First-Round Infighting! Bonazzoli Gets Slapped and Calls Tang Long from Afar to Complain and Ask What to Do!

Young player Bonazzoli was just slapped and is extremely frustrated!

The match had just ended, and while his teammates went to shower, Bonazzoli locked himself in the bathroom alone.

He hid in the innermost cubicle, sat on the toilet, touched the cheek where he had just been slapped, and tears welled up in his eyes.

The slap was hard, making his face sting, but what hurt him even more was his pride!

In the first round of the 2015-2016 Serie A season, Inter Milan drew 1-1 with Udinese at home.

Bonazzoli scored Inter Milan's only goal of the match.

Logically speaking, scoring in the first game of the new season, even if Inter Milan didn't win, should be something to be happy about for Bonazzoli, who is still developing.

At the end of last season, under the guidance of his agent Ronaldo, Bonazzoli signed a new contract with Inter Milan.

Not only has his annual salary doubled to over one million euros, but this season, he has also been designated as Inter Milan's regular starting center forward by coach Laino.

This is partly due to former youth team coach Laino's habit of using familiar players, and partly due to Bonazzoli's outstanding performance last season.

Last season, with Tang Long's help, Bonazzoli, as the team's substitute striker, surprisingly scored 11 goals, making him the team's second-highest scorer after Icardi.

This summer, Bonazzoli made his national team debut in a friendly match in which Italy lost 0-1 to Portugal.

All signs indicate that this young Italy U21 National Team striker is emerging as a rising star and is very likely to represent Italy National Team in next year's UEFA European Championship.

Bonazzoli is also full of confidence and drive, aspiring to replace Icardi and even aiming for the Serie A Boot this season.

After all, Chivu once told him, "If a young person doesn't even dare to think about it, how can he talk about doing it?"

However, Bonazzoli's budding pride and self-esteem were completely shattered by a resounding slap from Candreva in the locker room!

"Bonazzoli, are you useless? How could you waste the cross-pass opportunities I gave you? I really can't understand it. How can someone like you be a starter at Inter Milan? It's a huge joke!"

The incident occurred in the 88th minute of the match, when the score was still 1-1.

After receiving a long pass from Kovacic, Candreva used his skillful basic technique to dribble past the defender, glanced at Bonazzoli's position, and crossed with his right foot.

Candreva has played in Serie A for many years, and his entire professional career has been spent in Italy.

This cross was perfect in both its curve and power, and its intention was also cunning: to bypass the last defender and deliver the ball to Bonazzoli's head.

The pass was excellent. The goalkeeper hesitated for a moment, wanting to come out, but the ball's trajectory suddenly changed, continuing to drop and slipping out of his control.

Bonazzoli had already run into position and was facing an open goal. All he had to do was gently head the ball towards the goal, and Inter Milan would secure a dramatic victory in their first home game of the new season!

The die-hard fans in the North Stand jumped up!

Some excited fans even started raising their arms and cheering, celebrating in advance!

However, to everyone's surprise, with a wide-open goal, Bonazzoli headed the ball into the stands.

A burst of curses erupted from the North Stand!

Candreva was so angry he was practically fuming!

You can't even head that ball in, and you're playing center forward for Inter Milan?

After the draw against Udinese, Candreva and Bonazzoli had an argument in the locker room.

At first, Bonazzoli listened attentively. After all, Candreva had a prestigious reputation in Serie A, and no one dared to mess with him. Moreover, Candreva, nicknamed "The Cleaver," was a key player on the right wing of the Italy National Team.

He played for the team in the 2014 World Cup and has basically secured a starting position on the right wing for next year's UEFA European Championship. If Bonazzoli wants to establish himself in the national team, he will have to rely more on the support of his senior teammates.

However, perhaps it was precisely because of Bonazzoli's humble and unassuming demeanor that Candreva became somewhat arrogant and started bullying his younger brother, relying on his seniority.

He spoke faster and faster, his tone became more casual, and he even threw in a lot of swear words.

Inside the locker room, the Inter Milan players knew that the two were teammates on the national team, so they didn't interfere too much in their affairs.

Moreover, the Inter Milan today is far from the united team it was last season.

