章 64: Labor is Not Xiamen University!
If someone analyzes this Turin battle, they will definitely see Sarayeta's appearance as the turning point.
Before that, Juventus was in a lukewarm stalemate with Real Madrid, and Capello's team was still focused on stability.
However, after substituting in Mutu first, and then Sarayeta, Juventus piled up three 1.9-meter tall center forwards in the front line.
As a result, Real Madrid was forced to switch to a tight defense, but the midfield and forward players still suppressed Juventus' midfield and backcourt shots.
In particular, the players' movement was noticeably more intense than before.
This couldn't be helped. With three tall center forwards standing in the penalty area, no one could withstand that pressure.
Since they couldn't compete for the high balls, they had to reduce Juventus' opportunities to pass high balls, requiring the midfield and forward players to put in more pressing and reduce the defensive position as much as possible.
Gao Shen was cursing internally while making team adjustments, but even so, he couldn't stop Juventus entirely.
First, Ibrahimovic took a long-range shot from outside the penalty area, which bounced after landing and was blocked directly by Casillas. Then, Zambrotta made a diagonal long pass into the penalty area, Trezeguet headed it back, and Nedved appeared at the top of the penalty area, volleying directly, but Casillas saved it. The subsequent corner kick also created chaos, but fortunately, no goal was scored.
Ibrahimovic also moved to the left flank, controlled the ball, and passed it to Chiellini, who crossed from behind. Chiellini's cross into the penalty area didn't result in a shot and went directly out of bounds under intense pressure.
Just three minutes later, Juventus had their most threatening opportunity.
Nedved appeared in the middle, and after receiving a pass from Mutu, he chipped the ball into the penalty area. Ramos jumped to clear it under Trezeguet's interference.
The ball dropped directly into the penalty area, surprising even Trezeguet. As he moved forward, Casillas decisively left his goal and punched the ball away, preventing a shot.
For a moment, Juventus pressed heavily, forming a siege around Real Madrid.
Gao Shen made successive substitutions and adjustments, all aimed at strengthening the team's defense and keeping the score at zero to zero.
After eighty minutes, the game remained one-sided.
But as the game progressed, Gao Shen gradually realized that Juventus players also faced physical fitness issues.
Despite Juventus' strong lineup, they were eliminated in the quarter-finals last season, and this season they struggled in the Champions League round of 16. They won 2-3 away in the first leg and 2-1 at home in the second leg, narrowly advancing.
The main reason is that many Juventus players are older.
For example, Cannavaro, Thuram, and Nedved—these three are key players for Juventus, but they are all over 30 years old, especially Nedved, whose decline is quite apparent.
Moreover, Juventus' problems are similar to Real Madrid's. They both have star-studded main lineups, but relatively weak benches. To ensure performance and stability, Capello doesn't rotate his squad much, which has led to physical fitness issues among many players since March, resulting in a decline in their performance.
This became evident after eighty minutes.
...
...
Gao Shen had been worried since Sarayeta entered the field.
Capello really deserved to be one of the world's top coaches. His moves were precise, targeting Real Madrid's weaknesses by deploying three center forwards. Along with Mutu, they had four attackers, pressing Real Madrid hard.
Gao Shen made continuous substitutions, constantly urging his players to hold on.
Each Juventus attack made him nervous.
Only now did he truly understand why Ferguson needed a pacemaker.
These days, being a head coach means playing with your heartbeat.
Until the early 80 minutes, after Juventus failed to score for a long time, Real Madrid launched a counterattack. Although it didn't create a major threat, it resulted in a shot, relieving the defensive pressure.
Additionally, Juventus players' physical fitness began to slow down their attack rhythm.
At the eighty-fifth minute, Gao Shen turned and saw Capello shaking his head in front of the bench.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that they had managed to hold on.
Indeed, although Juventus continued to attack afterward, they failed to create significant threats.
In the end, the match ended in a 0-0 draw.
At the final whistle, Gao Shen felt completely exhausted.
The game's ups and downs were too tiring!
Even now, he still felt his legs trembling slightly.
For a moment, he thought he might faint.
But soon, ecstasy filled his heart, and adrenaline rushed through his body.
Finally, Gao Shen clenched his fists and let out a cheer, "Yes!"
