Chapter 125 Perhaps he will let Maldini down...

That same evening after the match, Julia drove Fino to the medical facility they were working with for a second checkup. Neither Fino's management team nor Fino himself had much trust in Milan's veterinary team, so to be on the safe side, it was better to have him checked again at their partner facility.

Fino was finally relieved after the test results came out.

He did have a mild muscle strain, but the recovery time was shorter than the Milan team's medical team had estimated, around 10 days.

He will miss the matches against Juventus and Udinese, but he will be available for the home game against Roma in the 37th round.

Later that evening, Fino received a call from Liverpool.

"Hey, Finney, I watched your game against Manchester United. How's your leg? Is it serious?" Alonso asked directly after the call connected.

He had been worried for hours, but unsure if it would be convenient for Fino to answer the phone, he waited anxiously until evening before finally making the call.

"Don't worry, it's just a mild muscle strain, and the recovery period is about 10 days. It just means you can't compete or train, but it won't affect your life much."

"That's good." Alonso breathed a sigh of relief, and then his tone became more relaxed. "Congratulations on beating Manchester United and reaching the final. I'm happy for you."

"Are you happy for me, or for Manchester United being eliminated?" Fino joked.

The Manchester derby is a deep-seated feud, far more intense than the Milan derby.

"So mischievous?" Alonso smiled. "It seems your injury is indeed not a problem at all, at least it won't prevent you from dominating in the Champions League final!"

Fino laughed and teased him, "Yeah, what a pity. I was planning to crush Liverpool in the final and teach them a lesson."

“Well, that’s a real shame.” Alonso walked to the window, talking to Fino while gazing at the Liverpool night view. “You’ll never have a chance to beat me in a Liverpool jersey.”

He will definitely leave Liverpool this summer.

"So what? Teams that can't qualify for the Champions League aren't good enough for you. No matter which team you transfer to, as long as we keep winning, we'll definitely have a chance to play against each other."

"So you really want to beat me?" Alonso reached out and touched the smiling reflection of himself in the glass window.

“That way we’ll have a chance to meet!” Fino chuckled. “You just won’t come to Milan.”

Hmm, Italian.

As Alonso watched the person reflected in the glass window, the curve of his lips became more and more pronounced, and even his eyes were filled with pleasure.

"Should I go to Milan to take Pirlo's place? Will you support me, or that 'reserved and elegant artist,' your 'destined best friend'? Do you now understand whether 'beneath his calm exterior lies a heart burning with passion or a heart filled with turmoil'?"

Alonso made a joke, but he was actually quite serious.

He had seen clips of Fino's radio broadcast online, as well as translated versions of Fino's interviews with Chinese media.

Ah, Pirlo is a destined friend, while I am just someone I met by chance during my travels and have maintained contact with.

He knew that Pirlo and Fino were teammates and close friends who interacted a lot, much closer than he was to Fino. But even among friends, comparisons and possessiveness were inevitable, and he himself did not realize the slight sourness he was showing.

Ugh, this is a killer question.

What's the difference between this and "I fell into the water at the same time as your mother"?

Fino began to regret joking with Alonso.

Fino has a great fondness for every strong midfielder, such as Alonso and Rui Costa. They are all top midfielders who shine in the hall of football and are the teammates that every striker dreams of.

But Pirlo is different. Pirlo is not only powerful on the field, but also always by his side in life. They can go shopping together, travel together, shoot commercials together, and their personalities are very compatible. He really loves Pirlo.

Fino didn't tactlessly reveal his true feelings; after all, he was Chinese.

He also liked Alonso very much and didn't want to make Alonso unhappy.

He immediately changed the subject, feeling guilty.

“Hey Xavi, are you coming to watch the Champions League final? The Premier League season will be over by then. I have a few family tickets, you can bring your loved one or a friend.”

“Thank you, but I don’t have a lover.” Alonso, of course, noticed that Fino was changing the subject.

He hadn't intended to pry, and comparing himself to Pirlo would only humiliate him. But even though he understood everything, he still felt a vague sense of loss at not being firmly chosen.

“Friends are fine too, like Gerrard, you two are really close, right? Istanbul Nights, the Kiss of the Century and all that,” Fino joked.

After he finished speaking, he suddenly realized that he might be able to turn the tables.

His guilty conscience vanished instantly, replaced by a confident retort: ​​"So, do you prefer Gerrard or me? Would you bring Gerrard to support Milan for my sake?"

Alonso's lips twitched. The kid's retort was quick, accurate, and ruthless. Was he shooting himself in the foot?

And bringing the Liverpool captain to sit in AC Milan's family section? Are they crazy?

"I'll be watching the Champions League final, but I can't sit in the Milan family section. Don't worry, I'll support you in my heart!"

...

Ten days later, before AC Milan's away game against Udinese, Fino received confirmation from both the Milan team's medical staff and the medical institution he was working with that his injury had fully healed and he could officially resume training and matches.

Just to be on the safe side, Ancelotti did not include him in the squad.

At 8:30 p.m. on May 16, AC Milan's away game against Udinese officially kicked off. Just as Fino was sitting on the sofa at home, preparing to watch the game, there was a knock on the door.

It was Mendes, looking travel-worn and weary.

"Jorge, what brings you here?" Fino ushered Mendes in.

"I have received some very important information, which is not convenient to discuss over the phone. I need to talk to you in person."

