Guarin Returns to the Starting Lineup, Backed by Mancini's Cunning!

The time had arrived at mid-December.

For the 13th round of Serie A, Inter Milan hosted the underdog Chievo at their home stadium.

The winter break for Serie A this year arrived relatively early; after this match, the Serie A league would enter a twenty-day winter hiatus.

For several years, sports broadcasters, driven by profit, had been encouraging Serie A to learn from the Premier League by shortening or even canceling the winter break.

After all, broadcasting matches during the Christmas season could significantly boost viewership ratings.

For fans, watching football during the holidays was also a pleasant pastime.

However, this proposal was met with strong opposition from 17 out of the 20 teams at the league-wide meeting!

Unlike the Premier League, the owners of most Serie A teams were locals.

They possessed a relatively traditional and conservative mindset.

"Christmas is meant for holidays. If you force our players to play, can they focus? No!"

"Serie A needs a winter break, especially small teams like our Verona. We need to buy and sell players to bolster our strength, otherwise, we will definitely be relegated in the second half of the season!"

"We in Italy have a deep-rooted football culture; why should we learn from the British up north?"

"It's simply unreasonable; someone is trying to divide Italian football!"

In the end, the sports broadcasters were rebuffed, and the matter came to nothing.

Of course, for the players competing in Serie A, having a winter break was naturally a wonderful thing.

Who wouldn't want to reunite with family, girlfriends, and friends during Christmas?

You want me to go to work and play football during the holidays?

To hell with football!

However, Inter Milan manager Mancini placed extra importance on this match before the winter break.

He had long since finished watching all the recordings of Chievo's last ten matches, and together with assistant coach Herrera, Chivu, and technical analyst Caramosi, he mapped out the tactical approach.

At the same time, during the final training session on Saturday, Mancini emphasized to the players:

"The holidays are approaching, and I know many of your minds have already flown to the beaches of the Iberian Peninsula, but whether the team can achieve a three-game winning streak is a psychological barrier we must overcome!"

Why did Mancini value a three-game winning streak so much?

This brings us back to the old topic of the former manager, Mazzarri.

During the year and a half that Mazzarri coached Inter Milan.

Under his reign, the Nerazzurri had actually never achieved a three-game winning streak in the league!

Occasionally, after achieving two consecutive wins, the fans would think Mazzarri was finally stepping up and that Inter Milan was about to hold their heads high.

As a result, no matter who they played in the third round—whether it was traditional powerhouses like Juventus or AC Milan, or relegation-threatened teams like Catania or Chievo—the result was always a draw or a loss, mostly losses.

Therefore, some Inter Milan fans from China, in a mix of grief and indignation, turned their frustration into inspiration and created a catchy song for Mazzarri—

Mazzarri, Playing Like Garbage

The melody was borrowed from the Journey to the West animated series.

"Mazzarri, playing like garbage"

"Bringing a three-back formation to Inter"

"The Five Brothers and Big Obi"

"And Kuzmanovic"

"What invincible Bayern, what Galactico Real Madrid"

"What Red Devils Manchester United, what cosmic Barca"

"What long-ball transitions, what defensive counter-attacks"

"None can stop the truly awesome garbage play"

"Leading Inter to the Europa League zone!"

"Mazzarri, playing like garbage"

"It's not easy for Kuzmanovic to be the core"

"The attack is toothless, making everyone anxious"

"Mazzarri wants to play like garbage himself"

"What Icardi, he has his own magical tricks"

"No matter if the league winless streak continues, just use a penalty to defeat the enemy"

"What long-ball punts, he has his own magical tricks"

"Obi makes a fast breakthrough, Guarin blasts the ball into the stands"

"The master and his disciples slay demons and fight monsters with one heart"

"Inter can't even beat the team in last place!"

Although it was just a joke, there was a lot of exaggeration in the lyrics.

But Inter Milan in the years following their treble.

Truly redefined the lower limits for many fans regarding this century-old Serie A giant founded in 1908!

Mancini and Mazzarri were different; Mancini was a championship-winning manager who had secured significant league titles, placing him two tiers above Mazzarri.

