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Jonathan White

China’s best footballer Wu Lei understands pressure more than most.
As the only Chinese footballer who was playing in one of Europe’s top five leagues he was flying the flag for football in China.
Even when Espanyol were relegated from the Spanish top flight last season, he seemed to have the world at his feet – or at least the chance to carry on his career in another top tier elsewhere in Europe.
Turkish giants Besiktas were one team mentioned, as were the Chinese-owned English Premier League side Wolves, along with just relegated Watford.

Wolves are in talks with Espanyol to sign Chinese forward Wu Lei, report Marca ️ pic.twitter.com/M0sPT0Lcl9
— Goal (@goal) June 14, 2020

A chance – no matter how slim – in the biggest league in world football was spurned as was the offer of European competition in Istanbul.
Besiktas started the season in the Uefa Champions League qualifiers and then had a shot in the Uefa Europa League qualifiers.
Wu Lei beats Kagawa to join Son in Asian team of decade
They are currently second in the Turkish Superlig – level on points with leaders Galatasaray and third placed Fenerbahce – just as Espanyol are second in the Segunda Division.
The side may have slipped to six points behind leaders Mallorca and level with Almeria, who have a game in hand, in third but they still have a good chance to come back up at the first opportunity.
If Espanyol are doing fine despite the recent blip, the same cannot be said for Wu, who has been criticised this season.

Despite being relegated with Espanyol, Wu Lei has become the first Chinese player to be selected as @EASPORTSFIFA ambassador for the new instalment of the game this year. He will no longer have to complain about his appearance in game. pic.twitter.com/RRb4ZtdKVd
— Red Lantern (@RedLanternDM) August 7, 2020

“Criticism is very normal. I was criticised even before I played in a foreign league. So I know I can handle all these pressures,” Wu told iqiyi.com in a recent interview.
“There are fans who like me and there are doubters. I will keep proving myself through better performances on the pitch.”
But he can’t do that if he is not playing.
Wu Lei and Wang Shuang miss out on Chinese football awards
He sat on the bench in their 1-1 draw with Lugo on Monday night, and it’s somewhere he is getting used to, having only started seven of their 24 games this season.
Since appearing for the second half against Logrones on December 13, Wu has not played more than 16 minutes in any of the six subsequent games. In two of them – against UD Las Palmas and Rayo Vallecano – he got less than 10 minutes, before nothing more than splinters against Lugo.
His two goals and two assists in 19 games do not tell the whole story – half of each came in the opening day’s 3-0 win over Albacete last September and the other half came in a win over Sporting Gijon on December 6.

Wu Lei's Espanyol fail to return to top of Spanish second tier, losing 3-2 to Rayo Vallecano after being 2-0 up at half-time. The leveller came while Adrian Embarba was changing his shorts... pic.twitter.com/l4pfMCtnL6
— Jonathan White (@jmawhite) February 1, 2021

“I haven’t been in the best form recently. I haven’t been able to contribute too much for the team when I’ve been on the pitch. But I will keep trying,” Wu wrote on his personal blog this month.
It’s not even his fault. Wu tested positive for Covid-19, along with his wife, in March – the “toughest time in 2020” he told iqiyi.com – and the four goals he scored after coming back from that were not enough to keep the side in La Liga.
“The toughest time in 2020 for me was when I tested positive for the virus,” Wu said.
China star Wu Lei takes pay cut to extend Espanyol stay
On the pitch has been tough, too – a far cry from reaching the Europa League and seventh place in La Liga in his first season after joining midway through.
The arrival of Vicente Moreno last August means that Wu has now played under three managers in two years in Spain.
Moreno appears to trust him less than predecessors Francisco Rufete, who took the club down, and Abelardo, who was in charge when Wu arrived from Shanghai SIPG.

⚽️EXCLUSIVE:
“Our goal is return to La Liga as soon as possible and we are confident because our abilities are not those of a bottom-of-the-table team.”- says @RCDEspanyol striker Wu Lei the goal of the team next year. @fororcdespanyol @Sp_Espanyol https://t.co/TdjXIZMAMT pic.twitter.com/6FceH7Yz7O
— CGTN Sports Scene (@CGTNSportsScene) August 1, 2020

While the ownership of the club, China’s Rastar Group and chairman Chen Yansheng may have influenced his signing and swelled talk of a marketing ploy, they have not influenced his playing this season when he could have bid them hasta la vista when they went down.
The irony is that Wu is being punished for his loyalty to the club that took a chance on him from the Chinese Super League. He even took a pay cut to stay with them, one that has turned into a pay cut to sit on the bench.
If he really wanted to do that he could have done it with Wolves against some of the best in the world, or with title-chasing Besiktas in Turkey, who should soon return to the Uefa Champions League.

Wu Lei extends his contract with @RCDEspanyol until 2024! pic.twitter.com/yS3w37qLfi
— AFC (@theafcdotcom) August 18, 2020

Espanyol play Mallorca in a top-of-the-table clash on Valentine’s Day and it is hard to picture anything other than more heartbreak for Wu and his fans.
They would love to be proved wrong.


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Spanish La Liga

Wu Lei at Espanyol: can China’s best footballer prove the doubters wrong?

Espanyol’s Wu Lei celebrates scoring against Barcelona as Jordi Alba looks on. Photo: Reuters

Wu Lei beats Shinji Kagawa to join Son Heung-min in IFFHS Asian team of decade

Espanyol's Wu Lei celebrates scoring his side’s second goal as Barcelona's Jordi Alba looks dejected. Photo: Reuters

Wu Lei and Wang Shuang miss out on Chinese Footballer of the Year awards

Espanyol’s Chinese forward Wu Lei warms up before the Spanish La Liga match against Atletico Madrid in March, 2020. Photo: AFP

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min named Best Footballer in Asia with record vote

Tottenham's Son Heung-min, right vies for the ball with Leicester's James Justin during an English Premier League match. Photo: AP

Super sub Wu Lei takes Espanyol top of  table as they chase La Liga return

Espanyol’s Wu Lei warms up before a Spanish second division match against Girona FC in November. Photo: Xinhua

Espanyol’s Wu Lei makes winning start in Spanish second division

Espanyol’s Chinese forward Wu Lei made a winning start to life in Segunda Division. Photo: AFP

Sport

Football

China


Espanyol forward having a torrid season in the Spanish second tier after impressing against big clubs like Barcelona
Former Shanghai SIPG star could have moved but stayed with club and is now struggling for form and game time under new boss



Espanyol forward having a torrid season in the Spanish second tier after impressing against big clubs like Barcelona.


Chinese Super League

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

The East Stand

The East Stand | Wu Lei at Espanyol: can China’s best footballer prove the doubters wrong?

Espanyol forward having a torrid season in the Spanish second tier after impressing against big clubs like Barcelona Former Shanghai SIPG star could have moved but stayed with club and is now struggling for form and game time under new boss

Espanyol forward having a torrid season in the Spanish second tier after impressing against big clubs like Barcelona

Former Shanghai SIPG star could have moved but stayed with club and is now struggling for form and game time under new boss