Recaps

Manchester United took an early lead against Sampdoria, but Dejan Lu equalized with a dazzling individual goal and continued to threaten Peter Schmeichel. Dejan Lu then scored again beneath the crossbar, leaving Sampdoria ahead as the match continued.

• Dejan Lu won the coin toss and chose for Sampdoria to kick off.
• Kanchelskis lost the ball to Dejan Lu, but Manchester United counterattacked and Mark Hughes scored from Irwin’s cross in the third minute.
• Dejan Lu created chances for Roberto Mancini and Matracci, but Schmeichel saved both attempts.
• Dejan Lu dribbled past Manchester United’s defenders and scored after Schmeichel blocked his first shot.
• Dejan Lu combined with Lanna to launch another attack, then controlled the cleared ball and scored beneath the crossbar.

Sampdoria dominated Manchester United at Old Trafford, with Dejan Lu scoring twice and setting up Lanna as the visitors extended their lead. Dejan completed his hat trick early in the second half, putting Sampdoria ahead 4–1.

• Dejan Lu stunned the Old Trafford crowd with his skill, and Ferguson urged Manchester United to focus on stopping him.
• Redondo and Sampdoria controlled midfield, and Lanna scored from Dejan Lu’s pass to make it 3–1 before halftime.
• Boskov told Sampdoria to maintain their lead, while Ferguson encouraged Manchester United’s players to keep fighting.
• Dejan Lu beat Irwin, combined with Vialli, and scored past Schmeichel to complete his hat trick and make it 4–1.

Dejan Lu scored a hat trick against Manchester United, then helped a young painter in Manchester before Sampdoria returned to Italy. After Sampdoria advanced in the Champions Cup, Dejan faced Diego Maradona and Napoli, who took an early lead at San Paolo.

• Dejan Lu came off to applause as Chiesa entered, and Manchester United scored twice late to narrow the final score to 4-3.
• Dejan Lu met The Princess after the match, then encouraged young Johan Giordanio to pursue painting and offered to arrange lessons.
• Ferguson read the newspapers and discovered that Manchester United's youth players had gone to a nightclub in Bolton.
• Sampdoria returned to Genoa, beat Anderlecht to advance in the Champions Cup, and traveled to face second-place Napoli.
• Dejan Lu and Maradona exchanged words before kickoff, and Maradona scored with a quick free kick to give Napoli the lead.

Diego Maradona led Napoli in a fierce match against Dejan Lu and Sampdoria, hoping his renewed form would finally bring him a victory over his rival. Sampdoria came from behind and extended their lead, leaving Napoli and Maradona facing defeat.

• Diego Maradona opened the match in strong form as Napoli pressed Sampdoria with an aggressive 4-3-3 and frequent fouls.
• Dejan Lu beat Napoli's defense with his speed and passing to set up Roberto Mancini's equalizer.
• Pellegrini was injured and replaced by Pari, who scored after Dejan Lu created a chance with Chiesa.
• Napoli attacked again through Diego Maradona, but Sampdoria's defense blocked the move and launched a counterattack.
• Dejan Lu sent a precise pass to Chiesa, who scored against Napoli to give Sampdoria a two-goal lead.

Sampdoria beat Napoli 3–1 after Dejan Lu scored a stoppage-time goal and created all four of his team’s goals. After the match, Redondo sparked controversy at the press conference by praising Dejan Lu and insulting Diego Maradona, while reporters asked Boskov about Capello hiring a Chinese wizard to deal with Dejan.

• Chiesa scored for Sampdoria, and the players joked in the locker room before Napoli began the second half with an aggressive attack.
• Diego Maradona set up Careca to equalize for Napoli, but Dejan Lu helped Sampdoria defend against Napoli’s repeated attacks.
• In stoppage time, Dejan Lu evaded Napoli’s defenders and scored the winning goal, sealing Sampdoria’s 3–1 victory.
• Diego Maradona exchanged shirts with Dejan Lu and told him he would try to beat him next time.
• Redondo told reporters that Dejan Lu was better than Diego Maradona and other famous players, risking trouble with Argentina’s national team.
• A reporter asked Boskov whether he had heard that Capello had hired a Chinese wizard to deal with Dejan Lu.

