Awakening the Messi template, Florentino Pérez begs me to join Real Madrid

Wu Shiping was lying on the physiotherapy bed, undergoing rehabilitation treatment.

[Neural impulse simulation training session, 3rd session, progress 47%]

[Muscle activity maintained: 78%]

Inflammation index: down 12% from yesterday

The system data is being refreshed.

Two days have passed since that bloody battle. According to traditional medical protocols, he should still be resting in bed, and even walking should be difficult for him.

However, with the help of the system, he has been able to complete some basic rehabilitation training.

"How are you feeling?" The physical therapist was a Chinese woman in her thirties, a sports rehabilitation expert specially hired by the team.

"It's a little numb, but I can feel the muscles contracting," Wu Shi replied truthfully.

Therapist Zhou nodded:

"Your recovery is much faster than expected. But I must remind you that this is just maintaining muscle activity and preventing atrophy. True healing takes time, and you can't rush it."

"I know." Wu Shi looked at the ceiling. "Dr. Zhou, given my current condition, is it possible that in three days... even if it's just sitting on the bench?"

"Do you know what you're asking?"

"I know... but I just want to know the possibility."

"Possibility?" Therapist Zhou smiled wryly.

"From a medical standpoint, it's 0%. The fact that you can sit up and eat is already an incredible recovery. Playing in a game in three days? That's playing with your career."

She paused, her tone serious:

"Dr. Davis specifically told me yesterday that if you ask about playing, I must stop you. He said young people always want to prove themselves, but some prices are too high to pay."

The voice of the system sounded in my mind:

[Based on the current recovery progress simulation: Probability of reaching mild activity level in three days: 61%]

[Probability of reaching the standard of 15-20 minutes of substitute appearance: 0.01%]

[Probability of reaching the starting lineup standard: 0%]

[Warning: Forcing yourself to play may lead to recurring injuries and impact your career]

0.01%

The chance is less than one in ten thousand, and the risks and costs are extremely high.

"I understand." Wu Shi closed his eyes. "Thank you, Dr. Zhou."

At the same time, the national youth team was in the hotel's conference room.

The projector was playing a video of the Australian team's quarter-final victory – they beat Iran 2-0.

Look here.

Old Li circled an area on the screen with a laser pointer.

"Australia's midfield transitions are faster than in the group stage. They've realized that physical dominance isn't always effective and have started to strengthen their tactical coordination."

In the footage, Australia's number 10 player receives the ball in midfield. Unlike in the group stage, he doesn't rush to make a through pass. Instead, he patiently passes the ball laterally, moving the Iranian defense around until an opening appears before finally penetrating it.

"Their coach adjusted the tactics."

The assistant coach added, "They tried to wipe us out in the group stage, but they didn't succeed. Now they've learned their lesson and are playing more patiently and as a team."

"Brother Lei, what do you think?" Chen Liang asked in a low voice.

Wu Lei pondered for a moment: "It's even tougher than the group stage."

He paused for a moment: "They are the hosts, and the semi-finals are in Sydney, so the pressure is on us."

Chen Liang gritted his teeth:

"Damn it, everyone online is saying we can't win."

"normal."

Wu Lei closed his notebook.

"In the group stage, we relied on our fighting spirit and a bit of luck. Now that Wu Shi is injured and Li Haoran is suspended due to accumulated losses, we are indeed at a disadvantage on paper."

Li Haoran is the national youth team's key defensive midfielder. He received a yellow card in the last match against Yi Jianlian, and with the one he accumulated in the group stage, he will be suspended for the second time. He is the defensive bulwark of the midfield, and his absence will have a huge impact on the national youth team's defensive system.

Old Li turned off the projector and turned on the lights.

"Speak up, everyone. What are your thoughts?" He looked at the team members.

There was a few seconds of silence in the conference room.

Wang Zhuofeng raised his hand: "Coach, I can play defensive midfield. I've played that position at my club."

Old Li shook his head: "Your offensive attributes are too strong, but your defensive awareness and positional sense are insufficient. The Australian midfielders are physically tough; you can't handle them."

"Well..." Chen Liang scratched his head, "How about we play with five defenders? Defend tight and look for counter-attack opportunities?"

"That's how we played in the group stage," Wu Lei said. "Australia was definitely prepared. And without Wu Shi, our counter-attack speed and quality dropped a level."

