The Prince of Inter Milan starts with Brother Xiaosa

Chapter 206 Official Announcement and Warm-up Match

Balotelli seemed a little absent-minded in training, and Leo knew very well that the day for Balotelli's departure was getting closer.

Manchester City is very sincere, Inter Milan is also willing to sell, Balotelli has accepted it, and the rest is just a matter of price.

Balotelli performed very well last season, ranking among the top in the team in goals despite inconsistent playing time.

Especially when Eto'o returned to Africa to participate in the African Cup of Nations, he often scored goals to help Inter Milan win.

In the 09-10 season, Balotelli scored more than goals for Inter Milan in various competitions. At the World Cup, Balotelli also scored three goals.

With such a performance, it is certainly impossible for Moratti to sell Balotelli, an already emerging star, cheaply.

Manchester City also really wanted it sincerely. After paying a sufficient financial price, Mancini was still content to recruit his "favorite disciple" to his staff.

The outside world may not know the specific amount, but Leo knows it.

The Premier League tycoon generously paid a basic transfer fee of 30 million pounds. If a series of additional terms can be reached, Balotelli's deal is expected to reach 36 million pounds.

This shows that Manchester City Club is full of expectations for the future of Bashen.

To take a step back, Balotelli is still very young anyway. Even if he is not accustomed to playing in the Premier League and is not kicked out, they will not lose too much by selling him a second time.

“After I go to England, I should play football seriously and don’t have too much contact with some shady teammates.

Unlike Milan, Manchester does not have such a rich nightlife and there are not so many beautiful models, which may not be a bad thing for you. "

Faced with Leo's farewell, Balotelli truly felt the fact that he was really leaving.

Although he always seems to be laughing and joking heartlessly, he is actually very emotional at heart.

Unlike the mature Leo, Ba Shen was a little panicked at the thought of leaving the familiar city and familiar people to live in a strange country.

He turned to look at the agent again and whispered:

"Mino, I don't want to leave, can I regret it?"

Raiola didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and patiently tried to appease this smart guy who always came up with ideas.

“The contract has been signed, of course we can’t go back on it.

You've always said it was good, why did you back down now?
  Don't worry, Mario, you don't have to worry about anything when you get to Manchester.

Everyone in the team just listens to the head coach. Has Mancho called you? "

Balotelli nodded. He had already had a phone call with his future head coach Mancini.

Leo wanted to laugh a little. He remembered that Balotelli often complained to him about Mancini's stubbornness.

"Mino is right, you don't have to worry too much, just treat it as a change of environment. I believe that with your ability, you can adapt to wherever you go!
  Besides, my weekly salary of 140,000 pounds is almost catching up with me! "

Speaking of salary, Balotelli finally smiled.

"Haha, that's right, but it's going to be very difficult to meet you again."

Everything else is easy to say, except that the separation from his two friends, Leo and Thornton, made Bashen very uncomfortable.

"Oh, it doesn't matter, we can meet at the national team!"

Leo is not worried about this. With Italy's current forward reserves, as long as Balotelli does not perform poorly, there is not a big problem in being selected for the national team.

On July 7, Inter Milan and Premier League club Manchester City officially announced a "blockbuster transfer." Italian young international Mario Balotelli has passed the physical examination and officially joined Manchester City.

Although some Manchester City fans have expressed doubts about Balotelli, most of them are still happy that the team has introduced another strong player.

The Nerazzurri were in an uproar, and they had serious doubts about the club's ambitions.

"Why do you want to sell your own talented star?"

No one could answer this question. Soon, the first warm-up match of the new season arrived.

On July 7, Inter Milan’s first warm-up match of the summer was also the first appearance of new head coach Benitez after taking office. They faced the challenge of Manchester City.

Vieira joined Manchester City without a visa after his contract with Inter Milan expired at the beginning of this year.

The generous Blue Moon gave the French veteran a very generous contract.

“This season could be my last.

After retiring, I plan to learn to improve myself and then come back as a coach. "

Vieira happily hugged his old teammates before the game and even gave Leo a big thumbs up.

"You're so awesome, you're even better than I thought!"

Leo seemed a little shy at this time, and he had nothing to show off in front of Vieira.

After all, Vieira has already won the World Cup and European Cup with the French team, and he is still short of the European Cup.

"How is your new head coach? Are you getting along well?"

When Benitez started coaching Liverpool, Vieira was already in the late stages of his Arsenal career and soon moved to Serie A.

Although he doesn't have much contact, Vieira still knows something about Benitez.

Leo smiled and shook his head. “I just started working with him, and I can see that he is a person who takes his work very seriously, and I don’t know much else.”

