"What we need to do in the second half is not chase three goals, but prevent AC Milan from turning the score into a basketball game!"
Lu Yang said the last sentence emphatically and loudly.
Many people in the locker room immediately looked over.
"Guys, we’ve been heroes for an entire season, but I absolutely refuse to turn into pitiful victims and jokes in everyone’s eyes at the last moment!" Lu Yang scanned the eyes of all the players, then called out, "Latu Yidi, Palacios, Naji, Jalard, can we avoid conceding any goals in the second half?"
Latu Yidi swallowed his saliva, not saying a word.
He lacked confidence.
"We can!" Under the intense gaze of Lu Yang, Naji reluctantly said the answer Brother Lu wanted.
"Didn’t you eat? Tell me, can we avoid conceding any goals in the second half!" Lu Yang shouted.
"We can!" All the players of San Remo responded in unison to Lu Yang.
"Good! We only have two aims for the second half. The first is not to concede anymore! If we do concede, then don’t allow more goals!" Lu Yang said, "The second goal is, we must find a way to score at least one goal to earn respect for San Remo!"
"I don’t care how the goal is scored, even if you have to throw the football in with your hand, we must score at least one goal!"
"Tell me, can we do it!"
"We can!" The whole San Remo team was fired up.
Their fighting spirit was completely ignited by Lu Yang at this moment.
The Spiritual Leader was playing its rightful role.
No goals conceded, or at least no more goals conceded.
Score a goal, regardless of the method.
These two demands were not particularly harsh, especially the former, it sounded daunting but in reality, it did not put any pressure on the defenders.
"I know AC Milan is strong, and I know we can’t have a chance of winning. But I must tell you all, in my view, the side truly holding the initiative in this match should be us!"
"This man, Mr. Suotu, everyone should be quite familiar with him. What is he best at?"
Naji instinctively wanted to say snorting powder, but fortunately, he held back, otherwise he felt he might miss the second half because of severe injuries.
"Destruction!" Fernandez spoke.
"Exactly, it’s destruction!" Lu Yang said, "Are you scared foolish by AC Milan’s team value, which is close to one hundred million euros? Brothers, next week it’s them who will be playing in the Champions League final, not us!"
"Even if their core players would be subbed off, they still have at least four or five key players on the field, and several important substitutes as well. They should be playing more carefully than us!"
"But what are you doing? In the first half, after they led three to zero, they continued to press forward aggressively, attacking extensively, why didn’t I see anyone from San Remo angrily taking down their ball handlers? Why weren’t there bold tackles and fierce challenges?"
"Are you used to playing with the wind in the Italian Third Division that you’ve all forgotten we’re just a bunch of grassroots players? Apart from our fighting spirit and attitude, what else do we have that can compete with them?"
"Matias, don’t blame me for being harsh; wouldn’t you have any desire at all in your heart to floor an AC Milan player who’s worth ten times your value?"
"Camihong! I know you have a knack for tackling; let me see it in the second half, okay?"
"And Versachi, among midfield players, your physical fitness is considered good. If nothing unexpected happens, I’ll substitute you at around sixty minutes, so before that, please squander your stamina freely!"
Sotu was stunned.
Why nothing unexpected?
If nothing unexpected happens, I won’t let you play at all!
"Of course, our aim is never the bodies of AC Milan players, but if they are clueless enough to want to create a massacre, then we will make them taste the bitter fruit before the match ends!" Lu Yang seemed not to notice Sotu’s astonishment and continued, "San Remo, absolutely not to be bullied! Understand?"
Then, shocking noises came from the San Remo locker room:
"Understand! San Remo is absolutely not to be bullied!"
Just from the aspect of team morale, Maniero had to admit Lu Yang’s rallying was very successful.
"Lu Yang, come with me for a moment." Maniero spoke, then took the lead to leave the locker room.
After a while, Lu Yang also came out, the two stood side by side in the corridor, looking ahead at the dark yet boundless passage.
"You just said, if nothing unexpected happens, you will be on the field?" Maniero asked, noting Lu Yang’s wording.
"Yes." Lu Yang nodded.
Don’t ask what Lu Yang would do if Sotu didn’t do that, people who know Lu Yang all know, what he says will definitely be fulfilled.
He said he would appear on the field, he definitely will.
No matter what method, and no matter who will be hurt.
That’s Lu Yang.
In a way, Lu Yang’s actions infringed upon Sotu’s absolute authority as Head Coach.
But... no club Head Coach can hate and reject a player who always pursues victory.
Football is not basketball; there is no such thing as tanking.
Football only seeks victory, which is why the extreme and ugly one-to-zero doctrine was born. But speaking of bizarre things, the ultimate aim of bus teams is also victory.
So buses and tanking are fundamentally different; the latter simply cannot be mentioned in the same breath as the former.
"In my last European Cup, during the group stage, I got injured. It was an injury that could affect my career, and my personal doctor advised me to undergo surgery as soon as possible." Maniero spoke, "But I only lack one European Cup in my entire life! So I fought with injuries, and ultimately..."