After Redondo’s inflammatory press conference drew criticism, Capello secretly bought an incantation to counter Dejan Lu, while the media focused on the coming Sampdoria–AC Milan match. Dejan gained Diego Maradona’s Indomitable Soul skill and prepared for the match as Galliani, fearing witchcraft might injure Dejan, sought a witch of his own.

• Boskov regretted letting Redondo speak at the press conference, while Capello concluded that Dejan’s extraordinary ability had a supernatural explanation and arranged to meet a supposed wizard.
• Capello visited a barber shop in a dangerous neighborhood, paid a dark-skinned man for an incantation, and rejected the suggested black-dog-blood ritual.
• The press debated Redondo’s remarks about football legends, and Dejan received the Indomitable Soul skill after the system described Diego Maradona’s lifelong efforts to beat him.
• Dejan and his teammates attended a Genoa City Hall event, while Beckenbauer and Pelé commented on Dejan’s talent and Berlusconi announced a two-million-dollar bonus for an AC Milan win.
• At the Sampdoria–AC Milan press conference, Capello denied hiring a witch, Boskov and Dejan avoided ranking Dejan among history’s greatest, and Paolo Maldini praised his father.
• Dejan drew a David Beckham single-match experience card, while Galliani read reports about Capello’s supposed witchcraft and called a contact in Lilongwe to find a witch who could kill an Italian.

Sampdoria and AC Milan traded goals as Dejan Lu assisted Roberto Mancini, Rijkaard equalized, and Dejan Lu restored Sampdoria’s lead with a free kick. The chapter ended with Capello unfolding a Chinese note from a wizard and realizing he could not read it.

• Dejan Lu switched to the right flank, and Sampdoria took the lead when his long pass set up Roberto Mancini’s goal.
• Rijkaard equalized for AC Milan with a header from a corner kick.
• Dejan Lu sent Roberto Mancini through again, and Baresi fouled him to stop the attack.
• Dejan Lu curled the resulting free kick into the goal to put Sampdoria ahead.
• Capello opened the wizard’s note and discovered it was written in Chinese, which he could not read.

Dejan Lu used deep positioning and precise long passes to help Sampdoria beat AC Milan 4–2, scoring the decisive goal himself. After the exhausting match, the story left Dejan preparing for the upcoming clash with Manchester United while Capello sought a Chinese tutor.

• Dejan Lu scored an extraordinary S-shaped free kick to put Sampdoria ahead, then repeatedly created chances with long passes from deep.
• AC Milan tried to pressure Dejan Lu through Paolo Maldini, but Dejan escaped tackles and continued setting up attacks.
• After halftime, Paolo Maldini scored from a rebound to level the match, but Dejan Lu soon assisted Roberto Mancini’s header to restore Sampdoria’s lead.
• Dejan Lu dribbled past Maldini and AC Milan’s defenders before scoring to make it 4–2, and Sampdoria held on to win.
• Dejan Lu said his deeper role had helped the team but left him tired ahead of the Manchester United match, while Capello asked Berlusconi to find him a Chinese tutor.

Vialli hosted Dejan Lu and their teammates for a tuna dinner before Sampdoria faced Manchester United in the Super Cup second leg. Dejan Lu scored a hat trick in the opening seven minutes, leaving Sampdoria in control and Manchester United facing a potential rout.

• Vialli welcomed Dejan Lu and their teammates to his house for dinner, where they ate tuna and joked about Paolo and French people.
• Monica told Dejan Lu that Diane planned to attend the Super Cup to cheer for Manchester United.
• Dejan Lu drew a George Best experience card before Sampdoria hosted Manchester United at Ferraris Stadium.
• Dejan Lu scored nine seconds after kickoff with a long-range shot, giving Sampdoria an early lead.
• Dejan Lu beat Irwin and Schmeichel to score again, while Giggs was left shaken after losing possession in the buildup.
• Dejan Lu completed his hat trick in the seventh minute after dribbling past Manchester United's defenders and beating Schmeichel.