Vieira patted Leo on the back and said with some emotion:
  "From now on, it will be you young people on the stage. It's time for old guys like me to retire."

"Patrick, Mario will be your teammate next season, and I need you to take more care of him."

"Hahaha, don't worry, he is an old teammate after all. I will take good care of him."

Benitez still used a four-three-three formation, but his personnel selection surprised many people.

Of the three players on the front line, only Pandev is the main force. Coutinho, who has just joined the team, and Obi, the Nigerian teenager from the youth team, play together.

The three midfielders are led by Cambiasso, with the remaining two being Mariga and Chrisettigue.

The left and right defenders are Chivu and Zanetti, the center back Cordoba partners with Materazzi, and the goalkeeper is Castellachi, who joined Inter Milan for free this summer window.

This 35-year-old Italian veteran was undoubtedly signed as a substitute for Cesar after Toldo retired.

Leo and David Thornton, two players who have played the entire World Cup, returned to the team late and sat on the bench together today.

On the Manchester City side, former Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini did not appear on the sidelines due to family matters, and assistant coach Brian Kidd was in charge today.

And their starting lineup today is 442.

Adebayor and Ruoshuang are forwards, and the four midfielders are Barry, Yaya Toure, Vieira and Johnson.

Left back Bridge, right back Zabaleta, center back combination Kompany and Kolo Toure, goalkeeper Joe Hart.

After the game started, neither team was in a hurry to launch an offensive and tested each other.

Cambiaso made a free kick from the right, and Mariga headed the ball in the penalty area!

The ball went slightly over the bar without causing any trouble for Joe Hart.

As the game progressed, Triple Crown winner Inter Milan gradually gained the upper hand.

Brazilian youngster Coutinho, who is not afraid of tigers even after he was born, has shown great ability on the field.

Dribbling, breakthrough, passing, Coutinho is proficient in everything.

In the 15th minute, Coutinho made a precise through ball, and Pandev quickly moved forward and scored with a single shot!

However, it was ruled offside and the goal was invalid.

Three minutes later, Coutinho passed the ball diagonally, and Pandev was brought down by Kompany outside the edge of the penalty area!
  The referee showed Kompany a yellow card, and the two sides argued and almost clashed.

Chivu's free kick went directly over the goal again.

In the twenty-second minute, a little "incident" happened on the court!
  Materazzi had a fierce physical confrontation with Vieira when fighting for the ball, and then the Inter Milan defender fell to the ground!

The referee believed that Vieira's elbow was a flagrant foul and directly took out a red card and sent him off!
  Vieira looked innocent. He and his former teammates didn't have such a big hatred, it was just an unconscious action.

It's a pity that the referee's decision cannot be changed. Manchester City did not have the advantage in strength, and then they lost one player.

Manchester City immediately made substitution adjustments, and Richards came off the bench to replace Jo.

Coutinho dribbled continuously near the corner of the penalty area on the right. He cut horizontally into the middle and then volleyed hard with his left foot!

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart was very focused and jumped up hard to get the ball out!
  "The offense is very active and he has excellent foot skills, but his awareness is a bit poor and he lacks experience in the game. He likes to shoot wildly."

After half an hour, Benitez has almost figured out Coutinho's technical characteristics and playing habits.

There are some things that cannot be seen just by watching ordinary training, and they will only be revealed in real games.

Two minutes later, Cambiaso sent a clever through pass, and Obi formed a single goal. Unfortunately, the Nigerian's shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

"There should be a goal soon."

Leo sat on the sidelines and watched very seriously. He knew that not all the players on the court could stay in Inter Milan.

If some people fail to seize the opportunity, they may soon be excluded from coach Benitez's plans.

Therefore, the players starting today, especially the young players, will definitely do their best to show their abilities.

As expected by Leo, in the 40th minute, Inter Milan finally broke the deadlock on the field!

Cambiasso cleverly distributed the ball in the middle, and Pandev suddenly reached the left side of the penalty area. He suddenly volleyed with his left foot from a small angle!

The ball passed under the crotch of Manchester City defender Richards, went straight to the far corner, hit the inside of the far post and bounced into the door!
  One to zero!

Leo applauded the goal with his teammates on the bench.

However, he sighed in his heart, a few young players did a lot of tricks, but in the end the goal still depended on the passing and receiving cooperation of the two veterans.

Manchester City seems to have given up. Anyway, it is just a friendly match and the head coach is not here, so you can play casually.

Before the end of the half, it was Coutinho's wonderful continuous pass, but it was a pity that the goal kick was a little less interesting.

Coutinho's long shot from outside the penalty area was blocked by Joe Hart!
  At the end of the first half, Inter Milan temporarily led 1-0.

(End of this chapter)