Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions
Chapter 191 - 162: Former mortal enemy pleads bitterly: Please, let me score a goal!

Chapter 191: Chapter 162: Former mortal enemy pleads bitterly: Please, let me score a goal!

This round of the Serie A was uneventful.

Bologna is a mid-table team, hopeless for European qualification, but has secured its place early.

For the strong teams in Serie A, they love playing against such teams during the crucial phases of the league.

On the contrary, those teams fighting relegation are tough; each one fights desperately for survival!

Before the match, Mancini and Bologna’s head coach Luis Lopez seemed to set a relaxed and pleasant tone, as they leaned in, covering their mouths and whispering with smiles.

In fact, because after this round, Inter will play away against Napoli — a match worth 6 points, crucial for Inter to secure Champions League qualification this season.

So, Mancini made significant rotations in this match.

Except for Icardi, who has been clamoring for a starting position.

Other main players, like Tang Long, Gualin, Ranocchia, Podolski, Shaqiri, all sat on the bench watching.

Icardi wanted to start in order to score a few goals against the unambitious Bologna.

The ambitious Argentine forward aims to beat Messi and C Luo to win the European Golden Boot!

However, Mancini isn’t without limits; he made an agreement with Icardi beforehand that once he scores a goal, he would be substituted in the second half without a minute more given.

So, in the 61st minute of the second half, after Icardi scored a penalty, making it 2-0.

Mancini waved broadly, substituting Icardi and Kovacic, and sent in Tang Long and Gualin.

Icardi walked off the field in low spirits and gave Tang Long a high-five with a gloomy slap.

"Five more, I’m still five goals behind C Luo, and Messi has one more than me!"

Including this match, with 35 goals in 33 Serie A rounds, Icardi remains third in the European Golden Boot standings.

Tang Long hugged Icardi’s head, comforting him:

"Don’t worry, next match against Napoli, you start with a hat-trick!"

After hearing Tang Long’s promise, the disappointment in Icardi’s eyes vanished instantly, and he trotted off happily to drink some water.

Beside him, Gualin couldn’t help but laugh.

"Haha, Tang, you just love painting cakes for this silly boy. Watch, if he doesn’t score next game, he’ll surely hide in Wanda’s arms and cry!"

Tang Long, running towards the field with Gualin, said: "Mauro is just a kid, you have to coax him. Coax him happy, and he’ll have the energy, that’s how it is."

"Then why don’t you feed me one too, hehe, good brother, I haven’t scored for a long time." Gualin’s voice suddenly lowered, catching Tang Long off guard with an unprecedented amiable tone.

Tang Long looked at Gualin and stopped in his tracks.

"Beg me~"

Gualin’s face froze, his body stiffened.

His heart beat fiercely twice and then he continued with a cheeky smile:

"Please, Tang, let me score a goal, for fun, please, will you?"

"Sure, just remember one thing, don’t go messing it up again, give me the ball, you run into the penalty area, run more, you get, don’t run, you don’t get!"

Looking at Gualin’s submissive and desperate appearance, Tang Long didn’t continue to trouble his teammate.

If you can score with my assist, it’s your skill, I just fear you can’t receive it.

The match was completely one-sided.

Mainly because the opponent Bologna gave up resistance, both sides didn’t want to waste stamina, just strolling on the field.

The only ones moving a bit more were Tang Long and Gualin.

Mancini’s only request for the two was to run more, keep their condition, and avoid injury, preparing for the next match against Napoli.

Tang Long thought he still had half an hour, so just play around.

Since Gualin asked so sincerely and humbly, just give him an assist.

In fact, Gualin is eager to play with Tang Long!

It’s true that he hasn’t scored for quite a while.

The Colombian star’s last league goal was in Serie A round 22 against Parma, scoring with a long shot.

Although that goal wasn’t directly assisted by Tang Long, it was precisely Tang Long’s maneuvering, attracting three defenders on the flank, passing the ball to Medel, allowing Medel to comfortably pass the ball to him before blasting it into the net.

It was after that match, as the previously hostile leader of the South American group, Gualin’s mindset towards Tang Long began to change subtly.

He realized that this young man from China could help him.

Afterwards, Tang Long went on a rampage at Inter, quickly securing his position as the main attacking midfielder.

His divine assists amazed Gualin!

"Oh my gosh, can this 18-year-old produce such passes?"

And the last round against Rome, Tang Long passed three men at the last moment and slid tackled to shoot and slay the opponent, making Gualin admire him profoundly!

Completely convinced!

In the professional European football world, it is like this.

Don’t talk about factions, exclusion, needing to align with groups, and the like.

Actually, it’s not so. As long as your skills are strong enough, your strength is enough, and you can achieve what others cannot, you are the biggest faction, others will come to flatter you!

Take Gualin for example.

The Colombian midfielder joined the big leagues from Porto for 11 million euros in 2012, signing a 4-year contract with Inter.

Currently, Gualin’s post-tax annual salary is 2.3 million euros, and his contract will expire in 2016, which is next year.

Born in 1986, Gualin is already 29 years old, belonging to the middle generation of players, about to enter his thirties.

For white-collar workers, a 30-year-old man can still be called a young lad, in the learning and rising phase of his career, with prospects.

But for professional players, 30 is a big hurdle!

Many players, past 30, regardless of intensive training and regular diet, experience inevitable physical decline.

Former Inter striker, Argentine Palacio, is a good example.

Palacio, at 31, scored 19 league goals, being Inter’s top scorer in the 2012-2013 season.

But at 32, Palacio’s physical performance dropped drastically, eventually sold off by Inter and leaving the team during this season’s winter break.

Though impulsive, Gualin has a clear plan for his career.

He is different from Tang Long, with no other European giants showing a strong desire.

The current European giants focus on players’ development potential, they’re happy to spend big on young players, but for signing a 29-year-old, unless he has strong immediate power, won’t be considered.

Gualin can rely on his robust physical attributes to play as a starter in Serie A for Inter.

But once out of Serie A, establishing himself in giants like Barça, Bayern, Manchester City, Chelsea is scarcely possible.

Gualin assessed the situation, discussed with his agent, and concluded the best career move is to stay at Inter, obtaining one last big contract before turning 30, renewing for three years!

If so, after finishing the next contract cycle, he can retire peacefully.

This year is the last year of the original four-year contract, commonly known as the player’s "contract year."

Whether he can renew with Inter smoothly depends on this summer!

If unable to renew, to avoid him leaving the team for free after his contract expires next year, Inter will definitely push him to the transfer market.

To stay, he must use outstanding performances in his contract year to win the management’s continued trust.

Especially in the final few matches of this season’s sprint, these are crucial!

"There are no other paths now, must curry favor with Tang, whether I can secure a renewal contract depends on him!"

On the field, Gualin ran with all his might, thinking this.