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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 93 / 12077.5%WebWeb+AI#93Chapter 93 Camp Nou ParadeChapter 93: Camp Nou ParadeKaka stood firm a dozen meters away, feet slightly apart, hands on his hips, fixing a stern gaze on the direction of the goal."Beep!"As the whistle blew, Kaka took large strides to begin his run-up, his figure darting swiftly toward the football like lightning. The moment he approached the ball, his left foot planted heavily on its left side, his entire body leaning exaggeratedly to the left, arms fully open to stabilize his center of gravity.His right leg swung high backward, and then, as his core tightened abruptly, Kaka's right leg whipped like a steel lash, fiercely striking the bottom of the football."Bang!"The football let out a cracking explosion. Rafael Márquez, standing at the edge of the wall, did not jump; instead, full of survival instinct, he shrank his body and yielded a step toward Carles Puyol's direction.It was precisely this step that allowed the football to streak through the space he yielded with a swish, the generated fierce wind giving Rafael Márquez goosebumps all over."Kaka begins his run-up, his speed is very fast, Kaka, direct shot at goal!""Kaka Kaka Kaka Kaka Kaka!!!!!""GOAL!!!!!""What a goal????? Curve ball! This arc is too exaggerated, Kaka in the left rib of the penalty area, used his right foot to whip out a standard C-curve ball, this ball is too close to the goal, so the arc's curvature is extremely exaggerated, Barça goalkeeper Víctor Valdés had no reaction at all!""He must have watched Kaka's previous ground-skimming free kick from there, which also mimicked Robert Roberto Carlos's pre-penalty setup movements, so his attention was definitely more focused downward, but Kaka, exceptionally bold with superb skills, blasted out a curving shot.""This shot was extremely difficult; any slight mistake would have turned this shot into a high-riser, but Kaka did it.""Let's see... Whoa! Rafael Márquez turned cowardly; the moment Kaka shot, he didn't choose to jump, but instead hid behind his teammate? Look at this poor child, how remorseful and ashamed his gaze is at this moment.""However, I think I can understand his choice. According to on-site speed measurements, the top speed of Kaka's shot reached 141 kilometers per hour, already surpassing his object of imitation, Robert Roberto Carlos. Of course, Kaka's free kick was a bit closer to the goal, the football's flight time was short, and the speed did not decay much.""Even so, I think nobody would be willing to use their head to meet a football impact at a speed of one hundred and forty kilometers per hour, and Rafael Márquez must have thought so too."Making a hundred thousand euros a month, what are you risking your life for?Kaka understood Rafael Márquez's choice, because he kicked it right at him.If he had chosen to be a tough guy just now, then his own heavy artillery blast would have hit him, just enough to vent the pent-up anger in his chest.And if he chose to dodge, then the football would go in, and it would be enough to deal a heavy blow to Barcelona. Pick one of the two, either way it's not a loss!As soon as this ball went in, Kaka instantly felt proud and elated. He roared and sprinted wildly along the baseline, then stood tall and proud in front of the Barça fans' grandstands, without saying a word, just staring at them with wide eyes.Andriy Shevchenko and Gennaro Gattuso also sprinted over, standing side-by-side with Kaka, gazing together at the fan grandstands. Immediately following coming Pirlo, Alberto Gilardino, Clarence Seedorf, Jaap Stam... Except for goalkeeper Dida, ten Milan players stood in a row, watching the previously clamoring fan grandstands with stern gazes.This scene was precisely recorded by the media on the sidelines, and after the match, paired with the title "Milan Parade Ceremony", it instantly swept the world.Combining the descriptions of reporters and then discussing and processing them through social media, fans eventually came to colloquially refer to this image that will forever be recorded in football history as—Camp Nou Parade!Kaka and his teammates were driven back by the referee's warning for delaying time. The frantic spewing of abuse from the Barcelona fans behind them felt like impotent rage after exasperation, and even more like a farewell send-off for them.Down 1:0 again, and at home, with the aggregate score already down 3:0, the Barça players' eyes instantly turned red, and their defensive actions began to become aggressive.In the 37th minute of the match, Ronaldinho's breakthrough on the left was brought down by Gennaro Gattuso. Slow-motion replay showed this was a clean tackle, with Gattuso's sliding tackle touching the ball before hitting Ronaldinho, but the referee still decisively gave Gennaro Gattuso a yellow card.Barça obtained a highly threatening free kick, with a position very similar to Kaka's previous free kick.Ronaldinho took the kick.After a short-distance run-up, Ronaldinho chose an unexpected lob shot. Fortunately, Dida was focused, regained his body's center of gravity in time, leaped high, and plucked the football down with both hands.AC Milan counterattacked. Pirlo had just started accelerating with the ball when Samuel Etoo performed a series of fatal kicks to knock Pirlo flat on the ground, holding his calf and wailing.Seeing that a conflict was about to break out on the pitch, protests of "Referee is rubbish" also came from the Milan fan section, prompting the match referee to finally show a yellow card to the Little Cheetah.The football was kicked off again. Kaka dropped back to the midfield to receive the ball, and just as he prepared to accelerate, he was slid-tackled down by Iniesta again.Barça obviously adjusted their strategy after falling behind; as long as players like Kaka or Pirlo, who could move the ball to the front court by their own strength, received the ball, they would mercilessly bring them down.The referee's officiating in this match was exceptionally "lenient", thus giving them plenty of room to foul recklessly.In the remaining dozen minutes of the first half, Kaka and Pirlo were like trees surrounded by chainsaws, chopped down time and time again, and the Barça players only paid the price of two yellow cards for this.As for the left defensive line defending Ronaldinho, Jaap Stam, Gennaro Gattuso, and Alessandro Costacurta each received a yellow card, and Kaka also picked up a yellow card for defending Deco.AC Milan ultimately entered halftime with a score of 1:0.Returning for the second half, Barcelona's attacking targets were all concentrated on veteran Alessandro Costacurta.Alessandro Costacurta was carrying a yellow card at this time, so his defensive actions had to be restrained, coupled with the fact that participating in defending Ronaldinho in the first half had consumed too much of his physical stamina.Danger lurked everywhere right at the start of the second half.In the 51st minute of the match, Samuel Etoo dribbled the ball in a frontal attack against Alessandro Costacurta. Kakha Kaladze and Pirlo provided timely double-teaming support to successfully clear the ball.Two minutes later, Ronaldinho rushed over with the ball.Alessandro Costacurta's old arms and legs were no match for the football wizard. Even though Kakha Kaladze and Pirlo desperately scrambled to defend, while still having to watch out for Samuel Etoo, Ronaldinho still leaned against Alessandro Costacurta and entered the penalty area.Seeing that Ronaldinho was about to shoot, in desperation, Alessandro Costacurta suddenly reached out and grabbed Ronaldinho's collar, using force to pull him down to the ground.But the moment Ronaldinho fell to the ground, Alessandro Costacurta, who had reacted, despairingly hugged his own head.The referee showed no mercy: a foul inside the penalty area, one yellow card, and a penalty kick.Alessandro Costacurta was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. The veteran walked onto the pitch with an apologetic look to embrace Kaka, his voice full of remorse."Kaka, I... I'm sorry, I forgot I had a yellow card, I'm sorry...""Hey, old man, the match isn't over yet, we're still leading, aren't we? Trust us, who says Ronnie will definitely score the penalty? I bet he'll skied it."Alessandro Costacurta walked off with a bitter smile. Carlo Ancelotti made emergency tactical adjustments, substituting Cafu for Alberto Gilardino to reinforce the team's defensive line, and Sheva became the lone striker.Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 93 / 12077.5%Ch. 93 / 12077.5%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 94 / 12078.3%WebWeb+AI#94Chapter 94 Advancing to the Champions League FinalChapter 94: Advancing to the Champions League FinalRonaldinho's penalty kick didn't fly way over the bar as Kaka had predicted; instead, Ronaldinho's penalty was of extremely high quality, piercing through Dida's save from the absolute top corner.AC Milan 1-1 Barcelona, and Barça was only trailing by two goals, but because AC Milan had an away goal, Barça needed to score at least three more to turn the tables.Carlo Ancelotti certainly wanted to wave his hand and bring on two more defenders to park the bus, but the team's current defensive line was practically filled with injured players, reaching a point where there was no one left to substitute.Šimić had managed to stay healthy and was a defender himself, but this guy had actually publicly complained before the semifinal about not being given playing time, even expressing his dissatisfaction in front of the media.To maintain his authority as the head coach, Carlo Ancelotti would absolutely not send him onto the pitch.But no substitutions meant no substitutions, and Carlo Ancelotti still made tactical arrangements within his limited resources.Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, and Clarence Seedorf all dropped back.Gennaro Gattuso was almost becoming a defender, with only Kaka and Sheva pressing forward; to be precise, Sheva was left alone in the opponent's half, while Kaka's position also retreated to his own half, ready at any moment to plug the gaps in the defensive line.As a result, the team completely gave up midfield control, with the centerline entirely commanded by Barça, and Kaka's retreat also allowed Belletti and Edmílson to push forward and participate more in the attack.With AC Milan playing with ten men, the Barça players seemed to see the dawn of victory.In the 64th minute, Ronaldinho cut inside from the left flank and opted for a long-range shot that missed the goalpost, yet it sent a cold sweat through Milan's defense.As everyone knows, when your enemy is dead set on parking the bus, the most effective choices to break the deadlock are just a few.The first is long-range shooting.By shooting from outside the penalty area to draw out the opponent, or forcing opponent errors and own goals.The second is to strengthen breakthroughs and break the deadlock using set pieces.The third is for the team to have an absolute explosive point.Unfortunately, Barça happened to have just such a player with ferocious individual explosive capability—Ronaldinho.In the 67th minute, Ronaldinho broke through on the left flank; hesitant to act rashly, Gennaro Gattuso and Jaap Stam watched as Ronaldinho easily reached the byline and delivered a cross, which was cleared out of the baseline by Cafu.From Barça's corner kick, Ronaldinho curled the ball toward the near post, and Kaka "towered over" the 1.64-meter-tall Giuly to head the ball out of the penalty area; Iniesta struck a volley about a meter outside the box, and the ball sailed just over the crossbar amidst the fans' gasps.Dida's goal kick directly launched a long ball to find Andriy Shevchenko in the frontcourt, but alas, surrounded by three players, Sheva ultimately fell short, and possession returned to Barça.In the 74th minute, Giuly tried to create danger on the right flank, only to be brought down by Serginho on the edge of the penalty area; the referee decisively brandished a yellow card, and Barcelona was awarded a set piece.Serginho no longer had the energy to protest the call, and he, along with Kaka and the others, hurriedly built a defensive wall under Dida's direction.Ronaldinho took the free kick once again; this time, he didn't choose to shoot directly, but instead chipped the ball into the penalty area, where Samuel Etoo burst out from the crowd like a hunting leopard, unleashing an instant volley without trapping the ball.The ball's trajectory was too central, and Dida bent down to precisely gather it into his arms. On the other side, upon seeing Samuel Etoo's shot path, Kaka turned on his heels and sprinted like mad toward Barça's half.Dida instantly understood, launching a powerful throw straight down the middle..."Samuel Etoo's shot was too rushed, and the angle was too central. For Dida, who is in explosive form tonight, this is undoubtedly an easy ball. Oh! Dida launches a powerful throw, Kaka! Kaka!""When did he start moving?! Kaka receives the ball at the centerline, Kaka accelerates, and Barça players are frantically tracking back.""The prolonged siege of the opponent throughout the second half has made Barça players lower their guard, and Edmílson has actually forgotten that his main task tonight was to stick closely to Kaka.""But now he is powerless; once Kaka gets running, no one can catch up to him!"Kaka squeezed out every ounce of his strength for a frantic acceleration. Now there were only three defensive players in Barça's half, while Milan had two super attackers in him and Sheva, bringing this play infinitely close to a goal.He absolutely could not be fouled again!Kaka's mind was exceptionally clear right now. Given the referee's pathetic performance tonight, once fouled, the possibility of Milan gaining any benefit was virtually zero.Not only must he avoid being fouled, but he even needed to avoid too much physical contact with Barça players.Kaka was extremely fast, approaching the penalty area in the blink of an eye. Carles Puyol rushed over gritting his teeth, intent on a tactical foul.But Kaka suddenly dribbled diagonally to create distance, and out of the corner of his eye, Sheva also instantly started his run.However, Kaka keenly captured Rafael Márquez's forward-bursting movement at the moment Sheva started; passing the ball now would definitely result in offside.He couldn't pass!His lungs burned with pain, and right now Kaka desperately longed for the enhancement of the Cardiopulmonary King trait; his stamina had already been basically exhausted in the previous battles.Carles Puyol desperately closed in on Kaka, Sheva had already fallen into the offside trap, and Van Bronckhorst was also pressing in with reckless abandon for a double-team.Kaka felt his legs growing somewhat weak, and he almost wanted to grit his teeth and lash out a shot to try his luck, but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a white-and-black shadow appearing from the left-rear.With no time to judge who it was, Kaka squeezed out his very last bit of strength, passing the ball back toward that figure with one kick, and