ATPnovel Chapter 4 Physical Examination
Chapter 4 Physical Examination
January in Madrid
Madrid-Barajas Airport, 2:17 PM.
When Li Jing dragged a 28-inch black suitcase out of the arrival hall, he was still a little dizzy.
I have to say, the weather in South America is always this awful.
At least seven out of ten flights will be delayed.
After receiving Raiola's message, Li Jing came immediately.
He had a four-hour layover in Lisbon. The economy class seats were as narrow as coffins, and he, who was 1.8 meters tall, had to crouch down the whole way, his back almost breaking.
Madrid in January was much colder than São Paulo. A dry, cold wind blew in through the automatic doors of the terminal, and he shivered, pulling the zipper of his down jacket up a bit.
There weren't many people in the lobby when we arrived.
Li Jing looked around and saw a white cardboard sign held up to the left of the exit, with his name written on it in English – “LI”.
The person holding the sign made him pause for a moment.
A girl with an Asian face.
The girl was not tall, about 1.6 meters, and was wearing a fitted camel coat with her hair tied in a low ponytail.
The most striking feature is her body proportions—the coat buttons are stretched very tightly at the chest, creating a visually striking curve that is hard to ignore, giving her a very European and American figure.
I wonder if it's because she's been here for a while, but her lips have become fuller, and she's starting to look a lot like Kim Kardashian.
Upon seeing this person, Li Jing immediately perked up.
isn't it...
"Hi! You must be Li Jing!"
The girl spoke perfect Mandarin, clearly having grown up in China. She seemed to recognize Li Jing at a glance and came over to greet him.
"My name is Yang Fengying, from the club's media department. They temporarily asked me to pick you up. Since the team doesn't have a Chinese translator, and I'm of Chinese descent, I was pulled in to do the manual labor."
Yang Fengying reached out and took his hand, her large breasts swaying.
It was so large it lacked any aesthetic appeal, and it shook like a raging storm.
Li Jing held her hand, first surprised, then memories rushed through his mind.
Yang Fengying.
He knew that name all too well.
In my previous life, during the years I worked as a football commentator, there was a very famous gossip account in the self-media circle that specialized in writing about the locker room secrets of the top five European leagues, and its sources were frighteningly accurate.
The person behind the operation is named Yang Fengying.
That account was later banned.
The reason is that someone revealed that when she was a reporter in her early days, she simultaneously contributed articles to two media outlets with opposing stances. On one hand, she wrote public relations content about the club, and on the other hand, she secretly contributed articles to black club media in China, forming so-called inside information and profiting from both sides.
This is a major taboo in the news industry.
She transitioned to self-media after being laid off, but she retained all the connections and information channels she had accumulated over the years, which is why she was able to continuously obtain exclusive news.
It turns out that this is when she started building her network of contacts.
Working in media liaison within the club, dealing with players, coaches, and management every day, no wonder his information was so accurate later on.
This girl started working as a spy-type reporter, both domestically and internationally, a long time ago.
It must be said that Li Jing appreciates his professional skills.
What was that saying again?
It began with a big wave and ended with talent.
"Let's go, let's go, the car is parked outside."
Yang Fengying had already taken the handle of his suitcase very familiarly and walked quickly outside.
"How was your journey? Economy class? Atletico Madrid is so stingy, they didn't even buy you business class."
Yang Fengying drives a silver Porsche, and the trunk is just big enough to fit his suitcase.
The moment Li Jing saw the Porsche, he gritted his teeth.
Cheers! Cheers!
This girl is definitely already doing this exclusive news source business.
He's only been 12 years and he's already driving a Porsche.
Thinking back to when I was 12 years old, I was just a little kid.
There were several newspapers and a laptop bag piled on the passenger seat, which she casually tossed into the back seat.
"Just bear with it, my car is usually like this."
Li Jing got in and fastened his seatbelt.
The car exited the airport toll station and merged into the M-14 expressway.
The sky in Madrid in January was gray and hazy, and the trees on both sides of the road were bare, a completely different world from the lush greenery of São Paulo.
"Have you been to Madrid before?" Yang Fengying asked as she drove.
"I guess so..."
Li Jing answered instinctively that he had actually come here once two years ago.
Moreover... that was when I had just earned my first money in this world.
He resolutely chose to go to Barcelona to see Messi play in person.
Just like that saying online, I never saw Ronaldinho at his peak, but I was fortunate enough to see Lionel Messi at his peak.
Li Jing simply went to fulfill a dream.
That time I was watching Messi play, but at this crucial moment, I definitely can't say that.
There will definitely be a lot of problems later.
"You're really bold," Yang Fengying chuckled, her words seemingly carrying a double meaning, implying something more.
"You came in a hurry. It's the middle of the winter transfer window. Do you know what Atletico Madrid's situation is right now?"
"I know a little bit."
"That probably won't work."
Yang Fengying glanced at him, then turned back to stare at the road.
