Capítulo 263: Chapter 263: The Nutmeg King
Whether Giampaolo and his Cagliari could maintain their defensive stance for the full ninety minutes, Gao Shen didn't know, but as of the sixtieth minute, they were still holding firm.
It had to be said, this team was well-prepared.
From the beginning of the second half, Napoli kept pushing forward, continuously applying pressure on Cagliari and wearing down the opponent, but Cagliari remained disciplined, making no significant mistakes and giving Napoli no clear scoring opportunities.
The score remained a frustrating 0-0 after an hour of play.
In the stands, the Napoli supporters continued to cheer on their team, their voices rising in fervor.
This was Napoli's first Serie A game in six years, a day full of profound significance. Every fan in the stadium was hoping the team would mark their return with a victory.
But unfortunately, they were up against a defensive wall like Cagliari's.
The passionate fans understood that the players were giving their all, but they still yearned for a win, shouting themselves hoarse, refusing to give up.
---
Gao Shen stood at the edge of the technical area in front of the home bench, his eyes on the clock. He scratched his dry lips with his left hand, sighed inwardly, then turned to the bench and grabbed a bottle of water from a staff member.
"They're extremely well-prepared. Based on the flow of the game, their stamina has started to drop somewhat, but if we can't ramp up the pressure on them, I'm afraid…" Lucas trailed off, shaking his head.
He had a full suite of software to analyze the game in real-time, using metrics such as player running stats, activity levels, and pass accuracy to infer each player's overall performance and physical condition.
At the moment, Cagliari was clearly in better shape.
Napoli had played two extra cup matches before this, while Cagliari had been carefully preparing for the start of the new season. The circumstances were clearly different.
Gao Shen downed the entire bottle of water in one go and cursed under his breath: Damn Juventus! Damn Italian Football Federation!
Those two extra cup games had taken a toll on Napoli, as Gao Shen was unwilling to forfeit the cup competition.
Even at home, facing a stubborn team like Cagliari was proving to be a headache for Napoli.
From the data and the overall game dynamics, it was clear Giampaolo was planning to dig in for the entire match.
Of course, Gao Shen understood that Napoli would need to try everything to break through.
Both teams were playing with a cautious mentality, which meant Napoli wasn't entirely safe either.
This was why Gao Shen had been reluctant to take too many risks.
To make progress while maintaining stability, the foundation needed to be secure first.
Giampaolo and Cagliari were likely waiting for Gao Shen to make some substitutions, preferably bolder and more aggressive ones.
The more aggressive they were, the more likely they were to make mistakes, which would give Cagliari the opportunity to exploit.
After taking a sip of water, Gao Shen said nothing, but everyone on the bench had their eyes on him.
He was the head coach. Some decisions only he could make.
No one could take his place.
Gao Shen thought for a moment, then glanced at the clock again. It was already the 63rd minute.
They couldn't delay any longer.
"Send Pastore to warm up!" Gao Shen ordered.
The coaching staff exchanged surprised looks.
The 18-year-old Argentine had shown potential and talent, but it was still surprising to see him included in the squad so soon. Most had expected him to get a run-out in less critical moments once Napoli had secured a comfortable lead, just to get him used to the pace of Serie A.
Now, it was a pivotal moment.
"Or…" Carlo hesitated. "Maybe Parejo would be worth a try?"
He had performed well off the bench three days ago.
"We don't have a choice. This substitution needs to make an impact, and Parejo might not be able to."
"Is Pastore really ready?" Carlo voiced his concerns.
He was always cautious, even a bit conservative.
This was the Serie A debut, and a crucial game at that. Was it wise to throw an inexperienced youngster into the fray to change the course of the game?
"He can give us something no one else can," Gao Shen said firmly.
Carlo studied Gao Shen's expression for a moment before nodding heavily.
He had voiced his opinion, but he would fully support Gao Shen's decision.
---
The movements of the coaching staff did not go unnoticed by the bench.
When they overheard Pastore's name, the players all turned to look at the young, slightly lanky Argentine.
