Chapter 252: Chapter 252

Taking advantage of the interval while Inter Milan players were celebrating with Podolski, Mancini called Tang Long to the sideline.

Tang Long originally thought that Mancini would have some important tactical arrangements in the final few minutes, so he was ready to listen intently.

Unexpectedly, the next question Mancini asked made Tang Long laugh.

"Would you like to receive the applause and cheers of the entire stadium? I can sub you off early."

It turned out Mancini believed the outcome was decided, and in the final few minutes, calling Tang Long over was not for any special tactical briefing but to let Tang Long enjoy the applause and cheers under the gaze of 75,000 spectators in the UEFA Europa League final, and sub out early!

Tang Long gladly accepted this proposal.

The fourth official on the sidelines raised the substitution board, and Tang Long was subbed off.

As he slowly walked from the center circle to the sideline, the entire crowd at the Berlin Olympic Stadium erupted into waves of applause!

In this match, both the scoreline and the spectacle were very entertaining for the fans.

And those Seville fans who knew the outcome was decided no longer cared about the result, and generously applauded Tang Long as well, especially since there were many local German fans at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.

Earlier, Tang Long had generously given the penalty to the German player Podolski, which won him considerable favor in this city.

Tang Long slowly walked off the field, while walking, he raised both hands high above his head, also using his applause to thank the fans cheering for him:

"Thank you, thank you, goodbye!"

When Tang Long said "goodbye," the tense string in his heart suddenly relaxed.

The heavy burden hanging on his heart since last year had finally been lifted at this moment.

This UEFA Europa League final, with a few minutes plus stoppage time left, but Tang Long had already finished playing all the matches for the season.

His season had already ended perfectly.

"At the 88th minute, Tang Long was subbed off!"

"The Berlin Olympic Stadium erupted with endless applause!"

"Many spectators stood up to cheer and applaud Tang Long."

"In this match, he contributed a goal and an assist, helping Inter Milan win the UEFA Europa League championship this season!"

"Sorry, although the game isn’t over yet, I believe no one can oppose what I’m saying!"

"Congratulations to Tang Long, who had a perfect season."

"In his first year of professional career, he represented Inter Milan to win the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Europa League double titles."

"And in the league, they smoothly secured the third place, advancing to next season’s Champions League group stages."

"Tang Long has already finished all his matches this season, but his professional career is just beginning. His future growth is promising, let’s accompany Tang Long as he grows!"

After high-fiving with Obi, who came on, Tang Long went to the head coach Mancini, and hugged him.

Tang Long buried his head on Mancini’s shoulder, while Mancini patted Tang Long’s back heavily with his fist.

"Thank you, coach, we had a perfect season!"

"No, I should be thanking you, Tang, you made us have a perfect season!"

Photographers surrounded them one after another.

With long and short lenses, they captured this touching scene on site.

Subsequently, Tang Long high-fived every substitute player on the bench again.

When he reached the last seat, Berni unexpectedly gave Tang Long a punch, almost knocking him down.

"Haha, time to clock out and go home!"

In front of everyone, Berni squatted slightly, hugged Tang Long’s waist, and lifted him up in the air.

Then, just like hugging a lover, he spun him around three times on the spot.

This scene amused the substitute players immensely.

Berni’s eyes were glistening with tears!

He had told Tang Long countless times that this season would be his last at Inter Milan, and also the last year of his professional career.

After coming to Inter Milan, as the third goalkeeper, Berni only represented Inter once in the Coppa Italia, with zero appearances in the league and European games.

Born in Inter’s youth training, his role in the team was mainly to fulfill the youth training quota for Inter in European competitions.

However, even so, Berni still gave his all in every training session, actively cooperating with the goalkeeper coach’s arrangements.

He had also made small requests to Tang Long multiple times, hoping he could lead Inter Milan to at least one championship this season, so he could also taste the feeling of lifting a trophy before retiring.

After winning the Coppa Italia, Berni’s career dream was already fulfilled.

Thinking again, he would soon be lifting the UEFA Europa League trophy as well; how could this not make the over-30-year-old veteran goalkeeper shed tears?

Hugging Tang Long and spinning around multiple times, Berni’s tears didn’t lessen, instead, he started to sob loudly.

"Damn, I can’t believe I’m retiring too, from tomorrow on, I won’t be a professional player anymore!"

Reflecting on his bumpy professional career, Berni cried like a downpour.

Tang Long had just comforted him with a couple of sentences when Mancini laughed and shouted at him:

"Hey, you bald old guy, stop crying and get ready to go on the field!"

Chiwo handed Berni a towel, letting him dry his tears, and start putting on the goalkeeper gloves to prepare to play.

Berni was a bit dazed, he couldn’t believe it was real, he thought he had misheard.

"Hurry up, why are you dawdling? You have around 3 minutes left, don’t you want to go on? Hurry up!"

