It can even affect the performance of attacking midfielders.
But with solid crossing ability, Su Hang wasn't completely useless on the wing.
At the very least, if anyone dared to ignore him, his delivery could still punish them.
As for that Moment Card—
It was pure generosity.
Right-Wing God Figo 2000!
The year 2000 was, for many, the peak of Figo's career.
He was the best winger in the world, one of the finest players on the planet.
That year, Figo made the blockbuster move from Barcelona to Real Madrid, a transfer that became legendary in football history.
That year, he led Portugal's golden generation to the semifinals of Euro 2000, making history.
Passing, shooting, dribbling, playmaking… that year, Figo could do it all!
And then, looking back at Zidane's 1993 Moment Card… honestly, it was garbage in comparison.
Zidane: ???
Zidane: Have you forgotten how much you used to worship this card?
...
With Su Hang's help, Figo's form returned quickly.
January 5, La Liga Round 17.
Coming off the bench, Figo lit up the wing, assisting Ronaldo for the opener.
In the dying moments, he drifted into the middle, swapped positions with Zidane, took his pass, danced past several defenders, and scored the winner.
He was named Man of the Match as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2–1.
January 9, Round 18, away to city rivals Atlético Madrid.
It was 0–0 at halftime.
In the second half, Figo came on at left wing, where he added two assists and a goal, leading Real Madrid to a 3–0 derby win.
January 16, Round 19.
Real Madrid beat Zaragoza 3–1—Figo scored and assisted.
January 23, Round 20.
Real Madrid beat Mallorca 3–1—Figo provided two assists.
Real Madrid was on a winning streak.
Luxemburgo had indeed brought changes to the team.
Under his push, the South American clique abandoned their old laid-back attitude and began fighting harder on the pitch.
But only half the credit belonged to him.
The other half belonged to Figo.
Media reactions poured in:
AS: "Figo back to his peak! Recently, the Portuguese star has shown the true power of the Right-Wing God!"
Sport: "A brief revival! Being named La Liga Player of the Month for January was a coincidence—his top speed hasn't improved!"
Mundo Deportivo: "Lack of professionalism! Figo is pushing for a new Real Madrid contract, so he's finally giving his all. Before this, he was coasting!"
Sky Sports: "Figo in blistering form! In January, he posted Europe's best take-on success rate, with Cristiano Ronaldo close behind! The two Portuguese players took first and second place!"
Kicker: "Euro 2004 was not his swan song—if he keeps this up, Figo will still be Portugal's most dangerous player at the 2006 World Cup!"
His performances were so good that talk naturally turned to why he was still a substitute.
In an exclusive interview with Marca, Figo spoke out:
"It's troubling to only get twenty-odd minutes per match.
I know my condition, and I know I'm in the final stretch of my career.
That's why I treasure every chance to play.
Of course, I'll follow Luxemburgo's arrangements—that's my duty as a professional.
But if possible, I want more playing time. I'm sure I can give more to Real Madrid."
Asked about his ideal position, Figo said:
"Beckham's doing very well on the right. We have different styles, so there's no real competition between us.
I think my current form is more suited to playing attacking midfielder.
Of course, I don't think I can be better than Zidane in that role. I love linking up with him—he's the best midfielder in the world and can outshine anyone anywhere on the pitch.
We've discussed this, and Zidane agrees with me."
The message was clear:
First, I'm close to losing patience about being benched—only professionalism keeps me quiet.
Second, I want to play as an attacking midfielder.
Third, Zidane is world-class on the left and is fine with giving up the central role.
Got it?
Luxemburgo, reading that interview, was surely fuming.
But there was little he could do—momentum was against him.
He could plan all he wanted, but ultimately results—and the fans—would decide.
And now, the fans were chanting for Figo to start.
January 30, Round 21, away to Numancia.
Figo finally started:
Ronaldo, Owen
Zidane, Figo, Beckham
Gravesen
Roberto Carlos, Samuel, Helguera, Raúl Bravo
Casillas
On the bench: Raúl, Guti, Solari, Salgado, Woodgate, Pavón.
Raúl and Owen had been rotating starts, each getting plenty of minutes, and both were content.
The fans loved this lineup.
Once Su Hang returned, he'd be the forward sub, with Raúl covering the attacking midfield role.
Perfect.
In the end, Real Madrid won comfortably, 2–1.
The scoreline was modest, but Madrid completely controlled the match.
In the attacking midfield role, Figo shone, combining brilliantly with Zidane to create chance after chance.
If Ronaldo, Owen, and Raúl had brought their shooting boots, the score could have been a rout.
February 5, Round 22, home to Espanyol.
Figo and Zidane proved their previous performance was no fluke—Madrid won 4–0.
They blew Espanyol away with a relentless, high-tempo display.
Espanyol, nicknamed "Little Barcelona," suffered a heavy beating, much to the delight of Madrid fans.
Seven wins in a row!
Real Madrid soared to the top of the league table.
Even better, Su Hang, previously injured, finally ditched his crutches and walked onto the training ground!
Until now, he'd been coming in daily on crutches, stopping at the gate to sign autographs for fans.
They all knew his condition—and many would even chat with him.
...
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