Chapter 354: A Gamble of a Goal

Suker's goal threw Roma into complete disarray.

It was a pivotal moment in the match, and once again, they failed to seize the initiative.

And this was happening on their home turf!

Yet AC Milan somehow always managed to win games like this.

Totti stood, hands on his hips, watching the Milan players celebrate freely.

In this match, Totti had truly given everything he had.

With two goals to his name, he had fought with all his might to help Roma secure a win—and to finally rid them of their lingering "Milan phobia."

But Milan remained Milan!

With Suker's breakout performance, Roma was forced into a passive position.

Always playing from behind.

Just when they managed to claw their way back, they fell behind again.

It was a maddening, demoralizing feeling.

On top of that, their starting goalkeeper had gone off injured, adding to a series of setbacks that only further dampened the players' morale.

The game resumed quickly.

Roma made some tactical adjustments, using substitutions to bolster both their attack and defense.

They were trying to bring more stability to the team.

And while they did gain that stability, Milan also used two substitutions to strengthen their defense.

At the same time, Milan pulled everyone back to focus on defending.

This time, they weren't going to give Roma another chance to equalize.

The match continued.

As time ticked away, the game only became more intense.

Roma's players desperately sought a goal. They wanted to win at home.

But with each attempt, the situation worsened instead of improving.

In the 83rd minute, Totti tried a solo run but was brought down by a combined tackle from Maldini and Nesta.

The resulting free kick didn't bring another goal either.

As injury time ticked down, it was clear that Roma had no more chances left.

Seeing this, commentator Aldo Serena couldn't help but express his emotions:

"AC Milan! As one of Serie A's most illustrious clubs, they've always played a vital role in the league's storied history!"

"No matter the situation, Milan always seems to deliver stellar performances!"

"Even after the Calciopoli scandal, player departures, and an aging squad, when we thought Milan might crumble—they could very well defeat Roma and secure a sixth consecutive league victory!"

"I don't even know how to describe this AC Milan! They just keep doing it!"

"Milan's success story may bore some because it's so old and predictable—but that's exactly what proves the depth of their heritage. Even after turmoil, even with a fruitless transfer window, they remain a powerhouse!"

"Shevchenko may be gone, but now they have Suker!"

"Six goals in six games—averaging a goal per match!"

"Suker now leads the Serie A scoring charts and strikes fear into the hearts of every team."

"This Croatian forward is an unstoppable force at the striker position—and I believe the Roma players have experienced that firsthand."

Serena glanced at the clock.

Less than a minute of stoppage time remained.

"Roma is running out of time!"

And with those final words, the referee blew the whistle, ending the match.

Serie A 2006/2007, Round 6: Roma 2–3 AC Milan (at Roma's home).

The game was a rollercoaster.

Milan went up 2–0 in the first half, Roma fought back valiantly, and captain Totti scored twice to level the score and keep their hopes alive.

But Suker's decisive shot sealed the match.

This game showcased just how valuable Suker truly was.

Even though Totti had an outstanding performance, Suker proved to be much more than just a finisher—he could also drop deep and help organize the attack.

Suker had already shown on several occasions that he was a multi-dimensional threat on the front line.

Even with Pirlo sidelined by injury, Suker, Kaká, and Seedorf still kept Milan's attack ticking.

Suker's remarkable scoring efficiency helped relieve a huge amount of pressure on the team.

Shevchenko might be gone—

But Milan's front line didn't seem affected at all. In fact, it might even be stronger?

The media wasn't sure if this was just an illusion, but Kaká, Seedorf, and others looked completely re-energized.

Add to that Suker's terrifying scoring form—Milan, despite some defensive instability, always seemed to strike first.

At the post-match press conference, Ancelotti gave his thoughts on Suker:

"Suker isn't a traditional striker. His impact goes beyond just scoring. He brings versatility and functionality."

"He's a striker who can fit into any tactical system. What Milan needs to do is simple—figure out how to fully unleash his firepower."

"Even now, I believe Suker still has more potential to be unlocked—this isn't his peak yet!"

Hearing Ancelotti's words, the gathered journalists exchanged shocked glances.

Six goals in six games—and this isn't his peak?

So… what are you trying to turn Suker into?

Ancelotti didn't elaborate further, but he clearly believed there was more room for Suker to grow.

For example, Suker's ability to time his forward runs.

Or his ability to distribute the ball wide after dropping deep.

His impact on the opposing defense.

His pressing in the final third.

So many possibilities—Ancelotti wanted to develop all of them to craft the most terrifying version of Suker.

But it wouldn't be easy.

And it wasn't something Suker could achieve alone.

He would need the support of the entire squad.

For example, when Suker drops deep, the wings need to be strong enough.

Or pressing in the final third requires incredible stamina.

And if Suker focuses on making runs behind the defense, he'd naturally have fewer touches on the ball.

Ancelotti suddenly felt a headache coming on.

He couldn't get the right players!

Without enough squad depth and strength, he couldn't implement his ideas.

His tactics couldn't reach the necessary intensity.

As the veterans declined, the team's overall system was weakening.

Right now, Ancelotti could still rely on his aging warriors to hold the line.

But what about the future?

This was becoming a vicious cycle.

Ever since Serie A—and Milan in particular—lost their appeal in the transfer market, they'd been forced into a reactive stance.

Ancelotti had a head full of ideas—but no way to put them into action.

His tactical plans were, for now, just beautiful dreams.

"This season, we're going for the Champions League!"

Ancelotti's voice rang with conviction as he made his declaration in the club's strategy meeting.

The board members and coaching staff were momentarily stunned.

Sure, it was an inspiring goal.

But since the Champions League's format changed, no team had ever managed to defend the title.

Now, Milan wanted to make history by trying to win back-to-back.

"Wouldn't aiming for the league title or the Coppa Italia be more realistic?" club president Berlusconi asked.

While he too desired glory, this was a huge gamble.

There were no guarantees.

If they failed, they risked ending the season without any trophies—a scenario that could accelerate Milan's decline.

For this reason, Berlusconi felt they should take a more gradual, measured approach.

But Ancelotti remained firm.

"We've already lost our competitiveness in the transfer market. If we want to reignite interest and appeal again—we have to take a gamble!"

One board member questioned, "Can you guarantee that winning the Champions League will restore our transfer appeal?"

"No one can guarantee that," Ancelotti said calmly. "But at the very least, we have to try. If we don't, Milan will continue to deteriorate."

The room fell into silence.

"We still have Suker, don't we?" another board member said with a chuckle. "He's playing great—he can carry Milan for years."

Everyone turned to him with expressions like he'd lost his mind.

The previous speaker sneered, "You're being naive. Right now, Suker is loyal to us because we're still competitive. But if we lose that edge, do you think he'll stay?"

"When Maldini retires, Cafu leaves, Nesta, Inzaghi, Gattuso, and Seedorf all decline—Suker will have to shoulder even more responsibility. But even then, if the team can't compete, he'll want to leave too."

Ancelotti added: "Right now, Suker's transfer value has already hit €50 million—and that's just his base value. I predict that by the end of this season, it will skyrocket!"

He raised a finger.

"€100 million!"

At that, the boardroom went silent.

€100 million…

If Suker decided to leave at that point, they wouldn't be able to stop him.

"What's his release clause?" one director asked.

"€130 million," Ancelotti replied quietly. "And if he wants to go—plenty of clubs will be willing to pay that price."