Chapter 67 Brawl at the Top for the Top

How do you feel after that thrashing against Sampdoria? (News reporter)

First I don't think it was thrashed, it was only 3-0 if it was 4 or 5 it would be a 6+ massacre rout, second I feel unsatisfied it was my chance to score the first ha-trick of my career and I can't do it in this game alone I hope to be able to do 1 before the age of 20 if I don't think the Golden boy isn't worth as much as they say, for them to give it to me. (Usman)

Golden boy think you can conquer Golden boy?

Well, this year I'm the most promising young man in terms of what I think I can score 8 goals and 2 assists in 18 games and at the beginning of this season I already reached 9 goals 1 assist in just 9 games if I'm not considered with that average as victorious I still have time to show that I can win this trophy. (Usman)

That's a good confidence you have there, so we're curious. Do you think you can keep 1st place until when?

If I said we would be champions would you believe it? (Usman)

What assumptions do you base this on?

Well, you still have to ask how long we will be placed first in the championship, even if we try hard in each game we do not have control of it when we are practically only 1 point away from 2nd place, and we will face it in the next game at home, or either we have a chance of moving away from him, but we also have the possibility of losing the first position after this interview.

Thank you for these answers, our questions are over.

Good! If you did really well on the press tour, they really are behind our heads. (Conti)

I hope we can stay in first place for longer. (Usman)

If we can keep winning we will stay, no need to think about it too much(?)

???(Usman)

What is it, you can't have an opinion in your conversation when you talk so loudly? (Baby)

I'm just surprised you joined us. (Cossu)

Are you going to stand there? we have to get back on the bus. (Baby)

Okay.

Arriving the big day Cagliari x Roma who would be in 1st place after this game will it be Cagliari or Roma? (Storyteller)

What do you hope will happen here at the Sant'elia stadium today? (Commentator)

I won't say too much, but I think it's going to be Roma. (Storyteller)

Well I think Usman is going to barbecue Romano today. (Commentator)

Let's see the team formations.

Cagliari

GK Ruzittu 12

CB Astori 13 Ariaudo 3 RB Agostini 31 LB Danilo Avelar 8

DMF Conti 5 © CMF Nainggolan 4 Cepellini 32 AMF Cossu 7

CF Nenê 18 and Usman 10

And the players on the bench

GK Avramov 25 CB Rossettini 15 SB Pisano 14 Camilleri 2 CMF Eriksson 16 e Slot 11 Dessena 21 CF Sau 27 Pinilla 51

Now let's talk about the Roma team that came with;

GK Lobont

CB Burdisso and Marquinhos RB I. Piris LB Balzaretti

DMF De Rossi AMF Pjanic e Perrotta

SS Lamela CF Osvaldo SS Totti

The game starts with Nenê touching Usman, Usman touching Nainggolan, Nainggolan dominates the ball and touches it to the left on Dessena.

Totti drives the ball and makes a low pass to Osvaldo, Osvaldo receives the ball and is left alone with the goalkeeper, Osvaldo shoots at the goal.

Ruzittu throws himself on the ground defending with his leg throwing the ball to the left side, Totti chases the ball on the rebound and kicks it again, but this time the defenders blocked the kick sending the ball out.

Roma's first attack begins with Cagliari failing to exchange passes early in the game.

De Rossi takes the corner kick crossing into the area, the ball is headed by Osvaldo into the right corner of the goal, Ariaudo was there to make the block, but the ball goes over his head and it's Gol.

Gooooooooooooooooool! from Roma it's his Osvaldo, he scores the goal with a header in the 5th minute of the game.

The Cagliari fans put their hands on their heads with this goal, they are losing the throne.

The players reposition themselves on the field, returning to their seats, the game restarts with Nenê passing the ball to Usman.

Usman touches the ball to Cossu, Cossu dominates and drives it slowly forward touching the ball to Usman, Usman dominates and goes on the attack dribbling Marquinhos and heading towards Roma's goal, approaching the penalty area he is marked by Piris at 1-1 and lost the ball to Piris.

