Chapter 222: Troubles of genius
AC Milan suffered a heavy defeat against Inter Milan, almost losing their title hopes once again. After this match, the Italian media, chasing hot topics, naturally reported extensively on it.
When losing, one must find scapegoats. Apart from head coach Ancelotti, the media focused on their new recruit Kaka. Being a genius, when he performs well, everyone praises him, but when he performs poorly, everyone criticizes him.
According to Milan Sports News, Kaka simply cannot be compared to Wang Feng, whether in the past, present, or future. "He indeed possesses unwavering competitive spirit and decent technique, but lacks the leadership qualities and the dominance to turn the tide in adversity."
"The prince will always be the prince, unable to contend with the king."
On the other hand, Evening Post wrote that AC Milan was overly optimistic, to the extent of being embarrassed now. "When Kaka scored his 10th goal, Ancelotti couldn't wait to proclaim to the media that he believed the Brazilian had a good chance of winning the Best Foreign Player of the Season."
"It should be noted that in the past two seasons, this award was won by Wang Feng, with 34 and 40 goals respectively. The editor understands Ancelotti's desire to promote his protégé, but after the humiliating defeat to Inter, such statements seem extremely arrogant."
The front-page headline of Rome Sports News read "The Prince Lost in San Siro, AC Milan's Championship Dream Shattered." The article pointed out that Kaka was completely restricted by Inter Milan's defense in the match, failing to display the heroic spirit from the first leg, resulting in the team's defeat to the Nerazzurri.
"This nearly 22-year-old youth was once considered the player most likely to challenge Wang Feng's position in Serie A. Now, everything feels too optimistic, and Wang Feng remains unbeatable."
In the Milan training ground, Kaka was sweating profusely, surrounded by newspapers of the past few days. The remarks on them were like whips, fiercely lashing at him.
Next to him, the trainer Meria looked at the handsome young man with concern. Due to a major injury in his childhood, he didn't recommend Kaka to undergo such high-intensity training, as he might get injured accidentally.
Unlike typical pleasure-loving Brazilian players, Kaka rarely took the initiative to go to nightclubs or wild parties but was passionate about training. The club admired this young man's dedication.
Being talented and willing to work hard, one always goes further than others but also bears more burden. This should be the dilemma of genius.
At this moment, head coach Ancelotti entered the training room, and Meria visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Only the coach could persuade the stubborn youth. Ancelotti waved his hand, and Meria understandingly exited the room.
"Kaka, you must be unwilling, but this is futile and will only harm yourself," Ancelotti said.
Kaka stopped his exercise, panting heavily. "I'm very unwilling, sir, but I don't know what to do."
"When I was in Brazil, many people said I was like Wang Feng. I tried to catch up with him, but I could only fall further behind. Some people told me that coming to Europe could greatly improve myself, so I resolutely chose Serie A where Wang Feng was. I hoped to defeat him one day."
"AC Milan has given me great progress. When I first met him, I really felt I was just a step away from defeating him, but then I fell into a low period. Everyone comforted me, saying it was the inevitable path for a newcomer, but my opponent Wang Feng has never experienced it!"
"When I finally emerged from the low period, I could only accept another defeat. At that time, I couldn't perform as well as Wang Feng would have in my position. If it were him, he would definitely find a solution!"
Ancelotti gazed at his proud disciple for a moment before saying, "Living in the same era as Wang Feng is unfortunate for you players and for us coaches."
"I have never seen a player who can display such dominance and pressure on the field like him. Even Maradona once said he couldn't do better than Wang Feng."
"Aiming for Wang Feng is good, but don't be overly anxious because of it. Doing what you should do is the most important thing. Your abilities still have a lot of room for improvement. The main goal now is to surpass yourself."
"Don't train hard alone. I have discussed with the club executives, and we will jointly formulate the most suitable training plan for you. It will not only avoid injuring yourself but also enhance your strength. This is the method Wang Feng used back then."
Just when Kaka was starting to doubt life because of being struck by Wang Feng, Inter Milan encountered trouble in the Czech Republic, as the Champions League reignited after a two-month hiatus. They faced Sparta Prague away.
Due to the back-to-back matches in a week and the fatigue of travel, head coach Mancini rotated the starting lineup, believing that Sparta Prague wouldn't cause much trouble for Inter Milan.
However, this Czech, or even Central European, one of the most successful clubs performed remarkably well, unexpectedly overwhelming Inter Milan's rotated lineup.
In the 21st and 37th minutes, forward Alkira and defender Delrin respectively breached the Nerazzurri's defense, leading 2-0 at halftime.
Returning to Meazza with such a scoreline would put Inter Milan in a passive position, as the opponents could easily park the bus on the defensive line, making it difficult for them to equalize.
Therefore, at the beginning of the second half and in the 55th minute, Mancini replaced Wang Feng and Adriano to strengthen the attack.
Sparta Prague, whether to expand their home advantage or for other considerations, did not retract their defensive line in the second half but continued to attack, giving Inter Milan opportunities.
In the 61st minute, Wang Feng successfully broke the offside trap on the right side, and Sparta Prague defender resorted to a foul tactic. However, Wang Feng's free kick pierced through the home team's goal, pulling one back for Inter Milan. Then, in the 81st minute, Adriano received a cross from Wang Feng and scored from close range.
The final score was 2-2, erasing Sparta Prague's initial lead and conceding two away goals, which was truly regrettable.
In the last Serie A match of February, in the 23rd round, Inter Milan hosted Brescia at home.
In the first half, Wang Feng seized an opportunity to break through the flank, passing to Ribery who scored from a tight angle inside the penalty area. Later on, he dribbled past three defenders and shot, hitting the inside of the post and scoring.
After halftime, Brescia pulled one back through Calajolo, but ultimately failed to stop Inter Milan's winning streak.
2-1! The Nerazzurri once again took all three points, continuing to lead the league table.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by fr(e)ew𝒆bnov(e)l.com