In the locker room tunnel of Riazor Stadium, Lu Chuan could hear his own heartbeat.
This stadium, which has witnessed countless legends, still exuded an awe-inspiring aura even when empty.
Faded posters on the walls told tales of past glory—Bebeto raising his arms to celebrate a goal, Fran's brilliant breakthrough in the Champions League, and that glittering Champions League trophy.
Every photo reminded visitors that this was once a sacred place in European football.
"Feeling the pressure?" Trejo walked up to Lu Chuan, his gaze sweeping over the historical photos.
"Not pressure, but respect," Lu Chuan gently touched a group photo on the wall. "But respect doesn't mean fear."
At the end of the player tunnel, the turf of Riazor Stadium glowed with an eerie green under the night lights.
The stands were empty, but the seats seemed to still whisper of past madness.
Deportivo La Coruña's players were already warming up on the field; their movements weren't agile, but every pass and every stop exuded a seasoned air.
Lu Chuan felt a gaze fixed on his back, and without turning around, he knew it was the Italian center-back named Soma.
It wasn't merely marking; it was more like scrutiny and a silent warning.
"That old Italian man is watching you," Álvaro García gestured towards Soma with his chin. "I heard he played in Serie A for ten years; he's seen it all."
Lu Chuan didn't respond, merely observing the opponent's positioning and movement trajectories.
Soma's footsteps weren't fast, but he always arrived at the optimal defensive position half a step early—that was the value of experience.
The whistle for the start of the match sounded, and Riazor Stadium welcomed a clash of old and new.
Just three minutes into the game, Lu Chuan felt the shrewdness of Deportivo La Coruña's defense.
He received a pass from Trejo in the attacking third, and just as he was about to turn, Michele Soma appeared behind him like a ghost.
The Italian made no crude physical contact, simply using his body to legitimately block Lu Chuan to the outside, preventing him from comfortably facing the goal.
"Welcome to Riazor, young man," Soma's English carried a strong Italian accent. "The pitch here isn't easy to play on."
Lu Chuan tried to break free with speed, but Soma's predictive ability made his every Direction Change Acceleration Master futile.
Even more critically, as soon as Lu Chuan showed signs of breaking through, defensive midfielder Hugo Vallejo would always appear at the opportune moment, disrupting his rhythm with a seemingly unintentional physical contact.
In the 12th minute, Lu Chuan finally found an opportunity.
He received a cross from Comesaña at the edge of the box, and facing Soma's close marking, he chose an abrupt stop and Direction Change Acceleration Master.
The Direction Change Acceleration Master skill allowed him to instantly shake off Soma's entanglement, but just as he was about to shoot, Hugo Vallejo slid in from behind and to the side, clearing the ball out for a goal kick.
"Beautiful defense!" commentator Juan Carlos exclaimed. "This is the value of experience. Deportivo La Coruña is defending in the most economical way."
Paco Jémez, watching from the sidelines, was anxious. He loudly urged his players to quicken their passing rhythm, trying to use speed to break through the opponent's aging backline.
"One-touch! Don't hold onto the ball!" Paco's voice was exceptionally clear in the empty stadium.
But Deportivo La Coruña's midfield was equally experienced.
The combination of Japanese international Gaku Shibasaki and Turkish talent Emre Çolak put Rayo Vallecano at a disadvantage in the midfield battle.
Gaku Shibasaki's passing vision was an art form; he could always find teammates from the most improbable angles.
And Çolak's technique and creativity kept Rayo Vallecano's defense constantly on edge.
In the 28th minute, Rayo Vallecano finally created a decent opportunity. Trejo successfully intercepted the ball near the center circle and immediately launched a quick counterattack.
The ball, after three passes, reached Álvaro García's feet. The Spanish winger, facing the aging full-back Salva Ruiz, showcased the speed advantage of youth.
García's cut-in shot was at a tricky angle, but goalkeeper Dani Jiménez's reaction was equally swift.
The ball, parried away, bounced towards the center of the box, and Lu Chuan followed up immediately for a rebound shot.