Piris dominates the ball and passes it to Perrotta, Perrotta passes it to Totti, the pass comes out weak and slow to the point that Dessena manages to intercept the pass and touches the ball to Cossu, Cossu drives the ball and thinks about dribbling De Rossi, seeing that De Rossi doesn't fall for the feint, he touches the ball to Avelar who is next to him, Avelar touches the ball to Usman, Usman dominates the ball with difficulty and tries to drive it towards the goal.

Usman is marked by Pjanic and tries to dribble him, but Pjanic is unable to steal the ball from Usman, preventing another attack from Cagliari, Pjanic retreats the ball in Balzaretti, Balzaretti dominates and Nainggolan ends up marking him chasing the ball, Balzaretti being cornered shoots it clears Osvaldo, Astori heads the ball forwards, the ball is contested in the air by Cossu and Pjanic, Cossu manages to head it in the direction of Nainggolan, but De Rossi was marking him heading the ball to Pjanic, Cossu Seeing Rossi head the ball instead Nainggolan runs towards Pjanic to intercept the ball.

Pjanic manages to dominate the ball and runs towards the right edge, retreating from the marking of Cossu, Nainggolan and Usman, he cannot leave the marking, losing the ball because Cossu manages to hit his foot on it causing him to lose possession of the ball.

Usman chases the ball that was taken from Pjanic, Usman reaches the ball and tries to launch it into the area for Nenê, but the pass is so weak that it lands at the foot of Burdisso, Burdisso sends the ball away to close to Agostini who dominates the ball and touches Nainggolan who retreats after Usman has attempted the pass to Nenê.

Nainggolan dominates and plays the ball to Nenê, Nenê is marked by Marquinhos and loses the ball in a challenge with him and the ball goes to the left side, Marquinhos and Usman chase the ball, Usman reaches it first and drives it into the area, but Piris who positions himself in front of Usman manages to steal the ball from him when Usman enters the area.

Piris who stole the ball touches to Burdisso, Burdisso drives the ball and touches Balzaretti on the left side, Balzaretti touches Lamela in front Lamela tries to dribble Agostini and loses the ball, the ball goes towards Nainggolan, Nainggolan dominates and pulls her to the end right and touches Nenê, Nenê moves the ball back to Cepellini, Cepellini tries to make a pass back to Nenê, but Nenê has already repositioned himself further forward and the ball is intercepted by De Rossi.

De Rossi dominates the ball, takes it forward and touches Lamela, Lamela dominates the ball and leads it towards the Cagliari goal through the field that is free because Agostini had advanced too much in the attack leaving the space open.

Lamela manages to penetrate inside the area and kicks the ball diagonally in the opposite corner of the goalkeeper, but the goalkeeper was prepared, jumped and grabbed the ball throwing himself on the ground to keep it completely safe.

Ruzittu throws the ball forward at Nenê who disputes it in the air with De Rossi, Nenê heads the ball to Usman, Usman dominates and takes the ball to the attack, but Burdisso manages to steal it easily, Burdisso tries to put the ball back to Piris and Cossu intercepts the pass dominating the ball Cossu touches Cepellini from behind to start the attacking move, Cepellini touches Usman, Usman dribbles Perrotta, Marquinhos and Burdisso enters the area and kicks it in the goal, the ball goes low the goalkeeper puts his foot in the ball and from the rebound the ball hits Balzaretti on the other side and goes back to the goalkeeper who almost lets the ball in by catching it with his feet and then holding it with his hands.

Lobont throws the ball to Perrotta, Perrotta dominates the ball and drives it towards the attack, touches it to Pjanic, Pjanic dominates and touches Lamela, Lamela thinks about going on the attack, but realizes that it would not be possible to dribble the defenders or pass the ball to someone and returns the ball to Pjanic, but that was his biggest failure as Nainggolan manages to intercept the pass dominating the ball and throwing the ball in front of Usman, Usman chases the ball and dominates being free to advance towards the goal Usman leads to ball and enter inside the area Lobont leaves the goal to receive it and Usman kicks the ball low on the right side of the goalkeeper.

Lobont can't react fast enough as the ball goes past his right and into the left corner of the goal.

