Sports Medicine Master System

Besides Brescia’s General Manager, Mauro Pedrazzoli, and Baggio’s agent, Petrone, a white-haired old man had also rushed to the clinic.

Chen Yu recognized him at a glance.

Italy’s head coach, the world-famous Giovanni Trapattoni.

Just a moment ago, Chen Yu had been thinking about him. He never expected to turn around and find the man standing right in front of him.

"Hello, Dr. Chen."

Trapattoni stepped forward and extended his hand. The corners of his mouth turned up unnaturally. He seemed to be trying to smile, but perhaps because he was so used to his usual stern expression, the result was slightly awkward.

Chen Yu didn’t mind and shook his hand with a smile.

’He must be here to personally check on Baggio’s condition. He did say he was willing to give Baggio a chance.’

After a few brief pleasantries, Petrone was already eager to ask about Baggio’s condition.

"He’s on the soccer field. Let’s go take a look." His condition would be obvious at a glance.

But unexpectedly, Trapattoni said, "Dr. Chen, before we go see Robert, would it be possible for you to give me a tour? I’m quite curious about your clinic."

Chen Yu paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "Of course."

Pedrazzoli was clearly more concerned with Baggio’s condition. After asking for directions to the soccer field, he pulled Petrone along and headed off first.

Chen Yu once again found himself unable to read Trapattoni’s intentions. But if the man wanted a tour of the clinic, then a tour it would be.

"This is our medical center, where all treatments take place," Chen Yu said as he led Trapattoni through it. "Our equipment is state-of-the-art; you could say it’s the best in the world."

This wasn’t an exaggeration. He had spent a fortune in cash on it. In terms of hardware, the equipment was truly world-class.

Next was the rehabilitation center.

"In my medical philosophy, surgery only accounts for thirty percent of an athlete’s recovery. The most crucial seventy percent is post-operative rehabilitation. Customized rehab plans tailored to individual differences, along with ample recovery time, are what allow for a complete recovery."

A considerable sum had been invested in this rehabilitation center as well; all the various pieces of equipment were custom-made.

There was also the impressive-looking Ultra-Low Temperature Freezing Chamber, the Anti-gravity Treadmill, and more.

And now, it had been upgraded again. Many cameras had been installed, along with a custom data-monitoring system identical to the one used by the Suns.

’With the Eye of All-Seeing, I don’t need this stuff,’ Chen Yu thought. ’But it’s for others to see. Besides, I can’t be watching all the time, and the other physical therapists at the clinic need to use it too.’

Trapattoni seemed genuinely interested in the tour. He observed everything carefully, and whenever he came across something unfamiliar, he would ask for a detailed explanation of its function.

Then came the inpatient ward.

"This inpatient area is for our regular patients. Athletes are usually housed in the VIP villas on the outskirts of the campus. They are stand-alone homes, fully equipped, offering a better environment for convalescence and making it easier for family to stay with them."

Chen Yu led Trapattoni to one of the stand-alone villas on the outskirts.

Each had a private courtyard and was shaded by lush trees. The environment was excellent.

"Hm? Isn’t that Gabriel?" Trapattoni suddenly stopped as they passed one of the villas.

Through the courtyard gate, they could see Batty sitting in a wheelchair. His feet were wrapped in thick casts, and he was reading a newspaper. Nearby, his wife, Irina, was watering flowers.

"That’s him."

Chen Yu glanced over. "He had cartilage reconstruction surgery and is still recovering."

As he said this, he moved to open the gate.

"Let’s not disturb him." Trapattoni stopped Chen Yu. He gave Batty one last look, then turned away with a smile.

Chen Yu followed him.

Just then, Trapattoni suddenly asked a question. "Dr. Chen, do you think there’s any way to prevent injuries?"

’I really can’t figure out what this old man is up to,’ Chen Yu thought. After a moment of reflection, he shook his head and said, "No. Scientific training can only reduce the probability of injuries occurring, but they will still happen. To put it simply, injuries are a part of competitive sports."

If you’re afraid of getting hurt, you shouldn’t be in competitive sports.

"However," Chen Yu said, looking at Trapattoni, "my original intention in becoming a doctor was to ensure every injured athlete receives proper treatment. Getting injured isn’t what’s scary. What’s scary is not getting good treatment for that injury."

Trapattoni nodded thoughtfully, then, as if he had made up his mind, he said, "Dr. Chen, I came to the United States for two reasons. One was to visit Robert and check on his recovery. But the real reason is that I want to ask for your help."

"The World Cup is approaching, but more and more of the National Team players are getting injured. Last month, Maldini tore a ligament in his left knee and still hasn’t returned to play. Then, at the beginning of this month, another one of our starting defenders, Nesta, also twisted his knee and tore a collateral ligament."

’Italy’s back line is four men, and both Maldini and Nesta are starters. With two of them injured, half the defensive line is basically gone.’

"Then there’s Big Inzaghi. He injured a knee ligament last December. He eventually gave up on conservative treatment and opted for surgery, and he’s still recuperating. And Vieri... I saw in the news that you diagnosed him around the time Ronaldo returned. He also has an Achilles tendon injury."

’As if losing half the defensive line wasn’t enough, both of his starting forwards are injured too.’

Chen Yu knew about Vieri’s situation.

’But as for Inzaghi... Berlusconi never approached me about surgery for him. That must mean Inzaghi’s injury wasn’t serious. Probably just a simple ligament tear.’

