What are you staring at? You can't stop it either. (Please continue reading and kindly vote!)

After hanging around together all morning, Lu Deyang finally headed out.

It was a home game today, and Monica would head to the stadium later with Federica.

"Kid, good luck."

Mancini, also on his way out, tossed something to Lu Deyang. He caught it and saw it was a chili pepper-shaped keychain, a symbol of good luck in some parts of Italy. Mancini, however, maintained his usual grumpy expression even when giving gifts; it was no wonder he had so few friends on the national team.

Using the excuse of keeping his conditioning up, Lu Deyang hitched a ride in the sidecar of Mancini’s motorcycle to the club. Upon reaching the parking lot, he noticed the number of bikes belonging to the team was increasing. If this continued, by the time training ended and everyone headed home, it would look like a massive hippie gathering.

Later that day, the whole team took the bus to the stadium. Pezzotti, the kind-hearted assistant coach, sat next to Lu Deyang to chat.

"You won't be starting today, but the coach will definitely play you. Observe the Inter Milan players from the sideline, understand?" Pezzotti said. "Inter is very strong; we must find their weaknesses."

"I understand, Nacchero. By the way, how is your son?" Lu Deyang asked. Pezzotti, born in 1942, had three children, and all but the youngest were quite a handful.

"Sigh, still the same. His older brother went to the United States years ago and hasn't returned, and now he wants to go to America, too. Is that any way for an Italian family to live?" Pezzotti said with a hint of melancholy. Italians loved living as a whole family.

"There's no helping it; it is the lighthouse of humanity, after all," Lu Deyang consoled him. "You should focus on cultivating the one you have at home; don't end up with none of them by your side."

Pezzotti nodded immediately, though he couldn't fathom why America was so attractive. They chatted the entire way, and by the time they reached the stadium, Pezzotti realized it was Lu Deyang who had ended up comforting him.

The players entered the locker room, while Boškov went straight to the press conference.

In the locker room, Pezzotti addressed the team: "We didn't perform well in the last two matches. Today, at home, we must put on a performance to repay our fans."

"Don't worry, Nacchero," team captain Luca Pellegrini shouted. Pezzotti smiled and said nothing more.

As the players changed into their gear, the atmosphere in the room was tense. Vialli, sitting next to Lu Deyang, remarked, "The locker room wasn't like this before, but between the recent results and today's opponent, everyone is under pressure."

Lu Deyang nodded. Anyone would be under pressure facing Inter Milan. Their lineup was essentially an All-Star team.

Lu Deyang checked his system and opted to draw a card.

[Ding! Because your teammate Giuseppe Bagnato only knows how to overlap and has zero ability to cut inside, you have drawn a cutting-inside winger: Arjen Robben's single-match experience card from the 2011-2012 UEFA Champions League semi-final, Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid.]

Holy cow! Lu Deyang had been thinking that relying solely on speed wouldn't be enough to break down Inter. The physical attributes of some Inter players were absurd. But Robben was different. Even if you knew exactly what prime Robben was going to do and were prepared for it, there was simply nothing you could do to stop him. AC Milan relied on three Dutchmen to counter Inter Milan. Today, Lu would try his luck with one.

At the Luigi Ferraris Stadium, the fans had already unfurled their TIFO, and some impatient supporters had already ignited flares—a staple of Serie A that was frequently banned but impossible to fully suppress, often interfering with play.

Gigi Riva and Gianni Rivera sat in the stands. This was the marquee match of the round, and Sampdoria's recent rise was undeniable. Riva joked, "If Sampdoria knocks off Inter today, Galliani should pick up the tab for the entire team's dinner."

"I hope so, but it will be difficult," Rivera replied.

The fans, however, didn't think so. They were convinced the team had the strength to contend for every title. Even if some of the Italian players in the squad were only fringe national team members, it was due to personality or other reasons, not a lack of quality.

As both teams came out for warm-ups, the atmosphere in the stadium reached a fever pitch. The Luigi Ferraris fans roared, encouraging the players to take down the visitors from Milan.

