The 24th round of the Swiss Super League was played in the early hours of the morning, and Grasshoppers failed to make a comeback at their own doorstep, losing 1-2 to Lugano. Chinese player Li Lei started the match as a starter in this marquee match, and his performance was remarkable throughout the match. It was his first time to take the starting position in an official match after joining the European professional league, and he also cheered himself up through social media.
It is reported that the Chinese team may grant Li Lei a few days' delay in returning to the team, given that he is at a crucial point in his stay in the country. If all goes well, Li Lei is expected to appear in the Grasshoppers' match against Basel on the 20th of this month before moving to West Asia for the final two rounds of the 12-team tournament.
In the 24th round of the Swiss Super League on March 4, fans were delighted with the performance of Li Lei despite Grasshoppers' home defeat against Lugano. He made his debut in the match, and throughout the game, his performance was highly rated by the foreign media with a score of 6.8, which tops the team's scoring list.
Li Lei has always maintained a calm mindset about whether he can make his debut or not. He has said, "No matter how long or short the playing time is, every minute is valuable when I can play." In the 21st round of the Swiss Super League in mid-February, Li Lei came on as a substitute for only 2 minutes and gave an assist to the team, which helped the team win. It can be seen that on the road to stay in the ocean, Li Lei is steadily progressing, which can not be separated from his unremitting efforts and strong psychological quality.
After the game, Li Lei wrote on social media platforms, "The road ahead is long and continues to struggle. Don't forget to look up and forward in difficult moments. Cheer up!" In a foreign country, he used this to motivate himself and keep improving.
According to the new training notice of the Chinese team, six overseas players, including Li Lei, need to arrive in the United Arab Emirates on March 17 to join the team and prepare for the last two rounds of the upcoming 12-team tournament. Previously, Li Lei missed a number of games in the 12-team tournament due to injury. Despite the rare opportunity to stay in the ocean, he has always responded to the call of the national team, even if he can not serve as the main force, but also no complaints.
The schedule shows that Grasshoppers will host Basel on the 20th local time. Currently, Li Lei is in good form and is capable of continuing to compete for a starting position in the team. Given that China is no longer in the Qatar World Cup final, the team will be looking at the 2023 Asian Cup, and the renewal of players has become inevitable. In this context, the coaching staff in the selection of Li Lei can be more flexible, the team also said that will fully consider the actual situation of the players who stay in the ocean. Therefore, it is possible that Li Lei will travel to West Asia to join the national football team after participating in the game on the 20th.