then his legs went soft as he instantly collapsed to the ground."Andriy Shevchenko... Ah, Rafael Márquez's smart counter-run, Sheva is in an offside position... Kaka has no way to pass, Kaka cuts diagonally into the penalty area, Carles Puyol and Van Bronckhorst double-team Kaka, Kaka!! He passed it back?!""Who is that?!""Clarence Seedorf!!!""GOAL!!!!!!!!!!""World class goal! World class goal! Clarence Seedorf sprinted all the way from the backcourt to the frontcourt to coordinate with his teammates in the attack, successfully receiving Kaka's backward pass before he was completely exhausted. Why couldn't Deco, who was closer to the ball than him, get there in time?""Clarence Seedorf has delivered a stoppage-time winner against Barcelona; that's right, I believe this is a winning goal. AC Milan leads Barcelona 2-1 in this match, with two away goals and a 4-1 aggregate score.""With less than twenty minutes left until the end of the match, Barcelona needs to score at least four goals!""It's over! It's over! Barça stops at the Champions League semifinals, and AC Milan advances to the Champions League final for two consecutive seasons!"The subsequent plot was no different from what the Italy commentator said; after this goal, Carlo Ancelotti directly substituted off both Kaka and Andriy Shevchenko, bringing on Jankulovski and Johann Vogel.The entire team withdrew to their own half for tight defensive lockdown.Barça still refused to give up, and Ronaldinho broke into the penalty area in the 82nd minute only to be pulled down by Andrea Pirlo, who received a yellow card as the referee awarded Barcelona a penalty kick.Ronaldinho scored with one kick, tying the match score at 2-2, but this goal no longer affected the overall outcome.The main referee blew the whistle for the end of the match, and AC Milan defeated Barcelona 4-2 on aggregate, officially entering the Champions League final to meet the winner between Arsenal and Villarreal in Paris!At the instant the match ended, Ronaldinho collapsed powerlessly to the ground, tears welling up uncontrollably.Kaka hugged and celebrated with his teammates, applauded in salute to the loyal fans who traveled with the team, shook hands with the opponents one by one, and then slowly walked over to his good friend, sitting shoulder to shoulder with him, bumping his shoulder against the tearful Ronaldinho as he mischievously said:"Don't cry, Ronnie. This is just the first time, there will be more in the future, you'll get used to it slowly!""Ricardo! Damn you!"Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 94 / 12078.3%Ch. 94 / 12078.3%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 95 / 12079.2%WebWeb+AI#95Chapter 95 First Leg of the Italian CupChapter 95 Coppa Italia First LegBack at the Milan training ground, the results of the other semifinal matchup were also out.Arsenal narrowly eliminated Villarreal 1:0 on aggregate to advance to the Champions League final.In the first leg, because this match was the farewell performance of Highbury Stadium in the Champions League, Arsenal's players played very proactively from the very beginning, especially the Great Henry, known as the King of Highbury, who wreaked havoc in the opponent's half.In the 11th minute of the match, the Great One helped the team score a goal, but unfortunately, this goal was ruled offside by the referee by a mere hair's breadth.Afterwards, Arsenal's attacking momentum remained unabated, and the away-playing Villarreal was completely suppressed. Unfortunately, Arsenal players' finishing ability in front of goal was truly poor, and in the end, they only managed a 1:0 narrow win against the opponent relying on defender Touré's low shot in a goalmouth scramble.Returning to the second leg, the plot development of the two teams was the exact opposite of the first leg. Villarreal, returning to their home ground, pressed forward heavily to attack, with Franco and Sorín bombarding Arsenal's goal, but in this match, Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann descended like a deity, making consecutive blocks throughout the game unmatched by anyone, directly transforming into the Wall of Sighs and stamping out all of Villarreal's final counterattacks right at his feet.Even near the end of the match, Villarreal was awarded a penalty kick, taken by team core Juan Román Riquelme, but just such a penalty kick which was practically a gift was bravely saved by Jens Lehmann. In the end, in the second leg, Arsenal drew 0:0 away against Villarreal, advancing to the Champions League final with a one-goal advantage.At the post-match press conference, the glowing Professor was asked about Cesc Fàbregas and Kaka. The team entering the Champions League made the Professor exceptionally excited, and he inevitably loosened his lips a bit when speaking, accidentally uttering some highly controversial remarks. Wenger, realizing something was amiss, didn't even have time to explain before these remarks were spread by the omnipresent media, instantly triggering a new round of a war of words."Wenger bluntly stated: Cesc Fàbregas is the future of the team, and no one in the football world is better than him!""Wenger believes that Kaka has not proven himself in the fiercely contested Premier League, and it cannot be judged whether he is superior to Cesc Fàbregas based on this. He is confident that his disciple is not inferior to anyone.""Wenger believes Kaka is inferior to Cesc Fàbregas!"...The initial news at least respected the facts, simply reprinting Wenger's words as they were, and then inviting a few football commentators to chat away beneath it.But as the news fermented, viewpoints uncontrollably formed opposition. Audiences of the Premier League and Serie A bickered noisily, and AC Milan fans and Arsenal fans on social media even argued fiercely enough to tear each other's brains out.Arsenal fans naturally defended their own child. Even though Kaka's performance this season was extremely stunning, they still firmly backed Cesc Fàbregas and directly quoted their own head coach Wenger's words — Kaka has not experienced the fiercely contested Premier League, and he has not proven himself yet!The Rossoneri were speechless at this reason, having somewhat of a helpless feeling of grabbing a hedgehog. They couldn't possibly let Kaka go try his hand in the Premier League, could they? Only a fool would send away their own top general just for the sake of some verbal sparring!Relying on such a rascal reason as "you were beaten by a monkey", Arsenal fans gained the upper hand in this war of words. Kaka's social media and Milan's official website suddenly received many messages, all from fans earnestly begging him to fiercely teach Cesc Fàbregas a lesson in the Champions League final and heavily slap Arsenal in the face.There were even local media outlets that specifically came to interview Kaka about his views on Wenger and Arsenal.Kaka stated... he had always been preparing for the upcoming matches and simply had no time to participate in other people's verbal sparring, so he had no particular views. Strength always had to be proven through matches; if one could become the number one in the world just by talking trash, then he might as well go apprentice in public speaking instead of working himself to death earning points to cheat!But this verbal sparring storm ultimately attracted too much attention. Even the popularity of a series of double-standard refereeing decisions on the second leg of the semifinals was suppressed, and apart from some people discussing it right after the match, it was immediately forgotten afterwards.On