Bab 282: Chapter 282: Subverting Serie A

After Napoli's 2-2 draw with Inter Milan, the team disbanded in Milan.

Players called up to their respective national teams flew directly from Milan to their countries or national training camps. Gao Shen, on the other hand, took the players who weren't selected for international duty and returned to Naples.

Since September, one player in particular had been wrestling with a personal dilemma: Swiss midfielder Ivan Rakitic. Due to his outstanding performances at Napoli, he had received offers from both the Swiss and Croatian national teams.

He was now faced with a critical decision. He had to choose which country to represent and once he made that choice, there would be no turning back.

Rakitic had always played for Switzerland's youth teams, so he was considered a Swiss player. But if he chose to represent Croatia, he would have to change his national allegiance.

This decision weighed heavily on Rakitic, even affecting his performances on the pitch. He frequently sought advice from Gao Shen, but Gao Shen couldn't offer much help, he had no experience with dual citizenship.

China didn't recognize dual citizenship, so Gao Shen had never faced a dilemma regarding his nationality.

After over a month of inner turmoil, Rakitic finally made his decision: he chose to represent Croatia, and in October, he received his first call-up to the national team.

Upon hearing his decision, Gao Shen smiled ruefully to himself.

As a time traveler, Gao Shen often felt like he could change many things. But the truth was, he had little control over major events. The only thing he could truly influence was the small circle around him.

He congratulated Rakitic on his choice and selection to the Croatian national team.

Though it was a shame they hadn't been able to recruit Luka Modric, having a future Modric teammate like Rakitic wasn't a bad consolation.

One piece of news that delighted Gao Shen was that players like Di Maria, Antonio Valencia, Sanchez, and Vidal didn't have any international commitments.

Di Maria's situation was somewhat unusual due to his age.

He had just helped Argentina win the U20 World Cup in June and July and participated in the 2008 Olympics with the national team. He even played in a friendly in September, but had no matches in October. He wasn't yet called up to Argentina's senior squad.

As for Valencia, Sanchez, and Vidal, Ecuador and Chile simply didn't have matches scheduled in October, leaving them free from international duties.

This was a huge relief for Gao Shen.

With his core players available, he wasn't afraid of facing Roma or Juventus.

…

When Napoli returned to Naples from Milan, the entire football world in Italy was abuzz.

The 2-2 draw against Inter Milan wasn't the most significant news in itself. What made headlines was how Napoli had dominated the final half-hour of the game, reversing the momentum against a much stronger opponent.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the first 60 minutes were evenly contested. Both teams played proactively, with neither resorting to defensive or conservative tactics. Napoli hadn't opted for a safety-first approach despite facing the powerhouse of Inter Milan; they boldly chose to fight.

"This was a daring decision!"

"Though Napoli was slightly on the back foot during the first hour, they were never passive. They traded blows with Inter Milan and created numerous dangerous chances."

"This really surprised everyone."

"At the very least, Inter Milan failed to establish a significant advantage."

Gazzetta dello Sport believed the turning point of the match came with Gao Shen's substitutions.

"This is another match that Gao Shen's fans will talk about for years to come. In the 60th minute, he made two game-changing substitutions."

"Pastore continued to influence the game as a midfielder, but the real standout was Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia. He fully exploited his speed in his duel with Chivu on the right wing, completely overwhelming him and wreaking havoc on Inter Milan's left side."

Napoli's first goal was a showcase of Valencia's speed, while their second goal highlighted the Ecuadorian's strength on the counter-attack and his execution of Gao Shen's tactics.

"It was under the immense pressure from Valencia that Chivu made a long-distance passing error."

But Gazzetta dello Sport emphasized that Napoli's high press in the final third was also a key factor behind Inter Milan's second goal concession.

Di Maria, Cavani, and Valencia, the three attacking players on the field at the time, applied intense pressure to force Inter's defense into making critical errors, allowing Napoli to capitalize.

"This is not a fluke, but a staple of Napoli's tactics!"

More importantly, Napoli showed that even in the 60th or 90th minute, they still had the stamina to relentlessly press their opponents.

This wasn't just down to tactics, it was the result of high-intensity, scientific, and advanced training. The secret lay in Gao Shen and his coaching staff.

