What Are You Looking At, You Can't Defend Against It Either (Seeking Follow-up and Recommendation Tickets)

The two of them spent half the morning being affectionate before Dejan Lu finally left.

Today was a home game, and Monica would be going to the stadium later with Federica.

"Kid, good luck."

Mancini, who was also leaving, threw something he was holding to Dejan Lu.

Dejan Lu caught it and saw it was a chili pepper-shaped keychain. In some regions of Italy, this symbolized good luck.

However, Mancini always had a scowl on his face, even when giving gifts to others. It was no wonder he didn't have many friends on the national team.

Using the excuse of maintaining his condition, Dejan Lu hitched a ride with Mancini, sitting in the sidecar as they headed to the team.

When they arrived at the parking lot, he realized there were more and more motorcycles in the team.

If this kept up, it would look like a hippie convention when everyone went home after training.

Later, the entire team took a bus to the stadium.

Pezzotti, the kind-hearted assistant coach, specifically sat next to Dejan Lu and chatted with him.

"You still won't be starting today, but the coach will definitely let you play. You need to observe the Inter Milan players from the sidelines, understand?" Pezzotti said. "Inter Milan is very strong, and we need to find their weaknesses."

"I understand, Narciso. By the way, how is your son?"

Dejan Lu asked.

Pezzotti, born in 1942, had three children, none of whom were particularly trouble-free except for the youngest.

"Sigh, it's the same as always. His older brother went to America years ago and hasn't come back. Now he also wants to go to America. Is this really the Italian family lifestyle?"

Pezzotti said with a hint of melancholy.

Italians loved living together as a family.

"There's nothing we can do. What can you expect from the beacon of humanity?"

Dejan Lu advised, "You should focus on nurturing the ones at home. Don't let none of them be by your side in the end."

Pezzotti immediately nodded. He didn't understand what made America so appealing.

They chatted the whole way, and by the time they reached the stadium, it was Dejan Lu who was comforting Pezzotti.

The players entered the locker room.

Boskov went directly to the press conference.

Pezzotti said in the locker room, "We haven't performed well in the last two games. Today, at home, we must show something to give back to the fans."

"Don't worry, Narciso."

Captain Luca Pellegrini shouted.

Pezzotti smiled and said no more.

The players were changing their gear, and the atmosphere in the locker room was somewhat serious.

Vialli, sitting next to Dejan Lu, said, "The locker room wasn't like this before, but because of our recent results and today's opponent, everyone is feeling some pressure."

Dejan Lu nodded.

Facing Inter Milan, anyone would feel pressure.

Just reading their lineup felt like an all-star team.

Dejan Lu glanced at the system and chose to draw a card.

[Ding, because your brother Giuseppe Bagnato only knows how to hug the touchline and has no ability to cut inside, you have drawn an inside-cutting winger: 2011-2012 UEFA Champions League Semi-finals, Bayern Munich VS Real Madrid, Arjen Robben single-match experience card]

What the hell?!

Dejan Lu had been thinking earlier that pure speed wouldn't be enough to deal with Inter Milan.

Some of Inter Milan's players had incredible physical stats.

But Robben was different.

In his prime, even if you knew he was going to dribble past you and were prepared, you still couldn't stop him.

AC Milan relied on three Dutchmen to compete against Inter Milan.

Today, he, Dejan Lu, would try using one Dutchman.

Luigi Ferraris Stadium.

Outside, the fans had already unfurled their TIFO, and some impatient fans had even lit fireworks.

Fireworks were a characteristic of Serie A, difficult to eradicate, and often interfered with matches.

Riva and Rivera sat in the stands together. This was the marquee match of the round, and Sampdoria's rise in recent years had been too obvious.

Riva joked, "If Sampdoria helps you guys take down Inter Milan today, Galliani should pay for the entire Sampdoria team's dinner."

"I hope so, but it'll be difficult," Rivera replied.

The fans, however, didn't see it that way.

They had already determined that the team had the strength to contend for all championships.

Even if some of the Italian players on the team were only fringe national team members, it wasn't due to their skill but rather their personality and other reasons.

As the players from both sides came out for warm-ups, the atmosphere in the stadium immediately reached a fever pitch.

The fans at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium roared, cheering on the players and hoping they could defeat their opponents from Milan.

"Great fans, aren't they?"

Mancini asked, looking at the stands.

Dejan Lu nodded.

Not long after, Boskov, who had finished the press conference, returned to the tunnel. Neither he nor Inter Milan's head coach, Trapattoni, mentioned much about Dejan Lu.

