Chapter 57: The Last Battle

Albertini, once the brain of Milan, is a true master of football on the football field. Younger fans really watch his performance on the green field, mostly relying on memories and other people's narration.

Wide vision, excellent game reading ability, extraordinary control over the rhythm of the game, and precise and deadly mid-range and long-range passes are all magic weapons for AC Milan and the Italian national team to win.

His "Albertini-style deciduous ball" that has made great achievements has left an indelible impression on the fans, but I don't know why he always has the idea to say something, maybe because of his love for Milan. Loyalty, maybe his temperament and elegance on the court, maybe his contributions to Milan and football itself, maybe~~~~~~others.

He is not Baresi or Maldini, but no one doubts his loyalty to Milan, from his helplessness, indignation, and helplessness when he was "forced" away by Ancelotti As can be seen.

He is not Zidane, Figo, Rui Costa, but his talent for football, his creativity, and his control on the pitch are enough to prove that he is a veritable maestro.

He is not the Dutch Three Musketeers, but his contribution to Milan and Italian football is obvious to all, and his contribution to football in the midfielder position is even more indelible. He is a true technical midfielder and an artistic midfielder.

He is Albertini.

He is a star with both ability and political integrity, and he is a man who emphasizes emotions.

In the summer of 2002, before the wounds of his absence from the World Cup healed, AC Milan's team launched a major purge. Ancelotti's "unfeeling" refusal "exiled" Milan's team deputy to Spain.

At that time, Albertini begged Ancelotti hard, and even said that he could only train in Milan. He didn't want to go anywhere, because he only loved Milan in his heart, and he had nothing to ask for Milan, only dedication.

Milan fans felt unfair for Albertini, with the most diehard fans chanting "I love Milan, but I can't accept this."

Albertini wrote a letter to all fans on his personal website, with a calm tone. "Not everyone can decide their own destiny," he said.

"It's an honor to dedicate the best time of my career to Milan," he said.

He said: "I find it difficult how to tell my teammates, how should I explain this to them?"

In the end, he left Milan helplessly and began his wandering. Although his people left Milan, his heart still belonged to Milan after all. The captain's armband, but his heart is always in AC Milan.

In his career, he won six Serie A titles, one Champions League title, four Italian Cup titles, one European Super Cup title and one La Liga title.

Albertini started in the AC Milan youth team. Like Maldini, Albertini also became famous in his youth. When he was 21 years old, he won the 1992 Swedish European Youth Championship with the Italian National Youth Team led by Paolo Maldini.

Albertini was close at hand when Baggio regretted the most beautiful penalty in the World Cup; Albertini clearly witnessed the glory of AC Milan's Dutch Three Musketeers.

Accompanied by the Italian national team and the Rossoneri, he has gone through countless storms together. Milan fans all over the world affectionately call him "our team vice-president". He is a man of righteousness. Every newcomer will always say later that "the first one who makes me feel like home in Milan is Albertini."

But it was such a plain and sincere Albertini who was betrayed by Milan. In 2002, the team adjusted and he was loaned to Atletico Madrid in Spain.

When I left the Apennine Island, the eyes that were always calm in the past revealed a sad sentiment for the first time.

"I thought I could come back soon. Milan is where I want to spend my whole life."

But AC Milan abandoned the most stable midfielder in history, and Albertini was never able to fight for San Siro again. He has been to Lazio, to Atlanta, and now to Fiorentina. When the fans protested against the ruthlessness of AC Milan, it was Albertini who calmed down everything.

"My best days were in Milan. This memory is a gift from Milan to me, which is enough."

Now sitting in the stands of San Siro, Albertini is just an ordinary spectator, but nothing has changed from the past. In the hustle and bustle of the stadium, there is only one voice in his heart: "Milan is undefeated."

"I have been thinking about why Milan has flowed into my blood these years, and now I understand that the spirit of history is an infinite force that spurs me forward like a whip."

Every word that Albertini said to Degan in the locker room was clearly visible, such a love, how could he not return.

History can tell people what Albertini has done for AC Milan.

Represented AC Milan in Serie A for the first time: January 15, 1989, Milan vs Como 4:0.

Number of Serie A appearances for AC Milan: 293, 21 goals.

The total number of appearances on behalf of AC Milan: 406 times, 28 goals.

There has always been something in the world that can override anything and give people strength, and that is faith.

From December 16, 1899 to December 16, 2009, Milan has witnessed more than a century of changes. The Apennines and even Europa have spent more than a hundred years spreading red and black to every place where there are fans. Countless honors It also created another kind of belief, which is the low roar that knows no borders—forzamilan!