Gazzetta dello Sport drew parallels to Porto's 2004 Champions League win, attributing much of that success to Mourinho's advanced training system. Mourinho had carried that system with him to Chelsea, achieving success there too, though a Champions League title eluded him.

Now, Gao Shen had brought his advanced training methods to Real Madrid and Napoli, changing the landscape of Italian football.

"Can Gao Shen really revolutionize Serie A the way Mourinho transformed the Premier League?" Gazzetta dello Sport pondered.

…

Arrigo Sacchi, the legendary Italian coach, wasn't one to miss such an important moment either.

In his column, Sacchi broke down the tactical nuances of the match, focusing especially on Napoli.

He began by publicly apologizing to Gao Shen, admitting that his pre-match analysis had been far too pessimistic.

"I never imagined Gao Shen would make such a brave and bold decision. I feel deeply ashamed."

Sacchi explained that Gao Shen had taken a huge gamble. He had placed his trust in his players' abilities and resilience, and it had paid off. Napoli had proven themselves to be a strong, courageous, and determined team.

"From now on, it's no longer possible to view Napoli as a newly-promoted team!"

"Through this game, Napoli has proven themselves as a top contender in Serie A!"

Sacchi also noted how much Gao Shen had improved as a tactician since arriving in Italy. Judging from this match, his strategic genius was undeniable.

"Especially his cleverness!"

Sacchi believed that Gao Shen had planned to wear down Inter Milan from the very start, but he did so by unleashing his full starting lineup to attack. This likely led Mancini to believe that Gao Shen was recklessly going all-in.

"But who would've guessed that Gao Shen had an ace like Antonio Valencia up his sleeve?"

Sacchi joked that Napoli's bench was like a treasure trove.

"Not to mention young talents like Callejon and Parejo from Real Madrid, or the rise of Pastore. It makes everyone wonder just how many hidden gems Gao Shen has on his bench!"

"As it turns out, in the match against Inter Milan, Gao Shen pulled out Antonio Valencia."

Sacchi expressed his admiration for Valencia, praising his tactical awareness, technical skill, and blistering speed. He was an incredibly capable winger.

"I truly don't understand why such a talented player was overlooked for so long," Sacchi said, raising a question for many in the football world.

Gao Shen had practically picked up Valencia for free.

Sacchi went on to highlight how many people in the industry had underestimated Napoli's depth and overall strength.

The key, Sacchi noted, was that every player Gao Shen brought in had a specific role to play.

For example, Parejo excelled at passing, Pastore was an excellent ball-carrier, and Valencia was lightning-fast.

At the end of his column, Sacchi humorously admitted that he was eagerly looking forward to seeing which young talents Napoli would bring in next, adding that Napoli's transfer moves had become a source of fascination for him.

…

While the football world buzzed with excitement, analyzing Napoli's draw with Inter Milan and studying Gao Shen's tactics, the atmosphere at Castel Volturno remained business as usual.

All the players who weren't away on international duty showed up for training the day after the match.

It was a recovery session, and despite the draw, Gao Shen maintained a stern, dissatisfied expression. His demeanor clearly signaled his displeasure, and the players could feel it. The atmosphere during training was noticeably tense.

As usual, the team was given a day off after the morning recovery session.

Gao Shen reminded his players that even on their day off, they needed to maintain discipline, as Napoli's next two fixtures were going to be brutal.

Whether facing Roma or Juventus, both matches were key to Napoli's pursuit of a higher league position.

In other words, Napoli needed to grab crucial points in these upcoming head-to-head battles if they wanted to climb the standings.

The players could sense Gao Shen's ambition, and no one dared to slack off.

These next two matches would be completely different from the clash with Inter Milan. In both games, Gao Shen would be going all out for three points, even when playing away to Roma.

There would be no tolerance for anyone who disrupted Napoli's overall strategy.

After dismissing the players for their day off, Gao Shen and his coaching staff remained at Castel Volturno, focusing on analyzing Roma and preparing for the next match.

Unlike last season, Roma had significantly strengthened their squad this year. Both their starting lineup and bench depth had improved, making the challenge Napoli faced even more daunting.

But the Red Wolves were not invincible.