AN : i've done some adjustment for Football, the details at the end of chapters and because world cup is happening expect lot of football stuff lol! hahaha!
Right now, Zaboru was meeting with Massimo Moratti and Louis van Gaal to discuss Inter Milan's 2000–2001 season. Honestly, for a team that had only recently been restructured, Inter's performance this season was already incredible.
Under Van Gaal as head manager, Inter Milan finished second in Serie A, only two points behind the strong AC Milan. They also won the UEFA European Cup and reached the Coppa Italia final, only losing to Lazio in the end. For most clubs, that kind of season would already be considered an enormous success. For a newly rebuilt Inter Milan filled with many fresh signings, young players, and a new tactical identity, it was almost absurd.
Of course, because Zaboru was now involved, Inter Milan in this world had already become very different from the Inter Milan of his previous life.
Last year, Inter had bought many players and started integrating them into the squad. Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima had arrived from PSV. Luís Figo had been taken from Sporting Lisbon. Dennis Bergkamp had come from Ajax together with Van Gaal. Javier Zanetti had been bought from River Plate. Fabio Cannavaro had arrived from Parma. On top of that, Inter had also collected several young talents such as Andriy Shevchenko, Luca Toni, Andrea Pirlo, and Hidetoshi Nakata. Roberto Carlos was already at the club as well.
If someone from the Zaboru world looks at this It was a ridiculous squad but for people in this world its only "Good Squad" even Questionable squad.
Even Zaboru himself sometimes looked at the team list and laughed because it felt less like a normal football club and more like someone had opened a save file, turned on future knowledge, and decided to commit crimes against football history.
But the important part was that Van Gaal actually used them properly.
The formation that worked best for Inter this season was mainly 4-3-3, with Ronaldo, Bergkamp, and Figo becoming the core of the attack. However, the system was flexible. Figo and Bergkamp could both drop below the main striker, drift inside, create chances, and control the attacking rhythm. That flexibility gave young players like Shevchenko and Luca Toni more time to play without breaking the team structure.
Sometimes Ronaldo would lead the line with Bergkamp behind him. Sometimes Figo would operate wider while Bergkamp played between midfield and attack. Sometimes Shevchenko would enter and add direct running. Sometimes Luca Toni would become a more physical target inside the box. With so many options, Inter's attack became terrifyingly difficult to predict.
Overall, Ronaldo was the one who truly stole the show this season.
He was still only twenty years old, fully healthy, explosive, and absolutely monstrous. Across all competitions, Ronaldo played around forty-four games, scored forty-five goals, and provided fifteen assists. Those numbers alone already made people call him the most terrifying striker in Europe. He won the Golden Boot as well..
But he was not alone.
Dennis Bergkamp scored twenty-two goals and recorded nineteen assists in forty-six games, acting as Inter's elegant creator and second striker. Luís Figo scored seventeen goals and gave seventeen assists in forty-one games, becoming one of the most dangerous wide creators in Italy. Shevchenko scored seventeen goals and gave four assists in thirty-eight games despite still being a young player developing inside the rotation. Luca Toni scored fourteen goals and provided two assists in thirty-seven games, showing flashes of the powerful striker he could become in the future.
And that was just the attack.
In midfield, Pirlo was slowly becoming more solid. He was still young, still developing, and still not the perfect deep-lying playmaker Zaboru remembered from his previous life, but the talent was obvious. Nakata adapted surprisingly well, showing incredible resilience, intelligence, and work rate. Javier Zanetti could play as a defensive midfielder when needed, while also covering multiple positions with almost ridiculous reliability. Roberto Carlos gave the left side explosive power, and Cannavaro gave the defense the kind of warrior-like presence Italian football always respected.
Inter Milan had become an anomaly.
Italian football during this era was famous for defense. Serie A was filled with tactical battles, disciplined defensive shapes, brutal marking, and managers who treated conceding goals like personal insults. Many clubs preferred control, structure, patience, and defensive security.