April 30th, in the 36th round of the League, AC Milan hosted Livorno at home. To prepare for the Coppa Italia final three days later, Carlo Ancelotti rested a large number of regular starters and fielded an essentially all-substitute lineup.In the end, relying on goals from Filippo Inzaghi and Rui Costa, the team easily defeated the opponent 2:0.On May 3rd, at the Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium, in the first leg of the Coppa Italia final, AC Milan challenged their crosstown rival Inter Milan here.This season, the two teams met for the third time. In the League encounters, AC Milan successfully achieved a double over Inter Milan, and the score differences in both matches were very obvious. AC Milan completely suppressed their crosstown rival this season.At this moment, welcoming the Milan Derby once again, both factually and psychologically, AC Milan fans could completely look down on the Nerazzurri fans. As for the Nerazzurri fans, the Coppa Italia final was their last revenge opportunity of this season, and it was a god-given opportunity.As of now, Inter Milan's record in the League was 22 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses, having already secured entry into next season's Champions League zone. With their League points far behind Juventus and AC Milan, and having already humiliatedly watched their arch-rival win the title early at home...Desperately preventing AC Milan from winning more honors became the primary goal of the Nerazzurri.In terms of the Champions League, they had already been eliminated, and no matter how unwilling they were, there was nothing they could do. However, in the Coppa Italia, they had the opportunity to cut off AC Milan's path in pursuit of a treble this season through their own efforts!And they could also do their best to exhaust the energy of Milan's players during the match, hoping that they would also overturn in the Champions League final.As the saying goes, one man's poison is another man's meat. Because of the previous verbal sparring incident, quite a few British fans came to the Meazza Stadium to jeer. Most of them wore Arsenal jerseys, and as soon as they entered, they clamored to jeer at the South Stand. The Nerazzurri fans welcomed foreign reinforcements, and their momentum was significantly boosted.Carlo Ancelotti fielded a full-strength lineup for this match, and Maldini and Nesta, who had recovered from their injuries, were also able to play.Having already won the League title, entered the Champions League final, and met their arch-rival at the summit in the Coppa Italia, the slogan of a treble was no longer a dream now, and Carlo Ancelotti did not want to easily let go of the opportunity to create history.His coaching career at Milan was already successful enough, but he had never been able to touch the trophy of a treble, and not even the entire Serie A had ever produced a proper treble winner.As long as the team could win this match under his guidance and successfully defend their title in the Champions League, then by that time his status and salary level...Carlo Ancelotti couldn't help but get extremely excited just thinking about it!On Milan's side, the goalkeeper was Dida, the defenders were Cafu, Nesta, Maldini, and Serginho, the midfielders remained Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, and Kaka, while in the forward line, the in-form Filippo Inzaghi replaced Alberto Gilardino, along with the unshakable Andriy Shevchenko!Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. 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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 96 / 12080%WebWeb+AI#96Chapter 96 A Decisive StrikeChapter 96: Sweeping ForceOn Inter Milan's side, compared to AC Milan, whose squad was mostly intact, the team also suffered significant injury blows at the end of the season.Midfield core Verón was absent due to injury, Recoba and Zanetti were also plagued by injuries and unable to play, while substitute goalkeeper Toldo, midfielder Stanković, and defender Mihajlović had just returned from injuries, and whether their competitive form was normal remained debatable.Roberto Mancini, considering the team's lineup and the opponent's situation, tried his best to field a conventional 4-4-2 formation.Goalkeeper: Júlio CésarDefenders: Zanetti, Cordoba, Samuel, Favalli.Midfielders: Luís Figo, Claudio Pizarro, Cambiasso, StankovićForwards: Cruz followed by Adriano.In this match, Roberto Mancini learned his lesson and no longer blindly pursued midfield control like the previous game. Adriano's single-striker capability had already been verified before; he couldn't get much advantage in front of Alessandro Nesta and Kakha Kaladze, let alone with Kakha Kaladze replaced by the recovered Paolo Maldini. It was best to honestly let Adriano continue being the battering ram to charge the opponent's defensive line.The match officially began amid the whistle.AC Milan did not choose to launch a fierce attack right at the start. The football was passed patiently at the feet of Andrea Pirlo and the others, and Kaka's position was also closer to the midfield, looking like he didn't have much desire to attack.Instead, Inter Milan's players pressed forward heavily amidst the cheers and encouragement of the Nerazzurri fans. Cambiasso and Claudio Pizarro made significant pressing moves, but in the four-on-four fair duel, Milan always controlled the possession.In the 7th minute of the match, AC Milan ushered in their first active attack. Andrea Pirlo made a long pass to find Filippo Inzaghi, but unfortunately Jiuye's offside trap mistake this time handed over the possession.Turning around, Inter Milan attacked with all personnel as if they had taken adrenaline, with both fullbacks Zanetti and Favalli advancing on the left and right. Cambiasso and Claudio Pizarro's positions were also extremely forward, and Adriano was already standing completely on the penalty box line.Luís Figo's breakthrough on the flank was blocked. The old guy had shone brightly for a season, and now it was time for him to run out of physical strength. One could not expect a veteran who joined with the purpose of retirement to really carry for a full season; this was neither normal nor moral.The ball was passed back to the center by Luís Figo. Receiving the ball, Cambiasso had a flash of inspiration and sent a delicate through ball. Adriano shouldered off Alessandro Nesta in the dangerous area to receive the ball and decisively volleyed from a tight angle.However, Dida was focused, quickly dropping to the ground to clutch the ball into his arms. This was also Inter Milan's only threatening shot in the first half.In the 19th minute of the match, Kaka advanced with the ball through the center. After passing Cambiasso, he suddenly unleashed a long-range shot from about five meters away from the penalty box. The football spun and thudded against the crossbar, bouncing out of the baseline, scaring goalkeeper Júlio César into a cold sweat.Inter Milan took the goal kick. Cordoba's forward pass was somehow a bit absent-minded; lacking sufficient power, it was directly intercepted by Andriy Shevchenko. Kaka reacted quickly and instantly started to support, and Sheva passed it back in an inverted triangle before the defenders surrounded him.Facing the rolling football, Kaka swung his right foot again and unleashed a powerful blast!The previous shot had basically adjusted his right foot's trajectory. This shot was extremely tricky, almost skimming Júlio César's fingertips into the dead corner of the goal.1:0, AC Milan struck first.After