If you are a brother, come and play football

Chapter 162 The Battle of the World Champions (Please Subscribe)

For the Italian peninsula, it was just an ordinary match.

The attention it garnered was even less than that of the Sampdoria vs. Milan match.

However, it caused quite a stir in Britain.

Breathtakingly powerful!
Even if Lu Deyang were to leave the field, Manchester United would have no chance.

Manchester United's two late goals in the last match were entirely due to Sampdoria's inability to adapt to the style of the League One team.

English television and newspapers were giving frantic coverage of the two-legged tie.

Manchester United have only lost two league games so far this season and are one of the biggest favorites to win the League One title.

Being thrashed 9-3 by Sampdoria is not just a Manchester United issue, but also an England issue.

Is Italian football strong?
Do not!
Lu Deyang is powerful!
Only in this way will the British public buy it.

Even without consultation, Fleet Street can easily grasp the public's preferences, resulting in an unusually unified public opinion.

The Times wrote: "With 6 goals and 3 assists, leading the team to a 9-3 victory over Manchester United, it can be said that Dejan almost single-handedly defeated Manchester United. Italian teams were indeed ahead of us, but not by such an exaggerated margin. It was Dejan who made them look invincible. We have no doubt that if Dejan played in Germany or Scotland, he would still make the team invincible."

The Times was relatively fair in this regard, acknowledging that the Italian league was better than theirs.

The Guardian: "Sampdoria employed a tactic that was both advanced and retro. They relied more on their backline for organization, but in terms of overall game cohesion, they were inferior to Manchester United, relying more on the individual abilities of their star players. Unfortunately, Dejan's individual ability far exceeded Manchester United's limits, so in the end we witnessed a crushing defeat."

While they may not be able to beat Sampdoria, making it easier for foreign players to play in England would significantly improve the strength of English football.

This media outlet, popular among young people, frequently provides analysis and is one of the most progressive newspapers in Britain.

The question of whether to continue closing the country off is something that comes up every time a League One team loses a game.

The labor certification policy is certainly not all bad.

This ensures playing time for local players.

Italy has repeatedly changed its restrictions on the number of foreign players because of this.

It's quite clear that they made the changes because of the Italian national team's performance.

This approach makes some sense, but it's also quite ridiculous.

There is simply no sustainable approach.

Does Italy's victory mean we can relax our efforts in developing the next generation of young players?
The Daily Telegraph reported on the match from a different perspective.

They wrote: "With over 8 British people traveling to Genoa this time, Sampdoria's influence has transcended the realm of football, greatly boosting the local tourism industry. The restaurants that Dejan and his teammates frequented, and even the pubs where they once negotiated, are popular tourist destinations for British people. It makes us sad that English football doesn't even have an idol for our people to idolize."

The Manchester Evening News finally managed to interview Ferguson.

Ferguson told reporters: "You and I saw completely different games. I learned a lot from both legs and have a clearer idea of ​​the team's future. Manchester United will be making signings in some areas, and soon you will see a completely new team."

This game solidified his confidence in transforming the team.

Three days later, Sampdoria drew 2-2 with Roma away from home.

At this point, no one cared about the match anymore, and a week later they won 1-0 against Torino.

The entire Sampdoria team flew to Japan again.

This time it's for the Toyota Cup, which was the early Club World Cup.

Sampdoria's opponent is Chilean powerhouse Colo-Colo.

At this time, South American teams also had some strength. The less convenient the information and transportation were, the more difficult it was for those talented people from South American countries to go abroad.

In the new century, it will be much harder for small countries to retain a talent like Francescoli. He was noticed by big clubs before he was even an adult, and transferred directly at the age of 18.

He won't play for his original team for very long.

Because it's a long-haul flight, everyone brings some things to keep them entertained.

Whether it's popular game consoles or Walkmans, they're all made in Japan.

"What are those two guys playing?"

Lu Deyang pointed to Mancini and Vialli in front and asked.

Redondo stood up, glanced at it, and said, "It looks like Tetris. That game requires a lot of reaction speed, and luck is also very important in the final stage."

"Yeah, indeed."

Lu Deyang nodded and said.

He's not very good at Tetris.

The cartridges he always carried were "Princess Maker," "Super Robot Wars," and "Secret of Mana."

