Chapter 1 The Parting

Hua-jie had already taken care of things on her end. Now, Zhang Jun was contemplating how to break the news to his two teammates.

Yang Pan returned late last night, close to midnight. Seeing his exhausted face, Zhang Jun decided to let him rest. He would talk to him tomorrow. Tomorrow was their day off, they would have the whole day.

He only told Yang Pan that it had been a while since they last hung out, and that he would invite Kaka and Li Yongle over for a meal tomorrow.

Yang Pan was taken aback. It was true. They hadn't gathered since Zhang Jun's father passed away; no one was in the mood.

Yang Pan was unaware of Zhang Jun's true intentions for the gathering. He simply assumed that Zhang Jun was gradually emerging from the shadows and was in the mood for everyone to get together for a meal and a chat.

Relieved, he went to shower, changed, and went to bed. Of course, before leaving, he didn't forget to say goodnight to Zhang Jun.

The next day, Kaka and Li Yongle happily arrived for the appointment, and Zhang Jun joined in their laughter. However, this time he didn't cook himself, but instead called for takeout.

Yang Pan found this odd. In the past, Zhang Jun would always cook himself to showcase his increasingly exquisite culinary skills.

Zhang Jun responded with a smile, saying he was taking a break today. In reality, forcing a smile was already difficult enough; asking him to cook would be too much.

As usual, the four of them ate and joked around, but they all had an unspoken agreement not to mention anything that had happened in the past two months.

Zhang Jun laughed and joked with them, but occasionally he would space out for a moment. He would think to himself, 'I won't be able to have meals with you like this as often anymore.'

During the fun, there would always be a brief pause, and everyone would fall silent.

Li Yongle kept his head down and ate. How had he never noticed how much he could eat? Yang Pan drank his juice, his eyes wandering aimlessly, seemingly lost in thought. Kaka took a bite, then looked around, not at all like the upstanding image he presented to the outside world.

It seemed like the right time.

Zhang Jun cleared his throat. "Actually... uh, today's meal is a farewell dinner."

"A farewell dinner? What do you mean?" Kaka, who wasn't paying much attention to his food, was the first to be drawn in.

"Simply put, I plan to leave this place, leave AC Milan, leave Milan."

Li Yongle coughed, nearly sucking a piece of macaroni into his windpipe.

Yang Pan finally turned his gaze to Zhang Jun.

"Leave? Are you kidding, Zhang Jun? Just because you can't tell jokes doesn't mean you have to do this. Besides, it's not funny at all." Kaka earnestly played along with Zhang Jun's "joke."

"No, I'm being serious. I've been thinking about this for a long time. Leaving Milan would be the best..."

With a clatter, Kaka dropped his knife and fork, stood up abruptly, and grabbed Zhang Jun by the shoulders, knocking over his juice in the process.

"What are you thinking, Zhang Jun? Why are you leaving? We finally got to be together. Didn't you say we'd play together in the future? If we can't be teammates on the national team, can't we even be teammates at the club?" Kaka shook Zhang Jun's shoulders excitedly.

The scene at the airport after high school graduation was reenacted in Milan today, but the roles were reversed. Zhang Jun looked at Yang Pan with a wry smile, seeking his help with his eyes.

Are you serious, Zhang Jun? Yang Pan asked with his eyes.

Of course, I've been thinking about it for a long time. Zhang Jun replied with his eyes.

Why?

Staying here will only cause trouble for everyone.

Yang Pan sighed and patted Kaka. "Let Zhang Jun finish, Kaka. I think he has a lot to say."

Relieved by Yang Pan's intervention, Zhang Jun looked at the three pairs of slightly bewildered eyes and cleared his throat again. "What's happened in the past month has exceeded my expectations, and I can't control it. I've been thinking for a long time whether I should stay at a powerhouse like AC Milan as a substitute, looking for opportunities to prove myself again, or go to a non-powerhouse team as a starter and prove myself in a different way. Actually, before the scandal with Ilaria was exposed, I was leaning towards the former, because the latter felt like running away, and I didn't want people to say that Zhang Jun was fleeing Milan. But after that incident, everything changed. My relationship with most of my teammates has soured to the extreme. I used to be able to maintain a polite facade with Inzaghi, but now you've all seen the situation. Ancelotti never liked me from the start, because I spent the money he was supposed to use to buy a defender..."

