Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions
Chapter 173 - 145: Violent Header Outside the Penalty Area! This Slap Woke Icardi Up!

Chapter 173: Chapter 145: Violent Header Outside the Penalty Area! This Slap Woke Icardi Up!

Slap!

Icardi was slapped, his face burning hot.

In the Inter team, it was the first time anyone dared to slap him!

Not to mention other teammates, even if it was Inter’s head coach Mancini, if he dared to do this to him, Icardi would have fought him on the spot!

But this slap was from Tang Long, and his mind instantly calmed down.

What did I just do?

Chasing after Pirlo, and apart from being nutmegged in front of 40,000 Juventus fans, I gained nothing.

I even wasted precious stamina that shouldn’t have been expended.

He gasped heavily, looking at Tang Long.

"Stop running around aimlessly, even if you just follow Pirlo, you won’t be able to snatch his ball," Tang Long placed both hands on Icardi’s shoulders, shaking him a bit, "Stand your ground like me, keep the distance with me, follow my lead, got it?"

"Yeah, I got it!" Icardi nodded heavily.

This scene was also captured by the live broadcast cameras and replayed during a stoppage for a throw-in.

Live studio.

-[Wow! What did I just see!]

-[Tang Long slapped Icardi, gave him a slap!]

-[I saw it. Though it hit the neck, it was quite hard, leaving a big red handprint on the neck.]

-[What the heck? Conflict right at the start, and it’s the Italian derby, how will they play against Juventus now...]

-[Huang Jianxiang’s pregame mention of personal factors, Inter did it themselves, even the 1-3 predicted score is merciful already.]

-[I’ve already thought of tomorrow’s Sina headline: Two Inter stars brawl on the field, internal chaos struck, Champions League qualification in jeopardy!]

Under Tang Long’s command, Icardi gradually stabilized.

Although the Argentinian striker is four years older than Tang Long, his mentality has a lot of room for improvement.

Inter really wants to win this game!

The players’ eagerness for victory and goal-scoring desires are easily exploited by Juventus.

Especially with Marchisio, Pirlo, and Bonucci, such Italian stars on their team.

Their experience surpasses that of some young players in the Inter team.

Tang Long can restrain one Icardi, but it’s difficult to control the entire team.

Actually, the difference in mentality is quite evident.

Juventus plays in an orderly manner, executing their training strategies step by step.

Especially using old Pirlo as the core, Marchisio for protection, and Pogba as the breakthrough point with a back-row insertion tactic, combined with Morata and Tevez in the front line, these five can fully energize Juventus’ front attack.

In the first 15 minutes of the first half, Juventus firmly controlled the game, with ball possession reaching up to 72% at one point!

Just past 15 minutes, in the 16th minute, Pirlo executed a long pass, the football like a cruise missile, accurately landing in the vacuum area between Ranocchia and Yuto Nagatomo.

"Marked man slipping away!"

"Morata breaks in!"

"Arc-top, Pogba has advanced to the arc-top!"

"Pogba with a long shot!"

"Ah... it’s in."

"The angle was too tricky, Handanovic could only watch."

A trace of regret flickered in Liu Teng’s tone.

Huang Jianxiang nodded, analyzing from a tactical perspective.

"Morata aimed for the gap between Inter’s center-backs and fullbacks, he used to love playing this way when at Real Madrid! Apparently, Inter still doesn’t grasp his technical characteristics well enough, no prior preparation."

Actually, even a commentator far removed knew Morata’s technical traits.

Would Inter’s professional coaching staff not know?

Mancini had already made detailed tactical deployments targeting Morata.

But on the football field, though you know and prepare, you might still not execute!

"Boss, Morata is too fast, and his insertion was precise, we had just a tiny momentary gap, and he seized it. Such bad luck!" Assistant coach Herrera said.

Mancini frowned, signaling him to shut up.

Mancini was also very dissatisfied with this conceded goal!

Apparently, Inter’s defense line in Serie A can be considered first-class.

But what is Juventus?

They secured the league championship early, aiming for the Champions League title, they rank as a top European club, singular in Serie A.

Their players are extraordinarily talented, and Inter’s defense in front of Juventus is still child’s play.

Leading by one goal, Juventus played even more leisurely.

Especially playing at home, they have a psychological advantage.

Pogba, the quirky French star, even performed a rare rabona during a wing pass.

"His body language tells everyone he’s playing very relaxed!"

"Although this cross was caught by Handa, Pogba showed everyone his confidence."

"Did you see? I’m brave enough to do a rabona in the Italian derby; it shows Juventus’ strength is crushing Inter! That’s exactly his point!"

However, Inter Milan is no pushover either.

They are still a top-four team in the Serie A league, it’s impossible to say they have no chance against Juventus away.

Especially, Tang Long gradually stabilized the teammates’ mentality with his commands.

This made things easier!

Even if one goal was conceded first, it was still early, and as long as they remained calm, there was always a chance.

Sure enough, Juventus’ 1-0 lead hadn’t even warmed up, and they handed Inter a golden opportunity!