Dejan Lu scored five goals as Sampdoria defeated Manchester United 5–0, winning the UEFA Super Cup 9–3 on aggregate. After lifting the trophy, he praised Manchester United’s resilience at the press conference and predicted they would improve under Ferguson.

• Dejan Lu scored his fourth goal after dribbling past Manchester United’s defenders, making the aggregate score 8–3.
• Steve Bruce rallied Manchester United after Dejan Lu comforted him, but Sampdoria continued to dominate and Chiesa replaced Dejan Lu.
• Dejan Lu dribbled past several defenders and scored his fifth goal, then left the pitch to applause as Sampdoria led 5–0.
• Sampdoria won the match 5–0 and the UEFA Super Cup 9–3 on aggregate; Dejan Lu lifted the trophy after receiving his medal.
• Dejan Lu underwent a urine test and joined Boskov and Ferguson at the press conference, where he said Manchester United would learn from the defeat and improve.

Sampdoria traveled to Japan for the Toyota Cup after thrashing Manchester United, and Dejan Lu scored three times to put them firmly in control against Colo-Colo. Sampdoria led 3–0 as the first half continued.

• British newspapers portrayed Dejan Lu as the decisive reason Manchester United had lost 9–3 to Sampdoria, while Ferguson said Manchester United would reshape its team.
• Sampdoria flew to Japan and faced a crush of reporters, where Dejan Lu answered questions about his rumored relationships, Japanese internationals, and Toyota’s promised car.
• Sampdoria began the Toyota Cup final against Colo-Colo, whose coach Mirko Jozic had prepared a five-man defense and hoped to exploit Sampdoria’s fatigue.
• Dejan Lu opened the scoring with a dipping shot after Redondo sent him through behind Colo-Colo’s defense.
• Dejan Lu combined with Roberto Mancini to score again, and Redondo shoved Garrido during the confrontation that followed.
• Dejan Lu intercepted Malgas’s underhit back-pass, chipped the advancing Moron, and made it 3–0.

Sampdoria overwhelmed Colo-Colo 9–0 in the Toyota Cup final, with Dejan Lu scoring repeatedly as the Chilean side struggled to resist. After lifting the trophy and giving Matracci a Toyota car, Dejan Lu unlocked a skill that made doping tests improve his abilities.

• Redondo led Sampdoria's pressing and attacks as Dejan Lu scored and assisted against a rattled Colo-Colo, extending the lead before halftime.
• Dejan Lu scored again after halftime, then created Mannini's goal as Colo-Colo's players crowded around him and Mendoza asked to be substituted.
• Dejan Lu scored twice more, including a long-range shot that made it 8–0, before Boskov substituted him off.
• Redondo scored late to seal Sampdoria's 9–0 victory, and Colo-Colo's players collapsed in tears after the final whistle.
• Dejan Lu lifted the trophy with Roberto Mancini, gave Matracci the Toyota car prize, and later received the King of Doping Tests skill from the system.

Dejan Lu returned to Genoa with Sampdoria after winning the Toyota Cup, then received the Ballon d'Or at a London ceremony and thanked his teammates, coaches, and fans. After secretly meeting The Princess, he unlocked the Political Acumen skill and faced a system challenge to justify his controversial award by leading Sampdoria to a championship.

• Dejan Lu avoided fans in Tokyo, returned to Genoa with Sampdoria, and heard Mayor Merlo announce plans to rename the airport Saint Dejan International Airport.
• Dejan Lu gave France Football journalist Drusan an interview that previewed his Ballon d'Or win, then celebrated with his teammates while Roberto Mancini ate himself sick and was hospitalized.
• Dejan Lu met Ferguson, Cruyff, George Best, and other football figures at the London ceremony before Sir Stanley Matthews presented him with the Ballon d'Or.
• Dejan Lu thanked his uncle, Boskov, Mantovani, his teammates, club staff, and fans in his acceptance speech.
• Dejan Lu secretly met The Princess, who teased him about becoming a father, and later unlocked Political Acumen along with a challenge to lead Sampdoria to at least one championship that season.

