Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions-Chapter 212 - 182: Mancini is thrilled! With Tang Long around, I can score goals even at age 50!

Chapter 212: Chapter 182: Mancini is thrilled! With Tang Long around, I can score goals even at age 50!

Sane蒂, the vice-chairman of Inter in the stands, was stunned!

His eyes were fixed on Bonazzoli on the field.

This 18-year-old youth, promoted from the youth team last year, had long played a marginal role in the team.

Even Sane蒂 hadn’t spoken to him many times.

Even during the last winter transfer window, the sports director Ossilio had asked someone to inquire with Sane蒂 about possibly loaning him to Boca Juniors in the Argentine league for some experience.

Because his capabilities truly couldn’t find footing in the star-studded Inter Milan.

But what Sane蒂 hadn’t expected was that less than a minute into the game, Bonazzoli scored a goal for Palermo!

And it wasn’t just a simple goal, but one made after a pendulum dribble past the goalkeeper.

Sane蒂’s eyes immediately turned to Ronaldo beside him.

"Ronnie! A pendulum dribble past the goalkeeper with an empty goal, isn’t this the show you played in the 1998 League Cup?"

Ronaldo didn’t respond immediately.

He looked deeply at Bonazzoli on the field.

At this moment, the 40-year-old Ronaldo seemed to see his 22-year-old self galloping on the field.

"Ha ha, what did I tell you, I wasn’t bragging, the next Ronaldo is highly likely to be Bonazzoli."

Ronaldo smiled and said to Sane蒂.

"But he’s definitely not as good as I was back then, I did the pendulum three times in a row past the keeper, this kid’s pendulum is pretty but he only used it once, not as cool as me!"

Ronaldo was right.

Although it’s the same pendulum dribble, Bonazzoli’s pendulum, whether in trickery, speed, or utility, was not as good as Ronaldo’s.

He only used the pendulum once, and his body didn’t move as widely as Ronaldo did at the time.

However, this was indeed beyond Ronaldo and Sane蒂’s expectations.

After all, in previous matches, Bonazzoli had never used this trick.

In fact, in modern Italian football, this pendulum dribble past the goalkeeper method has almost disappeared.

Players either shoot early for the two corners or use a simple one-touch approach to bypass the goalie with maximum speed.

The pendulum has become a classic dribble move.

"We can’t forget Tang Long." Ronaldo redirected the topic back to Tang Long, "This straight pass immediately broke through Palermo’s defense, it seems as long as Tang Long is on the field, whether it’s Icardi or Bonazzoli, put a wooden post and forwards can score goals anywhere."

"You’re right," Sane蒂 excitedly slapped his thigh, "This summer, I must strongly suggest Ossilio keep Tang Long at Inter Milan! This Inter cannot lack anyone, but cannot lack him."

Upon hearing this, Ronaldo paused and didn’t reply but gave a serene smile.

As Tang Long’s agent, Ronaldo understood Sane蒂 was actually saying this to him intentionally.

As the club’s vice-chairman, Sane蒂 sees Inter Milan as more important than his own life, whether in his career as a player or after entering management.

He is loyal to Inter!

But for Ronaldo, especially being elevated to agent, the thing he cares about is maximizing the interests of his players.

Now with Tang Long and Bonazzoli, the only two players under his management, performing beautifully on the field, it arms Ronaldo with important leverage in his negotiations with Inter in the summer.

Bonazzoli’s pendulum dribble also made his mother watching the match on television cover her face and cry.

She wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Good boy, I always knew you could do it, you can definitely play in Serie A!"

As a mother, nothing makes her happier than her son’s success, and all mothers in the world are like this.

Bonazzoli’s mother doesn’t understand football, but she watches every Inter match on TV, hoping to see her son play.

She only knows two players at Inter, aside from Bonazzoli, the other is his good friend Tang Long.

Bonazzoli often mentions Tang Long’s name to his mother.

"Mom, whether I can stand firm at Inter depends on this Chinese man’s help!"

Looking at this Chinese youth similar in age to her son, Bonazzoli’s mother felt a burst of gratitude.

"Two kids, keep going together!"

One goal behind, Palermo was instantly pushed to the brink, with no way back.

As a relegation team, Palermo’s only goal at home was to defeat Inter Milan or get points from them.

Even though the value of the players differs greatly, the ability of their coaches vastly differs too, but in the final rounds of relegation, only by wielding a spirit of determination can they hope to rise from the ashes!

Thus, Palermo began to press their entire defense forward recklessly, hoping to launch a fierce attack against Inter at home.

But this played right into Inter Milan’s strategy~

As long as the weather is good, Inter Milan plays possession football.

Teams playing possession football fear opponents attacking them the least, they are worried if opponents just sit tight in their penalty area and don’t come out.

The three lines pushed forward, and Palermo quickly suffered another hit.

This time, all attention first gathered on Tang Long.

In the middle of the penalty area, three midfielders Barreto, Gajalo, Rickie pounced like hungry wolves, encircling Tang Long with their foot positions.

