Emergence

Inter Milan clearly focused their defensive attention on his side.

Coupled with Lothar Matthäus on this flank, even Diego Maradona might struggle.

Matthäus had previously shut down Maradona when playing deeper.

"Should we make another adjustment?"

Pezzotti asked.

The assistant coach was a little worried about Dejan Lu.

The midfield offered him too little help.

"Let's wait and see," Boskov shook his head.

Dejan Lu might still surprise him.

Another point was that it was already a draw, and whoever made the first change could be the one to break the balance.

And that change might not be a positive one.

Facing Inter, he didn't want to turn a point into zero.

Besides, the two points for a win weren't that tempting.

Inter Milan launched another attack. Bianchi broke past Lombardo on the left flank with the ball, and Mannini quickly moved to intercept.

Bianchi carried the ball horizontally without finding an opportunity to pass and could only play it back.

Mateoli, who had moved up to receive the pass, immediately kicked it back towards Matthäus.

Pari and Cerezo noticed this and immediately rushed forward.

Neither of them wanted to see Matthäus with the ball.

The guy's attacking talent was outstanding.

However, a person could never outrun the ball. When the two were still a few meters away, Matthäus had already successfully received the ball. The German's first touch was a bit heavy, and he didn't pay attention when running forward, stumbling slightly.

His feet faltered, and his balance was unstable.

This, however, made Pari and the other player hesitate to press.

But Matthäus was Matthäus. After regaining his balance, he immediately turned his body and flicked the ball with his right foot towards the right flank.

Berti, with almost no adjustment, chipped the ball into the penalty area.

The ball was too high. Klinsmann had retreated to the edge of the penalty area. Surrounded, he headed the ball backwards without much power, sending it directly into Pagliuca's hands.

"Damn it, can't you guys show some performance?"

Pagliuca, holding the ball, shouted, "Dejan scored a goal, and now Inter is focusing their defense on him. What are you guys doing? Damn it, I should have bought a few abalones from the seafood restaurant; they would have been more useful than you."

Verchowod couldn't help but chuckle.

Anyway, Pagliuca was scolding the attacking players, so it had nothing to do with him.

If it weren't for the solid triangle of him, Mannini, and Pagliuca today, Inter would have been leading by a large margin long ago.

The team captain, Pellegrini, had fluctuating form due to injuries, transforming from the highly anticipated new Baresi to someone who could only play as a defensive full-back.

Dejan Lu's lack of support was also due to Pellegrini.

In the stands, Rivera pointed to the front line and said, "Vialli and Roberto Mancini are not used to playing against opposing defenders, which prevents Dejan's style of play from being maximized."

"Are you hoping I'll come on the field and fight alongside Dejan?"

Riva asked with a smile.

Looking at it this way, he and Dejan Lu were quite compatible.

As one of the most versatile forwards in Italian history, his physical fitness was excellent.

He rarely suffered in physical battles inside the penalty area.

"If you were on the field at 30, Dejan would play more comfortably,"

Rivera said.

After all, Roberto Mancini was not a traditional forward; his style was more of a second striker or a "number nine and a half."

Vialli was also not a pure center forward. His qualities were balanced. While not the absolute best in speed, physicality, shooting, or technique, he possessed a decent level in all of them.

Most importantly, his ability to seize opportunities was good.

He liked having some space to sprint into when playing and disliked playing while standing still.

If Rivera were to arrange it, he would have Vialli pressure Brehme. As soon as Brehme left his position, Vialli would surge forward, paying attention to offside traps.

Roberto Mancini would continue his primary role, responsible for running and connecting plays, helping Dejan Lu link up with his teammates, and increasing the speed of passes.

That method of receiving, adjusting, and passing clearly wasted opportunities.

Stationary forwards, poachers, second strikers, "number nine and a half"s... all would eventually be replaced by modern forwards because football tactics require players to have more functions.

