Debut Drama

"Why hasn't the new season started yet?"

"Watch the warm-up match first and enjoy it!"

"Damn it, it seems Robin van Persie didn't come to the United States with Arsenal."

"The captain is being sold again, our club is falling apart."

In the live broadcast room of Xinglang Sports, fans flooded the comments section with their opinions.

The International Champions Cup match between AC Milan and Arsenal is about to begin. Fans, still buzzing from the European Cup summer, are eager for the new season to start.

At this moment, the hottest news is the transfer headlines reported by major media outlets. Among them, the most watched transfer news is undoubtedly the fate of Arsenal captain Robin van Persie.

Van Persie did not travel to the United States with the team, a critical signal indicating his departure. The only question is, where will Van Persie go next? Rumors suggest he might be joining Manchester United. Does Arsenal really want to sell their captain and offensive core to a rival?

Although whether Arsenal can still be considered a competitor of Manchester United is debatable, given Arsenal's seven-year trophy drought.

The live broadcast shows a close-up of Arsenal's bench, highlighting French international striker Olivier Giroud, who joined Arsenal this year and is widely believed to be Van Persie's replacement.

The camera then focuses on Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger, whose gray hair reflects the stress of long-term championship droughts. Once a revolutionary figure in the Premier League, Wenger now seems burdened by the lack of recent success.

"Professor Wenger is under a lot of pressure," commentator Zhang Jun noted. "British media reports confirm that Van Persie will leave Arsenal. The club won't let him leave for free next season because his transfer will bring in significant funds. The only question is, where will Van Persie go?"

"Judging from media reports, Van Persie is closely linked with Manchester United!"

Zhang Jun knows what fans are most interested in right now. Compared to the Van Persie transfer saga, the attention on this game is relatively low—after all, it's just a warm-up match.

As the camera sweeps across AC Milan's bench, it briefly catches Louis. He isn't a high-profile transfer like Giroud, nor a respected coaching veteran like Wenger. Thus, he doesn't receive much attention from the organizers.

However, keen-eyed fans from China quickly notice someone different on Milan's bench.

"There is someone who looks Chinese on Milan's bench?"

"Maybe they're Japanese or Korean?"

"Wait, I'm looking at the roster... I don't see any clearly Chinese names."

"Hold on, there's a player named Louis Dupont. Could he be the one?"

"Yes! The information says his father is half Chinese and his mother is Italian."

Fans buzz with excitement. The game begins, and both sides field their main lineups in the first half. The offensive organization is chaotic, the players seem sluggish, and the quality of play is lacking. The first half ends goalless.

Before the second half starts, both teams make massive substitutions—it's a friendly match, after all. Eleven for eleven. AC Milan fields half first-team substitutes and half youth players, as does Arsenal.

This gives Louis his first chance to represent AC Milan's first team. He partners with Pato, who played in a New York nightclub until past midnight and returned to the hotel drunk, with his good friend Petagna playing as an attacking midfielder behind them.

AC Milan adopts their usual 4-3-1-2 formation, while Arsenal uses a 4-3-3. Wearing the No. 49 jersey, Louis makes his debut. However, he doesn't have any protagonist aura. His first touch is intercepted by Per Mertesacker.

Arsenal's center-back duo in the second half is the German international Mertesacker and Swiss defender Johan Djourou. Mertesacker's strength is undeniable. This scene makes Allegri frown from the sidelines. So far, he hasn't seen any standout qualities in Louis.

Louis is slightly startled but quickly adapts. Even though this is a warm-up match, it's still a first-team event. The intensity and rhythm are completely different from youth team matches. He understands he must adapt quickly to get a chance.

He remembers Inzaghi's advice: run more, observe more, think more. Active running, constant observation, and constant thinking.

Soon, Louis gets another chance to touch the ball. This time, he's more composed. He runs horizontally, uses his peripheral vision to assess the situation, and then passes the ball back to Pato. He immediately turns and runs around the defender, preparing for an offside attack. Unfortunately, Pato hesitates, making a set of fake moves before passing the ball back to the full-back. Louis falls into Arsenal's offside trap and has to retreat.

Mertesacker doesn't take Louis seriously after the interception, focusing more on Pato. This underestimation leads to Arsenal conceding a goal in the 53rd minute. AC Milan launches an attack, and the ball is passed to the wing. Full-back Acerbi breaks through and hooks the ball towards the goal. Djourou heads it forward, and the ball lands near the back post.

The commentator Zhang Jun shouts, "Louis!!!"

Louis, who appears at the back post, seizes the chance. He bends his knees slightly and uses his chest to guide the ball into the empty goal.

One to zero. AC Milan leads.

Arsenal players look stunned, and so do the AC Milan players. Petagna is the first to react, rushing to Louis with his arms raised.

Scoring a goal in his first appearance for the first team is a significant achievement for a youth academy player like Louis. It means the door of opportunity is about to open!