If you are a brother, come and play football

Chapter 254 Batistuta vs. Ronaldo (Please Subscribe)

The home team locker room.

"Sacchi didn't seem to ask you to the press conference," Redondo said in a low voice. "That old guy really treats you like an ordinary player, Dejan."

"It doesn't matter, it's just a small thing."

Lu Deyang smiled.

No matter how great Sacchi is, he's still just an employee.

Bosses should be generous to their capable employees.

Milan's dressing room wasn't as lively as Manchester United's.

The main problem is that Baresi is too old-fashioned.

He would definitely be a good fit for Liverpool. That's how the boot room culture is there; it emphasizes the authority of the senior players, and the younger players have to clean the senior players' boots.

"You're starting? Sacchi doesn't seem to have any foresight."

Buffon said unhappily.

He is currently still AC Milan's third-choice goalkeeper.

Milan should have bought a three-man goalkeeper, but buying him made them a three-man team.

“You don’t know anything. I’m the best number 10 in Italy’s future,” Totti yelled.

Baggio smiled to himself, finding it quite amusing to watch the young people chat.

He's long past the age of vying with others for the title of the best in the world.

"You even know it's the future; I thought you'd say the present."

Buffon said with a smirk.

After changing into his gear, Lu Deyang decided to participate in the lottery.

[Your good friend Roberto Baggio isn't that interested in his appearance, so you've drawn a player who is more concerned about their image. *Ding!* You've obtained a single-match trial card for the 2024-2025 UEFA Nations League semi-final, Portugal vs. Germany, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo.]

Damn it.

Old curly hair.

Lu Deyang doesn't usually care about the time period when he draws cards.

However, there is still a significant difference between the older Ronaldo and the younger Ronaldo.

Although he still had some athleticism, his dribbling ability declined significantly, but he remained one of the best finishers in Portugal's tactics.

Cristiano Ronaldo, in the twilight of his career, is also one of the best strikers in Portuguese history.

Anyone who has watched Portugal's matches during Pauleta's era knows that if the Portuguese coach had to choose between the 25-year-old Pauleta and the 40-year-old Ronaldo on the number 9 jersey, he definitely wouldn't choose Pauleta.

At that time, Portugal's golden generation was not weak in terms of organization, but Pauleta's role in front of goal was similar to Werner's, only responsible for reconnaissance and not for bombardment.

If Figo's generation had had a Cristiano Ronaldo who transitioned into a striker, they might have actually achieved some success.

Since he's an old curly-haired guy, he shouldn't play on the wing.

Lu Deyang looked at Baggio and said, "Roberto, you play on the wing today and I'll play as a striker. I'll give you a chance to try it out, and it can also enrich the team's tactics."

"What should the coach do?"

Baggio asked.

He didn't meet Sacchi at the club level, but he knew him on the national team.

Sacchi is not so easy to talk to.

"It's okay, I'll talk to the coach later, he shouldn't refuse."

Lu Deyang said with a smile.

"Thank you," Baggio said.

Lu Deyang curled his lip and looked at Totti, that hothead.

If Francisco Jr. had half the emotional intelligence of Lu Guo, his reputation would be much better.

The Prince of Rome has a decent reputation, but he's mentioned more as the "Prince of Rome" than for his actual ability. Meanwhile, look at Del Piero, whose national team performance wasn't great, yet he's far more famous.

There's a story behind all of this; everyone carries a bridal sedan chair.

If you have higher emotional intelligence, others will definitely have a higher opinion of you.

Continuing to read on, I discovered that the task was already completed.

[Successfully own a club and acquire the skills Milan Knights Table and Leader Club]

Skill – Milan Knights Table: When you form a small group within the club, the importance of that group will be recognized by the entire team, and they will be proud to join your group.

Lu Deyang: ...

A 25-person roster could be found in tens of thousands of groups?
However, the invincible table that Totti and Buffon mentioned might actually come true.

This skill is dispensable for Lu Deyang, but it would be most useful if given to the Dutch.

The King of Land Ball never engages in these kinds of trivial matters, and the skill of not fighting among himself has limited use.

