Fueling the flames!
After the media involvement from Spain and England, the scale of this accusation has grown immensely.
Some irrational football fans have even dragged the battle into the European music scene.
Saying music has led people astray, blaming the Sanremo Music Festival.
How can music fans not retaliate when insulted?
They began attacking the declining attraction of Italian football, especially the previous match-fixing incidents.
Many music fans even felt Lu Yang shouldn't be playing football at all; he should focus on mixing in the entertainment industry, creating great songs and scripts, which would yield more rewards than he receives in the football world.
See what's happening?
With so many voices, once someone mentions the Italian match-fixing scandal, media jump in, expanding endlessly at its core.
This way, the efforts the Italian Football Association has made over the recent years to change its reputation are about to go to waste again.
No matter what you say, one person's "you played fixed matches" certainly hits the kidney of Italian football.
From here, public opinion started to warp.
From accusing Lu Yang to accusing Italian football of disgracing the sport, and then to the unchanged habits of match-fixing in Italian football from the past.
La Liga and the Premier League are delighted behind the scenes.
The battle for the world's top league is a battle for interests, affecting how much your broadcast fees can sell for—whether it's several million, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions.
No one will show mercy at the center of such a war.
The Premier League and La Liga absolutely won't allow Serie A to rise.
Serie A must die!
And those leagues not qualified to compete for the title of the world's top league don't mind joining the commotion.
After all, whoever leads has nothing to do with them, but they indeed want to buy some excellent players from Serie A.
If Serie A doesn't age, how can they poach those well-known veterans?
Don't forget, besides producing defensive players, Serie A also remarkably produces veterans.
Stars playing in the Premier League and La Liga are ready to cash in at other leagues by age thirty.
While Serie A's stars are still playing top league as main players at thirty-three, thirty-four, and thirty-five.
When these stars want to cash in, they're already thirty-seven, thirty-eight; what can other leagues do?
Really buy an old man as a mascot purely for business considerations?
Can't they let veterans play for a few years?
You Serie A are too selfish!
If they really buy a veteran aged thirty-six or thirty-seven, there's hardly any competitive strength.
Even in the Portuguese Super League and Eredivisie, such veterans are difficult to perform well.
Veterans aged thirty are different; with their arrival, they can call the shots and bring quick technological aid!
Seeing those aged thirty-six or thirty-seven still jovially chatting in Serie A and the Premier League, it's really abnormal, nobody can expect them to contribute, only with the attitude of buying mascots to give it a try.
Whether it's Eevee or C Luo, initially, Milan and Manchester United genuinely didn't welcome them, believing they couldn't do it.
But after using them, they all spoke favorably.
Superb!
At this moment, Italian football stands alone.
The Italian Football Association held several meetings overnight without particularly effective solutions.
Telling the outside world, we no longer play fixed matches?
This itself is an inferior move.
Emphasizing Serie A's contribution on AVR, oh no, VAR?
Although this thing is very effective long-term with great significance, it does have a certain controversy short-term.
Some people believe introducing VAR affects the match's fluidity, breaking the game into fragments.
If football ends up feeling like basketball, fans are troubled.
It cannot be said which is better or worse, but fans accustomed to football genuinely can't stand basketball's intermittent game.
Of course, VAR won't excessively fragment the match; fans should be able to accept it.
But such matters can't yield a result until they're implemented.
As long as there's debate, Serie A's efforts may not receive recognition.
Where else can the Italian Football Association make efforts?
"Just have Lu Yang apologize, wouldn't that solve it?" a high official spoke, "Make him apologize for his actions and tell the media he alone is accountable, and the Italian Football Association isn't involved."
"His unprofessionalism doesn't mean the Italian football world is unprofessional! As long as a quick resolution emerges, nobody can continue to capitalize on it."
Once this word comes out, many nod in agreement, feeling it's feasible.
Martivini, enraged, gritted his teeth.
What the heck!
Isn't this sacrificing Lu Yang?
Kicking Lu Yang out at such a moment?
Don't you know Brother Lu is my benefactor, oh no, Lu Yang is my ally?
I've just come to power; if Lu Yang is kicked aside now, how am I supposed to lead the team in the future?
Who will respect me as a leader?
When people lose heart, teams are hard to lead.
F*ck!
Martivini looked gloomy, and remained silent for a while.
At a critical time, Maniero spoke: "Ahem, I'd like to share my views on this issue."
Maniero is closely associated with Lu Yang and Martivini and also a member of the association; his stance is crucial.
If he's willing to work with Lu Yang, then the high official's proposition is more likely to be realized.
Maniero said, "Firstly, whether this incident can be linked to professionalism is worth discussing. Lu Yang didn't leave the team on his own; he participated in other activities with club consent."