Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 286 Castellón

Amsterdam in April is already in springtime, with mild and cool weather. Although it's not very cold in winter, it's still more comfortable to train in the sunshine after spring arrives.

Wei Lai still rode his electric bike from the villa, turning left and right along the asphalt road, where many Chinese elements were clearly added.

First, the road signs have changed. Previously, they were only in English and Dutch, but now Chinese has been added.

Secondly, there are breakfast stalls and pastry shops.

When Wei Lai first arrived in the Netherlands, there were no breakfast stalls. If you wanted to eat breakfast, you either had to make it yourself or go to the training base's canteen.

Nowadays, the emergence of some pastry shops has changed this situation, as has the breakfast that combines local Dutch food, but Wei Lai doesn't really like it.

Finally, there's the Amstel River Stadium. Chinese tourists can easily find their way here even if they don't speak English.

The reason is simple: Chinese characters are everywhere.

Road signs, stadium directions, billboards, and even jersey stores will all be labeled in Chinese.

Atlético Amsterdam values ​​the Chinese market and therefore strives to serve Chinese tourists. Their philosophy is that if they want to earn money from others, they should provide excellent service.

"Good morning!"

Wei Lai arrived at the training base's canteen, took his tray, and sat down opposite Felix.

Felix looked at the six slices of bread, half a plate of scrambled eggs, three sausages, a plate of vegetables, and a glass of milk on Wei Lai's plate.

Have you not had a good appetite lately?

Wei Lai nodded: "Not particularly hungry!"

Diego Ruma, standing to the side, looked at Wei Lai with envy.

Being able to eat a lot means good absorption; the body can obtain energy through food, and Wei Lai's large appetite is the key to ensuring his abundant physical strength.

Moreover, Wei Lai's physical development is far ahead of others.

According to the latest physical examination report, Wei Lai's bone, muscle and other physical development are at an excellent level, while Diego Ruma is much worse than Wei Lai.

The reason why I envy Wei Lai is that, with physical development, his peak period will arrive earlier.

After quickly finishing his food and resting for a while, Wei Lai arrived at the gym on time to start lifting weights.

The professional arena is all about countless hours of grueling training.

Wei Lai's physical indicators are still on the rise, so he needs to exercise accordingly to promote this process.

His current goal is to increase muscle mass, but of course, this is done without affecting his agility.

After increasing the weight, the overall training became more strenuous, but Wei Lai knew that this was just the beginning and he would adapt quickly.

Adaptation means that his body has become stronger.

Throughout the European competition scene, Wei Lai's physique is relatively lean; he is not at all muscular.

Of course, Wei Lai didn't want to be too muscular, but at the very least, he needed to be able to withstand a single blow in a fight.

Holding dumbbells in both hands, Wei Lai slightly bent one leg, controlling his center of gravity, and stood on a yoga ball for specialized training.

"Hold on! Feel the engagement of your core."

Coach Roberto looked down at the stopwatch. Wei Lai's body was still swaying slightly, but he was able to maintain a standing posture on one leg.

Beep!
The whistle sounded.

Wei Lai immediately got off the yoga ball, put down the dumbbells in his hands, and shook the muscles in his legs.

"How are you feeling?" Roberto asked.

Wei Lai twisted his waist; "The point of exertion in the waist and abdomen is very obvious, but there is some pulling sensation in the hamstring muscles on the back of the thighs."

Roberto nodded: "Hamstring tension! Anything else?"

Wei Lai pointed to his shoulder; "When I exert force with my arm, my shoulder joint makes a strange noise, and I also feel a strong pulling sensation."

Roberto: "The side that was injured before?"

Wei Lai nodded.

Roberto recorded it again.

"Okay, go get a muscle relaxation massage. I'll submit this information."

Wei Lai nodded, put on his training clothes, and headed towards the physiotherapy room.

Lying in bed, receiving a relaxing massage from the therapist, the tense muscles in the back of my thighs began to relax as he kneaded and pulled. Of course, it wasn't relaxation in the safe sense, but it still had some effect.

