On August 11, 2005, Inter Milan faced the Ukrainian Super League giant Shakhtar Donetsk at home in the third round of the Champions League qualifying match at Meazza Stadium.
The whole of Italy is paying attention to this game.
Italians are very xenophobic.
Many people don't like the fact that a Chinese is the head coach of Inter Milan.
Inter Milan has undergone a major purge and blood change this summer. In the eyes of many media, Inter Milan is now in chaos. This Inter Milan, which has changed most of its teams, faces the powerful Ukraine.
If the giant Shakhtar Donetsk is eliminated from the Champions League before qualifying, it will be fun...
Many people are waiting to see Inter Milan and see Li Ang's jokes.
Li Ang naturally also knows that many people are waiting to see his misfortune and see his jokes, and he will not let these people succeed.
Li Ang named the starting lineup for his first real official game in charge of Inter Milan.
At the goalkeeper position, veteran Toldo won the starting spot.
On the back line, from right to left are captain Zanetti, Argentinian Samuel, Italian Materazzi, and Frenchman Evra.
In the midfield, Li Ang sent out Carlos, Stankovic, Figo and Mata as starters.
The forward line is composed of Adriano and Ronaldo.
Speaking of Ronaldo, Li Ang is still using acupuncture to condition Ronaldo's body. He has not yet used the skill card of Rejuvenation on Ronaldo.
On the one hand, it is to be more realistic and requires a curative effect process. On the other hand, Li Ang has to wait for a while before using the skill card on Ronaldo. At that time, Ronaldo can best feel a healthy state after a relatively "long" wait.
Only when you bring joy to yourself can you cherish it more. Of course, you will also be more grateful to Li Ang. Things that are easily obtained are always less cherished and appreciated.
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Donetsk is the industrial center of the former Soviet Union. It was a famous coal city as early as the former Soviet Union. In May 1936, Shakhtar Donetsk was officially established. The original team name was Stakhas, which was the name of a miner.
The team initially participated in the Soviet Champions League and began to participate in the Ukrainian domestic league after arriving in Ukraine. However, the historical Shakhtar team could only be regarded as unknown until 1996 when billionaire Akhmetov took over the team.
Akhmetov is a rich man comparable to Chelsea owner Abramovich, but he has a different attitude from Abramovich, that is, he "will never invest in foreign teams" and he regards Shakhtar Donetsk as his heart.
The only one. After becoming the owner of Shakhtar Donetsk, Akhmetov invested a large amount of money for the Shakhtar. The club opened a new youth academy, equipped with modern facilities, and spent 400 million US dollars to build a new team.
The new home stadium is the Donbas Arena. Under the management of Akhmetov, Shakhtar began to break Dynamo Kyiv's domestic monopoly and gradually became the best performing club in Ukraine in the new millennium.
One of the characteristics of Shakhtar Donetsk is that there are many Brazilian foreign players in the team, and it has also become a springboard for many South American players to enter the five major European leagues.
In the current Shakhtar Donetsk team, young Fernandinho is the most threatening player of this team. Fernandinho debuted in Brazil's Atletico Parana, and he represented the team at a young age.
The team played 72 times and scored 14 goals. Shakhtar Donetsk had a keen eye and brought 20-year-old Fernandinho to Donetsk this summer for 8 million euros.
Liang did not send Cambiaso to play today, but sent Carlos. This is because although Carlos does not have Cambiaso's organization and dispatching ability, Carlos's defense, interception and steal ability are stronger than Cambiaso's.
This Inter Milan has just completed a blood change, and the team is still in the most basic running-in period. Thanks to Li Ang's LION tactics, this Inter Milan can exert one-third of the effect.
In this case, Leon has high hopes for Carlos, who wants to dismember Shakhtar Donetsk from the midfield.
As for Stankovic, what Li Ang arranged for him today is still a defensive midfield tactic!
It can be said that what Inter Milan uses today is a simplified version of the LION tactics that Li Ang used in the early days of Sporting Gijon. The core is: fighting!
Since the team has not yet been formed, then use as simple tactics as possible.
He is not the kind of rigid person who doesn't know how to adapt to changes. He knows that the team's tactics have just begun to be adjusted, but he still uses them mechanically.
If it is in Serie A, Li Ang does not mind the team making mistakes to gradually understand his tactics. However, this is a two-round knockout round. First, he must successfully pass the knockout round and enter the Champions League group stage. He will have time for the following Serie A league.
To gradually unite the team.
Therefore, what people saw in this game was that Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk were locked in a stranglehold in the midfield. According to the "Turin Sports Daily" after the game, both teams played nothing.
The rules are very ugly.
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It is indeed rather ugly.
However, the result Li Ang wanted was achieved.
In the first half of the game, after Carlos stole the ball in the midfield, he counterattacked Shakhtar Donetsk. Figo passed the overhead ball, Adriano returned the header, and Mata followed up and scored with a low shot.
!
One to zero, Inter Milan took a one to zero lead!
This goal was the only bright spot for Inter Milan in the entire first half of the game!
In the second half of the game, Li Ang replaced Ronaldo, who had an average performance.
Argentine youngster Sergio Aguero came on as a substitute.
In the 71st minute of the game, Aguero was dribbling the ball in the frontcourt and was pulled to the ground by his opponent.
Stankovic took a direct free kick. It was a powerful and heavy low shot. The football rolled quickly under the jumping wall. The goalkeeper of Shakhtar Donetsk, whose sight was blocked, could not save it, and the football went into the net!
Two to zero!
A counterattack!
Score a set piece!
Inter Milan, who did not play well on the field, won Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 at home.
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Although the scene did not look good, and there were even some embarrassing moments in the game, Inter Milan won the game, and his direct descendant Mata scored a goal. It was Carlos who stole the ball and launched a counterattack, and it was Li Ang who initiated the attack from the wing.
Veteran Figo, while substitute Aguero created a free kick that Stankovic scored.
The results were good, and several players appointed by Li Ang performed well.
Inter Milan's ugly performance after a major overhaul is nothing to worry about.
The media who were waiting to see the joke were holding back their words and waiting to laugh at Li Ang, but they did not get the chance...
This made many media very hurt.
While "Torino Sport" and other media ridiculed Inter Milan for playing in a chaotic manner, they could only say that it was not Inter Milan who played well, but Shakhtar Donetsk who played too poorly.
Only Gazzetta dello Sport praised the performance of several of Li Ang's signings, especially Carlos, the Spanish teenager nicknamed Gattuso Jr., who made it impossible for Shakhtar Donetsk's midfield to organize a decent attack.
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In short, the process of Li Ang's first game was not ideal, but the result was ideal. His team won the first round and did not allow the opponent to score an away goal. The prospect of advancing to the UEFA Champions League group stage is bright.
Those who were waiting to see his jokes were disappointed and could only continue to wait.
PS: Update 4. Thanks to Tang Dachui for the 30,000 reward. Update 3.