The Prince of Inter Milan starts with Brother Xiaosa

Chapter 96 National team debut!

Three days later, all Serie A matches in the 21st round kicked off at the same time.

Inter Milan once again visited Sicily, but this time their opponent was another Serie A team on the island.

Due to the red card received in the last round, head coach Mourinho could only control the game remotely from the stands, while assistant coach Baresi was in charge of directing from the sidelines.

Materazzi, Samuel, Chivu, Vieira and other players are missing due to injuries. The good news is that Ibrahimovic has returned to the starting lineup after his suspension.

David Thornton, who turned eighteen this month, started his third consecutive game for Inter Milan.

This kid seems to have really successfully taken over the starting position of left back for the Nerazzurri.

Just five minutes into the game, Leo passed the ball into the penalty area. Ibrahimovic reversed offside and successfully lobbed a right-footed shot past Catania goalkeeper Bisari into the net!

One to zero!

Inter Milan, playing away from home, took the lead in scoring!

The tacit understanding between Leo and Ibrahimovic is deepening day by day, and the connection between the two is becoming more and more skillful.

The Nerazzurri continued to attack in the next game, but something unexpected happened in the 32nd minute.

Midfielder Muntari tackled Tedesco from behind and was sent off with a direct red card by the referee!
  Inter Milan can only play with ten players for the rest of the game.

Two minutes later, the home team almost seized the opportunity to equalize the score.

Morimoto Takayuki made a direct pass, and Mascara faced the visiting team goalkeeper Cesar directly, but his curve ball missed the far post!

Inter Milan has never made any substitution adjustments, but only recycles the formation of players on the field and switches to defensive counterattack.

Before the end of the first half, Catania's entire team pressed against the visiting team's goal to form a siege.

However, their numerical advantage did not directly translate into victory.

Cesar flew up and firmly picked off Morimoto Takayuki's long shot, and then threw the ball vigorously to Leo not far away.

Leo winked at Thornton. He dribbled the ball past Bayoko's press and then sent a long diagonal pass to the frontcourt.

David Thornton is not as fast as Leo's Tottenham teammate Gareth Bale last season.

But compared with ordinary opponents, the Italian teenager, who has not experienced serious injuries to his legs, is not slow at all in sprinting.

Leo's long pass flew over the heads of the Catania defenders, and Thornton was in front of him.

The ball started to fall near the penalty area, and David Thornton easily stopped the ball without interference.

Catania goalkeeper Bisari decisively abandoned the goal and put pressure on the opponent.

However, Thornton didn't panic at all, dunking past Bisarri and shooting into the empty net!
  Two to zero!
  Thornton, who scored his first career goal, ran excitedly to the corner flag area and knelt passionately!
  Then he stood up and hugged Leo tightly, who assisted him.

"Okay, okay, the hug is too tight!"

"Hey, I'm not too excited."

"This is a good goal. Keep working hard. There will be more opportunities later."

Leo noticed in the last game that David was a little disappointed because he missed an excellent scoring opportunity.

Today Leo successfully helped "little brother" make his wish come true.

Although there is one less player, Inter Milan currently has a two-goal advantage and may not be able to take away three points from the Angelo Massimino Stadium.

In the 62nd minute of the second half, Mascara's long-range shot hit the leg of Inter Milan defender Burdisso and hit the goal post!
  Then Baresi made two substitutions, with Maxwell and Rivas coming off the bench to replace Stankovic and Balotelli.

Inter Milan's intention to adjust is quite obvious. They are preparing to strengthen their defense to maintain the current score of 2-0.

In the end, Catania failed to break through the Nerazzurri's door. At the end of the game, Inter Milan scored all three points 2-0 away from home.

At the end of the winter transfer window, Quaresma joined the Premier League team Chelsea on loan, while Adriano moved to Flamengo permanently.

Obinna and Cruz also wanted to make a move but failed to find a suitable home, so they could only wait for the summer transfer window to deal with them all.

Mourinho has established absolute authority in Inter Milan, and no player in the first team dares to openly confront the Portuguese.

In the following two Serie A games, Mourinho's team defeated Turin 3-1 at home and defeated Pepper Lecce 3-0 away.

After twenty-three rounds, Inter Milan is already far ahead in the Serie A standings.

It can be said that as long as they don't make mistakes, the league championship is basically within their grasp.

But the question is, facing the Nerazzurri, who have won consecutive victories, which team can stop them?
  In the national team match on February 2, Leo was selected for the Italian national team for the first time.

The Azzurri led by Lippi had a much-anticipated friendly match with the Selecao in London, England.

Although this was just a warm-up match between national teams, it attracted the attention of football fans around the world because it was a passionate collision between two world-class teams.

This friendly match between five-star Brazil and four-star Italy can definitely be called the strongest "contradictory battle" in world football.

The Emirates Stadium was packed, with nearly 70,000 spectators coming to watch the game.

Naturally, Leo, who was selected for the national team for the first time, would not get the opportunity to play so soon. He could only sit on the bench on the sidelines and watch the game up close.

There is no place for Leo in Lippi's 433 formation. The three midfielders are Pirlo, De Rossi and Montolivo.

There are many Italian fans who are dissatisfied with this. They believe that Leo can completely replace Montolivo in the starting lineup.

Everyone can see that Leo is much better than Montolivo.

