Chapter 178: League Champion !
After the Champions League semi-finals, Inter Milan continued their usual training to prepare for the Serie A league match three days later, which was crucial. If they could win smoothly, they would secure the Serie A championship one round early.
If they couldn't win, Inter Milan would face a dilemma of four decisive matches in 12 days: two Italian Cup finals, the final round of the league, and the Champions League final. This was a situation nobody wanted to face.
Unlike cup finals in other European countries, the Italian Cup final follows a two-legged home-and-away format.
After recovery training, the coaching staff called for a meeting with the entire team in the conference room. Club president Moratti, technical director Horacio Bom, and other top officials were all present, making it a grand occasion.
The Champions League final absence for 31 years, and the Italian Cup absence for 21 years, alongside the looming league title defense, made every aspect seem incredibly important.
Moratti, the Inter Milan president, was in high spirits. He believed that the wisest and most important decision of his life was bringing in Wang Feng! As long as Wang Feng didn't want to leave, no other club would sell him even for a hundred million!
Looking around at the Inter Milan players, Moratti began, "Thank you all for your great contributions to the team. It's because of your relentless efforts this season that the team has made such great progress."
He mentioned some key league, cup, and Champions League matches, praising Wang Feng, as well as other core players like Sánchez, Di Biagio, Batistuta, and Vieri. Even Ribery, who joined in the winter break, received praise.
In addition to praise, Moratti also promised that the club had drafted a reward plan. Depending on the final results achieved, the rewards would vary in degree, and the specifics would be announced within three days.
"If we can help Inter Milan achieve the historic feat of winning five trophies, I believe the rewards we offer will exceed your imagination," Moratti said.
The technical director emphasized the upcoming key matches. The home match against Modena on May 17th must be won so they could focus on preparing for the first leg of the Italian Cup final on May 20th and the Champions League final on May 28th, while skipping the last round of the league on May 24th.
Inter Milan's opponent in the Italian Cup final was their old friends, AC Milan. It's imaginable that, in order to achieve something this season, they would fight desperately.
For this, the club's top management even drafted an alternative plan. If they couldn't win the league early, they would give up the cup and spare no effort to ensure victory in the league and the Champions League.
However, Cooper was very confident about defeating newly promoted Modena. The overall level of their opponents was not high.
In the 33rd round of Serie A, Inter Milan faced Modena at home. Earlier in the day, AC Milan withstood the pressure and beat Bologna 3-1. So, whether they could win the title in advance depended on the performance of the Nerazzurri.
The Meazza Stadium was filled not only with Modena fans but also with a large number of AC Milan fans, all there to support the away team, hoping to delay Inter Milan's pace.
But in the 21st minute of the first half, Wang Feng, Vieri, and Ribery's continuous passing and cooperation on the right tore apart the opponent's defense, with Wang Feng finally shooting and scoring from the right side of the small penalty area.
1-0! Inter Milan dealt a heavy blow to the fans of the Rossoneri on the stands!
The commentator on-site exclaimed excitedly, "This is Wang Feng's 40th goal of the season, breaking the record for the highest single-season goals in Serie A and raising it to 40!"
"What's even more amazing is that Wang Feng's assists this season have also reached 20, dominating both the top scorer and assist charts! This season belongs to Wang Feng! He is highly likely to win the European Golden Boot again."
Before the end of the first half, Vieri expanded Inter Milan's lead, and in the 61st minute, Ribery added another goal, securing the victory. The head coach quickly substituted key players.
In the end, Inter Milan won 3-0 at home against Modena, securing the crucial three points. With only one round left in the league, they led AC Milan by four points, successfully defending their league title in advance!
At the moment the final whistle blew, members of Inter Milan's coaching staff and substitute players rushed onto the field to celebrate with the players. Two consecutive titles, the triple crown, Inter Milan achieved it!
Modena's players congratulated Inter Milan one after another before leaving the field, leaving the stage to this group that dominated Serie A.
Cooper looked at the celebrating players on the field, tightly gripping and then releasing his palms. His heart was full of pride. Leading the team to consecutive championships at the top level of European football made this achievement enough to make many coaches feel inferior.
But besides pride, he also had a trace of anxiety. The experience of failing in the Champions League final twice made him somewhat worried. "I won't repeat the same mistakes!" Cooper silently encouraged himself. "Unlike the stars of Valencia who failed to stand out in difficult times back then, Inter Milan now has Wang Feng, and he won't let us down!"
Ribery, on the sidelines, was celebrating with his teammates, but he always felt a bit unreal. Just half a year ago, he was still playing in the French third division, laying bricks while playing football to make a living. Now, he had the chance to lift the Serie A championship trophy?
Looking at Wang Feng's smiling face, Ribery's expression of admiration became even stronger. This was a true superstar!
In the luxury box on the stands, Moratti let out a long breath. With the dust settled on the league, the next arrangements could proceed smoothly. First, they would battle AC Milan, then go to Perugia for a simple award ceremony, and finally receive the Serie A championship trophy.
The day after receiving the trophy, they would charter a plane directly to Manchester, England. This way, they would have three days to train, adjust, and adapt to the venue.
The situation for their opponent, Real Madrid, was similar to Inter Milan's. They might even be more exhausted because they were currently competing with Real Sociedad for the league title, and they couldn't afford to give up any matches.
The day after the match, the major Italian media outlets reported the crowning of the new champions. The headline in the Milan Sports Daily read, "Inter, Champions!" The article stated that Inter Milan had won the league championship one round early, achieving a successful defense of the title, with Wang Feng's performance being indispensable.
"This season, Wang Feng continued his high-level performance, contributing 40 goals and 20 assists. He unquestionably became the league's top scorer and assist leader. It can be said that Inter Milan's success is largely due to him."
"At the beginning of the season, not being seen as a favorite, the injuries and conflicts during the season made Inter Milan's journey to the championship not smooth. But Wang Feng always played a crucial role at critical moments, saving the team time and time again."
"Two years ago, Moratti spent only 20 million to bring Wang Feng back to Inter Milan. This deal will undoubtedly become one of the most successful transactions in Inter Milan's history, and Moratti will also become one of the greatest presidents in Inter Milan's history because of this deal."
The Turin Sports Daily also pointed out in its report that bringing in Wang Feng was the key to Inter Milan's success. "What's even more worrying is that Wang Feng is only 19 years old. Inter Milan can continuously improve their team around him, and they will always be the biggest favorites for the title."
"Juventus must make some changes. The signings this summer are crucial. Otherwise, the failure to win any of the four major trophies this season is likely to repeat next season."
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