The Roma fans turned their gaze to Lingard and Ling, who were now celebrating with a dance near the corner flag.
A silent rage welled up inside the ultras.
How dare someone dance in the sacred Stadio Olimpico?
They saw it as an insult, flashing rude gestures and hurling vile insults.
Some even deliberately made clownish expressions, mocking the celebration with racist undertones.
"!"
"You should all kneel!"
"."
Although Ling couldn't understand their language, he comprehended the meaning behind those gestures perfectly.
Moreover, the expressions of those people carried arrogance, prejudice, and a sense of entitlement.
Just like when he previously elbowed Kieran Trippier, he believed the best response to discrimination and harm was to retaliate.
The kind-hearted get bullied; the tame horse gets ridden.
Of course, he couldn't climb into the stands to fight with the fans.
But he could use goals to shatter their hidden and useless sense of superiority.
"Let's score another one later!"
Ling pointed at Roma's goal and said fiercely to Lingard, his eyes burning.
"Yeah! When we attack later, follow the pre-match arrangement—use irregular rotation in the front field to disrupt their defensive line."
Lingard's expression was grim, clearly equally angered by the abuse raining down from the Curva Sud.
Alisson got up from the pitch, looking at the ball lying quietly in the net, and spread his hands helplessly.
Manolas said in a muffled voice, "My mistake, I shouldn't have fallen for the feint, and my second step was too slow."
"No need to blame yourself. We're a team—everyone shares responsibility for conceding."
De Rossi firmly patted Manolas' shoulder, then turned to other players, clapping his hands.
"We defeated Chelsea, came back against Barcelona—this proves our quality isn't weak! The gap with European giants isn't as big as you imagine! Heads up!"
Since Francesco Totti's retirement, De Rossi had taken over as Roma captain and finally understood how difficult the role could be.
Facing the demanding fans in this ancient city, serving as the guiding light when the team faced difficulties...
After saying a few brief words, De Rossi turned back to his position.
Like the leader of a wolf pack, he conveyed his belief through silent action.
Roma players followed suit.
On the sidelines, Eusebio Di Francesco witnessed the scene and couldn't help but show a relieved smile.
When people feel lost, sometimes all they need is a clear direction to regain their fighting spirit and move forward again.
This was especially true in football.
Why could they overturn Barcelona?
While Ernesto Valverde's tactical mistakes played a part, it was mostly due to that never-say-die Roman spirit.
Meanwhile, Mourinho and Rui Faria high-fived in celebration, with the latter excitedly saying.
"Boss, even luck is on our side! How can we possibly lose now!"
"Don't celebrate too early. Roma's dual strikers haven't shown their full effect yet—the real test will come in the middle phase of the match. Look at Roma's midfielders—almost all have decent long-range shooting ability... So we need to time our push precisely here!"
Mourinho shook his head slightly, speaking seriously and sternly.
He wanted to use this opportunity to defeat Roma decisively, securing victory with minimal expenditure to preserve energy for the upcoming match against Arsenal.
Although the Champions League draw had been favorable, he still believed it would be difficult for Man United to win the title, unless some unrepeatable miracle occurred.
Therefore, Man United should currently focus on the league.
The match on the pitch resumed.
As Mourinho had anticipated, after the 35th minute of the first half, Roma significantly increased their offensive intensity.
Both side midfielders pushed high upfield, forming four forwards with Dzeko and Schick.
The overall formation shifted to an aggressive 3-3-4.
The midfielders formed an inverted triangle formation, advancing through the organization of Nainggolan and Strootman.
"Both are classic box-to-box midfielders with excellent game-reading abilities," Beglin noted.
"How should they distribute the ball to manipulate the opponent's defensive line?"
"Roma is executing a textbook-perfect switch of play!"
From a macro perspective, Manchester United and Roma share similar tactical styles, with attacks primarily built through wing breakthroughs before linking up with central teammates.
Kolarov received a pass from his teammate on the flank.
Renowned for his elegant playing style and unique free-kick expertise, he previously transferred to Manchester City for €24 million in 2010, becoming a key contributor to City's first league title.
