Chapter Summaries

Boskov kept Dejan Lu out of Sampdoria’s matchday squads to protect him from media attention, even as the team struggled to score. After Sampdoria lost to Ascoli, Boskov finally agreed to consider using Dejan, with Inter Milan next on the schedule.

• Boskov told Pezzotti to leave Dejan Lu out of the squad, while Dejan settled into the team’s friendly atmosphere during summer training.
• Sampdoria opened the season with a 2–0 win over Lazio, but Dejan stayed home and discovered the system’s Lucky Taxi event.
• Galliani questioned Dejan’s talent in the newspapers, and Boskov reassured Dejan that he would play when the time was right.
• Sampdoria drew 0–0 with Bari, then lost to Ascoli after Borislav Cvetković scored twice in the second half.
• Boskov asked for Dejan to warm up, then reluctantly nodded when Pezzotti proposed including him in the squad against Inter Milan.

Inter Milan and Sampdoria prepared for their upcoming match as Dejan Lu finally earned a place in Sampdoria's squad. The chapter ended with Monica celebrating the news by cooking breakfast for Dejan Lu.

• Lothar Matthäus dismissed Dejan Lu, while Zenga warned Inter Milan that Sampdoria had several world champions.
• Giovanni Trapattoni wondered whether Boskov would risk including Dejan Lu against Inter Milan.
• Alex Ferguson questioned Manchester United's tactics and asked Archie Knox to obtain a recording of the Sampdoria match.
• Boskov's assistant named Dejan Lu in Sampdoria's squad, and his teammates celebrated and promised to choose a restaurant after the match.
• Monica cooked Dejan Lu breakfast and placed a rose on the table, explaining that she had borrowed it from Roberto Mancini's roses for Federica.

Sampdoria fell behind Inter Milan when Lothar Matthäus scored a spectacular long-range free kick, prompting Boskov to bring on Dejan Lu at halftime. Dejan Lu stunned Inter’s defense with a solo run and scored, leaving the match level as play continued.

• Dejan Lu drew an Arjen Robben experience card before Sampdoria faced Inter Milan at Luigi Ferraris Stadium.
• Inter Milan dominated the physical opening exchanges, and Lothar Matthäus scored from more than forty meters in the 39th minute.
• Boskov sent Dejan Lu on at the start of the second half in place of Giuseppe Dossena.
• Dejan Lu beat Berti, Matthäus, and Bergomi on a long dribble, then nutmegged Bergomi and shot the ball into the goal.

Dejan Lu stunned Inter Milan by dribbling past Bergomi twice, then helped Sampdoria disrupt Lothar Matthäus’s attack. Inter tightened its defense around him, and Sampdoria’s next move broke down near the touchline.

• Dejan Lu dribbled past Bergomi twice, prompting Paolo Rossi to praise his close control and Brehme to warn Bergomi that the young player was dangerous.
• Roberto Mancini celebrated with Dejan Lu and traded insults with Lothar Matthäus, while Dejan defended Sampdoria as a team.
• Trapattoni ordered Brehme and Bergomi to defend Dejan Lu together on Inter’s right flank.
• Dejan Lu tracked back to slow Matthäus, allowing Cerezo to recover and win the ball.
• Brehme slid in and kicked the ball away after Dejan Lu received Mancini’s long pass near the touchline.

Dejan Lu scored a late winner against Inter Milan after their defense concentrated on marking him, giving Sampdoria a 2–1 victory in his Serie A debut. The chapter ended with the stadium celebrating and Bergomi promising to watch Dejan Lu closely in future matches.

• Inter Milan brought on Giuseppe Baresi to man-mark Dejan Lu, but his presence helped pin Matthäus in place and created space for Sampdoria’s attack.
• Sampdoria’s late attacks failed to score, while Inter Milan threatened on the counter and Pagliuca punched away Baresi’s cross.
• Pagliuca’s clearance fell to Pellegrini, who sent a precise through ball to Dejan Lu on the right.
• Dejan Lu beat Bergomi and Brehme with his pace and footwork, then lifted the ball over Zenga to score the winning goal.
• Luigi Agnolin blew the final whistle, and Sampdoria celebrated their victory over Inter Milan.
• Bergomi exchanged shirts with Dejan Lu and vowed not to give him the same opportunities in their next meeting.

