CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 17: AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE ITALY TEAM IS CALLED LITTLE SAN REMO!

A direct slide block.

At the same time, Foggia’s goalkeeper also lunged to the right.

But... Lu Yang’s first shot didn’t touch the ball.

Instead, he feinted past it, stepping next to the ball, then used the other foot to perform a Rabona kick to lift the ball.

The ball soared over Foggia’s center back and, in Foggia goalkeeper’s eyes, floated slowly towards the left side of the goal.

The next second, the ball was in the net!

"Genius, you’re just a damn genius!"

Vedian rushed over, but he initially thought Lu Yang would return the pass to him, as he had run out to a shooting position outside the penalty area.

"Brilliant move, but I’m really worried that you might twist your ankle," Morici was happy but a bit concerned that Lu Yang’s flashy plays might provoke malicious attacks.

This is the difference between defenders and other players.

Few defensive players are targeted for their ankles.

That’s usually something they do.

"No choice, I felt it today," Lu Yang smiled slightly, "I’ll be careful, and from now on, I’ll seal my own feet."

Morici was speechless.

Sealing your feet? How are you supposed to play then?

It must be said, Lu Yang’s goal completely shattered Foggia players’ hopes of equalizing.

If 1-3 isn’t desperate, 1-4 is definitely time to give up.

Moreover, because Morici was worried about Lu Yang, after gaining possession, he started organizing the ball around.

This signaled a message to Foggia players: We’re not attacking anymore, so don’t get too worked up, okay?

After all, Lu Yang’s Rabona assist and goal were intensely frustrating.

And it was pulled off by a center back!

In the first minute of stoppage time.

San Remo won a corner kick.

Morici casually took the kick, the match was about to end.

However, Lu Yang charged to the near post, jumped high, and performed a Lion’s Head Shake header, redirecting the ball.

San Remo’s young substitute center-back Naji, who had caused a conceded goal earlier, used his height advantage and headed the ball directly into Foggia’s goal.

Five to one!

This is undoubtedly one of the rare big wins in San Remo’s history!

It’s also the biggest score in this round of the Italian D League.

Foggia players were dumbstruck.

Weren’t we supposed to play a friendly match?

Why are we suddenly attacking again?

To this, Morici could only apologize.

As a seasoned player of real-time soccer games, starting kick snipes and endgame snipes are habitual, sorry about that.

Beep Beep Beep!

The referee blew the whistle signaling the end of the match.

Lu Yang and Morici chatted while walking, and as they passed by Naji, Lu Yang patted Naji’s shoulder.

Naji turned and saw it was Lu Yang, looking very excited.

His eyes were red because he cried when he scored just now.

Lu Yang saved him.

If it wasn’t for that goal, he couldn’t imagine how much he would be criticized.

After Rondo’s injury, Naji became the main center-back for San Remo, but his performance was very poor.

Although he stands at 193 cm, he isn’t strong or tough.

When Lu Yang emerged, he took Naji’s starting spot, causing Naji to lose playing time. Another tall center-back was also bad but more experienced than Naji.

With Rondo’s recovery and Lu Yang moving forward, Naji had the chance to become Rondo’s substitute.

But once he played, he messed everything up.

Until... Lu Yang’s Lion’s Head Shake header flew to his head.

He achieved self-redemption.

"That’s more like it! Keep it up!" Lu Yang encouraged Naji.

Naji nodded.

"You have good talent, with your height, if you just bulk up a bit, you’ll be indispensable on the defense line," Lu Yang motivated Naji.

In fact, compared to another clumsy center-back, Lu Yang is more optimistic about Naji because he... is young!

That center-back is already thirty-five, older by a year than the team’s captain Rondo, and might not even play next year.

After Naji left, Morici was dumbfounded: "Why do you act like you’re experienced? He’s almost five years older than you!"

Lu Yang shrugged: "So what? Haven’t you seen leadership qualities in me?"

Morici paused, surprised: "You want to be captain?"

Lu Yang made no effort to hide it: "Either lead or be led, I’m used to freedom, so..."

Morici glanced around and lowered his voice: "But do you think you can play in San Remo for long? With your current performance, surely a team will buy you during the transfer period!"

"Which team?" Lu Yang replied calmly.

"Italian Third Division!" Morici was stunned as he finished.

San Remo might have a chance to play in the Italian Third Division next season!

"Or, Serie B? Mr. Arthas should have connections," Morici said.

"Then if we go to Serie B, how do you think we’ll fit in?" Lu Yang asked Morici.

He said ’we,’ not ’I.’

In reality, the one truly wanting to go to Serie B isn’t Lu Yang, but... Morici!

"Can I still enjoy the freedom of arrangements from the coaching staff? Charge when I want, defend when I want? Impossible, I’d become a midfield workhorse, even if I occasionally flash some brilliance, it would only bring dissatisfaction from the head coach, coaching staff, teammates, and fans."

"Serie B teams with ambition are all about promotion to Serie A. They don’t need any X factor! And I am Italian League’s biggest X factor."

Morici nodded, seemingly agreeing with Lu Yang’s statement, but there was a peculiar shine in his eyes.

That shine was about his own dreams.

"And you..." Lu Yang directed to Morici, "do you think you can be treated and cultivated like a core in such a team? Sorry, Serie B doesn’t produce cores; weak teams can’t keep young players with core potential, and strong teams already have their cores."

"Maybe Portugal and the Netherlands have this space, but your influence is evidently not reaching that far. Would you leave me to go play in the Netherlands?"

Morici pondered for a long time.

"What do you think? Lu, you know I trust you the most, I’ll listen to you," Morici decided.

Lu Yang placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned down to say: "The club president invited Sotu here, which already reveals enough information; he’s planning to achieve something big. Of course, this requires a premise, us players showing him something first, like..."

"Leading the team to Serie B!"

"As long as we reach Serie B, this summer transfer period we will definitely get strong reinforcements, Sotu and Arthas will strive for it. With support from Serie A level players, we won’t remain in Serie B League; Serie B...isn’t far away!"

"We don’t need to leave the best growth environment for just one year. Countless examples exist of talented players missing their best development phases by trying to get into big clubs. San Remo isn’t a big club, but since you and I have become cores here, for us, it’s the best childhood home!"

"Vedian leaves at the end of this season, but he’ll meet us again in Serie B soon. He might not be doing better than us then, that’ll be our surprise to him."

Morici was a smart person, Lu Yang’s words sounded crazy, but... if the legend of San Remo is about to begin, then all this becomes reasonable.

Legend refers to achieving things that most regard as impossible.

"Why don’t you tell Vedian these things?" Morici was curious.

"Must I be so direct, Morici?" Lu Yang asked, gazing at him, "Because you’re my best friend, I want to fight alongside you and see how far we can go together."

Morici’s eyes reddened: "You sure it’s not because Vedian can sell for a higher price?"

Lu Yang: "Well, there’s that reason, but it’s a small proportion, just about 95%."

San Remo might not have realized they had unknowingly gained the approval of two cores.

Of course, following this match, San Remo received recognition that extended beyond these two.

Italian superstar Maniero evidently watched the match and, immediately after the match, he shared five goal videos with commentary: "As everyone knows, Italy Team is nicknamed Little San Remo!"

"They’ve found a perfectly matched duo, and if they keep playing like this, they’ll break out of Italian D League this season!"

Maniero’s popularity and status in Italian football?

With one sentence, he stirred the entire Italian football scene!