Inter Milan, forging ahead in the league, has earned widespread acclaim.
Especially with their resilience in the face of adversity, many have been reminded of the Inter Milan team that won the Treble in 2010!
Though today isn’t what it used to be, this Inter struggles to compare in terms of strength or record with the Inter Milan that once shined in Europe five years ago.
But the Blue-Black Corps truly is on the right path to recovery.
Under Mancini’s directive, Inter Milan vice-chairman Sane invited the entire team to host an outdoor Argentine barbecue at his luxurious villa.
Barbecue is always a favorite for Argentinians!
It’s no surprise that when Argentinians band together, fans fondly nickname them the Barbecue Gang.
Icardi, Palacio, Sane, and others transformed into barbecue masters, constantly tending to the top-grade beef on the grill with tongs and serving it to teammates.
As the beef sizzled over the charcoal, the surface crackled, and the meat inside slowly cooked.
In the large courtyard, wherever there was sunlight, there was fragrance.
"The biggest piece is for you!"
Icardi grinned as he picked up the largest piece of beef and placed it on Gualin’s plate.
Inhaling the special aroma, Gualin couldn’t help but salivate and gave Icardi a big thumbs up.
The relationship between Icardi and Gualin improved, symbolizing the reconciliation between the South American Gang and the Barbecue Gang.
In the final ten or so sprint stages of the league, factions within the Inter Milan team united, charging toward their ultimate goal.
In reality, as long as the team performs well, it can overshadow many problems and conflicts.
Yet when the performance declines, situations like "finding the mole" are bound to occur.
Players’ interests are always tied to the team, and all professional players understand this.
When the team performs well, players gain more exposure, beneficial for elevating their transfer value or negotiating for renewals.
"Now we must hold onto the last breath!"
Berni muttered indistinctly to Tang Long while chewing a mouthful of beef.
"Whether we drop the ball or push through to the end, it’s indeed all about this last breath. Despite our victories now, just one or two matches later, the situation can completely change — that’s the thrilling charm of the league’s sprint stage!"
"If we win the Coppa Italia and UEFA Europa League this season, will you stay at Inter next season?" Tang Long asked.
Berni replied, "No, no, I’m just the third goalkeeper, staying or leaving doesn’t matter."
"I plan to go to the U.S. for a rock career with my wife. My band is coming together; this is my last year as a professional footballer. Come on, Tang, bring me two championships!"
Serie A, 27th round, Inter Milan heads to face Turin away.
Turin reached its peak in the 1940s, winning the Serie A championship five consecutive times and earning the title "Turin Divine Team," contributing numerous excellent players to the Italy national team.
Until the Superga disaster wiped out the entire Turin team, ending their reign.
The Superga air disaster refers to a crash that occurred in 1949 at Italy’s Superga Mountain.
When Turin’s "Divine Team" returned from their Latin Cup match against Benfica in Portugal, their plane crashed into Superga Mountain near the airport, resulting in the shocking "Superga air disaster" in world football.
This disaster led to the complete loss of the Turin team, and they never recovered their spirit.
More importantly, Italy also lost its football elites and was eliminated early in the 1950 World Cup.
Afterwards, the Italian national team entered a "dark era," constantly changing coaches after losses, eventually losing more frequently.
It wasn’t until the ’60s when Milan’s twin teams made breakthroughs in club competitions.
Then, the Italy national team performed excellently in the 1968 European Cup and the 1970 World Cup, bringing Italian football back to world-class standards.
However, this comeback was 20 years after their previous glory.
This year also marks the 66th anniversary of the Turin air disaster.
Before the match, Turin’s players lined up on the field, each donning a black band, with somber expressions, seemingly feeling the unspeakable pain from deep within the years.
Inter Milan players also stood shoulder to shoulder, bearing this historical weight together with Turin players.
Everyone in the stadium lowered their heads and closed their eyes, mourning the talented players lost in the air disaster over half a century ago.
Time seemed frozen at this moment.
This round’s matchup against a powerhouse like Inter Milan drew Turin fans in droves to the home stadium.
The Turin Olympic Stadium, with a capacity of 28,000, was packed, each seat carrying fans’ hopes.
Yet at this moment, the vast stadium was silent, with only the atmosphere of mourning permeating the air.
After a minute of silence, thunderous applause suddenly erupted on site!
This applause was the heartfelt encouragement of Turin fans for their home team and also a profound tribute to all the brave fighters on this land.
The applause resonated throughout the stadium, seeming to transcend time and space, resonating with the souls of the departed heroes.
At this moment, football was not just a sport but a bridge connecting the past and present, allowing people to commemorate those immortal legends together.
"I believe the young lives lost in the air disaster from Turin are now twinkling stars in the night sky at 7:30 PM local time in Italy, observing the team’s performance."
"Football is both a competitive sport and a sport filled with humanistic care."
"I believe many fans are supporting Tang Long and Inter Milan in front of the TV."
"But I urge you to give the same support to Turin. Let’s look forward to a spectacular match from both teams!"
"Introducing the starting lineups of both sides."
"The home team Turin uses a 3-5-2 formation, with Quagliarella and Martinez as the starting forwards..."
"Inter Milan here relies on the 4-2-3-1 formation from the previous match."
"Starting center forward is the young Bonazzoli."
"Bonazzoli is backed by Tang Long, flanked by Palacio and Podolski."
"Palacio finally starts; it’s been a while since he’s been in the starting lineup."
"And Podolski reappears in the starting lineup after resting."
"Medel pairs with Mavic as midfielders."
"The defense is identical to the last match, with Italian natives Ranocchia and Andreolli as center-backs."
"Right-back Yuto Nagatomo and left-back Dambrosio."
"Goalkeeper Handanovic."
Perhaps driven by the commemoration day, Turin’s players played exceptionally hard, rigorously implementing coach Ventura’s tactics for a strong start.
Turin’s strategy for a strong start is simple, requiring excess energy early to pressure Inter Milan’s midfield and defense, forcing opponents to open up with long balls.
Upon capturing loose balls, they quickly transition into attack, hoping wave after wave of offense will leave Inter Milan scrambling and making mistakes!
Like tidal waves, the attacks surged towards Inter’s penalty area.