The schedule for the European Cup is very tight.
The second round of matches quickly began.
In this round, Italy’s opponent is Russia, while France will face the current group leader Portugal.
Both matches are highly anticipated because traditionally, these matchups are seen as a 60/40 split.
France and Italy have a slightly higher chance of winning, but Portugal and Russia are strong contenders.
Isn’t Italy known for a strong defense?
Russia is known for their aerial bombardment team, often nicknamed "Kilov Airship," borrowing the name from a unit in Red Alert.
Before the match, many Russian players were interviewed, and the consensus was "Italy cannot compare to the France Team, and we believe we have a chance to defeat Italy."
And Russia’s star player Olic further commented: "At Arsenal, I indeed lost to Lu Yang, but that was different. At Arsenal, I hadn’t fully integrated, and perhaps next season, Arsenal and I will offer a new look to everyone."
"And the Russia Team has adapted their gameplay to suit my strengths, abandoning the previous 4-2-3-1 formation in favor of a 4-3-3. In this environment, I can perform more comfortably."
"Our offensive capability is very strong; our headers can break any defense, and we have more than just headers as weapons!"
Olic is not wrong.
Since last year, the Russia Team changed their playstyle to accommodate Olic, achieving remarkable results and greatly enhancing their attacking power. This is a key reason for their qualification for this European Cup.
It is no wonder that Olic has gained significant fame from this.
As expected, Olic’s personal abilities combined with Russia’s traditional strength in aerial bombardment naturally make them versatile.
In response, Italy’s players maintained a low profile and did not engage in a public dispute with the Russian players.
Because Maniero has made it clear that not only do they want to win this match, they want to win easily and prepare for the next match!
However, the media did not want to see Russia standing alone, and insisted on creating a lively scene by responding on behalf of the Italy Team.
"French Football": Reservations exceed Portugal vs. France and Spain vs. Netherlands matches! Russia vs. Italy’s viewership ratings may surpass the opening match of this European Cup!
"Kicker": Russia speaks for Croatia! Italy’s peaceful football is influencing more regions!
"Team Report": Ninety-five percent of people hope Italy can win this match!
"Sun Newspaper": Another formidable opponent for Sofia! Russian sports star Martha will watch the match live, expressing that among Italian players, her favorite is Lu Yang!
This report from "Sun Newspaper" angered the Russians.
Because just like Sofia is the Kiss of Europa, Martha is a treasure of Russia, and Russians cannot tolerate the fabricated story by "Sun Newspaper."
According to informed sources, Martha previously mentioned her favorite player is Olic, and later when asked if there was anyone notable in the Italy Team, she mentioned Lu Yang.
Because he has achievements in many fields and is well-known in the United States, so Martha knows of him.
This was a very normal interview, but under "Sun Newspaper’s" coverage, it turned into a piece of gossip.
Mind you, the news from "Sun Newspaper" really draws more attention; someone searched recent news from them and found they reported false gossip multiple times, gathering a lot of attention.
Such as "Meeting a mysterious red-haired beauty! Lu Yang dines with a beauty, then returns to the hotel together!"
And "Likes schoolgirls? Lu Yang seen cuddling a schoolgirl affectionately, has Sofia ultimately lost to time?"
It’s really too entertaining.
But when "Sun Newspaper" reports like this, everyone feels reassured.
Because news from "Sun Newspaper" is notoriously inaccurate; the more they say Lu Yang has issues, the more likely Lu Yang and that red-haired beauty and Morici’s sister don’t have any issues.
...
Paris, Parc des Princes.
A whistle blows.
The match between Russia and Italy officially begins.
"Hello everyone, welcome... Russia’s lineup is still the same, their... On Italy’s side, compared to the previous match, there have been significant changes."
"Canyes, who performed excellently last match, replaces Scamacca in the starting lineup, and San Remo’s Lam replaces Drake in the starting lineup. There is hope for everyone that the San Remo connection might happen in this match."
"However, Morici, who had a great game last time with an assist and a goal, is not in the starting lineup; Italy’s midfield remains Pellegrini and Finger."
"Alright, Russia immediately employed their traditional skill, launching aerial assaults directly into Italy’s penalty area."
"Chiavich successfully battles for a header! In high-level matches, Russia’s approach doesn’t work well. Teams that can’t block their bombardment are weak, but defensively strong teams are used to such attacks, and they have a complete defensive plan."
Defense is not a new thing; mature players know many small defensive tactics.
But often these small techniques work mainly because your basic skills and physical strengths are superior.
For instance, when competing for a header, a slight push can lead others to jump lower naturally, or even cause them to lose their position.