As time passed, more and more players entered the stadium.
After taking a photo together by the sidelines, Lu Yang and Moric went inside.
After all, they were members of a small club. The biggest stadiums they had visited before were Marassi Stadium, shared by Serie A sides Genoa and Sampdoria.
But that stadium was clearly no match for the grandeur of Juventus Stadium.
To celebrate Moric growing two centimeters taller, Lu Yang opened five random gift packs, keeping only two.
He wanted to see if he could get a height boost and impress Moric again.
Unfortunately, there was nothing noteworthy among them.
That was right—Lu Yang's standards had long since risen.
With a superstar-level skill under his belt, he already looked down on these five player-level skills.
Defensive Feint: Use a feint to deceive your opponent and tempt them into trying to break through, thereby increasing your chances of winning the ball.
Interception Feint: Use a feint to deceive your opponent into passing, thereby increasing your chances of intercepting the ball.
Defensive Positioning: Makes you more perceptive when judging where to position yourself on defense.
Leg-Stretch Interception: Increases your chances of intercepting the ball.
Physical Defense: Increases your chances of winning the ball in a physical contest.
Five defensive skills in a row. Lu Yang almost sprayed Moric with his salty soda.
Moric really was cursed!
But when Lu Yang looked at his tackle and interception stats, he froze.
Thanks to those five skills, both stats had climbed to 72!
A single skill above 70 meant that Lu Yang had reached the basic standard for the Top Five Leagues in both abilities.
Whatever else happened, there was no need to worry about Sanremo's defense next season.
Latuidi was already a defensive powerhouse, and Lu Yang's defensive ability had now improved even further.
At that moment, Lu Yang could only mourn the attacking players of Serie C.
Tremble!
If you manage to get a shot off, I'll eat my words!
Lu Yang and Moric then entered the stadium, where more than thirty players had already arrived.
Some were showing off their ball control, dancing the ball between their feet. They didn't know what they would be facing later, but warming up in advance couldn't hurt.
Besides, cameras were constantly capturing everyone. Showing off their touch might even win them a few fans.
They did whatever looked cool—flashy, graceful moves that were a delight to watch.
Of course, some players either weren't good at fancy footwork or disdained trying to win over the crowd that way. They instead gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing.
Most of the players here were either from elite clubs' youth academies or on loan to Serie B sides. They were more or less part of the same circle, knew one another, and had plenty to talk about.
A few spots on the field stood out immediately because they were particularly crowded.
Those were the areas around the five S-class players. They were certain to make the final eighteen-man squad, and might even start in the first eleven. If you got along with them, your own chances of being selected would rise considerably.
Of course, some people were sociable, and others weren't.
Sanremo's new signing, Baizami, stood off to one side, looking cold and wanting nothing to do with anyone.
But keeping to himself didn't mean he'd avoid trouble.
A player wearing an Inter Milan shirt walked over to Baizami.
There was no doubt about it: he was from Inter's youth academy.
Many people nearby watched him and Baizami, eager to see what would happen.
Before long, the Inter youth player and Baizami were arguing.
Baizami shoved him away, even looking ready to start a fight.
The group who had been watching rushed over and pushed Baizami back, then surrounded him.
The one leading them was none other than Aguilar, widely considered the strongest player at this training camp!
"Hey, Baizami, learn to take a joke. You two played together for two years, after all." Aguilar acted like an older brother, but the smile at the corner of his mouth was deeply unpleasant.
"I don't think that was a joke. I hate it when people joke about my skin color or my father." Baizami was visibly agitated.
The other player had insulted him and made fun of his father.
As a Black kid, Baizami had, sadly, ended up with the all-too-common deadbeat father who had a kid and then took off. He didn't even know his father's name. His father might not even know that Baizami existed.
That was precisely why this was a sore subject for many Black players with similar backgrounds.
"I said it was a joke, so it was a joke. You shouldn't have laid hands on him. Apologize, or I can't promise what you'll face during the rest of training!" Aguilar put on an impressive big-brother act, as if he were standing up for his Inter teammate.
But anyone with eyes could see that they were bullying Baizami.
Don't ask why something so idiotic could happen.
And don't think it was strange or unbelievable.
Plenty of teams in real life had this kind of idiotic behavior going on, again and again.
Maybe it had something to do with some players' limited education or the frustration of struggling careers. Maybe they just needed to vent.
