Chapter 136 Fight Against Buffon! The World's Number One Goalkeeper Vs The World's Golden Boot!

"No, you're clearly a host on the station. Why do you always run off? If you break protocol again, you'll permanently be an expatriate reporter!"

"Alright, can I be stationed in Europe?"

"You! Forget it, just don't let it happen again. I'll handle it this time, but try to follow the arrangements in the future."

"Understood, thank you, Director."

"Hey! You really are something..."

"The interview is about to start, and the signal here isn't great. I'll hang up now!"

Outside the Allianz Stadium in Turin, a commercial vehicle was parked quietly on the side of the road, with numerous fans in black and white striped shirts passing by.

Ma Fanshu hung up the phone briskly. The driver in the front seat closed his eyes, resting, while the cameraman, Wang, had a puzzled expression.

"Sister Ma, you're so bold, contradicting Director Zhang like that?"

"Brother Wang, you're older than me, so stop calling me 'sister'. Besides, I'm not worried. Given my relationship with Su Luo, he can't do much to me."

"Alright, I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Just be careful and mind your behavior when we get back."

"Thank you. Let's go, it's almost time. Let's get to work."

Ma Fanshu grabbed the microphone, opened the door, and stepped out lightly. Wang, the cameraman, shook his head helplessly and followed, carrying his heavy camera.

He'd never seen a host so eager to be on location. If Ma Fanshu focused on hosting "World Soccer" and other sports programs, she could easily rise to prominence at the station. With Zhou Tao stepping down and Dong Qing soon retiring, only Li Sisi remained as a notable hostess at CCTV, though she wasn't as strong. Ma Fanshu, with her internet celebrity status, could seize the opportunity to host a Spring Festival Gala and become CCTV's top host. Why then did she keep requesting assignments in Europe? The Champions League group stage wasn't the World Cup. He really couldn't understand it.

Seeing Ma Fanshu rushing off, Master Wang had no choice but to follow closely. The interview content was routine: connect live with the "Champion Europe" studio on CCTV 5, report on the atmosphere around the game, "randomly" interview some fans, and then report on the game itself. It would be a bonus if they could catch Su Luo, but it wasn't a given. Perhaps one day, when Su Luo played in the Champions League final, CCTV would send a full team for detailed coverage.

"Is that day really coming?" wondered Wang, the cameraman.

CCTV 5 studio was also focused on this game: Union Berlin away to Juventus. The game preview started during the National Day period, with countless fans waiting all night in front of their TVs to cheer for Su Luo. Every Bundesliga and Champions League match day was a festival for Chinese fans. Twice a week, Su Luo's games provided immense joy.

Even for many working fans, Su Luo's games gave them the mental strength to endure tough weeks. Despite having to wake up early for work, they would set their alarms for 2:30 AM, sneak out of bed quietly to avoid waking their partners, and watch the game in the living room. At that moment, it felt like the whole world belonged to them.

In the studio, Shao Shengyi, the host of "Champion Europe," was discussing the game with guest Liu Jiayuan and renowned referee Sun Baojie.

"The Juventus fans here are quite enthusiastic and confident in their team. Most predict a two or three-goal victory over Union Berlin."

"Juventus fans are worried about star player Su Luo, but they believe Buffon can handle his shots."

"That's the scene on the ground."

"Alright, thank you, Fanshu, for the first-hand report. Next, we'll have Jiaxuan and Director Sun predict the game's outcome."

With 20 minutes left before the game, CCTV continued their discussion. Meanwhile, Ma Fanshu in Turin took off her headset and sighed.

"Come on, let's get to the scene."

Every time Ma Fanshu entered the stadium, she seemed overly excited. Walking quickly, she accidentally bumped into a slender, long-haired girl.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ma Fanshu apologized in broken Italian.

The girl, wearing wide sunglasses, replied coldly in German, "It's fine."

Ma Fanshu felt a strange sense of familiarity but hurried into the stadium as the match was about to start. She wondered why a German would be entering through the home team tunnel.

Josephine was quite distressed. She regretted not contacting Uncle Hans and the others beforehand. In her rush to get tickets, she forgot the crucial detail: buying a ticket in Italy meant being in the home team's stands. Surrounded by excited Juventus fans in black and white stripes, Josephine tightened her coat to hide her red jersey. The feeling of being in enemy territory was thrilling. Busy with the Milan show, she had come to Turin to surprise Su Luo, not anticipating this awkward situation.