Dejan Lu became the hero of Sampdoria’s 2–1 victory over Inter Milan, drawing ecstatic fans and intense media attention. Boskov praised his flawless debut at the press conference, while Massimo Moratti left wanting to bring Dejan Lu to Inter Milan.

• Sampdoria fans celebrated Dejan Lu after his late winner, and chairman Mantovani saw the victory as proof that his summer gamble had paid off.
• Massimo Moratti watched Dejan Lu and considered buying Inter Milan so he could bring the young star to the Meazza.
• Dejan Lu kissed Monica through the security fence as fans and photographers gathered around them.
• Trapattoni accepted responsibility for Inter Milan’s defeat, saying he should have focused more on attack.
• Boskov told reporters there had been no conflict with Dejan Lu and said he had saved him for an appearance in perfect condition.
• Boskov called Dejan Lu’s performance flawless and praised him for dribbling past Lothar Matthäus, Bergomi, and Brehme.

After his sensational debut, Dejan Lu pitched his healthy-hamburger idea and planned a fast-food business with Monica. He left the chapter with a new car and a filmed hamburger advertisement featuring Roberto Mancini and Vialli.

• Dejan Lu told reporters that improved Italian-style hamburgers had helped unlock his potential and said he and Monica planned to open a restaurant.
• Mancini promised Dejan Lu a vehicle after Dejan defended him, then took him to Milan to choose one.
• Dejan Lu rejected an overpriced Ferrari F40 and chose a used 1978 M1 instead.
• Dejan Lu and Mancini visited Vialli, where Dejan asked them to film a hamburger advertisement.
• Vialli and Roberto Mancini performed awkward cartwheels and delivered a hamburger slogan in Chinese on camera.

Dejan Lu discussed a possible Italian fast-food brand with Vialli and Roberto Mancini, then gave Monica a car. He discovered that Giuseppe Bagnato had received a bizarre future from fate and gained the God's Finger skill.

• Dejan Lu, Vialli, and Roberto Mancini considered names for their fast-food brand, and Dejan Lu joked about making Roberto its mascot.
• Dejan Lu gave Monica a car to help her get around while she prepared for exams, and she mentioned that brands had contacted her former agent.
• Dejan Lu opened the system and read a vision of Giuseppe Bagnato becoming a famous Japanese film actor known for his hands.
• Dejan Lu acquired God's Finger, a skill that increased finger dexterity, strength, and speed.

Dejan Lu renewed his contract with Sampdoria while balancing football and his manga work, and he helped the team keep winning despite an influenza outbreak. After starting the Cup Winners’ Cup with a 4–0 victory, he traveled with the squad to Dortmund for an away match.

• Sampdoria extended Dejan Lu’s contract, raising his annual income to $200,000, while coaches noticed West German scouts near the training ground.
• Kumatani Gensuke met Dejan Lu about Weekly Shonen Sunday’s Pokémon project and anime adaptation, then treated Dejan Lu and Monica to dinner and gave them gifts.
• Dejan Lu assisted Ødegaard and scored against Brann in a 4–0 away win, prompting more media criticism of Galliani.
• An influenza outbreak forced Dejan Lu and other players to rest in turn, but Sampdoria avoided defeat and Mantovani began looking into better medical care.
• Boskov announced Dejan Lu would start against Dortmund, and the Sampdoria squad flew to Germany for the match.

Sampdoria arrived in Dortmund for their match against Borussia Dortmund, and Dejan Lu drew a Zinedine Zidane experience card before the game. In the stands, Franz Beckenbauer watched the matchup with Aki Schmidt, who wondered whether he was scouting for Bayern.

• Boskov let the players explore Dortmund in groups, while Marco Lanna eagerly planned to take photos for his girlfriend.
• Dejan Lu studied Japanese, and Lanna called his girlfriend before the team prepared for the match.
• Boskov warned the squad to manage their diets and perform well at Dortmund's intimidating Westfalenstadion.
• In the locker room, Dejan Lu drew the Zidane Single Match Experience Card for the 2006 World Cup Final.
• Franz Beckenbauer told Aki Schmidt he was curious about the new qualities of Dortmund and Sampdoria, and Schmidt teased him about scouting players for Bayern.

