Already Forty in the Mortal World, Still Riding Horses and Roaring in the Long Wind!
Inter Milan coach Chivu erupted in anger during the pre-match meeting.
Facing Juventus, the entire coaching staff seemed listless, their words revealing a lack of confidence, creating an unusually awkward atmosphere.
The video produced by Inter Milan's film analyst was so poorly edited that it was clearly rushed out overnight.
When Chivu worked as a video analyst at Inter Milan and Manchester City, he would often work through the night on videos. However, this was not because he was rushing to finish them, but because he had higher standards for himself and wanted to present his analysis to the coaching staff as quickly as possible.
"This is Juventus! They're going to win the title on our home turf! Is this your attitude? Ridiculous!"
Chivu slammed his fist on the table three times, then stormed off.
In the head coach's office.
Chivu sat in a chair smoking.
His expression was obscured by the swirling smoke.
Romania never imagined they would ever touch tobacco.
Whether as a professional player or in the early stages of his career as a professional coach after retirement, he always looked down on tobacco.
"It's a harmful thing that erodes my health and mind. I must never be like Mr. Mancini, who smokes one cigarette after another without stopping." This was what Chivu thought every time he saw Mancini smoking when he was around him.
But now, he understands why Mancini smokes.
Although puffing out smoke doesn't alleviate the depression in one's heart, it is a way to distract and dispel it; the swirling smoke in front of one's face probably also serves to cover up one's shame.
While smoking, my gaze inadvertently fell upon a small crystal frame on the corner of the table.
[Already forty years old, I still ride my horse and roar in the wind.]
The calligraphy photograph, measuring about 20 centimeters in width, is encased in a crystal frame.
This was a gift Tang Long gave to his mentor, Chivu, on his 40th birthday in 2020.
"Mr. Chivu, I wish you continued passion throughout your coaching career. In my heart, you will always be that great left-back who marked Robben to death in the 2010 UEFA Champions League final!"
The calligraphy is elegant and free-flowing, yet powerful and penetrating, and is the work of Nie Weiping, a chess master and friend of Tang Long.
At the time, Chivu was coaching Palermo, and the calligraphy and paintings were hung on the wall behind the head coach's office.
The calligraphy and paintings came with him to Inter Milan, but Chivu kept them, took photos of them, and placed them in the corner of his desk.
The reason is actually quite simple.
The Inter Milan manager's office sees far more people coming and going than Palermo's, a diverse mix including many administrative officials. Almost everyone who visits Chivu's office for the first time is drawn to the calligraphy and painting with its oriental connotations and asks Chivu about its meaning.
One day, Chivu got tired of being asked questions, so he simply took down the calligraphy and paintings, replaced them with photos, and placed them on the table.
As he smoked, the hazy smoke blurred Chivu's vision, but his mind suddenly became clear and serene.
Tang Long's name appeared again, Chivu subconsciously opened the desk drawer.
A gold 2016-2017 UEFA Champions League medal lies quietly in its velvet sheen, and Chivu's thoughts, like wisps of smoke, gradually fade into the past...
June 3, 2017, Cardiff Millennium Stadium, Wales.
After Tang Long scored the equalizer in the 30th minute of the first half.
The score was 1-1.
Cristiano Ronaldo angrily yelled at Ramos!
That roar was so loud that Chivu, standing on the sidelines about forty meters away, could still hear it clearly amidst the clamor of the fans.
Eight years later, Chivu still remembers Cristiano Ronaldo's words.
"Ramos! This is the shitty defense you've led!"
Chivu thought to himself with surprise, "Why is Cristiano Ronaldo talking to his teammate like that?"
Ramos is an absolute mainstay of the Spain national team and a core player in the team's three titles in four years.
That's incredibly disrespectful to your teammates!
But what happened next made Chivu burst out laughing.
Tang Long ran towards Real Madrid's goal, trying to retrieve the ball.
This sends a firm signal – we, Manchester City, are not content with just equalizing; in the first half, we are going to take the lead!
Real Madrid goalkeeper Navas was kneeling on the ground, helplessly spreading his hands.
Ramos was very close to the goal. He rushed forward, bent down, and tried to grab the ball, not letting Tang Long take it away easily. He wanted to at least struggle with Tang Long before handing the ball to him.
Unexpectedly, Tang Long moved swiftly, barely accelerating, yet he appeared beside the ball ahead of time. With a gentle pull of his foot, the ball swished between Ramos's legs. Tang Long then chuckled, picked up the ball, and charged towards the center circle.
Poor Ramos stood there, stunned, watching Tang Long walk away.
This shot wasn't shown on the broadcast, but Chivu, Cristiano Ronaldo, and all the players on the field saw it clearly.
"Haha! Ramos, you've finally met your match, haha!" Chivu couldn't help but clap and cheer.
As a fellow defender, Chivu knows all too well what it feels like to be nutmegged.
Especially after Tang Long exploited the gap behind him to score, being humiliated again while the ball was dead was a complete disgrace for the core of Spain's defense.
Chivu knew that Tang Long's eagerness for the game to resume as soon as possible was not only because he wanted to overtake Real Madrid in the first half, but also because he wanted to compete with Cristiano Ronaldo for the Golden Boot!
After each scoring a goal, their UEFA Champions League tallies are 22 and 21 respectively.
In any previous season, this would have been a sure thing for the Golden Boot. But the situation that year was clearly extraordinary. Two football superstars were engaged in an unprecedented battle. Thinking of this, Chivu couldn't help but feel excited. Standing on the sidelines, he jumped up and down twice, clenching his fists...
"Hey! Christian, you're daydreaming again!"
Berni's sudden arrival broke Chivu's train of thought. His hand trembled, and a long trail of ash fell from his cigarette. The cigarette butt burned him, and he couldn't help but frown.
Berni didn't stand on ceremony and plopped down opposite Chivu, took off one shoe, put his foot on the chair, picked at his toes with one hand, and rubbed his large beard with the other, making a rustling sound.
You haven't been doing too well lately.
"I always see you spacing out. Okay, I know it's tough for you, but who hasn't had a tough time at Inter Milan in the last ten years or so? Even Mr. Mancini, who won the UEFA Europa League back then, had a tough time. Back then, I was still the third goalkeeper, and you were still in the youth team, bickering with that little bastard Laino."
"Later, you went to the first team coaching staff and brought Tang up with you, so things went much more smoothly afterward."
"Although we won the UEFA Europa League, we were still outmatched by Juventus in the league! That old dog Buffon, he was the loudest barking when Juventus were marching in Turin. It's a pity he's retired now, otherwise..."
Chivu interrupted Berni's incessant chatter.
"You didn't see the pathetic state they were in at the coaching staff meeting. It made me so angry!"
"Alright, never mind. So, how did your trip to Madrid go? Does Tang have any intention of returning to Inter Milan next season?"
Berni leaned back in his chair, looked up at the ceiling light, and muttered to himself:
"Ah, yes, will he come back? I saw Dom in Madrid, and I also saw his wife Gracie, but will he come back? He's almost 30, no longer a young player. He had the best years of his career at Manchester City and Real Madrid, winning every title imaginable, so I think he will come back, this summer."