Does he have any conflict with Baresi?

The King of Luball earned his authority entirely through his ability; it's something that doesn't need to be fought for.

It's a bit of a waste of money.

Skills – Leadership Club: When you own a team, players on that team are more likely to succeed in politics after retirement if they are interested in it.

It's not a skill unique to Milan.

Milan has always had this tradition.

However, even if many people succeed, they are probably foreigners.

Even if all the local players are interested in politics, Italy only has one prime minister.

It's not like all retired players can become mayors.

As a club owner, you've changed your way of thinking. You need to consider factors such as the coaching staff and transfers, as well as improve the club's facilities. Your mission is accomplished when your club wins at least two titles in a single season.

A double crown is enough.

That's not a difficult thing.

Even without the King of Land Balls.

There are quite a few Serie A double champions.

Strong teams often win a European title and also a domestic title.

Many people have changed their gear.

Sacchi returned from the press conference at this point, his face filled with anger.

It's clear that Fiorentina coach Ranieri didn't say anything nice.

Considering the Little Prince's transfer, you'll understand what's going on.

Totti still considered personal honor and salary to some extent; even without Lu Zijing, he almost went to Real Madrid.

But Ranieri was different; he was a true Roman loyalist.

In a situation where you're told to go back and you won't complain even if you're fired, Milan poached Roma's rising star, so it's no wonder Ranieri has nothing good to say about it.

Despite being the manager of Fiorentina, his stance on the matter remains unchanged.

Saki glanced around the locker room and said, "I'll teach them a lesson today, or I'll teach you a lesson myself."

"I'll play striker, and Roberto can play winger."

Lu Deyang said directly.

Saki glanced at Lu Deyang and nodded, saying, "Roberto, you can go now." With that, Saki left the locker room to find a place to smoke.

"Let's go, let's go out and warm up."

Baresi waved and said.

Baggio leaned in and said, "You're really bold. He's clearly not happy, yet he still says things like that at a time like this."

Which language?

Lu Deyang countered with a question.

Baggio smiled and shook his head, offering no reply.

Sacchi also said the team didn't have any star players, but now that they haven't played a single official match, the situation is different.

I've never heard of anyone asking Sacchi to change their position before.

As expected, you can't trust what the coaches say.

boom--

As Lu Deyang walked out of San Siro, the volcano hidden beneath the sea finally erupted.

"Deyang!"

"Deyang!"

"Deyang!"

Seven years have passed since Rivera persuaded Milan to sign Lu Deyang. After many twists and turns, Lu Deyang has finally donned the red and black stripes.

This has a very strong symbolic meaning for some AC Milan fans.

Moreover, Lu Deyang's strength is undeniable.

The legend of their undefeated streak continues.

A large TIFO was specially displayed in the stands, featuring Lu Deyang's number 7 jersey.

Clearly, Milan fans have been waiting for this day for a long time.

"I never thought this day would actually come," said Krudelli excitedly. "It's like God's best gift. Milan has welcomed its king. Inter Milan will soon be unable to keep up with us. Their strength is far too weak, and the number of championships they have won will fall further and further behind. They can only keep thinking about the great Inter Milan era under Moratti and reminiscing about that unrepeatable past."

Massimo Moratti took over Inter Milan last year, and his big-money acquisitions still made Crudelli somewhat worried.

But now he's not afraid at all. With Lu Deyang around, what can Inter Milan do no matter how many players they buy? It's not like playing a game where you combine three A-level cards into one S-level card.

As the warm-up began, cheers erupted at San Siro.

This drew constant attention from the Fiorentina players.

Of course, there was also a small group of people who shouted and cursed.

The main character is Roberto Baggio.

Some fans don't care about the players' lives at all. If you transfer, you're a traitor. They don't care even if the team gives the players child labor contracts, as if the players don't need to eat. These people are completely irrational.

"Today's opponents are all superstars."

Batistuta said.

Redondo and he were teammates on the national team.

However, Redondo's personality is not so sociable.

"I just love showing off in front of big stars."

Louis Oliveira grinned as he spoke.

