Chapter 225: A rare drought
During the week, Inter Milan welcomed their first-leg clash of the Coppa Italia final, with Juventus being led by interim head coach Berti.
The scheduling of this season's Coppa Italia final was quite peculiar, with the first leg set in mid-March and the second leg arranged in mid-May, two full months apart before the final round of the league.
Nevertheless, facing the disheartened Juventus side, Inter Milan had a significant advantage.
However, the match unfolded unexpectedly. At the Meazza Stadium, in front of tens of thousands of Inter Milan fans, the home team's performance was nothing short of disastrous.
Trezeguet and Del Piero each breached the Nerazzurri's defense for Juventus, and the match ended with a 0-2 scoreline, with the Bianconeri comfortably walking away victorious.
What happened to the usually dominant Inter Milan? Post-match analyses pointed fingers at Wang Feng, the usually reliable player who seemed to be struggling.
He attempted 12 shots during the match but only managed to hit the target five times, failing to score a single goal, a far cry from his usual efficiency.
With no concern for the defense, Juventus could organize their attacks calmly. Their frontline remained world-class, causing significant damage to Inter Milan's defense and resulting in the concession of two goals.
"But it's premature to say that Juventus has secured the Coppa Italia," said some media outlets. "Let's not forget about Wang Feng and the terror of Inter Milan. They are a team capable of producing comeback miracles."
In the 27th round of Serie A, Inter Milan continued their home streak against Reggina, but Wang Feng's performance remained lackluster. He attempted 9 shots, only 2 of which were on target, and naturally, he failed to score.
However, Inter Milan ultimately secured a 1-0 victory over Reggina, thanks to Adriano's counterattack goal.
While the focus was on the victory, it was apparent that the media's attention was on Wang Feng, who had gone two consecutive matches without scoring!
This was incredible. Considering that Wang Feng had always scored whenever he played this season, this sudden drought was hard to fathom. Nevertheless, people gradually got accustomed to it.
Now, with two matches without a goal, what happened to him? This was a question many wanted answers to. Various media outlets, from major newspapers to regional tabloids, offered their theories. Some speculated that Wang Feng was heartbroken, others suggested conflicts with teammates or coaches, and some even mentioned dissatisfaction with the club's salary offer.
Regardless of whether it was a major newspaper or a small local tabloid, everyone was riding on this uncommon hot topic. People were gossiping about it, and the more reliable explanations came from the invited experts of Turin Sports Daily, such as Jitin.
"Wang Feng seems to have had a sudden change in mindset. After achieving a new historical record, his emotions are bound to fluctuate."
"I think he no longer needs to prove his strength to anyone. Going two matches without scoring may be common for other strikers worldwide, but for Wang Feng, it has become abnormal. This is the best evidence of his abilities."
"However, I hope he can adjust quickly and present us with spectacular goal-scoring performances."
Even newspapers from rival cities praised Wang Feng, indicating how highly esteemed he was in Italy. People loved to gossip about his personal life, but nobody dared to question his skills.
AC Milan striker Andrei Shevchenko, when asked about Wang Feng's goal drought in an interview, jokingly responded with an exaggerated expression, "A drought after two games without scoring?"
"I think you're mocking me because I haven't scored in four matches," he added with a smile. "Well, I don't think it's a big deal. Maybe he just doesn't feel like scoring right now. You know, many geniuses have their quirks, haha."
Cassano, ranked fourth in the top scorer list, was also asked the same question. "I hope he keeps not scoring in the next games!" the Italian said fiercely. "At the beginning of the season, I called him boasting that my goal count could catch up with his. But now, I can't even reach half of his tally. It's infuriating; he must be doing this intentionally to embarrass me!"
"If this continues, no striker in Europe will be able to live. Before each season starts, they might as well give him the European Golden Boot directly. Sigh~"
Wang Feng himself didn't know what was happening to him. In these two matches, he felt very bad when shooting, and the moment the ball left his foot, he already knew it wouldn't go in.
Perhaps, as Jitin suggested, there had been a sudden change in his mindset, reflecting in his body?
As the sky gradually darkened, Wang Feng's teammates left Pinetina one by one. Since Inter Milan's next match against Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions League was scheduled a week later, they had a rare two-day break.
The outskirts of Milan were sparsely populated, appearing particularly quiet, but the sounds of kicking the ball occasionally echoed from the training ground at Pinetina. It was Wang Feng practicing shooting alone, while his personal trainer, Le Goff, watched over him.
After another shot of mediocre quality, Wang Feng rubbed his knee. He had already figured out the best adjustment in his mind, but his body somehow couldn't keep up, still not recovered.
"Wang, you're putting too much pressure on yourself!" Le Goff finally couldn't help but interject. "From what I saw, you hesitated when shooting just now. That's a bad sign."
"From your debut until now, the increasingly favorable environment has made you more and more confident, and your performances have become increasingly outstanding. But once you encounter adversity and start doubting yourself, the setbacks will accumulate like a snowball."
"I've seen many such cases, where once-promising young talents faltered just because of trivial matters."
Wang Feng shrugged helplessly. "Maybe I'm just overthinking it. So, what should I do?" With many tough battles ahead for Inter Milan, he didn't want to slump at this crucial moment.
"To be honest, you're already doing great. My advice is to temporarily set aside training and relax. It might be much better than burying yourself in practice all the time."
Wang Feng paused, considering the suggestion. It seemed like a good idea. So, he decided to completely let go of football and enjoy a two-day break.
Upon learning of Wang Feng's plan, Lu Yao fully agreed and even took time off from school to accompany him. Seeing his excited girlfriend, Wang Feng felt a bit guilty. Although Lu Yao had always been understanding, whether it was training, matches, or handling group business, she never complained and always stayed by his side. But then again, which girl didn't want to have fun with her boyfriend?
The two of them acted like an ordinary young couple, going to Milan's amusement parks to have fun, indulging in delicious food. Their bond deepened further, finally completing their growth journey without the interference of Wang Mei, the "lightbulb".
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