In the player's tunnel, Lu Chuan checked his captain's armband one last time.
The red and white fabric sparkled under the lights, carrying the hopes of the entire team.
"Are you ready, Captain?" Trejo walked up to him, his eyes full of trust.
Lu Chuan took a deep breath and nodded. "Together."
The moment they stepped out of the tunnel, the roar of Vallecas Stadium enveloped them.
Although the stands were empty, the shouts from the staff on the sidelines and the bench were still deafening.
Lu Chuan entered the field as captain for the first time, his steps steady and powerful. Unlike his previous flamboyant style as a pure attacker, his eyes were now calm and resolute, exuding an Aura of Leadership.
The effects of Aura of Leadership began to show during the warm-up.
Teammates' passes were more precise, runs were more active, and the entire team's morale was renewed.
"Look at the Rayo Vallecano players!" The commentator's voice was filled with surprise, "Their form today is completely different! Everyone is full of fighting spirit. Is this the change brought by the new captain?"
Almería's players entered the field one after another. This strong promotion contender had a powerful squad, especially their forward line.
Darwin Núñez's tall figure was particularly conspicuous. This future Liverpool centurion was in peak form, possessing speed, strength, and technique in equal measure.
"That's Núñez," Savić walked up to Lu Chuan, a hint of apprehension in his eyes, "His attacking power is terrifying."
"I know," Lu Chuan's gaze was fixed on Núñez, "But we won't back down."
Before the match began, Lu Chuan gathered his teammates.
"Brothers, everyone is watching us today," his voice was not loud, but every word was clear and powerful, "They want to see us continue to fail, they want to see us completely collapse."
His teammates formed a circle, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.
"But we will disappoint them," Lu Chuan extended his right hand, "We will prove that Rayo Vallecano will never fall!"
"Never fall!" Everyone piled their hands together, roaring in unison.
The referee blew the opening whistle, and the match officially began.
Almería launched the first offensive. Their midfield maestro, José Carlos Lazo, controlled the ball and advanced, looking for a passing opportunity.
Núñez roamed in the front field, his every run tugging at the nerves of Rayo Vallecano's defense.
In the 8th minute, Almería had their first threatening attack. Lazo delivered a through ball, and Núñez used his speed to shake off Savić, breaking into the penalty area.
At the crucial moment, the young Pascual made a timely recovery, using his body to block Núñez's shot.
"Great defending!" Lu Chuan was the first to rush over, patting Pascual's shoulder, "That's it!"
The effect of Aura of Leadership made this simple encouragement have a huge impact. The tension in Pascual's eyes disappeared, replaced by firm confidence.
In the 15th minute, Núñez once again displayed terrifying strength. He received the ball near the center circle and immediately launched into a high-speed sprint.
The central defensive line formed by Savić and Pascual seemed somewhat powerless in front of him. Núñez's speed was too fast, his strength too great, and his technique too comprehensive.
Seeing Núñez about to go one-on-one, Lu Chuan decisively retreated. He used the power and speed advantage of Iron Body to catch up with Núñez from the side.
The two engaged in a fierce confrontation at the edge of the penalty area. Núñez tried to push Lu Chuan away with his body, but the latter's strength was unexpectedly powerful.
"What's going on?" The commentator's voice was filled with shock, "Lu Chuan can actually confront Núñez head-on! When did he get so strong?"
In the end, Lu Chuan successfully cleared the ball out of bounds. Núñez looked at him with some surprise, a hint of recognition flashing in his eyes.
"Well done, Captain!" Fran García ran over to high-five him in celebration.
Lu Chuan's defense greatly boosted the team's morale. Teammates began to believe that their captain could not only score goals but also protect the goal at crucial moments.
In the 22nd minute, Rayo Vallecano got a counter-attacking opportunity. Trejo intercepted the ball in midfield and quickly passed it to the advancing Lu Chuan.
Lu Chuan used his Direction Change Acceleration Master skill to continuously change direction and shake off two defenders. His speed and agility caught Almería's defense off guard.
After breaking into the penalty area, Lu Chuan faced goalkeeper Fernando Martínez. He did not rush to shoot, but calmly observed his teammates' positions.
Álvaro García surged forward from the left, in an excellent position. Lu Chuan decisively chose to pass, laying the ball across to his teammate.
Unfortunately, Álvaro's shot went just wide of the post.
"What a pity!" The commentator shook his head regretfully, "This was Rayo Vallecano's best chance!
But we saw Lu Chuan's selflessness as captain; he chose to pass rather than shoot himself!"
The first half was exceptionally intense. Almería constantly attacked with individual skill, while Rayo Vallecano stubbornly resisted with team cooperation.
Every touch by Núñez made Rayo Vallecano's defense feel like they were facing a formidable enemy.
His speed, strength, and technique formed a perfect combination, posing a huge threat to the opponent.