At this time, because the graphics were generally not great, the games focused heavily on the story.

This is the model that Lu Deyang likes.

If the visuals are lacking in storytelling, then you might as well watch a movie.

Especially later on, some companies crammed in all sorts of random names like DEI and SBI, making it hard for new games to inspire any desire to buy them.

Lei Dongduo watched Lu Deyang playing the game and asked, "Is this fun?"

"Of course it's fun! Mech battles are the romance of passionate men!" Lu Deyang said with a smile.

At that time, buying a game cartridge would usually come with a formula book.

However, it's common for game companies to retconnives books.

New characters in Super Robot Wars often differ from what has been leaked.

If you hold the book and keep hoping for the best, you'll get ripped off.

Players from this era are still too easy to deal with.

However, developers are also like people.

Redondo, who was looking at a fashion magazine on the side, shook his head.

Although I also play games, I can't be as engrossed as Lu Deyang.

It's probably because he had so many things to play with when he was little.

While other children were still experiencing yachts and flying on the Famicom, he was already able to actually ride one.

Lu Deyang took out a Sharp RX-P1 and put in the tape.

Although CD players have been around for a few years, he still prefers the feel of cassette tapes. Reading the tape as it spins feels just like a real performance.

This is a collection of classic Western songs that I bought from the Gypsies.

The theme song "Unchained Melody" from the movie "Ghost" is playing.

Only when his collecting desires occasionally kick in would Lu Deyang think about moving to a different house.

There are so many things in this era that are collectible, commemorative, and valuable.

The entertainment and audio-visual aspects are quite exaggerated.

There are also various derivative products.

In the internet age, you can easily attract envious glances by simply posting something online.

“Fernando, if you were to collect, what would you collect?” Lu Deyang asked.

Collecting too many things is a waste of energy and time.

Money wasn't a big deal for him.

Without online trading websites, it's too difficult to buy some things.

“Bentley or Ferrari, Ferrari, I think Ferrari better represents a man’s aspirations, and red is beautiful too,” Redondo said, putting down the magazine.

Lu Deyang: ...

"I mean something more ordinary."

Lu Deyang said.

"Mercedes-Benz or BMW, Deyang, are you referring to the Bluebird?"

"Redondo asked."

"I mean more ordinary things, not just ordinary cars, like collecting a complete set of fashion magazines or collecting movie releases and videotapes."

Lu Deyang said.

After thinking for a moment, Redon said, "Then let's go with Adidas. I used to like this brand a lot, and when I was little I really wanted some of their products."

"Okay, I'll have them send you the new products."

Lu Deyang said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Besides Danzi, he's also the only one who can become a spokesperson and shareholder.

Unable to decide what to collect, Lu Deyang could only continue playing games.

A 17-hour long-haul flight.

The group disembarked at Haneda Airport at 5 p.m.

From the moment they stepped out of the airport, the entire Sampdoria team became the target of reporters' pursuit.

"Tokuyo-kun, are you here to pursue Kudo Shizuka this time?"

"Some Japanese national team players think your evaluation of them is too harsh. What do you think?"

"Toyota has promised that the best player in this final can choose their own car. Do you have a car in mind?"

"Someone has revealed that you have a close relationship with ZARD's lead singer, Izumi Sakai. Is that true?"

"..."

Mancini pulled Vialli aside and chuckled, "Dejan always has scandals, so it seems I'm the real good man on the team."

"You're just someone no one wants."

Vialli complained.

Lu Deyang glanced at his watch, held up three fingers, and said, "I'll say three minutes, then move aside and let us go to the hotel to rest."

The reporters nodded quickly.

Lu Deyang said, "First of all, let me say that I am just an ordinary friend of Ms. Kudo Shizuka. As for Izumi-kun, yes, I admire her. As for the thoughts of the Japanese national team players, they have nothing to do with me. They need to understand that on the national team field, they represent the entire nation. Men who lack mental strength may consider playing women's football. In Europe now, it is very popular to say that they consider themselves women."

The reporters burst into laughter.

"And what about Toyota cars? Is there anything you want?"

The reporter pressed for an answer.

"Sorry, I don't know much about this brand."

After Lu Deyang finished speaking, Redondo pushed the reporter away.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it's early now; that's because of the 7-hour time difference.