Goooooooooooooooooooool! The Gladiator tied the game for Cagliari in the 40th minute of the game, Cagliari scored the goal, maintaining the first position in the table.

Cagliari 1 x 1 Roma.

Usman runs and hugs Nainggolan, the play came from him, he stole the ball and managed to make a pass quickly in one direction that Usman managed to reach the ball causing Usman to only complete the job that was to win in the x1 with the goalkeeper and that's what Usman do it best. (Storyteller)

The move came from the best players that Cagliari currently has. (Commentator)

The game resumes Osvaldo touches the ball to Totti, Totti touches it to De Rossi, Rossi touches Pjanic, Pjanic backs on Balzaretti, Balzaretti runs down the left but is caught by Nainggolan who manages to hit the ball and send it to touch.

Balzaretti takes the throw-in throwing the ball to Pjanic, Pjanic dominates and dribbles Nainggolan, Pjanic continues to drive the ball towards the attack and dribbles Cepellini too, but he is unable to pass him as he is knocked down by him, thus receiving a foul 35 m from the goal from Cagliari.

De Rossi takes the free kick, sending a cross to Totti who tries to volley it from the edge of the area, but who wins in the air is Avelar who heads the ball forward towards the center of the field, where Piris and Usman chase for those arriving on the ball first before it even hits the ground.

Piris manages to arrive first and touches De Rossi's ball before it falls to the ground, De Rossi dominates the ball and tries to dribble Nenê, as he fails he makes a pass to Perrotta, but the ball is intercepted by Avelar again who kicks the ball in the direction from Cossu, Cossu manages to dominate the ball, but he can't do anything because the referee whistles the end of the first half.

Cagliari 1 x 1 Roma.

It's hard to think about it, but we are tied for having failed passes at the beginning of the game, I know it's a difficult game, but to miss at the beginning of a game for the throne was that a lack of mental or psychological preparation? (Ivo)

Are you lacking will to win or were you scared to face them?

Good boss, I think it's just nervousness that they're playing a final for the first time in their lives. (Conti)

Well well Madam Captain it wasn't a direct question it was a rhetoric if it was to be answered I didn't need so many details I just needed a yes or no strong enough to convince me.

As you conceded the goal at the beginning of the game, they stayed on the defensive and played on the counterattack, which made you more tired than them because you were pressing them to tie the game, now feel free to try to win with against their defense at full power to catch them and his attack running like crazy to beat them.

All I ask of you now is to try to keep possession of the ball as much as possible and be careful with close proximity, that's just pretty simple, isn't it?

Join hands.

1 2 3, Cagliari!!! (All)

Players returned to the pitch focusing on keeping as much possession as possible to prevent Roma from winning and keeping their seat on the throne longer.

The game resumes with Osvaldo touching to Totti, Totti touching to De Rossi, De Rossi dominates the ball, takes it forward and touches Pjanic, Pjanic dominates it and calls Nainggolan to mark him, Nainggolan goes to mark him and Pjanic touches the ball to De Rossi causing Nainggolan to retreat from the marking, De Rossi tries to drive the ball to the attack, but he did not count on Cossu's marking on top of him.

Cossu gets into a tackle with De Rossi and I win, Cossu takes the ball and leads it to the attack forgetting his coach's word he starts the attacking move with Usman who was running in front of him, Cossu manages to dribble Burdisso and continues driving the ball until it enters the area where he attempts a shot on goal.

Cossu's kick is low in the left corner of the goal, but it comes out very weak, meaning that Lobont didn't need much to defend the kick, catching the ball as if it had been retreated to him.

Lobont throws the ball at Balzaretti, Balzaretti passes it to Pjanic, Pjanic dominates and touches the ball in the center to Perrotta, Perrotta dominates the ball, leads and passes to Osvaldo, Osvaldo manages to control the ball, but he is in great danger because he is surrounded by players from the Cagliari close to him, Osvaldo manages to protect the ball against Dessena's marking, opens the way back towards his own field and makes a high pass to Perrotta, Perrotta dominates the ball in his chest, puts it on the ground and heads towards Cagliari's area .

