Chen Zhong stumbled and fell to the ground, looking rather hopelessly toward the goal.

However,

fate seemed to still have some favor for Milan.

The ball, unobstructed by anyone, veered off target.

Ibrahimovic flashed a toothy grin, glaring with an expression of disbelief.

After a brief moment of frustration, he glanced at the fallen Chen Zhong, muttered something under his breath, and walked away, seemingly cursing.

"Chen!"

"Are you alright?" Forty-one-year-old Maldini patted Chen Zhong on the shoulder, somewhat worried that the young man's confidence might have been shattered by Ibrahimovic.

It's worth noting that Ibrahimovic is currently considered the top striker in Serie A. This towering figure, with a fiery temper and excellent footwork, is a tough challenge for any center-back.

In this match, Maldini's main task was to play sweeper.

That is, to cover gaps and handle through balls.

Chen Zhong's task was the most arduous, acting as the one to actively step up when the opponent advanced.

This is usually done by the more technically skilled and seasoned player in a dual center-back formation. In this match, Milan was that sharp "spear."

"I can do it."

Chen Zhong firmly replied. Ancelotti had made it clear to him, given Milan's current situation, that there was no one else on the defense line but him.

He must perform, regardless of whether he feels capable or not.

On the sideline, Mourinho raised an eyebrow, looking at Ibrahimovic and Adriano with an expression that seemed to say, you two need to be stronger and give Chen a hard time.

He then looked at Ancelotti, wearing a provocative smile, as if to say...

Is this your trump card?

Can you defend against us?

Ancelotti took a deep breath, pulled out some gum, and stuffed his mouth full of it.

Many people like to chew on something while watching a football match to relieve stress, to avoid biting their tongues or lips, for example.

And now...

Ancelotti just felt enormous pressure!

Meanwhile, online, fans of Milan and Inter who witnessed the previous scene had mixed emotions.

Milan fans were worried but mostly encouraging each other: "Chen will definitely manage." "He's very strong."

Inter fans were more relaxed online: "How embarrassing!" "Can he really block the King?" "The referee let him off lightly."

If this were happening in La Liga or the Premier League,

there would probably be a fast-paced exchange of attacks and defenses next.

However, in reality, for a prolonged ten minutes, neither side launched a decent attack, instead probing each other.

Milan: Why aren't you attacking?

Inter: You go ahead.

Ancelotti turned his head in surprise toward Mourinho, as if saying, didn't you make such bold claims before the game and now you're not attacking?

Mourinho provocatively looked at Ancelotti, as if to say, weren't you boasting before the game? Why don't you attack? Come at me, and I'll counter you!

The sedate performances from both sides led the fans watching the match to reflect deeply.

Especially the fans from China...

Did I stay up all night just to see this?

If I wanted to sleep, I wouldn't have stayed up until this time to watch this match; I would have just gone to bed!

Seemingly perceiving the fans' complaints, both sides finally started to get serious after the "short" trial.

Milan's midfield, lacking Chen Zhong, struggled singly against the pressure of Inter's Stankovic, Zanetti, Cambiasso, and Muntari.

Especially Muntari.

The player, who once played in the Premier League, had something of a Gattuso vibe, and even occasionally managed to showcase a long-pass trait, creating significant problems for Milan's midfield.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

Muntari muttered loudly under his breath. Chen Zhong didn't understand what this Ghanaian was shouting, but figured it must be around those lines!

The ball at Beckham's feet was intercepted by Zanetti, the ball rolled towards the edge of the penalty area during the scramble, and Chen Zhong decisively chose to make a move, facing the aggressive Muntari, ignoring his "angry" and "ferocious" expression.

Realizing he was running a little slower, he decisively cleared the ball.

But it didn't go far.

Muntari's desire to score was strong, and with his outstanding performances this season, he had earned Mourinho's trust. He swiftly turned, got to the ball, and aimed for a trademark super long-range shot.

Chen Zhong got up from the ground and used his back to make a block.

The ball struck Chen Zhong's back, soared high, and went out of bounds, illustrating the power of the shot.

"Tss!"

"That was a heavy shot!"

"Chen Zhong took a while to get up."

"Looks like he needs a moment to recover."

"Muntari does have a powerful shot."

"That shot just now, if Chen hadn't blocked it, could have been a world-class goal!"

Sulley Muntari, known for his physical prowess and aggressive style, tackles and battles on the field as if it's a life-and-death struggle. Mourinho favors him greatly, being one of Mourinho's appointed favorites.

He glanced sidelong at the rising Chen Zhong, his eyes seemed to say, "This kid is interesting!"

Inter's players flooded into Milan's penalty area, with set-piece plays specifically trained for scenarios like these.

Ibrahimovic, Adriano, Samuel, and others with outstanding heading abilities crowded Milan's penalty area, all players with height.

In comparison, Milan, aside from Chen Zhong who is 190cm tall, had other players appearing shorter and leaner compared to Inter's players.

However, Milan wasn't unprepared for this situation.

Goalkeeper Abbiati positioned himself further forward, out of the small box, while Chen Zhong adjusted his position to work with other Milan players to lock down Inter players' positions.

The ball was kicked out.

Cambiasso unexpectedly didn't aim for the heavily marked two high points but looked for Samuel at the far post instead.

But unfortunately, Abbiati's positioning was excellent, directly punching the ball away.

"Milan's counterattack!"

"The ball landed at Seedorf's feet."

"Seedorf didn't hesitate, made a direct pass to Pato."

"Looking to launch a quick counterattack."

Muntari charged aggressively towards Pato, looking as if he was going to eat Pato alive.

Pato surveyed the area, the ball not yet past the midfield line, but already three Inter players closing in. After a moment's thought, he returned the ball to Seedorf.

"Oh no!"

"In the face of Inter's fiercely glaring defenders."

"Pato hesitated!"

"Ancelotti trusted too much in his players' skills in this match."

"He pinned his hopes on Ronaldinho."

"But Ronaldinho has yet to make any notable performance."

"He should recognize Inter's desire in the Derby match."

"They have shown extremely strong combative spirit and aggressiveness."

"Milan's midfield and forward techniques."

"Seem fragile like tofu against Inter's rugged confrontation."

Ancelotti realized the problem as well, Pato in front is too young, while Ronaldinho, though trying to lose weight recently, is still heavier than before.

Seedorf was never a player with impact.

Without Kaka, Milan's frontline lacked the former penetration.

Without penetration, Milan seemed soft and lacked confidence in attacking while facing Inter head-on.

If only it was Kaka upfront just now...

If it were Kaka...

Ancelotti scratched his head in frustration, looking at Chen Zhong, who was also under significant pressure. He was the shield standing at the forefront, taking on the impact. If he crumbled, Milan would fall apart.

If...

If there was another Chen Zhong in the midfield or forward, everything would change.

But, they only have one Chen Zhong, just one!!

Without Chen Zhong, having Kaka would still do!

Ronaldinho could only shine individually, but with Kaka, Milan would progress as a whole!

"No!"

"There's still a chance!"

Ancelotti muttered under his breath, a flash of determination in his eyes.

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