Chapter 153: The fans are calling for their heroes !
The suspicion of internal discord had not yet dissipated, and Inter Milan ushered in a new opponent, Bayer Leverkusen. After winning the runner-up in the league, runner-up in the German Cup, and runner-up in the UEFA Champions League, they entered a trough.
As a relatively small club, they not only faced successive player poaching but also the dilemma of competing in two high-intensity competitions simultaneously. Consequently, they suffered consecutive defeats in the league and found themselves deep in the relegation zone.
In the upcoming matches, Bayer Leverkusen's primary goal naturally was to avoid relegation, and there was still hope for a strong performance in the second half of the season.
However, they had no intention of giving up on the Champions League. Since they couldn't achieve much in domestic competitions, they focused all their energy on the European stage.
In the first round against Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen almost managed to draw level with their opponents but were ultimately defeated 1-2 in the dying moments. To advance, they needed a victory in their match against Inter Milan.
The Meazza Stadium was nearly full, and although just a few days prior, fans had witnessed Inter Milan's defeat and some regrettable conflicts, nobody understood better than them that the team needed their support and encouragement more than ever.
As the referee's whistle sounded, the two sides officially started the battle. Bayer Leverkusen indeed took the initiative and, with constant movement and aggressive pressing, seized control of the game for a time.
"Look at this attack, Noévier evades Cannavaro with the ball and shoots! Oh, what a pity, the ball narrowly missed the post. This is Bayer Leverkusen's third shot of the game, while Inter Milan has yet to organize an effective attack. It seems the home team is in a disadvantageous position."
"Has Inter Milan's defense not recovered yet? Cooper benched Cordoba, the main figure in the conflict, but so far, it doesn't seem to be effective. Cannavaro's performance is lackluster."
In the 15th minute, Bayer Leverkusen's attack bore fruit. Schneider broke through on the left and crossed, and Bellbato, following up, outmuscled Cannavaro to head the ball into the net.
Just four minutes later, Cannavaro left a gap in the defense again, allowing Noévier to break through and extend the away team's lead.
The fans in the stands were stunned. Was this the same Inter Milan that won the double last season and started the league with nine consecutive victories?
"Wang Feng! Wang Feng!" Someone shouted Wang Feng's name, and others joined in, until the whole Meazza Stadium echoed with the chant.
"The Inter Milan fans are calling for their hero!" the commentator exclaimed. "Wang Feng has performed miracles on the Meazza Stadium countless times. Can he continue his legend today?"
Nearly seventy thousand people chanting one name together was a spectacular sight. Wang Feng looked at the dense crowd, feeling the anxiety and unease about the team dissipate. It was only about the game now!
In the 35th minute, Wang Feng retreated to midfield to receive the ball. As he got possession, Bayer Leverkusen's defender Ramello quickly closed in, grabbing Wang Feng's shoulder and attempting to dispossess him.
Relying on his physical strength, Wang Feng resisted, evading Ramello's pressure with agile movements, keeping control of the ball. Then, he suddenly accelerated, breaking free from Ramello's grip and sprinting towards the opposition's half.
Another nearby defender, Balic, was surprised and rushed to tackle, even if it meant fouling, to prevent Wang Feng from advancing dangerously.
As Wang Feng dribbled at speed, he slightly increased the force with his left foot, causing the ball to deflect to the left. This move evaded the sliding tackle at the critical moment, allowing him to enter the penalty area.
Facing the last defender, Nowotny, he feinted a shot to make him lose balance, then attempted a shot. However, Nowotny, with remarkable reaction speed and coordination, adjusted his position just in time.
Feeling the impending block, Wang Feng sensed that the shot would hit the defender, so he abruptly pulled back his shooting foot before making contact with the ball, changing his shot to a dribble. Nowotny was helpless at this point.
After dribbling past Nowotny, Wang Feng found himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. With a powerful shot, he pierced Bayer Leverkusen's goal.
"Goal! Goooooooooal! Wang Feng scores!!"
"He lives up to the cheers of the home fans! A miraculous solo goal at the Meazza Stadium once again! Wang Feng receives the ball in midfield, dribbles past three opponents, and breaks the deadlock. It's truly magnificent!"
"This goal is a serious blow to the morale of the away team because they don't know how to defend against Wang Feng's explosive runs."
"Let's watch the replay. Beautiful! Wang Feng's change of direction at high speed while dribbling, and there's not a hint of loss of control over the ball. This level of ball control is absolutely world-class."
After scoring, Wang Feng ran to Bayer Leverkusen's goal, picked up the ball, and ran towards the center line, exchanging high-fives and encouragement with his teammates along the way. Finally, he placed the ball at the center circle, signaling everyone to take their positions for the restart.
Cannavaro approached him with a somewhat embarrassed expression. Wang Feng hugged him and said with a smile, "Cheer up, Italian captain." Cannavaro nodded solemnly.
In the remainder of the game, neither side scored again. Inter Milan entered halftime trailing by one goal, but they no longer felt despondent. Wang Feng's goal not only demoralized the opponents but also revitalized their own team.
Cannavaro's performance was indeed affected by the recent conflict. The main points of contention between him and Cordoba focused on two aspects: firstly, their roles on the field sometimes overlapped.
Both were short defenders, and Cooper tended to pair a tall defender with a shorter one for defensive balance. While they sometimes played together, they were mostly in competition with each other.
The other point of contention was the significant salary gap between Cannavaro and Cordoba. As the core of Inter Milan's defense, Cordoba believed he deserved a salary similar to Cannavaro's, but reality proved otherwise, leading to Cordoba's desire to mock Cannavaro whenever he made mistakes, further exacerbating their conflict.
Cooper rubbed his temples as he explained the second-half tactics. At this moment, he was extremely grateful for buying Zambrotta in the summer, originally intended to provide depth to the defense for multiple competitions but now playing a crucial role.
"Fabio, take a rest in the second half and let Cordoba partner with Zambrotta." Cooper said, Cannavaro's face was somewhat grim, but he nodded nonetheless. Towards the end of the first half, he finally regained some form, but his performance earlier was dismal.
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