Perrotta tries to pass Avelar on the basis of speed and fails, causing the ball to be kicked by Avelar to the side.

The winger is charged and the ball stops at Perrotta's foot again, Perrotta pulls the ball towards Cagliari's bottom line and makes a low cross into the area the ball hits Astori who was protecting the small area and falls into the net. ground next to him, Astori reacts quickly picking up the ball and kicking it out of the Cagliari area.

The ball flies away towards the left end of Roma's right-back who manages to dominate it and put it on the ground near it and goes to the side.

Piris, who managed to dominate the ball, dribbles Usman and plays for Totti, Totti plays for Perrotta on the right side of the penalty area using his mastery to cross the ball into the area over the top this time, the ball travels high and is disputed by Lamela and Astori inside the area, Astori manages to prevent Lamela's header towards the goal, deflecting the ball to the side and the ball goes towards Cepellini who disputes it with Totti, Totti winning in the air by having the ball hit his head and following in towards the bottom line, Cepellini runs towards the ball and kicks the ball forward the ball hits Totti and leaves the area going to the left end near the area.

Where Perrotta is positioned to catch the ball that is coming down Cepellini runs towards him to challenge him for possession of the ball again, this time he manages to send the ball forward again, but it is dominated by Piris who plays for Perrotta again and Perrotta plays for Totti, Totti takes the ball to the center and makes the pass to Lamela inside the area, Lamela finishes the volley ball first the ball goes diagonally out causing a scare to all the players and fans in the stadium.

Ruzittu restarts the game sending the ball to Roma's field with a forward kick, the ball is disputed in the air by Usman and Perrotta, the ball is headed and goes towards the inside of Roma's field through the air, but when it falls again it is headed by Piris for Perrotta, Perrota dominates the ball and passes it to De Rossi, De Rossi dominates and tries to pass it to Pjanic, but the ball hits Nainggolan who gets in the way of the pass and goes towards the Roma goal where Cossu is returning to get the ball and De Rossi is stepping back to get it too.

Cossu manages to dominate the ball, but De Rossi arrives and enters a challenge with him for possession of the ball, De Rossi wins the dispute and touches the ball in Pjanic.

Pjanic receives the pass and dominates, looks around the field before thinking about his next action, until he simply touches back to De Rossi, De Rossi tries to go in the direction where Pjanic gave the pass to him and ends up attracting Cagliari players then he comes back and touches the ball to Burdisso, Burdisso dominates the ball and pretends to pass it to Marquinhos, distracting the markers and passes the ball to De Rossi who manages to advance on the field against the Cagliari team, De Rossi dominates and dribbles Nenê who chases and still tries to sweep to catch the ball managing to touch the ball and delay Rossi's advance, De Rossi manages to reach the ball that was taken from him, but is worried about advancing again as Usman was running towards him to catch the ball then he kicks the ball back at Marquinhos.

Marquinhos dominates the ball and drives it towards the center losing against Usman in a tackle, but Usman tries to move forward and the ball hits him causing Usman to go forward without the ball, Marquinhos takes the ball and touches Pjanic, Pjanic continues driving the ball to the attack and passes it to Balzaretti on the left side, Balzaretti dominates the ball, holds it for a while, attracting Agostini to mark him, Agostini falls into the trap and Balzaretti dribbles he goes towards the center while he advances and tries a throw to Lamela, but Lamela realizes that it has already passed Dessena who was the last of the defensive line before the ball leaves Balzaretti's foot, at that moment De Rossi who is coming from behind chases towards the ball disputing a race against Dessena , Dessena reaches the ball and kicks it to the side.

With the ball out in the 78th minute of the game, Ivo removed Nenê from the game and put Sau on the field, renewing Cagliari's attack.

Balzaretti charges the lateral throwing the ball inside the area at Pjanic, Pjanic can't control the ball because the shot was too strong and goes past him heading towards the center of the area where Osvaldo manages to reach the ball and dribble Ariaudo by dominating it, Osvaldo he goes towards the goal passing by Dessena and ends up losing the ball to Agostini who scores after he passes by Dessena.