"Don't say that, Zhang Jun..." Kaka wanted to defend the coach.

"Don't say anything. I know. I don't mean to complain about Ancelotti. From his perspective, he didn't do anything wrong. It's just that I'm not up to par, and I dropped the ball at a critical moment. I'm not saying this to express dissatisfaction with anyone, and leaving Milan isn't a childish act of defiance. Given my current situation, staying in Milan will only cause trouble for everyone..."

"No, how could it be trouble?" Kaka waved his hands.

"I know. It's actually quite awkward being stuck in the middle, right, Kaka?" Zhang Jun asked with a smile.

Kaka fell silent.

"Besides, I think leaving Milan will actually be beneficial for my future development. You all know my bad temper, and that kind of personality doesn't really mesh well with AC Milan's philosophy. Forcing me to stay here would be a loss for both me and Milan. I know Milan wants to buy Lecce's Bojinov, and if I don't leave, I'll be taking up a non-EU spot for nothing. I'm clearly not in form right now. I think maybe changing places, going to a new environment, might help me find my feeling... To be honest, I've lost interest in football, and every day I feel tired here." Zhang Jun pointed to his chest. "Changing places might be better."

"Changing places... Have you ever considered that if you change to a new environment, you still might not find your form?" Yang Pan asked in his usual tone.

"Yang Pan, that question of yours... That's impossible. I have no way back now. Since I've chosen to leave, I have to succeed, even if it means changing myself." Zhang Jun forced a smile.

"Why not change yourself in Milan?" Yang Pan continued to ask.

"You know, Yang Pan, in my first game in Milan, I watched Sheva score from the sidelines, but I wasn't nearly as excited as I thought I would be. For the first two months, I was trying hard to fit in with the team. Everyone accepted me, and I scored goals. It seemed like there shouldn't be any problems. But that's just what other people thought. I knew very well that no matter how many goals I scored, how good the teammates were to me, how much the fans cheered for me every day, there was an invisible wall between me and Milan. Maybe I'm really not suited for Milan, and I don't belong there. I chose to join Milan in the first place partly to play with you guys and partly to be Li Yongle's rival in the same city. The other reason was vanity, wanting to be famous. Looking back on it now, I was so naive." Zhang Jun laughed at himself.

"Then, yesterday, Robi called me. He suggested I go to Fiorentina. Although the team is still in Serie B, they've always wanted to get into Serie A. I thought that if I went, I should be able to help them do that. While you guys were playing against Lecce, I thought about it a lot and decided to accept Robi's suggestion."

"Go to Serie B? Are you crazy, Zhang Jun?!" Kaka was even more shocked. "I know Fiorentina used to be famous, but that's all in the past. They're not doing so well now!"

Yang Pan also explicitly expressed his opposition. "I don't agree, Zhang Jun. Let's not talk about whether you can successfully become a starter there and help the team get promoted. Just the decrease in attention will have a huge impact on you. Qiu is currently making big changes to the national team, just like he did when he was in the Olympics. He's replaced a lot of former mainstays, and the pressure is very high. To avoid suspicion, he can't always recruit players who are close to him into the national team. He has to look at their form. If you're in Serie B, how can he know your detailed situation? The World Cup will be held in Germany next June. If you can't attract people's attention before then..."

"That's why I said it's a gamble. I have no way back, Yang Pan."

"Why do you have to push yourself to this point?"

"I used to be not proactive enough, lacking a sense of ambition. I want to put myself in the worst environment to see how I can perform." Zhang Jun smiled at Yang Pan. "I want to see how much ability I really have. Is 'China's number one striker' just an empty title, or is it the real deal?" Zhang Jun thought of that phrase again.

Stay in Italy, prove it to AC Milan, prove it to those who ridicule you, that you are the best! Prove it with goals!

Every time Zhang Jun thought of these words, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

"I've said everything I need to say. This is my choice." After speaking, Zhang Jun looked at the other three. "I want to hear your opinions."

This time it was Yang Pan's turn to smile. "You've already made up your mind. What's the point of listening to our opinions? After listening to you say so much, leaving Milan is indeed good for you. I only hope you're happy, whether you're in Milan or Fiorentina. Do you understand, Zhang Jun?"

Zhang Jun nodded vigorously. He knew Yang Pan would support him, because he always put his brothers' interests first.

