Chapter 175: The theory of the king of football
After the match ended, the referee, Frenchman Bart Schmoller, specifically approached Wang Feng: "What a brilliant duel! I believe this match will surely become one of the most classic battles in Champions League history."
"Do you want to keep the match ball, Mr. Wang Feng?" Schmoller asked. "Yes, Mr. Schmoller, this will be one of my most cherished collections. Our trophy room only has a few trophies; it's time to expand it a bit."
Schmoller laughed heartily. "I'll give it to you in the player's tunnel later. By the way, could you also sign it for me? My little son is your loyal fan. When he learned that I was going to referee this match, he pestered me for a long time, hoping I could get your autograph."
"It's my honor, sir."
This match caused a sensation in the media. Everyone praised Wang Feng's performance. Valencia's head coach, Benitez, said in an interview: "Wang Feng crushed us. Both goals in the two legs were flawless. It wasn't our defense that had problems, but Wang Feng's attacking power was too strong."
Inter Milan's coach, Cooper, believed: "Wang is a true superstar. His performance today will shock the world."
"The skill of dribbling past six players reminds people of Maradona's goal of the century. In addition to this delicate footwork, he also has excellent endurance and confrontation ability, terrifying speed, and explosiveness. I believe he will continue to grow and become an even more terrifying presence."
Some journalists specifically interviewed Maradona about Wang Feng's performance. The former king of football said: "I watched Wang Feng's two matches against Valencia. In the first match, his terrifying speed shocked me. In the second match, he showed a different performance, with outstanding dribbling skills once again exceeding my expectations."
"I really wanted to compete with him during my peak period, but that's no longer possible."
The journalist keenly perceived Maradona's underlying meaning and asked: "Are you implying that he could match you at your peak?"
Maradona nodded. "From the footage, it seems so. Put me in his position, and I couldn't do any better."
This report caused a huge stir in the football world. No one expected Maradona to praise Wang Feng so highly. The implication of his words is that Wang Feng's technical skills are now on par with those of the former football king.
"This is just a polite statement from the Argentine football king," the Italian newspaper "Tuttosport" said. "Even though Wang Feng has excellent technical skills, he still cannot be compared with Maradona."
"To reach that level, it's almost impossible for Wang Feng because he not only needs to perform well at the club level but also needs to make breakthroughs in the national team. But considering Wang Feng's background, this achievement is difficult to achieve."
Such interviews and media reports were transmitted back to China. While fans felt proud, they also felt a hint of helplessness. But even the most rational people couldn't help but have a small expectation: Can Wang Feng create his own legend in the Chinese national team?
The matchups for the Champions League semifinals are clear: Inter Milan vs. AC Milan, the Milan Derby once again; the league's consecutive loss-plagued AC Milan, can they regain their footing? This will be the biggest highlight of this round of matches.
The other matchup is Real Madrid vs. Juventus. Can the defending champions, the Galacticos, successfully defend their title and create a history of consecutive championships in the Champions League after its restructuring? This also draws considerable attention from the public.
Once again, Serie A has proven its dominant position in European competitions. All three teams from the "Northern Trio" have entered the Champions League semifinals. The Italian media are describing the current Serie A as the "best era."
"This season's Serie A champion will be the most prestigious league champion in recent years!" wrote the Italian newspaper "Corriere dello Sport." "Will it fall to the ambitious Inter Milan, the relentless AC Milan, or the Juventus that came from behind? Let's wait and see."
On April 28th, in the 30th round of Serie A, Inter Milan played against Lazio away.
From now on, every round of the league is related to the final championship. Therefore, Cooper dared not be negligent and sent all the main players to battle against the Eagles.
Wang Feng continued his excellent form. In the 31st minute of the match, he continuously feinted in the frontcourt, playing around with Lazio defenders Negró and Pancaro, and then entered the penalty area with a low shot to open the scoring for Inter Milan.
In the 77th minute of the second half, Wang Feng was again training his opponent in the frontcourt. Pancaro couldn't bear it and directly tackled him. The referee awarded a yellow card and a free kick in the frontcourt. The ball was about twenty-six meters away from the goal.
Wang Feng personally took the free kick and directly shot at the goal. The ball spun rapidly in the air, drawing an unexpected curved trajectory and pierced through the gate defended by Peruzzi once again.
2-0! Inter Milan defeated Lazio!
In the post-match interview, Lazio defender Pancaro expressed helplessness, saying that Wang Feng was an unsolvable problem. Not only did they need to be constantly on guard against his tricky feints, but they also had to avoid fouling him because of his remarkable accuracy in scoring from free kicks near the penalty area.
He also had something in his heart that he didn't say. Why was Wang Feng so tough? Many fouls were already severe, yet he remained uninjured. Even if injured, he could immediately recover and return to the field. Doesn't he allow others to play?
On May 3rd, in the 31st round of Serie A, Inter Milan hosted Atalanta.
Inter Milan got off to a dream start. In the 3rd minute, Toldo grabbed a ball sent into the penalty area by Atalanta, then quickly threw it to Sartor, who took two steps before passing it to Wang Feng.
Wang Feng dribbled the ball quickly past the midfield line, once again showcasing his speed and explosiveness. In the blink of an eye, he reached the frontcourt, leaving several Atalanta center-backs behind him.
It formed a two-on-two situation in the frontcourt. Wang Feng was in the front. He didn't rush; instead, he skillfully passed the ball to the left.
The ball drew an arc on the pitch and, in its journey forward, curved around defender Carrera, finding Di Biagio, who was making a run. Di Biagio didn't lose his speed, dribbled down the baseline, and crossed.
After passing the ball, Wang Feng didn't slow down. Instead, he rushed into the penalty area. At this moment, the ball was returned to him. He was in a battle with Paganin, gaining the upper hand. Facing the ball directly, he pushed the ball into the net with a shot.
The ball flew into the air, hitting the inside of the crossbar with a "bang" and bounced into the net. Inter Milan led 1-0!
This goal also became the only goal of the match. In order to prepare for the Champions League midweek, coach Cooper quickly replaced the main players and set up a defensive stance in the back.
Although there were suspicions of playing defensively, it was necessary to preserve the fruit of victory. Not slipping up against Atalanta proved to be essential because in another match, AC Milan defeated Como 2-0.
This way, Inter Milan still maintained their lead in points. With three rounds left in the league, the pressure will be more concentrated on the shoulders of the Rossoneri, whose several slip-ups this season have become unforgettable nightmares.
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