Similarly, the Spanish players also fell into despair and regret.
If in the first half they hadn’t been overly attached to their own playing style and could have sacrificed and changed more for the other players, would the outcome have been completely different?
If Hernandez hadn’t been injured in the second half, might they have further breached Italy’s defense and scored more goals?
The Spanish midfielders deeply regretted it.
Though they grasped the truth, they hadn’t learned to "join forces" with those who hadn’t.
They thought of themselves as the only sober ones among the drunk.
Now, retribution has come.
All the Spanish players became dispirited.
They lost!
Lost to a not particularly strong Italy!
Lost to a newcomer who hasn’t yet officially entered the top league and is "known more outside the circle"!
This is like Real Madrid and Barça in the past two years; they possess formidable strength but haven’t made a breakthrough in the Champions League outside of the domestic league.
This is truly a blow.
But among this group, there was one person who did not fit in.
He found the main referee, jumping and cursing: "Kick off, kick off immediately, you can’t let them waste time like this! Is this how you referee the European Cup semi-finals? This is the European Cup! Let me see your professionalism!"
It’s Talista!
He glared ferociously at the main referee, and no one doubted he would throw a punch at the referee next.
Thus, the main referee preemptively took defensive action and showed Talista a yellow card: "I don’t need you to teach me how to be a main referee!"
That said, the main referee then immediately went to stop Italy Team’s excessive celebration.
Their celebration time was a bit lengthy.
"We still have time! Why are we being so dejected? Have we lost already? No! No!" Talista shouted to his teammates, looking so out of place.
On Italy Team’s side, Bernulin saw this situation and complained: "Can’t he calm down a bit? At this moment, what is he thinking? A draw? Is that even possible?"
Praxedes looked at Bernulin with deep meaning: "Previously, I thought San Remo buying Talista was a mistake because such a person would make the whole team’s locker room chaotic."
"But now...I find he is deep down a San Remo player."
Chiavich chimed in: "Do you mean their spirit of never stopping to fight as long as the match hasn’t ended?"
Praxedes nodded.
He’s quite familiar with this state.
He once sat on the substitutes’ bench, watching San Remo trail three-nil and then stun AC Milan at the last moment, achieving the unbelievable Italian Cup championship, witnessing the peak moment of San Remo 1.0!
"I don’t know when it started, but it seems we also..." Audi came out with a smile, "seem to have become such a team...no matter how far behind, as long as the match hasn’t ended, we are always filled with desire and belief in victory."
After finishing, a group of veterans looked at Lu Yang on the midfield, slightly hunched and head down, glaring at the Spanish players preparing for the kick-off.
That...perhaps is the root of their change!
...
Spain couldn’t create a miracle.
They became a stepping stone for the miracle.
Italy unexpectedly clinched a last-minute victory against Spain and advanced to the finals.
Due to this European Cup rule that the direct creator of an own goal is counted as the goal scorer, the passer who led to the own goal becomes the assist player.
Thus, Ancelotti achieved his first career assist hat-trick!
This is also Italy National Team’s first assist hat-trick.
It’s also the first time Italy National Team has had a "hat-trick" in consecutive three matches!
Domenguez’s goals halted at six; without surprise, the bronze boot is confirmed!
Robben has eight goals and one assist; he’s Lu Yang’s biggest competitor for the European Cup’s top scorer.
Lu Yang scored ten goals and provided five assists, ranking first and second on the goal-scorer and assists lists respectively.
His assists are second only to Zidane.
He has become the unequivocal soul of this European Cup’s Italy Team.
In the last match, even though Perrotta achieved a hat-trick, the player of the match was still Lu Yang.
In the post-match interview of this match, the player of the match, Ancelotti, expressed clearly: "When the team was trailing, Lu Yang encouraged me greatly."
"He reminded me that I was once the world’s best second forward!"
Ancelotti’s words moved countless old-generation fans to tears.
Indeed.
Another world number one!
In Italy Team, there are actually so many former world number one players.
But they had always been in slump at international tournaments before.
That is such a hard thing for them to accept.
Thankfully, Italy has finally revived now.
Not only because these world number ones have regained youthful vitality, but also because Italy Team now includes outstanding players like Lu Yang, Morici, Canyes, Lam, Kolber, and Sogel!
As Italy Team moved forward, the world’s football media focused on this team.
Compared to France, Italy Team’s progression is evidently more unexpected.
Everyone had been introduced to France Team inside and out numerous times before.
Now, it’s time to thoroughly dissect Italy Team.