Chapter 253: Chapter 253
The whole stadium erupted with cheers!
The ecstatic Inter Milan fans once again sang the anthem of Inter Milan!
At this moment, Berlin became Milan!
The Olympic Stadium turned into Meazza!
The Chinese audience watching the live broadcast, with emotions bottled up for the entire 90 minutes, at this moment, erupted like a volcano, releasing everything!
- "We won, Inter won, Tang Long won!"
- "We won, China won!"
- "Who said the UEFA Europa League is called the Sevilla Cup? Sorry, with Tang Long’s Inter, the defending champions couldn’t defend!"
- "Tang Long is amazing, in his first professional year, one Coppa Italia, one Europa League, couldn’t be more perfect!"
- "This young guy hasn’t been abroad for even a year, and he has already surpassed many of his predecessors like Sun Jihai, Shao Jiayi, and Yang Chen, remarkable, truly remarkable!"
- "It’s unbelievable, is Tang Long really a Chinese player? It feels like a dream!"
- "I feel like I’ve played a season of a live football simulation, hahaha!"
- "Is Icardi crying now? Without him, Inter can score goals, even more goals!"
- "Icardi was overrated, if it wasn’t for Tang Long’s presence, his goal count would be at least halved!"
- "Will the award ceremony be broadcast next? I want to see Tang Long lift the trophy!"
On the field, Inter’s third goalkeeper, Berni, jumped in place like an old kid~
In the last year of his career, he achieved the goal of lifting a championship trophy.
In the last match of his career, he also achieved his debut in a European competition!
All dreams finally became reality at this moment...
A side save, a high-powered moon grab.
As a professional goalkeeper, he showcased his goalkeeping skills in front of more than 70,000 fans.
Who says a third goalkeeper is just for show, waving towels?
Uncle just doesn’t show up easily, when I do, I amaze you all, hehe!
"It’s okay, I didn’t embarrass Inter’s goalkeepers, right?"
Faced with Inter Milan’s goalkeeping coach rushing onto the field, Berni hugged him tightly, both of them excitedly slapping each other’s backs and then embracing affectionately.
"Stay with Inter next season, Berni," the goalkeeping coach said, "I’ll propose to Ossorio to let you join our coaching staff, we’ll cultivate new goalkeepers for Inter together!"
Berni smiled serenely and said, "Forget it! My decision to leave is made, football isn’t everything in life, after retirement, I want to start my second half in rock music!"
The Inter Milan players gathered together, forming a circle, singing and dancing.
This UEFA Europa League victory was truly an unexpected delight!
At the start of the season, this trophy wasn’t even in the team’s target plan.
The Coppa Italia was the same!
But no one expected that ultimately, both trophies were embraced!
"Haha, we’re double champions!"
While singing, someone unknown pushed Tang Long from behind, pushing him from the edge of the circle to the center.
So over 20 Inter players continued singing and dancing around Tang Long in the center.
As they sang, Tang Long felt his surrounding teammates continuously closing in on him, each with mischievous looks in their eyes.
In an instant, everyone crowded in.
"Brothers, let’s strip this guy’s clothes off!"
Tang Long reacted swiftly, squatting sneakily, trying to slip through the gaps in the encirclement.
But the tall and long-armed goalkeeper Handanovic wouldn’t let him run.
With a stretch of his long arms, he immediately grabbed Tang Long’s neck from behind.
Everyone rubbed their palms together, swarming in.
In a flash, they stripped Tang Long completely.
All that was left on his body was a pitiful red pair of underpants, retaining Tang Long’s last dignity as a man.
Under his teammates’ solid arms, the nearly nude Tang Long kept being tossed into Berlin’s night sky repeatedly!
It was already near 10 p.m. at night.
The cool breeze brushed against his face, drying Tang Long’s sweat gradually.
The night in Berlin was cloudless today.
The stars in the sky were exceptionally bright!
Beneath Tang Long, were dozens of solid, supportive arms.
These arms carrying Tang Long’s body came from Italy, Japan, Brazil, Germany, Chile, Slovenia, Colombia, Switzerland...
Inter Milan’s first team has 25 players, coming from 13 different countries.
The Blue-Black Corps is the team with the most complex nationality composition among all 20 teams in Serie A!
Different skin colors, races, nationalities, and cultural backgrounds nurtured this championship team of this season.
This is a group of young people from all over the world, gathered together for a shared football dream!
This perfectly reflects the original intention of Inter Milan’s founding more than a hundred years ago — we are brothers of the world!
Amid the clamorous noises of his teammates.
The sweat-soaked Inter Milan captain Ranocchia quietly leaned against the corner billboard.