After winning the Ballon d’Or, Dejan Lu received a hero’s welcome at Ferraris Stadium before Sampdoria faced Juventus. Gianluigi Buffon traveled alone to Genoa, joined Sampdoria’s youth team, and watched Dejan Lu score an early goal against Juventus.

• Gianluigi Buffon left Carrara for Genoa, survived an encounter with police who mistook him for an Albanian immigrant, and got help contacting Sampdoria.
• Sampdoria’s players learned that Buffon had joined the youth team, and Dejan Lu said he would meet the young goalkeeper.
• Dejan Lu won over reporters at the Juventus press conference and drew a single-match experience card for Michel Platini.
• Dejan Lu raised his Ballon d’Or before the Ferraris Stadium crowd and promised Sampdoria would keep pursuing trophies.
• Gianluigi Buffon watched Sampdoria face Juventus as Dejan Lu used Marocchi’s body to pass to Roberto Mancini, then scored from a tight angle.

Juventus equalized through Roberto Baggio’s free kick, but Sampdoria quickly regained the lead when Roberto Mancini finished Dejan Lu’s long pass. Dejan Lu then scored a free kick of his own, leaving Baggio feeling that the Sampdoria star was his nemesis.

• Marocchi backed down after Sampdoria’s players confronted him, while Baggio vowed to keep pursuing victory.
• Baggio dropped deeper to organize Juventus’s attack, then scored a free kick to level the match.
• Dejan Lu dribbled past Baggio and sent Roberto Mancini a long pass that gave Sampdoria the lead again.
• Pezzotti told Boskov that Buffon’s poor school knowledge had led two schools to reject him, so Boskov arranged tutors for the youth team.
• After Vialli was fouled, Dejan Lu scored a free kick past Juventus’s wall and extended Sampdoria’s lead.
• Baggio watched Dejan Lu celebrate and felt for the first time that he was his nemesis.

Sampdoria beat Juventus 5–2 after Dejan Lu scored twice in the second half, while a halftime fight left both teams with nine players. After the match, Dejan Lu defended his teammates at the press conference and invited young goalkeeper Buffon to celebrate with the team, leaving Buffon impressed enough to call Juventus trash.

• Di Canio shoved Redondo after the first half, Matracci rushed in, and the referee sent off Di Canio, Redondo, Marocchi, and Matracci.
• Boskov's players joked about promoting his gym and chose ROG, Republic of Goal, as its name.
• Dejan Lu fooled Conte with a feint, linked up with his teammates, and scored to put Sampdoria ahead 4–1.
• Dejan Lu scored again to make it 5–1, and Boskov substituted him and Lombardo; Casiraghi and Conte later scored for Juventus to make the final score 5–2.
• At the press conference, Dejan Lu defended Redondo and Matracci and rejected a reporter's claim that Matracci had intentionally hurt Di Canio.
• Dejan Lu and Sampdoria's players found Buffon arguing with Juventus fans, invited him to eat with them, and heard him call Juventus trash.

Dejan Lu celebrated Christmas with Monica and teammates, watched the Soviet Union dissolve, and traveled to Switzerland, where he won the first World Footballer of the Year award. The ceremony left him with a system challenge to repair his strained standing with teammates before the next season.

• Dejan Lu and Redondo sent the drunk Buffon to a hotel, then Dejan Lu spent the evening with Monica and received a system story about Roberto Baggio’s future.
• Dejan Lu learned that Juventus players Di Canio and Marocchi could play against Inter Milan despite their suspensions being deferred.
• Dejan Lu, Redondo, Roberto Mancini, and Matracci spent Christmas together, then watched the Soviet Union officially dissolve into fifteen countries.
• Dejan Lu attended the World Footballer of the Year ceremony in Switzerland and won the inaugural award ahead of Lothar Matthäus.
• Dejan Lu received a system challenge to gain approval from at least five teammates and remain with the team for the new season.

