A fierce battle in La Liga had just concluded, with Villarreal engaging in an intense contest against Osasuna at home.
After a hard-fought match, Villarreal, relying on the excellent performance of its players and the team's tacit cooperation, ultimately succeeded in defeating its opponent, earning a valuable three points.
However, the joy of victory had not completely faded when Villarreal received a new challenge.
They only had a short three days to adjust and prepare before heading to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, to participate in the second round of the Europa League group stage against Romanian powerhouse Steaua București.
For many fans, the team Steaua București might not be unfamiliar.
This team has a long history and glorious achievements in European football.
They were the first Eastern European team to win the Champions League, an honor that sufficiently proves its status and strength in European football.
In addition, Steaua București is also the team that has won the Romanian First League championship the most times, a record that further demonstrates its dominance in the domestic League.
On the eve of Villarreal's intense preparations for its trip to Romania, Head Coach Escribá's arrangements on the training ground attracted widespread attention from fans.
He specifically arranged for many substitute players to train alongside the main players, a move that seemed to foreshadow a large-scale player rotation in the Europa League group stage three days later.
For Escribá, every match is a severe test of the players' strength and condition.
In continuous matches, reasonably arranging players' playing time and rotation is crucial for maintaining the team's overall strength and preventing player fatigue.
Therefore, he decided to give more substitute players a chance in this crucial Europa League group stage, allowing them to show their strength.
Indeed, an injury crisis is an insurmountable obstacle for any team aiming for Champions League qualification.
Currently, Villarreal is in a strong momentum, and its excellent performance and team cohesion are impressive.
However, with the arrival of a dense schedule and international match days, the players' physical burden will gradually increase, and the risk of injuries will also increase.
Injuries will not only lead to a decline in team strength and affect tactical execution, but more importantly, they will bring negative impacts on players' self-confidence and mentality.
At critical moments, the occurrence of injuries may put the team in a difficult situation, and even miss important scoring opportunities.
Therefore, for Villarreal, how to effectively prevent and deal with an injury crisis while maintaining competitiveness will be a major challenge they face.
Although European competitions are full of appeal for any football club, because it not only represents a display of team strength, but also an opportunity to earn high bonuses, enhance club visibility, and attract more fan attention.
However, for a team like Villarreal, putting the focus of preparation entirely on a competition like the Europa League may indeed be considered a relatively low cost-effectiveness option.
As Europe's top club competition, the Champions League's prize money and influence far exceed the Europa League.
Teams participating in the Champions League have the opportunity to obtain more generous prize money income, which is crucial for the club's financial situation and future development.
At the same time, the Champions League has greater exposure and influence, which can attract more fans and further enhance the club's brand value.
In contrast, although the Europa League is also an important European competition, its prize money and influence cannot be compared with the Champions League.
For a team like Villarreal, if it excessively pursues performance in the Europa League while ignoring other more important competitions, it may lead to limited improvement in the club's overall strength and visibility.
This also explains why Head Coach Escribá would rotate players on a large scale.
Lin Feng was the first to experience the urgency brought by the dense schedule; he hadn't even had time to catch his breath before the team had to head to Bucharest for an away game.
With only three days, Head Coach Escribá didn't have much training time for the team to fully integrate; he could only try his best to let the substitute players adapt to his tactics within the limited time.
In the baggage claim area of Bucharest Airport, Lin Feng and the team became the focus of everyone's attention.
The Romanians were full of curiosity about this Spanish team that had traveled a long distance.
They gathered around, eager to catch a glimpse of these foreign players.
Some took out their phones to take pictures, others enthusiastically greeted Lin Feng and his teammates, and some even tried to communicate with them in simple Spanish.
As Lin Feng stepped onto the land of Bucharest, a unique Eastern European landscape immediately unfolded before his eyes.
This capital city of Romania, like a colorful scroll, slowly spread out before him.
The sky of Bucharest presented a deep blue, as if it could swallow all worries and troubles.
Sunlight penetrated the sparse clouds, scattering into every corner of the city, clothing it in a golden glow.
In the distance, the rolling mountains appeared even greener and more vibrant under the sunlight, as if they were Mother Earth's long green dress.
Lin Feng took a deep breath, feeling the unique freshness and tranquility of Eastern Europe.
Along the streets, ancient buildings stood silently, witnessing the city's history and changes.
Every stone, every window seemed to be telling its own story.
Occasionally, a gentle breeze blew by, bringing the fragrant scent of distant gardens, making one feel refreshed and relaxed.
Here, Lin Feng felt as if he was in a fairy tale world.
He strolled through the streets and alleys of Bucharest, admiring the beautiful scenery of the city.
On the streets of Bucharest, Lin Feng and the team were enjoying the city's unique atmosphere.
They wore Villarreal's training uniforms, looking particularly eye-catching.
Especially Lin Feng, his Asian-featured face, not common in Eastern European countries, attracted even more curiosity from passersby.
A fan wearing a Steaua București jersey excitedly walked over; he noticed the training uniform on Lin Feng and immediately recognized that it was from the strong team from Spain.
With curiosity and friendliness, he asked in broken Spanish, "Hey, are you a Villarreal player?"
Lin Feng nodded and replied in fluent English, "Yes, my name is Lin Feng, and we are very happy to be here to play."
The fan was a bit surprised to hear Lin Feng's English reply, but he quickly regained his excited expression: "Wow, you speak English so well! I rarely see Asian-faced players playing in Europe; you are truly a very special presence."
Lin Feng smiled and thanked the fan for the compliment, explaining, "Yes, I am from China, but I love football very much, and I am honored to represent Villarreal to play here."
The fan became even more excited after hearing this, extending his hand: "That's great! Can I take a photo with you? I will definitely cherish this photo."
During the photo session, Lin Feng felt the enthusiasm and friendliness of the Romanian fans.
Although their languages were not mutually intelligible, football became the bridge of communication between them.
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