I Am Scouted by Real Madrid-Chapter 516 - 13: Bojan No. 9 (Part 2)

Bojan was paired with Messi and Villa in this match, forming a forward trident.

However, compared to the other two teammates, he appeared lackluster and squandered several excellent scoring opportunities.

In the 9th minute, Maxwell delivered a brilliant cross from the left, and Bojan’s position was very alert, giving him a close-range shooting opportunity. Everyone thought it was a sure goal, but Bojan shot wide from close range, prompting a collective sigh at Camp Nou.

This scene undoubtedly exacerbated the anxiety within Bojan, causing him to play more tentatively in the subsequent game.

On the field, Bojan rarely appeared on camera, and whenever he did, it was usually because he wasted opportunities. Before the end of the first half, Adriano made a horizontal pass from the right, delivering the ball into the penalty area.

Perhaps the coach had special arrangements, as it was evident in this game that the players were trying hard to create chances for Bojan.

In football, the difference between top players and ordinary players is their ability to seize opportunities. Top players can turn non-chances into chances, while ordinary players can botch even excellent opportunities.

In the final moments of the match, Bojan consciously ran to the position, but he lacked decisiveness and appeared somewhat hesitant.

This resulted in a potential game-changing "kill shot" being missed, as Bojan failed to touch the ball amidst the interference from the opponent’s defenders, losing the chance for the decisive goal.

This single moment was enough to make many fans laugh.

"Is this it? Is this it?"

"If it were Chen Zhong in that position! He’d get the ball and the man!"

"Seriously! Run or not, if you’re going to cut in, do it decisively! Don’t back down!"

...

In the foreseeable future, the recently spotlighted Barcelona No.9 is likely to face "cyberbullying" from the fans.

As the first half ended, Bojan’s face was somewhat pale, taking deep breaths, not even daring to look up at the fans in the stands.

There are some conflicts within Barcelona this season; some people want to reenact the "Ronaldinho and Messi" story, only this time Messi plays the role of Ronaldinho, and Bojan plays Messi.

But obviously, in terms of psychological quality, Bojan seems to have shown his true colors under such immense pressure.

After the match, European authoritative data company OPTA showed that Bojan had only 1 shot in this match, and only one threatening pass. The performance of Barcelona’s new No. 9 was clearly unsatisfactory. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Post-match media gave him a low score of 4, and criticism in the commentary said: "He could have scored at least twice from close range, but he wasted the opportunities, and Barcelona paid the price for his squandered chances. It is entirely understandable that Bojan was substituted by Guardiola at the beginning of the second half."

In the presence of Villa, failing to seize the rare opportunity to prove himself is likely to be detrimental to Bojan’s efforts to secure playing time. Notably, under Guardiola, his growth space is not as big as it was during Rijkaard’s era.

Tactically, this match also exposed the problems of Bojan and Barcelona’s forward line.

Bojan seemed somewhat aloof from the tactical system, appearing rigid, and Ecule’s defense was solid. Although Barcelona had opportunities to press, the forward line lacked a high point, and the crosses from the two flanks went to waste due to the lack of players to capitalize on them.

It’s not that Bojan is not trying, but it’s also difficult for him to win a point or score with headers considering his height.

Of course, this also has to do with Guardiola’s lack of expertise or preference for using tall center forwards. Judging from this season’s lineup, it appears Messi will be more centrally positioned.

But in fact, against a weak team like Ecule, Barcelona desperately needs a tank-like frontline to break the opponent’s defense. The shorter Villa moving to the center doesn’t solve the issue of the opponent’s dense defense either.

In the Spain National Team, Bosque faced a similar issue and had a solution, which was to field Athletic Bilbao’s forward Llorente. The tall Llorente always manages to disrupt the opponent’s dense defense when he plays.

And in Real Madrid, the center forward position also includes players like Negredo, Benzema, and Morata. There’s even a young guy named Joselu making waves in the youth team.

The players on both flanks, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, also have physical confrontation ability.

Not to mention Chen Zhong, who always surges forward from midfield.

Barcelona, however, lacks a "tall figure" like Llorente, and with Yaya Toure leaving, they’re even more short of a midfielder who can play the role of "Chen Zhong."

Therefore, Guardiola had to opt for center-back Pique to play as a center forward. However, Pique’s primary job is being a center-back, and the feeling is vastly different from that of a center forward. In this match, despite his efforts and even ending up with a bloody head injury, he still failed to pose a threat to the opponent’s defense.

When it came to set pieces, the lack of players to challenge for the ball was also glaring for Barcelona, having 11 corners but utilizing none, while the opponents scored using a free kick.

From the current situation, Barcelona urgently needs a backup center-forward like Larsson, who can accept being benched but always brings a change in style to Barcelona when on the field, helping the team solve problems.

However, the match doesn’t seem to have addressed this issue. Instead, Guardiola appears more focused on bringing in a left-winger, although Barcelona is not short of players in the left winger position, as Villa, Iniesta, Pedro, and even Maxwell and Adriano can play there.

This painful defeat did not deter the Catalans’ mission to create a hero in "Bojan."

Bojan felt the attention from the upper echelons, the coach’s focus, and the fans’ attention.

Their attention felt like towering mountains pressing down on him.

And the most terrifying thing is...

His goals are Messi and Chen Zhong. One is already a Ballon d’Or winner, and the other is a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or.

If possible, Bojan even wants to see a psychologist.

Many players need to routinely visit a psychologist...

After the match, Bojan, arranged by the club, gave an interview.

This interview was clearly carrying a task.

Facing the camera, Bojan forced a smile and said: "I am really looking forward to playing against Chen."

Barcelona seems to be consciously turning Messi VS Chen Zhong into Bojan VS Chen Zhong.

A Barcelona youth product VS a Real Madrid youth product.

It’s also interpreted as Barcelona preparing for a power shift within the team.

Chen Zhong did not respond to Bojan’s provocations, but in his heart, he is already looking forward to the upcoming national derby, preparing a different way to lay the groundwork for this "brother" who has left him with fond memories.

Barcelona’s defeat held headlines for a time, but people quickly shifted their attention to the Champions League group stage.

The Champions League group draw is complete.

Real Madrid has been placed in Group G, alongside Ajax, Milan, and Ousel.

Less than three days after the match ended, Real Madrid will host Ajax at home, which is also Mourinho’s first Champions League match as head coach.

Mourinho is very focused on this match.

The arrival of capital has had a certain impact on the World of Football, but the Eredivisie has not yet declined; Ajax is still a big club, and Milan is also a traditional Serie A powerhouse.

Faced with such opponents, carelessness could easily lead to an upset.

And now that Van Gaal has left the club, this new Ajax team is indeed worrisome.

Time quickly came to match day, and Real Madrid poured its full strength into their home field.