Sampdoria dominated Arsenal at Highbury, with Roberto Mancini and Dejan Lu scoring early goals after flowing team attacks. Arsenal struggled to contain Dejan Lu, and Tony Adams tried to rally his teammates as the match continued.

• Sampdoria arrived at Highbury, where George Graham declared Arsenal ready to make their guests suffer and Boskov said his team remained focused on the championship.
• Dejan Lu drew a Cesc Fabregas single-match experience card from the system before the match.
• Roberto Mancini scored in the third minute after Dejan Lu sent Vialli through with a precise pass.
• Dejan Lu finished a rapid series of passes involving Lanna, Mancini, and Vialli to put Sampdoria two goals ahead.
• Tony Adams urged Arsenal to adapt and declared that Arsenal were unbeatable, while Dixon privately doubted he could stop Dejan Lu.

Sampdoria overwhelmed Arsenal at Highbury, with Dejan Lu creating goals and Roberto Mancini completing a hat trick as the score reached 5–0. Arsenal’s frustration turned into increasingly dangerous fouls, and the chapter ended with Tony Adams sliding into Dejan Lu and knocking him down.

• Capello watched Dejan Lu score and concluded that his sudden rise might have involved a supernatural bargain made by his late uncle.
• Redondo intercepted Arsenal’s attack and helped launch a counter that Dejan Lu finished to put Sampdoria 4–0 ahead.
• After Arsenal players discussed using harsher challenges, Dejan Lu sent Roberto Mancini through on goal, and Mancini scored his third.
• Mancini scored again after Dejan Lu’s pass, making it 5–0 and leaving Arsenal’s fans stunned.
• Chiesa began warming up for Sampdoria as Arsenal’s challenges grew rougher, and Adams slid into Dejan Lu with both feet, prompting cries for the physio.

After Adams’s tackle injured Dejan Lu, Sampdoria thrashed Arsenal over two legs, and UEFA suspended Adams while Dejan recovered. Back in Italy, Dejan’s return shocked Inter Milan coach Luis Suarez as he prepared for their match against Sampdoria.

• Adams injured Dejan Lu with a tackle, and Redondo, Lanna, and Matracci were sent off amid the ensuing confrontation.
• Roberto Mancini scored five goals in Sampdoria’s 7-1 victory, then dedicated his celebration to Dejan; Boskov condemned Arsenal after the match.
• The Princess and Henry visited Dejan in hospital, where Redondo stayed with him before rejoining the team; newspapers worldwide condemned Arsenal, and UEFA suspended Adams for ten matches.
• Without Dejan, Sampdoria drew with Roma and Marseille, while Inter Milan coach Luis Suarez asked Brehme whether Matthäus should stay and learned that Brehme wanted him gone.
• Suarez prepared Inter Milan to face Sampdoria, then spotted Dejan Lu’s name in the starting lineup and realized he had returned.

Dejan Lu sat out Sampdoria’s match against Inter Milan before coming on late and scoring twice from free kicks to turn a 1–0 deficit into a 2–1 win. The match ended with Boskov calling for a substitution as Sampdoria moved closer to the Serie A title.

• Boskov kept Dejan Lu out of the starting lineup because of his health, and Dejan received the Guaranteed Investment skill and a Declan Rice experience card from the system.
• Inter Milan played aggressively, and Klinsmann headed them into a 1–0 lead late in the match.
• Dejan Lu came on as a substitute and scored a free kick to equalize in stoppage time.
• Dejan Lu launched a counterattack that forced Baresi to foul Vialli and earn a yellow card.
• Dejan Lu scored a second free kick to give Sampdoria a 2–1 lead, and Boskov called for a substitution at the touchline.

