Bab 271: Chapter 271: Top of Serie A
When referee Gervasoni blew the final whistle, the scoreboard at the Friuli Stadium displayed the crushing result: 5-0.
As per tradition, the home team is listed first, followed by the visiting team.
Napoli, the visiting team, led 3-0 at halftime. Despite Udinese coach Pasquale Marino making adjustments during the break to strengthen his midfield defense, it wasn't enough to turn the game around.
Early in the second half, Cavani latched onto a brilliant assist from Di Maria and scored again to extend Napoli's lead.
Then, in the 61st minute, David Luiz sealed the victory with a powerful header from a corner kick.
Afterward, Udinese had no choice but to retreat and focus solely on defense.
Marino, fearing an even bigger humiliation, pulled his team back further. He was concerned that pressing too far forward might open them up to an even more embarrassing scoreline.
Napoli, playing away from home, was more than content with their lead. Seeing Marino's defensive retreat, Gao Shen made quick adjustments of his own, focusing on giving younger players more game time. He used this opportunity to make frequent substitutions and tactical tweaks.
In the last half-hour, neither team managed to find the back of the net again.
In the end, Napoli demolished Udinese 5-0 with goals from Cavani, Hamsik, Sanchez, and David Luiz.
As the final whistle echoed through the stadium, there was a brief moment of silence before the entire Friuli Stadium erupted in loud, thunderous boos.
Though the stadium was less than half-full, with only about 10,000 fans present, the collective outburst was enough to fill every corner of the venue. The Udinese supporters, unable to accept such a humiliating defeat, were venting their anger and frustration in the only way they could.
A 5-0 loss was something they simply couldn't tolerate.
Pasquale Marino was visibly upset for the entirety of the second half. His face grew darker with each passing minute as the reality of the situation settled in.
He had never expected to suffer such a humiliating defeat at home.
After drawing with Inter Milan in the first round, Marino had come into this match brimming with ambition, hoping to secure a victory over Napoli at home.
But now, he had been reduced to a laughingstock.
Five goals. Five crushing blows, like five slaps in the face, brutally reminding him that his previous successes had gone to his head. He had started to believe his own hype, thinking he was some sort of genius.
But today, in front of Gao Shen, his supposed genius had completely unraveled.
In terms of age, Gao Shen was younger than him, not even 27 years old. In terms of achievements, Gao Shen had already won a La Liga and Champions League double, not to mention guiding Napoli to the Serie B title last season after beating Juventus. In terms of performance, Napoli now seemed like the team to beat in Italy, which only further highlighted their success.
And what did Marino have to show for himself?
Today, he was nothing more than a stepping stone for Gao Shen's rise to the top.
Worse, he had served himself up willingly.
...
"Congratulations, Mr. Gao, you've become the new leader of Serie A!"
Though Marino's heart was bleeding and he had cursed Gao Shen countless times in his mind, he still managed to force a smile and offer a handshake. As the head coach of the home team, this was the least he could do.
Gao Shen was taken aback for a moment. "The new leader?"
But then he quickly understood and smiled, shaking Marino's hand. "Thank you!"
"Today's game taught us a hard lesson. We'll need to digest it thoroughly," Marino said with a bitter smile.
Gao Shen could only smile in return. He wasn't sure what else to say.
Could he really say, "You lost because you were too arrogant to play me straight?"
As much as it was true, that wouldn't have been the right thing to say.
The real reason for Udinese's defeat was, without a doubt, Marino himself.
The midfield setup Marino had chosen was completely dismantled by Napoli. Aside from Inler, who performed somewhat decently, the rest of Udinese's midfield was practically invisible.
And all of it stemmed from Marino's tactical misjudgment.
Good results in preseason friendlies, a draw with Inter in the first round, and a win in the Coppa Italia had all given Marino a false sense of his team's true strength.
Gao Shen knew that feeling all too well. Whether it was in his previous career before time-traveling or now as a coach, he had experienced it himself and even suffered for it.
The praise, the admiration, it could be intoxicating, making it all too easy to lose sight of reality.
All Gao Shen could do now was wish Marino the best, hoping he could learn from this experience and use it to grow as a coach.
...
As soon as Marino left, Lucas couldn't contain his excitement and let out a cheer.
The atmosphere around the Napoli bench and among the players on the field became electric as they began to dance and celebrate.
Napoli had reached the top!
Gao Shen had not expected this at all. It was a complete surprise, but a pleasant one nonetheless.
He could hardly believe it.
"Are we really at the top?" Gao Shen asked Lucas again, seeking confirmation.
Lucas didn't need to say anything. He simply placed his laptop in front of Gao Shen and pointed to the live standings. Sure enough, Napoli was sitting at the top!