Sampdoria’s young players were rattled by Westfalenstadion’s atmosphere, but Dejan Lu sparked a stunning start against Dortmund. He assisted Vialli’s opener and then scored himself, leaving Sampdoria 2–0 ahead less than two minutes into the match.

• Boskov kept the submitted lineup, starting Dejan Lu and the surprising young Marco Lanna against Dortmund.
• Dejan Lu used a Maradona turn to evade Kroth and Zorc, then chipped a pass into the penalty area for Vialli to score.
• Dortmund tried to attack quickly after the restart, but Dossena won possession and Sampdoria moved forward again.
• Lombardo passed to Dejan Lu near the top of the arc, where Dejan Lu feinted past Helmer and shifted the ball across the defenders.
• Dejan Lu struck with his left foot past Deubel to make it 2–0 less than two minutes into the match.

Sampdoria’s Dejan Lu helped build a two-goal lead over Dortmund, and after Andy Müller scored from a free kick, Dejan Lu stunned the Westfalenstadion with a long-range strike. The chapter left Kumatani Gensuke discovering that Dejan Lu had left him a blank manuscript and a playful notice claiming the author was injured and the issue was on hiatus.

• Beckenbauer praised Sampdoria’s teamwork while Zorc tried to steady Dortmund’s frustrated players.
• McLeod and Müller combined to create a free kick, which Müller scored to make it 2–1.
• Boskov let Sampdoria keep pushing forward as Dortmund’s renewed momentum sparked a physical midfield battle.
• Dejan Lu struck the ball from more than forty meters and scored past Deibel, restoring Sampdoria’s two-goal lead.
• Kumatani Gensuke opened Dejan Lu’s manuscript envelope and found blank pages with a joke notice announcing an injury-related hiatus.

Dejan Lu dominated Dortmund, scoring twice as Sampdoria controlled the match. With the score threatening to become a rout and the home crowd growing volatile, Boskov decided to substitute Dejan Lu.

• Dejan Lu scored a long-range goal in the eighth minute, giving Sampdoria the lead and silencing Westfalenstadion.
• Dejan Lu dribbled past Kroht and fired a shot just over the crossbar.
• Dejan Lu curled a shot into the top corner, beating Deibel and extending Sampdoria’s lead.
• Pezzotti warned Boskov about the furious Dortmund crowd, and Boskov called for Dejan Lu to be substituted.

Dejan Lu led Sampdoria to a 6–1 victory over Dortmund with a dazzling performance that earned applause from the home crowd. Afterward, Dortmund’s coach and Franz Beckenbauer praised his play, while Boskov tried to keep the focus on the team.

• Chiesa prepared to enter as Marco Lanna crossed, and Dejan Lu drew in Dortmund’s defenders with a dummy that let Roberto Mancini score.
• Westfalenstadion’s fans applauded Dejan Lu as he left the pitch, and Beckenbauer was revealed as the first to start the applause.
• Sampdoria scored again and finished the match with a 6–1 win over Dortmund.
• Coppel took responsibility for the defeat and said Dejan Lu had dominated the match, while Boskov praised his talent and credited the team.
• Beckenbauer told a reporter he had applauded Sampdoria’s passionate football and said some opponents could not be beaten despite their best efforts.

After Sampdoria’s victory sparked political and sporting debate, Dejan Lu returned to Genoa with his teammates and befriended a young restaurant worker who dreamed of owning a motorcycle. As Dejan Lu and Mancini reached their apartment, a man waiting outside rushed toward Dejan Lu, crying out in Japanese that his teacher had finally returned.

• Newspapers in Germany and Britain reacted to Sampdoria’s win, mixing criticism of West German football with political arguments about reunification and Liverpool’s return to European competition.
• On the flight home, Dejan Lu joined Mancini, Vialli, and Pari in a game of Scopa and began winning after the first round.
• The Sampdoria players ate at Mancini’s favorite seaside restaurant, where Dejan Lu encouraged the owner’s young son to learn motorcycle mechanics and said he might compete in races with him.
• As Dejan Lu and Mancini arrived at their apartment building, a supposed homeless man ran up to Dejan Lu and shouted in Japanese, “Teacher, you’re finally back!”

Dejan Lu advised Sampdoria chairman Paolo Mantovani to demand a lucrative, long-term Japanese sponsorship deal, then returned home to celebrate Monica’s exam results. The chapter ended with Dejan and Monica’s bedroom noise irritating their neighbor Roberto Mancini.