They took off from Genoa at 10 a.m. and flew for 17 hours, arriving in Tokyo at 5 p.m. By then, the entire Sampdoria team was quite tired.

Getting on the bus was no longer as joyful as it used to be.

"Even the British couldn't outmaneuver the Japanese."

Redondo pointed at the reporter and said.

The British have very distinctive features; they are easily recognizable.

“The Japanese aren’t their sons, and the Japanese media is crazy too,” Lu Deyang said. “Only Americans can get preferential treatment from the Japanese.”

The biological father's stepfather is not the same as his grandfather.

This is the relationship between Britain and Japan.

Otherwise, with so many countries that the US could be associated with, wouldn't Japan have a whole bunch of distant relatives and friends?

After returning to the hotel and having a quick bite to eat, the players went back to their rooms to rest.

Playing in Japan during the season is quite grueling.

After waking up, Izumi saw Izumi's message; she must have seen Samp's news in Tokyo.

He immediately apologized, saying he was too busy with his schedule to return to Tokyo right away.

After a day of opening and warm-up.

On December 7th, Sampdoria finally welcomed the Toyota Cup.

From the very beginning of the warm-up, the two teams received completely different treatment.

The Tokyo National Stadium is full of Sampdoria fans.

Or more accurately, Lu Deyang's fans.

There were many people in the stands wearing number 7 jerseys, and the girls were holding up posters of Lu Deyang.

With just one shout, it immediately revealed its not-so-good teeth.

"What should we do today? Should we give the Chileans some face?"

"Mancini asked."

They completely disregarded their opponents.

“Let’s play hard. Mr. Ferguson is a good man. If Chilean teams can play at a similar level to us, Mr. Ferguson will probably be unhappy,” Redondo said. “Besides, Dejan also has endorsements in England.”

"Alright then, for the sake of the captain's wallet, let's teach the Chileans a lesson today and show them that being a world champion isn't so easy!" Mancini shouted, raising his hand.

His teammates burst into laughter.

This guy always says some nonsense.

"Both teams' players are already preparing for the match. This continental tournament is about to begin. Colo-Colo is the champion of last year's Copa Libertadores. It's not easy for them to snatch this trophy from Brazilian and Argentinian teams."

"Yes, but they're definitely no match for Sampdoria. South American football is far behind our league," Rossi said.

"The players from both sides have returned to the tunnel. Let's take a look at the starting lineups for both sides."

Sampdoria 343:

Goalkeeper: Pagliuca

Defenders: Lanna, Materazzi, Wiljoward

Midfielders: Ludjohnsen, Redondo, Parry, Dossena, Mannini

Forwards: Vialli, Mancini.

Kolo Kolo 5-3-2 double defensive midfielders:
Goalkeeper: Daniel Moron

Defenders: Eduardo Wilchez, Miguel Ramirez, Javier Margas, Lizado Garrido, Gabriel Mendoza
Midfielders: Jaime Pizarro, Marcelo Batisto, Salva

Forwards: Patricio Yáñez, Rubén Martínez.

"Manchester United posed some threats to Sampdoria before, and maybe Kolo will have a good performance today as well."

"Perhaps that's true, but I don't have a high opinion of the Chileans."

As he walked out of the passage with his teammates, Lu Deyang realized he had forgotten about the lottery.

[Your good brother Lombardo performs exceptionally well at the club level, but has not performed well for the national team. Therefore, you have drawn a player who has performed exceptionally well for the national team. Ding! You have obtained a 2006-2007 Chilean League match between Colo-Colo and Alajuarens, featuring Alexis Sanchez.]

Damn it.

Isn't that an Inter Milan legend?

Sanchez simply couldn't perform well at Manchester United.

But when he returns to the national team, he truly delivers a top-tier performance.

Lu Deyang also noted that Mendoza later played for Shandong Luneng.

This Colo-Colo team is said to be strong, but there are no familiar faces. Even the midfielder Pizarro is just someone with the same surname, not someone he knows.

At 11:00 AM, Swiss referee Kurt Rosenberg blew the whistle to start the match.

The whistle was followed immediately by a high-pitched scream.

"Deyang-kun!!!!!"

The players on both sides paused for a moment before starting the match.