As Brazilians, we are naturally optimistic.

Batistuta remained silent.

If only it were that simple.

As the players from both sides entered the tunnel, the whole world knew that this highly anticipated match was about to begin.

"Today we are welcoming Dejan's first match, although it is seven years later."

"This tells us that miracles can happen if we wait. Although it's only the beginning of the season, I'm already looking forward to winning a few championships by the end of the season."

"Let's take a look at the starting lineups for both sides."

AC Milan's 4-4-2 formation with two defensive midfielders:
Goalkeeper: Rossi
Defenders: Maldini, Baresi, Costacurta, Tassotti

Midfielders: Baggio, Redondo, Albertini, Totti
Forwards: Lu Deyang, Van Basten.

Fiorentina's 4-4-2 formation with three defensive midfielders:
Goalkeeper: Toldo

Defenders: Nicola Amoruso, Falcone, Aldo Firmano, Carlo Siliotto

Midfielders: Giovanni Piasentini, Rui Costa, Sandro Cois, Stefan Schwarz
Forwards: Luis Oliveira, Batistuta.

"Both sides fielded their strongest lineups, but Totti's position today was quite surprising. He only played as a right winger when he first made his debut for Roma's first team."

"In terms of player value, Milan definitely has the advantage, but once the game starts, Milan should also take the initiative on the field."

"Batistuta is not an easy opponent, Milan's defense needs to be careful today."

At 7:30 p.m., referee Florenzo Tracy blew the whistle to start the match.

The slow pace at the start is a consistent characteristic of Serie A.

Teams that rely on counter-attacks generally have poor positional play, relying on probing and slowly looking for opportunities while holding the ball.

Ranieri stood with his hands in his pockets, watching the game intently.

He is a coach whose strengths lie in flexibility, quick substitutions, and reasonable allocation of physical energy.

Why is it so.

That's because coaching a weak team requires more effort to achieve victory against stronger opponents.

If your player strength is overwhelming, you don't need to think about so much.

Even when considering physical fitness, it's just a general estimate, not as strict as Ranieri's control.

And that's exactly what AC Milan is like now.

The addition of Redondo to a world-class defensive line speaks volumes.
In addition, Lu Deyang has been added to the attacking lineup.

Ranieri even felt there was no point in playing this match. The gap in skill was too large.

However, he certainly wouldn't say such things, and even made a lot of arrangements, adopting a low-profile approach with three defensive midfielders.

AC Milan had possession, and Lu Deyang dropped back to participate, but didn't get much possession of the ball.

Totti made a cross, and Lu Deyang immediately passed it to Baggio for his forward run.

This gesture deeply moved Baggio. As a ball-carrying player, Lu Deyang's decision to relinquish possession of the ball to him was a considerable sacrifice.

Baggio tried to dribble past his opponent, but Schwartz quickly closed in.

He stumbled forward, only to be tackled by Carlo Ciglioto.

"What's wrong? Are your legs weak?"

Sacchi shouted from the sidelines.

Baggio lowered his head, cursing under his breath.

He rarely harbors such malice towards a head coach.

However, Baggio was left out of Italy's final squad by Sacchi in the summer, something he found hard to accept.

Apart from Redondo, few people don't want to play in big tournaments.

Fiorentina's attack was very fast; Schwartz received the ball and passed it directly to Rui Costa.

Rui Costa only has two strikers in front of him, but that's enough.

The Portuguese player, receiving the ball in the center circle, turned and delivered a long through ball with the inside of his foot.

South American players tend to be more agile in their movement.

Oliveira on the left wing ran to the right and flicked the ball.

This run did attract some defensive attention, but fortunately Baresi made a timely sliding tackle to stop the pass, preventing Batistuta from having a one-on-one opportunity.

Franco Baresi quickly kicked the ball forward, and Albertini instinctively took possession.

Redondo didn't expect him not to pass, so he simply ran forward himself.

Milan's squad is still in the process of gelling.

As Redondo makes more and more forward runs, his position is more like Iniesta's.

