Chapter Summaries

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.

Dejan Lu led Sampdoria to a 5–0 Champions Cup final victory over Barcelona, completing a hat trick and securing revenge for their earlier defeat. As Sampdoria celebrated their title, Guardiola lay on the pitch in tears.

• Dejan Lu scored a spectacular opening goal, and Sampdoria took a 3–0 lead into halftime.
• Salinas went down in the box, but the referee booked him for diving, and Sampdoria kept Barcelona from creating chances before the break.
• Dejan Lu opened the second half with a dribbling run that drew a yellow-card foul from Guardiola, then later scored with a heel flick to complete his hat trick and make it 4–0.
• Sampdoria shut down Barcelona's attacks, and Dejan Lu scored again on a counterattack before the final whistle confirmed a 5–0 win.
• Sampdoria celebrated defending the Champions Cup, while Guardiola watched Dejan Lu and cried on the pitch.

Sampdoria celebrated defeating Barcelona and winning the European Champions Cup, while Dejan Lu faced Guardiola, the press, and his teammates after the final. After spending the night with Monica, Dejan Lu woke to news that Mr. Mantovani had been in a car accident.

• Guardiola broke down after Barcelona's defeat, and Cruyff comforted him before the team collected its medals.
• Dejan Lu and Sampdoria lifted the European Champions Cup, celebrated with their families, and Dejan Lu promised to treat the team to a night out.
• Dejan Lu apologized after teasing Guardiola about Manchester, while Redondo mocked Barcelona in interviews and Dejan Lu praised Cruyff at the press conference.
• Dejan Lu and his teammates went to a London nightclub, where Dejan Lu left with Redondo and later met Monica.
• Monica woke Dejan Lu and told him that Mr. Mantovani had been in a car accident.

After Paolo Mantovani’s car accident left him unconscious, Dejan Lu urged Sampdoria’s players to wait while Enrico Mantovani prepared to take over the club. In London, Dejan Lu trained with the Serie A All-Stars and discovered that the Mafia had threatened the city with bombs unless Italy released jailed members, making millions of people hostages.

• Enrico Mantovani told Dejan Lu that Paolo Mantovani was out of immediate danger but might not wake soon, and Dejan advised Sampdoria’s players to wait and seek a brain specialist.
• Dejan Lu met Kumatani Gensuke in London, and Kumatani agreed to find a specialist to treat Paolo Mantovani.
• Dejan Lu trained with the Serie A All-Stars under Zoff, who named a lineup for their exhibition match against the European All-Stars.
• Dejan Lu and Van Basten received a note threatening London with bombs unless Italy released Tinnirello and the Graviano brothers, and Dejan realized four million people had become hostages.

Dejan Lu traced the bomb threat to a hotel room and helped Scotland Yard locate a bomb at Kingsbury High School, then arrived late at Wembley and transformed the match after coming on. After scoring and assisting, he discovered a hidden timed bomb buried beneath the pitch, revealing that both teams and the spectators were in danger.

• Dejan Lu called the bombers, learned that one device was hidden in the Kingsbury High School cafeteria, and used timing clues, a map, and a phone call to identify their room at the Hilton London Wembley Hotel.
• Dejan Lu gave the information to Giulio Andreotti, then took Van Basten to Wembley, where he arrived by motorcycle during the match and learned that Francescoli had been injured.
• Dejan Lu joined the second half, linked up with Maradona and Baggio, and scored twice against the European All-Stars.
• Dejan Lu set up a headed goal for Van Basten, then noticed something buried in the turf, dug up a travel bag, and realized timed bombs had been planted in both penalty areas.

Dejan Lu carried the bombs away from Wembley and threw them into the River Floss, saving the stadium crowd before falling into a coma from his injuries. After waking a year and a half later, he found Sampdoria weakened and signed a five-year contract with Manchester United, where he began rehabilitation in a wheelchair.

• Dejan Lu escaped Wembley on a motorcycle with the bombs, crossed congested roads, and threw both bags over the guardrail by the River Floss just before they exploded.
• Police found Dejan Lu alive and took him to St. Thomas' Hospital, where doctors treated his brain injuries and later reported that he was in a coma.
• Dejan Lu woke after a year and a half, learned how Sampdoria had changed during his absence, and ended his contract after Enrico Mantovani raised the club's finances.
• Ferguson persuaded Martin Eduardo to sign Dejan Lu and Redondo, and Manchester United announced Dejan Lu's five-year contract on January 1, 1994.
• Arsène Wenger, Galliani, and Gianluigi Buffon reacted with dismay after learning that Dejan Lu had joined Manchester United.