"Li Yongle?" He looked at Li Yongle, who had been silent from the beginning.

"Me? I'm not part of AC Milan. These things aren't easy to say. Although I'm not in Milan anymore, it's a bit of a shame that I won't be able to play in the Milan derby, but you'll always be my opponent. So you have to lead Fiorentina to Serie A. We Inter Milan have never been relegated, so don't expect to be my opponent in Serie B. Next season, I'll be waiting for you to come to the Meazza to challenge me in Inter Milan's starting lineup." Li Yongle waved his dining knife.

Zhang Jun smiled.

Kaka also smiled. "What's going on? This is clearly a farewell speech. You're too cunning, Zhang Jun."

"Kaka, are you still mad at me?"

"Of course I'm mad! If you want my opinion, then I don't agree with you leaving... But, but this is your own choice, and my opinion can be ignored. Besides, I said you wouldn't listen, right?"

Zhang Jun smiled sheepishly.

"If you can be happier and more successful in Fiorentina than in Milan, I won't stop you. It's just that maybe I'll never have the chance to play with you again, and I won't be able to pass the ball to you anymore..."

Kaka's voice trailed off. Although the time was short, he really missed those five months. Unlike Yang Pan and Li Yongle, they could still play together on the national team in the future. But what about him? They would only meet again as opponents, fighting for their respective national teams and club teams.

This was really upsetting.

Seeing that the atmosphere wasn't right, Yang Pan quickly clapped his hands. "Kaka, don't make the atmosphere so dramatic. We're still in the same country, it's not like we'll never see each other again. Fiorentina isn't too far from Milan. We can always visit when we have time. Let's eat, it's all getting cold. We're finally together today, so let's just have fun and not think about anything else."

"Yeah, let's have fun and not think about anything else." Kaka nodded. "But I need to use the bathroom. Can I use your bathroom?"

"Damn it!" Yang Pan kicked Kaka out. "Don't talk about that at the dinner table."

Watching Kaka's retreating figure, Yang Pan sighed. "That kid... You really hurt his feelings, Zhang Jun. He finally thought he would have a chance to play together, to win honors together. Do you remember the group photo we took when we first came to Milan? The reporters called us the new three musketeers. Kaka really cares about that title."

"Yang Pan, I'm sorry..."

"Idiot! Why are you apologizing to me? Since this is your choice, you have to do well. Show us your success in Fiorentina!"

"Even if it means snatching the championship away from Milan?" Zhang Jun said with a smile.

"If you have the ability, then come try it." Yang Pan didn't back down, as if they were already enemies working for different sides.

"Yang Pan, there's actually something I can't let go of..."

"What is it? Tell me. See if I can help you solve it."

"This thing... I'm afraid you can't solve it." Zhang Jun deliberately whetted Yang Pan's appetite.

"Damn it! Just say it straight! Spit it out! There probably aren't many things I can't do."

"This is probably one of those few things... After I leave, who's going to cook for you?"

"..."

Li Yongle spit out the juice he had just drunk, not bothering to wipe his mouth, but instead collapsing on the table laughing.

"Ugh! Li Yongle, you're disgusting!" Kaka, who came out of the bathroom, saw Li Yongle's state and exclaimed exaggeratedly.

This was the right atmosphere. This was the atmosphere we should have together, the previous stuff was just an exception. Zhang Jun smiled greedily, afraid that he wouldn't have many chances to smile like this in the future.

"Li Yongle, stop laughing! Wipe your mouth! I've lost my appetite!"

"Oh, my stomach..."

※※※

Della Valle and Galliani were friends, so AC Milan and Fiorentina's contact went smoothly. Zhang Jun also made his attitude clear to the club: if he had to leave, he would only go to Fiorentina.

Within ten days, the two sides had basically agreed on everything else, with only a small disagreement on whether it would be a loan or a transfer. Fiorentina wanted a permanent transfer, but AC Milan thought Zhang Jun might still have some use in the future and didn't want to easily give up all ownership of Zhang Jun. They wanted Fiorentina to loan Zhang Jun and see how it went.

In the end, Della Valle relented and agreed to loan Zhang Jun until the end of this Serie B season. But he also added a clause: Fiorentina would have the right of first refusal to purchase Zhang Jun after the loan period expired.