He quietly watched his frenzied teammates, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
He untied his headband.
In an instant, his sweat-soaked wet long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, covering his forehead and half of his cheek.
"I’ve won the Coppa Italia, and also the UEFA Europa League title. Juventus’ defense line is old, and the Italian national team should have a place for me now," Ranocchia thought to himself.
Meanwhile, at the far end of the Inter bench.
Inter’s head coach Mancini was surrounded by dozens of reporters with their long lenses and flashbulbs!
He originally wanted to rush up and celebrate with the players, but ended up standing in place, calmly smoothing the wrinkles on his white shirt, arms crossed in front of his chest, and gazed forward, letting the reporters take as many photos as they wanted.
This pose was extraordinarily handsome, exuding a regal nonchalance reminiscent of Mourinho’s Champions League triumph at Bernabéu in 2010.
The reporters snapped away joyfully, and Mancini felt equally delighted inside!
Don’t be fooled by the calm expression on his face; it’s just his way of maintaining the image of Italy’s most handsome coach.
This 50-year-old coach was actually feeling waves of emotion inside!
Last November, he returned to Inter Milan, the place where his dreams took flight, when he was called upon in a moment of crisis.
Ten years ago, here, he won his first league championship as a coach, transforming from a second-rate Serie A coach into one of the world’s elite managers!
Ten years later, when he returned to Inter, he faced a mess with the team ranked ninth in Serie A.
Many of Mancini’s industry friends, including Lippi, privately advised him not to take over Inter.
"Serie A is too complicated, filled with intrigue. You’ve built a fantastic resume at Manchester City, staying in the Premier League would be a better choice."
However, when Mancini faced the invitation from Sports Director Ossilio over the phone.
He only thought for three seconds before giving a definitive answer!
On one hand, it was due to his feelings for his old club, nostalgic for the place that made him famous;
On the other hand, it was an opportunity to prove himself again by returning to Serie A!
Even though he helped Manchester City claim their first league championship in the club’s history, becoming an indelible legendary coach.
However, towards the end of his tenure at Manchester City, he was dismissed by the club due to declining performance.
With his strong sense of pride, Mancini felt unconvinced. He wanted to prove himself to the world, that he was still a top manager, capable of leading elite teams.
Mancini demonstrated this at Inter!
From ninth in the league to third, and winning consecutive Coppa Italia and UEFA Europa League titles, Mancini overachieved the goals set for the season in his first year back at Inter.
Although Tang Long’s dramatic emergence helped Mancini immensely, allowing him to quickly rebound after inheriting the mess left by former coach Mazzari.
It cannot be denied that Mancini transformed Inter’s defense!
As a coach who started with defense, Mancini brought a complete metamorphosis to Inter’s defensive line.
In the first 11 rounds of the season, Inter conceded 20 goals, ranking fourth to last among the 20 Serie A teams.
After Mancini took over, in the following 27 rounds, with almost the same defensive lineup, Inter only conceded 19 goals, with defensive solidity second only to league champion Juventus, ranking second in the league!
Although in the front-court, Tang Long, Shaqiri, Podolski, Icardi, and Bonazzoli were scoring goals, assisting and scoring to continuously help Inter acquire points;
It cannot be denied that without the improvement in defense, Inter could never have been so fierce in the latter half.
UEFA Europa League award ceremony!
Ronaldo stood on the stage, placing a golden medal around each Inter player’s neck.
The scheduled presenter was actually not him, but UEFA President Platini.
But Ronaldo through some negotiations secured this opportunity.
He held high expectations for the Blue-Black jersey he once wore, and was full of confidence for Tang Long and Bonazzoli.
Inter did not disappoint Ronaldo’s trust!
Inter Milan claimed the UEFA Europa League title again after 17 years!
They reached the summit of Europe!
"Time flies, the last time we won this championship, I was still playing for Inter," Ronaldo said as he personally placed the medal around Tang Long’s neck, his tone filled with nostalgia.
"This team will never forget the blood and sweat you shed for it." Tang Long and Ronaldo hugged.
Everyone stood in three rows of varying heights.
Golden streamers floated in the air!
Fireworks shot into the sky!
Behind each person was a blaze of radiant light!
Captain Ranocchia lifted the trophy!
Everyone leaped into the air!
The trophy made its way to Tang Long’s hands, who raised it high above his head, then passed it across the group to Berni at the edge!
"Uncle Berni, raise it up!"
Berni’s face reflected in the smooth silver surface of the UEFA Europa League cup, a face covered in tears.
He mustered all his strength, raising the trophy toward the night sky of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, crying out:
"Farewell, my career!"