"Great fans, aren't they?" Mancini asked, looking at the stands. Lu Deyang nodded.

Shortly after, Boškov returned from the press conference. Neither he nor Inter coach Trapattoni had said much about Lu Deyang, a fact that made him feel a bit grateful toward the Inter manager.

"The players are in good shape," Pezzotti said.

"That's good," Boškov nodded, though he felt little confidence. The team's recent results had been poor; they couldn't even beat Ascoli, let alone Inter. But as the players returned to the tunnel, he put on a firm expression. As the pillar of the team, he couldn't let his players lose confidence.

The broadcast for the Italian Radio and Television Corporation was handled by Enrico Varriale, with former Italian international Paolo Rossi as his partner.

"When I saw the roster, I noticed that young man who has been in the newspapers so often is on the list, Paolo."

"Yes, I saw it too," Rossi said. "But he might not get a chance to play. Patience is a virtue; as long as he has enough talent, he will eventually become a shining star in Serie A."

"Perhaps. Let's look at the starting lineups."

Sampdoria 4-4-2: Goalkeeper: Pagliuca; Defenders: Luca Pellegrini, Srečko Katanec, Vierchowod, Moreno Mannini; Midfielders: Giuseppe Dossena, Fausto Pari, Toninho Cerezo, Lombardo; Forwards: Mancini, Vialli.

Inter Milan 4-4-2: Goalkeeper: Zenga; Defenders: Riccardo Ferri, Brehme, Mandorlini, Bergomi; Midfielders: Alessandro Bianchi, Matthäus, Gianfranco Matteoli, Nicola Berti; Forwards: Klinsmann, Aldo Serena.

"Sampdoria is playing at home, so they definitely want a win, but against the defending champions Inter, it's going to be difficult."

"Both teams are using a 4-4-2 formation, but their styles are very different. Inter prefers low-block defense, rapid counterattacks, and aerial battles."

"Yes, Sampdoria plays beautiful football, but they may not get much of an advantage against Inter."

At 11:00 PM, Luigi Agnolin blew the whistle to start the match. This famous Italian referee had officiated the 1986 World Cup semi-final between France and West Germany; he believed in the art of controlling the game rather than handing out cards, averaging only 0.875 yellow cards and 0.031 red cards per game.

Because of the referee's style, the match became white-hot from the start. Collisions—constant physical collisions. Both teams had plenty of tough guys.

Toninho Cerezo, a Brazilian defensive midfielder, provided excellent defensive intensity alongside Italian champion Fausto Pari and former Torino core Dossena. After receiving the ball, Cerezo didn't pass immediately, instead looking up to observe. Matthäus rushed straight at him. Cerezo tried to adjust with his right foot, but he was a fraction too slow. Matthäus successfully blocked the ball, which deflected toward Sampdoria's penalty area. Vierchowod jumped to head it on, and after Mannini stopped it with his chest, he cleared it long downfield. Inter was pressing too hard; he didn't dare hold the ball in the back.

Mancini and Vialli took off. Their chemistry was excellent, and realizing the ball was dropping near Mancini, Vialli sprinted toward the center to create pressure. But Brehme reacted quickly, shielding the ball, juggling it with his left foot, and clearing it back into the Sampdoria half.

In Italian football, "1-0" was the prevailing philosophy. Combined with the two-point system, it made for conservative play. During this opening period, both sides played with the principle that it was better not to score than to let the opponent score.

Salsano, sitting on the bench, chatted with Lu Deyang. He was recently trying to find ways to promote his hometown, a small mountain town called Cava de' Tirreni that just couldn't seem to develop.

"Perhaps you could find a beautiful or handsome promotional ambassador; people are always interested in such images," Lu Deyang suggested.

"Are you saying I'm ugly?" Salsano asked suspiciously. Lu Deyang shook his head, speechless.

On the field, Inter earned a corner. Klinsmann's header was too central, and Pagliuca tipped it over the bar.