Then there was Inter Milan under Van Gaal.
They attacked.
They attacked like a team that considered a 1-0 victory personally offensive.
Inter's matches were almost always entertaining because the team created so many chances. Their attacking football was aggressive, technical, fast, and full of movement. When Inter played, goals were expected. Not just one goal. Often several. They won many matches by more than one goal, and even when they conceded, they usually responded by attacking harder instead of becoming cautious.
Some Italian experts hated it.
Several old-school pundits called Inter's style disrespectful to Italian football traditions. They said Van Gaal's football was too open, too reckless, too arrogant, too Dutch, and too obsessed with beauty instead of proper tactical discipline. One famous former defender even said watching Inter defend with so many attacking players on the pitch made him "physically uncomfortable."
Zaboru found that comment hilarious.
But despite the criticism, many Italian people enjoyed watching Inter play. Younger fans especially loved it. The stadium atmosphere became electric because Inter matches felt like events. Even neutral fans turned on the television because they knew something interesting might happen. Ronaldo might destroy a defender. Figo might create a chance out of nothing. Bergkamp might score something elegant. Roberto Carlos might launch a shot that looked illegal.
Inter had not won Serie A, but they had become one of the most exciting teams in Europe.
The only reason they failed to become champions was simple.
AC Milan was insanely strong this year.
They were consistent, disciplined, experienced, and extremely hard to defeat. Their defense was stubborn, their midfield was stable, and they knew how to win ugly matches. While Inter sometimes played like a storm, Milan played like a machine that refused to break.
In the end, Inter lost the Serie A title by only two points.
That was exactly why Zaboru was meeting with Moratti and Van Gaal now.
Inside the meeting room, Van Gaal looked extremely pleased. He was not the kind of man who smiled easily, but even he could not hide his satisfaction with how the season had gone. What pleased him most was not only the results. It was the fact that Zaboru truly agreed with his attacking vision.
Zaboru did not micromanage him.
Zaboru actually understand lot of football tactics
He did not panic whenever Inter conceded.
He did not demand defensive football just because some Italian pundits complained.
He did not treat football like a toy he had purchased and now wanted to control every second.
Instead, Zaboru trusted him.
For Van Gaal, that mattered.
He was a proud manager with strong ideas. He loved structure, attacking football, possession, technical development, and young players who could learn his system. In many clubs, an owner like Zaboru might have become annoying, especially because Zaboru clearly loved acquiring young future talents and had strong opinions. But strangely, Zaboru gave him the players, supported the vision, and then allowed him to manage while also give valid Advice.
That made Van Gaal respect him.
The young players Zaboru recommended also surprised him. At first, Van Gaal had thought Hidetoshi Nakata might have been a sentimental choice because Zaboru was Japanese. He assumed Zaboru simply wanted a Japanese star at Inter for emotional or marketing reasons.
But Nakata proved him wrong.
Nakata was not flashy like Figo, not explosive like Ronaldo, and not elegant like Bergkamp, but he was extremely useful. He worked hard, learned quickly, followed tactical instructions, and never complained about where he was placed. Whether Van Gaal used him deeper, wider, or closer to the attack, Nakata gave everything.
That was the kind of player every coach loved.
Moratti, meanwhile, looked almost like a man living inside a beautiful dream. He smiled widely and said, "Zaboru… I really love how Inter looks now. Hahaha! I honestly didn't know football could be this exciting when you focus this much on attack!"
Van Gaal only smiled quietly.
Moratti then leaned forward, eyes shining with dangerous enthusiasm. "But I think we need an additional striker, don't you think?"
Zaboru immediately chuckled.
There it was.
Massimo Moratti's eternal obsession with great strikers.
Even in this world, even with Ronaldo, Bergkamp, Shevchenko, Luca Toni, and more attacking options already inside the squad, Moratti still wanted another striker. It was almost impressive. The man looked at one of the most terrifying attacks in Europe and somehow thought, Yes, but what if there was one more?
