Italian fans in front of their televisions wholeheartedly agreed with Rossi.
That was a solo run—one where he did not even give an opponent the chance to touch him. It was utterly domineering.
Pioli's attempt was the most crucial part. Even face-to-face, he had not let Pioli touch a single hair, and he had even sent him sprawling. The visual impact was overwhelming.
Usually, solo runs relied on speed to win.
But when he reached the edge of the box, he just kept twisting and turning, using Fiorentina's players as background scenery.
Three men gritted their teeth and gave it everything, yet in the end, they could not even touch his shirt.
Fiorentina fans did not even know what to say.
Look at Dunga, lying face-down inside the penalty area, unwilling to get up.
Was Dunga weak?
Ever since arriving in Serie A with Pisa, he had been one of the league's best defensive midfielders and playmakers. Italian fans had even felt it was unfair that Brazilians did not like him.
But the more footnotes there were, the more they enhanced Dejan Lu's reputation.
Even if they did not want to admit it, there was nothing they could do. The Baggio-versus-Sampdoria showdown they had expected had completely turned into Dejan Lu's one-man show.
Especially on that solo run, Dunga had appeared in the background twice.
Even Fiorentina fans were too embarrassed to blame him. The Brazilian had already done his best.
Dunga remained sprawled in the penalty area without getting up.
It was over. All over.
He often watched Italian football programs. He did not even need to think to know he would be featured in the post-match highlights.
The fucking worst part was that those clips would definitely be sent back to his hometown.
Because of his style of play, he was not particularly popular with Brazilians to begin with. Dunga could already imagine how delighted his compatriots would be to see him get toyed with.
Even prostitutes knew to sell themselves in an unfamiliar city, afraid of losing face locally.
But this time, he was going to disgrace himself all the way back home.
As a paranoid man with an excess of pride, Dunga immediately began to resent the person who had humiliated him.
Later, when he lost at the World Cup, he would resent Diego Maradona and the others too. He was exceptionally petty.
He had never been a magnanimous person. After returning to Brazil, Ronaldinho toyed with him, and he had disliked Ronaldinho ever since. Brazilian newspapers even said he excluded Ronaldinho from the squad out of personal revenge.
Landucci pulled Dunga up and asked, "You okay, mate?"
Dunga knocked his hand away and got up by himself.
"What the hell?"
Facchetti could not help swearing.
"Say less," Landucci advised.
"It's the truth. He thinks he's some big star, but he still got played like a dog. At least a dog can catch a frisbee," Facchetti said, making no attempt to lower his voice.
Dunga paused, then turned to look at Facchetti.
Facchetti finally shut his mouth.
Dunga's glare was too vicious. He was a little scared.
The players from both sides walked toward midfield.
Baggio had been standing in the center circle for some time, waiting for the restart.
Dejan Lu smiled at him and said, "If you came to Sampdoria, then we could fly down both wings together."
"What about me...?"
Roberto Mancini asked darkly from beside them.
"Polish my boots after the match?"
Dejan Lu asked.
Roberto Mancini immediately raised his fists.
Baggio almost wanted to laugh at the ridiculous sight. Two huge stars acting as childish as kids.
But he still could not laugh.
He had not considered a transfer at all. Fiorentina had treated him too well. Even when he had just been bought and could only spend a long time recovering from injury, Fiorentina had still placed great hopes in him.
He could not possibly think about leaving just after recovering and playing well for barely two seasons.
"Get ready to kick off!"
Nappi reminded him.
Baggio quickly played it sideways.
There was no time to think about random things. They had to find a way to equalize first.
Nappi passed the ball back the moment he received it.
Battistini began slowly organizing play from the back. His partnership with Dunga was still very strong in terms of build-up.
Roberto Mancini pressed again. Renato Buso used his left foot to push and drag the ball past him, then immediately sent a diagonal pass forward.
Nappi wanted to drive forward as soon as he got the ball, but Pari closed him down incredibly quickly and charged straight at him.
Forced to turn and shield the ball, Nappi could not find a pass and could only give it to the supporting Volpecina.
Volpecina did not dare hold onto the ball. The instant he received it, he nudged it with his right foot, made a slight adjustment, and lofted it into the box from the left.
Baggio took one look and nearly cursed, but he still immediately charged into the penalty area.
But it was completely useless.
Verchowod was like a humanoid brown bear. In a contest without any finesse, he completely overpowered Baggio, allowing Pagliuca to collect the ball easily without any interference.
"Counterattack, counterattack!!!"
Roberto Mancini shouted from midfield.
Pagliuca glanced up and launched a long ball toward the right wing.
Roberto Mancini was about to curse, only to discover Dejan Lu making a rapid forward run down the right.
Though his head was full of question marks and he had no idea when Dejan Lu had secretly switched positions again, he still chose to sprint toward Fiorentina's penalty area at once.
"Fuck!"
Dunga gritted his teeth and chased back.
In the blink of an eye, Dejan Lu had switched positions again.
That guy was like a loach. He was impossible to catch.
The Brazilian defensive midfielder was giving it everything this time, but speed was not something that improved just because you gritted your teeth. After all, there was only one Barry Allen.
He could only trail behind Dejan Lu and watch Number Seven run farther and farther away. Even though he had not given up and was chasing desperately, he could not avoid dropping out of the broadcast frame.
Bang—
Even Celeste had not expected Dejan Lu, who had kept cutting inside, to decisively reach the byline and fire in a low cross.
Not only him—even players from both teams were somewhat surprised by that choice.
A step too slow to stick out a foot, and the ball rolled rapidly into the middle.
Roberto Mancini, receiving the ball, immediately chopped it back with his right foot to evade Pioli's flying tackle, then twisted his body and shot with his left.
The ball flew quickly into the left side of the goal.
"Aaaahhh!!!"
Roberto Mancini, who had scored, was practically going mad.
With his mouth wide open, he turned and charged toward Dejan Lu.
Baggio had scored, and he had been holding back this breath the whole time. Now, he had finally scored.
That kid Dejan was really something. Losing a few tens of thousands of dollars to him on purpose had not been for nothing.
Just as Roberto Mancini ran toward the sideline to celebrate with Dejan Lu, he suddenly saw Dunga rush over and shove Dejan Lu to the ground.
Roberto Mancini was only stunned for a third of a second before his feet moved even faster.
"Do you fucking want to die?"
The Sampdoria players on the bench immediately wanted to rush onto the pitch.
While running, Salzano stumbled and crashed straight into the camera, blocking the entire shot with his body.
The cameraman had no time to worry about his equipment. After working in this profession for so long, it was the first time he had ever seen anything like this.
It was complete chaos!
Had Dunga sold out God or something? How could he be suffering this badly?
Roberto Mancini's flying kick landed squarely in Dunga's chest, and Marco Lanna, who ran over afterward, fucking followed up with a combo, kicking him straight through the advertising boards.
Baggio looked like he was trying to break up the fight, but why did it seem like he was only holding back his own teammates?
Pagliuca came over to restrain his teammates, but why was he stepping on Dunga's fingers?
At that moment, an ear-piercing sound, louder than an airplane taking off or landing, came from the sideline: "TEAM DOCTOR!!!!!!!!"
Before you continue