"If Su Luo scores and I cheer, will I get kicked out?" she mused, smiling wryly.

In the Juventus dressing room, Coach Allegri was going over the tactical board one last time, emphasizing today's strategy. Italian football is known for its tactical precision, with coaches like Ancelotti, Conte, Mancini, Ranieri, Lippi, and Allegri respected worldwide. Even fans and commentators are well-versed in tactical details, reflecting the deep-rooted football culture in Italy.

For this game, Allegri had multiple plans to counter Su Luo.

"Barzagli, stay tight on him. Even if he goes outside, keep him inside."

"Bonucci, watch the space behind you..."

"Khedira, stay within 15 meters of your position..."

Allegri meticulously planned every player's movements, aiming for a flawless execution.

As a veteran coach, Allegri knew that defending Su Luo was like defending Messi. Players of such talent cannot be stopped by one defender alone. They must be isolated from their teammates and left on their own. Achieving this requires the entire team to coordinate seamlessly, even better than the mech pilots in Pacific Rim.

Fortunately, from the moment the UEFA Champions League draw was made, Allegri had been rehearsing tactics to counter Su Luo every day. After two months, the strategy was almost perfected. This game would be the true test.

Even if things went wrong, Juventus had a last line of defense.

"Gianluigi, how are you feeling?" Allegri asked.

In the corner of the locker room, Buffon, calm and composed, replied, "Boss, I'm fine."

"Good, because we might need you more than ever in this game," Allegri said, nodding confidently. He then turned to address the entire team.

"Guys! What are our goals for this season?"

"Champions of the Champions League!" the team shouted back.

"That's right, we're taking back the championship we deserve! No one can stop us on this road!"

"Dear viewers, you are watching CCTV Sports Channel, bringing you live coverage of the third round of the UEFA Champions League group stage for the 2015-16 season," the commentator announced.

"On screen now is Su Luo, our country's player and the official captain of defending Bundesliga champions, Union Berlin!"

In the broadcast, Su Luo looked as handsome as ever. Even in Italy, known for its "Male Model Team," his looks were impressive. While exchanging team flags with Juventus captain Buffon, Su Luo had his first direct conversation with him.

"Come on," Buffon said in friendly English.

"Good luck to you," Su Luo replied, knowing this seemingly harmless man was perhaps the strongest part of the Juventus team. Buffon's goal was like an anti-theft door that only he could open. Su Luo knew he would face Buffon directly during the game. The challenge of going up against the world's number one goalkeeper excited him.

Buffon, on the other hand, felt nothing special. Every striker in the world wanted to challenge him, and he was used to it. He only knew he had to stay focused and guard his goal. Su Luo might be talented, but today...

"You can't score," Buffon silently vowed to himself.

"Today, coach Allegri is using the familiar three-back configuration," the commentator Zhan Jun said, alongside his partner Zhang Lu, as they analyzed the game.

"This is a crucial match in the 'Group of Death'! The goalkeeper is Buffon, whom we all know well," Zhan Jun continued. "The three defenders are Barzagli, Bonucci, and Chiellini; the wing-backs are Cuadrado and Alex Sandro; the midfield trio consists of Khedira, Marchisio, and Pogba; and the forwards are Morata and Mandzukic. Zaza and Dybala are on the bench."

Looking at this solid lineup, the commentator couldn't help but worry for Union Berlin. Juventus had hardly changed their squad from last year's Champions League final, maintaining strong competitiveness.

"Looking at Union Berlin, coach Neuhaus has made some changes for stability. The goalkeeper is young England keeper Pickford," the commentator continued. "The defenders are Pavard, Rudiger, Alex, and Ake; the midfielders are Naby Keita, Kimmich, Paredes, Forsberg, and Mahrez; and Su Luo is the lone striker, bearing the heavy offensive task."

Director Zhang smiled as usual. "I feel like the Union Berlin coach relies too much on Su Luo. He's given Su Luo the tasks of being the offensive fulcrum, frontcourt support, and the main scorer. The advantage is Su Luo gets more chances with the ball, but if he gets contained, Union's attack will struggle."

Zhang Lu was worried about Union Berlin's current strategy. If Su Luo excelled, it would be a favorable situation, but if he was contained, the whole team would suffer.

Zhan Jun was also apprehensive. "Okay, the Hungarian referee has blown his whistle, and this crucial match in Group D of the Champions League group stage has begun!"

"Who will prevail: the strongest shield in Europe or the strongest spear?"

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