Tang Long just realized that he hasn’t seen Berni on the training field all day today.
Looking at the shell pattern on Uncle Bernie’s green beach shorts, fluttering in the breeze, Tang Long asked him:
"Uncle Bernie, did you go to the Maldives to sunbathe and just co back? I didn’t see a shadow of you all day."
Uncle Bernie put his hands behind his back and puffed out his chest.
"Nonsense! I, Berni, originally didn’t have a chance to play. If I don’t co to practice, wouldn’t I have no chance to touch the ball for a whole week!"
"I strained my back. I’ve been in the therapy room getting a massage all morning. I just finished with so cupping therapy. You see, now a lot of players like to use your Chinese dicine thods for therapy. I have to say, the effect isn’t bad. My back feels much better."
Berni turned around and lifted his shirt, revealing two rows of blood-red circles on his back.
"You strained your back just sitting on the bench?" Tang Long found it amusing.
"Cough, cough, isn’t it because I was waving the towel too vigorously? I’m getting old, not like you young people." Berni coughed awkwardly a couple of tis.
"Let’s not digress, let’s talk business."
Berni abruptly changed the subject to Tang Long’s passing.
"You’re trying to imitate De Bruyne’s Ground Strike, right?"
"You could tell?"
"Of course, I’ve been watching matches from the sidelines for years. I’ve picked up a thing or two. Want to give you so pointers?"
Seeing Berni deliberately acting coy, Tang Long was initially unimpressed.
What does a goalkeeper know about passing?
He kicked the ball to Berni, "How about you demonstrate, Uncle Bernie?"
Berni waved his hand.
"My passing is naturally not as good as yours, but if you want to improve your Ground Strike, from my years of experience with the water cooler, I have a suggestion."
Berni placed his hands behind his back, using a clipboard to maneuver the soccer ball back and forth on the ground, and began to speak slowly.
"De Bruyne’s style of Ground Strike has three strengths: fast ball speed, low ground ball, and large curve."
"But there’s a prerequisite: the choice of passing route has to be correct. If you blindly pursue these three strengths and ignore the passing route, it’s like putting the cart before the horse."
"Tang, your passing skills are naturally not as good as De Bruyne’s, and you can’t match him in the short term. But when it cos to choosing the route, I can’t speak for all of Europe, but I dare say in the entire Serie A, if you claim second place, no one would dare claim first, because your situational judgnt is phenonal!"
"Let’s put it this way, as long as there’s no problem with the route choice, with your current skill level, you just need to do one thing to significantly enhance the power of your Ground Strike."
Berni stretched out his two hands in front of Tang Long.
"While maintaining the ground ball, don’t try to grasp both speed and curve; let one go!"
"Either a grounder with speed or a grounder with curve, keep it simple."
...
Berni’s advice offered Tang Long so inspiration.
Right now, his passing ability is indeed unable to encompass all three characteristics of De Bruyne’s Ground Strike at once.
Trying to mimic it completely in one go could lead to failure, losing his own strengths in the process.
After adjustnts, the effect improved significantly.
During Tuesday’s training, Tang Long’s Ground Strike beca more stable, and his connections with Icardi increased.
Mancini was watching from the side, nodding frequently.
"This kid adjusts quickly. If he continues like Saturday, I might as well let him rest during tomorrow’s Coppa Italia semi-final."
Chiwo quickly waved his hand.
"We can’t do that, boss. The owner has been speaking out in the dia, saying that this season we not only need to finish in the top three but also aim to reach the finals in the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Europa League. Atlanta is a tough opponent; others can rest, but not Tang."
Mancini sighed, "This Indonesian guy Toshihiko is also being driven by these politicians. With our lineup, if we push hard on all fronts and end up with nothing, it would be real fun."
Wednesday, 7:30 PM, Milan local ti.
After dinner, Inter fans hurried to the azza Stadium.
In the last round, 81,000 fans were present to support the ho team, which was under dia pressure.
As a result, fans witnessed a big victory, with Inter energetically marching into the UEFA Europa League semi-finals!
The excitent from this Coppa Italia match is still spreading.
Eighty thousand!
The number was only 1,000 less than the last ga!
Keep in mind, it’s a midweek ga, and it’s the Coppa Italia.
On regular days, an attendance of over 30,000 would have been remarkable.
Besides buying tickets to cheer, it’s about opposing those boring politicians.
The fans have a desire almost bursting from within—they want the championship!
For four years, Inter hasn’t won a single title.
They were shaved bald.
Arch-rivals AC Milan took the Serie A title, and Juventus, needless to say, achieved a three-peat!
Two century-old rivals heavily pressed down on Inter’s head.
The last title was the 2011 Coppa Italia.
Speaking of this Mancini, he’s a specialist in the Coppa Italia!
Though he’s not good at the European Cup, dostically, he’s won the Coppa Italia four tis, making him the coach who’s won it the most globally.
In the 2000-2001 season at Florence, 2003-2004 at Lazio, and he consecutively won the title with Inter from 2004 to 2006.
Once upon a ti, this dostic cup was more like a sideshow.
The strong teams didn’t care, focusing on the league and Champions League.
The weak teams didn’t have the strength to compete for it.
But for today’s Inter fans, who’ve gone four years without tasting any championship glory.
They’re extrely thirsty!
Thirsty enough to die for a championship.
They don’t need delicious nectar.
A simple cup of tea would lift them to cloud nine~
The local dia, "La Gazzetta dello Sport," consistently covering Inter’s performance this season, stated on the front page:
[Only a handkerchief embroidered with a championship dal can sweep away the dust on the hero’s throne]
This taphor is very fitting!
No matter how glorious Inter’s past records are.
Without the nourishnt of championships for a long ti.
The grandeur of a giant can fade.
Currently, winning the Serie A has beco a luxury.
The UEFA Europa League title is also not easy.
But the Coppa Italia, with just two more victories, can be lifted!
Due to the scheduling, the semi-finals and finals are held at the azza.
This kind of opportunity is not to be missed!
Tang Long is full of anticipation for this championship, which is the most likely to be won in his first professional year.
What does winning the championship taste like?
The taste of winning is standing on the podium under the gaze of 80,000 azza fans, lifting the trophy high over one’s head, with strears and champagne spraying behind, fans cheering excitedly all around, and stars dazzling above!
In this grand scene, even lifting a pot instead of a trophy would be exhilarating, bringing extre joy to the players’ body and mind!
"Welco to Sky Sports live channel, I’m host Owenson, and today I’m with my partner Rui Costa at the azza Stadium to provide comntary for this match."
"Hello, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you all."
Rui Costa wasn’t much of a talker, nodding slightly.
This stadium was as familiar to him as it was to the azza, and San Siro was the land where he fought in the past.
The stadium DJ began announcing the starting players for the ho team.
"Number 1, Handanovic, Number 5, ..."
Cheers resounded one after another.
"Number 9, Icardi!"
Loud applause erupted from the stands, several decibels higher than other players.
"...Number 99, Tang Long!"
Rumble—
The roar of thunderous shouts erupted from all directions, converging towards the center!
The cheers of 80,000 people were like 80,000 footballs hurled from the sky onto the pitch!
The most enthusiastic response from the entire stadium belonged to Tang Long!
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