I AM the Football Star

Chapter 657 171: Ruthless and Heartless, Welcome Home, Sogel (Part 1)

Earlier, when both teams entered the field for warm-up, Morici felt something was off.

"What's wrong with this team?" Morici asked Lu Yang.

Lu Yang glanced at the Lazio players; most of them were warming up, but it seemed only their bodies were getting ready.

"Their team is missing a Bernulin!" Lu Yang spoke.

Naji, standing by, listened half-understood.

Bernulin laughed: "No, Lu, they're missing someone like you. Veterans can only help youngsters quickly move on from the shadow of defeat, but only players like you can revive the courage to fight and the relentless pursuit of victory among teammates!"

Canyes, who comes from a prestigious background, understood what they were talking about.

Players like Fernandez, Bai Zhami, Naji, Camihong, coming from humble beginnings, find it hard to grasp the feeling of a team ready to make a great effort, only to suddenly lose its most important goal on the path of celebration.

Just like when San Remo suddenly suffered a crushing defeat in the upcoming Europa League.

For those players and fans who were dreaming of the team raising that epic European Competition trophy, the remaining league matches and Italian Cup seemed to lose their shine.

Because you've already lost the best!

In times like these, seasoned veterans like Bernulin, who have been through the storm, can step up and say: "I've been through this, trust me, such darkness cannot stop us."

"I've faced much more miserable situations, I've lost in the Champions League finals! And despite reaching the Champions League semi-finals for three years in a row, I never tasted a Champions League victory."

"In the national team, I've even experienced consecutive group-stage eliminations in the European Cup and World Cup! After hearing my tragic stories, do you feel a bit better?"

And Lu Yang can tell everyone: "You see, Bernulin was able to endure, we can too! Now, brothers, wake up and bravely face the next match with me, we must win! We will start winning everything that rightfully belongs to us, match by match!"

Then the entire team resurrected!

Unfortunately, in the Lazio team, there was neither a locker room leader veteran, who commands respect with countless honors, nor a spirited leader player like Lu Yang.

Their star player, Duwan Yilich, due to language barriers, was not closely connected with his teammates, and personally was a hard-working central forward.

The team's primary new star, Pompey, barely became a substitute in the hierarchy-rich national team, understanding the principle of being cautious and meticulous, has yet to establish his own "faction" in the club!

Therefore, after Lazio's exit from the Europa League, the players' mental knots haven't truly untied.

In the league, they were lucky to face a weak team, Frosinone, but only managed a one-to-one draw, and the gap with the trailing teams was reduced.

And in the Italian Cup, they seemed to have encountered a tough opponent!

...

This match, San Remo offered a very unconventional lineup.

Bai Zhami, Lu Yang, Fernandez

Morici, Lam, Kaint

Camihong, Bernulin, Palacios, Canyes

Areola.

The reason it is considered unconventional is that in this lineup, the central forward was the unexpectedly Lu Yang.

Whoever sees this lineup would be greatly surprised.

Central Forward Lu?

This is something everyone hasn't seen before.

But previously there was an occasion where Lu Yang performed quite well in a dual forward lineup, perhaps that's where Sotu's confidence comes from.

Moreover, Sotu made special arrangements.

He had Lu Yang retract more into the midfield, thus playing with a feeling of an attacking midfielder.

Lu Yang's ability as an attacking midfielder should never be doubted.

Therefore, to some extent, this lineup could also be seen as the 442 formations without a central forward.

Five minutes before the match started, everything seemed normal.

But at the sixth minute, a problem appeared.

Morici was dribbling at midfield, avoiding Lazio's first round of pressing, and surprisingly got a relatively loose ball control environment.

Lazio players did not continue pressing him.

With minimal pressure, Morici had ample focus to observe the gaps in Lazio's defense.

Bam!

Morici made a straight pass.

Penetrating Lazio's defense, delivering the football behind Lazio's defenders.

Lu Yang activated his footwork, with Lightning Spirit boosting, promptly contacted the football.

A touch followed by a breakaway shot.

Bam!

Lu Yang pulled the trigger, and just as the football shot out, Lazio's defenders rushed to Lu Yang's side.

But the football had already gone past Lazio's goalkeeper's hands and into the net.

Goal!

One to zero!

San Remo leads!

"What's going on with Lazio's defense? They committed a big mistake!"

"Lazio's defensive line underestimated! They failed to implement tight defense against Lu Yang, allowing him a breakaway situation!"

"Lu Yang's breakaway ability is incredibly stable; he punished Lazio for underestimating him with a goal!"

"Not just the defense line, but Lazio's midfield had issues as well; they didn't immediately apply strong pressing on Morici!"

"Letting players of Morici's level freely control the ball leads to breakthroughs! Morici has that capability!"

"Lazio must quickly adjust their state; their players aren't showing much enthusiasm today!"

The commentator saw Lazio's issues and pointed them out on TV.