Within ten days, the two clubs completed all contract negotiations and signing work, and this entire process was kept highly confidential, never revealed to the media from beginning to end.

The loan contract itself didn't have any issues in terms of treatment, because the weekly salary was paid by AC Milan. But Hua Fang requested that Fiorentina guarantee Zhang Jun's playing time in the contract, because it was related to whether he could be selected for the national team to participate in the German World Cup.

Della Valle was a little annoyed. If he was going to loan Zhang Jun, he was definitely going to let him play. Otherwise, what was the point of loaning him? To put him outside the Franchi Stadium as a statue of David? Hua Fang's actions were clearly questioning his sincerity.

Of course, this was a small problem, and it could be noted in the contract.

Due to the efficient work of both sides, the contract was negotiated and finalized in two days.

When Zhang Jun signed his Chinese name in Fiorentina's meeting room, he looked up and saw Roberto Baggio at the door.

"I'm very happy to see you in Florence, Zhang." Baggio winked at him.

"I'm here, Robi."

On December 22, 2005, the news that Zhang Jun had been loaned from AC Milan to Serie B team Fiorentina quickly became known to the news media. Only then did they realize that Zhang Jun would not be in Milan or in Serie A for the second half of the season.

※※※

"After the game, you can pack your things in the San Siro locker room. After New Year's Day, you'll go to Fiorentina to report. There will be a simple press conference and a fan welcome ceremony there. Then you'll need to adapt to the new environment, the new team, the new coach, the new teammates... Even the old guy guarding the gate is new. You have to adapt as soon as possible, because there will be a Serie B game on January 7th, which will be a very important game for you." Hua Fang sat next to Zhang Jun, explaining the arrangements for the future.

In the last game before Christmas, Zhang Jun was selected for the substitute list. He didn't know if he would be able to play, but his mind wasn't completely on that. For him, even if he sat on the bench for ninety minutes in AC Milan's red and black jersey, it wouldn't matter. The purple jersey of Fiorentina was clearly more attractive to him now.

"Hua-jie, how's the lawsuit going in China?"

"The court is still investigating and collecting evidence. It will probably take a while for the retrial."

"Yeah, I was thinking... No matter what the verdict is in the second instance, let's just accept it. Whether it's an apology or compensation, let's just accept it. It's not worth wasting our time and energy on that person. Thinking about it now, I was so naive to think about fighting the lawsuit to the end, and I fell right into their trap."

Hua Fang looked at Zhang Jun in surprise. He could actually say something like that!

"What's wrong?" Zhang Jun was a little strange to see Hua-jie staring at him in a daze.

"No, nothing. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving." Hua Fang stood up. "Tomorrow's game, whether you play or not, perform well. It's the last time you'll wear the Milan jersey."

"Thank you, Hua-jie. I understand."

After sending Hua Fang away, Zhang Jun turned around and called Sophie. He looked at the watch, half past twelve in the afternoon. It should be half past seven in the evening in China, and Sophie should be off work.

※※※

Sophie had just finished a trip to the Chinese Football Association with Yan Wei, and then had a quick meal at a fast food restaurant. After eating, she had to rush back to the agency to develop the film she had taken today and hand it over to the editor for layout.

Just as she took the first bite of her fried chicken leg, her phone rang.

"Hello, is this Sophie?"

"Zhang Jun!" Sophie exclaimed and quickly covered her mouth. Yan Wei looked at her. She smiled apologetically and got up to leave the fast food restaurant.

"I've been busy these days, so I haven't called you much. I can finally relax now. How are you?"

Sophie leaned against the railing on the sidewalk, tucking her hair, which had been messed up by the night wind, behind her ear. "I'm fine. I'm following Yan-ge every day and learning a lot of things."

"That's good, but don't work too hard. You have to take care of yourself." The streets of Beijing were noisy, but Sophie could only hear Zhang Jun's voice.

"Yeah... You too, take care of yourself."

"Um... I'm leaving Milan, did you know?"

"I know. The domestic media has been very lively these past few days, with all the news about you running away from Milan. Hehe!" Sophie said with a laugh, making a joke about Zhang Jun.

"Ha! Sophie, what do you think?" Zhang Jun said with a smile. He seemed to be in a good mood.

"Of course I don't think you're running away. In football, you're the best!" Sophie said firmly, without any hesitation.

