Chapter 239: Chapter 239
The entire Meazza Stadium was plunged into madness.
Many fans, with tears in their eyes, clapped and cheered passionately for the heroes being honored on the pitch.
You know, back in November last year, they were only ranked ninth in Serie A.
At that time, many media outlets mockingly described Inter Milan’s early season goal of advancing to the Champions League.
"Just after 10 rounds, Inter’s season is already over ahead of schedule!"
"Since the Champions League reform, no Serie A team ranked ninth after the first 10 rounds of the league has ever made it into the top four by season’s end—especially since this season, Serie A only has three Champions League spots."
"Inter Milan has no choice but to pay the price for their mediocre lineup and failed tactics!"
"This season, the Blue-Black Corps’ journey is already over ahead of time! Players can go on vacation early!"
Subsequently, Mazzari, carrying the infamous reputation of XJB kicking, gloomily stepped down amidst a storm of insults.
Mancini returned from England, marking a turning point for Inter Milan this season.
After losing 3-0 away to Sampdoria in his first match, the heavily pressured Mancini began to reflect deeply, abandoning the beautiful attacking football he had executed at Manchester City and opting for pragmatic Serie A conservative tactics.
In the eyes of foreign media, Tang Long’s promotion was masterminded by Mancini, yet another rising star Mancini had elevated within Inter after Balotelli.
The media praised Mancini for his contribution to promoting new players, as Tang Long’s emergence completely turned around Inter Milan’s struggling offense.
Long and Icardi’s outstanding performance helped Inter Milan cut through obstacles and forge ahead in the league.
The Northern Expedition on the scoreboard!
Not every match was won.
They lost to Juventus and Lazio and drew with Napoli.
But they basically won the matches they needed to win, and in those they couldn’t win, there were also pleasant surprises.
In the end, Inter Milan defeated their city rivals 2-0 in the last round of the Milan derby in Serie A round 38, achieving a derby double victory, humiliating their opponent, and squeezing into the top three of the league in the final round, directly qualifying for next season’s Champions League!
"This truly is a wonderful moment, unbelievable! I thought we had already failed at the start of the season..."
Inter’s captain Ranocchia tightly embraced Tang Long, his tears flowing endlessly, soaking Tang Long’s jersey.
"As long as we unite as a team, there’s no opponent we can’t defeat, Captain!"
Tang Long and Ranocchia stood facing each other, embracing tightly, unwilling to let go for a long time.
About ten photographers had rushed onto the field, snapping away around the two of them.
This scene also became the most iconic episode of Inter Milan’s season.
Some are happy, while others are sad!
kilometers south of Milan in Naples.
The São Paulo Stadium was silent among 70,000 spectators.
Napoli’s fans couldn’t believe that the duck, almost in their grasp, had flown away at the last round!
Facing Udinese, already assured of staying up, Napoli capsized in the gutter and couldn’t win this match.
They almost led Inter Milan an entire season!
Yet, in this 38-round long marathon battle, they were overtaken by Inter in the last step by a half-body length.
Faced with such a cruel reality, Napoli’s players couldn’t find closure, and tears of sorrow fell down from many faces.
The Argentine forward Higuain, the team’s top scorer with 18 league goals, stood forlornly on the pitch, gazing around aimlessly.
He breathed heavily, somewhat woodenly.
Even when sweat dripped from his forehead into his eyes, he didn’t blink.
Is the season over just like that?
A whole year of hard work, and not even a Champions League spot.
In the VIP box on the stands at São Paulo Stadium.
Napoli’s president, the Italian film mogul De Laurentiis, was furious.
He slammed a bottle of expensive red wine onto the ground, smashing it to pieces.
"This match is simply the shame of Italian southern football!"
De Laurentiis roared like a crazy lion, completely ignoring the most distinguished guest of Napoli sitting next to him—the king of football, Maradona.
Maradona was silently puffing on a cigar.
He knew that the current Napoli was no longer the team he had led in the 90s that dominated both Serie A and Europe.
