Guardiola's remarks suddenly pushed Chen Zhong into the limelight.
Right when Barcelona fans were eagerly anticipating an opportunity to trouble Real Madrid, Real Madrid's players were already on their journey to Italy.
Starting from the draw against Sporting Gijon on October 22nd, the team embarked on a "hellish schedule," averaging a match every 2-3 days.
October 25th at home against Milan, October 28th King's Cup away against Alcorcon, November 1st home victory over Getafe to regain the top spot, then heading to Italy on November 3rd for an away match against Milan, and back for an away match against Atletico Madrid on November 5th.
This poses a significant test for Pellegrini's player rotations and their stamina.
However, as long as they endure the match against Atletico Madrid, the team will have a period of "recuperation," with nearly a week until the second leg of the King's Cup, and it's at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
