Chapter 96: Rome's rising talent
The two of them chatted all the way until they arrived at their destination, a restaurant located in the southwest corner of the Milan city center. Wang Feng looked somewhat surprised at the elegant decor and tranquil atmosphere of the restaurant. He had originally thought Ronaldo would take him to a passionate bar, but he didn't expect it to be a traditional Western restaurant.
Ronaldo explained, "This is one of the few Michelin two-star restaurants in Milan. Although I have no idea how it's rated, the food is indeed excellent. Our guests today really like this place."
After entering the restaurant, their host was already waiting. Cassano was sitting by the window, waving at them. As they approached, he first embraced Ronaldo and then extended his hand to Wang Feng, saying, "Wang, I've been wanting to meet you. You're currently a hot figure in Serie A."
Wang Feng shook hands with him, exchanged a few simple greetings, and then they each took their seats. Seeing Wang Feng looking around, Cassano said, "The environment here is nice, isn't it? Next to us is the Mudec Museum of Art. I particularly enjoy dining in such a quiet environment."
"The food here is very distinctive. Later, you can taste it yourself. I also ordered a bottle of sparkling wine with low alcohol content. We can have a sip," he added.
"You're just someone who enjoys this kind of environment. I'd rather go drink beer and eat barbecue," Ronaldo joked.
Wang Feng and Cassano were close in age, and with Ronaldo acting as the social butterfly, the three of them had a pleasant conversation.
"I made a name for myself with a goal in a match against Inter Milan," Cassano said. "Although it's been two years, it still feels like it happened yesterday."
"I remember having a sudden flash of inspiration at that time, and I managed to shake off the defense of Blanc and Panucci, then scored a goal. It was also at that time that I met Ronnie. He took the initiative to exchange jerseys with me after the match, which made me excited for a long time."
"I used to think I was one of the best young players, until you appeared, Wang. While I was still basking in the glory of scoring against Inter Milan, you had already won the Europa League and became the season's best player."
"It was at that moment that I realized there's always someone better out there."
Wang Feng smiled shyly and said, "It's not as magical as you say. It's just that I met a group of teammates who fully supported me." Ronaldo, on the side, teased, "Not only that, but your masochistic training methods are also part of the reason for your success, right?"
Cassano was curious about Wang Feng's training regimen and was surprised to hear that he spent most of his time training besides matches.
"You've been living this kind of life since you started playing professionally?" Cassano exclaimed. "I couldn't bear such a life. I'd go crazy without good food and social gatherings."
As they chatted and ate, they soon began discussing recent performances. Last season, Roma won the Serie A title, and their performance this season had been excellent as well. They were currently behind Inter Milan and Juventus on the league table.
"Roma's performance this season is still outstanding, but unfortunately, I'm not a regular member of the starting lineup," Cassano said helplessly. "The forward line is filled with experienced veterans, and compared to them, I'm still too young."
"Fortunately, Coach Capello trusts me relatively more and arranges some opportunities for me to come off the bench and play. So, I envy you for starting in every match for Inter Milan."
"Why did you choose Inter Milan in the first place? Weren't you afraid of not being able to adapt and becoming a substitute? I heard that Deportivo La Coru?a also wanted to sign you at that time," Cassano asked curiously.
Wang Feng replied, "It's actually related to Ronnie's injury. Inter Milan lacked a striker, and the club showed great sincerity, so I came."
"To be honest, I didn't have much confidence in the future at first, but a good friend of mine said, 'Don't lose confidence in yourself on the field.' So, I decided to give it a try."
"It must have been a female friend," Ronaldo joked. "Otherwise, why would her words carry so much weight, haha."
The clash with Roma took place as scheduled over the weekend. Inter Milan continued with their regular three-five-two formation, while Roma lined up in a four-three-three formation.
Upfront, Batistuta, Totti, and Montella formed the formidable attacking trio, while the young Cassano remained on the bench, watching Wang Feng take to the field.
Once the match began, despite the good relationship between the two sides off the field, on the pitch, it was a fierce battle. Batistuta and Totti frequently threatened Inter Milan's defense, while Wang Feng and Vieri also vigorously attacked Roma's defensive line.
In this match, Wang Feng adopted a different style of play, relying more on dribbling attacks to further hone his skills in official matches. This felt somewhat ball-hogging to the other players compared to Wang Feng's usual style, but after experiencing his outstanding performances for almost half a season, most of his teammates didn't raise any objections. They were just slightly puzzled by his change in playing style.
Using this method, Wang Feng's error rate undoubtedly increased. Previously, when he was double-teamed, he would decisively pass the ball, but now he attempted to break through, making it easier for defenders to intercept.
However, Wang Feng always maintained a balance, avoiding making mistakes in critical positions. Even if the ball was intercepted, he actively tracked back to defend, so there were no serious consequences.
Under such harsh conditions, his dribbling skills were rapidly improving, and his technique was constantly progressing.
In the 57th minute of the second half, Wang Feng received the ball on the right, with two Roma defenders closing in on him. He first turned with the ball to evade one defender, then, amidst the pushing and shoving, struggled to maintain his balance.
Next, he pushed the ball with his right foot, slipping it under the legs of another defender. He successfully broke through the double-team, then swiftly moved sideways into the penalty area.
Before the defending players could arrive, he sent a low cross to the far post of the penalty area, where Vieri, who had made a run, sent the ball into Roma's net.
"Goal! The ball's in! A cross from Wang Feng, and Vieri breaks the deadlock on the field."
"Wang Feng managed to break free from the double-team of two defenders, and Vieri, arriving at the far post, had no difficulty in scoring."
After the game resumed, Roma, unwilling to settle for a draw, organized more determined attacks. In the 81st minute, Totti broke through on the left and crossed into the penalty area, where the 1.85-meter-tall Batistuta rose high and headed the ball into Inter Milan's goal.
1-1, Inter Milan held Roma to a draw at home, ending their streak of five consecutive wins but still maintaining an unbeaten run of 11 rounds in the league.
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