Chapter 138 Bernabéu Debut

At 8 p.m. on August 29, the opening match of the 2009/10 La Liga season officially kicked off at the Bernabéu, with Real Madrid hosting Deportivo La Coruña.

All of Real Madrid's new signings made their debut, marking the official unveiling of the second-generation Galácticos at the Bernabéu. Amidst the anticipation of Real Madrid fans worldwide, they faced their first test from the outside world.

In this match, Real Madrid's new coach Pellegrini deployed a 4-2-2-2 formation, with Spanish goalkeeper Casillas guarding the goal, and Arbeloa, Albiol, Garay, and Marcelo forming the four defenders in front of the goal.

Lass Diarra and Alonso formed a double pivot in midfield to facilitate transitions between attack and defense, while Ronaldo and Kaká formed a double attacking midfield duo, roaming between the midfield and the forward line. Fino partnered with captain Raul in the forward line.

As soon as the players lined up and entered the field, continuous cheers erupted from the stands. The Merengues cheered for the white knights, hoping for a winning start.

As for their opponent in this match, Deportivo La Coruña, the Merengues didn't take them seriously. Although Juan Valerón, Deportivo's linchpin, was still in the team, the "Super Deportivo" of the past was long gone.

After noticing the broadcast camera was pointed at him, Fino smiled at the camera, then gave a thumbs-up gesture with both hands, pointing backward from his shoulders, and turned his back to the camera, revealing the black number 10 on his jersey in the broadcast frame.

Yes, Fino ultimately chose number 10 as his jersey number.

After the match started, Real Madrid dominated the attack, controlling over 60% of the ball in the first 20 minutes. Ronaldo, Raul, and Kaká combined for five shots, but unfortunately, they failed to score. Alonso's corner kick was also headed wide by Garay.

In the 26th minute, Alonso intercepted Alvarez's breakthrough, and the two sides immediately switched positions.

Alonso played a through ball to Kaká, who dribbled from the center toward Deportivo La Coruña's half, while Ronaldo roamed on the right flank, waiting to receive the pass from Kaká.

Huca, Felipe, Castro – one Deportivo player after another was left behind by Kaka in the blink of an eye. Kaka's sharp breakthroughs drew cheers from the stands.

Approaching the penalty arc, Kaká swung his right foot and passed the ball into the Deportivo La Coruña penalty area.

As Kaká took the shot, Fino, inside the six-yard box, shook off Lobo's block, successfully beat the offside trap, and unleashed a first-time half-volley into the bottom left corner of the goal.

1-0, Real Madrid take the lead at home. Fino scores his first La Liga goal of the season, assisted by Kaká, as the Milan duo shine at the Bernabéu.

Immediately after scoring, Fino was given a bear hug by Kaká. In Kaká's embrace, he waved to the clapping fans in the Bernabéu stands, which was met with even louder cheers from the Merengues.

At this moment, the other teammates also rushed over to celebrate the goal together.

Cristiano Ronaldo gave Fino a thumbs up, while Raul patted him on the shoulder and shouted, "Well done!"

Alonso didn't say anything, but smiled and gave Fino a high five, then grabbed Fino's hand, interlocked their fingers, and shook it a few times.

In the 28th minute, Real Madrid won another corner kick.

Alonso took a corner kick from the left, and the 190cm tall Albiol outjumped Deportivo's Castro to head the ball towards the far post. Ronaldo headed the ball towards goal, but it grazed the crossbar and went out.

A few minutes later, Deportivo La Coruña equalized the score through a free-kick combination.

Next, Real Madrid had another attacking opportunity.

The ball was passed between Lass Diarra, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Marcelo before being sent into Deportivo La Coruña's backfield. Raul received a diagonal pass from Marcelo on the left wing and was tripped by Deportivo's goalkeeper Aranzubia on the right side of the penalty area.

The referee awarded a penalty kick.

Cristiano Ronaldo happily took the ball and stood at the penalty spot.

Fino was slightly surprised. He glanced at Raul, who had won the penalty, but Raul's face remained expressionless.

Fino didn't say anything, but simply put his arm around Kaká's shoulder and watched as Ronaldo calmly shot the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal.

2-1, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first La Liga goal, and Real Madrid took the lead again.

For the remainder of the first half, Real Madrid maintained firm control of the game.

In the 37th minute, Ronaldo and Marcelo linked up, with Ronaldo going down the left flank and crossing to Raul in the penalty area. Raul's volley was caught by Aranzubia.

In the 40th minute, Alonso passed the ball diagonally from the middle to Fino on the left flank, and Fino dribbled past his marker.

Valerón immediately closed in on Fino from the side, and Rodriguez also rushed over from Deportivo's backfield, ready to join Valerón in double-teaming Fino.

Kaká was positioned to Fino's right front, waiting to receive the pass. Alonso also came up from midfield, forming a triangle with Fino and Kaká. Valerón and Rodriguez were positioned between Fino and Alonso, and between Fino and Kaká, blocking Fino's passing lanes while moving closer to Fino to press him.

Fino stepped on the ball with his right foot, calmly glanced to his right at the positions of his teammates and opponents, and already had a plan in mind.

Before Valerón and Rodriguez could close in, Fino retreated a few steps to the left, then flicked a long diagonal pass with his right foot. The ball flew over Rodriguez's head and continued to fly to the right, dropping after passing its highest point, with its target being Raúl on the right side of the penalty area.

Raul squeezed past Felipe, who was vying with him for the ball, and headed it across to the outside of the penalty area in the middle.