When the team needs to play long balls, if you can't do it, you have to be substituted.

When the team needs you to drop back, if you lack organizational ability, you have to be substituted.

Who buys so many players for one team?

The most popular reason for changing forwards right now is to prepare for aerial bombardment.

After watching today's match, Rivera felt he had a greater understanding of total football and player roles.

In the 77th minute, Giuseppe Baresi went to the sidelines.

His younger brother Franco was more famous, but Giuseppe was also very strong.

The professional careers of both brothers were also full of drama. Giuseppe's first target was Milan, but he wasn't selected, thus beginning his Inter Milan career.

His younger brother Franco wanted to be on the same team as his brother, but after a trial at Inter Milan, he was eliminated due to his thin physique, and from then on, Milan had a legend for a generation.

The two brothers were forced to become fierce city rivals.

Rossi asked with some confusion, "Is it a tactical substitution? Inter's defenders have been playing well today."

Another point was that Giuseppe Baresi's form had started to decline since winning the championship last year.

Trapattoni put his arm around Giuseppe Baresi's shoulder and instructed, "You saw the situation on the field, Sampdoria's attacks are all coming from that kid's side."

"What do you need me to do, boss?"

Giuseppe Baresi asked directly.

"Very good, that's the spirit, worthy of being my captain." Trapattoni patted his shoulder and said, "When you get on the field, you'll switch over and mark that young man. Stay with him every step of the way."

"Okay, boss!"

Giuseppe Baresi nodded vigorously.

Klinsmann missed the shot again, and the fourth official raised the substitution board.

"My God, they're taking off Alessandro Bianchi! Does Trapattoni want to play a five-man defense?"

Soon, Giuseppe Baresi provided the answer with his actions.

He ran to the midfield position, letting Berti switch to the other side.

This situation also completely shocked Rossi.

In midfield, it was Baresi and Matthäus, and in defense, it was Brehme and Bergomi.

Damn, with this defensive intensity, are they expecting visitors from outer space?

Rossi forgot he was in the broadcast booth and couldn't help but complain, "This is a joke. This defensive arrangement is simply outrageous. I don't know what Trapattoni is thinking. But I want to say something to this young man Dejan: you can be proud. Even in the World Cup final, no team could field such defensive intensity. I'm already a fan of this young man."

Top defensive players from two European powerhouses, West Germany and Italy, were placed on one side.

"Take it easy, one goal is already pretty good."

Mancini said to Dejan Lu.

He didn't know how to criticize Inter's coach.

Does this old guy have a grudge against Dejan?

"I don't have any psychological pressure,"

Dejan Lu said with a smile.

Since Inter's defense was leaning to this side, he would continue to create pressure and create opportunities for his teammates.

Facing the strongest defense on Earth and stubbornly dribbling the ball himself, that would be crazy, right?

Mancini nodded.

After the restart, Giuseppe Baresi immediately went after Dejan Lu.

Man-marking!

This defensive stance was not common in Italian football; catenaccio was about teamwork.

When Pari had the ball, Dejan Lu ran forward directly.

Baresi followed him almost constantly. Although his speed was a little slower, as long as he stopped, Baresi would catch up.

Pari also noticed this and chose to pass the ball to the left flank.

Lombardo didn't stop the ball and pushed it forward. Mateoli didn't expect him to be so decisive and missed his tackle.

Having successfully bypassed Mateoli, Lombardo chose to dribble diagonally.

Just as Matthäus was about to step up, he saw Dejan Lu coming with Baresi.

Captain Baresi was strong, but his speed really couldn't keep up.

Matthäus had no doubt that if he left his position, Lombardo would pass the ball to Dejan Lu.

Damn it!

He was locked down.

He couldn't move now.

Mancini clearly noticed this as well, and he retreated very decisively.

By the time Mandorini rushed out of the penalty area, it was already too late. Mancini successfully received the ball and played a through pass, which rolled past Mandorini and went straight into the penalty area.

