi-finals haven't even started yet; how is he already talking about the final?"

"For Barcelona, beating Atlético shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

Rodri said: "They are highly likely to advance; it all depends on us now."

"Then beating Celta shouldn't be difficult for us either."

Tang Ye tucked his phone back into his pocket.

Having reached the semi-finals, it would be such a pity not to make it to the final and win the championship!

……

"Celta!"

"Celta!"

As the players from both sides walked out of the tunnel, the stadium suddenly erupted in noise.

"Finally here!"

"Tang Ye is also in the starting lineup for today's semi-final. Okay, the match is about to begin; let me first introduce the starting lineups for both sides."

Celta (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Sergio Álvarez

Defenders: Mallo, Sergi Gómez, Roncaglia, Planas

Midfielders: Radoja, Sánchez, Marcelo Díaz

Forwards: Schöne, Rossi-Bunguenda

Head Coach: Berizzo

"And now the away team, Huang Huang Qian! We've mentioned Huang Huang Qian so many times, so I won't introduce them again."

"Why did the streamer arrive so late... I got the time wrong; I thought it started at 2:30, but it's actually 1:30. But it doesn't matter; I've looked up a lot of information, so I should be able to broadcast today's match well."

Just as Wang Chao said, for this focal semi-final match, he had made ample preparations.

First, regarding player market values, Celta's entire starting lineup is worth less than 60 million euros.

They were already inferior to Yellow Submarine, let alone now that after the latest Transfermarkt update, every Yellow Submarine player's value has surged by 50%.

In terms of player market values, Yellow Submarine leads comprehensively; even little Tom's individual value nearly equals that of the entire opposing team.

But this is no reason for Yellow Submarine to relax their vigilance.

There is a reason why Celta managed to defeat Real Madrid and advance to the semifinals.

Just as Yellow Submarine overturned Alavés away from home a week ago, Celta also has their own set of tactics—a set of tactics capable of going toe-to-toe with Yellow Submarine!

"Beep——!!!"

【You purchased Vardy's Red Bull】

The match has begun!

At Balaídos Stadium, Celta's team anthem rings out; on the sidelines, both head coaches make identical gestures, hands stuffed in pockets, lips pressed tightly together.

It is clear that both Berizzo and Escrivá are under immense pressure.

Among them, the one bearing the greatest pressure should be Escrivá.

Attentive fans have already noticed that compared to the start of the season, Escrivá has lost a lot of hair, obviously a result of excessive haggardness.

In the camera shot, Escrivá squints his eyes, observing the situation on the pitch.

Just moments ago, defender Planas's long pass found forward Rossi, creating a quick counter-attacking opportunity for Celta.

This is not the first meeting between Yellow Submarine and Celta this season.

!

Sitting back down on the bench, Martí, seated beside him, speaks: "They aren't naturally good at counter-attacks."

Escrivá nods.

Clearly, for today's semifinal, Berizzo had his players specifically drill defensive counter-attacks.

Specifically designed to counter Yellow Submarine's defensive counter-attacks!

"Go, go, go!"

Gaspar's voice rings out; Rodri dodges Sánchez ahead of him and actively runs forward.

Find the right moment!

Slap!

Gaspar's through ball precisely finds Rodri pushing forward; having secured possession, Rodri does not immediately pass but continues dribbling for a while.

Advancing with the ball at his feet is a responsibility Rodri must shoulder within the team's tactics.

Tang Ye, the instant Gaspar completed the interception, had already sprinted out; now he is observing.

Celta has clearly studied Yellow Submarine specifically; Bongonda, tracking back, firmly occupies the space between Rodri and Tang Ye.

This means Rodri cannot directly pass the ball to Tang Ye!

Tang Ye glances toward the center and the right flank respectively, making a hook-hand gesture to signal Aleix to drop back.

The Yellow Submarine striker abandons the idea of making a forward run into the penalty area, running back instead to create a passing option for Rodri.

Bang!

Rodri launches a precise low long pass finding Aleix; having received the signal in advance, Aleix lays the ball off to Tang Ye on his left, then decisively turns and runs into the penalty area.

Aleix's short pass rolls toward Tang Ye, who slowly moves forward.

Lifts his left foot!

Chips the ball into the penalty area!

Tang Ye's pass is lofted very high, and the descending speed is not fast either; it is clearly custom-made for Aleix, who is about to turn and make a forward run.

Aleix!

Prepare to jump!

What a pity; Tang Ye's pass is slightly too far forward; jumping up, Aleix can only reach it awkwardly, ultimately failing to generate enough power.

The ball goes straight into the hands of goalkeeper Álvarez.

Damn!

Tang Ye shakes his head, then retreats together with Aleix.

【Create Attacking Opportunity +1】

【Create Attacking Opportunity Count: 1/18】

Although Aleix did not apply enough force on that chip just now, he did indeed touch the ball, so this counts as one of Tang Ye's created attacking opportunities.

To be honest, if the system hadn't suddenly reminded him today, Tang Ye would have almost forgotten he still has an unfinished Legendary Chest upgrade mission hanging over him!