"Thank you, Sophie. Uh... Have you had dinner yet? It's 7:30 in the evening there, right..."

"I've had it. I just finished eating. Have you decided to go to Fiorentina?"

"Yes, I've decided. To play in Serie B, and then take the team to Serie A in half a season."

"That's a very beautiful city."

"Yeah."

"When I go there, I'll take a lot of pictures for you."

"Okay."

"But I probably won't be able to go abroad until June."

"That's a pity..."

"So you have to do well in Florence. By the time I go to see you, you and the team will be in Serie A." Just as Sophie finished speaking, she saw Yan Wei coming out of the fast food restaurant and looking towards her. She understood that it was time to rush back to the newspaper. "I'm sorry, Zhang Jun, I have to go to work now. Let's talk later, okay?"

"Okay, take care. It should be snowing in Beijing. Put on more clothes if it's cold... Goodbye, Sophie."

"Goodbye, Zhang Jun."

Yan Wei looked at Sophie as she walked towards him. "You haven't finished your meal yet."

"I'm not hungry... Let's go."

"Yeah." Yan Wei got into the jeep and started the car. Sophie got in from the other side and saw Yan Wei hand her a hamburger, a portion of fries, and a cup of hot milk. "I knew you'd answer me like that. But you have to eat. No matter how busy you are, you have to eat first."

Sophie took the items. The milk was still a little hot, and the fries and hamburger were also warm. "Thank you, Yan-ge."

"Hey! What are you thanking me for? Li Yan entrusted you to me. If anything happens to you, he'll kill me." Yan Wei started the car. "Eat on the way. Zhang Jun has been loaned to Fiorentina, and we're going to be very busy tonight."

※※※

Ilaria was still hosting her league live broadcast program on Sky TV. The rumors made more viewers watch her show, and she even secretly suspected that all of this was arranged by Christiansen, but then she thought better of it. This kind of baseless thing was hard to explain.

She was still wearing low-cut dresses on the show, and even lower than before. She was still using a seductive voice to tease the audience about the two sides of the game.

For the uninformed Zhang Jun, Ilaria was his foreign sister. He felt guilty for the trouble he had caused her, and he was also happy that she was okay now.

But for Ilaria D'Amico, what was Zhang Jun?

"Hello, dear viewers. Welcome to our weekend league live broadcast program. AC Milan, who recently defeated Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League group stage and successfully qualified, has been in good form recently. Their opponents in this round of the league are Roma, who were unexpectedly eliminated in the UEFA Cup, and their morale has been somewhat low. But this may allow them to concentrate all their energy on the league. I hope this will be a wonderful game. We are now broadcasting the main event of this round of the league - AC Milan vs Roma at home!"

※※※

The Milan locker room was not silent before the battle, but rather noisy. Recently, the team had won consecutive victories in both domestic and European arenas, and the players were in a good mood. The visiting team Roma had just lost, which would make the Milan players less motivated. Tactical arrangements had already been discussed yesterday, and there was not much meaning in today's pre-match preparation.

There was talking, noise, and the clanging of cleats hitting the marble floor. The coach and Captain Maldini were not in the locker room, and the scene was somewhat like a supermarket. Many people were discussing where to spend the Christmas holiday, but no one was thinking about their opponents.

In this situation, only two people were silent, which seemed somewhat unusual. One was Milan's vice-captain Gattuso, and the other was Zhang Jun, who was about to leave.

After Zhang Jun returned from warming up, he put on his trousers and coat. Even in the air-conditioned locker room, he still wrapped himself tightly, sat in the corner, and pondered, not paying attention to what was happening outside.

The opponent was Roma, who had just been eliminated from the UEFA Cup. We were still at home, Inzaghi's form continued to rise, and the whole team was in high spirits. Zhang Jun couldn't think of any chance he would have to play. Um... But it's not certain. If the team solved the battle before the end of the game, then Ancelotti might send me up to do some exercise in the last five minutes of garbage time, maybe...

Zhang Jun turned his head and saw Borriello, who was talking and laughing with Pirlo. Ugh, maybe it's just my wishful thinking...

The door was pushed open, and Maldini waved his hand with the captain's armband: "It's time to play, guys! We've kept the Romans waiting in the cold wind long enough!"

A huge laugh, and the sixteen Milan players ran to the stadium one after another.