Opportunity!!!

Some excited fans had already risen from their seats in anticipation.

Vialli was someone they could trust.

But they had forgotten about Brehme. The "Wall of West Germany" went down almost instantly, stretching his leg out as far as he could.

So decisive.

He managed to get the toe of his boot to the ball, causing its trajectory to change abruptly.

Vialli, who had been sprinting straight ahead, was forced to change direction and chase the ball to the left side of the penalty area. By the time he got to it, Ricardo Feri was already right on him.

The two players tangled as they ran towards the byline. Vialli couldn't find an opening to shoot and was knocked out of bounds, ball and all, by Feri.

Boskov angrily shook his arm on the sideline, expressing his disappointment.

Lombardo, who had organized the attack, also walked back dejectedly.

He had been thoroughly outplayed by the Inter Milan players today, which served as a stark reminder that Serie A was not that easy.

This was true even though he had played in the lower leagues for seven years.

Lombardo subconsciously turned his head.

Dejan Lu, who had also transferred from the lower leagues, seemed to be his complete opposite.

From the moment he joined the team, he had blended in perfectly.

Although he hadn't gotten an early chance, he had scored immediately after coming on and had faced intense targeting from Inter Milan.

Yet, even so, he was still able to draw the attention of some of Inter's players.

Lombardo couldn't help but shake his head and offer a wry smile.

The gap between a genius and an ordinary person was truly immense.

If he had been in that situation, facing that kind of defense, he wouldn't have been able to handle the mental pressure, let alone the technical demands.

"Time is almost up. Should we make another substitution to strengthen the attack?"

Pezzotti asked from the sideline.

"Get Salzano to warm up. We need to make a change."

Boskov nodded.

It was time to make a substitution and go for it. Inter Milan was also bringing on substitutes.

Matthäus played a direct pass to his teammate in midfield. Berti, receiving the ball at the edge of the penalty area, saw no opportunity and passed it back.

Matthäus, surging forward, met the ball and unleashed a right-footed shot.

The ball struck Catanec's leg and went out of bounds.

Both coaches took the opportunity to make substitutions.

Salzano and Vialli high-fived and walked onto the field. Inter Milan replaced Mateoli with Dario Morello.

"The coach said to seize any opportunity, but absolutely don't concede if there isn't one."

Salzano said after coming onto the field.

The match had entered stoppage time, and they absolutely couldn't afford to lose the points they had secured.

Inter Milan's corner kick was headed out of the penalty area by Verchowod.

Pari received the ball, turned, and kicked it forward. The possession changed hands, and the players from both teams surged from Sampdoria's penalty area towards Inter Milan's half like a tide.

"Go, don't give him a chance!"

Trapattoni shouted when he saw Dejan Lu receive the ball.

Two Inter players rushed towards him. Without a second thought, Dejan Lu flicked the ball with his left foot.

The pass lacked accuracy, but fortunately, Inter's backfield was open. The ball traveled from the right flank in the backfield towards a position slightly left of the center in the front.

Salzano, the fresh reinforcement, was charging quickly, but one of his feet slipped forward while running, almost sending him tumbling. Morello, chasing back, took the opportunity to press him. Salzano quickly passed the ball back to Lombardo.

As soon as Lombardo received the ball, Klinsmann latched onto him. He could only dribble the ball towards the center again.

The quick counter-attack failed to materialize. Inter Milan's players had already returned to their penalty area, causing some agitated Sampdoria fans to return to their seats.

Although the score was not high, this match had been full of twists and turns.

Both teams had showcased top-tier tactical skill on both offense and defense.

Dribbling to the edge of the penalty area, Lombardo turned and played a diagonal pass in a reverse triangle to the right flank.

Dejan Lu suddenly dropped back to receive the ball. Pari, who had been pushing forward, continued his run towards the penalty area.