And where there are disputes, there are rivers and lakes, and the arena is the rivers and lakes. Once the success is complete, when every club holds up the highest honor they have won along the way, how many players are there bitterness and helplessness?

The battlefield is a battlefield after all, once you fall, there is no chance to get up again.

Berlusconi and Galliani always say that Milan is the most humane club in the world, he is like a father who will not abandon his child, and the child is unwilling to betray his warm father, Marti Ni, Baresi, Rui Costa, Boban, Leonardo, Tassotti, Redondo, etc., how many loyal souls in a hundred years?

And when people count on their fingers happily, there will always be a figure in their hearts, and it will always be a lonely figure, that is Albertini.

Until now, fans have always believed that he is the only person Milan has owed in the past century.

Maldini can serve the country sincerely for more than 20 years, Leonardo can return to Milan after many years, Redondo can make Milan wait for his recovery without complaint, Kaka can make all Milan fans scold the chairman He came to stay, but Albertini could only leave sadly. San Siro, who he wanted to bury his loyal bones here, was full of his heart but had no complaints. Only the newcomers laughed, but the old ones cried.

Albertini, who was born in Milan in 1971, has always regarded red and black as his life. From being appreciated by Gullit in Milan's youth training and recommended to Sacchi, to being ruthlessly abandoned by Sacchi, and then to Capello's insight Knowing people and regaining the league championship in the year of the centennial celebration, Albertini has decided to dedicate his life to the red and black, and he is already satisfied.

After the No. 6 Baresi retired, Maldini inherited the blood of the red and black, and he himself was very happy to wear the armband of the vice team. Just like Maldini, due to the existence of Baresi, Paul did not become the team until 1997. Albertini is also the best candidate for the captain regardless of character, qualifications, and influence, but Maldini's His status is irreplaceable, so he has become the permanent deputy team in the eyes of Milan fans, which also makes him endlessly memorable.

However, since Shengyu and He Shengliang?

When Albertini stabilized the main midfielder, Ancelotti gradually lost his status in the team. When Ancelotti took the helm in 2002, Albertini had completely faded out of the tactical system. He was loaned to Atletico Madrid for one year, and a year passed quickly. In the summer of 2003, Albertini returned to the Apennine Peninsula after finishing his trip to the Iberian Peninsula. Fans, I am so happy when the team wins the Champions League and for a year, the only thing I want to do is to go back to Milan, to Milanello."

However, what awaited him was not the welcome arms of the club, and he and his agent had to spend time negotiating with the club.

Albertini bowed his head, when he took the initiative to find Ancelotti and said sincerely: Milan is my life, I just want to end my football career here, willing to obey all arrangements and accept all new systems here.

However, Albertini's surrender did not impress those who really held power in the club. The club can spend 19.1 million US dollars to buy Real Madrid's abandoned player Redondo, and can wait patiently for him to recover from illness for 28 months. You can see him in the Coppa Italia and applaud him, you can take the trouble to say that "the biggest transfer is to have Redondo again", you can arrange him to play in the Champions League European Derby to express your infatuated love for your home team, But it just couldn't tolerate a loyal minister with iron bones flowing only in red and black.

Albertini once said: "Leaving Milan is a pain that will never go away."

This is not only his pain, but also the pain that will never go away in the hearts of all Milan fans. Perhaps the melancholy blue of the Mediterranean has already doomed the tragedy in his fate, and perhaps only the incomplete beauty is the most perfect beauty.

Faith is power, but what is faith when it is not recognized?

When I look back, I can only think of Beethoven's words: Must it be so?

Falling Leaf Ball, when this name is mentioned, will people still think of the vice team of AC Milan, the midfielder wearing red and black sword No. 4, Albertini, a classic Italian midfielder.

People say that Baggio is the prince of melancholy, but in fact he, Albertini, is also the prince of melancholy in blue Italy.

In 1992, Albertini had already become the main player in AC Milan. He played 29 times in a season. Naturally, he also had the name Albertini in the national team. He was 21 years old that year.

Albertini felt the cruelty of professional football for the first time in 1994. In the Rose Bowl, he passed the Hercules Cup. Maybe more fans can only remember Baggio's bleak back, and maybe there are some who can I remember that when Captain Baresi cried, there was a moment of sadness. Perhaps no one remembered the sad face of Albertini at that time. He was 23 years old that year.