Create 18 attacking opportunities to earn one Legendary Chest!

The moment he thinks about soon obtaining his first Legendary Template, Tang Ye cannot help but take two quick, deep breaths.

Right now, his desire to attack is higher than ever before!

The 17th minute!

"OK, Musacchio!"

"A perfect tackle!"

"Celta wants to imitate the tactics Alavés used to beat Yellow Submarine earlier, but their imitation is trash."

"There's absolutely no way this kind of counter-attack can breach Yellow Submarine's goal!"

After completing the tackle, Musacchio immediately begins searching for a passing target up front.

Aleix, Bakambu, and Sansone are all marked tightly; Tang Ye is now the only attacking player in Yellow Submarine's front field who is free.

Musacchio doesn't know why Tom can always shake off defenders, but that is not the problem he should be pondering right now.

The priority now is to get the ball to Tang Ye's feet as quickly as possible!

Slap!

Musacchio's long pass flew toward Tang Ye.

Hm, here it comes, here it comes!

Tang Ye's emotions began to surge.

No rush, first observe left and right.

Both Dias and Roncaglia were running toward him.

These two were big guys; if Tang Ye were to engage them in physical combat, he would definitely be at a disadvantage.

"Rodri!"

Tang Ye shouted, and Rodri immediately ran over to swap positions with him.

Just then, Musacchio's long pass began to descend; Rodri blocked Llorente behind him and headed the ball to Tang Ye, who was waiting nearby.

Tang Ye had gained control of the ball!

What is called teamwork?

This is teamwork!

Yellow Submarine's great genius and little genius displayed nearly perfect coordination!

Finally, Tang Ye dribbled the ball forward!

There was a good passing option to the front-left!

Sansone moved up to receive; Tang Ye passed the ball to him, then made an off-ball run to replace Sansone near the left-wing byline.

Watching this scene in Yellow Submarine's attacking third made Escribá nod repeatedly.

The players had perfectly executed his tactics during the match!

Escribá knew Tang Ye was a player with a strong desire to attack.

Simply put, he loved posing as a striker!

And this tactic of crossing runs could very effectively activate this trait of Tang Ye's!

Sansone ran toward the edge of the penalty arc!

Pretending to play a through-ball into the box, he instead stopped the ball with his foot!

"Oh!"

The fans in the stands were startled; at that moment, Sansone tapped the ball with his right foot and suddenly laid it off to Tang Ye, who was making a run down the left wing!

Tang Ye was now in striker mode!

There's a chance!

Tang Ye's eyes lit up; he decisively turned sideways to let the ball roll in front of him.

Save it for the first touch!

"If you don't kick the ball soon, it's going to roll away!"

"OK, Tang Ye passes directly!"

Slap!

【De Bruyne Wing Cross Lv3: Simulation】

Proficiency: 66/400

A very fast cross!

It was delivered as a half-high ball!

Ale and Sansone both made forward runs into the penalty area!

Ale's position was marked!

Sansone!

Sansone did not have Ale's height; even with his head fully extended, he still couldn't reach the ball.

It's over!

This was Sansone's immediate reaction.

He had wasted a pass from Tom.

Just then, Bakambu charged up from the right wing, lifted his right leg, and struck the ball into the ground.

The ball bounced once inside the six-yard box, then leaped up and into the goal.

Well...

Sansone climbed up from the ground.

So that ball wasn't meant for him at all!

"Gggggg—ooooo—lllllll!!!"

"Goal!"

"Assist from Tang Ye's cross!"

"Goal!"

"Damn!"

"1-0! Yellow Submarine takes the lead!"

Wang Chao's face flushed very red.

"Brothers, I had a feeling this goal was coming when I saw Tang Ye run to the byline just now; I didn't expect it to actually happen."

"No showing off, really no showing off; I truly had that feeling."

"You guys should reflect on why you didn't have that feeling. When Tang Ye is in striker mode, his attacking efficiency is very high; honestly, those who don't know this really need to reflect deeply."

"Don't just focus on making money; you have to watch the matches, okay?"

A chorus of boos erupted from the stands as Tang Ye sprinted quickly to the right flank, toward Bacambu's position.

【You have gained 10 Counterattack Points.】

【Create Scoring Opportunities: 3/18】

"Vamos!"

After a roar of triumph, Tang Ye and Bruno embraced.

Three scoring opportunities created in under twenty minutes.

It feels like the probability of completing today's promotion mission is very high!

"Clap, clap, clap!"

On the sidelines, Escrivá clapped incessantly.

Berisso's tactics could effectively counter Yellow Submarine.

But Berisso had overlooked one critical issue...

Tom operates in two modes: attacking midfielder and striker!

"Come on, come on!"

Escrivá walked over and high-fived the players.

If they could secure a two-goal lead in the first leg, Yellow Submarine's advancement to the finals would almost certainly be secured.

Leading by two goals away from home meant winning at home would be a breeze!

Returning to his position, Tang Ye rubbed his hands together.

Eighteen scoring opportunities...

It wasn't far off now!

(End of Chapter)