Chapter 34: Campaigning at the Meazza (Two-in-One)

The night was hazy. The commercial vehicle cruised slowly along a country road in northwestern Germany.

The shadows of the trees were dappled, and moonlight spilled gently through the thin layer of clouds. Tom suddenly recalled something and said earnestly, "Li, Sir asked me to remind you that the weather is getting cold, so be sure to keep warm. Van Gaal also sent over a few dozen pairs of sliding shorts featuring the latest technology for you to wear during training."

"Got it. I'll wear a long-sleeved jersey for the next match."

Li Luo took the brand-new shorts and gave them a gentle tug; the feel was quite good. He decided to give some to his teammates who were of a similar size. He then picked up his phone and sent a brief reply to Lauren's message. It had nothing to do with romance. Occasionally, he needed to communicate with the opposite sex to gain emotional value and maintain physical and mental health.

Lauren was well-suited to be a friend. The Dutch girl had been to China, climbed the Great Wall, eaten Chinese food, and knew not to speak nonsense in front of the media. Plus, she spoke sweetly. The emotional value she provided was top-tier.

When Tom reached for the shorts, he accidentally glimpsed Li Luo’s chat history and immediately turned his head away, his mind churning: *I cannot betray Li; I cannot tell Sir about these things... I saw nothing.*

The Chinese-branded phone had a massive screen. What had he seen?

[Li Luo: You say you're learning Chinese idioms? Let me test you then: what does 'love the house and its crow' mean?]

The four characters for "love the house and its crow" were in Chinese. The Manchester United assistant couldn't read them. But he understood the next sentence.

[Lauren: I've learned this one. If I like you, I will also like your bird.]

...

Li Luo advised Lauren not to be misled by random instructional videos. He put down the phone. He couldn't spend all day chatting with girls. He had to study hard. He picked up his tablet and began watching *Cantona: How to Treat Fans Gently and Ignite the Power of the Twelfth Man*.

...

A great battle was imminent. Hecking and his assistant coaches were busily preparing for the match. The small magnetic flags on the tactical board were constantly being shifted.

"Mazzarri’s Inter Milan doesn't have that many on-the-fly adjustments."

"It’s either a 3-5-2 formation!"

"Or a 3-4-3 formation!"

"Boss, I don't think so. Mazzarri doesn't make many proactive adjustments in Serie A, but he might have some changes in the Europa League."

The Italian manager, Mazzarri, was no nobody. For over a decade, his titles had constantly shifted: "Relegation Master," "Savior of Mid-to-Lower Tier Teams," "Soul of Revival." Two years ago, he led Napoli to qualify from the "Group of Death" in the Champions League, edging out Manchester City, and went toe-to-toe with Chelsea in the knockout stages.

...

As the match approached, related news began to gain traction.

*Even a broken ship has three nails; Inter Milan is bound to easily take down Wolfsburg at home.*

*UEFA Preview: The live handicap shifted from 2.5/3 to 3. Is it a trap? Or a trap?*

*Japanese Media: Yuto Nagatomo vs. Li Luo, an Asian showdown!*

*The decline of Serie A is influenced by the Apennine economy: Aesthetic shifts across different economic stages.*

In the comment section:
—"True, when the economy is bad, people appreciate 'defensive appearances' and 'healing pale aesthetics.' Talented young Italian stars... please don't come back to Serie A; you'll be ruined if you do."
—"No need to watch; if Li Luo starts, this game will definitely be a high-scoring one."
—"Yuto Nagatomo? Didn't the news say he's dating an AV star recently?"
—"Tired of regular food, I guess. Nagatomo has had many rumored girlfriends."
—"I don't think this Inter Milan side can contain Li Luo’s performance."

...

Two days later. The Europa League was about to kick off. Li Luo and the club arrived early in Italy's second-largest city, the famous capital of fashion and design: Milan.

"Compared to here, Wolfsburg feels like a village."

"I have a different view. With the decline of Inter and AC Milan, it feels like the city of Milan itself has dimmed."

Teammates chatted idly. Li Luo stared blankly at the architecture outside the car window. Gothic cathedrals, cafes everywhere, street performers, and bustling squares.

...

Malanda suddenly interrupted his thoughts: "Li, I don't really understand the coaching staff's analysis. Playing against Italian teams feels like it takes so much brainpower."

Li Luo shook his head: "You don't need to use your brain. Just watch for my hand signals."

"Alright."

With his spatial perception, Li Luo had easily deconstructed Inter Milan's tactical system in the league. Italian football was gradually declining as a whole. During this period, many Serie A coaches didn't perform tactical fine-tuning or targeted deployments every week like they did in other leagues. However, some strong teams could be described as "using the unchanging to meet all changes."

...

De Bruyne wasn't idle. He sat with his eyes closed, strengthening his memory: the lateral spacing of the Inter Milan defensive line, the defensive division of labor in the midfield and backfield, and the goalkeeper's positioning.

...

Meanwhile, at the Pinetina training base, Inter Milan manager Mazzarri was rallying his disciples. The match footage on the big screen was paused from time to time.

