Chapter 256: The Second Half of the Season Begins

Words : 1435 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

With the league about to restart, the AC Milan players returned early for training. Perhaps because they performed so well in the first half of the season, the players were full of motivation and managed to stay in shape even during the break. During the full medical checkup, everyone passed safely—except for Kaka. As for Kaka, the guy had apparently gone home to visit his girlfriend, and when he came back, he seemed a bit unsteady on his feet. "At this crucial time, you dare indulge like that?" Suker handed him a bowl of stewed chicken with an annoyed expression. It was meant to replenish his energy. Kaka looked like he'd been completely drained. Suker still needed him to help push for the Champions League in the second half of the season—there could be no problems now. Seeing the delicious food on the table, Kaka's appetite kicked in and he started digging in. "Andrei's nationality application has been approved. He no longer counts as a foreign player. Now in the second half of the season, the three of us can be on the field at the same time!" Shevchenko was still AC Milan's leading striker. His performance had been outstanding. In 17 league games, he had scored 17 goals—an average of one per game. He was also leading the Champions League scoring charts. With Shevchenko in great form, AC Milan's chances in Europe looked very promising. With rotation, Inzaghi occasionally brought surprises. Even if Shevchenko had issues, Inzaghi could step in. If Inzaghi were unavailable, they could still make do with Gilardino! The midfield was even more stacked with talent. Suker, Kaka, Seedorf, Rui Costa, Pirlo, Gattuso, and others... All of them were capable of being key contributors. Even if one got injured, they had backups ready. Although the defense was aging, they were still holding strong. Suker believed this season was a real shot at the Champions League title. After all, it was like he always said— Before 2007, he had to collect as many honors as possible, while the veterans could still run. After that, he and Kaka would have to carry the team—likely acting as the "deans" for a year or two—before finding a way to move on. That was Suker's current plan, and during this period, he had to rack up achievements and perform well. Aim for the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year! He didn't expect to win both, but even one would be great! Right now, the competition wasn't as fierce. But in the future, after the awards were merged, it would become a battle of a thousand soldiers over a single log bridge. Winning would require both club and national team success. Sigh... Suker let out a long sigh. Watching Kaka stuff food into his mouth, Suker nodded approvingly. Eat more! And then work harder! He pushed a sea cucumber toward Kaka. "Eat mor—eh, forget it, don't eat this one!" January 8, the 2005/2006 Serie A season resumes. AC Milan hosted Parma at the San Siro. "Suker's off-the-ball movement is brilliant—he's constantly creating space for teammates, contributing to the attack even when he's not touching the ball!" "Despite the winter break, Suker's form remains solid. That said, today's standout performers are Kaka and Shevchenko!" "Shevchenko and Kaka linked up beautifully, with the Ukrainian star scoring twice to pierce Parma's defense!" While running into position, Suker watched Kaka repeatedly break through the opposition back line with a satisfied smile. All the recent "feeding" had paid off. Kaka's condition had rebounded quickly—like a raging bull, full of energy and charging hard. That's the Kaka that Suker needed! "Pass it!" Suker suddenly made a run to the edge of the penalty area, calling out to Kaka. Kaka saw Suker's position, but just as he was about to pass, a defender quickly closed the space. Seeing no opportunity, Kaka pushed the ball forward, made a circular motion with his right foot over it, then darted horizontally along the edge of the box, pulling off a sudden feint. With the defender failing to follow, Kaka passed into the open space. Suker surged forward. "SUKER!!" With a Parma center-back hot on his heels, Suker had no angle to shoot. So instead of forcing a shot, he passed the ball diagonally backward. Shevchenko arrived just in time and poked the ball into the net ahead of the defender. AC Milan scored again—now leading 3-2. Shevchenko completed his hat trick!! "Shevchenko, the superstar from Ukraine, is putting on a phenomenal display! That's his second hat trick of the season. He's leading AC Milan toward glory with his blistering form!" Shevchenko sprinted off to celebrate. Suker didn't follow. Instead, he wore a bright smile. Yes, this was the AC Milan he envisioned! If they maintained this form, they truly had a shot at the Champions League title. This season, the main threats would be Henry's Arsenal and Ronaldinho's Barcelona. But AC Milan were also in top shape. A red-hot Shevchenko. A resurging Kaka. Prime-age players like Pirlo. Veteran warriors like Maldini... They had a real chance. Suker even wondered—if they won the Champions League this year, maybe Shevchenko wouldn't leave? Relying solely on Suker and Kaka to carry AC Milan wasn't impossible, but it would be very difficult to lead the aging squad to future Champions League glory. If Shevchenko stayed, their chances would improve dramatically. 75th minute—AC Milan made a substitution. Having completed his hat trick, Shevchenko came off to rapturous applause at the San Siro. Gilardino made his debut. "Facing your old team in your debut—what bad luck!" Suker joked. Gilardino grinned—his debut was indeed against his former club. Talk about awkward. Still, he had to perform. "Gilardino earned Milan's interest with his strong showing during the winter window. Although he once said he was a Juventus fan, as long as he didn't support Inter, Milan fans could accept it!" After coming on, Gilardino ran with great energy. Thanks to Suker and Kaka's distribution, he got multiple chances up front. But his finishing wasn't as sharp as Inzaghi's, and he lacked Shevchenko's explosiveness. Though a talented striker, he wasn't quite at their level yet. 87th minute—Kaka sent in a sudden cross, and Gilardino slid in for the finish. His debut goal for AC Milan! WHOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAA——! The San Siro erupted with applause. A warm welcome to Gilardino from the Milan family. "Gilardino scores! The lead widens—AC Milan 4:2 Parma! The new signing scores in his debut against his old team!" After scoring, Gilardino didn't celebrate. It was against his old team, after all. He raised his hands to show respect. Parma's away fans applauded him as well, congratulating his first goal for Milan. In the end, AC Milan defeated Parma 4-2 at home, earning their 18th league win. "Next match is against Roma!" "Totti, huh?" Inzaghi grinned. "Roma's in good form. Their defense is tough." Currently in Serie A, aside from Juventus and Milan, Roma had the best form. Especially after beating Juventus at home, their morale was soaring. Even Juventus struggled in Rome—clearly, Roma's defense was rock solid. So far, Roma were the only unbeaten team in the league. Their points were lower than Juve and Milan only because they drew too many games. "Don't worry—we've got Andrei, Suker, and Kaka!" Cafu laughed. As a defender, the best thing was having a powerful attack on your side. Milan's defense was good but still vulnerable at times. But even if they conceded, their strikers could score just as many. Often, Milan played from the front. So being a defender at Milan meant benefiting from a strong frontline—boosting confidence and performance. Suker rode home. Kaka drove, glancing over at Suker bobbing his head to music. "Something got you so happy?" he asked, smiling. Suker turned his head. "We played well. Isn't that reason enough to be happy?" Kaka chuckled, "True, good reason. What's for dinner?" Suker: "Salmon!" Kaka: "I want chicken!" "Chicken my ass!" Suker shot back. "Your face is getting rounder, and you still want chicken?" Lately, Kaka had been eating too well—his body fat percentage was rising. For a professional athlete, that was a big no-no. Suker had only meant to help him recover nutritionally, but the guy couldn't control himself. So now, Suker had to strike at the root. No more cooking! Absolutely not!

Chapter 256: The Second Half of the Season Begins

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