• Dejan Lu asked Kumatani Gensuke about hiring Akinna Nakamori as his assistant, and Kumatani warned him to stay out of her troubles.
• Paolo Mantovani asked Dejan Lu for advice on Japanese sponsors, and Dejan urged him to seek a high fee, a long contract, and performance bonuses.
• Kumatani Gensuke returned to Dejan Lu and asked him to give advance notice before taking time off to find inspiration.
• Monica told Dejan Lu that she thought she had passed her exams, and he congratulated her over a lavish dinner.
• Dejan Lu and Monica went to bed, and their noise annoyed Roberto Mancini while Federica watched him react.

Dejan Lu’s rise in Serie A drew attention in China and provoked AC Milan vice president Galliani to set up a public comparison with Roberto Baggio. Before Sampdoria’s match against Fiorentina, Dejan reassured Mancini, drew a Flórián Albert experience card, and surprised Baggio by inviting him to join Sampdoria.

• Chinese television and newspapers introduced Dejan Lu to the public as a Chinese player excelling in Italy.
• Sampdoria fans favored calling Dejan the Commander, while Italian newspapers praised his play and gave him the headline title “Emperor.”
• Galliani praised Dejan but predicted his success would fade, then pointed to the Fiorentina match as a test against Baggio.
• On the team bus, Mancini asked Dejan whether Sampdoria could win, and Dejan reassured him before the match.
• Dejan drew a single-match experience card for Flórián Albert ahead of Sampdoria’s game against Fiorentina.
• At the pre-match handshake, Dejan told Baggio he admired his style and asked him to come play for Sampdoria, leaving Baggio stunned.

Dejan Lu wore Boskov’s Orthodox wristbands as Sampdoria faced Fiorentina, then dazzled the defense with a behind-the-back bull tail that created a dangerous chance. The match continued with Dunga closely marking Dejan Lu as Verchowod moved to support the attack.

• Boskov gave Dejan Lu Orthodox-cross wristbands because he believed they would bring good luck, while Roberto Mancini noticed that Dejan Lu had become the coach’s favorite.
• Fiorentina began cautiously, and Roberto Mancini charged forward but lost the ball after cutting inside and pushing it too far ahead.
• After Verchowod demanded more pressure, Marco Lanna carried the ball forward and passed it to Dejan Lu, while Dunga quickly tracked back to mark him.
• Dejan Lu used an outside-of-the-foot behind-the-back bull tail to get past Dunga and crossed into the box, where Battistini headed the ball out for a corner.
• Roberto Mancini took the corner, Fiorentina cleared it, and Dunga continued following Dejan Lu as Verchowod moved toward the ball.

Dejan Lu dominated Fiorentina with dazzling dribbles and scored twice, while Roberto Baggio answered with a free-kick goal. Sampdoria continued to threaten after Fiorentina’s equalizer, and Dejan Lu left the match with another spectacular finish.

• Dejan Lu dribbled past Volpecina and Pioli, then cut past Dunga and Landucci to score for Sampdoria.
• Roberto Baggio attempted a Maradona turn, earned a controversial free kick, and curled it into the goal to equalize.
• Dejan Lu helped launch an attack toward Vialli, whose cross was collected by Landucci.
• Pari intercepted Battistini’s pass, and Dejan Lu raced past Dunga and Pioli before beating the defenders and Landucci to score again.

Dejan Lu's dazzling solo run put Sampdoria ahead of Fiorentina, and he set up Roberto Mancini to score again after Fiorentina restarted play. Dunga retaliated by shoving Dejan Lu, triggering a chaotic fight that ended with the team doctor being called.

• Dejan Lu humiliated Fiorentina's defenders during a solo run, leaving Dunga sprawled in the penalty area.
• Baggio restarted play, but Fiorentina's attack failed when Verchowod beat him to Volpecina's cross.
• Pagliuca launched a counterattack, and Dejan Lu raced down the right before crossing low for Roberto Mancini to score.
• Dunga shoved Dejan Lu after Mancini ran over to celebrate, and Sampdoria's players rushed into the fight.
• Roberto Mancini kicked Dunga, Marco Lanna sent him through the advertising boards, and Pagliuca stepped on his fingers as someone shouted for the team doctor.