The ball taken from Osvaldo by Agostini stops at the foot of Dessena who desperately kicks the ball away towards the side, but the ball hits Osvaldo and goes up to the bottom line.

Ruzittu kicks the ball away restarting the game, the ball is contested by Nainggolan and Pjanic, Nainggolan wins by heading it to Sau, Sau dominates it in the chest and drives it towards the Roma goal, as he drives he is marked by Pjanic and De Rossi then finds a way to touch the ball to Cepellini, Cepellini manages to control the ball and touches it to Agostini, Agostini plays a high pass to Usman, Usman heads the ball to Avelar on the left wing, Avelar simply returns the ball to Usman with a first pass, Usman dominates the ball on the ground and ends up being marked by Piris.

Usman manages to turn around facing the Roma goal and dribble Piris towards the area he tries to dribble Perrotta at speed, but Perrotta manages to put his body in front and react quickly enough to stay in front of Usman following the ball that Usman was driving towards Balzaretti where they hit each other and Usman enters a tackle for possession of the ball, Balzaretti manages to win and takes the ball away, Sau not wanting the attack to end there tripping Balzaretti managing to take the ball from him, Usman took advantage of this moment and picked up the ball and kicked it into the goal from outside the area, but he heard a whistle.

The referee marked Sau's trip on the ball as a foul on Balzaretti which was very strange because he had only caught the ball, the players who were close to the play like Cossu and Cepellini tried to contest the judge's judgment, however the referee did not want to listen and scored a foul for Roma.

Seeing that the game didn't manage to come to nothing until the 87th minute, Ivo decided to remove Usman and Danilo Avelar to spare them at the end of the game.

Placing Pinilla and Pisano.

The free kick is taken by Balzaretti who receives the free kick and he kicks it forward the ball falls towards Osvaldo who is being marked by Cossu, Cossu manages to head the ball towards Pinilla, Pinilla makes a first pass and returns it to Cossu , Cossu dominates and touches Sau, Sal dominates and tries to dribble Balzaretti, attracting him while retreating, as he fails he touches the ball to Pinilla, Pinilla dominates and drives the ball towards the goal freely until Burdisso arrives hitting him from behind and stealing the ball with the referee not calling a foul Burdisso dominates the ball drives it and looks around before taking the next action, he decides to simply kick the ball away into the center of midfield, the ball lands towards Pjanic who dispute with Nainggolan in the header he loses, but it's not worth anything because the referee whistles the end of the game.

Both teams leave the field with faces showing terrible expressions, both were looking for victory today Roma managed to dominate the field of play, but they were terrible in precision and accuracy as they only managed to score by attacking at the beginning of the first half with Cagliari's failure , while Cagliari conceded a goal at the start of the game due to a mistake, they played the whole time causing pressure on Roma, becoming increasingly difficult to win due to the tiredness of their players in maintaining the pace and speed of the game.

CF Sau 27 Other Positions (SS)

Nationality Italy

Annual Salary 496,000 Market Value 669,000

Height 171 Age 25 Stronger Foot Right

Attack 78/99 Defense 42/99 Body Balance 72/99

Stamina 81/99 Top Speed 82/99 Acceleration 87/99 Agility 87/99

Responsiveness 84/99 Dribble accuracy 78/99 Dribble Speed 79/99 FK accuracy 67/99

Short Pass accuracy 72/99 S.Pass Speed 67/99 Long Pass accuracy 69/99 L.Pass Speed 70/99

Shot accuracy 81/99 Shot Power 78/99 Shot Techinque 81/99 Techinque 79/99

Swerve 81/99 Header 81/99 Jump 77/99 Aggression 87/99 Tenacity 69/99 Teamwork 73/99

Form 4/8 Weak Foot Accuracy 6/8 Weak Foot Use 6/8 Injury A

Skills

Positioning *

GoalScorer*

1-on-1 Finish*

line breaker*

1-TouchPlay*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2HOk0QK7TU&list=PLqiSiM-WVb8TiLCbBSGQfFONFl4gdsZSK&index=33