Snap—

Almost instantly upon receiving the ball, Dejan Lu smoothly pushed it with the inside of his left foot. The ball obediently rolled to the right side of the penalty area. Pari, adjusting his run, followed up with a low cross.

Brehme, despite immediately sliding to intercept, was a step too late.

However, the ball was too close to the goal. Zenga rushed out and smothered the ball under him. Salzano, attempting to get a touch, could only jump to absorb the momentum, avoiding a collision with the goalkeeper.

Boskov was on the sidelines, licking his lips repeatedly.

The veteran Yugoslavian coach found the job of a football manager to be a bit too thrilling.

This anticipation after a surge of adrenaline, followed by disappointment when it wasn't met, with such drastic ups and downs, was almost unbearable for him.

Zenga chose to throw the ball out quickly, and Boskov tensed up again.

He wouldn't be able to relax until the final whistle blew.

Even after playing for over 90 minutes, Matthäus was still like a rutting animal, dribbling the ball with long strides, carrying an unstoppable momentum.

This time Sampdoria's press was a bit too high, and Cerezo could only retreat while defending.

Morello, who had just come on the field, charged forward with them. Coupled with Klinsmann, who hadn't tracked back, it created a four-on-three situation in midfield.

Inter Milan, though outnumbered, was on the attack. Mannini, who had gone forward to assist, hadn't returned to the penalty area yet.

Even if he gritted his teeth and ran his heart out, he wouldn't make it back in time for this defensive play.

Verchowod chose to drift to the flank to cover for Mannini, simultaneously spreading his arms and shouting, "Go straight up the middle, Luca, move to the center."

Catanec charged out immediately, fearless.

But he was shoved aside by Matthäus in the first encounter.

Fortunately, Pari also chased back at this moment and intercepted Matthäus's path with a sliding tackle from an angle.

Matthäus could only pass to the charging Baresi.

The Inter captain was also involved in the attack at this time.

Dejan Lu, however, did not retreat. His teammates had already returned to their half, and it was more important to stay near the midfield to wait for a counter-attack opportunity.

Baresi attempted to cross, but Cerezo blocked it with his foot, and the ball returned to the Inter captain's feet.

This time Baresi passed the ball to the overlapping Feri, who directly chipped it towards the penalty area from the flank.

"Leave it to me!"

Pagliuca roared and rushed out of his goal, punching the ball with one fist.

The ball, struck with force, hit Klinsmann's head as he went for a header and went to the right flank. Seeing the opportunity, Pellegrini ran forward with the ball without a second thought.

Boskov's eyes widened.

Someone!

There was someone up front.

Salzano was making a run on the left flank.

And Dejan Lu was charging forward frantically on the right flank.

Almost instantly, Boskov shouted what was on his mind: "Pass it to the right, to Dejan!!!"

Bang—

Pellegrini, who had good passing skills, finally delivered his best performance of the match, pushing the ball with his right foot into a precise, low pass.

The ball traveled accurately from the back half to the right flank in the front.

Boskov didn't dare to breathe, the ball was too close to the sideline, would it go out of bounds?

Bergomi also stopped retreating and charged directly at Dejan Lu.

He wanted to pressure Dejan Lu, even if he couldn't win the ball, he could at least force a mistake and prevent the opponent from successfully receiving it.

Click.

Dejan Lu controlled the ball with the outside of his left foot.

Bergomi charged forward a couple of steps and was about to extend his leg, but Dejan Lu, without adjusting, nudged the ball with the outside of his left foot, and it rolled obediently past Bergomi's feet and towards his rear.

Another ball-and-man skill!

The control and the skill were executed in one fluid motion.

A single dribble move ignited the entire Luigi Ferraris Stadium.

Except for the away fans' stand, almost everyone else stood up.

His arms were used to maintain balance, with his characteristic running style.

The young number seven received the ball again, and Brehme chased him furiously, gripping everyone's heartstrings.