conceding the goal, Inter Milan players' mentality was obviously affected. Although Milan's treble slogan formed an incentive for them, making them eager to cause trouble for their arch-rivals, excessively pursuing tripping up AC Milan also prevented the players from devoting themselves entirely to the match and made them more prone to emotional fluctuations.Coupled with the overwhelming boos from the North Stand—it was unknown whether the Nerazzurri fans were booing Kaka who scored or their own players who conceded—anyway, this kind of booing indeed affected Inter Milan's players.In the 26th minute of the match, Stanković's breakthrough on the flank was intercepted by Clarence Seedorf. Perhaps enraged by conceding the goal, this guy didn't even think; lying on the ground, he kicked Clarence Seedorf's right ankle squarely. Clarence Seedorf let out a miserable scream and fell to the ground.Finally, after diagnosis by the team doctor, Clarence Seedorf's ankle bones did not suffer damage, but the soft tissue contusion did not support him to continue playing. Carlo Ancelotti substituted Jankulovski for Milan's political commissar.As for the perpetrator Stanković, he was expelled from the field with a red card by the referee. They couldn't beat them to begin with, and with the team playing a man down in the first half, Inter Milan was completely suppressed by AC Milan.After the scene just now, Kaka roughly understood Inter Milan's idea of causing trouble for them. Before the restart, he called his teammates to his side to brief them one by one.Simply put, it was to warn them to minimize dribbling and breakthroughs, use more short-pass cooperation, and prevent Inter Milan from intentionally hurting people. After all, Inter Milan's results this season were just like that, but besides the Coppa Italia, they still had a crucial Champions League final to play.Since Arsenal could fight their way all the way into the final, they must also be a ruthless character, and it wouldn't be safe for the team to miss anyone now.Similarly, Kaka also reduced his proportion of breakthroughs, instead enhancing his attempts at long-range shots.In the 36th minute of the first half, Jankulovski made a diagonal pass to the center. Receiving the pass, Kaka chipped it into the penalty box without stopping the ball. Filippo Inzaghi didn't know how he rushed out from the siege of Zanetti and Cordoba, facing the football with a volley, and the football rolled into the goal, brushing the near-corner post.AC Milan 2:0 Inter Milan!Then just four minutes later, Serginho advanced on the left flank and crossed from the bottom line. Andriy Shevchenko headed the ball under pressure from Samuel. Júlio César, who had been turned into a frightened bird by Kaka's consecutive long-range shot attempts, reacted half a beat slow. Although the football was blocked by his left hand, it still deflected and smashed into the side netting.AC Milan 3:0 Inter Milan.The first half ended with this score. Reaching this stage, even Inter Milan fans who were unwilling to believe it could see the gap between the team and the opponent. Some people had already started leaving early, and even the die-hard fans who stayed no longer argued back.Only the Arsenal fans who came to "test the opponent" were still making noise, cheering for Inter Milan who had fallen behind while booing AC Milan for the past half year.Coming back for the second half, Carlo Ancelotti substituted off Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko, and Andrea Pirlo, with Rui Costa, Johann Vogel, and Alberto Gilardino coming on as substitutes.Inter Milan started to try a wave of fierce attacks in the second half. In the end, Adriano's and Cruz's shots either missed wide or were saved by Dida. Once this momentum passed, the offensive and defensive momentum of the two teams returned to the way it was in the first half.In the 78th minute of the match, Alberto Gilardino received Rui Costa's through ball and successfully beat the offside trap, cleverly choosing to volley towards the center to nutmeg Júlio César. At the nick of time, Júlio César hurriedly turned around and scooped the football off the goal line.However, the referee on duty firmly pointed his finger towards the center circle—the goal was valid!Even if Inter Milan's players were unwilling, this ruling was never changed. At the end of the match, AC Milan slaughtered Inter Milan 4:0 at the Meazza Stadium, winning the first leg of the Coppa Italia and exaggeratedly scoring 4 away goals.Fans seemed to have seen another championship beckoning to them. Even though there was still a second leg match, they had already passionately started celebrating!Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 96 / 12080%Ch. 96 / 12080%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 97 / 12080.8%WebWeb+AI#97Chapter 97 "Telephone Gate" EruptsChapter 97: The "Calciopoli" Scandal EruptsCrushing Inter Milan with a 4-goal margin, the team seized absolute initiative in the Coppa Italia final. The Milan players were in high spirits, and Carlo Ancelotti waved his hand, deciding in advance to field an all-substitute squad in the next match.On May 4, 2006, a shocking and far-reaching scandal that shook the football world erupted!Italy's "Milan Sports Daily" published an explosive piece of news: a wiretapped phone conversation from 2004 between Juventus General Manager Moggi and an official from the Italian Football Federation was released, involving the association assigning designated referees for Juventus!This horrifying scandal completely blew up the football world. Just three hours after the news was published, the Italian Football Federation urgently issued an announcement, promising to immediately launch an investigation into the relevant accusations in order to restore the image of the Serie A matches as soon as possible.Although AC Milan's players were shocked that Juventus could create such a scandal, there were inevitably some who harbored a detached or gloating attitude. However, perhaps only Kaka, who knew the subsequent trajectory of the incident, understood the true power of this scandal.The dignified Little World Cup suffered a devastating blow, the reputations of several clubs were ruined, star players fled, advertising revenue plummeted, and broadcasting shares were cut in half. The Serie A League, once yearned for by everyone in world football, became a League of the faithless associated with match-fixing, and its image plummeted to rock bottom.Moreover... AC Milan was still one of the primary targets penalized in this storm!It was just uncertain whether, due to his own disruption this season, Silvio Berlusconi had engaged in those ugly operations again. If not, perhaps AC Milan might really escape unscathed from the punishment of the "Calciopoli".Even maintaining the punishment level of the original timeline would be enough!In the original trials and judgments, the original AC Milan was ultimately deducted 30 points for this season, retaining their Champions League qualification, and started the new season with an 8-point deduction.As of now, with two League matches left to play, AC Milan had 34 wins and 2 losses in 36 rounds of the League, accumulating 102 points. As the absolute protagonist of the "Calciopoli", Juventus was definitely going to receive the maximum penalty, while Inter Milan's current record was 22 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses with 71 points, trailing AC Milan by 31 points.Subtracting the 30 points deducted in the original timeline, AC Milan still had a chance to keep the League title, but Kaka himself