In the 35th minute, Núñez received a cross in the penalty area and headed for goal, but Dimitrievski made a miraculous save.
In the 41st minute, he unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box that grazed the post and flew wide.
But Rayo Vallecano's defense performed excellently. Under the influence of Aura of Leadership, every player gave their all, and the defensive formation remained very compact.
Lu Chuan even led by example, retreating to his own half multiple times. His fighting spirit infected all his teammates.
"We're seeing a completely different Rayo Vallecano!" The commentator's voice was filled with excitement,
"They're playing as a unit, full of discipline! Their number 19, that new captain, seems to have injected soul into this team!"
The first half ended with a score of 0-0.
In the locker room, although the teammates were tired, their eyes sparkled with excitement. They had withstood Almería's fierce attacks, which was a victory in itself.
"Brothers, well done!" Lu Chuan looked around at each teammate, "We held out for the toughest 45 minutes!"
Pascual sat in the corner, panting heavily. He had endured immense pressure facing Núñez's attacks.
"Martín, you did very well," Lu Chuan walked over to him, "Núñez is a world-class striker; being able to defend him is already remarkable."
"But I still let him get a few chances," Pascual blamed himself a little.
"That's normal," Trejo also walked over, "The important thing is that we didn't concede. Let's maintain this state in the second half."
Assistant Coach Juan did not make many tactical adjustments. He walked up to Lu Chuan, his eyes full of trust.
"Captain, you decide the second half," Juan patted his shoulder, "When to attack, when to defend, I trust your judgment."
Lu Chuan nodded, feeling the heavy responsibility on his shoulders. This was not only a recognition of his ability but also a test of his leadership.
"Second half, it's our turn!" Lu Chuan stood up, his eyes burning with fighting spirit, "Let them see Rayo Vallecano's counterattack!"
His teammates responded in unison, their voices echoing in the locker room.
Before the second half began, Almería's coach, Mario Silva, made a substitution. He brought on the speedy forward Juan Muñoz for a midfielder.
"They're going to strengthen their attack," Lu Chuan observed the opponent's formation change, "The dual striker combination of Núñez and Muñoz has strong speed and attacking power."
Savić walked up to him, his eyes filled with worry. "Our defensive line will be under even greater pressure."
"It's okay," Lu Chuan's eyes were firm, "We'll meet force with force. We have already proven our defensive capability."
The second half began, and Almería indeed launched an even fiercer offensive.
The combination of Núñez and Muñoz brought immense pressure to Rayo Vallecano's defense.
In the 52nd minute, Muñoz used his speed to break through on the right wing, crossing to Núñez in the penalty area.
Núñez leaped high and headed for goal. The ball flew straight towards the top right corner, seemingly destined to score.
At the crucial moment, Dimitrievski made a world-class save, tipping the ball over the crossbar.
"A divine save!" The commentator shouted excitedly, "Dimitrievski saved Rayo Vallecano!"
Lu Chuan was the first to rush to the goalkeeper, tightly embracing the hero. "Stole, you are our hero!"
Aura of Leadership made this embrace transmit immense positive energy. Dimitrievski's eyes sparkled with excitement, his confidence doubled.
In the 60th minute, the match remained deadlocked.
Almería dominated possession, but couldn't score. Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, looked for counter-attacking opportunities.
Every touch by Núñez kept everyone on edge. His individual ability was indeed outstanding, but Rayo Vallecano's team defense was equally excellent.
Lu Chuan continuously directed and commanded on the field, his Full Field Vision allowing him to accurately assess the situation.
When to press forward, when to retreat, he could make the correct decisions.
"Look at Lu Chuan's performance!" The commentator exclaimed, "He's not just the team's top scorer, but a true on-field commander! This is the role of a leader!"
In the 68th minute, Almería earned a corner kick. This was a golden opportunity for them to break the deadlock.
The corner was taken, and chaos ensued in the box. Núñez leaped high amidst the crowd and headed for goal.
The ball flew straight towards the goal, but Savić cleared it off the line with a header.
"Close!" The commentator's heart was in his throat, "Savić's crucial clearance! Rayo Vallecano escaped a scare!"
Lu Chuan ran over and patted Savić's back. "Emiliano, well done!"
Time ticked by, and both sides looked for a scoring opportunity.
Almería's attacks grew fiercer, and Rayo Vallecano's defense became more resilient.
In the 75th minute, Silva made another substitution, replacing a defensive midfielder with another attacker, adopting a crazy three-forward formation.
"They're going all out," Lu Chuan observed the opponent's changes, calculating in his mind.
Almería's final assault was about to begin, and whether Rayo Vallecano could withstand this final push would determine the outcome of the match.
Lu Chuan took a deep breath, his eyes burning with a resolute flame. As captain, he had to step up at the most critical moment.