After taking his seat, Mendes couldn't wait to speak.

"Two days ago, Florentino Pérez held a press conference to announce his candidacy for Real Madrid president this summer. The election is just a formality; his election is practically a done deal."

"What does that have to do with us?" Fino asked, puzzled, as he poured Mendes a glass of water.

“Thank you.” Mendes picked up his glass and gulped down several mouthfuls. “Don’t rush, I’m not finished yet. I’ve received word that seven days ago, Kaka’s father, Bosco, met with Florentino’s confidants in Zurich. Galliani agreed to negotiate with Real Madrid regarding Kaka’s transfer, and Kaka, through Bosco, also made it clear that if he leaves Milan, he will only go to Real Madrid. The transfer agreement is basically finalized; only the transfer fee and salary negotiations remain.”

Fino remained silent for a while, then simply nodded to indicate that she understood, without saying anything.

Although he was somewhat saddened, he had a premonition about Kaka's departure since Kaka won the Ballon d'Or a year and a half ago, so it wasn't too difficult for him to accept.

Moreover, Mendes had given him a heads-up when he renewed his contract last year.

"Actually, Florentino contacted me a month ago; Real Madrid wanted you," Mendes added.

Fino smirked: "I won't leave Milan on my own initiative, and Milan probably won't sell me for the time being."

“I gave Florentino the same reply a month ago,” Mendes replied immediately. “But this morning, Florentino contacted me again and said that if you have to leave Milan this summer, he hopes we can give priority to Real Madrid.”

Mendes pointedly remarked, "He sounded very confident."

"What do you mean?" Fino became wary.

He thought for a few seconds, then asked hesitantly, "Are you suspecting that Milan has the idea of ​​selling me?"

"Money can be a powerful motivator, can't it? Real Madrid has plenty of money."

Fino shook his head; he didn't think that was possible.

"Milan's revenue situation this season is much better than last season, and the financial deficit is not as serious. Moreover, after selling Kaká, Milan will immediately have a large amount of income in its accounts, which will definitely not be a problem to deal with the Italian Football Federation's audit. Milan has no economic need to sell me."

The Italian Football Federation stipulates that professional clubs must submit materials to prove that their financial operations are normal if they want to qualify for the new season. If they are mired in a debt crisis, they will not be able to obtain a participation certificate.

"Without financial pressure, and with Kaká leaving, the team would have to come up with another star player, so the club really had no reason to sell you. But Florentino's tone didn't sound like he was talking nonsense. When he was communicating with Galliani about Kaká's transfer, he must have mentioned news about you. I even suspect that he was deliberately trying to be friendly to us and remind us to make plans early."

Fino pondered for a moment and suggested a possibility: "Could it be that Galliani is trying to hint at something to us through Florentino? Like, don't keep asking for a raise like Kaka's team did? Or sell me off?"

Mendes shook his head: "Kaka is gone, so you'll definitely get a raise this year. It's unreasonable for the top player of a top team to only get 4 million euros. Ibrahimovic next door is already getting 12 million euros. Your performance this year is enough to compete for the Ballon d'Or at the end of the year. Galliani is a smart man; he won't be foolish enough to only give you 4 million euros."

After saying that, Mendes stood up: "We can't just sit here and wait to die. Renewing the contract is a good excuse. I'll test Galliani's opinion now."

Mendes called Galliani, and the two exchanged pleasantries.

After hanging up the phone, Fino and Mendes sat on the sofa in silence for a long time.

Galliani was very good at playing the game of tai chi, speaking without leaving any room for criticism, but Mendes still understood Galliani's meaning from his words.

Galliani needs Fino to make a statement, like Leonardo, that he will always stand with him and help manage the locker room in the future, instead of leading the Knights Table against him like Maldini did.

Fino was aware of the struggle between Galliani and the Knights Table.

The Knights' Table is now really just Maldini. Ambrosini and Gattuso don't have the prestige to match Maldini's, and without Maldini, they don't have the confidence to challenge Galliani.

“It’s all because of power struggles,” Fino sighed. “Maldini wants me to take over as Milan captain in the future. That’s no secret in the locker room. Galliani probably already knows. The Knights’ Club and Galliani have been checking and balancing each other for so many years. With Maldini’s retirement, Galliani has inevitably become the sole leader, and the Knights’ Club is practically defunct. Galliani doesn’t want the Knights’ Club to revive. The better I perform, the more Galliani fears me. No wonder he wants to sell me.”

Mendes comforted him, saying, "Galliani's meaning is clear: he's just giving us a warning, not necessarily trying to sell you. As long as you express your support for him and never oppose him, your position in Milan is more secure than anyone else's."

Fino shook his head and spoke with difficulty: "The checks and balances between the Knights Table and Galliani are necessary. The club needs other voices, not just Galliani's one-man show. I can't remain silent when Galliani makes absurd decisions, which is why Maldini hopes I can take over as Milan captain in the future. Let's prepare for both possibilities, Jorge. Let's try to negotiate, but we also need to prepare for the worst. If we can't reach an agreement, then you can earn a transfer commission."

He loves Milan, but he will not blindly obey Galliani to stay; that would be an insult to his dignity and a betrayal of Maldini.

Perhaps he will disappoint Maldini's expectations of entrusting Milan to him.

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Author's Note: Thank you all for your support! [Let me see...]