Berni's Debut as Inter's Third-Choice Keeper Keeps a Clean Sheet as Inter Milan Crowned UEFA Europa League Champions!
While the Inter Milan players were celebrating with Podolski, Mancini called Tang Long to the sidelines.
Tang Long had assumed that Mancini would make some important tactical deployment in these final few minutes and was preparing to listen attentively.
But Mancini's next question made Tang Long laugh.
"Want to receive cheers and applause from the entire stadium? I can substitute you early."
Mancini believed the game was already decided, so he called Tang Long to his side in those final minutes not to give him any special tactical instructions, but to let Tang Long enjoy applause and cheers in front of 75,000 fans in the UEFA Europa League final and leave the field early!
Tang Long readily accepted the proposal.
In the 88th minute.
The fourth official on the sidelines raised the substitution board, and Tang Long was substituted.
As he slowly walked from the center circle to the sidelines, the entire stadium of the Olympiastadion Berlin erupted in thunderous applause!
The fans thoroughly enjoyed the match, both in terms of the score and the overall performance.
Those Sevilla fans who knew the outcome was already decided no longer cared about the result of the match, but generously applauded Tang Long as well, especially since there were many Germany fans at the Olympiastadion Berlin.
Tang Long's generous decision to give the penalty kick to Germany player Podolski has earned him considerable goodwill in the city.
Tang Long slowly walked off the field, raising his hands high above his head as he went, returning the applause to the fans who cheered for him.
"Thank you, thank you, goodbye!"
When Tang Long said "goodbye," the tension in my heart suddenly eased.
The huge weight that had been hanging over my heart since last year has finally been lifted.
The UEFA Europa League final still has a few minutes left including stoppage time, but Tang Long has already played all his matches this season.
His season has come to a perfect end.
"Tang Long was substituted off the field in the 88th minute!"
"A long and enthusiastic round of applause erupted at the Olympiastadion Berlin!"
Many audience members stood up and cheered for Tang Long.
"He contributed a goal and an assist in this match, helping Inter Milan win the UEFA Europa League title this season!"
"I'm sorry, although the competition isn't over yet, I think no one can disagree with what I've said!"
"Congratulations to Tang Long, he's had a perfect season."
"In his first year as a professional, he won both the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Europa League double with Inter Milan."
"In the league, they also finished third, qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League group stage."
"Tang Long has already played all the games this season, but his professional career has just begun, and his future growth is promising. Let's accompany Tang Long on his journey of growth!"
After Tang Long high-fived Obi, who had been substituted in, he went to head coach Mancini and hugged him.
Tang Long buried his head in Mancini's shoulder, while Mancini pounded Tang Long's back with his fist.
"Thank you, Coach, we've had a fantastic season!"
"No, I should thank you, Tang. You've given us a perfect season!"
Photographers swarmed around.
Cameras and microphones captured this moving scene on site.
Then, Tang Long gave a high-five to every substitute player on the bench once again.
When they reached the last seat, Berni unexpectedly punched Tang Long, nearly knocking him to the ground.
"Haha, time to clock out!"
In front of everyone, Berni crouched down slightly, hugged Tang Long's waist, and lifted him into the air.
Then, as if embracing a lover, he spun around three times in place.
This scene amused the substitute players greatly.
Tears welled up in Berni's eyes!
He had told Tang Long countless times that this season would be his last at Inter Milan, and also the last year of his professional career.
Since joining Inter Milan, Berni has only made one appearance for the Inter Milan as their third-choice goalkeeper in the Coppa Italia, with zero appearances in the league and European competitions.
Born into Inter Milan's youth academy, his role in the team is mainly reflected in helping Inter Milan register for European competitions and fill the youth academy quota.
Even so, Berni still gave his all in every training session and actively cooperated with the goalkeeper coach's arrangements.
He also made several small requests of Tang Long, hoping that he could lead Inter Milan to win at least one championship trophy this season, so that he could also taste the feeling of winning a championship before retiring.
After winning the Coppa Italia, Berni's professional dream has been realized.
Then think about it, he'll soon be lifting the UEFA Europa League again—how could this not bring tears to the eyes of a goalkeeper in his thirties?
After hugging Tang Long and spinning him around several times, Berni's tears didn't lessen; instead, she burst into loud sobs.
"Damn it, I'm retiring too! Starting tomorrow, I'm no longer a professional player!"
Recalling his tumultuous career, Berni burst into tears.
Tang Long had just said a few words of comfort to him when he heard Mancini laughing and shouting at him:
"Hey, you bald old man, stop crying and get ready to go on stage!"
Chivu handed Berni a towel so he could wipe away his tears and immediately put on his goalkeeper gloves to get on the field.
Berni was stunned; he couldn't believe it was true and thought he had misheard.
"Hurry up, what are you dawdling for? You only have about 3 minutes left. Don't you want to go on? Get back to it!"
Mancini gave Berni a light kick in the backside.
Berni quickly straightened his jersey, deftly put on his goalkeeper gloves, stretched his legs a few times, jumped a couple of times, and stood on the sidelines, looking at the stadium with a beaming smile.