After lunch, the first-team players of Atlético Amsterdam packed their bags.

They are scheduled to depart at 1 p.m. today for Villarreal in the Castellón province of Spain.

Tomorrow night, they will face the first leg of the Europa League semi-final.

Despite it being the Europa League semi-final, Wei Lai didn't seem to feel much.

He wanted to feel nervous or more expectant, but he didn't get that feeling.

He didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Are you ready?" Old Master Morton was the last to arrive at the front of the bus.

Peishan nodded and said, "The personnel and equipment have all been loaded onto the trucks."

Mr. Morton nodded; "Let's go!"

The Amsterdam Athletic's team bus departed from the training ground and headed to the airport.

They will arrive in Villarreal at 3 p.m.

"Wei Lai! Wei Lai!"

Villarreal is located in the province of Castellón, which is part of the Valencian Community.

As soon as Wei Lai stepped out of Amsterdam Airport, he saw many Chinese students studying abroad appearing at the airport.

They waved excitedly at him, and some even handed him papers and markers to ask for autographs.

Wei Lai secretly turned his head to look over, and his eyes met Pei Shang's.

This guy has been staring at me the whole time.

Wei Lai shook his head helplessly, clasped his hands together, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry! I can't have any contact with fans or reporters."

Aa ...
The children cried out in regret, and Wei Lai thanked his compatriots for their support once again before quickly catching up with the group and boarding a bus to the hotel in Xiata.

At 4 p.m., the whole team went to the training ground for a short one-hour training session, mainly focusing on tactical drills.

I returned to the hotel at five o'clock, washed up, and had dinner.

At 7 p.m., Mr. Morton called the players for one last tactical meeting.

This meeting reiterated some key tactical movements and core concepts.

同时针对卡斯特利翁在这个赛季使用最多的4-4-2以及4-3-3阵型进行一次简单的讲解。

"What formation do you think they'll use?" Wei Lai asked.

They will also use different tactics depending on the opponent's formation.

Musar: "I feel like they'll set up a 4-4-2!"

Wei Lai: "I also hope they will set up this formation."

The reason is simple: this formation is a single defensive midfielder formation, which allows for the use of a large amount of space behind the midfield.

Moreover, the probability of the opponent setting up this formation is not low.

Castellón would use this formation in some uncertain matches or when facing strong opponents.

Last season, they used this formation to defeat Atlético Barcelona away from home.

However, this season has seen the absence of some key players, with some transferring out, others getting injured, and a new head coach.

It's fair to say that Castellón's current situation isn't particularly good.

Another issue is the ambiguous positioning of Amsterdam Sport itself.

You might say they're a second-tier league team, but they're actually a traditional powerhouse with an impressive Champions League record and strong European competition capabilities.

He could be considered a formidable opponent, but what can a group of young people accomplish?
Therefore, Castellón is also in a rather contradictory position, unsure of which formation to use against Atlético Amsterdam.

"Wei!"

Mr. Morton called roll.

Wei Lai immediately raised his hand; "Here!"

Mr. Morton nodded; "I've already told you the tactics. In this game, you're responsible for connecting the attack. You don't need to break through or lead the attack, but you must get the ball to where it should be."

"understand!"

Wei Lai nodded.

To put it simply, he plays the role of a server. When the ball is passed to Wei Lai, he doesn't need to deliberately join the attack, but rather help the team choose the attacking route.

This is one form of decision-making, and also another way of presenting the reading of the game.

The reason for this arrangement is that when the opponent sets up a 4-4-2 formation, the midfield is in a diamond shape, and Wei Lai, the central midfielder, will spend most of his time in the pocket space.

It would be too risky for Wei Lai to take the initiative to attack from this position; the possibility of being countered is very high.

Therefore, Mr. Morton made him a 'soft wall' in the midfield and forward positions.

Wei Lai may not be physically capable enough, but that's not how he makes a living.

Wei Lai's strengths lie in his efficient and swift decision-making and his ability to identify weaknesses.

