As the Luton players made their way, they felt as if everyone was against them.
The closer they got to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, the stronger this feeling became.
Roma fans in Roma jerseys gave them the middle finger, which was considered polite. Others yelled obscenities, and there was no need to hear what these Italians were saying to know. Some even threw things at Luton's bus.
Gao Bo looked at the contorted faces of the fans outside the window, a faint smile slowly appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Gao Bo could have accepted a draw away from home, but since the Romans had caused so much trouble, he decided he absolutely had to win this match!
He loved the thought of seeing those Roma fans after their team lost at home.
Luton's bus quickly drove into the Stadio Olimpico's parking lot.
The players quickly headed to the field to warm up, led by assistant coach John.
The Stadio Olimpico in Rome is a multi-purpose stadium built for the 1944 Olympic Games, which were not held due to World War II. However, the Stadio Olimpico successfully hosted the 1960 Olympic Games and the 1990 World Cup final. It was inaugurated on May 17, 1953. It hosted the 1987 World Athletics Championships and was renovated for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, adding an oval, translucent canopy.
It can hold 105,000 fans, and at this moment, the Stadio Olimpico was completely packed.
As soon as the Luton players appeared, they felt a palpable sense of hostility.
Booing was common, and in the stands near the track, many Roma fans, with distorted expressions, were yelling various Italian curses.
Even during warm-ups, the Luton players could feel the stadium's animosity.
John looked at the stands with some concern, thinking that this match would indeed be very difficult for Luton.
"Run, get your bodies warmed up!"
John shouted, urging the Luton players to complete their warm-up as quickly as possible.
At this point, the television broadcast had begun, and the cameras, in addition to showing the players warming up on the field, also focused on the fans in the stands.
Luton's fans were huddled in a corner of the stands, with over five hundred Luton supporters who had traveled to Italy surrounded by local Roman security personnel. There was a specially designated empty space between them and the Roma players to prevent Roma fans from making any moves towards the Luton supporters.
"I believe everyone knows what happened before the game; Roma fans seem to be quite rude to Luton!" said Wright Atkinson, the Sky Sports commentator.
"This match is crucial for Roma. If they lose this game, whether Roma can advance from the group will depend on other teams' results!" Redknapp, as Wright Atkinson's partner, also participated in the commentary for this match.
"So, English fans in Rome still need to be very careful about their safety; who knows what these mafiosi might do," Wright Atkinson said, and he later got into a bit of trouble because of this remark.
The players' warm-up quickly concluded.
When all the players reappeared in the locker room, everyone was waiting for Gao Bo's final pre-match pep talk.
"To be honest, I'm a bit tired right now."
Gao Bo said, standing among the players, then he pursed his lips.
"They used such methods, and I must say it's very uncreative."
"This is the result they want to achieve; they want to make us tired, they want us to play the game in this state."
"To be honest, they've achieved their goal; we are indeed a bit tired now."
"There's nothing bad about admitting that."
Gao Bo continued.
Inside the locker room, the players had just finished warming up, and sweat was still dripping from their bodies.
John opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly held back, knowing that Gao Bo wouldn't just say this.
"But what does this indicate? Why would they do this?"
Gao Bo said.
"Do you know? Why are they doing this!!!"
"Because they're afraid to lose!!"
Vardy said.
Gao Bo seemed very surprised, pointing at Vardy and saying, "Well said! Jamie!!!!"
"They are indeed afraid to lose, but to be precise, they are afraid of us!!"
Gao Bo pointed to himself.
"They're afraid of us!! They are scared!! Otherwise, why would they do such a thing?"
"This is because they are afraid they can't beat us in a normal game; they fear us, and they only dare to face us when we are tired!!!"
Gao Bo waved his arms, inciting the players' emotions.
The players unconsciously puffed out their chests.
They instinctively believed Gao Bo's words without thinking.
Actually, Gao Bo's words don't stand up to scrutiny, because it was Roma's fans who caused trouble, not Roma's players or people sent by the Roma club. At most, this was just the actions of some of Roma's own fans, and to say it had anything to do with the Roma club would truly be a wrongful accusation.
After all, which team doesn't have some extreme fans, especially teams in Italy, where almost every team has extreme fan organizations.
The club simply cannot control them. Juventus even prohibits some extreme Juventus fan organizations from entering the stadium to watch games. If you want to say who hates these extreme fan organizations the most, it must be the official clubs of these extreme fan organizations, because these hooligans are more trouble than they're worth, constantly causing problems, and then the club has to clean up their mess, tarnishing the club's image.
Just like this incident, with the extreme Roma fan organization causing such a stir, the image of the Roma team in the hearts of many fans unconsciously declined.
Gao Bo looked at the players' expressions.
The players' physical condition was not at its best. At such a time, Gao Bo could only rely on completely igniting the players' fighting spirit, using the power of their morale to offset physical fatigue.
This was a last resort.
"But, are you willing to let their petty tricks succeed?" Gao Bo continued, not waiting for the players to answer, "I certainly won't!!!"
"They are afraid of us! So they use these petty tricks to make us lose our best form, but!! But I won't let them succeed!!"
"Since they are afraid, then we will thoroughly engrave this fear into their minds, making them tremble at the mention of our name! Making them want to cry when they see us!!!"
"We can fail, but we will not accept this kind of failure!!!!"
"They must think we can't run anymore! They must think we can't pose any threat to them in this stadium!!!"
"Now I want you to tell them!! Tell them on the pitch!!!"
"This is f***ing football!!!!"
"Even if they cause more trouble off the field!! The final victory can only be decided on the football pitch!!!"
"Now!!" Gao Bo extended his hand.
"Tell me, can you still run on the field!!!"
"YES!!!!!!!"
Gao Bo grinned.
"That's good!! My players are fighters!!! I won't be mistaken!!"
"Now go out and defeat them!"