Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions
Chapter 98: Why has Serie A fallen to only three Champions League spots? Everyone is cursing Mancini!

Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Why has Serie A fallen to only three Champions League spots? Everyone is cursing Mancini!

Combining AI system information transmission, Tang Long realized that Yuto Nagatomo might become the breakthrough point on Rodriguez’s side.

This Japanese wing-back is slim but fast, with a certain level of impact, and happens to be on Rodriguez’s opposing side.

As long as he can organize the play and find the space for Nagatomo to move forward, opportunities will certainly arise!

In the 82nd minute of the match, Nagatomo passed the ball horizontally to Tang Long and then inserted forward.

Tang Long wasn’t in a hurry to pass the ball; instead, he controlled it in the center, drawing out a defensive midfielder, and suddenly shifted the ball to his right foot, delivering a ground strike with the outside of his foot!

Hiss, hiss, hiss—

The outside-spinning football scraped violently against the lush green grass, knocking the earth beneath, bouncing to the right!

"Wow! A sharp ground long pass!"

"Can it find someone—there is someone, Nagatomo in the gap!"

The broadcast angle pulled down, Nagatomo appeared at the opponent’s right baseline!

Tang Long’s ball was a bit heavy and the line was not as surgical as De Bruyne’s precision.

When the ball rolled on the ground, it didn’t stick all the way; it bounced irregularly a few times, increasing the difficulty for teammates to receive it.

However, this unexpected pass led to left-back Rodriguez being out of position, combined with Nagatomo’s speed, he still managed to fly and hook the ball towards the middle before it reached the baseline!

Icardi in the penalty area precisely judged the landing point, a gentle tap, and the football nestled into the net!

Ultimately, thanks to this goal pulled back before the final whistle, Inter narrowly lost 1-2 to Wolfsburg away in the first leg, still preserving the hope of advancing to the semifinals.

After the match, De Bruyne proactively approached Tang Long to greet him.

The two talented midfielders hugged each other and exchanged a few words.

De Bruyne hails from Belgium, where people fluently master four or five languages, communicating with Tang Long posed no issue.

"Tang, that ball of yours was brilliant, it was played so unexpectedly, the vision was fully realized! Our defenders were all fooled by you, you single-handedly broke through our defense, very unfortunate, if you hadn’t played, we would have taken it at home." De Bruyne’s tone was full of regret.

"Kevin, your ground strike is even better, the ball sticks almost completely to the ground, and under such circumstances, it still manages to turn, truly unbelievable, it seems you’ve practiced quite a bit." Tang Long replied with a smile.

They exchanged mutual compliments, and agreed to compete again at the Meazza stadium in a week.

Mancini pouted, a helpless smile appeared on his face.

I was about to give up, yet managed to pull back a goal.

Oh my, Icardi and Tang, you were just supposed to warm up, how did you play so seriously?

With a first-leg score of 1-2, how should they play the second leg next week?

Regardless, the result is better than expected, Mancini was ultimately happy.

Even though this was a match he initially strategically abandoned.

...

After the match, some former Inter legends expressed dissatisfaction with the match to reporters!

Milito stated that Inter’s lineup planning was too casual.

"The extensive rotation significantly reduced the team’s combat effectiveness, substitutes were unfamiliar with each other and couldn’t form a chemical reaction."

Materazzi was even more blunt, very much not understanding why Mancini fielded all substitutes, Inter had the capability to have a decent match at the opponent’s home ground.

"We always say there’s no ifs in football matches, but if Tang and Icardi had come on 20 minutes earlier, given more time, could we have equalized or even overturned the score? I think the possibility is very high!"

The Cheetah Eto’o considers that even in the UEFA Europa League, it should not be given up.

"If we hadn’t advanced from the group stage, that’s one thing; advancing and defeating Celtic to reach the quarter-finals means a club like Inter should not forsake any chance to win a championship!"

"Look at how hard Wolfsburg worked, their attitude towards the match is worth Inter learning!"

"In my professional career, I’ve won the Champions League twice, once at Barça and once at Inter. If I had the chance to compete for the UEFA Europa League, I’d definitely go all out, and I believe many players at Inter think the same way too."

Former captain Bergomi’s words, however, were even more thought-provoking.

"Inter has been ensnared by capital; in the eyes of some foreign capital, securing a Champions League spot is above all, but do not forget, in European competitions, we represent the dignity of Italian football!"

"Why did Serie A fall to only three Champions League spots?"

"It’s because some Serie A teams strategically abandoned the UEFA Europa League, leading to the league’s European competition points being less than those of the Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga!"

Finally, Bergomi personally implored the entire league:

Serie A teams, please unite, for the future of Serie A, to display spirit and strength in European competitions!

Bergomi’s remarks generated considerable discussion in the Italian football world.

Various media outlets added fuel to the fire, igniting a blaze.

The criticism was directly aimed at Mancini and the Indonesian capital behind Inter.

Some even said Mancini was merely Toshihiko’s puppet controlling Inter, focusing solely on the club’s value in the capital market, while ignoring the responsibilities a century-old club should bear in the league.

"Not playing the UEFA Europa League properly, failing to win others in the Champions League, at this rate, Serie A will soon be no better than Ligue 1, and will fall to the level with the Eredivisie and Turkish Super League!"

Mancini was caught off guard.

He never thought these media would attribute the decline of Serie A to him.

I’m just a coach, honestly speaking, I’m also just an employee, do I really have the power to influence Serie A’s prosperity or decline? Nonsense!

Let whoever wants to shoulder this blame bear it, I won’t!

(Mancini: Is Serie A’s decline something I can influence?)

Moreover, among these Inter legends, many, such as Cambiasso, Samuel, were players he coached during his first stint at Inter.

Not only do you not speak up for me, but you also oppose me?

Especially that big mouth, Materazzi!

Thinking about it made Mancini angry!

Damnit, I even gave you tickets, three VIP box tickets at that.

In the end, the most, the harshest sentiments come from you after the match!

Next time you want tickets from me, I won’t even give you half!

Of course, Tang Long wasn’t very concerned about these external dynamics of the game.

His principle was simply, if you’re on the pitch, play well and deliver your best performance; only this way can you not let the tickets’ worth for fans go to waste, right?

Tang Long also knew that even for a UEFA Europa League match on a weekday early morning, there were still many Chinese fans getting up in the middle of the night to watch.

A vast majority of them were there for him.

If he doesn’t play well, he’d be letting down the Chinese fans who stayed up!

Over the weekend, Inter won comfortably at home, 3-1 against mid-table team Turin.

Surprisingly, even though a full rotation was used in the midweek UEFA Europa League, Mancini made certain reservations for the league.

The starters were indeed all key players.

However, around the 70th minute of the second half, Mancini began substituting several main players.

Tang Long and Icardi, the candy-coated missiles duo, were both substituted.

Could it be Mancini was seriously preparing for the second leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-final against Wolfsburg next week?

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