Just as the ball was about to cross the goal line, the retreating Salva Ruiz used his body to block it out. The veteran's fighting spirit drew the focus of the live cameras.
"What a pity!" Fernando Palomo's voice was full of regret. "Lu Chuan was only centimeters away from scoring!"
Lu Chuan clasped his hands over his head; this was his best chance tonight. Soma walked over and patted him on the shoulder, a hint of approval in his eyes.
"Good follow-up, young man. But at Riazor, there won't be a second chance."
Deportivo La Coruña firmly controlled possession, dragging the game into their preferred slow rhythm through constant horizontal and backward passes in the midfield and defense, completely dismantling Rayo Vallecano's high-pressing system.
In the 39th minute, Deportivo La Coruña showcased their counter-attacking prowess.
Emre Çolak received the ball in midfield, his gaze scanning the attacking third, then suddenly delivered a brilliant through ball.
Striker Claudio Bovi understood instinctively; his timing for the run was perfect, successfully beating the offside trap to go one-on-one.
Facing the onrushing Dimitrievski, Bovi chose to place his shot towards the far post.
But the North Macedonian goalkeeper's reaction was equally superb; he tipped the ball over the crossbar with his fingertips.
"A divine save!" the commentator's voice was filled with excitement. "Dimitrievski saved Rayo Vallecano!"
The whistle for halftime sounded, and the score remained 0-0. The players of both teams walked towards the locker room tunnel, their expressions starkly different.
Deportivo La Coruña's players appeared relaxed and at ease; their tactical execution was nearly perfect.
Rayo Vallecano's players, however, looked anxious, especially Lu Chuan, whose brows were tightly furrowed.
"Don't worry, kid," Trejo put his arm around Lu Chuan's shoulder. "Their stamina won't last 90 minutes. The latter half of the second half will be our chance."
In the locker room, Paco Jémez drew a new formation on the tactics board. His expression was serious, but his eyes still burned with fighting spirit.
"gentlemen, we've been dragged into their rhythm," Paco pointed at the tactics board. "In the second half, we need to speed up, using our youth and vitality to break through their defense."
Lu Chuan sat in the corner, silently recalling every confrontation from the first half.
Soma's defense was indeed shrewd, but he also noticed some details—the Italian's turning speed was noticeably slower than before, and he would experience a brief drop in stamina after continuous defending.
His phone vibrated; it was a message from Esther. The screen displayed a photo—a classic image of "Super Depor" era legendary striker Diego Tristán raising his arms to celebrate a goal.
The caption was a simple sentence: "Legends are meant to be surpassed."
Tristán in the photo seemed to be looking at him. Lu Chuan's lips curved slightly, and he put his phone back in his pocket. A legend? Tonight, he would let the fans of Riazor witness what a new legend looks like.
After the halftime break, both teams returned to the field.
Paco made an important adjustment—replacing Isi Palazón with the faster Andrés Martín.
This substitution sent a clear signal: Rayo Vallecano intended to launch a more fierce attack from the wings.
Deportivo La Coruña's coach, Fernando Vázquez, also sensed the opponent's intentions; he gestured to his defensive line, signaling them to close ranks more tightly.
A true siege battle was about to begin.
After the second half started, Rayo Vallecano's attacking rhythm noticeably quickened.
Martín's attacks on the right flank brought new pressure to Deportivo La Coruña's defense, and Lu Chuan also began to participate more in organizing attacks.
In the 52nd minute, Lu Chuan received a pass in the attacking third, and facing Soma's close marking, he chose not to force a breakthrough, but instead passed the ball back to Trejo, then began to make wide runs.
This off-the-ball movement attracted the attention of Deportivo La Coruña's two center-backs, creating more space for his teammates.
"Lu Chuan is changing tactics!" the commentator noticed this detail. "He is no longer fixated on individual breakthroughs, but is creating opportunities for the team."
In the 58th minute, this tactical adjustment began to bear fruit.
Lu Chuan suddenly pulled from the center to the right wing; Soma had no choice but to follow, and this movement instantly created space for Álvaro García to cut inside.