"Mr. President, I have a way to make sure Napoli qualifies for the Champions League next season," Maradona said.
De Laurentiis was taken aback and sat down, "What do you mean?"
"Bring Tang over, bring him to Napoli." A playful glint flashed in Maradona’s eyes.
De Laurentiis understood the underlying meaning in Maradona’s words.
Bringing Tang Long to Napoli, that was absolutely impossible.
Not to mention how many big clubs in the world are coveting this 18-year-old star.
Real Madrid, Barça, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain...
Who can Napoli compete against?
Just to say, with Napoli’s current standing, trying to poach Inter Milan’s main players, the world hasn’t changed that much yet, right?
The implication in Maradona’s words, "Mr. President, to win the Champions League, or even Serie A, you have to invest money to buy players!"
As night fell, an undercurrent of unrest quietly swept through Napoli.
The gates of the São Paulo Stadium thundered open, unleashing a storm long imprisoned; seventy thousand emotionally charged spectators poured out like a tide!
Disappointment and anger interwove on their faces, like a frenzied mob turning all their emotions into a destructive force, wantonly unleashed on the streets.
This ancient city in southern Italy, famed for its complex history and unyielding character, now bore an additional tinge of crime.
Flames soared to the sky!
Fireworks exploded in the night sky like an angry dragon, brilliantly yet dangerously.
Light and smoke intertwined, shrouding the entire city in chaos, as if protesting the failed 2014-2015 season!
Jewelry store windows shattered under heavy blows, splendid light and glass shards scattered together;
The storefront of the retail supermarket was kicked in rudely, bread, lettuce, cheese scattered everywhere, trampled by anyone;
In the chaos, computer city screens were smashed, flickering electronic dots gradually dimmed;
The ATM of the 24-hour bank swayed perilously amidst the rumbling!
Even the dilapidated red-brick residential buildings couldn’t escape calamity, windows shattering with deafening sounds revealing the terrified gazes of women and children within.
(Zero-dollar shopping on the streets of Napoli)
The sharp and piercing sound of breaking glass was like a cry of despair, intertwining with the urgent and continuous wailing of sirens, forming a symphony of chaos and unease.
It penetrated every street, every corner, shaking the heart of this city, a storm ignited by football.
"Our Napoli will never bow to the Northerners!"
"Napoli didn’t lose to Inter, we just lost to that Chinese guy!"
"Napoli needs its own Tang Long!"
"De Laurentiis! Where is the hero that belongs to Napoli?"
"Maradona, please come out of retirement!"
The fans shouted, screamed, and marched down the street holding banners.
Many people immediately watched the replay of the Inter Milan vs. AC Milan derby after the match.
Although it was the Italian youngster Bonazzoli who scored twice, securing both goals of the match.
But the clear-eyed among Napoli’s supporters could see that the mastermind behind this Milan derby victory was Tang Long!
His magical through passes repeatedly tore AC Milan’s defense to shreds.
Like a sharp blade cutting open the opponent’s armor-clad skin, exposing the bones beneath.
Napoli’s fans simply couldn’t understand.
Why is Tang Long, of all people, a product of Inter Milan’s youth academy?
Why can Mancini always have such keen insight, discovering these kinds of prodigious talents?
The anger of failure spread in this southern city on the Apennine Peninsula...
World Cup champion member and Napoli’s main striker Altafini said in an interview with Sky Sports after the match:
"Look at Inter Milan’s frontline, Icardi has scored 40 league goals, Bonazzoli also scored 11."
"And then look at our Napoli’s main striker, Higuain has only managed 18."
"But Higuain used to be a main striker at Real Madrid, is his ability inferior to Icardi’s?"
"Obviously not, the key reason for more than doubling the goal count is that Inter Milan has a great player like Tang!"
"Standing behind Icardi and Bonazzoli is Tang, behind Higuain, however, are Hamsik and Mertens."
"How can such a Napoli compete with Inter? It’s simply impossible!"
"The only way, just as the fans said, is to bring Maradona out of retirement!"