Nine matches from the second round of Serie A had already been played, with AC Milan's game against Fiorentina scheduled for later in the evening.
Of the nine games played, only three teams had won their first two matches: Juventus, Roma, and Napoli.
Juventus had scored eight goals in two matches the highest tally in Serie A so far, but had conceded three, giving them a goal difference of five.
Roma had scored five goals and conceded none.
Napoli, on the other hand, had scored seven goals and kept two clean sheets.
In other words, Napoli had claimed the top spot in Serie A, leading Juventus and Roma by virtue of their superior goal difference.
Of course, this lead was only temporary, and it could very well be lost by the end of the night.
If AC Milan were to beat Fiorentina by four goals or more, they would leapfrog Napoli into first place due to their superior alphabetical ranking.
But regardless of what happened, Napoli was officially at the top of the table for now even if only for a few hours, and that was something to celebrate.
There was also another reason to celebrate: Napoli's top scorer, Edinson Cavani, was now second in the Serie A scoring charts with three goals, just behind Juventus' David Trezeguet.
Trezeguet, who had scored a hat-trick in the first round, added another goal in the second round to lead the scoring charts with four goals.
Cavani, with three goals, was in second place, while Hamsik had two, tying him with the likes of Ibrahimović, Miccoli, and Foggia.
These statistics were clear proof of Napoli's offensive strength.
However, it was still early days, with only two rounds played. Napoli hadn't fully adjusted to the pace and rhythm of Serie A yet, so it was too soon to get carried away.
Especially with two weeks of international fixtures coming up, and then a tough schedule right after that. Napoli had several players called up for national duty, and after the break, they would be facing none other than Inter Milan away, a match that would be a serious test of their mettle.
Gao Shen still vividly remembered their 0-3 loss to Inter in the Coppa Italia semifinals last season, a match that had left a deep scar.
He had been waiting for the chance to repay Inter in kind, preferably at the San Siro.
But to do that, he needed to keep pushing his team to perform better and better.
...
At the Friuli Stadium, Napoli kept a low profile in front of the public, but once they returned to the locker room, Gao Shen didn't hold back with his praise.
Compliments flowed freely from his mouth, and every player in the room was beaming with pride.
With a 5-0 thrashing of Udinese and a 2-0 win over Cagliari in the first round, Napoli had climbed to the top of Serie A, something no one had anticipated.
Gao Shen repeatedly emphasized that the team's victory was thanks to the players' excellent performances, but he also reminded them not to get too comfortable. The current standings were only temporary.
"Sure, being in first place right now feels great," Gao Shen said. "But don't be satisfied with this. Our goal isn't just to sit at the top for one round, maybe not even for just a few hours. We want to stay at the top for a long time."
"Remember, we are a team aiming for the Serie A title!" he stressed once more.
The players, filled with newfound confidence, nodded in agreement.
Before this, they might not have fully believed it, but now they were brimming with belief.
Gao Shen glanced at Carlo, his assistant, and they exchanged a knowing look.
If it weren't for the upcoming international break, they would have had the momentum to keep rolling through Serie A and challenge Inter Milan with their spirits high. Their chances would have been much better.
But the two-week break for international duty completely disrupted Napoli's rhythm.
There was no telling what shape the team would be in when the players returned from their national teams.
Some players wouldn't even be returning to Naples right away. Those with international duties were set to travel directly from Udine to Milan before flying home.
For example, some of the South American internationals, like those from Argentina, and even Australia, had friendlies scheduled, making their travel schedules even more grueling.
Gao Shen was deeply concerned about how the players would cope with the demands of international duty. He repeatedly reminded them to take care of themselves and to contact the club immediately if they felt any discomfort.
"I, Lorenzo, and the team doctor will be available 24/7," Gao Shen said with a serious expression.
The team had just come off a week of two tough matches. Despite some squad rotation, the players were still physically exhausted. Now, they faced long flights and the strain of playing for their national teams, which increased the risk of injury.
For those familiar with European football, it was common knowledge that players often returned from international duty carrying injuries, something that was a constant headache for clubs.
But there was little that could be done about it. Representing their country was an honor for every player, and none of them would refuse the chance to play for their national team.
All Gao Shen could do was continue reminding his players to be cautious and ensure the coaching staff was on standby to offer any assistance or guidance they might need.
The coaching team would also be in close contact with the national team coaches, reporting any pre-existing injuries or concerns about certain players. Open communication between the club and national teams would be key to minimizing risks.
This would be the coaching staff's primary focus over the next two weeks.
As for Gao Shen, he had already decided to skip the upcoming Professional Coach Summit.
Reaching the top of Serie A would only make him more of a target.
---
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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