García understood instinctively, quickly cutting in from the left, and facing goalkeeper Jiménez, he chose to cross the ball.
The ball rolled towards the center of the box, and Trejo followed up with a powerful shot!
Jiménez reacted swiftly, parrying the ball away. But the ball bounced to Martín's feet, and facing an open goal, the young winger didn't waste the opportunity, easily tapping it in!
"Goal! Goal!" Palomo's voice almost broke. "Andrés Martín breaks the deadlock for Rayo Vallecano! 1-0!"
After scoring, Martín didn't celebrate alone; he immediately ran towards Lu Chuan. He knew who the real architect of this goal was.
"You orchestrated that goal!" Martín excitedly patted Lu Chuan's chest. "Without your movement, this goal wouldn't have happened!"
Lu Chuan smiled and high-fived every teammate; there was no disappointment in his eyes, only pure joy.
At this moment, he truly understood what team football meant.
Deportivo La Coruña, one goal down, was forced to change tactics. Vázquez loudly directed from the sidelines, demanding the team push forward to attack.
Their tight defensive formation began to loosen, giving Rayo Vallecano more space for counterattacks.
In the 67th minute, another opportunity arose. A Deportivo La Coruña attack was intercepted by Comesaña, and Rayo Vallecano immediately launched a quick counterattack.
Trejo received the ball in midfield, his gaze sweeping across the attacking third.
Lu Chuan was entangled with Soma, but he keenly sensed his captain's intention.
In that instant, Lu Chuan made a brilliant run.
He first moved to the left, attracting Soma's attention, then suddenly changed Direction Change Acceleration Master, sprinting into the open space on the right.
Trejo understood instinctively, and a precise through ball cut through Deportivo La Coruña's defense!
"Beautiful combination!" the commentator excitedly shouted. "Lu Chuan successfully beat the offside trap; this is a golden one-on-one opportunity!"
The moment Lu Chuan received the ball, the entire Riazor Stadium seemed to fall silent.
Goalkeeper Jiménez decisively rushed out, creating a one-on-one situation inside the box.
This time, Lu Chuan had no hesitation. He adjusted his stride, observed the goalkeeper's positioning, and calmly placed his shot!
The ball rolled along the turf towards the bottom right corner of the goal. Although Jiménez guessed the right direction, the shooting angle was too tricky, and his fingertips could only brush the edge of the ball.
Goal!
"Goal! Goal! Goal!" Palomo's voice echoed throughout the commentary booth. "Lu Chuan extends his consecutive goal-scoring record! Scoring in 11 consecutive matches!"
After scoring, Lu Chuan didn't celebrate wildly; he simply stood still, then turned and pointed to Trejo, who had provided the assist.
Immediately after, he pointed to every teammate on the field.
"Look at that celebration!" Juan Carlos's voice was filled with emotion. "Lu Chuan is telling the whole world that this goal belongs to all of Rayo Vallecano!"
Teammates rushed from all directions towards Lu Chuan, surrounding him. Trejo hugged him tightly: "Brother, you did it again!"
On the bench, Paco Jémez raised his arms, his eyes a little moist.
This goal not only extended Lu Chuan's record but, more importantly, helped the team secure a valuable lead away from home.
The game restarted, with Deportivo La Coruña pushing forward seeking an equalizer.
But Rayo Vallecano's counterattacks were even sharper, and the youngsters' stamina advantage became fully apparent in the final stages of the match.
In the 88th minute, Lu Chuan received a pass in the attacking third, facing the last defender.
This time, he chose to pass, distributing the ball to Martín, who was in a better position.
Martín easily scored, 3-0! The game was completely decided.
The final whistle blew, and Rayo Vallecano's players once again surrounded Lu Chuan.
But this time, Lu Chuan actively walked towards the bench and took off his jersey.
"Coach, this victory belongs to all of us," Lu Chuan handed his jersey to Paco Jémez. "Thank you for your trust."
Paco took the jersey, his eyes completely moist.
He patted Lu Chuan's shoulder, his voice a little choked: "Kid, you still have a long way to go. Next goal—La Liga!"
"