Zaboru shook his head with a grin. "Moratti-san, you know we already have five striker options, right? Not to mention our youngsters from the academy. For now, our striker position is enough. Luca Toni and Shevchenko can become very good replacements for Ronaldo and Bergkamp when needed, and Figo is extremely flexible too."
Moratti looked slightly disappointed.
Zaboru continued, "What we need right now is not another pure striker. What we need is another flexible player who can control the midfield, create chances, carry the ball forward, and even play closer to the attackers if necessary."
Then Zaboru grinned.
"And we just got that player."
Van Gaal nodded. "Our midfield is already quite good now. Pirlo is becoming solid in the middle, Javier Zanetti can play as a defensive midfielder if needed, and Nakata has become very useful. But I agree with you, Zaboru. The player you bought is an excellent addition. He already gave us headaches in the European Cup final last year against Bordeaux."
Zaboru's grin became even wider. "Yeah. He will be an insane addition. Aside from that, our squad is already balanced. We don't need to add too many players."
Moratti sighed and asked, "But still, ten million euros for him right now? We could just wait until next year and get him for free, couldn't we? Isn't that too much, Zaboru?"
Zaboru almost laughed.
If someone from his previous life heard that sentence, they would probably be mocked to death.
Because the player Inter had paid ten million euros to bring immediately from Bordeaux was none other than Zinedine Zidane.
Zinedine Zidane.
For ten million euros.
To Zaboru, that was not expensive. That was daylight robbery wearing a polite suit.
In his previous life, Zidane would become one of the greatest midfielders in football history. A genius with the ball. Elegant, calm, technical, strong, intelligent, and capable of controlling the rhythm of an entire match with touches that looked almost unreal. Zaboru remembered what Zidane could become, and compared to that future, ten million euros was pocket change.
Zaboru leaned back comfortably and smiled. "Don't worry, Moratti-san. This guy is that guy. Trust me. And we need him more than ever. Besides, by paying now instead of waiting, he will understand how much we value him."
Van Gaal sighed softly. "Somehow, I no longer doubt your instinct, Boss. Zidane is a very good player, and he will be a strong addition for us."
Moratti still looked reluctant, but only because he could not stop thinking about strikers.
"Fine, fine. I trust you," Moratti said. Then he paused and muttered, "But still, another striker could be great…"
Zaboru immediately pointed at him. "Hold your desire for strikers, Moratti-san."
Moratti looked at him with mild confusion. "Also, why are you calling me Moratti-san now?"
Zaboru laughed. "Because you were the one who said it would sound cool if I called you with 'san' like a Japanese person, Moratti-san."
Moratti blinked.
Then he laughed loudly. "Hahaha! That's true. I did say that." Moratti really had a blast in his life when his Inter Milan became so strong!.
Van Gaal chuckled quietly, clearly amused by their ridiculous relationship.
The meeting continued with more serious discussion about the squad. Zidane's arrival would change many possibilities. Van Gaal could use him as an attacking midfielder, a left-sided creator, a deeper playmaker in certain matches, or even as a free creative presence behind Ronaldo. With Bergkamp, Figo, Pirlo, Nakata, and Zidane all available, Inter's creative structure might become almost unfair if balanced properly.
The challenge would be managing minutes.
Too many talented players could create problems if their roles were unclear. Zaboru understood that very well. In games, stacking powerful characters without thinking about synergy could still create a broken party. Football was similar. A squad full of stars could collapse if everyone wanted the ball, everyone demanded the spotlight, or the formation lost balance.
That was why he trusted Van Gaal.
Van Gaal was strict enough to control the dressing room and tactical enough to arrange roles properly.
Zaboru said, "Next season, we need to make sure the young players still get minutes. Shevchenko, Toni, Pirlo, Nakata, and the academy players need proper development. I don't want them rotting on the bench."