"Let me tell you, Simeone only took over at the end of December, so it's been less than a month now."
In the first half of the season, Gregorio Manzano led the team to a ninth-place finish in the league.
Ninth, bro, Atletico Madrid has never been this bad in their history.
"What about last year?"
"Seventh last year."
Ninth two years ago.
In short, we're just hovering around the middle.
Li Jing had also heard about these situations; two years ago, he even saw news reports of Atletico Madrid winning the Europa League title.
But then, star players left one after another, like Aguero and De Gea, who both left after the Europa League.
It has to be said that for fans, it seems that for a team with insufficient funds to win a championship is not necessarily a good thing, but rather a curse.
Often, after winning a championship, attention will come from all sides.
They were undermining their own interests, and Leicester City seemed to be in a similar situation back then.
As for Aguero and De Gea, one went to Manchester City and the other to Manchester United.
Ugh, damn Manchester.
Li Jing did not expect that this would have such a big impact on Atletico Madrid.
They've actually finished ninth in the league.
Then they won't even qualify for the Europa League.
Yang Fengying's tone became somewhat subtle as she spoke.
"Do you know what Atletico Madrid's status is in Madrid? You're an athlete, so you should know about Madrid's football history. It's home to two of the oldest clubs in Spain... so they're kind of rivals. To put it another way, Real Madrid is the boss, and Atletico Madrid is the younger brother. But not the kind of younger brother that's like a blood brother, the kind that's been trampled on and rubbed into the ground for decades and still has to smile and call you 'brother'."
"So, this is almost Atlético Madrid's worst result ever, and neither the club's management nor the fans can accept it."
"The team is not united right now. After Manzano was sacked, some players thought that changing coaches would turn things around, while others were already thinking about leaving in the summer. Simeone just arrived, and the foundation is not stable. There are many factions in the locker room. It's not intentional, it's just that everyone speaks different languages and comes from different countries, so naturally some people get to know each other better and stick together."
"Among them, the Argentinian group is one."
Yang Fengying lowered her voice a little.
"There are quite a few Argentinian players on the team. You know about that recording you made... Maradona is a god of Argentina, and Messi is seen as Maradona's successor. You insulted him, and now you want to go play among a bunch of Argentinians..."
Li Jing did not respond.
Of course he had thought about that question.
To be precise, he had been thinking about this ever since Raiola told him that his destination was Atlético Madrid.
But there's no use worrying now.
Firstly, the deed has already been done; secondly, Li Jing has also gained more benefits from it, so there are some costs he must bear.
Moreover, what Li Jing needs is a championship...
What's a little differential treatment if it's for the sake of winning the championship?
"That's why I said you're brave." Yang Fengying turned the steering wheel slightly to the left and merged into the fast lane. "But there probably aren't many players who aren't brave enough to get this far."
She paused, her tone becoming more casual.
"By the way, about that recording—how was it leaked?"
"What were you thinking back then? Saying those things in front of Barcelona's sporting director, did you genuinely think Messi was no good, or was there some other reason?"
coming.
Finally came.
Li Jing's lips twitched; he knew this woman had come for this reason!
This question seems like casual conversation, but if he really says a bunch of harsh things, tomorrow some media column will have the headline "Li Jing attacks Messi again".
He glanced at Yang Fengying.
She still had that warm smile on her face, but she slightly adjusted the position of her hand on the steering wheel, with her right index finger resting on the 12 o'clock position.
Waiting.
Damn it, they're man-eating monsters.
However, the points for completing the task are not yet complete.
He would never say something against his conscience.
那可是巴赛罗那队史最佳射手，西班牙国家德比最佳射手，8次金球奖（2009、2010、2011、2012、2015、2019、2021、2023），8次世界足球先生/FIFA最佳球员（2009、2010、2011、2012、2015、2019、2022、2023），2次世界盃金球奖（2014、2022）6次欧洲金靴奖，2次劳伦斯世界体育奖年度最佳男子运动员，8次西甲最佳射手（皮奇奇奖），9次西甲MVP，6次欧冠最佳射1次金童奖（2005）1次布拉沃奖（2007）2次美洲杯MVP（2015、2021）4次Onze d'Or奖2次欧足联年度最佳球员……2022年世界盃冠军。
There's not enough room for so many people.
He couldn't possibly be criticizing Messi.
Unless you provide a sufficient number of training points.
Therefore, Li Jing spoke earnestly from the bottom of his heart.
"I don't know how it was leaked."
"But actually I think Messi is one of the best players in the world."
Li Jing's voice was flat.
Yang Fengying's smile froze for a second.
What the hell? Is this what I came here to hear you say?
"……what?"
"I said, Lionel Messi is one of the best players on the planet. Maybe not 'one of'."
Yang Fengying's right hand slipped off the steering wheel, then she quickly grabbed it back.
"Are you...are you serious?"
"Um."
