Chapter 183: Super Utility Player

Words : 1429 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

"Good morning!" "Good morning!" As Srna walked into the locker room, he greeted each of his teammates one by one. But when it came to Modrić, the latter kept his head down and completely ignored Srna, leaving him hanging. Srna awkwardly withdrew his hand and sat down next to Suker. "Looks like Luka is mad at me!" Srna said with a forced smile. Suker turned to glance at him and said, "Don't worry. He'll get over it eventually." Srna sighed. "Do you think I'm a deserter too?" Based on what Srna said yesterday, Modrić had been giving him the cold shoulder, clearly sulking. "Deserter?" Suker turned in surprise. "Why would you think that? We've already made it to the Champions League quarterfinals. You've given everything and even have injury concerns. No one would blame you for not risking it." Srna nodded. "I'm different from you guys. I'm about to get married. I have to think not just about myself but about Mirela's future. I can't afford to get injured. I need to keep playing and earning money!" Suker patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. Luka hasn't been through some things yet—he'll understand in time." Srna nodded with a sigh. "I hope so." He paused, then forced a grin. "But the next Champions League match..." Suker shrugged. "Is losing to AC Milan really that shameful?" Dinamo Zagreb's luck had run out. Not only had they discovered injury risks before the match, but they had also drawn AC Milan for the Champions League quarterfinals. This was arguably the strongest team in the world. Their goalkeeper was Dida!A glamorous backline featuring Cafu, Nesta, Stam, and Maldini.A midfield of Pirlo, Gattuso, and Seedorf.And the attacking midfield spot held by the lightning-fast Kaka!Up front: Inzaghi and Shevchenko. This lineup was truly intimidating. The 2004/2005 AC Milan squad is widely regarded as one of the most iconic lineups of the century. They had virtually no weaknesses! Dinamo Zagreb could draw Real Madrid twice. That was because Real was top-heavy—strong in attack but weak in defense. Dinamo could beat Manchester United. That was due to Roy Keane's red card in the first leg affecting the second leg's momentum. Plus, United's aging midfield was overrun, giving Dinamo the edge in tempo. But against AC Milan? Every line—attack, midfield, defense, and even goalkeeper—was far superior. Even when taken individually, Milan's players outclassed their counterparts. As a team, they were even more formidable. Still, Dinamo Zagreb had to give it a try. "Rest up and do your best in that match," Suker said with a smile. "At this point, any win is a bonus. Losing isn't a failure. No need to stress so much." Srna paused and then couldn't help but laugh. "You really know how to comfort someone!" Exactly! Why put so much pressure on themselves? They weren't chasing the Champions League title. This squad wasn't good enough to win it anyway. Starting from the first round of the qualifiers and reaching the quarterfinals—who could criticize Dinamo Zagreb's performance? Even Ajax only made it to the quarterfinals. And Dinamo started from the very beginning of the qualification rounds. They had no history of success! They weren't on Ajax's level at all. Reaching the quarterfinals was already a miracle. They had no reason to feel pressure. The ones under pressure should be AC Milan. After Manchester United's upset, the giants needed to rethink how they played against Dinamo Zagreb. If they weren't careful and got eliminated, that would be a disaster. Milan, Italy — AC Milan's Training Ground Ancelotti was watching Dinamo Zagreb's match against Manchester United. As he observed, his eyebrows kept raising. Under his gaze, Suker's constant forward runs and drop-backs were keeping Dinamo's attack flowing. Sometimes he looked like Inzaghi. Other times, he seemed completely different. The mixed styles gave Ancelotti an odd feeling. He also felt Dinamo hadn't fully utilized Suker's potential. Currently, Suker would be better suited to a second striker or attacking midfielder role. He shouldn't stick too close to the wing but rather operate in the half-spaces, linking attacks and making penetrating runs. Ancelotti shook his head—why was he thinking about this again? Lately, every time he watched Suker's footage, his thoughts wandered. Suker hadn't even joined AC Milan yet, nor was he one of Ancelotti's players. Though he admired Suker, they were still opponents for now. "Let's give this kid a little taste of defeat first," Ancelotti chuckled, "then I'll start molding him." When Suker made forward runs, his style mirrored Inzaghi's. Both had an uncanny sense for exploiting space. But Suker was faster and more explosive. However, he lacked Inzaghi's shooting precision and first-touch control. In other words, Suker wasn't a pure striker yet. And who better to defend Inzaghi-like players than AC Milan's defenders, who trained with him daily? Ancelotti planned to have his defense train with Inzaghi to get used to those sudden runs and learn how to contain them. As for Suker dropping deep—Gattuso would handle that. Ancelotti wasn't worried about Dinamo Zagreb posing a real threat. Partly because of Suker—he knew the team well. But mostly because the talent gap was just too large to overcome. Ancelotti was confident that AC Milan was the best team in the world. April 1st — Round 27 of the Croatian League Lokomotiva Zagreb vs. Dinamo Zagreb. With Dinamo resting most of their starters, Lokomotiva hoped for a win. But they quickly abandoned that hope. Despite Modrić—Dinamo's midfield brain—being absent, Suker stepped into the central midfield role and took over. With Suker running the show, Dinamo still played brilliantly. "Suker drops back to organize again—even without Modrić, Dinamo's attack remains sharp. He's not just a great forward but also a superb playmaker. Look how well he's doing!" Commentator Kraušivić exclaimed. Many thought Dinamo would struggle without Modrić. But coach Bešić placed Suker in central midfield instead. And there, Suker showcased his exceptional distribution and command. Unlike Modrić's elegant style, Suker was more aggressive. He could burst forward alone and also play threatening passes. His defense wasn't as strong, but the attack more than made up for it. In three matches, Dinamo scored about three goals per game. In this one, Suker scored one and assisted one, once again dominating the pitch. "What a great player to have!" Bešić muttered on the sidelines. What coach wouldn't love a player who could do everything? That's exactly what Suker was—a super utility player. Up front, he could be the main scorer or a winger capable of solo runs. In midfield, he could organize attacks in Modrić's absence. A versatile front-line player! One man doing multiple jobs—and doing them all excellently. Bešić felt lucky to have him. €800,000 bought him a super utility player! "Suker!" Rakitić passed the ball forward to Suker. With his back to goal, Suker flicked it with his toe, spun around, and sprinted forward. He got to the ball before the defender and shielded him off. Kačalida tried pushing him but couldn't move him—Suker had gotten stronger. Suker knocked the ball ahead and charged into space. Mandžukić, acting as a wall, laid the ball off to the side. Suker arrived in full stride, picked it up, and drove into the box. Before the center-backs could close him down, he unleashed a powerful left-footed shot. The ball flew through the keeper's legs and into the net. 71st minute: Dinamo Zagreb 3–1 Lokomotiva. Two goals and one assist for Suker—he was the star of the match. Suker ran a curved path straight toward Dinamo's fans, arms outstretched like he was embracing the entire stand. The crowd erupted with thunderous cheers. Suker was now, after Davor Šuker, the brightest star of Dinamo Zagreb. And with his continued growth, many believed he could even surpass Šuker. Yes! Dinamo's fans truly believed it. Suker's performances showed just how gifted he was. Even on the European stage, he outshone many of the so-called "wonderkids" from big clubs. 10 goals in 8 Champions League matches. That stat doesn't lie! Even Milan's Kaka had only scored four in the Champions League. The best part? He was Croatian. A boy who grew up in Zagreb! Suker had become the pride of the city.

Chapter 183: Super Utility Player

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