This made him feel a bit grateful towards the Inter Milan coach.

"The players are in good form,"

Pezzotti said.

"That's good,"

Boskov nodded, but he didn't feel very confident.

The team's recent results hadn't been great.

They couldn't even beat Ascoli, let alone Inter Milan.

When the players from both teams returned to the tunnel, he immediately put on a determined expression.

As the backbone of the team, he couldn't let the players lose confidence.

The commentator for RAI today was Enrico Varriale, partnered with former Italian international Paolo Rossi.

"When I saw the squad list, I noticed that young man who's been in the papers a lot recently was on it, Paolo."

"Yes, I saw him too," Rossi replied. "But he might not get a chance to play. Patience is also a virtue. With enough talent, he'll eventually become a shining star in Serie A."

"Perhaps. Let's look at the starting lineups for both teams first."

Sampdoria's 4-4-2 with wing midfielders and double defensive midfielders:

Goalkeeper: Pagliuca, Defenders: Luca Pellegrini, Srecko Catanec, Verchowod, Moreno Mannini, Midfielders: Giuseppe Dossena, Fausto Pari, Toninho Cerezo, Lombardo, Forwards: Mancini, Vialli.

Inter Milan's 4-4-2 with double defensive midfielders and wing midfielders:

Goalkeeper: Zenga, Defenders: Riccardo Ferri, Brehme, Mandorini, Bergomi, Midfielder: Alessandro Bianchi, Matthäus, Gianfranco Matteoli, Nicola Berti, Forwards: Klinsmann, Aldo Serena.

"Sampdoria is playing at home today and is definitely looking for a win, but facing the defending champions Inter Milan, it's still quite difficult."

"Both teams are using a 4-4-2 formation, but their styles are very different. Inter Milan tends to play a low defensive block, fast counter-attacks, and aerial duels."

"Yes, Sampdoria plays beautifully, but they might not gain much advantage against Inter Milan."

At 11 PM, Luigi Agnolin blew the whistle for the start of the match.

This famous Italian referee had previously officiated the semi-final match between France and West Germany at the 1986 Mexico World Cup. Rather than frequent card-giving, he believed more in the art of refereeing to control the game. In Serie A, he averaged 0.875 yellow cards and 0.031 red cards per game.

This means he showed an average of 3 red cards per 100 games.

Given the referee's style, the match immediately entered a white-hot phase.

Collisions!

Constant physical contact.

Both teams had quite a few tough players.

Right from the start, players from both teams were frequently tangled up with each other.

Toninho Cerezo, a defensive midfielder from Brazil, not only had excellent defensive intensity but also considerable passing ability. Together with Italy's champion defensive midfielder Pari and former Torino core Dossena, the three provided Sampdoria with enough defensive strength.

After receiving the ball, Cerezo didn't pass it immediately but held onto it to observe.

Matthäus charged directly at him.

Cerezo first nudged the ball to his right, preparing to handle it.

But his movement was a little slow, and Matthäus successfully blocked him.

His pass hit Matthäus and bounced back towards his own penalty area.

Verchowod jumped and flicked the ball, Mannini controlled it with his chest and immediately hoofed it upfield.

Inter Milan was pressing too fiercely, and he didn't dare to hold the ball in his own half.

Mancini and Vialli both started moving.

The understanding between the two was excellent. When they saw the ball landing near Mancini, Vialli immediately charged towards the center, creating pressure on Inter Milan's defense.

But this time, Brehme reacted very quickly.

He got into position a step ahead, used his left foot to dribble the ball a few times to absorb the force, then pulled it back and hoofed it towards Sampdoria's half.

In Italian football, the "1-0 doctrine" was prevalent.

Coupled with the two-point system, this inherently made matches more conservative.

During the opening period, both teams were playing with the principle of "better not to score than to concede," and coaches at this time also demanded quick clearances.

Salzano sat on the bench, chatting with Dejan Lu.

He had recently been trying to promote his hometown, but the small mountain town of Cavadetiireni was really struggling to develop.

"Perhaps you could find a beautiful promotional ambassador, or a handsome one. People are always interested in such images," Dejan Lu suggested.

If things went well, he could even become a torchbearer.

"Are you saying I'm ugly?"

Salzano asked, confused.

Dejan Lu shook his head, amused and exasperated. He was just thinking about Master Ding's business.

He could even use the stage name "Ethanol" later.

Salzano nodded, half-believing him.