Two rushed ahead, one monitored from behind, trying to restrain Tang Long’s advance with this method.

And Tang Long’s near soft control of the ball left Palermo’s players eager but unable to eat the hot tofu.

Three players, six legs extended toward the soccer ball in front of Tang Long. Though the speed was evidently not fast, with a simple shift and check, Tang Long first slipped the ball through Barreto’s legs.

As Gajalo’s right foot reached out, Tang Long used a simple flick, and with two crisp sounds, the soccer ball slipped past his left foot by just 10 centimeters like an ice skater.

This series of moves left Rickie dazzled.

Before he could react, Tang Long executed another light player-ball separation and once again bypassed him.

"Tang Long maneuvering through the middle lane, consecutively bypassing three Palermo players!"

"Finding a breakthrough spot amid ruthless pressure from opponents is Tang Long’s forte!"

"Palermo’s defense paid for their recklessness, as Tang Long advances with the ball to face Palermo’s central defenders!"

"Bonazzoli makes a diagonal drive, he’s in!"

Just as Bonazzoli was about to cross the offside line.

Tang Long’s right foot tip, like a shovel, gently pressed under the ball, then with a swift lift, with a sound, the soccer ball soared over the head of the last central defender Terzic like a rainbow.

Ball and player arrive at once!

The young Bonazzoli perfectly grasped Tang Long’s pass intention.

Without waiting for the ball to hit the ground, Bonazzoli, skilled in headers, bent his waist and abdomen, swung his head, and the ball again made an aerial relay!

Whoosh!

The ball flew over the advancing Palermo goalkeeper Sorrentino’s head, sinking into the net.

2:0!

In the first 10 minutes, Inter Milan scored twice.

Palermo’s players were dumbfounded, uncertain whether to attack or defend – what should they do?

No one could answer this for them!

Whether it’s the players on the field or the anxious Palermo head coach and assistant coaches off-field, none could match Inter Milan.

Especially against Tang Long and Bonazzoli, who were in such good form.

Once those two start connecting, it’s a disaster for Palermo’s defense.

The show continues.

Palermo players, trapped in chaos, had differing opinions.

The young players wanted to go all out, while the veterans wanted to stabilize the situation to avoid a home-ground tragedy.

Such hesitance, uncertainty, and carefulness caused another huge mistake in Palermo’s defense.

This time, without waiting for a pass from Tang Long, central defender Giancarlo simply passed the ball to the side defender Lazzari, only for Shaqiri to intercept it with one kick.

He didn’t continue to break to the bottom line but lightly directed the ball to the center, distributing it to Tang Long in the attacking midfield position.

As soon as Shaqiri made the pass, Tang Long noticed his fast forward move, immediately met it with a smooth push!

The soccer ball sliced through Palermo’s defense like a scalpel, instantly reaching the baseline, right where Shaqiri was heading.

Smack!

Shaqiri directed a cross, the ball swirling strongly with an inner rotation as it flew past Giancarlo’s outstretched toe and reached the far point.

At this moment, all Bonazzoli needed was a light touch, a gleeful acceptance.

"Oh my heavens! At 25 minutes in the first half, Inter Milan leads 3:0."

"Bonazzoli scored a hat trick."

"Tang Long provided two assists, and Shaqiri provided one."

"The second last assist for this goal was again Tang Long’s scalpel pass!"

"Tang Long wasn’t the assist provider, but he was the most crucial part of this goal!"

"It’s no exaggeration to say all of Bonazzoli’s three goals were related to Tang Long!"

Bonazzoli, performing a hat trick for the second time in his life, was beyond excited!

He pushed away the teammates who came to celebrate, took off his jersey, and threw it high into the air, then performed a standing backflip.

Ronaldo, on the stands, applauded and laughed, his eyes filled with delight.

"Hey, did you see that? This young guy can do a standing backflip, his waist and stomach strength is really impressive, I couldn’t do that when I was young!"

Inter Milan’s coach expected to conquer Palermo with no issue, but he didn’t expect that the first half would reach a 3:0 lead so effortlessly.

Seeing victory in sight, to conserve energy for upcoming matches, Mancini quickly made downward pressing gestures, signaling players not to attack too aggressively.

After all, it’s Palermo’s home ground; if their pride is hurt, even a rabbit will bite when desperate, so leave some face for the opponent.

However, Mancini didn’t instruct Bonazzoli, who scored the hat trick.

He chose to directly tell Tang Long: "Tang, keep control of the ball a bit, don’t make too many threatening breakthroughs."

Mancini was clearer than anyone.

Bonazzoli’s three goals were indeed magnificent, but the key still lay in Tang Long’s assists!

Mancini even thought against weaker teams like Palermo, if he, at 50, put on his shoes, as long as Tang Long was behind him, scoring one or two goals might not be impossible~

After receiving directions from the coach, Tang Long didn’t continue to attack fiercely, but instead engaged in ball control and passing with the teammates in the backfield.

Eventually, the first half ended 3:0 for Inter Milan.