Against Juventus

Lin Feng did not try to act tough and truthfully told Mancini about his situation.

His physical stamina was indeed insufficient to support him in playing a full match at such high intensity.

Juventus was a very strong team, and if he were to run onto the pitch just to make up the numbers while in poor condition, Inter Milan might end up losing the game.

After listening, Mancini said:

"Then you will sit on the bench for the next match, and if there is a need, I will send you on."

Mancini's plan was to send Lin Feng on when the opponent's stamina dropped and their defensive intensity weakened, using his speed to make an impact, which might yield miraculous results.

Before the Calciopoli scandal, Juventus had a very strong dominance in the Serie A league.

In the past four seasons, Juventus had won three Serie A titles.

Facing such a strong team, although Inter Milan was playing at home, Mancini did not get arrogant and honestly chose to focus primarily on defense.

Juventus was also a team known for its defense, and in this match, they had arranged for a large number of substitutes and new signings to play.

This affected their combat effectiveness, especially their attacking strength in the frontcourt.

The match had been played for 25 minutes, and let alone goals, both sides had barely managed any shots.

Both teams found it difficult to break through the other's defensive line, and the situation fell into a stalemate.

The fans in the stands were already starting to get drowsy, and the fans back home staying up late to watch the game were also struggling to keep their eyes open.

"Damn it, what are these guys doing? Playing 'health-preservation' football?"

"They've been playing for nearly half an hour, and the two teams have combined for only 3 shots, not a single one on target. If this continues, I'm really going to fall asleep!"

"Where is Lin Feng? Why haven't I seen him come on?"

"Lin Feng just played a match, he's being kept on the bench right now!"

"Does Mancini even know how to use his players? Why not let Brother Linzi play?"

"Exactly, Juventus's positional defense is so strong, they don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning a positional battle. Let Brother Linzi use his speed to charge; I think the effect might be better."

If the fans could understand this logic, how could a famous coach like Mancini not know it?

When the match reached the 35th minute and the score between the two sides was still 0:0, Mancini finally made his move.

"Lin, go warm up!"

Lin Feng had been waiting for those words, and upon hearing Mancini, he dashed out like a gust of wind.

Feeling Lin Feng sweep past him like a whirlwind, Mancini couldn't help but touch his hair, a smile appearing on his face.

This kid must have been bursting with energy on the bench!

"It's happening, Lin Feng is starting to warm up. He's probably going to come on soon!"

"Finally waited for Lin Feng to enter the pitch, glad I didn't give up!"

"Go for it, Brother Linzi!"

"If he can break through the goal guarded by Buffon, that would be awesome!"

Seeing Lin Feng warming up, the head coach of Juventus just glanced at him indifferently and paid no more attention.

Isn't he just a 17-year-old youngster?

What is there to worry about?

Juventus's midfield is anchored by Nedvěd and Vieira; it's as solid as a fortress, isn't it!

Soon, Lin Feng was substituted onto the pitch.

The Inter Milan fans at the stadium saw their team's new signing enter, and sparse applause rang out from the stands, mostly from domestic fans who had watched Lin Feng's previous matches or had traveled specifically to support him.

The remaining fans had mixed reactions; some were full of anticipation, some were indifferent, and many more were skeptical and distrustful.

The Juventus team on the other side was ridiculously strong, and the Inter Milan fans didn't think that putting on a young kid would change anything.

The vast majority of them had never seen Lin Feng play and knew nothing about him. Coupled with the fact that the club had spent a massive 20 million Euro to sign him, many felt it wasn't worth it.

How could a 17-year-old Asian player be worth such a high transfer fee?

Even some top geniuses from Europe or South America might not be worth that much!

The domestic fans watching the live stream clearly noticed the reaction of the fans at the stadium.

"Heh, what a bunch of blind people!"

"It seems the rumors about Serie A fans' discrimination against Asian players are true!"

"It's a good thing Lin Feng didn't go to Lazio, otherwise the discrimination would have been even worse!"

Inter Milan is considered a very open and highly inclusive team in the Serie A league.

After all, the team name contains the word 'International', and the origin of the players in the team is indeed more international.

"These White Pigs, just wait to be slapped in the face by Lin Feng's actions!"

Noticing that the opponent had brought on a young midfielder, the Juventus midfielder Vieira did not pay much attention.

In his Peak Period, he is one of the best B2B midfielders in the current Football World.

You could even drop the word "one of"!

Let alone Lin Feng, even if AC Milan's Hotshot Kaka were subbed on, Vieira would not fear him in the slightest.

The match was nearing its end, and Vieira felt he had to do something.

He certainly did not want his debut for Juventus to conclude with such a dull result.

Vieira did not pay much attention to Lin Feng, but the Juventus left midfielder Nedvěd took him very seriously.

While preparing before the match, Nedvěd had specifically studied game footage of Lin Feng to get a general understanding of his characteristics.

He is an attacking midfielder with great speed and powerful impact.

To deal with him, one must stick to him like glue and deny him any space to accelerate or sprint.

For the Czech Iron Man, who possesses abundant stamina, a fierce Fighting Spirit, and a knack for running, this was not a difficult task.

However, the two were not matched up directly, and Nedvěd could not keep his eyes on Lin Feng at all times; he had his own duties to attend to.

Therefore, after Lin Feng came on, Nedvěd shouted out to remind Vieira to watch the opponent's Number 8.

But Vieira dismissed it, not taking Nedvěd's words to heart.

After Lin Feng entered the pitch, Vieira was in the middle of organizing an attack.

Seeing the opponent with the ball, Lin Feng pounced forward, attempting to win possession.

With a beautiful shielding turn, Vieira completed a sequence of trapping, controlling, and a Cut Inside in one fluid motion, not only easily shaking off Lin Feng but also creating an opportunity to play a dangerous forward pass.

Vieira's brilliant display drew a round of applause from the Stands.

Many fans were cheering for this spectacular performance by the Frenchman.

Despite being a big man over 1.9 meters tall, his Long Legs seemed to dance, always capable of executing moves that made people want to applaud in admiration.

It was just a pity that Vieira's pass failed to penetrate the Inter defense, and Juventus had to reorganize their attack.

"Don't Rush Forward so recklessly; be careful of the opponent using sudden changes in rhythm to dribble past you!"

Mihajlović, standing nearby, saw Lin Feng's failed attempt and took the initiative to offer a reminder.

Lin Feng nodded; Vieira's ball was indeed not so easy to steal.

But he did not give up because of this!

In the 42nd minute, Vieira once again carried the ball forward, and Lin Feng rushed up just like before.

"Heh, coming for more?"

Vieira felt disdain in his heart, intentionally using the same trick to toy with Lin Feng once again.

He succeeded, and Lin Feng was dribbled past again!

But before Vieira could even celebrate, he felt as if something was missing from his feet.

He looked down, and the ball was gone!