Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Inter Milan Is Finished
Mancini's worst fear had come true.
From the start of the second half, he had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right. He couldn't shake the thought that Gao Shen and Napoli wouldn't stick to the same tactics for the entire match. It was simply beneath the level of a coach who had won both La Liga and the Champions League.
Despite Mancini downplaying the importance of the double crown in front of everyone, he knew better than anyone that only an exceptional coach could pull off such an achievement.
And now, his ominous feeling had become reality.
Napoli indeed had a plan, and it was perfectly tailored to exploit Inter Milan's weaknesses.
To some extent, Mancini knew there wasn't much he could do about it. His roster had limitations, and his players were showing it.
When Di Maria scored, the famed Italian coach cursed in frustration. As he turned back, his mind raced with one question: how should he adjust?
After 60 minutes, Inter Milan's players were visibly exhausted, and their performance was deteriorating fast. In stark contrast, Napoli was growing stronger and stronger.
It was as if they had limitless stamina.
This was thanks to their youth and top-tier training.
In this situation, if Inter wanted to stabilize the game, they had to make adjustments. But the key was, how?
Stick with the 4-4-2? Or switch to a formation with three defensive midfielders?
If they chose the latter, wouldn't that be an indirect admission that Inter Milan was afraid of Napoli?
"This kid is crafty," Mihajlovic muttered, glancing toward the figure at Napoli's technical area.
Mancini nodded slightly. "Back when he was at Real Madrid, both Capello and Ancelotti had their hands full dealing with him. What do you think?"
Coaching is an industry that places a high premium on experience. There have always been talented young coaches, but none had the kind of meteoric rise that Gao Shen had. Winning the league and Champions League double at 25, and now managing a top Serie A team at 27, his resume was already legendary.
Using words like "crafty" to describe a 27-year-old might seem odd, but for Gao Shen, it felt fitting.
"They're pushing us harder and harder," Mancini said, frowning.
Napoli was relentlessly exploiting Inter's fatigue. They'd upped the tempo, applied more pressure in the final third, and with Pastore and Valencia leading the counterattacks, they were overwhelming the Italians.
Valencia's threat on the right was especially dangerous, and in one-on-one situations, Zanetti despite his class was struggling to keep up.
"This kid is lightning fast," Mihajlovic remarked.
There's a saying in martial arts: nothing in the world is faster than speed.
The same holds true in football.
While Zanetti's defense was usually reliable, his legs couldn't match Valencia's quickness.
Mancini had a decision to make. He could sub in Maxwell to replace the exhausted Zanetti, but he wasn't sure if Maxwell could handle Valencia's pace either.
And if he couldn't stop him, would that be a wasted substitution?
As Mancini hesitated, Napoli created another chance on the pitch.
Lichtsteiner surged forward on the right, and after receiving a pass, he took a few steps and sent the ball down the flank.
Valencia burst forward, using his speed to get past Zanetti, catching up to the ball before it crossed the byline, and whipped in a low cross.
Cavani sprinted into the box, and despite the efforts of Cordoba and Samuel to mark him, the Uruguayan striker was too strong. Cordoba, trying to keep up, grabbed and pulled at him, but Cavani powered through.
At the critical moment, Samuel slid in to intercept, managing to get a foot on the ball, but his clearance almost turned into an own goal, skimming past the post. The stadium held its breath.
Napoli's attacks were relentless!
On the sidelines, Mancini could no longer contain his frustration.
After failing to score another goal and now conceding an equalizer, Inter was on the ropes. If they let in another goal, they would lose.
That was something Mancini couldn't accept under any circumstances.
With this in mind, he decided to make changes.
Like Gao Shen, he brought on two substitutes.
Cesar and Figo were replaced, with Zanetti and Cambiasso coming on. Stankovic was pushed forward, shifting Inter Milan's formation to a 4-3-1-2.
This was also the formation Inter had used in the Champions League that season.
Inter Milan was showing weakness.
…
In front of Napoli's bench, Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh as he watched Mancini hurriedly make substitutions.
He had won the bet!
Now, he was bursting with excitement, barely resisting the urge to shout out loud.
Inter Milan was backing down! He had won!
Regardless of whether Napoli won this game, his strategic objective had already been achieved.
