Chapter 255: Decadent genius
Busy until evening, Wang Feng finally found time to call the head coach and expressed his wish not to participate in the 7th round of Serie A against Udinese on the 16th. Mancini was initially surprised but eventually agreed to his request.
It's not difficult to guess the dissatisfaction of the Chinese star at this time. Mancini also empathized with him and decided to give up the league competition, aiming to secure a top-three finish to secure a spot in the Champions League next season.
Approaching graduation, Lu Yao and her younger sister moved back to the villa with no more classes, but their states were quite different. The younger sister was completely liberated, having completed all the credits required for graduation without any additional pressure.
Lu Yao, on the other hand, was different. She needed to complete a high-quality thesis and pass the defense to obtain her diploma, so she was feeling anxious.
Taking advantage of the two-week break due to the national team match days, Lu Yao suggested going out to relax together. She noticed that Lu Yao was under a lot of pressure; always comforting others but keeping her own worries to herself.
Arriving in Venice, the city of water, cruising through the canals on a small boat, they inexplicably remembered a scene from their youth along the Grand Canal. They exchanged smiles, and Wang Feng's frustration and Lu Yao's anxiety were swept away. As long as they had each other, what else was there to worry about?
"I like Venice," the younger sister said. "The school once organized students to visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and the exhibits inside were very impressive. Let's go take a look later."
Wang Feng and Lu Yao readily agreed. The last time Wang Feng came to Venice was to compete with the Venice Club. At that time, he went to the Pier Luigi Penzo Stadium, far from all the tourist attractions, so he didn't have time to sightsee.
The museum is located next to the Grand Canal, showcasing works by Picasso and Michelangelo. All the exhibits belong to an American tycoon named Peggy Guggenheim.
As Wang Feng admired the artworks, he secretly pondered whether he could also create a football museum in the future, showcasing the honors and memorable items he has received.
After visiting the museum, the three of them came to St. Mark's Square. This landmark building in the city center is called the "most romantic square" because thousands of white doves perch there, occasionally taking flight as people move around.
In the evening, the lights shone brightly on St. Mark's Square, while the Cafe Quadri on the south corner appeared very magnificent and elegant. Sitting by the window inside the hall, ordering a cup of fragrant Italian coffee, listening to the melodious music, the younger sister couldn't help but sigh, "Capitalist society is indeed decadent."
Lu Yao and Wang Feng couldn't help but laugh. The younger sister was indeed a mood destroyer, but what she said was not wrong. One cannot indulge in decadent pleasures; people should have more pursuits and embrace higher challenges, although occasional relaxation is also acceptable.
In the following two days, they continued to explore Venice, with countless churches and various bridges worth visiting. Until they returned to Milan, Wang Tian still felt a little reluctant: "There are still many attractions we haven't visited yet. Let's come again next time!"
After a brief rest, the team regrouped and continued their journey of training and matches, facing Porto away in the third round of the Champions League group stage.
Porto can be considered a team that rises and falls with the Champions League. After reaching the final as a dark horse in 2004 and losing to Inter Milan, they still received recognition from the European football community.
Several key players in the team, such as Cavaleiro, Pereira, and Deco, left for the top five leagues, and even the head coach Mourinho was poached. As a result, they quickly fell silent and suffered two consecutive defeats in the first two rounds of the Champions League group stage, losing to teams ranked below them, Atromitos and Glasgow Rangers.
Inter Milan did not have much difficulty against them either. In the first half, Wang Feng contributed two goals and an assist, helping the team secure a decisive victory before being substituted.
The final score remained 3-0, with Inter Milan securing their third consecutive victory.
In the 8th round of Serie A, Inter Milan defeated newly promoted Livorno 2-0. After that, they faced the challenge of Roma.
Seeing Cassano again, the once proud and talented young genius appeared very dejected. He had been effectively sidelined by coach Voler, only training with the team without being included in the match squad. Since Capello left, Roma's performance had plummeted, with two head coaches changed in just two months. Moreover, Cassano did not receive a contract extension from the club.
"I have informed my agent to contact the next club for me. I will leave Roma this summer," Cassano said to Wang Feng.
Shortly after the start of the first half, Ribery received a pass from Zanetti. He pretended to cut inside but suddenly hooked the ball with his right foot to accelerate past Mexes' defense.
Approaching the penalty area, Ribery directly delivered a low cross. Wang Feng, leaning against Roma defender Kuffour, turned sideways to receive the ball. Kuffour vigorously pressed against his waist, with his right arm wrapped around him, and kept disturbing his feet, defending very tightly.
But Wang Feng had never been afraid of anyone one-on-one. He skillfully used his right foot to flick the ball to the right side and then suddenly turned around, forcefully pushing Kuffour aside.
Marseille Turn!
"Beautiful! Wang Feng used a Marseille Turn to get rid of Kuffour's defense, caught up with the ball, and shot with his left foot! Goal! Goooooooooooooooooooal!"
"Only 7 minutes into the game, Wang Feng opened the scoring for Inter Milan! This is definitely a brilliant goal. He turned 180 degrees to tear apart the defense, and finally, his left-footed shot was powerful and precise!"
"This goal fully demonstrates his delicate footwork and superhuman confrontation ability. The way he controlled the ball and flicked it was seamless, and Kuffour, who was defending, was completely pushed aside by him."
With the first goal, the subsequent game became easier. After all, Roma was still in disarray, and many players' minds were not on the game. Soon after, Wang Feng pierced Pelizzoli's goal again with a long-range shot from the edge of the penalty area.
With a brace from Wang Feng, he was substituted in the 60th minute of the second half. In the 67th minute, Adriano took a powerful shot in the penalty area, which was saved by Panucci on the goal line, but Pizarro followed up and scored.
Before the end of the match, Totti scored a goal for Roma, but Inter Milan still won 3-1.
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