Soon, the news of Pau Torres' selection for the first team squad spread throughout the entire Villarreal B Team.
In the Villarreal B Team changing room, Pau Torres was packing his belongings, while Head Coach Rivaldo looked at the players and said, "Although Pau Torres has been promoted to the first team, he will still come to the Villarreal B Team to play if the conditions are right. All of you, wipe those sad expressions off your faces."
Inside the changing room, Pau Torres shook hands and hugged the players, bidding them farewell. This talented central defender of the club was about to enter the next stage of his professional career. Being selected for the first team squad at 19 was a dream many Villarreal B Team players could never achieve in their entire lives.
When Pau Torres walked up to Lin Feng, he gave Lin Feng a big hug, gently patted Lin Feng's back, and softly said, "Lin Feng, keep it up! I'll be waiting for you in the first team, I believe in you!"
Lin Feng looked at Pau Torres' sincere gaze, smiled, and said, "Definitely! You go ahead and scout out the situation for me in the first team; I'll be right behind you!"
"Oh, and this weekend, at the club's home ground, Estadio de la Cerámica, for the Champions League play-off, I have two tickets here. If you have time, you can come and watch!" Pau Torres pulled out two tickets from his exquisite wallet and handed them to Lin Feng.
"Then... then you take care," Lin Feng said to Pau Torres with some reluctance. Since he joined the Villarreal B Team, he would have struggled to get to where he was today without Pau Torres' help.
"I'm off!" Pau Torres patted Lin Feng's shoulder, then bid him farewell.
After Pau Torres left the changing room, it quickly erupted into a lively discussion, with everyone fully expressing their opinions on how high Pau Torres could reach in the future.
"He might even play in the Champions League this year. If he performs well, he might even be selected for the National Team."
"I doubt it. Competition in the first team is fierce; it won't be that easy."
Head Coach Rivaldo looked around and shouted, "Alright, alright, the farewell ceremony is over, guys! Get your gear ready, see you on the training ground!"
Under the morning sun, the Villarreal B Team players began their new day of training.
On the training ground, sunlight bathed the grass, and the players sweated profusely, striving hard. Lin Feng participated in the training with full concentration, striving for perfection in every movement. However, deep within him, a voice constantly lingered.
That was the news of Pau Torres' promotion to the first team. Although he was happy for Pau Torres, a strange anxiety and pressure surged within him. He knew this meant the competition in the first team would be even more intense, and he would need to put in much more effort to gain a foothold.
During training, Rivaldo set up a high-ball passing drill. Players needed to accurately receive the ball passed from high up by a teammate, then quickly pass it to the next teammate. Lin Feng gazed at the sky, waiting for the pass, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
"Lin Feng!" Rivaldo's shout pulled him back to reality. However, just then, a high pass suddenly came, and Lin Feng instinctively reached out to catch it, but failed due to his distraction. The ball hit him hard in the chest, making him gasp.
"Concentrate!" the coach sternly criticized, "You're on the training ground now, not daydreaming at home!"
After training, all the players returned to the changing room, while Rivaldo called Lin Feng to the stands on one side of the training ground.
As the players left one after another, the training ground fell silent again, with only Rivaldo and Lin Feng remaining.
"Lin Feng, your training performance today was very poor, like you've lost your soul. I know what you're thinking," Rivaldo spoke first, breaking the silence in the air.
"You saw Pau Torres get promoted to the first team, and you're a bit anxious. But why don't you think, a month ago you couldn't even get a professional contract, and now you have the chance to play and prove yourself, which is already a huge improvement."
Hearing Rivaldo talk about his past failures, he lowered his head and said in a low voice, "I know, Coach, my previous professional career was a failure."
"No, you haven't even realized the cruelty of professional football. Let me tell you, I've been in the Villarreal B Team for three years. Do you know that in these three years, countless players left here? They aren't Pau Torres; most can only desperately play for a living in regional Leagues or lower-tier Leagues." Rivaldo stared at Lin Feng with a serious expression.
"Even Pau Torres, whom you see now, didn't have it easy. He only started professional training at 14. Before that, his parents wanted him to play volleyball. You know, most players enter training camps around 7 years old to start formal training. At that time, no club was willing to take in 14-year-old Pau Torres."
"But Villarreal gave Pau Torres a chance, and he was able to continue playing. This kid indeed has talent. He joined the youth academy at 14, facing doubts from his teammates and ridicule from others, but he persevered and entered the first team at 19."
At this point, Rivaldo patted Lin Feng's shoulder, his expression somewhat complex: "Lin Feng, everyone's professional career isn't smooth sailing. I hope you can go back and think carefully, think about your original intention, think about why you want to play football. I hope to see a different you tomorrow, otherwise, you won't need to consider starting!"
After speaking, Rivaldo left the stands, and Lin Feng, sitting in the stands, looked at the tickets Pau Torres had given him and fell into deep thought.
The Champions League play-off on Sunday at Villarreal's Estadio de la Cerámica will feature the home team Villarreal against Ligue 1's newly established powerhouse Monaco. Before that, Saturday will be the Villarreal B Team's Segunda División debut, where they will face Lugo at home.
The next morning, sunlight filled the training ground, and a gentle breeze brought fresh air. Lin Feng arrived early, ready to begin a new day of training.
Yesterday, Lin Feng had a deep conversation with Rivaldo. Rivaldo's words were like a guiding light, illuminating the path ahead for Lin Feng and resolving the confusion in his heart.
Rivaldo's words brought Lin Feng a sudden enlightenment. He understood that his previous anxiety and pressure stemmed from inner insecurity. Instead of being distracted by others' success, it was better to focus on his own growth and progress.
On the training ground in the early morning, Lin Feng was fully immersed in training. He was no longer affected by external distractions, nor did he let inner distracting thoughts influence his performance. Every movement, every pass, was full of power and confidence.
Lin Feng's excellent performance also caught Rivaldo's attention, and Rivaldo nodded at him, indicating satisfaction.