With that thought, Gao Shen walked to the touchline and shouted at his players, "See? They're afraid of us! Keep pressing! Push harder!"
"I want to see another goal!" Gao Shen yelled without hesitation.
His voice echoed through the stadium, drawing a wave of boos from the Inter Milan supporters at the Meazza.
Mancini, sitting in his dugout, heard Gao Shen's words and fumed, but he quickly calmed himself.
Especially when he saw that Napoli, with their superior fitness, was now completely dominating the game.
What could he do?
Push forward and attack Napoli?
Did he have the ability to do that now?
Without physical strength to back it up, what good were technique, experience, or strategy?
Mancini clenched his teeth in frustration, but there was little he could do.
…
Inter Milan's substitutions and shift to a 4-3-1-2 formation only seemed to fuel Napoli's momentum further.
After the 60th minute, the game had become Napoli's show.
"I think Inter Milan will have to admit that Napoli was better prepared and fitter today."
"Even though they both have center forwards, Cavani's movement is far superior to Kroos and Ibrahimovic. He's constantly running. Sometimes, he'll track back to help defend and then turn around and sprint forward to press."
"This Napoli side is leaving a lasting impression, not just for their attacking power, their relentless pressing, and their ability to control the ball, but for their mental strength."
"You can see it in players like Cavani, Hamsik, Sanchez, Di Maria, Biglia, and Rakitic. Together, they've shaped Napoli's identity."
"In contrast, Inter Milan has always lacked that fighting spirit, from the star-studded teams of the past to the more defensive sides under previous coaches, and even now under Mancini…"
"Inter has yet to prove their grit in a game that truly tests them."
"Tonight, as Napoli's aggression ramps up after 60 minutes, Mancini opts for defense."
"It's hard to say if this is the right choice, but in terms of mentality, Inter Milan has already lost."
"Napoli chose to attack, to stick to their plan despite the early setback, but in the face of adversity, Mancini's Inter chose to play it safe and defend."
"The morale on both sides is no longer on the same level."
Napoli, fired up, pressed high and suffocated Inter Milan's midfield, making it difficult for them to transition the ball forward. Inter resorted to passing the ball around in their own half.
When the ball went out to Zanetti on the left, Valencia pounced on him.
The Ecuadorian winger's speed caught Zanetti off guard. The veteran, who had been looking to move forward, suddenly hesitated, turned, and played a backpass to the goalkeeper.
However, he was far from goal, outside the 30-yard mark, and the rushed pass lacked power and speed.
Cavani, as if by instinct, shrugged off Samuel and Cordoba and sprinted toward Cesar.
The goalkeeper rushed to the edge of his box, trying to intercept Zanetti's pass, but Cavani's sudden approach threw him off, and he couldn't use his hands.
In a panic, Cesar tried to shield the ball and quickly play it out to Maicon on the right.
But Cavani, tall and quick, stuck out a long leg and blocked the pass, deflecting the ball away from Maicon.
Di Maria had been waiting for the loose ball and swooped in, beating Maicon to it.
Samuel immediately rushed toward Di Maria, and Cordoba followed, recognizing the danger.
Cavani, realizing he was offside, smartly stepped back into position.
Seeing Samuel and Cordoba converging on Di Maria, Cavani raised his hand and shouted, "Here!"
Di Maria, without waiting for Samuel to close him down, passed the ball with his left foot.
Samuel and Cordoba had been fully focused on Di Maria, never expecting the pass to go behind them.
Cavani, unmarked, controlled the ball with his right foot and fired it toward goal.
The ball thundered into the back of the net at lightning speed.
"Goooooooooaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllll!!!"
"Napoli takes the lead! 2-1!"
"Napoli has completed a stunning comeback!"
"Di Maria with a perfect assist, and Cavani, with ice in his veins, delivers the finishing blow with a powerful shot, securing a 2-1 lead for Napoli!"
On the touchline, Gao Shen leaped with joy, running out of the technical area to celebrate with Di Maria and Cavani as they sprinted toward him.
"Beautiful! Absolutely brilliant!"
As long as they didn't make any mistakes, Gao Shen was confident that tonight's victory would belong to Napoli.
Inter Milan was finished!
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