As substitute players, Zhang Jun and Yang Pan went directly to the bench and sat down, and then they and the Roma players who had been standing outside for five minutes waited for the eleven starting players led by Maldini to take the stage.

"Captain, Maldini!"

"Hooray—"

"Dida!"

"Hooray—"

"Shevchenko!"

"Hooray—"

"Kaka!"

"Hooray—"

"Gattuso!"

"Hooray—"

"Nesta!"

"Hooray—"

"Seedorf!"

"Hooray—"

Listening to this neat cheering, Zhang Jun remembered his first league game in Milan. At that time, they also ran out like this, accepting the cheers of the fans one by one. He was the last one to appear, and it felt like he was the finale. Listening to the cheers, he was excited and thought he had found his own stage. But what about now? Has it come to an end?

This was actually his last game for AC Milan this season, with no cheers or applause for him.

Turning his head to look at the teammates who ran out one by one, listening to the cheers that sounded again and again, Zhang Jun was a little mesmerized. I shouldn't be coming back, should I? If I want to come back, I'll have to come back as an enemy to accept your boos!

"The last one, Inzaghi!"

"Hooray—"

Was it Zhang Jun's illusion, but he actually felt that the cheers were twice as loud this time.

※※※

Sophie was working overtime at the newspaper, and Yan Wei and a dozen other colleagues were with her. Because the leagues of various European countries were underway, they all had to wait. When the front reporter's manuscript came over after the game, it would be their time to get busy.

Sophie looked down at the watch on her wrist, and the game was in progress. Many colleagues were in the conference room next door, watching the live broadcast of the Serie A game tonight on a 29-inch color TV, the main event of this round: AC Milan vs Roma.

But Sophie didn't want to go, because Zhang Jun wasn't on the field.

Although the game had already started, Zhang Jun's game hadn't started yet.

Zhang Jun, those who say you are a deserter are people who don't understand you. Only I know best what you're thinking. You definitely wouldn't be willing to leave like this, would you?

Cheer up!

※※※

Zhang Jun sat quietly on the bench, neither anxious nor frustrated. Yang Pan next to him had already been called by Ancelotti to warm up. The game was only thirty minutes old, and Roma was very difficult to deal with.

"What's going on!" Galliani cursed at the field in a low voice in the press box. "The Milan players are all sleepwalking on the field. Are they all thinking about how to spend Christmas?"

"No, at least there's still one person who hasn't lost his mind." Li Yan pointed to Gattuso, who had just fouled Totti and was shouting at his teammates when he got up. "He's like a mad dog, reminding his teammates. It's no wonder Galliani has set him as the next captain." He sincerely praised him. With such a person as a competitor, Yang Pan's difficulties are not small.

※※※

"Cheer up! Our opponent is Roma, not an amateur team!" Gattuso kept shouting.

Looking at his fierce performance on the field, who knew that he would be a modest gentleman off the field?

Football is a sport that belongs to men, Zhang Jun thought. Why hadn't he thought of this some time ago? Constantly being afraid of this and that, standing still, these are not the performance that a man should have. No wonder others laugh at me as a coward.

If I'm given a chance, maybe I can't prove to everyone how strong I am, but at least I can prove to them that I'm not a coward!

Zhang Jun turned his head and saw Ancelotti, and smiled mockingly: Forget it, just honestly wait for the ninety minutes of the game to end, and then pack your things and leave.

※※※

Yang Pan was replaced in the fortieth minute, but he didn't replace Seedorf, but Pirlo. Pirlo was injured and fell to the ground in a fight with Roma midfielder Tomassi. After a short treatment, he was still unable to continue the game, and Ancelotti had no choice but to replace him with Yang Pan.

In this way, Gattuso was ordered to move to the center and become a defensive midfielder, which is the defensive midfielder. Yang Pan can finally go to the right, which he is best at.

But Milan's whole team was sluggish, and Yang Pan's role was not great after he came on the field. Except for occasionally shooting from a long distance to vent his anger, most of the time he was held tightly by Chivu. Because he had played against him in the Dutch Super League before, Chivu knew Yang Pan very well, and Roma coach Del Neri also knew that once the situation could not be opened, Yang Pan would definitely be sent on the field by Ancelotti, so he made arrangements for Yang Pan early.

