Inter achieved two consecutive victories in the last two league rounds.
This also saw their ranking rise from 9th to 8th place on the league table.
During the era when Mazzari was in charge, consecutive wins actually weren't a good omen.
It's quite sad to say!
In the year and a half that Mazzari coached Inter.
The team never achieved a three-game winning streak in the league!
In the third match after two consecutive wins, it was certain to be a letdown, whether facing a strong team or a relegation team, it was either a tie or a loss.
This also made Mancini, sitting in the head coach's office, somewhat worried.
Indonesian owner Toshihiko brought Mancini back, tasking him with leading Inter back to the Champions League!
Although Toshihiko believed that the probability for Inter to reach the Champions League this season was minuscule.
"Mr. Mancini, given that you are about to take over Inter, currently ranked 9th in the league, to better accomplish your task of qualifying for the Champions League next season, I suggest focusing on the UEFA Europa League."
Mancini understood the owner's intentions.
In recent years, due to the weakening of Serie A teams in European competitions.
The Serie A Alliance's Champions League spots have surprisingly decreased from 4 to 3.
Just like Ligue 1!
Wanting to qualify for the Champions League through the league with the current squad is extremely difficult!
But Mancini bravely responded to Toshihiko, saying:
"Boss, please believe me, I think aiming for the top three in the league isn't impossible, we've only played 9 matches, and the team has a huge improvement potential."
Mancini had his own concerns in saying this!
Looking at his coaching career, Manqiao was never a team skilled in intercontinental cup matches.
During his previous tenure at Inter, the team repeatedly stopped at the last 16 in the Champions League.
His firing in 2008 was related to the Champions League performance.
Inter, having won the championship last season with a record 97 points, couldn't score in two legs and lost 0-3 to Liverpool.
A disillusioned Mancini even announced his resignation at the post-match press conference.
Even after arriving at financially stronger Manchester City, granted full authority to build the team.
Mancini's performance in Europe was also lackluster!
In the 2010-2011 season, they lost to Dynamo Kyiv, stopping at the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League.
In the 2011-2012 season, they finished 3rd in the Champions League group stage, dropping into the UEFA Europa League, lost to Sporting Lisbon, and again stopped at the last 16.
In the 2012-2013 season, with Manchester City as the new Premier League champion returning, the whole world placed high hopes on them.
Unexpectedly, they drew 3 and lost 3 in six group stage matches, winning none, and finished at the bottom!
This time, they didn't even earn the UEFA Europa League qualification.
Therefore, when Mancini returned to Inter in November 2014, and the owner explained the idea of entering the Champions League through winning the UEFA Europa League.
Hearing this "curve to save the country" strategy, Mancini's heart tightened—
It couldn't be done!
Compared to European matches, the league was the true expertise of this renowned Italian coach.
For this reason, Mancini has been whispering in the ear of the team's director of sports, Ossorio, asking for an increased budget during the winter transfer window to strengthen the team.
"Ossorio, you're also seasoned in Serie A, do you think with Inter's current personnel, it's possible to break into the top three in the league, do you believe it?"
"I don't believe it, but the boss doesn't give money, I'm just an employee, asking me is useless."
"I promised the boss to make it into the Champions League, will you heartlessly watch me fail without helping?"
"I'll think of a way, maybe through lease-to-buy, and discuss returns at the end of the season, or we'll have to sell the main players, buy after selling, you know the drill."
"... "
Mancini was scratching his head.
The winter transfer window is about to start, but no matter how he and Ossorio negotiate, they've only secured a budget of 10 million euros.
Previously, it wouldn't even cover Eevee's after-tax salary for a year at Inter.
Returning from the Turkish Super League to the mainstream leagues, Mancini has an urgent desire to prove himself.
He even disposed of all his assets in the Turkish Super League, and spent heavily, purchasing a 3 million euro detached villa by Lake Como in Milan, planning to reside long-term in this city.
How to lead Inter back to the Champions League has become a massive burden on the heart of this renowned Italian coach.
Since it's difficult to find good options in the transfer market.
Internal development became a reluctant option for Mancini.
