That week.
Since Li Mingyu hadn't scored in the previous match, his long pass, though impressive, hadn't attracted much attention.
The Champions League round of 16 had captured everyone's attention.
After losing 0–1 away in the first leg but scoring an away goal, Real Madrid returned to their home ground and swiftly netted three times, crushing visiting Atalanta and advancing smoothly to the Champions League quarterfinals.
Porto, Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich.
Eight of the top teams in Europe's leagues were set to face off in fierce competition.
Without the burden of the Champions League, Barca might end up benefiting the most in the league.
The Champions League had nothing to do with Barca. The weekend arrived.
Barca hosted visiting Real Valladolid.
Real Valladolid were currently just one step away from the relegation zone.
But facing Barca, who were in formidable form and had home advantage, Real Valladolid probably didn't expect to win here.
Their greatest hope was to hold on for a draw and take a point.
But that hope was dashed just ten minutes into the match.
Messi got the ball in the area thirty meters from goal, shook off three defenders, and fired a shot that shattered the dreams of the Real Valladolid players.
Real Valladolid had no choice. They'd already conceded, so there was no point in continuing to defend.
Barca were experts at playing matches where they scored first.
Lure the snake from its hole, then strike at its weak point.
At halftime, the score of 3–0 was displayed in stark relief on the big screen.
The entire Camp Nou erupted in celebration.
Koeman made adjustments at halftime, sending Li Mingyu straight onto the field in place of an out-of-form Dembele.
[Congratulations, host. You successfully checked in at Camp Nou and received a bicycle kick from Barca legend Rivaldo.]
Shooting: 87 (92)–89 (93).
Li Mingyu's shooting attribute had now reached the threshold of a top-class star.
On the left wing, Li Mingyu was like a little sports car, repeatedly charging at Real Valladolid's back line.
Griezmann was in the middle, Messi on the right, and Li Mingyu on the left. Barca's attacking trio had taken shape once more, poking holes all through Real Valladolid's defense.
The entire left flank had become Li Mingyu's stage.
He used the Croqueta, the Flip Flap, and stepovers. He'd lost count of how many times he'd toyed with the opposition's right flank.
At last, with a slick Flip Flap, Li Mingyu left the opposing right back in the dust again and charged straight toward the edge of the penalty area, like a lone warrior storming an enemy camp.
Griezmann in the middle suddenly stopped, wrong-footing the center back marking him and opening up a huge gap.
Li Mingyu lightly tapped the ball toward the middle, then raced into the box.
Griezmann seemed to read his mind. He didn't control the ball or shoot. Instead, he met it with a delicate chipped pass that sailed over two defenders.
But the pass was clearly a little too high and slow. If Li Mingyu wanted to score with a header, he'd need tremendous core strength.
Besides, the opposing defenders and goalkeeper had already rushed out. If Li Mingyu brought the ball down, he probably wouldn't get a chance to shoot.
Just as everyone thought the attack would come to nothing, Li Mingyu, with his back to goal, gently touched the ball with his chest and launched himself into the air. To everyone's astonishment, he struck a powerful right-footed bicycle kick.
The ball flew like a cannonball, whipping past the goalkeeper's ear.
The goalkeeper's stunned expression, the defenders' shocked faces, and the ball rolling around inside the goal.
For two seconds, the entire Camp Nou seemed to have hit pause. Not a sound could be heard.
But when Li Mingyu leapt up and sprinted toward the sideline to celebrate wildly, the entire Camp Nou exploded.
What a move.
That goal was simply incredible.
A bicycle kick that was a work of art.
As Li Mingyu celebrated wildly by the sideline, he naturally couldn't escape everyone's friendly gestures: ruffling his hair, slapping his back, and kicking his butt.
Messi excitedly jumped straight onto Li Mingyu's back to show how thrilled he was.
On the sidelines, Koeman once again let out his excitement with a stylish knee slide.
Laporta, Barca's chairman, applauded softly from his box and apologized to the Real Valladolid chairman beside him.
Suarez, Real Valladolid's chairman, managed a wry smile, but his eyes were full of envy at Li Mingyu's performance.
Still, he knew his Real Valladolid could never attract a young player this talented. All he could do was watch enviously.
Laporta watched Li Mingyu straighten his clothes on the pitch, a look of determination in his eyes.
4–0. Real Valladolid had been completely crushed.
With no fight left in them, Real Valladolid could no longer organize any meaningful defense.
Li Mingyu's speed tore through the opposition's back line again and again. Finally, in the 75th minute, the opposing right back couldn't take it anymore and brought Li Mingyu down from behind.
The replay showed that after Li Mingyu had gotten past the opposing right back, Olaza, he was about to accelerate when Olaza fixed him with a vicious look and launched a retaliatory sliding tackle from behind, aiming for Li Mingyu's planted foot.
Li Mingyu pushed off with his foot, ready to accelerate, when a sharp pain hit the Achilles tendon of his left foot. With a scream, he was sent sprawling by a tremendous force.
Everyone in the stadium was stunned. Even the Real Valladolid players were dumbstruck.
This was Barcelona's home ground. How could you injure someone with a move this vicious here? Were you out of your mind?
After the tackle, Olaza looked dazed too. Seeing Li Mingyu lying on the ground, clutching the area around his left Achilles tendon, Olaza grabbed his own head.
What had he just done?!
A rapid series of whistle blasts rang out.
The crowd was going wild.
Their team had finally produced a genius like him, only for someone to destroy him right before their eyes.
That tackle had clearly been intended to end a player's career. There was no excuse for it.
Laporta, Barca's chairman, hurled the red wine glass in his hand to the floor. It shattered on impact, splashing wine onto the face of the Real Valladolid chairman beside him, who sat frozen in shock. But he didn't seem to react at all.
It was over!
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