Chapter 256 The Hungry Lion (Part 1)

Having gained Rigano's trust, Zhang Jun's days in Florence became much easier. Mondonico was very satisfied with this. The atmosphere within the team was now quite good. With the help of Di Livio and Rigano, Zhang Jun was integrating into the team smoothly. Now, Fiorentina's only goal was to accelerate their chase in the remaining half of the season and strive to secure promotion to Serie A by the end of the league season.

This was the task that Fiorentina club gave to Mondonico, and it had been Fiorentina club's only goal for the past four years.

Zhang Jun knew that with Captain Di Livio on his side, team relations were not a problem. He should focus his attention on the field. He needed to score, to score constantly, a lot of goals, just like he did in Volendam.

What defines success? Helping the team get promoted with goals and becoming a hero of this city.

Everyone who had been paying attention to Zhang Jun since his debut knew that Zhang Jun was a highly efficient shooter. Otherwise, he would not have been able to enter the Eredivisie scorer list in the top four for three consecutive seasons, even when he didn't play a full season.

Even at AC Milan, where adapting to a new environment delayed him, Zhang Jun quickly started scoring.

From his experience in the first Serie B match, Zhang Jun believed that in some ways, Serie B was indeed more intense than Serie A: faster transitions between offense and defense, more emphasis on physicality in defense, rougher moves, and a more lenient refereeing standard.

But Zhang Jun also learned something from it. When he was injured, Basten told him not to only use acceleration to break past defenders, but also to learn how to make good use of his technique. Now was the time to use technique, to minimize physical contact with opponents, to use technique and feints to deceive the opponent and then shoot at the first opportunity.

In the team's usual training, the players were amazed by Zhang Jun's ability to control the accuracy of his shots, basically hitting wherever he aimed. Rigano asked Zhang Jun how he did it. Zhang Jun told him that when he was in the Volendam youth team, the coach specially made a mobile "goal" that was the same size as a regular goal in order to improve his shooting accuracy. The difference between this "goal" and other regular goals was that there was no net behind it. Inside the goalposts was a wire mesh the same size as the goal, with forty holes slightly larger than a soccer ball, eight across and five down.

"The coach required us to be able to shoot the ball into the holes from anywhere in the penalty area."

"Anywhere in the penalty area?" Rigano was a little surprised. "Isn't that a bit too demanding?"

Zhang Jun nodded: "So many people can't complete it."

"Did you complete it?" Rigano smiled.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Jun nodded again, "The best score was eighteen goals in twenty shots."

Rigano's smiling mouth twitched: "Static shooting?"

"No." Zhang Jun shook his head this time, "It's running shooting. My accuracy is lower when I'm standing still."

Rigano felt a cold sweat on his back. After hearing what Zhang Jun said, he realized how terrifying this Chinese kid was. He had looked down on him before because he didn't know anything about him. Now, after two weeks of training together and two games, with Zhang Jun scoring one goal and two assists, Rigano gradually saw that this forward who "couldn't make it in Milan" was not what the ignorant Italian media said.

Rigano couldn't tell how good Zhang Jun was because he was always very humble, not good at showing off, and rarely took the initiative to show his abilities in front of others. Because they hadn't been in contact for very long, Rigano wasn't sure whether this was Zhang Jun's way of protecting himself or if it was just his personality.

But one thing was certain: if someone told Rigano that Zhang Jun could score three goals in the next game, he would believe it.

The "raging bull" was just such a person. He could hate someone very much, and he could also like someone very much, provided that the person had to earn his trust. Zhang Jun had already earned the "raging bull's" trust.

Because they were partners.

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"goooooooooooooooooooooAL!! Zhang's second goal in Florence comes so quickly! The game has only started eight minutes! Zhang scored Genoa's goal with a long shot from outside the penalty area! That's a beautiful shot!"

Zhang Jun excitedly waved his fist at the south stand of the Stadio Artemio Franchi, where the most concentrated group of Fiorentina die-hard fans was located—the Viola Fans Association, the largest fan group in the Florence area. Rigano had told Zhang Jun that if he wanted to get the widest public support in Florence, then it would be right to please these fans. They can even influence the local media's attitude towards you.

Sure enough, he received a huge cheer that drove everyone crazy. The Stadio Artemio Franchi, which can hold 47,000 people, was filled with more than 30,000 people today. Serie B has entered the second half of the season, which is also the critical moment for promotion to Serie A. The fans will not miss every Fiorentina home game.