The moment Fino took the shot, Kaká had already turned and sprinted towards the penalty area, just in time to receive Raul's cross.

Facing three defenders pressing him in the penalty area, Kaká decisively took a shot, but unfortunately the ball grazed the crossbar and went over.

Kaka sighed in disappointment, and Fino, who had followed him, patted him on the shoulder.

Then Fino, with Kaká by his arm, retreated out of Deportivo's penalty area, waiting for the opposing goalkeeper to take the goal kick.

At this moment, Alonso also came over. He put his arm around Fino's waist, tilted his head to look at Fino, and teased him with a half-smile: "Excellent long diagonal pass, it shows how good your relationship with Pirlo is."

Fino didn't say anything, but smiled and winked back at Alonso.

As the first half was about to end, Real Madrid had one last attacking opportunity.

Kaka and Ronaldo played a one-two through the middle, then passed the ball directly to Raul in the penalty area. Raul chipped the ball to the right side of the penalty area, where Fino received it and immediately shot, but the ball was saved by Alan Zubia.

The referee then blew the whistle to end the first half.

Fino shook his head and followed his teammates off the field.

The second half began with the teams switching sides.

Deportivo La Coruña, having the right to kick off, seized the initiative at the start, catching Real Madrid off guard.

After being passed around by Deportivo La Coruña players, the ball quickly entered Real Madrid's backfield. Real Madrid's right-back Arbeloa was out of position, and Guardado crossed the ball from the wing with no one marking him. Deportivo La Coruña's key player, Valerón, received the ball and calmly pushed it into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Just 40 seconds into the second half, Deportivo La Coruña equalized again.

Casillas sighed and took the ball out of the net.

Right-back Arbeloa, who had just returned to his position, and the two center-backs awkwardly touched their noses.

As for left-back Marcelo, although he was also out of position, he was quite assertive, saying that Deportivo's quick attack originated from the left flank (Real Madrid's right flank), and it wasn't his fault!

Fino and Kaka looked at each other in bewilderment.

They had never seen anything like this before. Serie A is known for its defense, and AC Milan's backline is reliable most of the time. Otherwise, they wouldn't have won the Serie A and Champions League double with their starting goalkeeper out for the season.

Needless to say, the central defensive pairing of Maldini and Nesta, along with the somewhat impetuous and occasionally erroneous defenders like Kaladze and Favalli, also seem more reliable than Real Madrid's front-line defense.

At this moment, Fino finally understood why the Italian national team captain looked so resigned when he met Cannavaro, who had just ended his contract with Real Madrid, at the Coverciano training ground this summer.

He must have been so thoroughly humiliated by both his opponents and teammates that he felt he had no will to live anymore.

Raul was very close to Fino and Kaká at that moment, and he immediately saw the shock on the faces of the two handsome young men who had transferred from Milan.

This made Raul so ashamed he wanted to cover his face. Fino and Kaka didn't say anything, but their expressions seemed to say everything.

He really wanted to shout: That's not how Real Madrid is!

But that's just how Real Madrid is... there's no way to argue with that.

After equalizing, Deportivo set up a tight defensive formation, seemingly content with just one point.

Deportivo Laco's tight defense repeatedly thwarted Real Madrid's attacks.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul's shots inside the penalty area, as well as Alonso's long-range shot, failed to result in goals. Instead, Deportivo La Coruña almost took the lead.

Guardado crossed from the left again, and Valerón, still unmarked, received the ball on the edge of the six-yard box and volleyed it, but fortunately the ball went wide of the post.

Real Madrid's defense has once again fallen apart.

In the 62nd minute, Real Madrid took the lead for the third time.

Arbeloa launched an attack from the right flank, with Lass Diarra dribbling past Felipe and shooting directly from outside the penalty area.

The shot went a little too high, the ball hit the crossbar and bounced back into the penalty area. Raul squeezed past Deportivo's center-back Castro, got to the ball, and fired a follow-up shot that flew into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Deportivo's goalkeeper, Aranzubia, didn't even have time to react.

3-2, Real Madrid take the lead for the third time at home.

After new signings Fino and Ronaldo scored, captain Raul also stepped up and scored his first goal of the new season.

Raul kissed the finger where his wedding ring had been, then waved to the fans in the stands.

Raul's goal once again sparked cheers from the entire stadium. Fans certainly liked Fino and Ronaldo, the two stars they bought at high prices, but they loved Raul, who had grown up under their noses, even more.

After the goal, Real Madrid coach Pellegrini used his first substitution, replacing goal scorer Raul with Granero.

Real Madrid switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo occupying the left and right wing positions, Granero organizing play and making breakthroughs through the middle, and Fino leading the attack as the center forward.

This formation made both Kaká and Ronaldo feel a bit awkward.

Kaká prefers to operate in the middle, lurking behind Fino, either dribbling forward or supplying him with passes. This is the position he is used to playing for AC Milan, and he and Fino have long had a tacit understanding.

Although Cristiano Ronaldo can play on either wing, in the first half of the game, he clearly felt that his connection with Marcelo was more effective when he was on the left wing, while his performance on the right wing was less impressive.

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Author's Note: Although they spent hundreds of millions, Real Madrid's squad this season is not very good; it's quite thin and will be plagued by injuries. The timeline will move quite quickly, and there will be more non-match content.

Let's take a break and wait for that man to arrive at the Bernabéu next season!

Thank you everyone for your support! [Let me see]