A Flying Two-Footed Tackle Right from the Start! This Is How a Serie A Rookie Makes His First Start!

Bologna, a city of mountains and rivers.

The city lay on the southern edge of the Po Valley, at the northern foot of the Apennine Mountains. With its beautiful scenery and pleasant climate, it was one of the best places to live in Italy.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world visited, taking photos to remember their trip.

But Tang Long didn't have the time or the inclination to admire the scenery.

Inter Milan's team bus was heading toward Bologna's home ground, Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.

The poorly maintained road was full of potholes. Even the luxurious bus, which had cost 300,000 euros and boasted the world's most comfortable suspension, couldn't smooth out the bumps.

Berni, the third-choice goalkeeper, was giving Tang Long one last bit of guidance before the match.

"Don't be nervous about your first start, Tang. Just play the way you do in training!

"You're playing as an attacking midfielder. The old-fashioned playmaker is a thing of the past now. This position demands more running than even a striker's. If you stop running, you'll cut off the link between the midfield and the forwards!

"Oh, and they've got a Canadian defensive midfielder named Davis. He's especially nasty. The kid likes to kick you where it hurts and stamp on your heels, and he's always trying to provoke you. You make a move, and he'll grab his face and go down. Palacio learned that the hard way last year—he got sent off!

"Every away match in Serie A is tough. Mid-table teams like Bologna are full of crafty veterans. They love picking on rookies like you. Don't back down—give as good as you get!

"If they shoulder you, shoulder them back. If they slide in, slide right back. Anyone gives you trouble, I'll sort him out!"

From the row ahead, Ranocchia poked his head over the seat and suddenly called out in a deliberately loud voice:

"Uncle Bei, you're sitting on the bench. How are you going to sort anyone out?"

The whole bus burst into laughter.

Berni wasn't offended. He just grinned and said:

"I'll charge onto the pitch and take him on, then. I'm not scared!"

"Give it a rest, Uncle Bei. Your last red-card suspension only just ended. If you get another one, will your tiny salary even cover the fine?"

"Mind your own damn business, you big idiot!" Berni shot back with a laugh.

It was the team's first match after the winter break, and the mood was pretty relaxed.

But Tang Long couldn't relax.

He had no mind to look at the lovely scenery outside the window.

This was the first time in his professional career he'd started a Serie A match!

He'd waited so long for this day.

He hadn't taken a single day off during the entire winter break. He'd worked brutally hard and poured sweat into every session.

His physical condition had improved tremendously, and at last he'd made the starting lineup for the fourteenth round of Serie A.

But Tang Long's starting spot wasn't the only change.

Mancini's adjustments to the rest of the team drew even more attention.

The formation remained 4-3-1-2, but Palacio had been dropped up front, with new signing Podolski partnering Icardi.

In midfield, new signing Brozovic was in the middle of the three, flanked by Medel and Kovacic.

Mancini had always liked players from the former Yugoslavia. In his view, they came cheap, asked for low wages, worked hard, and were good at winning challenges. They also had a dogged refusal to give up.

That might have had something to do with the conditions they'd grown up in. Many had spent their childhoods amid unrest, or even war.

At the back, D'Ambrosio and Nagatomo Yuto were the fullbacks, with Ranocchia and Andreolli in the middle.

In goal was the ever-present Handanovic.

Vroom, vroom—the bus drove along a narrow European road and into the stadium...

"Zhuang'er TV!

"Zhuang'er TV!

"Welcome to the fourteenth round of the 2014–2015 Serie A season, a highly anticipated match between Inter Milan and Bologna, with Inter Milan playing away!

"Why is this such a big match? Because a player from China, Tang Long—remember that name!

"Tang Long is starting for Inter Milan!

"After becoming the first Chinese player to appear in Serie A and then the first to provide an assist, Tang Long has made history for Chinese football once again!

"He's in the starting lineup!

"This is the first time a Chinese player has started a Serie A match!"

Duan Xuan's commentary was impassioned, his words flying out in a torrent.

When he shouted the last word, he was so excited that his voice cracked.

Beside him, Zhang Lu was just as moved!

Seeing Tang Long in the players' tunnel during the pre-match broadcast, adjusting his shin guards, sent a surge of warmth through him. His eyes shone above his prominent eye bags!

"Ah, it really hasn't been easy. I started commentating on Serie A in 1991, and I've been doing it for 23 years!

"Over the years, I've watched South Korean, Japanese, and Iranian players appear in Serie A. I kept wondering, when would our Chinese players get the same chance?

"I never imagined that in my twenty-fourth year commentating, I'd witness such rapid progress from a Chinese player in Serie A!

"Let's look forward to Tang Long's performance today!"

Tang Long was playing in the position Guarin had occupied in the previous match.

Guarin had scored a hat trick in that game!

The pressure on Tang Long was obvious.

Tang Long understood it himself: a starting position had to be earned, not handed to him as charity!

Guarin had lost his place in the starting lineup because of his weight.

But that didn't mean he'd lost it forever!

Once Guarin got back into shape, he'd be back in the lineup in no time. Last year, he'd clashed with Mancini in the dressing room and missed two matches, yet Mancini had still brought him back afterward. Didn't that say it all?

If Tang Long wanted to hold on to his place, he had to perform even better than Guarin!

"Whoosh!"

Right from the opening whistle, Tang Long pressed relentlessly and forced Bologna's defensive midfielder toward the touchline. He picked his moment and slid in low, cleanly dispossessing him!

The ball soared high into the air and flew into the stands amid gasps from the crowd!

The spectacular sliding tackle had happened right in front of Inter Milan's bench.

"Beautiful! Get him! The bastard!"

Berni was fired up. He sat in his seat, waving a towel vigorously at Tang Long.

The other players hurried out of range, afraid Berni's towel might smack them in the face, but they applauded Tang Long's performance too.

Mancini, immaculate in his suit, lit up. Hey, this kid's got plenty of aggression!

Davis, who had fallen to the ground, slowly got up. He looked down at his now-dirty shorts, then fixed Tang Long with a deeply hostile stare.

"Hey, number 99! Watch it!" he shouted at Tang Long.

Tang Long pointed at the referee and shot back in Italian, "I didn't foul you. What are you yelling about?"

Davis glared at him and walked up close, until their noses were nearly touching.

"Your first year in Serie A, right?" The Canadian midfielder gave a sinister smile. "I'll help you grow up, kid. I'll make you grow up in the ninety minutes we've got today. That is, if you can last until the final whistle."