Whatever the reason, there were plenty of idiots around.
Other players stood nearby besides Aguilar's group, but most just watched without reacting.
They knew Baizami was difficult to get along with, and there was no reason to offend Aguilar on his behalf.
Aguilar actually played in Serie A!
The production crew had of course noticed what was happening, but they didn't intervene.
They were making a reality show in documentary form, and normally they wouldn't interfere with the filming.
They had only notified the five mentors, but all five were still on their way, so...
The crew was delighted to have this kind of conflict to film.
Even if there hadn't been a conflict, they would have created one themselves.
Otherwise, what would the show have to keep people watching?
The show's chief director even told a staff member beside him, "If it turns physical, our staff should step in and stop it. But if they're only arguing, leave them alone."
"Oh, and make sure to get a few shots of the key players' expressions and reactions."
"Aguilar's trying to establish himself as the boss. The other S-class youngsters probably won't just stand by and watch him swagger around."
"Also, give that Lu Yang plenty of screen time. He and Sophia... Oh, just hearing that name makes me mad. Damn Lu Yang, he actually made Sophia..."
Suddenly, a staff member cut off the director's rant. "Director, looks like we don't need to give him screen time. He knows how to find the cameras himself."
"What? Who?" The chief director froze and looked at the monitor.
On the field, Lu Yang was walking toward Baizami and Aguilar.
Moric followed close behind. His expression was serious, his lips pressed together, and he looked a little nervous.
He knew what Lu Yang was about to do. He understood Lu Yang's personality and temper all too well.
But... the other side had a whole crowd of guys who were six feet tall or more, some even six foot three. Lu Yang, are you sure you want to go over there?
I'm only five foot eight, damn it!
Bang!
Moric didn't even have time to stop him.
Lu Yang had already kicked a nearby ball toward Aguilar.
It flew fast!
Thwack!
There was no denying that Lu Yang's aim had improved.
The ball hit Aguilar squarely.
Aguilar spun around and roared, "Who the hell kicked that? Are you blind?"
Everyone looked at Lu Yang, the one who had kicked the ball. He walked over with a smile and said, "Relax, buddy. I was just joking with you."
Aguilar found Lu Yang vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place him. He was still furious. "Do I know you? What kind of joke is that? Apologize! You just hurt me!"
People around them began to whisper.
"Who's that? He looks familiar."
"I remember! Lu Yang, that's Lu Yang!"
"What? Him?"
"The rumored young boyfriend of Sophia?"
"Didn't Aguilar mock Lu Yang before? How come he doesn't recognize him?"
"Lu Yang from Sanremo, the toughest man in football? I saw that short video of him getting treated. It was incredible!"
"His hat trick afterward was amazing, too."
"And his eyes are terrifying!"
"Baizami transferred to Sanremo, right? That's Lu Yang and Moric's team."
"So this is going to get interesting?"
Lu Yang stopped in front of Baizami, glanced at him, then turned to Aguilar. "So you don't like it when people joke with you either! Since you know not everyone enjoys being joked about, don't go making jokes at other people's expense."
"Just like you said, now I want you to apologize to Baizami. As a player from a big club, you shouldn't be making racist remarks or dragging someone's parents into it. What will the fans think of Roma? Will they think Roma is a club that discriminates against Black players?"
"What you said could cause Roma a public-relations crisis. It could also upset the Black players on your team. You've damaged the team's unity. You're a disgrace to Roma, understand?"
"Apologize now and get this under control. That's the best way to handle it."
As he finished speaking, Lu Yang pointed at the camera beside them.
Aguilar's face instantly turned deathly pale.
The camera!
Damn it!
"Hey, kid, are you looking for trouble?" A six-foot-two player beside him stepped forward, taking some of the pressure off Aguilar.
He shoved his chest against Lu Yang.
But Lu Yang didn't budge an inch. He rammed his own chest into the other man's. "Be confident. Drop the 'looking for.' I'm already giving you trouble, got it, a bunch of cowards!"
Then Lu Yang suddenly drove forward.
The other player hadn't expected Lu Yang to be so strong in a physical contest. Caught off guard, he stumbled back several steps.
That scene was a perfect match for Lu Yang's calling them cowards.
The chief director nearly burst into applause in front of the monitor.
It was like watching a gangster movie.
And Lu Yang looked every bit like the boss!
What a scene!