With the team's veterans either retiring or transferring, only a handful of the remaining senior players, such as Medel, Juan Jesus, and Santon, are still considered regular starters. The team is demoralized and its cohesion is far from what it used to be.

Candreva pressed his advantage, saying, "With your level of skill, you're not worthy of playing for a big club like Inter Milan. Even at my former club, Lazio, you'd only be on the bench."

Bonazzoli frowned, unable to hold back any longer, and retorted, "How am I not worthy to play for Inter Milan? I scored the only goal in this match. I'm a striker, it's normal to make mistakes occasionally."

When Bonazzoli heard Candreva say he wouldn't play for Inter Milan, a surge of anger welled up inside him!

"I came through Inter Milan's youth academy. I started playing for Inter Milan when I was 15, and I was a first-team starter when I was 18. Candreva, what were you doing when you were 18?"

That really hit Candreva where it hurt!

18-year-old Bonazzoli played in Serie A and the Europa League with Inter Milan.

And what about 18-year-old Candreva?

At that time, he was playing for Ternana in Serie C, a nobody.

From this perspective, 18-year-old Candreva is far inferior to Bonazzoli of the same age in terms of both strength and talent!

Bonazzoli's words startled everyone, and they all felt a sense of foreboding, glancing nervously at Candreva.

Everyone knows that the young player said the wrong thing.

In the professional sports world, it's taboo to make statements like Bonazzoli's, comparing a veteran player's early years to a current rising star.

The older generation of players may not have been particularly talented or started from a low point, but they made it through hard work and dedication in training and matches. Only those who experienced it firsthand can truly understand the hardships, the sweat they shed, and the tears they swallowed.

Sure enough, seeing his national team teammate mock him like that, Candreva exploded like a powder keg, his face flushed red, and he slapped Bonazzoli across the face!

Snap!

"What did you say? Say it again!"

Candreva was furious. He grabbed Bonazzoli by the collar and tried to lift him up to hit him, saying that young Italy players these days were becoming increasingly unruly and didn't know how to respect their seniors. He was going to teach this kid a lesson today.

If it weren't for the short and stocky Medel's headbutt that pushed Candreva away in time, the two of them would have really started fighting today.

After key players like Ranocchia, Tang Long, and Icardi left, Medel, the most senior player, naturally became the person in charge of the locker room.

He had long disliked Candreva's arrogant and domineering manner, especially his bullying of the young Bonazzoli, which he found quite infuriating.

However, Bonazzoli did indeed have a foul mouth, committing a major taboo in the workplace for players. Medel simply gave both sides a stern talking-to, scolded Candreva a few times, and then pushed Bonazzoli out of the locker room, telling him to calm down before coming back.

Bonazzoli, clutching his stinging face from the slap, stood in the hallway, his eyes blank, before disappearing into the toilet.

He thought of his former teammates, and the more he thought about it, the more upset he became. He burst into tears, feeling wronged.

The team atmosphere was great back then. Even when he missed opportunities in his limited playing time, everyone encouraged him. No one ever said anything that hurt his pride like, "You don't deserve to play for Inter Milan."

"If only Ranocchia were here, the captain would definitely stand up for me. And if Tang Long were here too, he wouldn't have let Candreva humiliate me like this."

After much deliberation, Bonazzoli dialed Tang Long's number.

During the phone call, Bonazzoli tearfully recounted to Tang Long his excitement at scoring Inter Milan's first goal of the season, his frustration at missing the winning goal, and the incident where Candreva slapped himself in front of everyone.

"Tang, I'm begging you, please talk to Ronaldo and ask him to sell me to Manchester City. I want to play with you, and Ranocchia too. I never want to play for Inter Milan again. Ronaldo loves you the most, he'll definitely listen to what you say!"

Hearing Bonazzoli's sobbing voice on the phone, Tang Long, far away in Manchester, could only offer a few words of comfort, saying, "Don't overthink it. Just focus on playing well for Inter Milan; that's what you need to do this season."

Tang Long then mentioned the golden opportunity Bonazzoli missed in the 88th minute.

"I'm telling you, Bonazzoli, I watched the entire match live in Manchester, and I have a few questions for you."

"Uh, you watched my match?" Bonazzoli was taken aback and stopped sobbing.