As long as he can make quick decisions, Atlético Amsterdam can launch a continuous barrage of attacks.

To reiterate, it's impossible for a young team that prioritizes offense to simply play defensively, especially since Atlético Amsterdam doesn't have that tradition.

Simulated classroom.

[Intermediate course, specialized reinforcement, combining player and ball skills!]

In front of Wei Lai were marker discs of various colors arranged in a straight line. The distance between each marker disc varied, and Wei Lai needed to make continuous outward and inward movements at different distances.

"Pull outwards, depress inwards! Pull outwards, depress inwards!"

Wei Lai used his right foot to continuously flick outwards and inwards, weaving through the markers.

The ball kept touching the cones, but Coach Grealish made no attempt to interrupt. "Be gentle! Treat it like the woman you love!"

"Continuous touching is not a problem, the key is to conduct complete training!"

Wei Lai nodded, pulled the ball back, turned around, and switched to his left foot to begin the marker dribbling training.

He then offered an intermediate course to make up for his technical shortcomings.

"Distance, speed, force—you have to control all of these yourself. When to gently touch it, and when to sprint fiercely!"

Snapped!
Wei Lai stopped and looked at Coach Grealish with a helpless expression.

These words sounded rather strange.

"Why did you stop? Keep going! I'm just starting to feel it!"

Coach Grealish urged.

Wei Lai complained.

"You're nothing special, you're just a show-off!"

He glanced at that round, thick calf, and felt a kind of enticement to shove it up.

Even their calves are sexy!

Wei Lai turned his head and continued training. This class suited him very well, and he learned it very quickly.

This doesn't mean that Coach Grealish taught exceptionally well, but rather that Wei Lai gained something from the coach, which allowed him to quickly grasp the key points in this lesson, and the class progressed rapidly.

"Speed ​​and distance!"

Wei Lai slightly raised his head, glancing at the ball out of the corner of his eye, while his feet continuously flicked and pulled the ball back, weaving through the markings.

"Coach Kaka said that you should save your speed when dribbling and not rush at the beginning. This is the same as the difference between long and short distances in marker dribbling training. For short distances, increase your foot frequency, and for long distances, increase your stride frequency. Switch between different speeds and rhythms!"

"Distance! Distance control is key. You need to have a clear idea of ​​where and at what distance the opponent can't reach the ball, and then you can make bold moves."

boom!
When Wei Lai flicked the ball outward, his toe hooked the ball, causing it to lift slightly into the air.

With a slight frown, Wei Lai pushed off with his right foot, leaned forward, and pressed down with his knee, using the front of his shin to press down on the ball.

Push off with your right foot, shifting your weight while simultaneously pushing your foot inward with the arch of your foot.

Dang Dang!

The fried meatballs have passed the next marker plate.

Wei Lai's lips curled up slightly.

"Don't get bogged down in the movements themselves; control the ball as you please."

pat!

Wei Lai stopped, turned to look at the signboard, and slowly exhaled.

"I feel like I'll graduate from this class very soon!"

"Wow! That fried dough stick was so cool!" Coach Grealish came over, produced two beer bottles, and handed one of them to Wei Lai.

"Shall we celebrate?"

Wei Lai smiled and took it, then tilted his head back and drank it down in one gulp.

"cheers!"

The following day, in the evening, at Castellón's home stadium, the Stade de la Régiment.

The yellow-themed stadium exudes an extraordinary passion.

The entire stadium was packed with people, cheers and shouts mingling together, creating an incredibly lively atmosphere.

In the corner of the stadium, on the sloping side, in the storage room on the steps, the rusty iron door shook violently, and with a creak, it quietly opened a crack.

"Not detected!"

A freckled boy with brown hair and a buzz cut peeked out furtively, scanning the area ahead.

"Safety!"

Soon, three teenagers in plain clothes leaped out and, taking advantage of the moment when the security personnel in front were talking, nimbly climbed the steps and slipped into the stands.

"Phew~ Mission accomplished!"

The brown-haired, freckled boy flashed a hearty smile.

Among the three was a black-haired boy who grinned and said, "Isn't this a bad idea?"