When it aired, he would definitely include footage of Lu Yang's red card in Serie D as a historical reference.
In that match, Lu Yang had taken down three thugs from Potenza, including the notorious Borges.
The players around Aguilar were furious, all of them eager to rush at Lu Yang.
But Lu Yang didn't retreat. Instead, he beckoned them over. "Come on, come on! Anyone who isn't afraid of dying, bring it. I'll eat my words if even one of you can still stand afterward!"
His imposing presence made them hesitate.
For one thing, they recognized Lu Yang.
And Lu Yang was famous for more than his romance with Sophia.
The toughest man in football wasn't just a boast.
Who else would have stayed on the field after suffering an injury that bad?
Only Lu Yang!
Pictures of his bloodied face had appeared on the front pages of many newspapers that day!
The match where Lu Yang got sent off had also made a huge impact. Maniero and Carlisle had been there, so there were plenty of media outlets covering it.
The scene of Lu Yang taking on three men by himself was a must-have highlight in every year-end review of Italian football.
Seeing that the situation was about to get out of hand, Aguilar hurriedly spoke up. "What kind of professional player solves everything with a fight? We should settle this on the pitch!"
With that, Aguilar flicked up the ball Lu Yang had kicked at him earlier and juggled it a few times. "Let's resolve our differences the way professional players do. Are you up for it?"
With cameras rolling, Aguilar still wanted to maintain his image as a "star."
Besides, he was certain there wasn't a single player on this pitch better than him.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Baizami was young and hotheaded, and he charged forward first.
He wanted to stand up for himself. He didn't need anyone else's help.
But ten minutes later, Baizami lowered his head in frustration.
He had lost.
One-on-one, with attack and defense alternating: five attacks and five defensive turns each, one minute per turn, ten minutes in total.
Baizami hadn't managed to stop Aguilar once, while Aguilar had taken the ball from him three times.
He'd lost completely.
"Trash!" Aguilar was arrogant after winning. Then he looked at Lu Yang, making his meaning obvious.
"Aguilar is very well-rounded. His dribbling, ball control, and even shooting are all top-notch." Ceballos of Monaco had high praise for Aguilar.
"Yeah. Apart from being a little slow, he has almost no weaknesses." Parrott of Porto nodded in agreement.
"Even physically, he's stronger than a pure speed winger like Baizami," Lam of Liverpool said.
"He can organize the attack, too, and he has a knack for passing. He's an all-around forward, but..." Canyes of Juventus didn't say the rest.
But all-around could also mean all-around mediocre, especially in the Top Five Leagues. Unless every aspect of your game was top-notch, being all-around wasn't necessarily a good thing.
In fact, that was the main thing keeping Aguilar from becoming Roma's starting right winger... He wasn't outstanding enough to become a star!
"Lift your head," Lu Yang said, patting Baizami on the shoulder. His tone was somewhat stern.
Baizami looked at Lu Yang in confusion.
This guy had greeted him out of nowhere earlier, helped him out of nowhere just now, and was now scolding him out of nowhere. Was he crazy?
"I don't like arrogant people, but I do like people who stand by their words and hold their ground. If you're as unyielding on the inside as you are on the outside, then what you should do now is glare right at him and never back down!" After saying that, Lu Yang walked toward Aguilar. "Come on, whatever your name is—some kind of trash or whatever. Today I'm going to tell you a truth about Italian football!"
Aguilar was furious that Lu Yang couldn't even remember his name, but he wanted to hear what this truth was. "What truth?"
Lu Yang kicked the ball toward Aguilar, scanned the field, then said, "You can bully any player you want. It has nothing to do with me. But you absolutely cannot bully a San Remo player. Otherwise... I'll make you feel the Butcher's fury!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Yang charged at Aguilar.
Aguilar hurriedly dragged the ball aside to dodge, but it was too late. Lu Yang was too fast.
And too precise!
With a Slide Tackle, Lu Yang kicked the ball away from under Aguilar's feet, then took him down in the same motion.
Looking at Aguilar sprawled on the ground, he snarled, "You've already failed once, Mr. Trash-ilar!"
All around them, the players watched Lu Yang turn fierce in an instant, but what lingered in their minds was how calm he had been during the slide tackle.
The key was that the move hadn't been a foul.
It was a perfect tackle!
How terrifying would a player be if he had the mind of an angel, the temper of a devil, and the ability to match?