Noticing that his partner Albertini was making a forward run, Redondo intended to pass to Ludjohnsen, but after seeing Fiorentina's positioning, he passed to Baggio instead.

Baggio flicked his right foot with the outside of his foot and headed towards the center. Phil Cano followed his movement but didn't dare to extend his foot. Koiz, who had retreated, simply slid in from the side and brought Baggio down.

"what you up to."

Lu Deyang went up and gave Kois a push, then asked.

Redondo immediately rushed forward.

Totti was quick; he immediately swung his fist.

Van Basten, who had originally intended to argue, quickly stepped in front of Totti, who then punched Van Basten in the head.

If he were even a little shorter, this wouldn't have happened.

Baggio quickly waved his hand and said, "I'm fine, let's continue playing the game."

Lu Deyang glanced at him and saw that the guy seemed to be really alright, so he bent down and helped him up.

The referee signals for a free kick.

The Fiorentina players began to protest.

"Referee, they've started!"

“Yes, you have to take a card for hitting someone, right?” Falcone asked as he came up.

"Who?"

"The referee asked."

Falcone said, "Dejan pushed my teammate."

“I didn’t see it, and even if I did push you, it’s not a big deal. If you get a card for every push, you’ll get a lot more yellow cards every season.”

"Florenzo Tracy said."

He's not stupid; Lu Deyang hasn't even won a card yet.

He didn't need to be the bad guy.

If Lu Deyang were to actually undermine someone from behind, he would give him the cards; but for something that could be given or not, he would resolutely refuse.

"And what about that kid, Totti, the one who can't spell his own name?"

Falcone pointed at Totti and asked.

"Who can't spell their own name, Frances..."

Totti was interrupted by the referee before he could finish speaking.

Florenzo Tracy said, "Totti didn't hit your players, did he? As for the matter between him and Van Basten, it should be a misunderstanding. Let's just leave it at that."

Falcone wanted to say more, but Piasentini stopped him.

The referee's decision seemed to favor AC Milan, but from a purely lenient perspective, there was nothing wrong with it.

The referee isn't targeting them, so there's no need to cause trouble.

Falcone returned to the edge of the penalty area in a huff, ready to form a human wall.

Even if the opponent is awarded a free kick, he will block the opponent's penalty kick.

Both Baggio and Albertini were standing near the location of the foul.

"Give the penalty to Dejan."

At that moment, Sacchi shouted from the sidelines.

Baggio glanced at Sacchi and gave up his position.

He knew this would happen.

Seeing this, Albertini had no choice but to leave as well.

Having too many players who can take free kicks on a team is actually not a good thing.

Apart from Redondo, all the other starters in today's starting lineup are capable of taking free kicks.

The little prince showed his talent in this area in Rome, but he didn't move forward today.

Lu Deyang then walked to the spot where the foul occurred.

The head coach said it was better than what he said.

It was Sacchi who agreed; not using Lu Qiuwang was to take the penalty kick from his teammate.

This location is a bit far, less than 40 meters to the left.

Both teams' players were standing on the edge of the penalty area. In addition to the players acting as a wall, there were also some players who were ready to rush into the penalty area to shoot first.

Lu Deyang retreated to the left rear of the ball.

I took a deep breath and waited for the referee's instructions.

beep—

The whistle sounded as Lu Deyang stepped out with his right foot, then his left.

His strides were longer than usual, each step covering more than a meter.

After getting behind the ball, he turned sideways, used his knee to push off with his right foot, and then lifted the ball.

boom--

As graceful as a frightened bird, as graceful as a dragon swimming.

The ball soared through the air, almost skimming the height of the wall of players, and fell very quickly. It bounced in front of the goal, giving Toldo no time to react before it leaped up again and went into the net.

The goalkeeper from Florence played no role and became the first backdrop of the day.

"Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Dejan Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"GoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoalGoal!!!"

Krudelli drew out his words in the live stream, making one worry that he might be out of breath.

He continued for ten seconds before catching his breath and excitedly shouting again:

"Dejan's first goal at the San Siro was born, a very beautiful knuckleball. However, compared to a normal knuckleball, Dejan's knuckleball rose and fell faster, just like an elevator. I would call his free kick an elevator ball, as if a button was pressed and it went straight up and down."