The Chileans all wore serious expressions. Martinez kicked off and immediately passed the ball across to Yáñez, who immediately passed it back.

Batisto didn't even rush forward when he got the ball.

As the team's attacking midfielder, his technique is quite outstanding.

However, he had heard of Sampdoria's reputation, and facing such an opponent, he certainly couldn't play the same casual, attacking style as he had in South America. The tactical sophistication of Italian teams was unmatched by those South American teams.

Vialli rushed forward, and Battigioto quickly turned with a stepover and passed the ball to Pizarro.

Jaime Pizarro immediately moved forward down the wing after receiving the ball.

With only three players in midfield, they must make full use of the width of the field.

The coach had told them long ago that their five-defender formation was not a variation of the three-defender formation.

Mirko Jozic turned his head to look at Boskov, his gaze quite complex.

He didn't even shake hands with his former national team teammates.

Because he is Croatian, and Boskov is Serbian.

After the Yugoslav Wars, two compatriots were fighting each other with weapons.

Mirko Jozic was more eager for victory in this match than Boskov.

Unfortunately, he also knew Sampdoria's strength well and knew that winning today would not be easy.

But when he thought about how much joy the victory would bring to his compatriots, he still wanted to give it his all.

Today's five-defender formation was specially prepared by him for Sampdoria.

They even arrived in Tokyo a week early to acclimatize to the local weather and environment.

In this era where the Golden Ball is no longer a decisive factor, if the score is tied, the only option left is to play extra time.

After reviewing Lu Deyang's appearances in the past five matches, the Croatian coach believes that as long as they can drag the game out until the very end, victory will be theirs.

Both Lu Deyang and Sampdoria's key players are in quite poor physical condition.

After a series of intense battles, physical fitness issues are bound to arise.

As long as we can hold on until the second half, we'll be fine.

On the field, Kolo Kolo was quite steady with the ball, and as a South American team, they were not lacking in technical skills.

They didn't pose much of a threat in the first four minutes, but they also didn't lose possession of the ball.

This is quite outstanding among Sampdoria's rivals.

Battichoto received another pass from his teammate and dribbled through the middle, looking for an opportunity to send a through ball.

Redondo saw through this obvious move at a glance, and pretended to shoot, but was on guard the whole time.

Just as the opponent made their move, Redondo slid in and successfully tackled the ball to keep it in the net.

Martinez rushed back, trying to cooperate with Batistuta to win the ball back.

Redondo got up, carried the two men, and charged forward. He had only run a few steps when Martinez lost his balance, stumbled, and couldn't keep up.

Even though they are both South American players, their abilities are worlds apart.

Redondo is someone who can rival 2 of the 3Rs, and given the strength of the players in the Colo-Colo group, he can't put any pressure on him at all.

Perhaps some people have good physical gifts.

However, not everyone can make good use of their body.

Battigioto and Redondo ran forward together. As an attacking midfielder, he barely managed to avoid being left behind by hanging his weight on Redondo.

Redondo saw Lu Deyang making a forward run and immediately gave him a lesson.

With a flick of the ankle, the inside of the foot pushed the ball out.

Ground slash!
The ball rolled 30 meters past the center line and was passed directly to his teammate Margas behind him.

Margas started his run closer to the ball, while Lu Deyang was a full body length behind.

However, the two men's pace and explosiveness were on completely different levels.

Just as Margas had adjusted and was about to receive the ball, Lu Deyang squeezed past him and stopped the ball with his foot.

Margas rushed to the front.

The level of agility they displayed was on a completely different level, even though they were about the same height.

Margas took the opportunity to return to the top of the penalty area and wait for Lu Deyang, who then smiled.

This is the first time an opponent has been so accommodating as not to block the way.

He can't let his opponent down either.

click -

Lu Deyang flicked the ball with his right foot to create an angle, then stopped the ball in place, lifted his right leg and used his strength to volley the ball directly underneath.

Snapped--

With a crisp sound, the ball rose from the ground, its height not exaggerated, but its speed not slow.

Moron, standing in the penalty area, instantly sensed something was wrong. The ball was higher than him. The goalkeeper immediately turned around, wanting to watch the ball fly over the crossbar. But as the ball dipped, he thought with a hint of despair, "It's over!" The ball flew steadily under the crossbar and caught in the net.

boom--

"Lord Deyang!"