In the 92nd minute, starting goalkeeper Handanovic was substituted, and third substitute goalkeeper Berni finally came on!
This is his first appearance for Inter Milan in European competition this season, and also his first European match in his more than ten-year professional career. He's finally showing his face!
During the fifty or sixty meters from the sideline to the goal line, Berni moved with incredible speed.
When he finally stood on the goal line, he felt that it was all so unreal, yet so real.
He touched the grass on the ground one moment, then reached out and touched the beam above his head, looking left and right.
Is this what European wars are all about...?
"Uncle Bei, keep it up!"
Berni looked in the direction of the sound and saw Tang Long waving his white towel on the sidelines, making a whooshing sound above his head, just as enthusiastically as he had cheered for the players on the field from the bench countless times.
This towel really got Berni excited!
He immediately bent over, focused on everything on the field, and quickly got into the game.
Although there were less than three minutes left in the game, those three minutes were a huge milestone for Berni's career - he finally made his debut for Inter Milan, a century-old powerhouse!
At that moment, Sevilla's defensive midfielder Mbia's shot, which he intended to clear, unexpectedly landed in a good position in the attacking third.
Center-back Ranocchia maintained a reasonable distance from Sevilla striker Bacca.
Once Bacca has controlled the ball, he will move up to defend.
Bacca intended to control the ball steadily, but he glanced at Berni on the goal line.
As a goalkeeper, Berni is not tall, standing at only 1.84 meters. Compared to Handanovic, who is 1.92 meters tall, he appears much smaller, and the difference in his wingspan is even more obvious.
With victory seemingly out of reach, Bacca decided to unleash a stunning long-range shot to test Inter Milan's goalkeeper.
He wants to transfer this summer. If he can score a spectacular goal in the UEFA Europa League final, even if they don't win the match, it would still be a good thing for his market value.
Bacca didn't stop the ball; instead, at the very moment of contact, he slammed his right instep into the bottom of the ball!
Wow!
A gasp of surprise erupted from the fans in the stadium!
The football, like a cannonball, flew without any spin, cutting through the air with a whistling sound, heading straight for Inter Milan's goal!
Ranocchia turned around, his heart skipped a beat.
Because he saw the ball heading towards the top right corner of the goal, and Berni was much shorter than Handanovic, with a wingspan far shorter than the Slovenian.
This ball is likely to go in.
However, to his surprise, just as the ball was about to fly into the goal, Berni, who had been motionless, perfectly demonstrated what it means to be as swift as a rabbit!
He pushed off the ground with his right leg, and he flew out with a whoosh!
As he leaped into the air, his left arm seemed to magically extend, and he barely grazed the bottom of the ball with the fingertips of his goalkeeper glove.
With a "clang," the ball, after a slight deflection, struck the crossbar and bounced out of bounds.
The fans in the stadium erupted in cheers once again!
The cheers were both for Bacca's unstoppable long-range shot and for Berni's brilliant save.
On the bench, Tang Long and others applauded, and even the starting goalkeeper Handanovic, who had just been substituted, gave Berni a heavy punch.
"Well done, Berni!"
Handanović considered the situation; if he were in Berni's shoes, he might not have been able to react as quickly.
What a hidden talent Berni!
Seeing his hard-won volley wonder goal thwarted by Inter Milan's newly substituted third-choice goalkeeper, Bacca was so angry he stomped his feet!
"You've already won, so what's wrong with giving me a spectacular goal?"
Sevilla were awarded the final corner of the match, and the referee glanced at his watch.
Berni, who had just made a brilliant save, was extremely excited and loudly directed the positioning of everyone in the penalty area:
"Keep an eye on the high ground! Keep an eye on the high ground!"
"Where's the top of the arc? Obi, stop running around and get back to the top of the arc!"
"Yes, yes, yes, someone stand at the back, on the goal line, like this."
"Keep a close watch on the front post, watch out for a backflip!"
The corner kick was delivered, and it was a very high-quality, curving dipping shot.
Bacca, who had saved a world-class goal, was left feeling resentful.
He charged from the middle towards the near post, pushed Dimarco aside, and jumped to contest the header!
Dimarco, lacking defensive experience, was already being dominated by Bacca was in the air, ready to unleash a powerful headbutt.
This time, the shot was from a much shorter distance, Bacca was full of confidence to break through the defense of third-choice goalkeeper Berni!
In the blink of an eye, a nimble figure shot into the air like the Cheetah from the crowd, snatching the ball into his arms.
Berni has achieved a lunar landing!
Bacca shook his head, sending air flying, then twisted his neck and cried out, landing sideways on the ground. Dimarco landed hard, bumping into Baka's waist, and Bacca nearly fainted from the pain.
Berni, clutching the ball, got up from the ground, looked up at the star-studded sky above the Olympiastadion Berlin, and unleashed a powerful kick!
Want to get into Uncle Bei's house? No way!
As the football shot into the night sky like a shooting star, the referee blew the final whistle to end the match!
"We won!!!"