Salsano gradually became absorbed in the game, instinctively pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, offering one to Lu Deyang, who declined. Serie A benches didn't forbid smoking, so broadcast shots often showed them shrouded in smoke.

"Inter's counterattacks are too fast; those three Germans are hard to deal with," Salsano said.

Lu Deyang nodded. The biggest issue with the "Three Musketeers" was that their peaks didn't quite overlap. Klinsmann was strong, but his touch was still a bit rough at this stage.

After a while, Lu Deyang spotted the problem. Dossena was getting older and lacked the pace to pressure Inter on the flanks. Lombardo was active, but the referee wasn't calling fouls, meaning he was being constantly bumped around—much like Neymar in his PSG days. If you held the ball, they would put their bodies on you. In this era, a hard tackle from behind was hardly a concern, and if you were unlucky, you'd be forced into early retirement.

So, Sampdoria's wings were neutralized, and Mancini had to drop deep to organize. Vialli was good, but what forward could single-handedly take on a defense led by Brehme and Bergomi?

Inter earned a free kick in the 39th minute. Brehme stood over the ball, and as the whistle blew, he tapped it forward. Matthäus ran up and unleashed a thunderous strike. Even sitting on the sideline, Lu Deyang heard the impact. The ball traveled 40 meters in an instant, flying past Pagliuca's outstretched hand and into the net.

Silence. Even the Sampdoria fans couldn't believe they had witnessed such a goal. It was violence and aesthetics pushed to the extreme.

"Lothar! Lothar! Lothar!" The Inter players rushed to Matthäus. Amidst his teammates, Matthäus looked at Mancini and sneered, "What are you looking at? You can't stop me anyway."

Mancini bit his lip and walked back. If he were 20, he would have thrown a punch. But he had already conceded the free kick; if he got a red card now, he would be the ultimate sinner.

Boškov turned to the bench, leaned over, and grabbed Lu Deyang by the neck. "Don't go back at halftime. Warm up on the sideline. I'm making a substitution as soon as the second half starts."

"Understood, Coach!" Lu Deyang nodded.

The second half began. The fourth official raised the substitution board. Giuseppe Dossena walked off, hugged Lu Deyang, and patted his shoulder. "Have a good start."

Lu Deyang sprinted onto the field.

*Beep.* Mancini received the ball and laid it back. Pari passed it to the newly entered Lu Deyang. He was matched up against Berti, who had been performing well defensively. Berti clearly didn't take the young Lu Deyang seriously.

Lu Deyang pushed the ball with his left foot and accelerated. Matthäus realized something was wrong and rushed to cover.

*Snap.* Lu Deyang tapped the ball forward, and Matthäus missed his tackle. The German midfielder tried to use his body to shield the ball, but Lu Deyang, prepared, didn't even go inside the field; he ran outside the touchline, successfully bypassing Matthäus.

Trapattoni stared, his eyes widening. He couldn't believe his top players had been passed like that. He rushed to the sideline, shouting, "Tackle him! Don't let him go any further!"

Bergomi sprinted toward the sideline. The two were on a collision course. The Sampdoria fans in the nearby stands held their breath. Could their young player keep going?

*Snap.* Lu Deyang tapped the ball again, jumped, and leaped over the sliding Bergomi.

Both managers had their mouths agape. Three players beaten! The performance reminded them of that number 10 from Napoli, Diego Maradona!

"Deyang! Deyang! Deyang!" The Sampdoria fans cheered excitedly. Passing the top German and Italian defensive players in succession and then cutting into the box with long strides was simply disrespectful to Inter.

Brehme and Mandorlini retreated to the box. Vialli followed, shouting for the ball, noticing Bergomi was still in pursuit. But Lu Deyang took the ball to the byline, which disappointed Vialli. There was too little space.

Just then, Lu Deyang feinted his shoulders, shifted his center of gravity, and pushed the ball across with his right foot—right through Bergomi's legs!

Vialli watched, stunned, as Lu Deyang took two steps and unleashed a strike.

*Bang.*

The next second, the ball was in the net.