Trapattoni continued, "Dr. Chen, I strongly agree with something you just said. Surgery is one part of it, but what truly allows a player to return to full health is the rehabilitation."

He hadn’t started paying attention to Chen Yu just because of Baggio.

He had been following Chen Yu ever since Ronaldo’s comeback—or even earlier, back when Ronaldo and Redondo announced they were coming to the United States for treatment.

The condition both Ronaldo and Redondo were in after their respective comebacks stunned everyone.

Then, late last year, Ronaldo mentioned his treatment process during an exclusive media interview. He spoke at length about Chen Yu’s rehabilitation methods—not only the various techniques he’d never seen before but also the rehab plan that was constantly adjusted to suit different stages of his recovery.

Ronaldo stated outright that his rehabilitation played a huge role in his recovery to his current state of health.

Coincidentally, Redondo had said the exact same thing during a media interview.

Combined with the recent spate of injuries among his National Team players, an idea began to form in Trapattoni’s mind.

"Dr. Chen, I’m hoping to partner with your clinic. I want to send our injured National Team players here for their rehabilitation. I’ve also seen reports that you’ve done extensive research into daily training and injury prevention. I’d like to discuss that with you as well, in hopes that we can help our players avoid injury and participate in the upcoming World Cup in good health."

’Sending players to the United States for treatment and rehabilitation wouldn’t be a simple matter. The clubs would have to agree, not to mention the cost. Their insurance wouldn’t be valid in the United States, which would mean a considerable expense.’

But to ensure his key players could participate in the World Cup, Trapattoni had steeled his resolve. He was willing to act as the go-between and have the Football Association cover a portion of the costs, all to get his injured players to Chen Yu for their rehabilitation.

At that, Chen Yu finally understood the real reason for Trapattoni’s visit.

’He should have just said so from the start. I was thinking it was something serious, but it’s just this. And what’s with all this "partnership" talk, making it sound so formal? My clinic’s doors are wide open. As long as you pay, I’ll treat anyone. If you have patients, just send them over.’

"Of course, that’s no problem," Chen Yu agreed with a nod.

’Speaking of which, Italy is in a pretty sorry state,’ he thought. ’There are only eleven starters, and look how many of them are injured. The United States Team, on the other hand, has had almost no injuries—partly because I’ve been keeping an eye on them. It might also have to do with the lower level of competition in the American soccer leagues. It’s not like Serie A, where the high level of competition leads to more injuries.’

"Thank you," Trapattoni said gratefully. Only after seeing everything with his own eyes was he completely convinced of Chen Yu’s abilities. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have wanted to go to all this trouble.

With the tour of the clinic complete, the two of them headed for the soccer field to check on Baggio’s condition.

"Actually, Robert and I don’t have any personal conflict."

Trapattoni offered this explanation voluntarily on the way.

When Moratti had pleaded on Baggio’s behalf, Trapattoni knew Chen Yu was involved. This comment was intended for Chen Yu’s ears.

Trapattoni continued, "In fact, I was there for his most brilliant moments. It must have been 1993, I think. He scored his 100th Serie A goal, and that was the year he won the Golden Ball Award and was named World Player of the Year. And that year, I was the head coach of Juventus."

He had returned to the Zebra Legion in ’91 for his second stint, coaching them until the summer of ’95. And it was that very same year that Baggio left Juventus to transfer to AC Milan.

You could say that Baggio’s peak years, in terms of personal honors, were all under his management. That’s why he could speak with such confidence.

"But at the same time, I also witnessed his greatest disappointment." Trapattoni’s tone shifted, growing somber.

Chen Yu remained silent. ’He must be talking about that penalty kick in ’94.’

Trapattoni sighed and continued, "Let’s put it this way: for every person who felt for him that year, there was another who blamed him. But looking back now, even if he had made the shot, what would have happened? Were they supposed to hope that Bebe would miss the last penalty? That was Bebe! In the entire world of soccer, how many players were better at taking penalties than him?"

"But no one cared about that. The voices of blame only remembered that he missed the penalty, that he cost Italy the championship. What they’ll never know is that because of that one kick, Robert also lost at least three major honors."

"And he has spent his entire life trying to atone for that single penalty kick. That’s why I know how badly he wants to play in this World Cup. On a personal level, I would love to have him on the National Team, to let him chase his dream one last time."

"But I am the head coach. I can’t waste a valuable spot on the National Team because of my personal feelings. I’ve always told the media the same thing: I’m not making a mistake. I don’t care how many awards a player has won or how many goals he’s scored for his club. I only look at who is in better form and who better fits my system. And Robert, at least until now, did not fit."

That last sentence seemed to carry a hint of self-justification on Trapattoni’s part.

He always did things his own way and had a consistently poor relationship with the media.

But in that moment, Chen Yu found himself understanding the man, for some reason.

Competitive sports could be that cruel sometimes.

It wasn’t about dreams or regrets. A regret was a regret precisely because that’s all it was.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Chen Yu spoke up. "Mr. Trapattoni, you’re talking about the past. As for the present... I believe Robert will be able to meet your requirements."

Trapattoni didn’t reply right away. He stopped in his tracks, staring blankly ahead. After a long moment, he nodded. "I think I can see that now."

The soccer field was just ahead.

From a distance, Trapattoni could already see a familiar figure running freely across the pitch.

In a trance, he felt as if he had dreamt his way back to Alpe Stadium, watching Baggio in the number 10 jersey, running with arms outstretched, basking in the cheers of countless fans.