Yang Pan barely shook off Chivu, and crossed hard into the penalty area, but Inzaghi hit the ball high under the interference of the defender.

"Damn it!" He slapped the grass hard, but he could only vent his anger on the grass, and had no way to deal with Roma's goal.

※※※

During the half-time break, the substitute players were warming up on the field, and Zhang Jun was the same. The team couldn't open the situation, and Borriello was eager and looking forward to performing at the same time. He was particularly active in the warm-up. As long as Milan wins this game, they will be able to beat Juventus and become the mid-season champion of Serie A. Borriello hoped to become such a hero.

Zhang Jun seemed indifferent, just completing the warm-up according to the assistant coach's words.

After the second half started, Milan attacked with all their strength as soon as they came up, taking full advantage on the field, but they couldn't turn the advantage into a victory. On the contrary, Roma's trident, composed of Totti, Montella, and Cassano, often threatened Dida's goal through the small cooperation of the three people.

"AC Milan is not in form today, and they have no way to deal with Roma's tenacious defense and sharp counterattacks! Inzaghi, who has been in good form for a long time, has also lost his way in the opponent's penalty area. I was thinking, Karol (Ancelotti) should make some adjustments. There are only thirty minutes left in the game!" The Sky TV commentator said worriedly.

The two sides made frequent mistakes in this game, and the quality of the attack was not very good. The scene was extremely boring.

※※※

Ancelotti looked at the bench next to him, and there was no one left. He said to the assistant coach: "Go call Mark back."

The assistant coach took the order and left. The head coach was going to strengthen the attack.

Zhang Jun watched the assistant coach pass him by in a hurry and walk towards the Milan substitute players' warm-up area. He didn't know who would be replaced this time.

Most of the teammates had been called to warm up, and now the only ones sitting with him on the bench were Pirlo, who was replaced in the first half. He had received treatment from the team doctor during the half-time break and was fine.

"Zhang, are you leaving after this game?" Pirlo suddenly took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Zhang Jun.

"Ah? Oh! Uh... Ye-yes." Zhang Jun reacted slowly. He thought Pirlo was talking to himself at first.

"But why do you have to go to a Serie B team?" Pirlo simply changed to sit next to Zhang Jun, occasionally paying attention to the field.

In the Milan team, due to Yang Pan's relationship, Pirlo's relationship with Zhang Jun was better than that of others.

"It's more suitable for my development... Some people are born to start and play for a wealthy family, but I seem to have no connection with a wealthy family. Volendam is a small and pitiful team, but I was quite successful there." Zhang Jun smiled mockingly.

Pirlo didn't know what to say.

The atmosphere was suddenly a little awkward.

Fortunately, Ancelotti helped them out.

"Zhang, go warm up."

Hearing the head coach say this, Zhang Jun's first reaction was not happiness, but surprise. Just like Pirlo took the initiative to strike up a conversation with him, he thought Ancelotti was talking to himself.

Pirlo touched him: "He's calling you, go warm up."

Zhang Jun woke up like a dream, took off his trousers and coat, and revealed the Milan red and black jersey with the number 11.

Pirlo patted him: "I believe you have the ability, but you lack only luck and time. Zhang, no matter where you play football, you have to work hard. It's not easy to be someone who has cooperated with Yang for more than ten years!"

Zhang Jun nodded gratefully, which could be regarded as a farewell message.

"Also, Merry Christmas!" Pirlo said with a smile.

Zhang Jun also smiled: "Merry Christmas!"

※※※

"Zhang Jun is actually going to warm up?" Li Yan, who was in the stands, felt a little strange. He had rarely seen this scene recently.

"What's so strange about that? It's his last game, Ancelotti always has to let him go up and say hello to the fans, to say goodbye." Galliani on the side looked like he was used to it.

"Say hello? That won't take long..."

"Five minutes, five minutes at most." Galliani spread his hand in front of Li Yan and shook it.

※※※

Borriello was replaced, Ancelotti replaced Seedorf, and changed to play three forwards. He wanted to win the game in the last twenty-five minutes.

But just like when Yang Pan was replaced, Borriello was quickly submerged in Roma's defense. The Romans were far more tenacious than they were thought to be before the game.

Although the situation was not optimistic, Ancelotti was as calm as ever, only shaking his head when Inzaghi wasted opportunities.

"Inzaghi, as a center, has not been able to find his form today.