Chapter 205: Juventus in decline
UEFA Champions League Group Stage, Matchday 5, Inter Milan traveled to Amsterdam to challenge Ajax.
Just three minutes into the game, Wang Feng seized an opportunity at the edge of the penalty area. It was Ribery's cross, and Vieri's shot inside the penalty area was blocked by Ajax defender Maxwell.
The ball came to the edge of the penalty area, Wang Feng burst out and took a long shot, piercing through Ajax's goal, opening the scoring for Inter Milan.
In the subsequent match, Ajax launched a full-scale counterattack, with Club Brugge posing a significant threat to their advancement from behind, resulting in a stalemate.
However, in the 71st minute of the second half, it was Wang Feng's attack on the right flank again. He and Ribery executed a classic one-two combination, with Wang Feng dribbling into the penalty area and scoring with a left-footed shot from a narrow angle.
2-0! Inter Milan extended their lead!
Ajax managed to pull one back through Ibrahimovic just before the final whistle, but it was not enough to turn the tide. With this round over, Inter Milan secured the top spot in the group and advanced to the UEFA Champions League round of 16!
As for other Serie A teams, in Group B, AC Milan, Arsenal, and Moscow Locomotive are competing for two spots in the knockout stage. The gap between the three teams is very small, and it's still undecided who will finish first and who will be eliminated, awaiting the final round of matches.
In Group D, Juventus and Real Sociedad currently occupy the top two spots on the points table, seemingly unaffected by the threats from Galatasaray and Olympiacos.
However, it's a different story for Lazio in Group G. They have only managed one victory so far and are at the bottom of the points table, losing any chance of advancement early in the competition, which many Serie A media find hard to accept.
"If we can't beat financially strong teams like Chelsea, it's understandable, but the fact that Sparta Prague and Besiktas can dominate Lazio so easily is very surprising," commented the Italian Evening Post. "Apart from the top three in the north, the decline of the rest of Serie A teams is very evident, largely due to their poor financial situation."
"It's a vicious cycle: financial imbalance leads to unfavorable transfers, which in turn results in declining performance. The decline in performance further exacerbates the financial crisis, leading to bankruptcy and relegation."
"The Serie A league should focus more on broadcasting and sponsorship, diversify revenue streams, and support small and medium-sized clubs to maintain sufficient competitiveness. Only then can our top clubs be more competitive in European football."
Back in Italy, Inter Milan will face Juventus at the end of November. It's the first meeting between the two teams in the league this season. Looking at their performance in the past ten rounds, Juventus is in a very disadvantageous position, almost losing the chance to compete for the title.
What's worse is that their summer signing, Dutch midfielder Van de Meijde, has performed poorly and even had some conflicts with head coach Lippi.
The Dutchman expressed his confusion about Lippi's tactical training in an interview: "We are like rabbits hopping around on the training ground according to the coach's instructions. I don't understand the significance of this."
Despite performing excellently at Ajax and reaching the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals with the team, Van de Meijde caught the attention of many top clubs, including Juventus, and Inter Milan had also shown interest in him.
Eventually, Juventus, who had achieved no results for two consecutive years, defeated all competitors and spent a lot of money to bring him in, hoping to turn the tide in the new season. But obviously, Van de Meijde disappointed them. Since the era of the 'Three Musketeers,' few Dutch players who succeeded in Serie A have landed.
Van de Meijde's open criticism of coach Lippi also led to punishment. In Juventus' recent two league matches and Champions League matches, the Dutchman was not included in the squad.
This incident made Lippi, who was already losing his authority, even more embarrassed, and the club's top management did not support him. Instead, they actively sought new coaching candidates behind the scenes, showing that their patience had reached its limit.
In sunny Milan in November, Malpensa Airport was bustling with crowds, and travelers from all over the world passed through here. In the domestic terminal area, a large number of reporters were waiting for the arrival of the Nerazzurri.
Many curious tourists and Juventus fans who arrived in Milan early also gathered together, waiting for the oldest and most honored Serie A team.
When Juventus' team appeared in everyone's sight, it caused bursts of exclamations and flashing lights. The airport security forces were well deployed in advance, guiding them to quickly board the bus and leave for the hotel where they were staying.
The players looked very tired under the camera's lens. Nedved had lost his usual smile, and Trezeguet looked particularly serious, both due to the continuous battles in the Champions League and Serie A and the recent controversies surrounding their "disunity."
Sharp-eyed reporters noticed that Van de Meijde was still absent from the team. He had been left behind in Turin. Even though he was not included in the matchday squad, according to custom, the Dutchman should still have the opportunity to train with the team.
However, it seemed that Lippi had no intention of letting him off. As long as he remained, Van de Meijde could forget about appearing in his squad!
The reporters looked at each other, feeling that their trip was not in vain. They would have new topics to develop when they returned. Amidst the turmoil, the match proceeded as scheduled, with Inter Milan taking the kickoff. Ribery passed the ball back directly, and the home team immediately opened up their formation, while the Nerazzurri's intentions were very clear—they pressed high and took a risk.
Less than a minute into the game, Nedved intercepted the ball from Dalmat in the midfield, dribbled twice, and then sent a long pass to find Trezeguet upfront. The Frenchman was quick, but he couldn't match Toldo, who came out to snatch the ball. The Inter Milan goalkeeper quickly threw the ball to Cordoba to organize the attack.
Juventus also aggressively pressed forward, with Tacchinardi fouling Simeone in the process of winning the ball, causing the latter to fall to the ground in pain. This prompted the Inter Milan fans at the scene to boo.
However, the referee did not show a card, just giving Inter Milan a free kick in their own half. After receiving simple treatment, Simeone returned to the field, igniting the fire in the hearts of the Inter Milan players.
You want to press forward? Fine, then don't blame me for hitting your weak defense!
Moreover, the current Inter Milan is not afraid of a pressing attack at all. Their defense is completely different from last season, with Mark Llewellin playing a pivotal role, and Civu has also performed well.
In the 10th minute, Inter Milan launched a counterattack. Materazzi sent a long pass from the back, Wang Feng headed the ball to Ribery nearby, and then turned and made a run forward.
Ribery didn't hesitate after receiving the ball, directly sending a through pass to Wang Feng. At this moment, Juventus' vulnerable defense was completely exposed, with only one defender, Lerrota, in front of Wang Feng.
Of course, he couldn't stop him. Wang Feng made a large swing to dribble past the defender, forming a one-on-one with the goalkeeper Buffon. When the goalkeeper rushed out, Wang Feng used the tip of his foot to flick the ball over Buffon's outstretched arm and into the net.
1-0! Inter Milan took the lead!
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