Everyone knows that Wu Shi's role on the field is not just about scoring goals and assists; his running, movement, and passing choices can create space for Wu Lei and his teammates.

Old Li looked at all the team members.

"You've all seen what's going on outside."

"The media said we only had a 20% chance of winning, the odds offered by bookmakers were one-sided, and even domestic fans were trying to save face for us in advance - 'Getting a spot in the World Youth Championship is a victory', 'We're short-handed, so it's normal to lose'."

"Do you all think so too?"

No one spoke.

"It's right to disagree."

"But let me tell you, these voices aren't without merit. On paper, in terms of squad completeness and home advantage, we are indeed at a disadvantage. That's a fact, and there's no need to avoid it."

He sat back down in his seat.

"But the ball is round. We drew with them in the group stage not because of overwhelming strength, but because of willpower, tactical execution, and everyone's all-out effort."

He turned around: "Right now, Wu Shi is in the hospital, Li Haoran is suspended, and the outside world is pessimistic about us. This is precisely our opportunity."

"An opportunity?" Chen Liang asked, puzzled.

"Yes, an opportunity."

Old Li walked back to the tactics board.

"What is Australia's mindset right now? It's about revenge, proving themselves, and advancing to the final in front of their home crowd. Are they under a lot of pressure? Yes. Will they get impatient? Yes."

He circled the word "Australia" in red pen.

"They tried to wipe us out in the group stage, but they failed. In this semi-final, they will definitely adjust, play more patiently, and be more of a team. But their core values ​​won't change—they are the hosts, they are the favorites. They are the strong team in the eyes of the outside world, while we are the unfavored challengers."

"And what about us?"

Old Li looked at the team members.

"We are the ones who are underestimated, the ones who think 'we can relax once the mission is accomplished,' and the ones who are short of manpower and resources."

"Expectations for us have been lowered to their lowest point. If we can still fight back and deliver an unexpected performance, then all the pressure will fall on them."

"Coach, what do you mean?" Wu Lei seemed to have guessed what the coach was thinking.

This morning, there are still two days until the national youth team's semi-final.

Wu Shi was reading an article on his phone.

The article's title is simply: "Missing Players, National Youth Team Unlikely to Create Miracle in Semifinals." The article details the unfavorable factors facing the national youth team. In short, it expresses pessimism about their chances of advancing to the finals, but without belittling or criticizing the team; instead, it presents a very objective and forceful assessment.

The article concludes by saying

"For this national youth team with an average age of less than 19, reaching the semi-finals and securing a spot in the World Youth Championship is already a remarkable achievement."

"Facing the formidable host nation in the semifinals, they deserve applause and respect regardless of the outcome. I hope fans can approach this match with a calm mindset and not put too much pressure on the young players."

In the comments section, fans' attitudes also showed a subtle divergence:

"Indeed, making it to the semi-finals is already quite impressive, losing to the host country is not shameful."

"With Wu Shi and Li Haoran absent, their strength is severely diminished; as long as they can still generate momentum, that's enough."

"Coach Li has already accomplished his mission. Play this game in a relaxed manner and don't feel pressured."

"To be honest, getting this far has already been an exceptional performance. Just show your attitude in the semifinals."

Of course, there were also voices of dissatisfaction:

"Predicting a loss before the game even starts? The ball is round!"

"We were down by one goal in the first half of the group stage and had a player sent off, but we still managed to draw in the end. Why should we admit defeat now?"

"Wu Shi is gone, but Wu Lei is still here! Can't Chen Liang and Wang Zhuofeng step up?"

But these voices were quickly drowned out by the "rationalists":

"Let's face reality; the gap in strength is there."

"With two key players missing, how can we win?"

"Don't tarnish the players' reputation; just support them regardless of whether they win or lose."

On 2PTV Sports' live broadcast schedule page, fans have already started "reserving" words of comfort:

"No matter how many we lose, just give it our all, guys!" "Winning is a huge bonus, losing isn't a loss!"

This seemingly tolerant atmosphere actually reflects an acceptance of failure in advance.

"System, do you think so too?" Wu Shi asked.

[Data Analysis: China's U-20 team has a 21% chance of advancing to the finals, while Australia's is 79%]

"As expected, you are too... But I don't think so!!!"