Beijing time on December 15, Yangcheng Evening News reporter Lin Benjian disclosed that Guangzhou soccer star Zhang Linpeng has arrived at the tournament area a few days ago, successfully assembled with the team, and he is about to participate in the upcoming Chinese Super League.
Lin Benjian revealed on his social media platform, "Zhang Linpeng has arrived at the tournament yesterday and had a joint practice with the Guangzhou team in the afternoon. It is expected that his return will inject a surge of energy into the struggling Guangzhou team, boosting morale and strength."
In the first round of the second phase of the Chinese Super League, Guangzhou was defeated by their old rival Beijing Guoan with a score of 0-1. Due to the full Chinese squad and the absence of many naturalized players, international defender Zhang Linpeng also failed to appear in the first round of matches. The Guangzhou media pointed out that Zhang Linpeng had been preparing for the 12th round of the tournament with the national team until December 9, when he returned from Shanghai, having been separated from his family for a long time. After arriving in Guangzhou, Zhang Linpeng has not practiced with the whole team for two consecutive days and is currently in the adjustment stage. Zheng Zhi, the head coach of the Guangzhou team, decided to let Zhang Linpeng stay at home with his family.
Zhang Linpeng's return will undoubtedly inject a shot in the arm for Guangzhou, and is even better news for head coach Zheng Zhi in stabilizing the army. Zhang Linpeng's ability to play on the wings and in the middle of the field will also make up for the absence of Jiang Guangtai.
Guangzhou's next opponent is also in deep trouble, Hebei, who lost 0-5 to Taishan in the last round. Hebei's internal morale may be low due to the club's crisis, which is certainly a good opportunity for Guangzhou to boost their morale.
Despite the loss in the first match, Zheng Zhi, as the head coach, still led the Guangzhou team to show remarkable competitiveness and won the applause of the fans. Zheng Zhi said, "No matter what, we have the responsibility to finish the league and carry the flag of the national soccer team." At the same time, he also expressed his gratitude to the players: "I have been playing in Guangzhou for ten years, both the boss and the fans have given me a lot of support, we are full of feelings for this city and this team. We returned to the team for training on our own initiative, and in case of emergencies, a lot of young players from the reserve team came back from abroad to get us in the best shape for the game." (DD)