But there are also many traditional Italians who think there is nothing wrong with Lippi's decision. Gilardino overcame Giuseppe Rossi, who was the main player in training before the game, to serve as the starting center, while Toni sat on the bench.

At the right wing position, Camoranesi, who has just returned, comes on the bench, and Pepe still starts.

Gamberini suffered a muscle strain during training, and Lello Taglie partnered with Cannavaro as central defender.

The left and right backs are Grosso and Gianluca Zambrotta, and goalkeeper Buffon.

In Brazil, Kaka and Fabiano were absent due to injuries, but Ronaldinho returned to the national team and formed a trident with Robinho and Adriano.

This is very interesting. Among the 22 players on the field, there is not a single Inter Milan player on the Italian side.

On the contrary, right back Maicon and goalkeeper Cesar in the Brazilian team are the absolute main force of the Nerazzurri.

Coupled with the addition of a former teammate, Adriano, Leo found it quite interesting.

As the European team that has won the most World Cups and the team that has won the most Hercules Cups in the world, the two teams have met a total of 12 times in history, each winning five games and drawing a tie.

The last time they met at the World Cup was the 1994 World Cup final, where Brazil defeated Italy in a penalty shootout.

Baggio, the "Melancholy Prince" who missed a crucial penalty kick, seems to still be seeing his disappointed expression.

In the first three minutes, Italy took the lead in attacking.

Grosso made a pass from the left, and Gilardino responded from the front, but was saved first by the pressing Brazilian defender Juan.

Less than a minute later, Pirlo passed a 45-meter diagonal pass from midfield to the left side of the penalty area. Grosso did not wait for the ball to land, and volleyed into the net with his left foot from a small angle in front of the small penalty area!
  However, the referee Webber of this game ruled it offside and the goal was invalid.

Then the game gradually entered the rhythm of Brazil. Ronaldinho passed the ball directly to Ade on the left side of the penalty area. Buffon made a sliding tackle to clear the ball.

In the 13th minute, Ronaldinho dribbled the ball from the left and made a pass inside.

Elano kicked back with his heel, and Robinho passed his right foot directly to the forward Elano.

Italian defender Lello Taglie hurriedly tackled the ball to clear the ball, but happened to shove the ball in front of Elano.

Elano faced Buffon who was on the ground and saved, and shot with his right foot into the middle of the goal!

One to zero!

Brazil scored first!
  The Selecao, who then took the lead, continued to threaten the Azzurri's goal.

In the 27th minute, Pirlo's right corner kick was destroyed. He got the ball from the right and passed it in. Cannavaro's overhead shot in front of the goal was blocked.

Lucio launched a quick counterattack from his own penalty area, ran with the ball for nearly 70 meters and then distributed it to the right.

Ronaldinho passed the ball from the right, and Pirlo, who was returning to defense, intercepted the ball in front of Robinho, but Robinho, who was chasing behind him, intercepted the ball at the edge of the penalty area.

The Cycling Prince turned back and broke into the left side of the penalty area and continuously changed lines to shake Zambrotta away. He scored with a low shot with his left foot near the penalty spot!

Two to zero!
  The game lasted less than half an hour and the Brazilian team took a two-goal lead. This made many fans outside the Brazilian team very dissatisfied.

Because even neutral fans want to see a close contest.

Before the first half was over, Lippi called on all the substitutes to warm up.

After halftime, Italy changed the entire offensive line, with Perrotta, Camoranesi, Toni and Giuseppe Rossi playing at the same time.

Montolivo, Gilardino, Di Natale and Pepe were all replaced.

Leo continued to sit on the bench.

Compared with the first half, Italy's rhythm was better after the start of the second half.

Pirlo's pass, Rossi's left foot volley from a small angle on the left side of the penalty area hit the side net.

In the 50th minute, Maicon made a pass from the right. Zambrotta almost scored an own goal when he made a clearance in front of Elano, and the ball was just over the crossbar.

It shocked the Italian fans into a cold sweat.

In the 58th minute, De Rossi was injured and was replaced by his Roma teammate Aquilani.

Pirlo sent a long diagonal pass from the right. Toni stopped the ball between the two Brazilian central defenders and pushed the ball into the net with his left foot. However, the goal was disallowed due to handball first.

In the 70th minute, Leo finally got a chance to play. Lippi replaced him with Italian midfielder Pirlo.

Leo and Pirlo exchanged high-fives, symbolizing the changes in the two eras.

Cannavaro intercepted the ball in the backcourt and handed it to Leo. Leo's first touch of the ball after coming on the court was the familiar dribbling forward from the center.

Unlike when he was at Inter Milan, the Italian teammates did not cooperate well with Leo.

He had no choice but to continue dribbling the ball by himself.

Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva actively stepped forward to press, and Leo's heel ball flew over the opponent's head!

The Brazilians were shocked. They didn't expect that this young Italian player who had just come on as a substitute would dare to play rainbow in front of them!
  Leo wanted to say, I am so confident.

After getting rid of Silva, Leo followed up with another Marseille spin and passed the Brazilian center back Juan at the front of the penalty area.

Open the angle and take advantage of the situation and shoot low!
  It's a pity that Cesar who was guarding the goal was too familiar with Leo, and the Brazilian goalkeeper was not caught off guard by Leo's sudden attack.

On the contrary, Cesar had already been prepared and moved ahead of time to dive sideways and block Leo's shot from the bottom line!

(End of this chapter)