"Look at that little guy, how agile he is! Just a bit short!"
In the VIP stands, those stars, along with some big club sports directors and even presidents, were whispering to each other.
In the private boxes of the stadium, people of similar ranks were equally amazed by the current situation.
"They actually have such a powerful midfield core! Who is this kid?"
"Morici! It’s said he’s a shepherd boy from Croatia, discovered by a local league because of his talent for football, then tricked to San Remo."
"Tricked? What do you mean?"
"Someone said they could bring him to Serie A and make him a top star. He, at the age of thirteen or fourteen, followed someone here, but it turned out that person was just an ordinary youth player trader."
"Morici wasn’t noticed by the big teams. He was thin and weak, and although he had a good feel for the ball, he hadn’t mastered many technical movements at the time, and his tactical execution wasn’t strong enough."
"Later, the other party threw Morici to San Remo, which took him in."
"It’s really a legendary story, how much is he worth?"
"What? Thinking of buying him? Doesn’t your club already have someone?"
"Haha, there’s never too many good prospects, is there? Of course, I’m just asking, not necessarily buying."
"True, buying rashly might be a bit too much, like pulling up seedlings to help them grow. This kid seems to be in a period of growth; changing the environment might affect his development."
"Hmm... actually, last year some Serie B teams inquired about him. But this summer, I estimate Serie A teams will pursue him."
"Then will he leave?"
Bam!
On the field, Morici, with support from Lu Yang, once again evaded the opponent’s pressing and made a sudden long pass with the help of Lu Yang’s position.
The Samp player behind Lu Yang had a chance to intercept this ball.
This player was also the only one who had a chance to break this pass.
But he was screened by Lu Yang, and by the time he reacted, the ball had already flown past him.
The football flew swiftly, heading straight towards San Remo’s right front.
Moreover, it was positioned at the flank near the wing.
This pass not only hit the gap between Samp’s left center-back and left-back but also made the Sampdoria goalkeeper hesitant to rush out.
If this pass were one or two meters more to the left, perhaps the Sampdoria goalkeeper wouldn’t have hesitated.
Morici’s pass control was wonderfully precise!
But, slightly regrettably, Becher’s charge was slow, ultimately lacking chemistry with Morici.
In the end, the football crossed the baseline, giving the opponents a goal kick.
Becher shook his head slightly, then turned and gave Morici a thumbs up.
Morici smiled faintly, nodding slightly to indicate it’s okay, keep trying.
Although this attack didn’t fully materialize.
The Samp coaching staff demonstrated the quality of Serie A coaches; they recognized the super threat of Morici.
They took advantage of a pause in the twenty-fourth minute and made two substitutions.
Such actions were surprisingly bold.
Normally, unless due to player injuries, making adjustments at halftime is already quite extreme and decisive.
After all, football, the field, the opponents’ playing habits, physical strength, speed, etc., all need acclimatization; considering there are twenty-two players on the pitch but only one football, it often takes half an hour to fully adjust.
Twenty-four minutes!
San Remo really had Sampdoria under pressure.
Undoubtedly, the "so what" attitude of Lu Yang and Sogel seriously provoked them.
Otherwise, the Samp coach wouldn’t have brought on two key players.
The two substitutions were direct swaps for specific positions.
Samp’s number eleven came on as a substitute, one of Samp’s regular starting forwards.
Similarly, Samp’s number eight came on as a substitute, a key defensive midfielder in Samp’s regular lineup.
Both have clear tasks.
The former is to score goals.
The latter is to limit Becher.
At the same time, these two also brought the coach’s instructions to the team: limit San Remo’s left flank, namely Fernandez’s side of the attack, and don’t let their left-back advance up the field.
Exactly!
This adjustment had nothing to do with Lu Yang or Morici.
But this is where the master’s level is evident.
A Serie A head coach, calling him a master is not an overstatement.
After all, how many leagues are there in the world?
How many head coaches?
To work in the Five Major Leagues, there must be something commendable!
This adjustment was just that.
Only addressing immediate concerns without anticipating future ones is not the way of a thorough strategy, too reactive.
Granted, perhaps this might also yield great results, but... the Samp coach already saw through the situation.
With Morici infinitely running to support Lu Yang, it’s impossible to completely contain them.
Unless two high-level defensive players appeared simultaneously to mark Lu Yang and Morici.
But even then, Becher still poses a significant threat; he’s capable of playing in Serie A.
The Samp coach’s thought process was straightforward: restrict San Remo’s wings, forcing them to attack through the center.
But San Remo’s midfield attack essentially relies only on Lu and Mo, giving Samp an advantage.
Once they win the ball back, Samp can counter-attack through San Remo’s middle lane.
From here, it’s evident that the Samp coach is aiming for a victory in this match.
This is the best plan to both restrict San Remo while enhancing their attack.
But it does carry some risks.
Because restricting Lu Yang and Morici, while leaving Becher, Sogel, and Fernandez free.
Compared to restricting the flanks and leaving Lu Yang and Morici free.
Undoubtedly, the latter could still pose a threat to Samp.