The Prince of Inter Milan starts with Brother Xiaosa

Chapter 125 First Round of League
  There was news before that the club wanted to buy Robben, but the Dutchman didn't buy it and went to Bayern and bought Pandev.

This has made a large number of Nerazzurri diehards extremely dissatisfied with the club's transfer work.

If it was said from the beginning that Pandev was the one he wanted to buy, maybe Inter Milan fans wouldn't care.

After all, the Macedonian performed well at Lazio last season, so it would be good to buy him as a substitute.

But now it seems that Robben can't be bought and Pandev has settled for the next best option. How can this possibly satisfy the fans?

Yes, if Robben comes, some people may still speculate whether Mourinho wants to change to four, three, and three again.

But the one who came was Pandev. The current conclusion reached by the media after analysis is that he came to Inter Milan as a rotation substitute.

Because he can play as a forward or midfielder, and can also play on both sides, he is a good complement to the team's lineup depth.

On the day Pandev officially announced his joining Inter Milan, the 2009-2010 Serie A season finally officially started.

Inter Milan's first game was on the afternoon of the 23rd.

In the first round of Serie A, Inter Milan faced newly promoted Bari at home.

Last season's Serie A champion faced last season's Serie B champion. This "championship battle" began in the presence of more than 53,000 fans.

Mourinho's lineup today did not surprise anyone. It was still the same four-three-one-two from last season. Four new players, Eto'o, Milito, Motta and Lucio, appeared together.

Vieira, who has been in good form recently, continues to start in place of the injured Cambiasso.

Materazzi replaced Chivu at the center back position.

Bari returns to Serie A for the first time since 2001.

Top scorer Barreto was absent due to injury, Megiolini was suspended, and Sforgini made his Serie A debut, partnering with AC Milan's old player Kutuzov on the striker.

The young coach Conte, who led Bari to win the Serie B championship and successfully advance to the First Division last season, chose to leave because he was dissatisfied with the team's ambitions.

Bari is currently coached by Italian coach Ventura, who resigned from Pisa last season.

Maybe the club's top brass also hopes that Ventura's rich experience can help the team avoid relegation.

After the game started, Inter Milan fans who expected to see the new Nerazzurri team's performance were disappointed.

Milito's over-activeness backfired, and Eto'o seemed a little uncomfortable playing in Serie A for the first time.

In short, this striker combination with high hopes did not produce very good results.

At the same time, Stankovic's frequent forward attacks lost his defensive position, and Vieira in the midfielder position also focused more on the offense rather than the defensive end.

After Leo passed the ball out in the center circle, he stood there helplessly and sighed.

These teammates feel that today's opponent is relatively weak, and they all want to get a good start to the new season for themselves, right?

Forget it, Leo can't control them, because he is too young and lacks qualifications.

"Since they want to attack, let them attack."

Leo simply stayed in the backcourt to defend in order to avoid his opponent's quick counterattack and steal a goal.

The centre-back partnership of Bonucci and Ranocchia, who was loaned to Bari from Inter Milan, performed quite eye-catchingly on the field.

The fierce but effective defense of the two Italian teenagers successfully resolved the home team's attacks one after another.

When Bonucci knocked down Milito with a flying tackle outside the penalty area, and the referee Carmine Russo had not said anything, Mourinho stood up with a "scratch".

But he didn't want to protest to the referee, he was just prepared to take a good look at Bonucci.

The visiting team counterattacked very quickly and decisively. Alvarez's long shot from the outside of the penalty area was caught by Cesar.

Then Inter Milan also played wonderful cooperation.

Eto'o sent a through ball from the edge of the right side of the penalty area, and Milito turned back under the interference of the defensive player.

The "Cheetah" waded past a Bari defender, and his right-footed volley in front of the goal was saved by goalkeeper Gilai and went out of the right post!
  The two forwards of the Nerazzurri almost scored when faced with six defensive players in the penalty area!
  This is also the closest chance to score since the start of the game.

Alvarez made a pass from the right, and Sforgini's header in front of the small penalty area was high and flew towards the stands.

Allegretti was about to break into the penalty area from his left rib, but Stankovic pushed him down from behind!
  The referee Russo showed the first yellow card of the game.

Allegretti's free kick went over the wall and headed towards the near corner, but Cesar fell to the ground and confiscated the ball.

Then the scene became a bit dull until the 28th minute, when Mourinho made a surprising move!
  He made a substitution, and Stankovic, who was carrying a yellow card, was replaced by Balotelli without injury.

Stankovic did not high-five Balotelli when he came off the field, and when he passed Mourinho, he had a dark face and did not communicate with him.

The Portuguese wanted to explain and appease Dejan, who was replaced before the first and second half were played, but when he saw the opponent's reaction, the Inter Milan coach's face didn't look good.

In fact, Mourinho didn't think much of this player who claimed to be all-round but was actually not proficient in all aspects.

If I have to say it, Stankovic is indeed capable of all-round offensive and defensive balance, can go forward, organize, and has a long shot.

But the problem is that he can squander nine out of ten opportunities. More importantly, this Inter Milan does not need him to organize passes, let alone rely on his magic ball to solve the battle.