From 1996 to 1997, Albertini put on the No. 10 jersey of the national team. Although he did not have the attention of fans like Baggio, a statement describing Albertini at that time was enough to prove his greatness: "When Albertini coughs, Italy catches a cold."

In the 1998 World Cup, when Di Biagio's penalty kick hit the goal post, more people remembered the old Maldini's silver hair fluttering in the wind, but a lonely figure sat on the grass and fell quietly. Tears, even if Baggio tried his best to pull him back, the man had tears, which were unforgettable. Albertini was 27 years old that year.

In 1999, the European Cup qualifiers, San Siro, Albertini's home, where he put on the captain's armband of the Italian team, at that moment Albertini was not just Milan's vice team.

In the 2000 European Cup, the fans saw Albertini's tears again. Many fans hated Del Piero because he wasted too many opportunities and made the fans see Albertini's tears again.

In the past ten years, I have watched the red and black swords on Albertini's body alternate in thickness, watched him command in the midfield, watched him be resolute and tenacious in defense, watched him broaden his vision, and watched him make precise long passes. Of course, there are also his free kicks, but the erratic route can always accurately fly into the opponent's goal or appear above the heads of his teammates. Ten years later, Milan fans already miss his superb "leaf ball".

In the 2002 World Cup, Albertini injured his Achilles tendon before going out. From this moment, Albertini bid farewell to the World Cup forever, and also bid farewell to the blue jersey of the Italian national team. After traveling to Lazio, Atletico Madrid, Atlanta, and Florence, Albertini is still attached to the sword shirt, but the time is merciless, and the color of the sword is no longer red and black.

Albertini, a great football star, a master of art, a man of great affection, is also a melancholy prince of Italy.

If you want to define the loyalty to AC Milan, some people can definitely be called loyal souls. They are the banner and soul of the club; they have merged with red and black; their loyalty has deeply moved everyone. A Milan fan.

Even though they will grow old eventually, even though they may no longer be good, all Milan fans will pay attention to their every move with the most admirable eyes, and treat every game of them with the greatest tolerance and understanding, even every time mistake.

Maldini: Milan's standard bearer, a symbol of loyalty. Any evaluation seems superfluous. In the eyes of many fans, like Baresi, Maldini is AC Milan. In the words of the Colts themselves: "The proudest thing in my life is to wear the same jersey for the entire career."

Costacurta: Billy, Ke Lao, Ke team, all the nicknames have expressed the greatest respect and love of the fans. It is true that his career is not as brilliant as Paul's, and he does not have many personal honors to prove himself, but the precision and purity of his loyalty to Milan is no less than that of any superstar. Perhaps, for a long time, people will look for the familiar figure of No. 5 in the stands.

Albertini: The eternal vice team, the most painful memory of Milan fans. Demi, Milan fans will never forget the flash in his eyes when he parted, and he will never forget his vicissitudes of life outside the city of Milan!

Now, the 36-year-old Albertini has come to the last match of his football career. He is wearing the purple and gold shirt of Florence and the captain's armband that symbolizes the leader. He once again stepped on the San Siro stadium. It's the last time.

"Rod! This match is my farewell match, and I don't want to leave any regrets!"

Standing in the player tunnel, standing next to Albertini was his old friend Maldini, who had fought side by side with him for more than ten years. Albertini just smiled faintly at his old friend, and turned his head to say something to Degan.

It's the last battle, I don't want to leave any regrets!

This sentence Degan said to Kaka last season, the Champions League final was his last match in AC Milan, he hoped to leave with a championship, and he succeeded, the Champions League final staged a hat-trick , His performance shocked the whole world.

Now, a year has passed, and for Albertini, it is the end of a new reincarnation. He is about to leave. This is his last battle. There is no trophy as a foil, and there is no stage built with flowers.

Degan knew that in Albertini's heart, he longed for Milan to be the final winner, but Albertini's silent pride was forcing his body to push AC Milan into the abyss in this game .

victory!

Only when you win, will you have no regrets!

"Understood! Demi! You have no regrets in your career!"

There's none?

Albertini is still smiling faintly. The biggest regret in his career is leaving Milan.

But he is content. In Atlanta, he won the Italian league championship trophy and the Coppa Italia. In Germany, although he missed the final due to injury, he played six times in the World Cup, with one goal and two assists. Still let him shine, compared to his old friend Maldini, he is lucky, he has a Hercules Cup in his career.

And now, although only two seasons, but he has become a symbol of the city of Florence.

The last battle!

Albertini looked at his old friend Maldini beside him: Are you ready? Paul!