Chapter 182: Nibble
After the kick-off, Real Madrid's offensive organization was very effective, and Inter Milan hadn't found their rhythm yet; they were mostly on the defensive.
"Look at this, Figo's breakthrough on the wing, beautiful! He got past Pasqual, ah, Pasqual fouled Figo, it's inevitable. If the Portuguese had gone past, it would have been very dangerous."
"Pasqual's tackle was very decisive. We can see the referee running up to him; he's probably warning him, but no cards are shown. Real Madrid gets a free-kick from the sideline."
This free-kick position posed a significant threat, with Hierro, Zidane, and others all lurking in the penalty area for headers, while Inter Milan set up a strong defense inside the box.
When the referee's whistle blew, Figo quickly ran up and sent the ball into the penalty area. In the chaos, the ball passed over the heads of the players vying for it at the near post and found Ra��l lurking at the far post.
Inter Milan left a gap! Ra��l, at the far post, controlled the ball with his chest and then volleyed directly into the net, leaving goalkeeper Toldo with no time to react.
"Gooooooooooooooooal!! The ball is in!! Just 11 minutes into the game, Real Madrid breaks through Inter Milan's defense."
"Inter Milan's defense was careless on this goal. They focused all their attention on the aerial duels in the penalty area, thinking that Real Madrid would aim for headers, but they forgot to mark Ra��l at the far post."
"Figo's free-kick was excellent. The ball accurately bypassed the high points in the penalty area, then swiftly descended, landing perfectly for Ra��l to shoot."
"Conceding a goal so early will be a huge blow to Inter Milan, a team with little experience in the Champions League final!"
Before the game started, the Inter Milan coaching staff had prepared the players mentally for scenarios like conceding early goals, but when it actually happened, it severely shook the players' confidence. Coach Cooper couldn't sit still; he came to the sidelines, shouting instructions loudly, hoping his voice would lift the team's spirits.
Wang Feng and Zanetti encouraged their teammates, reminding them that the game had just begun, and there was still a chance! Soon, the Inter Milan players regained their composure.
As the game resumed, Real Madrid launched another fierce attack, intending to quickly increase their lead, but Inter Milan's defense held firm, surprising even the commentators, who marveled at the excellent mentality of the Inter Milan players.
In the first thirty minutes, Real Madrid's offensive threat far surpassed that of Inter Milan, but with their resilient defensive attitude, Inter Milan didn't concede again.
After saving another shot from Ronaldo, Toldo quickly threw the ball to Zanetti, the Inter Milan captain, who sent a long pass forward, finding Rib��ry in midfield.
Rib��ry dribbled past the halfway line, but Real Madrid's defense retreated quickly, forcing Inter Milan into a positional battle. Rib��ry pressed forward into the frontcourt before passing the ball to Wang Feng on the right.
Facing Salgado, Wang Feng pushed the ball forward vigorously, accelerated past his opponent, and delivered a cross from the byline. Vieri suddenly darted from the goalmouth to the near post, heading the ball from close range.
The ball narrowly missed the right post and flew out of bounds. Vieri rubbed his head in frustration; if only he had aimed a bit more to the center!
Although they didn't score, this was Inter Milan's most threatening attack since the start of the game. Wang Feng clapped his hands, signaling everyone to keep up the effort, confident they could equalize.
Just as Inter Milan stabilized their defensive situation and looked for a chance to counterattack, danger struck again. Real Madrid won the ball in midfield, and Zidane quickly passed it to Figo, who sprinted into the frontcourt.
Despite being 31 years old, Figo's attacking prowess remained undiminished, and his dribbling skills were impeccable. He used a feint to get past Pasqual, then sprinted toward the penalty area.
Although Cordoba made a decisive sliding tackle just outside the box, Figo was a step quicker, passing the ball to Ra��l behind the Inter Milan defense. Ra��l, waiting for the ball, quickly darted diagonally into the box, catching up with it at the edge of the small box and chipping it past the goalkeeper.
2-0!
"Real Madrid once again breaches Inter Milan's defense! The stars' attack is incredibly smooth. Just as Inter Milan was starting to show signs of improvement, their opponents dealt them another lethal blow!"
"Now Inter Milan is really in trouble. They might be facing a collapse."
"Real Madrid is like a fierce beast, gradually devouring Inter Milan!"
In the luxurious box seats, Moratti jumped up at the moment Ra��l scored, then slumped back into his seat, his body seemingly emptied.
In the end, they couldn't equalize, and instead, they let their opponents extend their lead.
"Can't Inter Milan beat Real Madrid?" Moratti said dejectedly. Technical director Bomm sighed and said, "Real Madrid's superstar attacking ability is just too strong. With our current depleted defense, it's quite difficult to stop them."
"In the end, it's a difference in overall strength. Our lineup is inferior to Real Madrid's; they have many world-class superstars, all currently in their prime."
"As for us, Cannavaro is a star in defense, but unfortunately, he doesn't fit well into the coach's tactical system. We lack someone in midfield who can control the game, and up front, Wang Feng is a superstar, but Vieri hasn't fully recovered from his injury."
"With this lineup, it's already quite remarkable that we've made it this far."
Moratti nodded, acknowledging Bomm's words, but he felt a sense of unwillingness. Since 1965, Inter Milan hadn't touched the glory of the European champion title; calling them a powerhouse was just a remnant of the past.
In the 1950s, his father Angelo Moratti led Inter Milan, bringing the club 2 European Cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups, and 3 Serie A titles, scripting the glorious era of "Grande Inter."
Just as they were at their peak, his father suddenly sold Inter Milan, declaring that the family would never appear in the football world again. Moratti vaguely knew about some dark secrets, but his love for football made him go against his father's teachings, insisting on repurchasing Inter Milan.
To rebuild the past glory, he spent heavily to bring in world-class players like Ronaldo, the FIFA World Player of the Year, and Italy's top striker, Vieri, among others, but they still couldn't make a breakthrough. The club only managed to win one UEFA Cup.
Until they brought in Wang Feng! Two league championships! Their first UEFA Super Cup! Back in the UEFA Champions League final! Moratti seemed to see a new era of Inter Milan beckoning to him.
Who could have anticipated that the �20 million investment wouldn't bring a future hope but a genuine top-tier king!
"We have Wang Feng!" Moratti suddenly exclaimed. Bomm, taken aback, replied with a wry smile, "Mr. President, Wang Feng is indeed formidable, but football is a sport of eleven players; you still need to be mentally prepared."
Moratti looked at Bomm, shaking his head, "You don't understand. A true football king is far more important than the other twenty-one players on the field. Just watch."
Follow current novels on (f)reew𝒆bnovel