The higher probability, naturally, was that these records would be sealed away permanently, never to be broken again! After all, these achievements far surpassed what ordinary mortals could attain.
As for Henry, he had already secured the World Cup. If he could perform comparably well in the league or the Champions League, he would have a very strong chance of winning the Ballon d'Or. Currently, among the three, Henry was ranked last, sharing sixth place on the Ballon d'Or shortlist with De Bruyne. To win the Ballon d'Or in the future, his performance in every match would have to be better than that of his two teammates who played alongside him. He would need to score more goals, contribute more assists and other statistics, and even vie for penalty duties. Unbeknownst to many, a competitive atmosphere had already begun to brew within the club.
...
The test results were in. The team doctor, holding the report with a solemn expression, felt a complex mix of emotions. At this moment, they had not yet informed Cao Baiming himself, but had instead reported to Arsenal's head coach, Arteta, first. According to the results, Cao Baiming's old injury had not fully healed; in fact, it was worse than anyone had anticipated. This meant he likely wouldn't be able to play in the league immediately. How could the medical staff be happy with such findings?
Upon hearing the doctor's news, Arteta rushed over. Several older men gathered, their brows furrowed in concern as they stared at a few sheets of paper and X-ray images. "In this situation... what should we do?" Arteta asked, his gaze fixed, clearly the doctor had only presented the results, not a definitive conclusion, leaving the final decision to him. Following the usual protocol, the current outcome indicated that Cao Baiming's injury meant he was unfit to play. He would need at least another two weeks, or even a month, of observation. The intensity of his rehabilitation training also needed to be kept as low as possible, as any slight excess in tolerable exertion could adversely affect his pre-existing injury, potentially exacerbating it. "It seems the safest course of action is rest and continued observation. I won't have him play in the next match," Arteta decided. The doctor nodded repeatedly.
However, a question suddenly arose in everyone's minds. If his current injury was a persistent old one, meaning it was quite severe, then why had it barely shown any significant issues during the World Cup final? This question, evidently, no one could answer. Perhaps only Cao Baiming himself, and the higher-ups of the Chinese national team, truly knew the full story. Under these circumstances, Arteta personally delivered the news to him.
Receiving such results, Cao Baiming felt a pang of frustration, yet it wasn't entirely unexpected. With the system's accelerated recovery, he believed it would be at most just one missed match, and he'd be fine for the next one. The opponent in the next match, Crystal Palace, wasn't particularly strong this season. With Messi and Henry available, it shouldn't be an issue to maintain their unbeaten streak. More importantly, as long as the crucial Champions League knockout stages were unaffected, there would be no problem, given the significantly higher rewards of the Champions League compared to the league! For now, all he needed to do was rest well, follow the physical therapist's plan, and leave the rest to the system.
In no time, the news spread throughout the club, and the players learned of it. They expressed their regret and personally sought out Cao Baiming. Cao Baiming hadn't participated in the team training sessions during these days, but he had his own individualized training regimen, devised by the physical therapist. Yet, from his performance on the training field, Cao Baiming's condition showed no obvious decline; he remained the sharpest spear and the sturdiest shield. Arteta felt a sense of regret, wishing he could play. He had been looking forward to it for a long time. Indeed, Cao Baiming's performance in the World Cup had greatly surprised the entire coaching staff, showing a significant improvement compared to his league performances last season. The terrifying aspect of this player wasn't just his current prowess, but the fact that he was already immensely strong, yet his rate of improvement showed no signs of slowing down!
Soon, the next league match arrived. After days of training, Arteta had developed a tactical plan that was showing initial success in Cao Baiming's absence. However, this was at best a contingency plan, and honestly, one they would avoid using if possible. He simply disliked unexpected events, and neither did anyone else. In the current situation, if Cao Baiming were indeed unable to play due to injury or any other reason, how would the club guarantee its winning streak?
At this moment, the fans' attention was drawn back to the Premier League by the prospect of Cao Baiming's return. However, on match day, Cao Baiming found himself on the substitute's bench. This decision was another measure of Arteta's cautious approach. He was wary of unforeseen circumstances and, even if it meant wasting a substitute slot, having Cao Baiming, who was highly unlikely to play, on the bench provided a greater sense of security. It was a strange phenomenon, perhaps purely psychological.
The fans voiced their questions: Cao Baiming had returned, so why couldn't he start the game? Soon, some recalled the injury Cao Baiming sustained in the World Cup, suggesting that the injury might indeed be more serious than they had imagined. Consequently, many loyal fans and supporters naturally became more concerned about Cao Baiming's physical well-being, hoping his robust physique wouldn't suffer any issues. They wished him to take good care and avoid playing if possible. History was replete with football players who suffered career-ending consequences due to playing through injuries, and fans certainly didn't want Cao Baiming to meet such a fate, even if there was only the slightest possibility.
On this day, a significant number of fans still chose to attend the match in person. Although it was an away game against Crystal Palace, the fans of both teams were evenly split, and the stadium was packed, not a single seat empty. This was the passion, the true atmosphere! Everyone cheered excitedly, waving their bodies, awaiting the start of the match.