He knew very well that a three-game winning streak was a psychological barrier Inter Milan had to overcome!

Even though this round was against a weak opponent like Chievo, and they were playing at home.

Mancini believed that no one could afford to let their guard down!

Even if the arrogant Mancini felt that beating Chievo was a sure thing, that was merely strategic contempt; tactical respect remained absolutely essential.

To this end, Mancini made a shocking adjustment to the starting lineup.

Guarin returned to the starting eleven!

When Mancini announced the starting lineup in front of everyone on the training ground.

As soon as Guarin's name was mentioned, the Argentine BBQ Gang and the Italian Local Faction were both stunned!

Wasn't this kid frozen out?

How was he starting!

Even Guarin himself hadn't expected it.

He had already privately asked his agent to find him a new club.

Could it be that the manager had started to trust him again?

No one could guess what was on Mancini's mind.

At the age of fifty, Mancini had become more mature than ever before.

If he had completely frozen out and kicked a player out of the team just because of a quiet mutter in the locker room questioning his tactics, then Mancini wouldn't be a legendary manager.

Mancini needed to use a player like Guarin.

Guarin had many flaws on the pitch.

He was reckless and prone to losing his head, leading the team in yellow cards every season.

He had a volatile temper, complained about his teammates, and loved to play hero ball.

But Guarin's strengths were also extremely prominent!

He was the strongest player on the Inter Milan squad, and with him present, the midfield's toughness would rise by a level.

He was the hardest-working player in terms of running, a loyal meat grinder.

Although his long shots often flew into the stands, it was undeniable that he was still the highest-scoring midfielder every season!

Moreover, Guarin had led Porto to win the UEFA Europa League in the 2010-2011 season.

Inter Milan had purged all the meritorious players from the treble era over the past few years, and Guarin was now one of the few championship-winning players left in the squad—someone who had seen the big stage.

If they kicked Guarin out, trying to bring in a player with a similar role in the same position would cost at least 25 million euros in the winter window!

For an Inter Milan with a strained financial situation, that was out of the question.

Mancini treated Guarin with a carrot-and-stick approach: slap you once, then give you a piece of candy.

As long as you are obedient, you will still have a place to play on the team.

Ever since his pampered foster son Balotelli had broken his heart.

The Italian manager had changed his strategy toward players.

He would never again open his heart to any player or be unconditionally good to them.

In Mancini's view, I am the coach, and everything I do is to maintain my position.

I am good to you because you are useful to me; you have value for me to utilize.

Additionally, Mancini keenly sensed that if Guarin couldn't hold his ground in the team, the South American Faction led by him would decline.

Ever since the conflict on the training ground sparked by Tang Long.

Mancini had been pondering this issue.

The Argentine BBQ Gang and the Italian Local Faction had a tendency to unite, and they would join forces to suppress the South American Faction.

If Mancini let it be, the former's influence would gradually expand and might even take control of the locker room.

Argentines and Italians naturally shared a strong blood connection!

Argentina had a population of 40 million, and at least 20 million of them had Italian blood flowing through their veins.

Names like Icardi and Zanetti.

All carried strong Italian cultural colors—they were descendants of Italian immigrants who arrived a hundred years ago, after World War I.

A united locker room had many benefits.

But Mancini was wary of seeing a completely united locker room.

Division and checks and balances are the management techniques Mancini must master as the head coach of a Serie A powerhouse.

He has seen too many examples of this.

If a team's results remain consistently good, it can mask a multitude of problems.

Once a team falls into a slump, however, conflicts will erupt!

Players collectively turning against the manager and demanding the board replace him is something that happens every year across the top five leagues.

As a world-class manager, the inside information Mancini learns from his peers is far more extensive than what those self-proclaimed professional media outlets know!

If all the players in the locker room are twisted into a single, tight rope, that rope can be used to lash out at opponents, but it can just as easily be used to lash out at their head coach.

If three ropes are loosely intertwined and tangled together.

The only person capable of wielding that whip can be Mancini himself.