"Real Madrid has this won!"
"Su Hang, Raúl, Figo, Beckham, Zidane—they've completely taken over the match!"
"Luxemburgo! These are the players you left sitting on the bench!"
"Two Ballon d'Or winners, two FIFA World Player of the Year winners! Two Ballon d'Or runners-up! And one future Ballon d'Or winner!"
Inside the stadium, Real Madrid fans were in ecstasy.
In the last three games combined, the team had only managed three goals.
In this one, they smashed in three within just eight minutes.
The effect was immediate.
Who needed Robinho's stepovers?
Who needed Baptista's wrestling matches?
Who needed Cicinho's sprints down the flank?
Every player in this front line could carve open the defense in their own way.
That's what it means to have superstars!
...
63rd minute.
García fouled an Athletic Bilbao player and was shown a yellow card.
Luxemburgo brought on Guti to replace him.
Originally, he'd wanted to send in Gravesen.
But… Simon reminded him. Acting as the "assistant coach" appointed by the board to supervise Luxemburgo, he enforced Su Hang's substitution plan to the letter.
68th minute.
Figo was dispossessed in attack.
His stamina was nearly gone—he simply couldn't play a full ninety at top level anymore.
This time, Simon sent Baptista on for Figo.
Baptista was surprised. He wasn't part of Su Hang's circle and had assumed he wouldn't get a chance.
But Su Hang really did seem to be putting the team first…
Not settling scores.
71st minute.
Su Hang received a pass from Zidane and let fly from more than twenty meters out.
The keeper tipped it behind for a corner.
The shot had been a bit too central.
Beckham swung in the corner, but Bilbao won the first header and cleared it across to the other side.
Roberto Carlos wasted no time and whipped in a cross.
No hesitation!
He had two targets—Baptista closer to goal, Su Hang a bit deeper.
By logic, the ball should've gone to Baptista.
But for some reason, Carlos recalled that scene in the locker room:
"We need your help!"
Baptista and the defenders all leapt… but none could reach it.
In the next instant, Su Hang rose above them all.
Bang!
A thunderous header.
The ball crashed into the net, sending white waves rippling through the stands!
"Another one!"
"Carlos' cross was perfect—like unlocking the defense with a single key!"
"Four-nil! Real Madrid won't stop scoring!"
"Su Hang gets his brace! Two headed goals today!"
Su Hang burst out of the crowd, waving his right hand in sync with the Madridistas.
Here it comes!
Exactly what everyone had been waiting for!
He leapt, spun 180 degrees mid-air, then landed hard—like a deity come down to earth!
Eighty thousand voices roared in unison at the Bernabéu:
"Siuuuuuuuuu!"
All of Madrid knew at that moment—Su Hang had scored again.
That kind of siu, so perfectly in sync… it sounded like more than one goal had gone in.
Could it be? Was Real Madrid finally breaking the losing streak?
...
Amid the deafening cheers, Simon used his last substitution.
Robinho came on for Zidane, giving Zizou a rest.
But the meaning couldn't have been more different.
Luxemburgo's swap had screamed: "Get off, old man—let someone useful play!"
Simon's change said: "Zizou, you've done your part. The rest is garbage time—let the kid get a taste."
That alone put enormous pressure on Robinho.
For the first time, he saw Real Madrid fans this ecstatic.
For the first time, he saw 80,000 Madridistas chanting for one man.
He'd never believed Su Hang was anything special.
Aside from strength and heading, Robinho felt he could outshine Su Hang in every way.
He had never respected him as captain.
But now… he couldn't even meet Su Hang's eyes.
Those eyes, blazing with murderous intent.
That aura, almost tangible.
Robinho almost blurted out: "Yes, sir!"
...
75th minute.
Eager to impress, Robinho rattled off a string of stepovers, only to be stripped cleanly by a Bilbao defender.
It looked like a foul.
But against Bilbao, Atlético, or in El Clásico, the bar was always higher—the duels tougher.
Robinho rolled on the turf, but Bilbao turned the counter into a goal.
1–4!
They clawed back some pride.
Robinho wasn't having it. He chased after the referee, yelling that it was a foul, the goal shouldn't stand. "What kind of professionalism is this?"
The referee gave him a yellow card.
So much for professionalism.
Baptista and Roberto Carlos quickly pulled him away.
Picking a fight with the referee was suicidal.
...
83rd minute.
Guti, slipped a perfect through ball.
Robinho cut inside off the ball, received it, and threw down a dazzling set of stepovers on the left edge of the box.
The crowd gasped at the show.
But… if he'd just squared it, Su Hang—completely unmarked at the edge of the box—could've strolled in and finished like a training drill.
Bang!
The passing lane closed, Robinho went for goal himself, and the shot deflected off a defender for a corner.
Su Hang's expression darkened.
As long as it didn't harm the team, Su Hang tolerated Robinho's showboating.
New players always wanted to prove themselves.
That was fine.
It showed ambition.
But when it hurt the team, that was unacceptable.
"What are you doing?" Su Hang stormed over. "Did you not see me, or did you deliberately ignore me?"
"Are you playing this game alone? The chances don't belong to you, or to me—they belong to all of us!"
"Did your coach never teach you to play with your teammates?"
"If this happens again, you won't set foot on the pitch again!"
"Do you hear me?!"
At 1.80 meters, Su Hang towered over the 1.72-meter Robinho.
Su Hang advanced, fury blazing in his eyes, and Robinho instinctively backed away several steps.
Baptista and the others rushed over, afraid things would explode.
"Answer me! Do you hear me?!" Su Hang's voice thundered.
"I hear you!" Robinho nodded frantically, his face pale as chalk.
Otherwise, he truly believed Su Hang might kill him.
When Su Hang finally turned and walked away, Robinho stood rooted to the spot, his face flushing red, then draining white.
He despised his own reaction.
Had he really… been scared out of his wits by Su Hang?
How could that be?
Shame burned inside him.
Next time, he swore, he'd stand up to Su Hang… yes… he definitely would!
...
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