did not know how they would be penalized this season.On May 7, in the 37th round of the League, AC Milan traveled away to challenge Parma. Kaka stayed in Milan and did not travel with the team, taking the opportunity to go to a rehabilitation center for a short-term physical therapy session.After battling through a season, even with his brand-new body, he inevitably felt exhausted. Especially after his playing style became uninhibited, the pressure and wear-and-tear borne by his left leg were several times greater than that of the original Kaka. In just one season, the wear on his left knee meniscus and ankle surpassed the condition when he first took over this body.However, Kaka was not in a hurry to directly use the system's comprehensive physical therapy. Although his left leg was worn out, injuries would not erupt in the short term, nor would it have too much impact on his performance on the pitch. It was enough for him to hold out until all matches of this season were over. The points should be saved and planned for unified use only after collecting all rewards at that time.The physical therapy at the rehabilitation center was mainly to relax the muscles and relieve physical tissue fatigue. Considering his teammates and wanting to give them a relaxed state before the "Calciopoli" completely implicated AC Milan, Kaka specifically called upon Sheva, Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, and Paolo Maldini for this trip, which was basically a large team-building event for AC Milan's main lineup.Everyone watched the team's match against Parma in the lounge.Parma had a bumpy fate this season, but their strength was not weak. After experiencing the club's financial crisis and player exodus, they still ranked in the mid-table position of the League this season.Among the players in the team, Kaka's little fellow townsman, Brazilian midfielder Fabio Simplicio, scored 10 goals for the team, belonging to a very excellent category of players in the League.Similarly, Italian forward Bernardo Corradi also scored ten goals. In addition, midfielders Marco Bresciano and Marchionni were both powerful young players.Pitted against AC Milan's veteran-dominated substitute lineup, this youth army possessed a huge advantage purely in terms of physical stamina. The two teams played extremely fiercely in this match, with the score alternating in taking the lead.In the 24th minute of the match, Filippo Inzaghi was brought down by Parma goalkeeper De Lucia in the penalty area. The referee awarded a penalty kick, and Filippo Inzaghi personally took and scored it, opening the scoring for Milan.Parma's counterattack arrived swiftly. In the 32nd minute, Parma executed a brilliant combination play. Midfielder Marchinho delivered a gorgeous through-ball after advancing with the ball. Corradi stopped the ball in the penalty area, turned to shake off Šimić's defense, and poked it in with his right foot to breach Željko Kalac's defenses.The two teams entered halftime tied at 1:1.Returning for the second half, the youth army Parma struck first. Fullback Contini quickly surged forward along the left flank, received an angled pass from Marchionni in midfield, dribbled all the way to the baseline to cross, and forward Corradi leaped high to header the ball in, once again breaching Milan's goal.1:2.Afterwards, Milan's players were naturally unwilling to accept a defeat just like that. Although the team had already secured the League title, they as substitutes also had dreams, especially Šimić, who had previously had a falling out with Carlo Ancelotti and whose playing time obtained this season was pitifully scarce.Strictly speaking, although the team had already captured the League title, he had zero participation in this championship. Therefore, having finally gotten a match where he started, he did not allow the team to be defeated like this.With a precise sliding tackle to win the football from Corradi's feet, Šimić quickly got up, dribbling forward while waving to signal his teammates to cheer up. His hard work ultimately was not let down.After receiving the ball, Rui Costa pushed forward all the way, suddenly lifting a chipped pass near the penalty area. Johann Vogel slanted out from the side and scored with a low shot to breach Parma's goal, helping the team equalize the score to 2:2.This score was maintained until the very end.It was naturally pleasing to all that the team did not harvest a defeat, but Kaka's gaze was more focused on their direct "competitor", Inter Milan.In the 37th round of the League, Inter Milan's opponent was the weak team Siena. Originally, it was thought that with Inter Milan's strength, they should easily win, but who would have thought that they were stubbornly held to a 1:1 draw at home by Siena, catching the same ailment as Juventus.As a result, the points gap between the two teams remained unchanged at 31 points, and with only the final round of the League left, Inter Milan's opponent was Cagliari, also a weak team in the League, while AC Milan's opponent was the injury-riddled Red Wolves Roma.Who will emerge victorious remains unknown...Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 97 / 12080.8%Ch. 97 / 12080.8%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 98 / 12081.7%WebWeb+AI#98Chapter 98 The Champion Without JoyChapter 98: A Championship Without JoyOn May 8th, as Juventus general manager Moggi's scandal spread wider and wider, the Italian Football Federation had long since surrendered and capitulated, yet its office was still tightly surrounded by media and fans.Pressure from all directions came like a landslide. Under the immense pressure, Italian Football Federation president Carraro announced his resignation from the position of federation president in front of the cameras.On May 11th, the prosecutor's office announced that the scope of the investigation into the incident would be expanded to include the GAE sports agency run by Moggi's son, and then in the afternoon, the Juventus board of directors collectively announced their resignation.This bomb had completely exploded!Against this backdrop, the AC Milan players welcomed the challenge from Inter Milan at San Siro Stadium. This was the final match between the two teams this season, and it also determined the destination of the Coppa Italia championship.Because of the "Calciopoli" scandal, the fans in the stands were somewhat absent-minded. The reason was that before the match, news had already broken out that AC Milan was also involved in the incident, making it impossible for AC Milan fans to concentrate.At this time, AC Milan's official website was filled with voices of questioning; AC Milan fans were anxiously asking whether the team had participated in such scandalous deeds as bribing referees. Meanwhile, the AC Milan management, with guilty consciences, chose to collectively play dead, which undoubtedly added weight to the fans' suspicions.Returning to the match.Clarence Seedorf returned to the team after recovering from an ankle injury, while Stanković, who had injured him in the previous leg, was suspended due to a red card. In addition, Inter Milan's midfield core Verón announced his return after a long-term absence, making it into the team's pre-match roster. Adriano, who had felt slightly unwell earlier, had also recovered his health.Carlo Ancelotti also chose to field a full-strength lineup for this match, preparing to use the team's formidable midfield and forward firepower to finish off the opponent in the first half!On Inter Milan's side, with Stanković absent, the team's flank offense and midfield depth