"Dejan's first game for Milan is about to win the championship; that's what a champion player is. Although we missed seven years, the important thing is that we will soon make up for lost time. Serie A may not have seven titles, but it can become six. If we win six titles every season from now on, Milan will soon become the team with the most trophies in football!"

"Just when Moratti wanted to usher in a new era, we regretfully told him, 'Sorry, the era of Milan has arrived! No matter how much money these people spend, they will become our foils, and Inter Milan, which spends the most money, will become the most pathetic foil!'"

The Rossoneri watching on TV were also excited, but six trophies per season was a bit of a stretch.

Winning the trophy depends not only on skill but also on luck.

The league spans almost a year, which minimizes the element of luck, but injuries are still inevitable.

Moreover, cup competitions are full of uncertainties.

Forget about winning six titles every season, they would be very satisfied if they could replicate Sampdoria's six-title run.

Serie A has not started yet.

Mancini, sitting in front of the television, couldn't help but purse his lips when he saw this scene.

Lu Deyang returned to Serie A, and he was still the same Lu Deyang.

It won't be easy to beat someone like Lu Deyang.

What angered him even more was that Lu Deyang was on the same team as Baggio.

If this continues, his arch-rival will soon surpass him in the number of trophies.

This greatly displeased Mancini.

He only has more trophies than Baggio. If Baggio surpasses him, wouldn't that mean Roberto Mancini is inferior to Baggio?
Oh shit.

This Dejan only knows how to cause trouble for others.

Uncle Mancini cursed, somewhat annoyed.

Roberto Mancini doesn't care about those empty titles, but his ability is no less than Baggio's. What if fans who haven't seen them play misunderstand him in the future?
……

Lu Deyang, who scored the goal, immediately became the focus of attention on the field.

Almost all the Milan players rushed onto the pitch to celebrate together.

"You really know how to do things; the team didn't lose money on this $7000 million investment," Maldini said with a smile.

"The tenth-ranked Golden Globe winner has a good eye; he recognized it immediately."

Lu Deyang said.

Paul Ma's face darkened again.

Costacurta chuckled to himself.

As a good friend, he was quite happy to see this happen.

"Be careful, don't give Dejan too many opportunities."

Ranieri shouted from the sidelines.

Schwartz nodded, hands on his hips.

He didn't know whether to be happy or sad, because today he was matched up against Baggio instead of Lu Deyang.

Baggio is definitely not as good as Lu Deyang.

The problem is, even Baggio seems unstoppable.

Often, the simpler the dribbling move, the more effective it is; Baggio's footwork rhythm was completely unsuitable for him.

Falcone shouted, "Cheer up, all of you, this is nothing!"

Philcano and Ciliotto exchanged a glance but said nothing.

grass.

The confidence comes from not marking Baggio and Lu Deyang.

Although Van Basten and Totti's side is also very strong.

But Basten is 36 years old now, while Totti is just a kid.

They were far inferior to the left-side duo of Lu Deyang and Baggio in their prime, with Maldini still behind them.

Tenth place in the Ballon d'Or is already a very high honor in this unfair selection process for defensive players.

The players from both sides returned to midfield.

The fans didn't even expect the goal to come so quickly.

After all, Fiorentina immediately deployed a three-defensive-midfielder formation, clearly indicating their intention to defend and counter-attack.

Baggio, standing in his position, stared at Lu Deyang's back.

I have no objection to giving up the free kick this time.

Because he couldn't really guarantee he'd score; the ball was positioned too far away, and for him, being outside shooting range would lower his accuracy.

Sometimes he was really curious as to why Lu Deyang's free-kick range was so wide.

Normally, players' best free kicks are within a certain range, and even those that cover a wider area are only from the front of the penalty area to within 35 meters. Or they are the type who rely on a powerful shot no matter how far away they are. But Lu Deyang is obviously not like that. He even has free kicks from 40 meters away.

He really admired that.

(End of this chapter)