Chapter 36: The Inward-Curving Arc That Pierced the Meazza

Many Chinese football fans, long occupied with the demands of life, family, and career, had not watched a match in years, but this season, they began to turn their attention to Li Luo.

Tonight, they were astonished to find:
A Bundesliga team parking the bus?
A Serie A team launching a furious assault?
It was the world turned upside down!
How could this be? What happened to the famous Italian "1-0" pragmatism of years past?

...

Time ticked away, second by second.
"The shot counts for both teams are nearly identical."
"Inter Milan’s build-up play is very fluid."
"Wolfsburg’s counter-attacks are of high quality."
"Heh, heh, heh—if you just looked at the stats, you’d think both teams were trading blows in an open game."

Inter Milan’s center-forward, Icardi, was frustrated. He was completely neutralized, pinned against the opposing backline with no chance to touch the ball.

On the other side, Wolfsburg’s center-forward, Bendtner, was in much the same boat. But he wasn’t frustrated; he was busy trading trash talk with former Manchester United man Vidic.
One was Swiss, the other Serbian. Both found familiar, comforting echoes of their time in the Premier League within the colorful profanity of British football culture.

...

De Bruyne and Vieirinha, along with Wolfsburg’s two full-backs, grew more excited as the game progressed. With four options across both flanks, Li Luo made the transition from defense to attack look incredibly simple.

Li Luo was enjoying the match. Every moment was a chance to breathe in precious practical experience, undergoing a baptism by the different systems and styles of various leagues. When without the ball, he dropped deep to defend. When in possession, he coordinated with the backline to build up the attack. Whenever he was "gently" fouled by an opponent, Malanda would find an opportunity to "gently" return the favor.

The Japanese player, Nagatomo, would occasionally drift over to whisper strange, grandiose remarks in his ear, attempting to disrupt his focus:
"Li-san, please go easy on me; I am giving this my all."
"Li-san, that turn just now was beautiful, but it won't be so easy next time. Be careful."
"Li-san, tonight might be the only time you and I face each other on equal footing."

...

In the livestream chat:
— "Mazzarri used up his three tricks early, now he’s out of ideas? Though, he has organized Inter's build-up nicely."
— "Yeah, a while back Inter won 7-0 against Sassuolo. Mazzarri has some tricks, but not many—the coaches with plenty of tricks all went to the Premier League to make money."
— "I've been focusing entirely on Li Luo. Compared to his time in the Manchester United youth squad, there are three obvious changes since his loan to Wolfsburg: 1. Movement; 2. Defensive work rate; 3. Stamina management."
— "True, in most games this season, his total distance covered has been in the top three."
— "Exactly, back in the youth team, Li Luo didn't like to defend."
— "In his first two Bundesliga games, he only seemed to have 60-70 minutes of stamina, but his distribution of energy has become increasingly rational."
— "The more you guys say that, the more I admire Hecking for being able to cultivate both Li Luo and De Bruyne—that pair of hidden dragons and phoenixes."
— "Young players need to play high-quality matches to grow quickly, experiencing different opponents, tactics, styles, and cultures to eventually find the path that suits them best."

...

Turin.
Juventus’s prodigious midfielder, Pogba, sat quietly in front of the television. Beneath his vibrant, multicolored mohawk, his expression was solemn—a rare sight for him.

"Paul? I thought we were going to the club tonight? The manager there said they got a new group of Eastern Europeans in..."
"I’m not very interested in women."
"Pfft!"

His companion gestured to the pile of newspapers scattered across the table. The headlines were typical: *“Pogba Seeks Pleasure with Latin Beauties at Nightclub,” “Pogba Rooms with Two Escorts for 6 Days, Neighbors Complain of Loud Moaning,” “Pogba’s Secret Meeting with American Bombshell”*... accompanied by intimate, candid photos of him arm-in-arm with women.

"Those are all fake news. They’re just ordinary friends. Those South American stars are even crazier than I am; the paparazzi should be focusing on them." Pogba’s tone shifted. "When Li’s loan expires, he’ll be returning to Manchester United next season... If United buys me back then, what position would I even play?"

His companion was stunned, hearing the "little black egg" talk seriously about football for the first time. He perked up. "Malanda! You could do the dirty work like Malanda... haha, don't look at me with that confused expression, I'm joking. You could play like De Bruyne."
Pogba shook his head and said nothing.

...

San Siro Stadium.
The roar from the four stands grew, reflecting the intensity on the pitch.
"They're in!"
"Inter Milan has finally broken through!"
"The 19-year-old midfield genius, the Croatian Kovačić, has linked up with Nagatomo for a fluid overlap."
"Icardi, a super-striker with top-tier finishing and positioning... oh, damn, he tripped over his own feet!"
"Counter-attack."
"Gustavo wins the ball, passes to Li Luo. Li Luo is already surging forward!"

...

On the sidelines, Hecking remained calm, not shouting. He thought to himself, 'Let Li handle the ball; I don't need to interfere.'
On the other side, Mazzarri stood up, glanced at his high defensive line, and sat back down.
"No threat."
"Vidic and Ranocchia have held their positions, and the other midfielders have plenty of time to track back."

...

In his spatial awareness, the geometric model quietly transformed into a dynamic, bird’s-eye view. Li Luo observed Inter Milan’s high defensive line; it was perfectly aligned. He lacked the raw passing attribute to force a straight through-ball, but he had plenty of time and a comfortable space to operate.

In his vision, a golden phantom quickly coalesced in the night air.
Bayern’s number 3. Xabi Alonso.

Li Luo nudged the ball forward with his right foot. He took a step. He raised his arm. He swung his leg. His body posture gradually overlapped with the golden phantom.

*Thwack!*

The ball lifted off the ground, carrying a fierce inward spin. It rose rapidly, its trajectory like a beautiful ribbon—or perhaps a scimitar, slicing through the night at the San Siro. Tens of thousands of fans were left breathless.

"Wow!"
"It's so beautiful."
"I thought that was a pass from De Bruyne!"
"Wait! No!"

...

Former United man Vidic reacted quickly. He retreated while keeping his eyes on the ball’s arc. He felt relieved. 'Li must be nervous; the quality of this long ball isn't that high.' He judged the landing spot and accelerated to intercept.

The next moment, something unexpected happened.

After the ball hit the ground, the inward spin didn't dissipate. As it bounced, the trajectory took an exaggerated lateral shift. Vidic lunged, but met only air. His face was etched with disbelief.

What?
Li Luo’s long pass didn't slice through the defense while in the air—it bypassed the defense after the bounce!

...

The entire stadium was stunned. The commentators were speechless. Hecking was frozen in place. Mazzarri’s jaw dropped. Even the camera crew hesitated for a second. It was a breathtaking display of passing technique.

...

The ball rolled laterally, bouncing three times before reaching the left side of Inter Milan’s penalty area. The inward spin finally faded. Wolfsburg’s winger, Vieirinha, arrived at full speed.

"Great chance!"
"One-on-one with the keeper!"
"Shoot!"
"Goal!"
"The 'Saint' Handanović’s clean sheet has been broken tonight!"