When there is a shortage of players in the midfield, Stankovic can certainly step in.

However, what Mourinho now hopes is that the Serbian can stay behind and strengthen the defense, instead of forcing assists forward again and again and leaving a large gap behind him.   More importantly, there is Leo in the team now, a midfielder who is much better than him in both passing and shooting skills and creativity.

If Stankovic can do his duty to protect Leo's back, then he will still get some opportunities.

But he always likes to push forward when he gets the opportunity, and his own kick is occasionally reliable and most of the time he makes ridiculous long shots.

While wasting opportunities, it also squeezed Leo's space and competed for Leo's ball rights.

This is what Mourinho cannot tolerate.

If it doesn't work, just let this guy be a substitute. Who knows that he has no power at all.

But now is not the time to talk about these things. We can wait until the game is over to talk about matters with Stankovic.

Inter Milan's formation changed to 433!
  The positioning of the three forwards is just like Leo's arrangement in the Italian Super Cup.

This time there was no Stankovic competing for position, so Leo moved forward.

Inter Milan steps up their offensive!
  In the 30th minute, Leo passed the ball over the top into the penalty area from the middle!

Milito was the first to react, and he broke through to the center of the penalty area in time and volleyed with his right foot and missed it!
  In fact, there is no need to be so anxious. According to the normal level of the Argentinian, the probability of scoring this goal is very high, which is a bit of a pity.

Maicon received Leo's breakthrough ball on the right and passed it straight. Eto'o knocked back. Maicon drew a curved ball with the outside of his right foot outside the edge of the penalty area and was confiscated by the opponent's goalkeeper.

Then Leo's frontcourt press caused the opponent to make a mistake and pass diagonally to the left. Balotelli accelerated his dribbling and broke through Parisi's defense and crossed the middle!

Milito's push shot missed the baseline due to Bonucci's personal interference!

A minute later, Leo made a diagonal pass into the penalty area. Milito passed the ball near the right baseline and hit Bonucci's leg, deflecting the ball and missing the far post.

Ghazi brought down Maicon far from the penalty area and received a yellow card.

Leo's free kick was accurately passed in front of Balotelli!

Bashen flew up with a powerful kick and missed the goal. Milito's follow-up shovel shot in front of the goal missed the ball.

Vieira stole the ball in the backcourt and handed it to Leo, who passed a long pass to the right.

Eto'o quickly stepped in to receive the ball and cut in to the middle of the penalty area. His low shot was blocked by Gilai!
  Putting aside everything else, after Mourinho's adjustments, Inter Milan's offense is finally much more decent.

In the 40th minute, Leo dribbled the ball from the frontcourt.

Counting the first half, he had sent at least seven or eight threatening passes, but his teammates just couldn't seize a single opportunity.

The two forwards were new players and could not be too harsh. Leo glared at Balotelli, who had not yet entered the state after coming on the field.

"Look carefully, this is how you should kick!"

Faced with Devize's aggressive attack, Leo just made a simple change of direction while dribbling the ball quickly and left the opponent behind.

Then Leo made a wonderful pass to get rid of Ghazi's defense and broke through to the edge of the penalty area.

Milito, Eto'o and Balotelli were in position one after another, waiting for Leo's pass.

Leo dunked away from the angle. He did not choose to pass the ball this time.

A powerful and heavy long-range shot went straight to the upper right corner of the goal!

And Bari goalkeeper Gilai, who was guarding the goal line, was still standing there stupidly. He thought Leo would pass it to his teammate, but he didn't expect that the opponent suddenly took off.

"Shh!"

The sound of the ball hitting the net is always so sweet.

The ball is in!
  One to zero!
  Inter Milan broke the deadlock on the field!

Leo scored his first league goal of the new season for the team!
  After bursts of cheers, warm applause resounded throughout the Meazza Stadium.

The Nerazzurri in the stands shouted Leo's name loudly.

Leo made a celebratory gesture of bending his bow and setting an arrow for the first time in a long time on the sidelines!

"By the way, I have to take the time to register this action as a trademark when I get back, so that it won't be stolen and used by others one day."

Although it is said that Leo alone singled out the entire opponent's defense, it cannot be said that his teammates have no effect at all.

At least at the end, the three forwards helped him attract the attention of many defensive players. Their three successes are not overdue.

When celebrating the goal, Leo also encouraged them to be active and said he would pass the ball more to them.

Eto'o crosses the ball from the right, and Balotelli's left-footed low shot from behind hits the right post!

The first half of the game entered stoppage time, and Barry goalkeeper Gillette drove towards the frontcourt.

Sfergini headed the ball over, and Kutuzov countered offside and successfully got rid of the two central defenders to form a single chance!

But he stumbled and made a mistake while dribbling the ball at the edge of the penalty area. By the time he turned around and controlled the ball again, he had already missed an excellent scoring opportunity!
  At the end of the first half, Inter Milan temporarily led 1-0 at home.

Mourinho was dissatisfied with the score, and even more dissatisfied with the performance and attitude of some players, and walked into the locker room with an expressionless face.

(End of this chapter)