dropped significantly. Roberto Mancini simply directly deployed Materazzi to make up a back five, abandoning any midfield strangulation games with AC Milan, and openly played a defensive counter-attack strategy.In the 6th minute of the match, Adriano received the ball, attempted a breakthrough, and then passed it out wide. Zanetti delivered a cross, and AC Milan's defense was somewhat absent-minded, missing the surging Cambiasso. Cambiasso comfortably unleashed a volley from the penalty spot, opening the scoring account for Inter Milan first.After conceding the goal, Kaka glanced at Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta. Captain Maldini's state of trance was visible to the naked eye; AC Milan was the team he had stayed with for a lifetime, and it was also the team his father had stayed with for a lifetime.The football career of the entire Maldini family was basically tightly bound with AC Milan. Now that this club might have fallen into a scandal irredeemable enough to destroy it completely, how could he, an AC Milan person with red and black blood flowing in his bones, not worry?Kaka understood their thoughts and was willing to tolerate his teammates' temporary lack of focus. Wasn't it just carrying the team on his own? It wasn't like he hadn't carried it before.After this goal, Kaka noticeably strengthened his individual offense.In the 17th minute of the match, Inter Milan launched another offensive. Adriano's fierce shot from the edge of the penalty box was brilliantly saved by Dida. Cafu, quick-eyed and nimble-handed, controlled the ball, and without thinking, launched a long clearance toward the center.Kaka forcefully pushed away Cambiasso to get the ball, quickly turned and advanced, and delivered a chipped pass at the top of the penalty arc.Andriy Shevchenko maintained a decent form; the rumors of the "Calciopoli" scandal did not distract him too much. With a brilliant anti-offside run, he successfully received the ball, and then lifted his foot to fire a shot into the near corner, equalizing the score for the team.Inter Milan fans' overwhelming boos and the sparse cheering of the red and black fans came from the stands. Whether it was the players or the fans, AC Milan's minds were clearly not on this match.In the subsequent match, Inter Milan's momentum was like a rainbow with incessant attacks, while AC Milan's defense made frequent mistakes and was riddled with loopholes. After Kaka continuously created several threatening balls, Roberto Mancini keenly discovered AC Milan's abnormality and instead strengthened individual restrictions on Kaka.In the 41st minute of the match, Adriano received a horizontal pass after Luís Figo's breakthrough and blasted a shot into AC Milan's goal.1:2!Coming to the second half, Kaka tried to rely on his individual ability again to help the team, but after being brought down three consecutive times outside the penalty area, he understood his situation and wisened up. He no longer chose to break through; instead, whenever there was a chance, he would look for long-range shooting angles, and if there was no angle, he would lift his foot and pass the ball into the penalty area.Leave the rest of the matters to Alberto Gilardino and Andriy Shevchenko. One had just come to AC Milan this season and didn't have such deep feelings for the club yet, while the other was already making eyes at his Russian compatriot at Chelsea and had intentions of leaving; the "Calciopoli" scandal had almost no impact on them.Unfortunately, Roberto Mancini's deployed five-defender formation scored a blind hit, perfectly coinciding with AC Milan's defense's worst-performing match. As long as they restricted the forwards, victory in this match was within easy reach.In the 66th minute of the match, it was still Luís Figo who created danger on the flank. Cambiasso quickly responded, and after receiving and transitioning the ball, played a through ball into the penalty area. Adriano took a consecutive touch past Paolo Maldini and unleashed a left-footed low shot.1:3!After that, although Inter Milan also organized several attacks, they still failed to break through the goal guarded by Dida again. The match ultimately ended with a score of 1:3.Inter Milan finally defeated their cross-town rival in the final derby of this season, but as for the Coppa Italia final—the first leg was 4:0, the second leg was 1:3, and the aggregate score was 5:3—AC Milan successfully defeated Inter Milan to win the 05-06 season Coppa Italia championship!This was also their second championship of the season!But the championship celebration of this match was not as intense as when winning the League championship. Everyone was full of worries, celebrated in a rush, and dispersed early.On May 12th, explosive news came: facts proved that Paolo Maldini's sluggishness yesterday had a reason.The Naples local prosecutor's office formally charged four clubs—Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina, and Lazio—with suspected match-fixing. 41 people, including the management of the four teams plus referees, were listed as suspects, and "problem referee" De Santis was directly stripped of his World Cup officiating qualifications.On May 14th, the final match of the League kicked off.To prepare for the Champions League final, Carlo Ancelotti still extensively rotated his main players. The team was held to a 1:1 draw at home by Livorno. Meanwhile, Juventus defeated Reggina 2:0 away. Just as the match ended, Juventus general manager Moggi tearfully announced his resignation.And for AC Milan players and fans, this was also a heartbreaking day.Originally, AC Milan should have received their League championship trophy in this match, but because the team was involved in the "Calciopoli" scandal, the award ceremony was indefinitely postponed by Serie A officials, waiting until all investigations were completed before re-discussing the ownership of this season's League championship.The red and black fans only felt that the sky had collapsed. Re-discussing the ownership of the championship—doesn't that mean their League championship might be stripped?But the match did not leave AC Milan players time to think and grieve. On May 17th, the 05-06 season Champions League final kicked off at the Stade de France in Paris.AC Milan was in panic and morale had completely fallen into a disadvantage, and Arsenal?Wenger was grinning from ear to ear!Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 98 / 12081.7%Ch. 98 / 12081.7%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 99 / 12082.5%WebWeb+AI#99Chapter 99 Each Fights Their Own WayChapter 99: Playing Their Own GamesWhich season was the strongest Arsenal after the millennium?Most Gunners fans would probably choose that invincible team of the 03-04 season, when Patrick Vieira's iron-willed grit was still intact, Dennis Bergkamp was still sharp, and Henry's brilliance was at its peak.In the defensive line, Lauren, Touré, Campbell, and Ashley Cole shone brilliantly.Led by this vibrant group, Arsenal went 26 wins and 12 draws in 38 League matches that season, winning the Premier League title undefeated—the only completely unbeaten season in history.Yet, merely two seasons later, that iron-willed team no longer possessed its former glory.Patrick Vieira, the legendary captain who injected an iron-willed, tough DNA into the team, had departed for Serie A; the Ice Prince, Dennis Bergkamp, was aging and nearing retirement; and defensive pillars Ashley Cole and Campbell were plagued by stop-and-go injuries.Wenger's bold and drastic rejuvenation project with his youth army seemed to have