"And what you said about Barcelona—"
"What I said was indeed wrong," Li Jing said, leaning back in his chair. "Some things shouldn't have been said that way."
Yang Fengying fell completely silent.
She was quiet for about half a minute, which was a long silence for a chatterbox.
Li Jing could guess what she was thinking.
She had hoped to get a few more provocative remarks out of herself so she could write a trending article.
What I received in return was a rather bland statement like "Messi is the best player".
Who would read this if I wrote it?
But Yang Fengying isn't the kind of person who would make things up.
Li Jing had known this in her previous life—she was ruthless in gathering information, and she was unethical in providing information to both sides, but every piece of what she wrote could be traced back to its source, and she never fabricated anything.
This is precisely where her contradiction lies: she has no bottom line in her methods, yet she has a strange obsession with purity in her content.
"Alright."
Yang Fengying finally spoke, her tone clearly tinged with frustration.
"What the heck... I thought you were a very fiery person offline too, this is boring..."
Li Jing didn't respond.
The car turned off the highway and entered the streets of Madrid.
Yang Fengying resumed her talkative mode, clearly not giving up. She casually introduced the streets and buildings they passed by, subtly trying to get Li Jing to say more about Messi, occasionally interjecting with a casual remark like, "The Spanish seafood paella at this restaurant is pretty good."
Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in front of a three-story detached villa.
The neighborhood is small and quiet, with a few bare sycamore trees standing by the roadside.
"This was rented for you by your agent." Yang Fengying helped him take the suitcase out of the trunk. "It's a fifteen-minute drive from the training base, so it's alright."
Li Jing took the suitcase, pushed open the iron gate, and walked into the courtyard.
Yang Fengying followed behind and handed him the keys.
"Put your luggage down first and tidy up a bit."
She glanced at her phone.
"You need to be at the training base for a physical examination and testing before 4 PM. The club has already made arrangements. It's 2:40 now, so you have one hour."
"So rushed?"
"Simone's request. He wants to see you play in tomorrow's training session. The medical results must be out today."
Li Jing nodded and dragged his suitcase into the house.
Once Li Jing had completely disappeared from Yang Fengying's sight, the smile on Yang Fengying's face immediately turned into a pout:
"What? You can't say anything? It's okay, I'll look into it myself. I don't believe it's that simple!"
This is a global hot topic, so Yang Fengying naturally wouldn't give up easily.
At this moment, Li Jing had just entered the door and didn't have much time, not even enough time to visit the villa that Raiola had rented.
One hour.
He quickly spread the contents of his suitcase on the bed—a few changes of clothes, a pair of training shoes, a toiletries bag, and a stack of contract documents that Raiola had told him to carry with him.
I washed my face, changed into some workout clothes, and drank two glasses of water.
……
At 3:35, Yang Fengying honked the horn at the door.
"Let's go! Stop dawdling!"
The car got back on the road.
Fifteen minutes later, a training base that was not large but well maintained came into view.
The Caldaroth Stadium is right next door, its massive oval structure standing against the grey sky.
Yang Fengying parked the car in the visitor parking space at the entrance of the base and led him toward the main building.
The security guard at the entrance glanced at her work ID and Li Jing's passport and let her through.
As Yang Fengying entered the lobby, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and frowned.
"The medical examination room is on the second floor, the third door on the left. The team doctor's name is Ortega. Just go straight there. I need to take this call."
Li Jing went upstairs alone.
The corridor was quiet, with photos of Atlético Madrid's teams and trophies from previous years hanging on the walls.
He glanced at it; the 1996 league double champions, they hadn't touched the La Liga trophy since.
The door to the medical examination room was half open.
Li Jing knocked on the door frame and went inside.
A bald man in his fifties sat behind the table, wearing a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.
"Li Jing?"
"Yes."
"I'm Ortega. Please sit down, and take off your shirt first."
The physical examination process is very standard—electrocardiogram, blood pressure, blood oxygen, urine test, and basic blood tests.
Ortega worked efficiently, filling in data on the form as he worked, occasionally glancing up at him.
Have you had any previous injuries or medical history?
"I sprained my right ankle once in 2010 and rested for three weeks. That's all."
"Um."
Ortega made a note on the form.
After the basic physical examination, he led Li Jing to the adjacent physical testing room.
The body composition testing room is small, containing several treadmills, an InBody body composition analyzer, and an Optojump photoelectric testing system.
"First, put on the body composition."
Li Jing took off her shoes and socks and stood on it.
To be honest, Li Jing was also a little apprehensive, after all, he had used up nearly 80,000 training hours.
His data is definitely very different.
He was also very curious about how his data looked now.
At that moment, the high-tech-looking body composition analyzer lit up, displaying the data.
When the data came out, Ortega paused for a moment.
Even after serving as Atlético Madrid's team doctor for over 20 years, he was still taken aback when he saw this data.
What the hell is going on?
……