Van Gaal nodded firmly. "I agree. If they are talented, they must play. But they must also earn it."
"Of course," Zaboru replied. "I don't want favoritism. I want proper development."
Moratti smiled. "You really care about young players."
Zaboru shrugged. "Young players are investments. But more than that, they're the future. If we only buy stars forever, the club becomes unstable."
Moratti looked slightly wounded by that sentence.
Zaboru noticed and laughed. "I'm not saying we shouldn't buy stars, Moratti-san."
Moratti immediately looked better.
Van Gaal muttered, "You comforted him too quickly."
Zaboru grinned. "He looked sad."
Moratti crossed his arms. "I was not sad."
"You were thinking about strikers again."
Moratti looked away.
Van Gaal laughed softly.
After that, they reviewed the season in more detail. Inter's biggest strength was obvious: attacking output. Their front line could overwhelm almost any team in Europe. Their biggest weakness was also obvious: defensive balance. Not because the defenders were bad, but because the team sometimes attacked with so much confidence that they left dangerous spaces behind.
Van Gaal admitted it calmly. "We need better control after losing the ball. The players understand the attacking movements, but counter-pressing and defensive transition must improve."
Zaboru nodded. "Especially against Milan."
"Especially against Milan," Van Gaal agreed.
Moratti's expression became serious at the mention of AC Milan. "They were too difficult this year."
Zaboru smiled. "That's fine. Rivalries are more fun when the opponent is strong."
Moratti stared at him. "I prefer winning."
"Same," Zaboru said immediately. "But defeating a strong Milan will feel much better than defeating a weak one."
Van Gaal nodded. "That is true."
Zaboru looked at both men and continued, "This season already proved Inter can fight at the highest level. We won the European Cup, reached the Coppa Italia final, and nearly won Serie A. That means the foundation works. Next season is not about rebuilding anymore. It's about refining."
Moratti smiled slowly.
Van Gaal's eyes sharpened.
That word mattered.
Refining.
Inter was no longer an experimental project filled with new pieces. It was becoming a real team.
They spoke about training, youth development, player rotation, Zidane's integration, Pirlo's growth, Nakata's role, and whether Roberto Carlos should be given even more freedom on the left side. They also discussed Ronaldo's health carefully. Zaboru insisted that Ronaldo must not be overworked just because he was unstoppable.
That point made Van Gaal nod seriously.
"Ronaldo is extraordinary," Van Gaal said. "But extraordinary players still need protection."
Zaboru's smile weakened slightly. He remembered Ronaldo's injuries from his previous life. That future still haunted him. In this world, Ronaldo was healthy, brilliant, and free from the cruel physical collapse that had damaged his career. Zaboru wanted to keep it that way.
"Protect him properly," Zaboru said. "No unnecessary risk, don't play him too much.." Zaboru sighed Italian league defenders play like they want to kill people especially Ronaldo but Ronaldo with his talent breeze those defender like they are nothing. Still Zaboru is super Worried about Ronaldo.
Van Gaal understood the seriousness in his voice. "I will."
Moratti also nodded. "Ronaldo is too precious."
Zaboru chuckled. "Not just precious. He's terrifying."
"He is both," Moratti replied.
The atmosphere relaxed again after that.
Eventually, Van Gaal turned the discussion toward the future.
"So," Van Gaal said, looking directly at Zaboru, "what is Inter's goal for next season, Boss?"
Zaboru grinned and looked at Van Gaal, as if he was about to say something.
To be continued.
AN: I know that previously, in Chapter 1077, I said Inter had already bought Zidane, but I've decided to revise that lol. It would be too OP, and besides, I want to have side stories with Zidane and the Inter players later. So sorry, guys, for the sudden change!
And in case you forgot, football in this world is less than five years behind, compared to basketball and entertainment, which are around ten years behind.
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