paid off. Youngsters like Cesc Fàbregas, Senderos, Flamini, and Van Persie emerged, leading the team to this season's Champions League final.But upon closer inspection, 28-year-old Henry was the true King of the Gunners.Although Cesc Fàbregas was entrusted with heavy responsibilities by Wenger, his current caliber was not yet enough to make the team's midfield entirely revolve around him. General Van was in the transitional phase of shifting from a winger to a center-forward this season, and his "glass man" constitution was already beginning to show.With the loss of Christian Vieri, Arsenal lost their iron-willed DNA and midfield barrier; Gilberto Silva and Kolo Touré were driven relentlessly like nuclear-powered pack horses, resulting in Touré suffering consecutive injuries.This also led to Arsenal struggling in the League race, only narrowly securing next season's Champions League spot by defeating Wigan Athletic 4–2 in the final match—and that was only because their direct rival, Tottenham, lost their match on the final matchday, allowing them to scrape by.Meanwhile, Thierry Henry almost single-handedly propped up the team's offensive firepower. On the Champions League battlefield, Arsenal's defensive line was hailed as an iron division.They set a Champions League record of 10 consecutive matches without conceding and 995 minutes without letting in a goal this season, consecutively shutting out Real Madrid, Juventus, and Villarreal in the knockout stages.Yet, awkwardly enough, even with such a formidable defensive line, Arsenal's path to advancement in every round was perilous to the extreme.At the end of the day, the team's offense relied too heavily on Henry; once Henry went cold, Arsenal's offense would run into trouble.However, Arsène Wenger's tactics placed Henry alone at the very front as a single striker, making him extremely vulnerable to concentrated marking by opponents. This required Henry to constantly drop back to receive the ball throughout the match before dribbling forward to charge—in short, placing the entire team's offensive burden squarely on the Great Emperor.If not for the unexpected reliability of the team's defensive line in Champions League matches, an Arsenal like this would probably never have stumbled all the way to their current position.Yet, an Arsenal with such glaring weaknesses narrowly suppressed a fully-staffed AC Milan in the pre-final win probability predictions.It seemed that the impact of the Calciopoli scandal still made football pundits deeply worried about the state of Milan's players.After all, the performances of defensive cores like Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta in the Coppa Italia final were still fresh in memory, as they were completely out of sorts the entire match. Compared to the record-setting Arsenal defense, such a Milan was clearly not very reassuring.Before the match had even begun, the Stade de France was boisterous and roaring. Kaka stood in the player tunnel with his teammates, preparing to take the pitch. Compared to the fiercely combative Arsenal players opposite them, Milan's squad atmosphere was somewhat gloomy.Kaka turned to look at his teammates, feeling inwardly that continuing in this current state would probably not work out well, even though Carlo Ancelotti had already delivered a round of motivational pep talks in the locker room.After a moment of thought, Kaka clapped his hands hard to draw his teammates' attention."Hi, brothers, I know everyone is worried about the club's predicament, but I have to say, if we lose this match, I guarantee the team's situation will be even worse.""And if we win the Champions League trophy, at least we will have created the only treble in Serie A history so far. Why should the players torment themselves over the stupid things club executives did? We are fighting for our own honors.""At the very least, I certainly don't want to be genuinely considered inferior to that Cesc Fàbregas after the match, so... are the old guys ready to help me out?"These words were spoken right in front of Cesc Fàbregas on the other side. As soon as Kaka finished speaking, Cesc Fàbregas—who had already been tense—turned green in the face instantly.But Kaka had no time to spare for his face right now; instead, he stared intently at captain Paolo Maldini with burning eyes."..."Silence... and then—"Damn it! Let's win this match!"Paolo Maldini spoke up first, slamming a heavy punch against the tunnel wall."Right, let's win the treble!"Cafu responded immediately after, followed by Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso, Sheva, Andrea Pirlo...Cohesion was built just like that, and Kaka breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment, the staff notified the players of both sides to enter the pitch.He finally turned to glance at his teammates, smiling with a relaxed expression as he said:"I think the previous slogan wasn't direct enough. Now I propose temporarily changing today's slogan. Everyone shout along with me—""For Kaka!""For Kaka!!! What kind of ghost slogan is this?"Everyone shouted this unorthodox slogan with united resolve before stepping onto the turf of the Stade de France. Although Gennaro Gattuso muttered curses speechlessly, everyone distinctly felt it—it was all back...To counter AC Milan's formidable midfield penetration ability and frontcourt attacking power, Wenger continued to use the 4-51 formation commonly deployed against strong teams, attempting to rely on central strangulation to restrict the performances of Kaka and the others, thereby suppressing Milan while controlling possession of the ball.As for the specific lineup:Goalkeeper: Jens LehmannDefenders: Eboué, Kolo Touré, Sol Campbell, Ashley ColeMidfielders: Hleb, Gilberto Silva, Cesc Fàbregas, Fredrik Ljungberg, PiresForward: HenryIn the five-man midfield, season workhorse Gilberto Silva played alone as a deep-lying defensive midfielder, basically not participating in the attack and dedicated entirely to sweeping and protecting the area in front of the defensive line.Cesc Fàbregas and Fredrik Ljungberg directed play from the center, with Cesc specializing in organization, Ljungberg acting as a "second striker" linking the midfield and frontcourt, and Hleb and Pires blocking the flank corridors on the left and right respectively.This formation was extremely similar to the one Barça used against AC Milan in the semi-finals, except Wenger played it even more extremely, directly gambling all of the team's offense on midfield superiority and Henry.To deal with this style of play, Carlo Ancelotti simply abandoned central strangulation altogether, turning instead to deploy a rarely-used 4-33 formation.Goalkeeper: DidaDefenders: Cafu, Alessandro Nesta, Paolo Maldini, SerginhoMidfielders: Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence SeedorfForwards: Alberto Gilardino, Kaka, Andriy ShevchenkoThis formation was basically equivalent to abandoning the team's central breakthrough tactic that they had played with for an entire season, transforming the team's offensive mode into the Bundesliga style of flank crosses and long balls.After all, the trio of Gattuso, Pirlo, and Seedorf would definitely be at a complete disadvantage facing Arsenal's five-man group, so they might as well just play their own games: you play yours, I'll play mine, and whoever wins or loses just comes down to drawing swords.But upon seeing Milan's formation, the Professor on the sidelines turned black in the face.Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. 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Chapter 1830 - hhh