Now Fiorentina is ranked sixth in the standings. According to the Serie B promotion rules, the top two teams at the end of the season will be directly promoted to Serie A, and the four teams from third to sixth will enter the promotion play-offs to determine the last Serie A spot.

Now, except for Empoli, who is ranked first, and Torino, who is ranked second, with a difference of eight points, the biggest difference between the teams ranked second to seventh is only three points. The higher the ranking, the more intense the competition. Torino, who is ranked second, and Verona, who is ranked third, have the same points and the same goal difference. Torino is only ranked second because they have five more goals than Verona.

Genoa, Fiorentina's opponent in this game, is ranked behind them, seventh.

The two teams are two points apart. If Fiorentina wins, it will be a good opportunity to widen the gap. Because Genoa is six points away from Piacenza in eighth place, so there is no need to worry about losing Genoa and gaining Piacenza.

Rigano rushed into the penalty area the moment Zhang Jun shot, intending to make a follow-up shot. Because when he played against Genoa in the first half of the season, he knew that the team's goalkeeper was quite good. In one game, four of his threatening shots were saved by him, and the team had to accept a draw in the away game.

He saw that Zhang Jun's thigh was not fully extended in this shot, and it should be a hasty shot, so the goalkeeper would be able to save it more easily. Thinking of Zhang Jun's terrifying accuracy, he expected that the ball would be saved, but not necessarily caught. As long as it was not hit out of bounds, then he would still have a chance to make a follow-up shot.

The goalkeeper indeed judged correctly and flew towards the direction of the ball. But Zhang Jun's shot was more tricky than he and Rigano had imagined. The ball drilled into the goal along the inside of the post.

The goalkeeper's arm was out of reach, and he could only sigh at the ball.

As the commentator said, it was a beautiful goal.

The goal in the eighth minute of the opening completely disrupted Genoa's arrangements. They had originally planned to defend steadily in the away game and then look for opportunities to counterattack. But they did not expect to concede a goal first by Zhang Jun's "cold shot" from outside the penalty area.

Genoa fought back, but unfortunately, they relied entirely on defense to rank seventh, and their offense was not very good. So, they couldn't do anything against Fiorentina's defense line led by the old captain Di Livio.

On the other hand, Zhang Jun ignored Genoa's top-ranked defense in Serie B and was very active in the frontcourt. This was his third game for Fiorentina, his second home game, and he urgently needed to prove to the fans and the local media that he was a first-class striker and that he had the ability to help the team get promoted.

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In the twenty-seventh minute, Rigano was fouled twenty-three meters in front of the goal, and the referee gave Fiorentina a direct free kick. This was a great opportunity for Zhang Jun. He carefully placed the ball on the grass, then took two steps back and waited for the opponent to line up the wall.

Zhang Jun looked down at his purple jersey. When Robby taught him free kicks in Brescia, he never thought that one day he would come to Florence to play football. It had only been three years, and so many things had happened to him that he was sometimes overwhelmed, not having time to breathe or think about why.

Praise, joy, blame, and pain, he had tasted them all, also within these three years. Sophie graduated, got a job, his father passed away, Yang Pan fell in love, An Ke became a professional player... Not only him, but even the people around him were changing.

His relationship with Robby was linked together because of this free kick. In a sense, his relationship with Florence was also linked together by this free kick. And his path seemed to turn a corner three years ago, just like this arc. Where would it eventually lead? Zhang Jun didn't know.

So now, let's use this arc to draw the first rainbow for my future.

Genoa's wall was finally lined up slowly, with a total of five people, blocking Zhang Jun's front tightly.

The referee stepped aside, and when he retreated to a place where it would not interfere with the ball's flight, he blew the whistle in his mouth.

"Beep!"

Zhang Jun took a run-up, one step, two steps, three steps, his left foot stepped beside the ball, and his right foot quickly whipped the middle and lower part of the ball like a braid. At the same time, he stretched out his hands and kept his upper body straight.

The ball flew out, kicking up a patch of grass.

It was a very, very clear arc, like a rainbow in the sky, crossing over the wall that jumped up to block it, and drilling straight into the upper left corner of the goal.

The goalkeeper who had suffered a lot from Rigano in the first half of the season only turned his head to look at the ball—when he found that the ball had come out from behind the wall, it was too late to make a move.

The ball suddenly dropped as it approached the goal, drilled into the goal along the crossbar, and hit the net!

A dipping shot!

The Stadio Artemio Franchi boiled for the second time. More than 30,000 fans shouted loudly the moment the ball hit the net. They were shouting: "goooooooAL!!"