The error came from Pogba.

Due to his nature, the French star played a bit too relaxed!

He even performed a ball separation trick in the midfield, trying to outmaneuver Gualin.

Gualin is back from injury, full of pent-up energy.

Although he’s a few centimeters shorter than Pogba, his South American build with all that muscle, his physique and speed are in no way inferior to Pogba’s.

"Where are you going!"

Gualin anticipated Pogba’s move to separate the ball from the player, got into position, and with arms as stout as old tree roots, he isolated Pogba and the ball while running.

Another midfielder, Medel, keenly sensed this was a perfect counterattack opportunity!

He accelerated decisively, without dribbling, rushed up, and sent the ball forward directly to Tang Long who was returning to the attacking midfield position!

"Hmm?"

Pirlo was the first Juventus player on the pitch to sense the imminent danger.

He quickly pulled out from his defensive midfield position, trying to stick to Tang Long and prevent him from turning.

But Pirlo is not a flawless player either.

In the defensive midfield position, he is purely a playmaker.

With a height of 177 cm and a weight of 69 kg, he’s neither tall nor burly, relying solely on his superior vision and profound understanding of the game to hold his ground.

However, wanting to isn’t always enough, and Pirlo’s running speed is far from Tang Long’s.

Especially in this kind of passive defense, which is even less Pirlo’s strength—a job meant for an enforcer like Marchisio, but Marchisio was far from Tang Long at this moment, leaving Pirlo alone.

Almost at the very moment Tang Long was about to touch the ball, he suddenly lifted his calf then turned away.

Whoosh—

The football brushed past Pirlo’s boot!

Pivot turn and player-ball separation!

"Beautiful!"

"Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! It’s exquisite!"

"Tang Long actually performed a back turn and player-ball separation to bypass Pirlo!"

"Compared to Pogba’s previous lazy losing of the ball, Tang Long has shown the forty thousand Juventus home fans what a genuine player-ball separation is!"

"Icardi is making a move!"

"Candy Bomb combo, unleash your power quickly!"

Seeing he lost his position, Pirlo hurriedly tried to foul Tang Long.

He’s still a defensive midfielder, losing this spot gives Tang Long a direct path to face the center-backs!

He tried to grab Tang Long’s jersey, but reaching out, he grasped nothing but air.

"Quick! Cover my position!" Pirlo shouted embarrassedly.

Luckily, another midfielder, Marchisio, closed in, sticking near Tang Long.

This Italian hunk has experienced defense skills.

Learning from Pirlo’s mistake, he didn’t get too close, choosing to fight while retreating to slow down Tang Long’s advance, while shouting to Pogba upfield:

"Pogba! Get back, fall back and defend!"

However!

Not pressing indeed slows down Tang Long’s movement speed.

But it couldn’t slow the ball’s progress!

Podolski, Shaqiri, Icardi transformed into three blue running lines!

Under Tang Long’s feet, originating from the football, six golden passing lanes extended!

"Right here, Icardi!"

When striking, strike more directly!

In that moment, time seemed to freeze.

Tang Long’s gaze was sharp as an eagle’s, after making a decisive choice, the tacit understanding between him and Icardi was like an invisible bond.

With the outside of his right foot, he gently, almost tenderly, touched the left side of the ball where it decided its fate, the crucial one-third point.

This light brush, seemingly casual, actually contained profound intricacy that shifted massive momentum with delicate force!

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—

The football seemed magically imbued, spinning charmingly from the outside, gracefully broke free from the earth’s bind, and suddenly soared into the sky, carving a mesmerizing arc aimed directly at the far post!

The football’s path was unpredictable, yet it seemed inevitable that it would intersect with Icardi’s chasing figure!

"The landing point is a bit ahead! What if I..."

After a 0.05-second thought, Icardi’s sprinting feet forcefully pushed off!

The whole body, like a bomber poised for attack, nearly flying with the take-off, as the forehead bone fiercely clashed into the middle of the football!

A magnificent diving header!

"It’s the far post!"

Buffon, the experienced guardian, instantly discerned the football’s intent, heading rapidly towards the far post on his right, away from the goal!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Buffon’s knees pressed down, sprang off the ground, like a giant ape spreading its wings, arms reaching maximum stretch, launching into the air, determined to intercept this threat!

His fingertips brushed lightly against the ball’s bottom, a touchpoint of skill and determination.

Though the ball’s speed was subtly diminished, it stubbornly, irresistibly, drilled into the far-corner net, igniting the spark of a goal!

Juventus just scored 7 minutes ago, now at the 17th minute of the match, Inter Milan equalized!

Ah???

The Juventus stadium fell into silence.

This goal...

Was just too incredible, wasn’t it?

Mancini on the sidelines gasped and kept shaking his hand.

This kind of goal, he’d never seen it from Icardi.

Today was truly a sight!

Berni was the first to jump off the bench.

Squatting in horse stance, he raised a white towel above his head, waving it like a helicopter’s rotor blades making "whirring" sounds.

"Hahaha! Header from outside the box, that’s awesome!"