Mancini lightly kicked Berni on the backside.

Berni quickly tidied up his jersey, swiftly put on his goalkeeper gloves, did a few leg stretches, jumped twice, stood at the sideline, and looked at the stadium with a smile.

In the 92nd minute, starting goalkeeper Handanovic was substituted, and third substitute goalkeeper Berni finally took the field!

This was his first appearance for Inter Milan in European competition this season, and his debut in European competition in his over ten-year professional career, finally making his presence known!

In the fifty to sixty meters from the sideline to the goal line, Berni rushed like the wind.

When he finally stood on the goal line, he felt everything was so unreal, yet undeniably real.

He occasionally touched the grass underfoot, sometimes reached up to feel the crossbar, looking around.

Is this what European competition is like...

"Uncle Berni, go for it!"

Berni looked toward the voice and saw Tang Long at the sideline waving his white towel above his head, cheering with as much effort as he had countless times on the bench for the players on the field.

The towel waving made Berni’s heart surge with excitement!

He immediately bent down, watching everything on the field, quickly getting into the game state.

Although there were less than three minutes left before the end of the match, these three minutes were a huge milestone in Berni’s career—he finally played for the century-old giant, Inter Milan!

At this time, Seville’s midfielder Mbia tried to clear the ball, but it unexpectedly landed in a good position up front.

Center-back Ranocchia maintained a reasonable distance from Seville’s forward Baka.

Once Baka controlled the ball, he would go up to defend.

Baka initially wanted to control the ball steadily, but he glanced at Berni on the goal line.

As a goalkeeper, Berni wasn’t tall, only 1.84 meters, much smaller than the 1.92 meters Handanovic, with a noticeably shorter wingspan.

Seeing no hope for victory, Baka decided for a spectacular long-range shot to test this Inter goalkeeper.

He was considering a summer transfer, and if he scored a wonder goal in the UEFA Europa League final, it would boost his value even if the match wasn’t won.

Baka didn’t stop the ball; instead, as soon as he touched it, he fiercely struck the underside with the right instep!

The crowd let out a gasp!

The ball shot out like a cannonball, without a hint of spin, cutting through the air with a whistling wind, heading straight for Inter Milan’s goal!

Ranocchia turned his head, his heart skipped a beat~

Because he saw the ball was heading towards the top right corner of the goal, and Berni, much shorter than Handanovic, had a wingspan far less than that of a Slovene.

This ball, I’m afraid, is going in.

However, to his surprise, just as the ball was about to fly into the goal, Berni, initially motionless, perfectly illustrated the phrase "move like a rabbit"!

He pushed off with his right leg, and his body soared into the air~

Suspended in the air, his left arm seemed magically extended, and with the fingertips of his goalkeeper glove, he barely touched the underside of the ball.

With a "clunk," the ball’s trajectory slightly deflected, hitting the crossbar and bouncing out of bounds.

The crowd erupted in cheers once more!

This applause was not only for Baka’s surprising nonstop shot but equally for Berni’s brilliant save.

On the sideline bench, Tang Long and others also applauded, even Handanovic, just substituted out, punched the air for Berni:

Handa contemplated, if it were him in that situation, he might not have had Berni’s reaction speed.

Berni truly a hidden talent!

Watching as his hard-won volley got thwarted by a just-substituted third Inter goalkeeper, Baka stomped in frustration!

"You’ve already won, can’t you give me one wonder goal?"

Seville got the last corner of the match, and the referee checked his watch.

The freshly brilliant-saving Berni was now very excited, loudly directing the positions of the players in the box:

"Watch for the high ball, watch for the high ball, keep an eye on them!"

"Arc top, who’s at the arc top? Obi, don’t run blindly, stay at the arc top!"

"Yes, yes, at the far post, stand on the goal line ."

"Mark the near post tightly, careful of a flick on from the near post!"

The corner was taken; it was a high-quality curve ball dropping like a leaf.

Having his wonder goal saved, Baka was unwilling.

He charged from the middle towards the near post, pushing aside Di Marco to leap for the header!

The inexperienced Di Marco was already suppressed by Baka, who had prepared for a lion’s header in mid-air.

This time, the shot was much closer, and Baka was confident he could break through the third goalkeeper Berni’s defense!

Swift as a flash, a nimble figure darted upward out of the crowd like a leopard, grabbing the ball into his arms—

Berni performed a mid-air ’moon catch’!

Baka headed into thin air, twisting his neck, "ouch" he fell to the ground, with Di Marco landing colliding onto his waist, nearly causing him to faint from the pain~

Berni climbed up from the ground, holding the ball, looking up at the starry sky of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, and delivered a heavy kick!

You want to score against Uncle Berni? No way!

As the ball shot towards the night sky like a meteor, the referee also blew the whistle to end the match!