"gooooooooooooooooAL!! Zhang's second goal! A brilliant direct free kick! Poor Scarpi! He didn't even make a move! Let us cheer for Zhang!!"

In the past, when Zhang Jun scored a free kick, he would only celebrate with a smile, just like the name of the free kick. But this time, Zhang Jun's celebration was so rough that those who knew him would be shocked. He ran wildly to the corner flag, then kicked the corner flag pole flying. Finally, he roared at the camera lens.

It had been three months since he had played such enjoyable football. Dribbling, accelerating, shooting, and then scoring! This was the football he wanted, the purest football. Even if he was covered in injuries, he would continue to play like this, playing the most beautiful and exciting football.

He didn't want to please anyone now, he just wanted to satisfy himself. That heart that longed for passion had stopped beating for three months. Just like Qiu Suhui said in Volendam, the current Zhang Jun was a starving lion who would not let go of any opportunity to hunt prey.

Di Livio rushed up from behind and hugged Zhang Jun tightly before he gradually calmed down.

"Well done, Zhang!"

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Zhang Jun's two goals destroyed Genoa's morale. Although they wanted to equalize the score afterwards, they were unable to do so. Their chaotic attacks could not pose a threat to Fiorentina at all. On the other hand, the combination of Zhang Jun and Rigano often caused danger in front of Genoa's goal.

"Rigano's powerful shot! But it was saved by the goalkeeper! He is holding his head, very frustrated!"

"This is Maspero's wonderful pass! Zhang's late insertion, a one-on-one! Ah! Zhang's shot hit the far post! Rigano followed up with a shot—he missed! He actually missed!!"

"The first half is coming to an end, Fiorentina has had a good start. It seems that their hope of being promoted to Serie A this season is very high!"

Just as the commentator said this, Di Livio made a long pass from the backcourt of fifty meters. Rigano jumped high in front, using his physical advantage to grab the position. Then he saw Zhang Jun appearing within his line of sight.

With a flick of his head, the ball was headed towards Zhang Jun. It was a bit far, about twenty-four meters. Rigano thought that Zhang Jun should stop the ball, then wait for his teammates to come up and make plans.

But Zhang Jun found that the opponent's goalkeeper was standing a bit forward when Rigano passed the ball. If he could draw an arc, he would have a chance to score.

The ball Rigano headed to him was perfect for a direct shot. Zhang Jun thought that Rigano thought the same way, so he would give him an assist.

Since it was the raging bull's assist, it couldn't be wasted. Zhang Jun thought this, and his body leaned back slightly, his left foot as a support foot, his right leg lifted high back according to the height of the ball, and his hands were spread out to maintain balance. The whole movement was very coordinated.

When the ball arrived, his right foot also arrived, a volley!

A volley!

Genoa's goalkeeper, Scarpi, was taken aback, because the opponent's ball was still in the backcourt just now, so he was standing relatively forward. But he didn't expect that it would reach the front of the penalty area in just two seconds. It was too late to retreat at this time. He could only hope that Zhang Jun would stop the ball, then rely on the defenders to surround him, giving him time to retreat. He didn't expect again that Zhang Jun would really shoot directly, and he shot very accurately!

He could only reflexively jump backwards on the spot, raising his left hand high to hit upwards, hoping to hit the ball out of the goal area.

But his rising speed was far less than the speed of Zhang Jun's full-strength shot. The ball flew past his fingertips quickly, and then smashed into the bottom edge of the crossbar amidst huge cheers, and then bounced into the goal.

The ball went in again!!

A hat-trick!!

"An incredible goal! Zhang takes a volley directly from outside the penalty area! The ball actually went in! This is his third goal of the game! A hat-trick! A hat-trick!! The Stadio Artemio Franchi is only cheering for one person! That is Zhang—Jun!! A young man from China!"

Rigano looked at Zhang Jun, who was surrounded by everyone, and his excited look would make people think that Fiorentina had already been successfully promoted.

He thought he would stop the ball, but he didn't expect that he would shoot directly! And he actually scored!

Rigano found somewhat unwillingly that maybe he would never be able to surpass this person in his life, although his number of goals was more than Zhang Jun's right now.

He was an ordinary person who had worked hard step by step, and what about him? A genius who had been unlucky in recent months.

Fortunately, he was only here on loan. If it was a permanent transfer, when would he be able to make a name for himself?

Zhang Jun squeezed out of the crowd and ran towards Rigano, who was standing blankly on the side. "Great assist, raging bull!" he said with a smile, hugging Rigano.

Rigano murmured in his ear: "Well done, Zhang."