"Hecking is no famous manager at all."

"Aside from knowing how to set up a low defensive block and hit a few transitions, what the hell does he know about tactics?"

"De Bruyne—his movements are too exaggerated, no subtlety at all."

"You can tell he doesn't train properly. He's just a lazy Belgian with good physical talent and strong vision. Otherwise, why would Chelsea let him go?"

"Wolfsburg is not scary at all."

"And that Bendtner—do you think he knows how to play football? He either runs blindly or doesn't move at all. Look at this shot; is he trying to shoot or pass?"

"The only threat!"

"Listen, the only threat is Li!"

"That kid is covered in eyes."

Mazzarri was handsome in his youth, and now, looking like a big boss, his words seemed filled with magic, boosting the morale of the Inter Milan players. Yes. Looking back at history, when had Inter Milan ever feared an opponent like Wolfsburg? In the past, they hadn't even had the chance to play them.

...

Historically, many players from the Bavarian region of southern Germany were fond of the two Milan giants. When Beckenbauer was young, he often ran over to watch Inter Milan’s matches. His idol was Facchetti. On the eve of the 1966 World Cup, he signed a transfer contract with Inter Milan. Unfortunately, that World Cup... Italy lost to North Korea and was eliminated in the group stage. The entire Apennine peninsula was furious, so the Italian Football Federation issued a ban: prohibiting foreign players from transferring to Italian clubs to ensure training opportunities for local players!

Thus, the bond between Beckenbauer and Inter Milan ended. Later on, the "German Trio" of Matthäus, Klinsmann, and Brehme became a glorious combination in Inter Milan's history.

...

Match day. The San Siro stadium. Blue and black striped flags fluttered in the wind. On the stands, specially made red flames burned, billowing thick smoke. The fans, dressed in blue and black, erupted with immense power.

"CCTV! CCTV! Good evening, viewers!"

"We are now broadcasting the second round of the 2014/15 Europa League group stage."

"Inter Milan at home against Wolfsburg."

"The Nerazzurri versus the Wolves!"

...

Viewers in front of their televisions felt the entire San Siro looked "dark." The four sides of the stands, erupting with terrifying momentum, had no lights. From the extreme perspective, it seemed as if only the green pitch was "bright." The director's camera cut to the entrance tunnel. Many fans felt unfamiliar with the Inter Milan lineup.

"We see former Manchester United player Nemanja Vidić looking at Li Luo, smiling and tapping his own forehead."

"A legend of the Red Devils."

"Hehe, that gesture means he can contain Li Luo’s headers."

"That's for sure. Vidić, with that big frame, was known back then as the center-back with the strongest aerial suppression in Premier League history."

...

The Europa League flag was slowly pulled away from the center circle. The referee crew led both teams out of the tunnel. The San Siro erupted in a landslide of cheers.

"Let me introduce the starting lineups for both sides."

"Inter Milan has lined up in a 3-5-2!"

"Goalkeeper: Handanović."

"Defenders: Ranocchia, Vidić, Juan Jesus."

"Midfielders: Nagatomo, Guarín, Medel, Kovačić, Dodô."

"Forwards: Palacio, Icardi."

...

In the live broadcast room:
—"Is this still the Inter Milan in my memory? Huh?"
—"They won the Champions League a few years ago; how did they become such a cabbage-level lineup now?"
—"Can a guy like Icardi, who caused the 'Wanda-gate' scandal, really be considered Inter Milan's star?"
—"What scandal?"
—"When Icardi was at Sampdoria, López treated him very well. Fearing he was lonely, he often took him to family events. Over time, he cuckolded López."
—"That woman isn't a saint either, publicly saying López wasn't good in that department. It's truly heart-wrenching."
—"Maradona was furious about this behavior of cuckolding a teammate. He said: 'If it were in my era, Icardi would definitely have been beaten up in the locker room.'"

...

"Wolfsburg, wearing their white away jerseys, has lined up in a 4-2-3-1!"

"Goalkeeper: Benaglio."

"Defenders: Sebastian, Naldo, Knoche, Ricardo."

"Midfielders: Vieirinha, Gustavo, Li Luo, Malanda, De Bruyne."

"Forward: Bendtner."

...

Li Luo looked around. The dimly lit and magnificent stands. Countless blue and black figures. Malanda suddenly said, "Li, I'm a little nervous. Why does it feel like the pitch is floating in mid-air?"

Li Luo nodded: "I'm a little nervous too. Don't be afraid; it's just a visual trick of the lighting. Try not to look at the audience."

This was a good thing. There were sixty or seventy thousand spectators on-site. Perhaps after one match, the shock value harvested would be enough to redeem two [Europa League Star Blind Boxes].

...

The coin toss ended. With a whistle from the referee, the match officially began. Inter Milan had possession. Icardi kicked off and passed back to the backfield.

"A very backward style of play."

"They aren't building attacks from the defenders, but letting the midfield do it."

"Sure enough."

"Bendtner happened to charge up, and with one press, Medel made a mistake."