Almost instantly, the Tokyo National Stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.

Some fans dressed in Pokémon cosplay outfits in the stands were quite eye-catching.

Today's fans are mainly young, ranging from teenage girls to white-collar workers, and from teenagers to office workers.

Lu Deyang's comics resonated with young Japanese men, but his face made young women forget the content of his comics.

After scoring, Lu Deyang was immediately surrounded by his teammates.

Even if the opponent is just a Chilean team, this is still an intercontinental competition, a contest for the world championship.

"Deyang!"

"Dejan Goal!"

"Dejan has scored another iconic goal."

"Colo-Colo thought they were the kings of the world after winning the Copa Libertadores, but once they leave South America, they will encounter the most terrifying opponents. Real Madrid and Manchester United couldn't beat Sampdoria, so naturally Colo-Colo can't win either."

"The navy blue color that has been raging in Europe for more than two years is finally about to spread to the whole world. Although the Toyota Cup final has only just begun, the result has already been determined."

"I'm sitting here today waiting to see Dejan and his teammates lift the trophy together. There are also some Chilean fans in the stands; for them, this will be the most brutal day."

"When you desire something that doesn't belong to you, you're destined for disappointment. Your opponent is Sampdoria, which means you've already lost."

Rossi's words were somewhat arrogant.

Italian fans, however, had no way to refute it.

The three northern powerhouses are struggling to even secure a draw, while Napoli's star player Maradona has made numerous sacrifices in his pursuit of victory, yet they still haven't won a single game.

Over the past two years.

The Three Musketeers were formed, and the Three Horsemen were established.

The chariot is practically falling apart now, and we still haven't won a single time.

Some members of the Nerazzurri group couldn't help but feel sad.

Fortunately, they won the league title before Lu Deyang transferred to Sampdoria; otherwise, they might have gone without a single championship in recent years.

I wonder what kind of offer Sampdoria will accept. If all else fails, why not crowdfund to buy a star player?
Baggio cost over 1000 million, but they offered over 2000 million!

Just like the British said.

Sampdoria is not the champion.

Lu Deyang can win any championship.

Spending over $2000 million to buy a treble is a great deal, especially since you can play for many more seasons.

Damn, the season isn't even halfway over, and Sampdoria is already close to winning their third title.

This inevitably makes fans of other top clubs envious.

Mirko Jozic shook his head.

The gap is too big.

His plan was quite good, but Lu Deyang shattered his illusions with a single counterattack.

Does God also side with the Serbs?

……

"Let's go back and kick off."

Lu Deyang greeted him.

If you beat Manchester United by 6, you should at least beat your opponents by 7.

Even if Sir Alex Ferguson could understand, the proud Englishman would still be unhappy.

With so many endorsements in the UK, Lu Qiu Wang (a nickname for a player) needs to be careful to protect the pride of his sponsors.

Let them know that British football isn't as bad as it seems.

With just one goal, Kolo Kolo's tactics went wrong.

South American teams are indeed not very disciplined; Yáñez tried to dribble and attack Sampdoria's defense as soon as he received the ball.

His footwork was so fast that he actually managed to slip between Mancini and Vialli.

Seeing that Parry still intended to rely on his individual abilities to overcome the opponent.

He immediately launched a strong attack after riding a bicycle.

Parry almost laughed out of anger.

Do they really think his world championship title was given away for nothing?
Parry immediately turned around and carried his opponent as they ran, and after two steps he stretched out his right foot and poked the ball away.

Redondo!
When Redondo got the ball, the fans in the stadium immediately lit up.

TV Tokyo also deliberately introduced some Sampdoria players before the match.

Redondo was Lu Deyang's best wingman.

When the defensive pressure is not high, Redondo can push forward freely.

He dribbled the ball across the halfway line before passing it to Lu Deyang.

Lu Deyang received the ball and flicked it forward, then immediately accelerated past Mendoza after a stepover.

His dribbling skills are no joke; the moment he knocks the ball away, he displays tremendous explosive power, not even giving his opponent a chance to pull his jersey.

Salva cursed under his breath and chased after them with all his might.

Seeing this, Mancini quickly moved forward to receive the pass.

Lu Deyang attracted too much defensive attention.