"I'm asking you, I've told you many times, you need to check the goalkeeper's position before you shoot, did you even see the ball?"

"I didn't see it, I forgot," Bonazzoli answered truthfully.

Tang Long sighed and asked him again, "Candreva's shot had a very high arc, the kind that rises first and then falls like a falling leaf. Not only did you not look at the goalkeeper's position, but you were also unprepared for the change in the trajectory of the ball, so you jumped too late and headed it over the bar. I told you to study the habits of the team's main passer, have you forgotten?"

"I haven't forgotten, but I can't do it." Bonazzoli blushed. "Candreva's footwork is too varied; I can't figure it out."

Tang Long felt a surge of exasperation and scolded him, "Candreva is a famous Serie A player and a regular on the national team. You can easily find videos of his passing skills online. It's not that you don't understand, it's that you're too lazy to watch them!" Then he hung up the phone.

Bonazzoli had originally hoped to find comfort from his good older brother Tang Long, expecting him to yell at him on the phone and say a few words in his defense.

Although Bonazzoli knew that Tang Long had left Inter Milan and that he couldn't help with the matter, Bonazzoli was still happy to receive comforting words from Tang Long. However, to his surprise, Tang Long ended up criticizing him on the phone, and it seemed that he was speaking from Candreva's perspective.

"Sigh, back when Tang and I played together in the youth team, he wasn't as good as me. These days, once people become successful, they don't care about their old brothers anymore..."

Eighteen-year-old Bonazzoli cursed the coldness of the world in the toilet and suddenly felt that the whole world was against him.

Tang Long, far away in Manchester, was understandably upset to learn that his younger brother Bonazzoli had been slapped in public in the locker room.

No matter what, when you play on the same team, you are all teammates. It's perfectly normal to have disagreements on ideas and verbal disputes. But once you start fighting, the nature of the situation changes completely.

Moreover, you shouldn't hit someone in the face. In front of everyone, an 18-year-old boy was slapped across the face. Who wouldn't feel good in that situation?

Candreva is clearly abusing his seniority in Serie A and the national team!

Although Tang Long has already left the Apennine Peninsula, he continues to shine in the Premier League.

However, there are still a few good brothers and friends in the original team Tang Long still have feelings for this club.

After much deliberation, he finally made a phone call to Medel, the person in charge of the locker room.

Medel was overjoyed to receive a call from Tang Long, and the two chatted happily for a few minutes, covering a wide range of topics.

However, when Tang Long steered the conversation to Bonazzoli and the incident of Candreva slapping him in public, Medel's tone immediately became somber, as if she were preoccupied.

"Tang, to be honest, Inter Milan today is not the Inter Milan of last season. If any one of you— Ranocchia, my good brother Guarin —were still in the locker room, taking down Candreva wouldn't be a problem."

"But Candreva is currently the team's most valuable player and the club's biggest signing this summer. He's been playing in Serie A for eight or nine years, he's a seasoned veteran, and as soon as he came here, he started forming cliques."

"Dimarco, Santon, D'Ambrosio, and even that Bonazzoli who got beaten up, they all want to latch onto his coattails."

"Especially Bonazzoli, he's usually Candreva's lackey. When the big brother disciplines his little brother, it's not really appropriate for us outsiders to interfere."

"Don't let Laino's official appointment as captain fool you; his influence in the locker room is probably less than Candreva's. So, some things are difficult for me to handle, and I can only try to maintain a balance. Sigh, I've only been captain for a few days, and I already understand Ranocchia's predicament. Being captain is really tough! To be honest, I'm not optimistic about Inter Milan's prospects this season. If a Premier League team wants me, I'm thinking of leaving this winter transfer window!"

Tang Long hung up the phone with mixed feelings, guessing that if even Medel said it was difficult to handle, then it probably really was.

But then again, ultimately, we can only blame Bonazzoli for being so disappointing.

The first game of the new season was also a home game. After last season's outstanding performance, the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza's 80,000 seats were completely full, with all the fans watching and hoping for a victory. The players felt the same way.

You headed a shot that should have been a game-winning goal into the stands. Whose fault is that?

Candreva's pass was actually excellent; if Icardi had been in that position, he could have easily scored. Ultimately, it comes down to skill level.