His own situation hadn't been easy lately. As a striker, to secure a spot, you had to compete with Mancini and Vialli, especially since those two were practically a package deal.

Even so, he could still score over 15 goals every season.

On the field, Inter Milan got a corner kick. Inter Milan was very aggressive in front of the goal. Klinsmann's header was too central and was saved by Pagliuca over the crossbar.

Fortunately, Pagliuca caught the subsequent corner kick immediately, not giving the opponents another chance.

Salzano gradually became engrossed in the match. He subconsciously took out a cigarette and lit it, offering one to Dejan Lu, who refused.

Smoking was not allowed on the Serie A benches, which was why broadcast cameras often showed a smoky atmosphere.

"Inter's counter-attacks are too fast, those three Germans are tough to deal with," Salzano said.

Dejan Lu nodded.

Of course, they were tough to deal with.

The biggest problem with the Three Horsemen was that their peaks didn't overlap.

Klinsmann was strong, but at this time, his footwork was still a bit rough. His ability to handle volleys wasn't as good as forwards at the same level.

After watching for a while, Dejan Lu also spotted the issue.

Dossena was getting on in years, and since he wasn't a winger by origin, he wasn't putting enough pressure on Inter.

Lombardo was active, but the referee rarely called fouls, allowing him to be constantly bumped in physical challenges. It was a bit like Neymar at PSG.

As soon as you received the ball, they'd get physical with you.

Keep in mind that even tackles from behind were not considered problematic back then.

If you were unlucky, you could be taken out by an opponent and retire on the spot.

Therefore, the team's two wings couldn't get going today, and Mancini himself had to frequently drop back to organize play.

Vialli was good, but what striker could single-handedly go up against a defense led by Brehme and Bergomi?

For a moment, Verchowod and Catanec, the partnership, became the busiest players on the field.

Sampdoria regained possession.

Boskov stood by the sidelines with his arms crossed.

Despite the unfavorable situation on the field, as long as they scored first, everything would be fine.

As soon as Lombardo received the ball, Berti immediately charged at him.

This time, Lombardo didn't hold onto the ball. He immediately passed it forward to Mancini.

Mancini pulled the ball back and turned, and Matthäus crashed into him, nearly knocking him down.

He stumbled forward a few steps, continuously battling with Matthäus, and finally lost his footing and fell to the ground.

"Foul, that's a foul!!!"

Boskov shouted at the referee.

But the referee showed no reaction.

Mancini, lying on the ground, had eyes blazing with anger. He wasn't exactly known for his good temper.

Matthäus noticed his expression, a mocking smile appearing on his lips. He said in broken Italian, "If you can't hold the ball, don't take it. No wonder the national team doesn't want you."

"You fucking..."

Mancini got up, ready to throw a punch, but Vialli quickly stepped in to hold him back.

Bremer also went up to pull his compatriot.

At this time, he was Matthäus's best friend.

Vialli and Bremer both had headaches. After all, both of their friends were guys who would cause trouble as soon as they weren't watched.

In the 39th minute of the first half, Mancini fouled Matthäus while tracking back, and Inter Milan was awarded a free kick.

The foul was committed from 40 meters away.

Bremer stood on the side and stepped on the ball. As the referee's whistle blew, Bremer pushed the ball forward, and Matthäus, after a run-up, swung his right foot and unleashed a direct shot, hitting the back of the ball fiercely.

Even Dejan Lu, sitting on the sidelines, heard the collision sound produced by the shot.

The 40-meter distance vanished in an instant. Almost immediately, the ball flew past Pagliuca's hands, who was diving back to the side, and slammed into the net.

Silence!

The Sampdoria fans didn't expect to witness such a goal.

It was almost the ultimate expression of violent aesthetics.

The Sampdoria players on the field also remained silent.

The entire stadium was filled only with the cheers of the Nerazzurri in the away fan stands.

"Lothar!"

"Lothar!"

"Lothar!"

The Inter Milan players rushed towards Matthäus, one by one, all reaching his side. Bremer even jumped onto his shoulders.

Surrounded by his teammates, Matthäus looked at Mancini in front of him and said again, "What are you looking at? You can't defend me anyway."

Mancini walked back, biting his lip.

If he were 20 years old, he would have definitely gone up to throw a punch.

But having already conceded a free kick, getting sent off would make him the biggest sinner today.

The chairman was very lenient with him, and he didn't want to put the team at a disadvantage due to a bit of personal honor at this moment.

"Dejan!"