This season, he moved to Roma for a bargain €5 million.
The Manchester United fans in the away section instantly grew tense.
With slightly heavy footsteps, Kolarov began consecutive feints against Valencia.
After creating minimal space...
His left foot suddenly curled the ball.
The football soared with intense spin, evading both his marker Valencia and Phil Jones' attempted clearance near the goal.
Simultaneously, it landed perfectly at Schick's feet.
No adjustment needed!
He only needed to connect with the ball to score and become Roma's savior.
De Gea!
Calmly reading the ball's trajectory, he resolutely dove forward.
In his early days, he possessed a lanky frame and frail physique, struggling immensely with physical contests.
His debut season at Manchester United was riddled with embarrassing blunders.
Yet Sir Alex Ferguson staunchly supported his adaptation to the Premier League, even at the cost of crucial points and witnessing their noisy neighbors set records.
One could say United "tempered" De Gea at the expense of a Premier League title, honing both his technical prowess and mental fortitude.
"Brilliant! De Gea!" Drury exclaimed.
"He anticipated the movement and snatched the ball from Schick's feet like a thief in the night!"
"This demands exceptional judgment from a goalkeeper!"
Clutching the ball tightly to his chest, De Gea inadvertently recalled the past.
Since Ferguson's departure, United's turmoil had been staggering.
No longer afforded the luxury of uncertainty and hesitation—once the team's weak link—he could only repeatedly make spectacular saves, guarding the vulnerable Red Devils' defense.
He had contemplated leaving for Real Madrid.
But that fax machine malfunctioned at the most inopportune time—perhaps this was everyone's destined fate.
Hearing his teammates' praises, De Gea suddenly broke into a faint smile.
He now wanted to stay at Manchester United.
After the match resumed.
Under Mourinho's direction, United intensified their wing defense, with both Ling and Mata dropping deep to form a back six at times.
As for Roma.
After their golden scoring chance was thwarted, their attacking rhythm stagnated.
"With United actively compressing space in their own half, Roma's players struggle to maintain possession in tight areas, limiting their pressing effectiveness!" Beglin analyzed.
"The fullbacks, supported by defensive midfielders, are executing their defensive duties excellently!"
"After a full season of refinement, Mourinho's tactical system is gradually taking shape—though fundamentally, it remains 'defensive counter-attacking.'"
"But achieving solid defense and stable counter-attacks is no simple feat."
"Compared to last season, United's counter-attacking success rate has increased by 12.3%, with Ling playing a significant role in this improvement," Drury added.
"Everyone, hold your objections for now. Ling can create vertical threats with his sheer speed, and also rely on his astonishingly delicate technique to suppress the opponent's defense, involving more teammates in the attack."
"If we carefully analyze Ling's technical characteristics, his playing style is more like a blend of a winger and a center forward."
"And this style, which balances pace and control, long and short plays, greatly enhances the team!"
"Looking back, Mourinho's decision to bench Anthony Martial at the start of the season and heavily rely on Ling was a high-stakes gamble with immense returns!"
Peter Drury watched Ling tirelessly running across the field, feeling a surge of emotions inside.
Beep!
Soon, the referee blew the whistle to signal the end of the first half.
Twitter was buzzing with analysis during the break.
@TacticalTim: Solid half from United. That Lingard goal was pure instinct, but Ling's setup was class. 1-0 away is huge.
@RomaFan: We look dangerous but can't finish. Schick needs to bury that chance. De Gea is a cheat code.
@RedDevilArmy: The hostility from the Roma fans is disgusting. Ling clearly heard something. I hope he silences them properly in the second half.
@MourinhoMasterclass: This is classic Jose. Absorb pressure, score on the break, frustrate the opponent. The Stadio Olimpico is getting quiet.
@CalcioWatch: Roma need to change something. Nainggolan is running hard but producing nothing. Maybe bring on Ünder?
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If you ask for a pairing then its Maria Guardiola, pep own daughter tho Mourinho seems against it and offer his daughter instead! 😭