[Brother, I'd like to pass on a quote Mr. Chivu gave me to you: On the football field, it doesn't matter what country you come from, what your skin color, what your race, or what your religion is. The only thing that will make you admired by everyone is your skill. Keep up the good work, and use football to give Candreva a good slap in the face!]

Just after I clicked "send," my phone rang with an unknown number from New York, United States.

His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly answered the call. Sure enough, that familiar voice came from the other end of the line.

"Hey! Big star, do you still know who I am, Uncle Bear? No, no, no, now you have to call me Grandpa Bear, hahaha, my rock band gave me a new look, I grew a full beard, look, don't I look like your grandpa now?"

Tang Long opened the video call. On the screen, Berni's head was bald, his forehead was shiny, and below his ears, a thick beard grew like a jungle on his cheeks.

"Holy crap, I really have to call you grandpa, you look like you're 60!" Tang Long exclaimed, and quickly took a screenshot on his phone.

They chatted for a full half hour over two days, covering a wide range of topics. Tang Long talked about his new experiences in the Premier League, while Berni talked about his life in New York.

"After retiring, it feels amazing not having to get up early every day to train. Music is the second half of my life. Practicing guitar is much more exciting than scrambling for a ball. It's strange, but once I touch the guitar strings, I can't stop. I never feel tired no matter how much I play! When I first joined Inter Milan, I wanted to start an Inter Milan music channel and even volunteered to be the music director. Guess what? Ausilio said, 'I'm the sports director, and you're the music director, so you're on equal footing with me? No way, no way, haha!' I have some good news for you. In a few days, our band will be touring Milan. This is the first time the band has toured abroad since it was formed, and the first stop is my territory!"

Getting carried away, Berni picked up his guitar and played Adam Levine's United States song "Payphone" for Tang Long on his phone.

Tang Long congratulated Berni, then boasted a bit about himself, saying that his volley had stunned his teammates and the British media.

Berni smiled and said he watched that game, and it was indeed a fantastic match; most importantly, they pushed Guarin to his limit.

"I love seeing Guarin get frustrated. He used to get angry whenever we called him 'Guarin the Plane,' but now he's playing well in the Premier League, and his long-range shots aren't going wide anymore. He scored two amazing goals at the start, but what good did it do? In the end, he still got pushed to his limit by your last-minute goal, hahaha!"

Berni then steered the conversation toward the new Serie A season.

"Did you watch Inter Milan's game against Udinese? Yes, I knew you would! Without you there, Inter Milan's midfield couldn't hold the ball at all and could only be forced to cross from the wings. Sigh, let me tell you, Bonazzoli is such a disappointment. If that last-minute winner had gone in, his starting position would definitely be secure this season. But he headed it away, and who knows what the future holds!"

"I was so angry at the time. I timed my call perfectly to ask him what he was thinking when he headed the ball, but after three calls, the line was busy. I have no idea what this guy is up to."

Tang Long realized that Bonazzoli must have been on the phone with him at that time, which was why he didn't answer Berni's call.

He explained to Berni why the phone call couldn't go through, and also told him about Bonazzoli being slapped in public by Candreva.

Upon hearing this, Berni remained silent for a full ten seconds on the other end of the phone.

When he spoke again, his tone was already eight octaves higher.

"Wow! You're quite capable! I know Candreva; I helped him get transferred from Parma to Lazio in the 2011 winter transfer window! His wife is my closest cousin; by family hierarchy, he should call me brother-in-law! Don't worry, you don't need to interfere; your brother-in-law will handle it!"

Although Tang Long didn't know how Berni would handle it, he felt a sense of novelty after hanging up the phone.

This Berni seems to know everyone you could pick off the street in Italy.

The image of Berni, with his bald head, thick beard, and big gold chain, confronting Candreva flashed through his mind again, and he burst out laughing once more.

After a while of busy work, it was already Sunday evening.

A day off passed in the blink of an eye.

The next day, after morning training, Tang Long had just returned to the hotel when he received a call from Ranocchia.

"Let's go out for a meal together, hurry up!"

"Didn't you just eat at the club? Are you going to eat again?"

Ranocchia smiled mysteriously on the other end of the phone, "I've brought someone with me. He's very important to our new season. I'll send you the address, come over right away!"