Boskov turned and walked towards the bench, then bent over and put his arm around Dejan Lu's neck, saying, "Don't go back to the locker room during halftime. Warm up on the sidelines, and I'll make the substitution right at the start of the second half."

"Okay, coach!"

Dejan Lu nodded.

He didn't expect his chance to play to come so quickly.

Clearly, everyone noticed this scene.

Paolo Rossi said with some surprise, "I didn't expect Boskov to let that kid play when they're trailing. Today's match is not easy."

Some Sampdoria fans in the stands were also worried.

Fans are always more forgiving towards young players.

The aftermath of the debut ceremony had not yet subsided, and they were worried that Dejan Lu might perform poorly under pressure and become the scapegoat in this crucial match.

After all, the media wouldn't say anything nice.

Monica, on the other hand, was very excited. She grabbed Federica's arm and shook it vigorously, shouting excitedly, "Did you see? Dejan is about to play! I can guarantee that today will be a memorable day."

"Okay, okay, I get it,"

Federica said with a wry smile.

Sampdoria held on for the first half.

When the entire team returned to the locker room, Dejan Lu took off his training jacket and started warming up on his own by the sidelines.

Some fans who remained on the field immediately applauded him in encouragement.

There were too many championship players on the field.

Warming up now was an act of bravery.

Dejan Lu stretched very seriously. Robben's playing style was too dominant, and it consumed a lot of his joints and calf muscles. Even with his amazing physique, he could still get cramps on the field if he wasn't prepared.

After the halftime break, the players from both teams returned to the field.

The fourth official immediately held up the substitution board.

Giuseppe Dossena was mentally prepared and walked towards the sidelines. He hugged Dejan Lu and patted his shoulder, wishing him, "Have a good start."

At 34 years old, he was nearing retirement, so he wouldn't be angry about something like this.

Dejan Lu nodded and jogged onto the field.

Beep, Mancini received the ball and immediately passed it back.

Pari received the ball and quickly passed it to the newly substituted Dejan Lu.

Dejan Lu's marker today was Berti, who had performed excellently when defending Giuseppe Dossena.

Berti clearly wasn't taking the young Dejan Lu seriously, still ambling slowly towards the flank.

At this moment, Dejan Lu nudged the ball forward with his left foot and accelerated.

Matthäus noticed something was wrong and quickly rushed to the flank to cover.

Thwack—

Dejan Lu smoothly pushed the ball forward, making Matthäus lunge in vain.

The German midfielder tried to use his body to shield the ball from Dejan Lu, but Dejan Lu, who was prepared, didn't stay on the field. He ran directly from outside the sideline, successfully evading Matthäus.

Trapattoni's eyes widened; he hadn't expected his two top players to be bypassed so easily.

The renowned coach became restless and rushed to the sideline, shouting, "Quickly tackle him! Don't let him advance any further!"

Bergomi had already started moving towards the sideline.

Dejan Lu continued to charge forward outside the sideline; the two seemed destined for a confrontation.

The Sampdoria fans in the nearby stands held their breath.

Could their young player actually continue dribbling?

Thwack—

Dejan Lu knocked the ball forward again, jumped, and went over Bergomi's legs as he slid in.

The coaches of both teams had their mouths agape.

Three players bypassed in a row!

Such a performance was hard not to remind them of Napoli's number 10, Diego Maradona!!!

"Dejan!!!"

"Dejan!!!"

"Dejan!!!"

The Sampdoria fans roared with excitement.

Continuously dribbling past top German and Italian defenders, then cutting diagonally into the penalty area with long strides, this performance was practically showing no respect for Inter Milan.

Brehme and Mandorini had already retreated into the penalty area.

Vialli was still pushing up behind them.

Vialli was already shouting Dejan Lu's name; he had noticed Bergomi relentlessly chasing him.

However, Dejan Lu dribbled the ball to the byline, which disappointed Vialli.

The space was too tight to handle.

At this moment, Dejan Lu shifted his shoulder and changed his center of gravity.

He swept the ball right, passing it through Bergomi's legs!!!

Vialli watched the unfolding events, stunned, as Dejan Lu took two steps, twisted, and shot.

Boom—

In the next second, the ball had already flown into the net.

I can't finish a whole match like this, but Old Ye is showing sincerity, so please understand, everyone.

I haven't put it on the shelves yet because of the word count for recommendations. If I reach 200,000 words too early, I won't get the full benefit of the recommendation, and I'll miss out on the "little speaker." Please support me more, everyone!