Just when all the fans in China were excited about Tang Long’s stunning winning goal on the Serie A stage.
Inter players, after only a few days of rest, faced a match against Celtic.
In the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16.
Inter, rotating half of their players, beat their opponents 2-1 away from ho.
Returning to the ho match this ti.
Faced with the Milan derby over the weekend.
Mancini still chose to rotate.
Main players like Ranocchia, Gualin, Podolski, del did not start.
Tang Long also sat on the bench to watch the match.
The only exception was Icardi.
The Argentine striker, who missed Lazio due to a red card suspension last ti, started the match.
Oddly, Mancini’s starting lineup wasn’t the recent victorious 4-2-3-1.
Instead, it returned to the usual 4-3-1-2.
Coach Zhang Lu had his own insights on this starting lineup.
"Mancini, after all, has been coaching in Italy for years, so things are ingrained, leading 2-1 from the first leg with two away goals, Inter has the upper hand."
"This match, Inter won’t play aggressively, they’ll play it steady, use three defensive midfielders to maintain team rigidity, and ensure they don’t concede goals, minimizing the opponent’s away goals."
"That’s why attacking players like Tang Long and Podolski are on standby on the bench."
"So I think this match will look unattractive, with pragmatism as the priority!"
Just as Coach Zhang predicted.
Reverting to three defensive midfielders, Inter’s main task in the first half was to secure the defense.
Mancini played it smart~
He even had the substitute defensive midfielder Mavic, drop deep into the center-back position right from the start, playing with five defenders.
Handing over the ball control to the opponent, Celtic.
This team from the Scottish Super League, at the ho of Italian giants Inter Milan, had a first-half possession rate as high as 61%!
The ball was being played back and forth at their feet, while Inter’s players stayed back and defended tightly, compressing their formation.
"Haha! Mancini is clearly testing tactics, using the Europa League to practice a five-defender strategy, it seems he doesn’t care about winning or losing this match!"
"But Celtic is quite active here!"
"Even their center-backs are frequently entering the box to contest headers!"
For Celtic, this Scottish giant has no competition dostically, as their old rival Glasgow Rangers had to declare bankruptcy due to debt in 2012, leading to a team restructure and demotion to the Scottish Championship, leaving Celtic on a victorious path dostically, the championship is a matter of ti.
This season, their main task is to aim for the Europa League championship.
Inter, on the other hand, prioritizes even a match against relegation teams in the league over the Europa League knockouts, for next season’s Champions League.
The whole first half, Inter voluntarily relinquished ball control, although firmly suppressed by the opponent.
However, thanks to a tight five-defender system, they didn’t allow Celtic to have a single shot on goal inside the penalty area.
The tactical execution was spot on!
However, this made it tough for Icardi, returning to the pitch~
Everyone was stuck in the back, leaving him alone up front, pressing against the last trailing center-back Van Dijk.
The two were quite bored, even began chatting directly.
Initially, the atmosphere was good, chatting about the weather, food, and such.
As they chatted, with the first half nearing its end, Van Dijk’s eyes suddenly flicked with mischief.
Scheming thoughts arose within him.
"Your wife Wanda is quite sexy, I often see her posting glamorous photos on social dia. By the way, was it true, back then, that your wife and Maradona had a thing?"
Icardi was instantly infuriated.
This young man has two untouchable sore spots, his bottom lines.
The first is scoring goals; he believes he is the sharpest striker in the whole Serie A, and among the top three worldwide.
Missing a goal in a match makes his mood extrely vexed!
The other is his wife, Wanda.
Despite the chaos caused due to this with forr Samp teammate Lopez, Icardi always claid publicly that he and Wanda are truly in love, a perfect couple (one might say puppy love), model partners!
At 22, the pure-hearted Icardi won’t allow anyone to slander the woman he loves dearly!
During the halfti break, he grumbled as he walked into the players’ tunnel.
"Boss, why let play without assigning a midfielder who can pass?"
Faced with Icardi’s questioning, Mancini affectionately patted his head~
"Mauro, why get excited playing in the Europa League? For this match, just run more, you haven’t played for a week, get so sweat out, wait till the second half when Tang cos on, won’t your chances co then."
After enduring for 30 minutes.
In the 60th minute of the second half, Tang Long was brought on!
Tang Long’s appearance instantly sparked the passion of the fans on-site.
The fans at azza had spent a drowsy hour.
This match looked really dull, really frustrating!
We are the mighty Inter Milan, three-ti Champions League winners, how can we be dominated at ho by a small Scottish team!
"Tang——"
"Tang——"
The fans did not hold back their cheers for Tang Long’s appearance.
Icardi was also invigorated!
He went up to Tang Long for a simple high-five.
Without saying a word, a simple eye exchange was enough.
The main event, officially began!
"Haha! Tang Long is on!"
"Fans who turned off their TV and went to sleep early will surely regret it in the morning!"
"Mancini gave Tang Long 30 minutes to warm up, preparing for the Milan derby!"
"Oh my?"
"Mancini changed the formation!"
"Shifted from 4-3-1-2 to 4-2-3-1!"
"Inter now has players in the wingback positions!"
"This is good news for Icardi, soone to pass him the ball!"
As soon as those words left, Tang Long, near the center circle, delivered a highly imaginative penetrating pass to the advancing wingback Jonathan!
Why is it highly imaginative?
Because even the comntators with a God’s eye view couldn’t foresee this pass route!
"What’s happening, why didn’t anyone intercept this ball!?"
"Ah! This route!"
"Such a pass is possible! How did Tang Long discover this hidden route?"
"Amazing, absolutely unbelievable!"
Tang Long’s pass involved foresight.
He had already mapped the space between the opponent’s center-back, defensive midfielder, and fullback!
This space was nearly impossible to perceive before he made the pass.
Only through data analysis could one find that seemingly impenetrable wall’s gap, that hidden corner letting through light!
Jonathan, after so adjustnts after receiving the ball, delivered Inter’s first wing-cross of the match!
Icardi found the spot precisely, rose like a spring, headed down sharply a bouncing ball, 1-0!
"Goal, Uncle Icardi scored!"
In Milan, at Icardi’s house.
Wanda, with her youngest son from her previous marriage, wearing an Inter jersey, applauded before the TV.
And Wanda herself, in black lace nightwear, lay slouched on the couch, playing on social dia.
The fine material matched her supermodel aura seamlessly.
On the TV, Icardi appeared hugging Tang Long passionately.
Wanda curiously squinted her eyes slightly.
"So this is the Tang Mauro talked about? Quite a nice boy..."
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