The Strongest Defense

Silence!

Luigi Ferraris Stadium seemed to have hit the pause button.

An eighteen-year-old youngster had dribbled past several world champions in a row, and then, as Bergomi closed in on the box, he toyed with him using a nutmeg pass.

This was one of the best defenders in history, one-eleventh of Italy's all-time best lineup!

But today, he had fallen at Dejan Lu's feet, not once, but twice.

Bergomi watched, his emotions complex, as Dejan Lu was mobbed by Sampdoria players.

He knew better than anyone how he had been beaten.

As a defender known for his fierce and precise tackles, his lunge had been timed perfectly, calculating Dejan Lu's speed before committing.

Under normal circumstances, Dejan Lu would have run straight into his legs.

But the kid had had more in the tank.

He hadn't been running at full speed.

Sensing someone coming to cover, he'd timed his move, dribbled past with the ball, and even leaped over Bergomi's legs.

It was a very clever move.

But it first required absolute confidence, a big heart, and a strong physique. Facing so many world-class players, he still had the presence of mind to outwit someone.

It was truly astonishing.

This kind of move reminded Bergomi of Caniggia at Verona, but that guy wasn't nearly as smart.

The second instance near the byline, in a tight space, was even more outrageous.

Simply put, Dejan Lu had anticipated his anticipation, intentionally drawing him in, timing his step to change direction and nudge the ball, successfully nutmegging him.

Was this really a player's first time in Serie A?

As a top defender, Bergomi had performed excellently at both full-back and center-back positions.

His attacking ability wasn't strong, but it wasn't weak either, and his individual runs were quite impactful. However, in terms of assists, like crossing and speed, he wasn't particularly skilled.

In this era, Italian defenders were generally stronger defensively than offensively.

It was precisely because he had weaknesses that he needed to use his brain to compensate; he had always been a player who thought things through.

It was for this very reason that he found Dejan Lu so difficult to handle.

Beating him twice in a row was likely not a coincidence or mere instinct.

That young man was far more seasoned than he appeared.

The camera panned to the stands, where Monica was as vibrant as a flower.

The whole world was captivated.

She had broken the world's stillness, returning everything to its rightful state.

The Sampdoria fans chanted Dejan Lu's name.

"Dejan!"

"Dejan!"

"Dejan!"

On the sidelines, Boskov hugged Pezzotti tightly.

He had wanted to take a chance on Dejan Lu, and he had expected him to perform.

But he hadn't expected Dejan Lu to give him such a massive surprise as soon as he stepped onto the field.

It was like expecting your subordinate Macron, only to find he's actually Napoleon!

What world champions?

What of Serie A's strongest defenders?

They were all shattered in the first encounter.

Even the two TV commentators fell silent.

Because they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Paolo Rossi, a former world champion, swallowed and said, "That young man's ability to combine with the ball is already at the highest level I've ever seen..."

Some people only notice aspects like explosive starts, sudden stops, and changes of direction.

But what was truly incredible about Robben was his combination with the ball.

Whether he was dribbling forward, cutting inside, or weaving through tight spaces, the ball stayed glued to his feet.

His height, combined with his shifts in body balance, made him incredibly deceptive.

That's why you knew how he was going to dribble, but you couldn't stop him.

The timing of his acceleration, the slightest variations in his shoulder feints, his gaze, the nudges of the ball at his feet – these could combine to create countless variations.

Only those facing him directly knew how terrifying such an opponent was.

Bremer also felt that things were not simple and looked at Bergomi.

The Inter captain shook his head and said, "Be careful, that kid is no ordinary person."

Bremer nodded solemnly.

Matthäus stood nearby, watching the Sampdoria players celebrate.

Mancini clearly noticed the midfielder.

His scowling face was full of smiles; those who knew him would have thought he was an imposter.

Mancini affectionately threw an arm around Dejan Lu's neck and shouted loudly, "What are you looking at? You can't defend me either!"

Matthäus: ...

What he had said in the first half was thrown back at him verbatim.

This feeling was damn uncomfortable.

The reason he was arrogant was due to his exceptional personal ability.

He had just gone to help defend and had been bypassed along with his teammates.

Matthäus's face turned red, which made Mancini feel very pleased.

He decided to buy a big gift for Dejan Lu in Milan tomorrow.

Damn it, money wasn't the issue; the most important thing was to thoroughly humiliate that bastard Matthäus.

Matthäus, who had been holding back for a long time, said, "A Pomeranian dares to provoke a lion when its owner is around, but it's a coward when its owner isn't there!"

Pomeranians originated from the border between Poland and the German coast and are known for their tendency to bully others when backed by their owners.

Mancini's expression changed instantly.

He was about to let go of Dejan Lu when Dejan Lu spread his arms to block him and said, "The biggest difference between us is that we are a team. You are just yourself, whether you're at Bayern or Inter."

Matthäus, whose sore spot had been hit, spat fiercely and turned to walk back.

A major reason Bayern let him go was his unpopularity as a person.

"Thanks, Dejan."

Mancini forced a smile.

Vialli kicked him and quipped, "Your fawning expression makes you look like a court jester."

"Damn it, if I'm a jester, then you're an Arabian eunuch!"

Mancini bared his teeth and ran, while Vialli darted away.

Boskov saw everything on the field and couldn't help but smile.

He was sure this was the team he wanted.

Trapattoni clapped his hands and shouted onto the field, "Switch positions! You two defend their right flank together!"

Bremer pointed to himself in confusion.

Trapattoni immediately nodded.

Alright, Bremer had no choice but to switch positions with Mandorini.

He still felt the coach was making a mountain out of a molehill.

It was only because he wasn't familiar with him the first time that he seemed so flustered.

As a teammate, he knew how strong Bergomi was. In terms of defense, it was unlikely anyone in all of Germany could find a stronger defender.

With him and Bergomi on one side to deal with an 18-year-old.

Such treatment was probably only given to Maradona.

Klinsmann, after the restart, immediately passed back.

Berti received the ball and waited for Dejan Lu to rush up and press him, having lost face after being bypassed earlier.

But Trapattoni on the sidelines directly yelled, "If you don't want to play, then get off! Can you dribble past the opponent and shoot into the penalty area with the ball?"

Berti quickly passed the ball and then glanced back at the head coach with a hint of resentment.

He really wasn't being given any face at all.

Mateoli also didn't hold onto the ball for long before passing it to Matthäus.

Although they all had names starting with 'M', their abilities were vastly different.

Matthäus could be considered the absolute core of Inter.

Matthäus, with the ball, charged forward like a human monster.

The collision of muscles became more exaggerated with the referee's leniency.

Lombardo tried to intervene but was immediately knocked back.

"Cerezo has gone to defend. He's at a physical disadvantage too, and age is also an issue, but Pari is guarding others... Dejan, this young man tracked back and stuck right next to Matthäus, slowing down Matthäus's dribble, and Cerezo, who ran back, successfully intercepted the ball."

"Yes, Dejan's performance today has been very active. This young man has given us quite a surprise."

However, when Dejan Lu got the ball again, he discovered the problem.

The combination of Bergomi and Bremer was indeed not easy to deal with.

Mancini, dribbling in the frontcourt, was blocked by Riccardo Ferri. He immediately turned back and dribbled, looking for an opportunity to make a long pass.

His long passing accuracy was average. Dejan Lu kept retreating, and near the sideline, he stopped the ball with the outside of his foot while turning. Before he could even turn, Bremer, who had rushed up, slid in and knocked the ball away.