Whether a 0-0 away game is a good score is debatable.
But for Gao Shen and Real Madrid, the score was excellent.
More importantly, this game gave Gao Shen a deeper understanding of both Juventus and Real Madrid.
Real Madrid's players are all top-notch professionals with high tactical literacy. When they follow the coach's arrangements and work together, they can perform exceptionally well, with almost no mistakes.
In fact, apart from Ramos' slip, Real Madrid made very few mistakes throughout the game.
"Zero to zero, you're going to be heavily criticized when we return," Lucas said with a wry smile.
Gao Shen shook his head indifferently, "Let them criticize. We'll take down Juventus in the second leg."
"Have you found a way?" Lucas asked, surprised.
Gao Shen smiled and nodded, but didn't elaborate, just as the players were walking off the field, and he immediately greeted them.
Real Madrid's players had given their all, and many were walking heavily.
Fortunately, with Buenaventura's arrival, the team's training level had improved. After more than a week of training, Real Madrid's players had recovered a lot. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to endure tonight.
Even if they didn't collapse, their technical movements would have faltered, leading to mistakes.
"Well done!"
"Thanks for your hard work!"
"You did your best!"
"Leave the rest to me!"
Gao Shen stood on the sidelines and hugged each player as they walked off the field, ignoring their sweat-soaked shirts.
When each player passed by, he hugged them tightly, offering encouragement and affirmation.
When Beckham passed by, he pointed to the score on the scoreboard, "You're going to be heavily criticized." Then, the Englishman laughed, feeling proud and satisfied.
He knew early on that Gao Shen's goal was a 0-0 draw.
While this is a good score, the process was somewhat ugly.
"Don't worry. When we secure our place in the semi-finals, they will take back all their criticism," Gao Shen said confidently.
Beckham and the surrounding Real Madrid players were stunned and turned to look at Gao Shen.
Gao Shen nodded firmly, "Let's talk about it later!"
Everyone looked at each other, noticing the surprise in each other's eyes.
This was a plan!
…
After sending off the players, Gao Shen waited for Capello.
The Italian coach wore glasses and looked gentlemanly, but earlier, he substituted in two strikers, especially Sarayeta.
"In the future, if someone calls me conservative, I will definitely tell them that compared to the young coach of Real Madrid, I play offensive football," Capello joked, his mouth curling up in a rare smile.
"Whether it's offensive football or not, we'll see in the second leg," Gao Shen said confidently.
"I'm curious," Capello said, still with a calm, wise expression. "Why are you so sure you'll win the second leg?"
Gao Shen chuckled, "Because I'm the hero of the novel."
Capello was momentarily stunned, then couldn't help but laugh.
"Because I found your weakness!" Gao Shen said, his expression turning serious.
Capello's expression grew solemn, his eyes sharp as he stared at Gao Shen, then he shook his head, "Are you bluffing me?"
"You don't really think you're so perfect that you have no weaknesses, do you?"
"Of course not."
"Then, when we return to the Bernabeu, I will definitely score against you!" Gao Shen said confidently.
Capello, having experienced many ups and downs, would be laughed at if he were deceived by a 25-year-old.
If it had been before this match, Capello would have scoffed and said, "Labor is not Xiamen University!"
But now, he had some doubts.
Capello knew his team wasn't perfect and had many problems, but what specific weakness had Gao Shen identified?
Only the opponent knows best.
…
"Did you really find a weakness in Juventus?"
When Gao Shen returned to the locker room, Lucas followed and asked curiously.
"Yes," Gao Shen replied.
"Then you told him? Isn't that like giving him a heads-up?" Lucas was very frustrated, thinking Gao Shen was too amateurish.
Gao Shen laughed, "So what if I tell him? Guess what he's thinking now?"
Capello is very rational. This quality, while positive, can also make someone conservative and risk-averse. He likes to calculate everything clearly and eliminate all risks.
When Gao Shen told him that he would definitely score at the Bernabeu, Capello would do everything possible to figure out what weakness Gao Shen had identified and try to fix it.
When Capello comes to the Bernabeu, he won't take a gambler's approach from the start; he will seek stability.
And that's exactly what Gao Shen wants him to do.
Only then will Juventus' weaknesses be exposed.
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