On March 5, Shanghai Shenhua made a splash in the 2024 season, not only winning the Super Cup, but also breaking new ground in the Chinese Super League. According to Xinmin Evening News, the foreign aid who can always "steal the show" at critical moments in the team is none other than Malelai. Although he has been favored by two managers with very different styles in a row, this just highlights his special talent.
In the Super Cup match against Seaport, core central defender Jiang Guangtai was absent due to injury, and Malelai took the opportunity to make a big impact on the domestic backline led by Li Ang. He was not only able to break through the opposition's side line with his individual strength, but also pinned the opponents down when fighting for the first drop. However, even though his previous performances were spectacular, Shenhua's No.11's performance in the shooting was laughable.
In the first round of the Chinese Super League, Malelai's scorer's nature was once again evident. He finished the first half with a difficult rebound shot, but the opposing goalkeeper Cheng Yuelei failed to make an effective save. However, after VAR intervention, the goal was canceled. Malelai's ability to "spit cakes" triggered heated debates, and some people even jokingly said that his game is like a comedy, which can always bring surprises.
Nonetheless, Malelai's ability to play well under both coaches Wu Jingui and Slutsky may be the reason why he is highly favored. After the first round of the league, he had almost half of Shenhua's shots on goal. As a foreign defender in Meizhou Hakka's defense, Mallet is undoubtedly the biggest threat. If Shenhua lacks him up front, the pressure on the midfield and defense will undoubtedly increase dramatically.
Xinmin Evening News analyzed that Mallet will continue to play the role of torturing the opponent's defenders in the next game. Of course, this also means that he will bring more "laughs" to the game. Hopefully, Malalei can bring joy to the fans while realizing more practical achievements, and transform from a "scene-stealer" to a real "protagonist".