Garrido reacted quickly, rushing straight towards Lu Deyang.

Snapped--

Salva was still blocking the way when Lu Deyang kicked him sideways.

Mancini received the ball and immediately passed it back to the left wing to complete a one-two pass.

Lu Deyang received the ball and accelerated diagonally into the penalty area. Garrido quickly ran back to prepare to double-team Margas.

Lu Deyang, dribbling laterally, accelerated and slipped between the two, then twisted and kicked.

boom--

Moron reacted quickly, turning to the side with almost no time wasted; it was almost an instinctive reaction. But at such close range, even if he judged correctly, there was nothing he could do. He could only watch as the ball rolled under his hand and into the left side of the goal.

Before the Chilean goalkeeper could fully process the conceded goal, Mancini rushed forward and scooped the ball out of the net.

With just one action, he completely enraged the other party.

This shows they don't treat them like human beings and want to keep scoring quickly.

"You damn bastard, are you looking for trouble?"

"You son of a bitch..."

Garrido charged toward Mancini, who was running back, but Lu Deyang blocked his way.

"Step aside!"

Garrido said.

Before Lu Deyang could speak, Redondo rushed forward and shoved Garrido to the ground.

The Colo-Colo defender, who had just been acting like a tough guy, immediately rolled on the ground, clutching his ankle and crying out, "Ouch, ouch..."

Referee Rosenberg was also a bit confused.

If you cover your face, I can help you.

Did that damn push transfer to your foot?
The Chilean's exaggerated performance made it difficult for him to play his cards right. Kurt Rosenberg walked over and pointed at Redondo, saying, "Be careful, control your temper."

Redondo did not refute.

This time we really benefited.

The referee's decision greatly angered the Colo-Colo players, who were about to surround him when Rosenberg immediately reached into his shirt pocket, which calmed them down.

After this farce, the atmosphere on the field became much more tense.

However, this time they were still very cautious when they started passing the ball, instead of rushing forward like they had before.

Sampdoria does an excellent job of compressing space.

It cannot be said that there were absolutely no gaps.

However, only one spot will be available.

If you walk over there, you'll meet Redondo, and after Redondo, you'll meet Verjoward.

If you can get past two world-class defenders, then you're awesome. Go ahead and score if you want.

The flanks are too well-defended, and it's difficult to break through the middle.

This is how many teams feel when they face Sampdoria.

The same goes for Kolo Kolo.

As a typical ground-style, fast, and agile team, they are particularly adept at using passing and receiving to create openings.

However, their tactic failed against Sampdoria.

Sampdoria's backline doesn't chase the ball around to press; instead, it's the attacking players who track back to press.

The defensive players all stayed in their own defensive zones and rarely lost their positions.

This prevents them from maneuvering the opponent by passing the ball.

Batisto couldn't find any opportunities when he got the ball.

No matter how he passes the ball, Redondo just stands in the middle.

Somewhat impatient, Battigioto flicked the ball forward, his legs flying across the top of it.

Cycling!
The goal is to use this kind of movement to dribble forward.

Redondo kept his eyes on his feet, and a second later he decisively raised his right foot.

Battichoto quickly flicked the ball to break through.

Unexpectedly, Redondo's right foot didn't land at all; this time, he stretched out his foot and poked the ball behind him.

The talented attacking midfielder turned around immediately but still couldn't beat Redondo. Redondo's broad shoulders blocked him, giving him no chance to receive the ball.

At the crucial moment, Salva came up and made a flying tackle to take the ball away, and Pizarro quickly passed the ball back.

I never expected things to go wrong this time.

As soon as Margas got the ball, Lu Deyang pressed him.

After conceding two goals, the tall center-back was already struggling to cope. When he passed the ball back, he kicked it onto the grass and only managed to kick it a little over a meter away from the goalkeeper.

whoosh-

Lu Deyang started his run, intercepted the ball, and quickly charged toward the opponent's goal.

Knowing things were going badly, Moron rushed out of the penalty area, but he didn't dare to rush out of the penalty area either. Losing the right to use his hands was still something he wasn't used to. When Lu Deyang got into the penalty area, Moron immediately slid in with a tackle. Lu Deyang, who was prepared, chipped the ball over him and easily put it into the goal.

(End of this chapter)