The ball went out of control. Fortunately, the 19-year-old Croatian midfielder Kovačić covered in time and kicked the ball out of bounds. Inter Milan had a poor start, nearly allowing Wolfsburg to launch a transition attack. The San Siro was immediately filled with boos.

...

On the sideline, Hecking sat calmly on the bench. On the other side, Mazzarri stood in the technical area with a somber expression.

...

"Wolfsburg fullback Sebastian throws in the ball."

"Throws it to Li Luo."

"Look at Wolfsburg's attack; it follows a pattern. De Bruyne cuts diagonally into the right rib, and Vieirinha prepares to start on the left flank."

"Very good."

"Li Luo hits a one-touch pass, splitting it to the left."

The commentator and "Teacher Zhang" rattled off their analysis.

...

Vieirinha wasn't tall, only 1.7 meters. Last year, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, and his fighting power had dropped significantly.

*Snap.* He stopped the ball and pushed it forward, immediately accelerating from the outside of the left flank.

"Ranocchia has been blown past."

"Wolfsburg's winger daring to go on the outside clearly means he's looking to pick a fight with you one-on-one."

Ranocchia was once hailed as the heir to Nesta. Back in the day, he genuinely made the underdog Bari the second-best defensive team in Serie A. But fate was cruel; he suffered a serious knee injury and a torn cruciate ligament. After recovering, his physical hardware was not as good as before, and he fell into depression.

...

"He's cut inside!"

"Vieirinha, with a cut-back!"

The Inter Milan defense was in disarray. The Wolfsburg winger didn't hesitate; after cutting to the end line on the left side of the penalty area, he decisively sent a cut-back pass. Li Luo just happened to run into the path of the ball, in the center of the penalty area.

Meanwhile, the quicker Inter Milan players swarmed to block him. Former Manchester United man Vidić was also there instantly to seal off the Chinese teenager's shooting angle.

"Here it comes!"

"Beautiful!"

...

Li Luo was like a magnet, crazily attracting the blue and black figures around him. The ball rolled along the ground. Then, the unexpected happened: he leaped slightly and let it pass through.

The Inter Milan defense, as if struck by a heavy blow, watched helplessly as the ball continued to roll... completely disrupted. Any Wolfsburg player who charged in could launch a lethal strike. The San Siro erupted in gasps of amazement.

"Ricardo!"

"A thunderous strike!"

*Boom!*

The ball rocketed out. Inter Milan goalkeeper Handanović dove and flew, his pink gloves struggling to block the ball. The crisis wasn't over.

"Bendtner."

"Follow-up shot."

Bendtner was surrounded by opponents, and under the interference of the Inter defenders, he struggled to get his foot on it. The ball flew over the end line.

...

"That was close."

"Almost scored."

"Handanović's save was crucial."

The live broadcast room was flooded with comments.
—"So cool, that dummy by Luo."
—"Looking at the replay, after Li Luo split the ball to the left, he ran diagonally forward, paused in the middle, made a feint, and only then accelerated into the Inter penalty area."
—"Is Inter Milan really that bad?"
—"The game has only just begun."

...

On the sideline, Hecking sat upright. He knew the most difficult problem of the match was about to arrive. On the other side, Mazzarri’s face regained confidence and composure.

...

On the pitch, Inter Milan began to build their offense from the back. Wolfsburg pressed in the front court. Gradually, Malanda looked confused, feeling a bit out of his depth. He realized that Inter Milan was still passing the ball in their own backfield, with their two wingers and two strikers weaving back and forth. They had actually managed to manipulate the strong and weak sides of Wolfsburg's backfield!

"Teacher Zhang, what's your take?"

"Explaining this issue is very complex and redundant."

"Simply put."

"I have to apologize to Mazzarri; his style tonight is not backward."

"Mazzarri’s three-center-back system, starting from Napoli, has the capability to disguise their own offensive patterns as transition attacks during the backfield build-up phase through the off-the-ball runs of the wingers and forwards."

Teacher Zhang didn't know how to explain it; if he could draw a diagram for the viewers, it would be better. It was hard to handle. The coaching staffs of Manchester City and Chelsea didn't know how to crack this "Mazzarri three-center-back" setup back then, let alone this adjusted cup-match version for Inter.

...

Hecking couldn't sit still. He stood up abruptly and rushed to the technical area, using exaggerated body language to remind the Wolfsburg players to pay attention to the spacing of their high defensive line. Bendtner was frustrated by being run around, nearly sliding to the ground. Gustavo was overwhelmed, fearing the defensive line behind him would be exposed at any moment.

...

The night wind blew the white jersey. The spatial perception model in Li Luo’s brain was running crazily. Everything was under control. De Bruyne, while running, couldn't help but cast a look of surprise: *Could it be! Li, has he found a way to break the deadlock again? As expected...*

*Pay attention to Li’s gestures!*

*Huh? He says there's no need to break the deadlock; we should just go back and park the bus!*

*...*

The Belgian genius's mood at this moment: like discussing a difficult problem with a classmate, and the classmate says, "You don't need to do this problem."