"What's the problem? It's not like this is the first time I've done this. As long as I don't get caught, I'll be fine!"

Payne, the freckled boy, said with a grin.

Zhang Yuan couldn't help but sigh.

They were players from Castellón's U18 youth academy. Encouraged by Payne, they crawled through a dog hole to sneak into the stadium and watch the Europa League semi-final.

"Geller will teach them a lesson they won't forget!"

Payne excitedly clenched his fist.

He was a fan of Guillermo del Toro, admiring his impactful style of play, a combination of power and agility that was simply unbelievable.

A few weeks ago, Gailey came to the youth training camp and played a friendly match with the U18 players.

Payne and his youth academy players were utterly humiliated; they were practically inhumanly strong.

After that match, Payne admired Gay even more.

"Athletico Amsterdam is a tough opponent, they are also very strong!"

The other boy wearing a baseball cap is named Cassel.

"Besides," Casso said, "they also have a talented player like Wei."

“That’s all media hype,” Payne grumbled. “Gailley will teach him a lesson!”

Zhang Yuan didn't reply, but instead looked towards the stadium.

His gaze was complicated!

Two years ago, Wei Lai was still competing with them in the U17 World Cup.

Two years later, Wei Lai had already stepped onto the Europa League semi-final stage and played as a starting player, while he was still in the youth training camp and found it difficult to obtain a professional contract.

"They're out!"

Payne cheered loudly.

The cheers from the crowd suddenly surged.

The players from both sides entered the field: the Castellón players wearing yellow jerseys and the Amsterdam players wearing red and white jerseys.

They led the caddies onto the field, and their arrival seemed to set the entire stadium ablaze with excitement.

Zhang Yuan stared at Wei Lai in the Amsterdam Arena team, his mind somewhat dazed.

Wei Lai stood there among a group of European professional players, but he didn't seem out of place at all.

When the DJ introduced the player roster for Atlético Amsterdam, Wei Lai and Konrad Lehmann received the loudest boos.

This means they are the most threatening!
The starting lineup of both parties:

Castellón (4-4-2):
Goalkeeper: Luis.

Defenders: Navarre, Follett, Ramise, Pedracit.

Midfielders: Dijonak, Troker, Gueller, Sanro.

Forwards: Pepe, Mikaiser.

Amsterdam Athletic (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper; Rutte.

Defenders: Zilben, Kakabanja, Shutak, Lund.

Midfielders: Robinson, Reyesa, Wei Lai, Musar, Lehmann.

Forward: Felix.

The players from both sides took their positions.

Castellón kicked off the first half.

The referee looked down at his watch, listened to the feedback in his headset, and then slowly ran out of the center circle to blow the whistle.

The game officially began the moment the whistle blew.

boom!
Castellion passed the ball back to the back line, where the defender launched a long ball forward.

Pepe and Reyessa contested for the ball, but neither could win it. The ball hit Reyessa's shoulder and rolled to Troker's feet.

Troker looked up at the goal and suddenly flicked the ball to the side.

A figure charged in like a tiger, unleashing a powerful shot at the goal.

"Gailley takes a long-range shot!"

The ball grazed the crossbar and went out of bounds.

This long-range shot still gave Atlético Amsterdam a real scare, and the entire stadium erupted in cheers.

"Gailly's long-range shot was of high quality, but he was a bit unlucky."

The Spanish commentator also laughed and said, "The absence of key player Hollein has made Castellón fans a little uneasy, but the other players have performed very well, and they have a chance to win!"

From the stands, Payne roared excitedly.

"Gail! That's right! That's it! Go for it! Crush them!"

Payne exclaimed excitedly, "Look! He's really amazing!"

Neither Kaso nor Zhang Yuan said a word.

Guillermo del Toro is indeed very strong, but this time it was Atlético Amsterdam's turn to attack.

Whether Castellón can withstand the pressure remains to be seen.

After all, Atlético Amsterdam's attacking firepower is something even AC Milan FC can't handle.

(End of this chapter)