Zenga, inside the penalty area, thought for a moment and decided not to come out. With his teammates interfering with the opponent, it was better to stay near the goal.

Brehme aggressively used his body to lean in, pushing Dejan Lu and running with him towards the right side of the penalty box.

Even with a defender, Dejan Lu's cut inside was incredibly decisive.

Brehme, who was up against Dejan Lu, finally realized the problem he was facing.

Stride frequency!

Dejan Lu's stride frequency was faster than his, which prevented him from finding an opportunity to extend his leg.

He couldn't wait any longer.

The West German defender lowered his head, preparing to extend his foot.

But in that split second of inattention, Dejan surged forward, transforming from neck-and-neck to a half-body lead.

Damn it!

Brehme quickly followed, running back. The remaining shred of his rationality prevented him from reaching out, as he was running behind Dejan to his side.

Zenga also noticed this and chose to charge out.

Fortunately, Brehme's position could block some shooting space, and teammates tracking back in the center would definitely not give Dejan a chance to adjust.

Zenga dove to the side, his hands attempting to grab the ball.

But at that very moment, Dejan, dribbling the ball, also struck the underside of the ball with his left foot.

Bang—

As a crisp sound echoed, the ball bounced up. Zenga watched in despair as it went past him and into the net.

"Goal!!!"

"Goal!!!"

"Goal!!!"

"Dejan, Dejan!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Paolo Rossi shouted with all his might, "Dejan made another 40-meter run, successfully scoring the winning goal against Inter Milan. This 18-year-old talent just left Serie C2. In his first Serie A appearance, he faced the defending champions Inter Milan. Standing before him were Inter Milan captain Baresi, the world's best midfielder Matthäus, and Italy and West Germany's defensive pillars Bergomi and Brehme. But this young man has shown us with his actions that to defend a genius, you can't rely on numbers, even if these players are all top world-class talents!"

"Rivera truly lived up to his reputation as Italy's former best midfielder. Dejan has proven his judgment with his actions. Galliani is in trouble. Whatever he said in the newspaper before, he has to swallow it now. After seeing this match, Milan's Dutch trio probably won't dare to claim they deserve a foreign player spot at Milan more than Dejan."

"I have a suggestion for Galliani: leave Italy and go to Ethiopia!!!"

Beep,

Beep,

Beep—

The referee Luigi Agnolin, who had been almost invisible for the entire match, blew the whistle signaling the end of the game – two short blasts and one long one.

The Stadio Filadelfia, suppressed for 90 minutes, instantly transformed into a sea of joy.

Boskov displayed agility unexpected for his age, rushing onto the field first.

The old man led his sons in playing the victory anthem.

Mancini excitedly ran around with Dejan's neck in his arm, looking for Matthäus to mock the bastard again.

He didn't expect Matthäus to run quite so fast.

Bergomi noticed this, walked over with his jersey, and asked, "Want to swap jerseys? You're strong."

Dejan pushed Mancini's hand away and handed over his jersey.

Bergomi directly put his arm around his shoulder.

He stared at Dejan and said, "I'll watch every one of your games from now on. I won't give you chances like today again."

Dejan smiled and shook his head.

He also wished he could have the Robben experience card the next time he met Inter, but that was unrealistic.

Before Dejan could speak, Bergomi walked directly towards the players' tunnel.

Today was a major setback in his career.

If the cameras had kept following him.

They would have seen the Italian defensive stalwart tightly pursing his lips, his teeth biting his lip until it bled.

Resilient, he wouldn't be discouraged by this single failure.

However, the strength Dejan displayed made him unable to help but sigh, feeling that Italian football might be on the verge of a seismic shift.

Finished writing this match.

For two consecutive days, I've updated with 8000 words.

Old Ye has to make it clear, the new book period on Qidian is 4000 words per day. I can't update this much every day, otherwise, I won't even get recommendations. Too many words means the data won't go up.

I hope all the big bosses can understand.