Mancini isn't a coach inclined to use young players, apart from Balotelli, he often used mature players in his coaching career.
Bonazzoli from the youth team was the first youngster he reluctantly promoted.
The results weren't promising; this guy had a strong physique but his forward skills were rough, clearly of Serie B level.
Tang Long's arrival was an unexpected surprise.
Mancini increasingly discovered that Tang Long possessed a peculiar aura.
This aura was indescribable.
It mainly manifested in how he could always create goals through flashes of brilliance!
If Tang Long's two threatening passes in the match against Genoa were just an accident.
Mancini gradually noticed the clues in the away match against Rome three days ago.
A player couldn't always rely on luck!
Especially when Tang Long received a pass from Hernanes and suddenly let it go to Icardi, assisting the latter in scoring the fourth goal.
"How did he know which position Icardi would move to?"
At that moment, Mancini sat in front of the computer, repeatedly watching the replay on the screen.
Click, click.
He kept clicking the pause button on the replay with the mouse.
Attempting to observe Tang Long's head turning frame by frame.
But what surprised Mancini was—Tang Long never intersected his vision with Icardi!
"Instinct, this is an instinctive sense of the bigger picture; it's hard to explain, perhaps it's talent!"
Mancini took out his phone.
Clicked on the text message Sneijder sent him.
It was after the Serie A 11th round match between Inter and Genoa concluded, Sneijder sent it to him.
-[Dear Mr. Mancini, excuse my interruption, after watching this game, I want to discuss Tang's performance specifically from the perspective of a former Inter player.]
-[Tang's two passes—sorry, I want to say 'passes' rather than shots— I know many people think this way, but I'm sure he intended to pass!]
-[Tang's vision of the bigger picture, his precise control of the situation, fascinates me deeply! His potential far exceeds other Inter players, and I believe that under your guidance, he can grow into a world-class star!]
Mancini had read this text over ten times.
He even suspected that the phone number was fake, just a prank by a fan!
However, after verification with the club officials, it was confirmed to be Sneijder's number indeed.
"Sounds too magical, is Tang this strong? If he's this strong, why didn't the youth team director mention his name when I first came to Inter!"
Until he saw the replay of Tang Long's subtle pass on Benatti's phone at the post-match press conference after the game against Rome.
Mancini was amazed!
In this instance, Tang didn't touch the ball.
In fact, the assist for this goal was counted for Hernanes.
But this amazing pass led to a unique opportunity!
The situation was instantly brightened.
Simply masterful imagination!
"No wonder it's Sneijder, he judges people better than I do..." Mancini laughed happily.
Knock, knock!
Assistant coach Herrera knocked on the door and entered.
"Boss, the report on Tang Long that you wanted is out."
According to Inter's usual practice.
Every player promoted from the youth team to the first team, within ten days, the first team coaching staff and medical team would evaluate the player's performance in training during this period, and submit a comprehensive evaluation report for the head coach's reference.
Mancini opened it.
The fitness coach wrote two pages.
[Tang's physical quality is quite ordinary, his muscle explosiveness and endurance aren't enough to sustain 90 minutes of Serie A match confrontation, data shows...]
Mancini turned to the next, which was the technical trainer's evaluation.
[Tang's basic skills clearly lag behind his teammates, except for his accuracy in short passes, his long passes, shooting, ball control, and heading are quite rough, not meeting the qualifying standards of a Serie A player, furthermore...]
Further on was the set-piece coach's evaluation.
[Upon identification, Tang's judgment of ball placement in set-piece attacks and defenses is quite precise, but limited by his physical quality, he struggles to compete for the first ball placement...]
The medical officer's evaluation was more direct.
[Through analysis, Tang seems to have a habit of staying up late, with noticeable dark circles; during conversations, he claims to watch game footage at night, this statement is questionable. It's speculated that he frequents nightclubs often, which could severely impact his physical development...]
Herrera looked at Mancini with a frown, tentatively said:
"Boss, based on the coaching staff's comprehensive analysis, Tang's ability, at best, is only at the bench level of Serie B!"