After Sampdoria defeated Inter Milan, Dejan Lu signed a new contract worth six million dollars a year, and he and Paolo Mantovani discussed building the club its own stadium. As Sampdoria prepared to face Marseille in the Champions Cup semifinals, Dejan drew a Jean-Pierre Papin Experience Card.

• Sampdoria beat Inter Milan as Dejan Lu returned from injury and scored two late free kicks before celebrating the league title with his teammates.
• At a press conference, Boskov said Dejan Lu had asked to play and explained that he had initially kept him out because of concerns about his recovery.
• Paolo Mantovani offered Dejan Lu a six-million-dollar annual salary, and Dejan signed the new contract without reading it closely.
• Dejan Lu and Paolo Mantovani discussed pushing Genoa City Hall to approve a Sampdoria-owned stadium.
• UEFA announced restrictions on tackles from behind and plans to reveal European All-Stars and Serie A All-Stars squads ahead of the Champions Cup final.
• Before Sampdoria's Champions Cup semifinal against Marseille, Dejan Lu drew a Jean-Pierre Papin Experience Card from a 1986 international friendly.

Sampdoria overwhelmed Marseille 5–0 in the Champions Cup semifinal first leg, then won the tie and advanced to face Barcelona in the final. As the team arrived in London, UEFA announced the squads for the Serie A All-Stars and European All-Stars match at Wembley.

• Dejan Lu scored a hat-trick as Sampdoria beat Marseille 5–0, and Vialli and Roberto Mancini added goals.
• Sampdoria won the second leg in Marseille 1–0 and advanced to the Champions Cup final against Barcelona; they also won the Italian Cup.
• Columbus Airport was renamed Saint Dejan Airport, and Dejan Lu caught a reporter trying to plant a listening device in the team hotel.
• Boskov gathered the players to watch Beckenbauer and Zoff announce the Serie A All-Stars and European All-Stars squads, which included Dejan Lu, Redondo, Diego Maradona, Baggio, and Van Basten for the Serie A side.

Sampdoria prepared for the Champions Cup final against Barcelona amid intense media attention, and Dejan Lu drew a single-match experience card for Michael Laudrup. After the teams arrived at Wembley, Dejan Lu impressed the crowd with a dribbling attack, prompting Cruyff to assign Guardiola to slow him down.

• Dejan Lu stayed at the hotel to avoid reporters, played cards with Roberto Mancini, Vialli, and his teammates, and watched the squad prepare for the final.
• On May 27, Sampdoria traveled through crowded London to Wembley, where Dejan Lu drew a Michael Laudrup single-match experience card and answered reporters' questions alongside Boskov and Cruyff.
• Dejan Lu and Sampdoria warmed up before a crowd that included European royals, football legends, and Francesco Totti watching from home.
• Dejan Lu dribbled past Fernando Garcia and Koeman, evaded Guardiola's tackle, and chipped a shot that Zubizarreta caught.
• Cruyff called Guardiola to the touchline and told him to stay back and disrupt Dejan Lu's rhythm instead of trying to win the ball.

Sampdoria overwhelmed Barcelona in the Champions Cup final as Dejan Lu scored three spectacular goals, leaving the Catalan side trailing by three. Boskov was sent off after charging onto the pitch to protect Dejan Lu, while Barcelona struggled to find a way back into the match.

• Sampdoria’s disciplined press disrupted Barcelona’s attacks, and Dejan Lu scored from a tight angle after Redondo’s long pass and Vialli’s header.
• Barcelona’s corner broke down, allowing Sampdoria to counter; Dejan Lu volleyed Mancini’s overhit header back into the attack, and Roberto Mancini chipped in the second goal.
• Cruyff urged Barcelona to keep following their tactics, but Redondo intercepted Laudrup and had his shirt torn, briefly leaving Sampdoria with ten men.
• Dejan Lu controlled Lanna’s long pass, dribbled past Barcelona’s defenders, and scored a third goal before Ferrer brought him down.
• Boskov rushed onto the pitch after Dejan Lu was fouled, and Sampdoria’s players restrained him before the referee sent him off.