He was tall but slender.
Pastore himself was just as surprised as everyone else.
He knew the importance of this game, the tense state of play, and the significance of a substitution at this moment.
But he had never expected the coach to choose him!
"Javier, hurry up and get warmed up!" Carlo shouted.
Pastore sprang up almost reflexively, hurriedly taking off his jacket and heading for the warm-up area.
"Hey, kid!" Carlo stopped him.
Pastore paused and turned back to face the assistant coach.
"He's placing all his hopes on you. Don't let him down, got it?"
After hearing this, Pastore glanced at the head coach, who had returned to the sidelines, and he nodded resolutely.
---
Three minutes later, Pastore returned from his warm-up.
"Come here!" Gao Shen beckoned.
The young Argentine quickly approached, bending over to adjust his socks and shorts.
Gao Shen gave him a quick rundown of the tactical adjustments and how the roles and responsibilities of other players would shift.
"I know you're probably feeling nervous and under pressure right now, but don't be afraid."
Gao Shen's gaze fixed on Pastore, his tone clear and firm.
"Once you get on the pitch, you'll have one task. Just one. Forget everything else."
Hearing this, Pastore straightened up, his eyes locked on Gao Shen, and nodded firmly.
"Do what you do best. When you get the ball, take it straight towards their penalty area. I don't care if you use tricks or magic; just get the ball into the box and deliver it. That's all I need from you. If you do that, you're the best!"
Napoli's biggest issue was that Cagliari's defensive line was layered and dense, with far too many players clogging up the space.
In such a scenario, neither passing nor off-the-ball movement was effective enough.
What they needed was someone who could take the ball forward, penetrate into the danger zone, and deliver a decisive pass.
This was the key role of dynamic midfielders like Modric, Mousa Dembele, or Kaka.
Within the Napoli squad, only Pastore had the ability to dribble centrally.
Di Maria and Sanchez needed to stay wide to stretch the opposition's defense, creating the space Pastore would need in the middle to make his run. If the opposition collapsed too tightly, it wouldn't matter who was in the middle.
Of course, this also required effective horizontal passing and ball control to stretch Cagliari's defense. Napoli had worked on this in training, and during the match, but without a player who could penetrate centrally, it hadn't been enough.
Hamsik had solid passing and shooting ability, and he contributed defensively, but he lacked the necessary explosiveness.
Parejo was a skilled passer, while Pastore excelled at driving forward. Gao Shen's transfer strategy was deliberate, not random.
"Don't worry about the pressure, Javier." Gao Shen gripped Pastore's shoulders.
The kid was actually taller than him, just far too skinny.
"Look, more than 50,000 fans are here tonight, pinning their hopes on us. Right now, all our hopes of winning rest on you. Just play your game and do what you do best. Understand?"
Pastore nodded firmly. "Boss…"
"Speak," Gao Shen saw the hesitation in his eyes.
"Can I nutmeg someone?" Pastore asked hesitantly.
He remembered how Gao Shen had lectured him when he first arrived in Naples, insisting that some of the flashy habits picked up in South American football needed to be curbed, especially nutmegging, which could be seen as disrespectful. Gao Shen had warned him that doing so could lead to harsh lessons.
So now, Pastore wasn't entirely sure.
"Do it. Go for the nutmeg. If you can pull it off a few times, I'll give you the Nutmeg King award after the match!"
With that, Gao Shen playfully ruffled the boy's long Argentine hair.
At this point, who cared about nutmegs?
As long as it led to a goal, he wouldn't mind if Pastore went as far as pulling down the opponent's shorts!
Pastore grinned, laughed, and nodded eagerly.
"Remember, be mindful of when to pass. Make the final ball count, okay?" Gao Shen urged.
Pastore nodded with determination and jogged to the sidelines.
Gao Shen knew that it was unrealistic to expect Pastore or Parejo to play at the level of Zidane or Guti.
Young players often lacked consistency, and mistakes were inevitable.
But right now, Napoli was in a tight spot.
This substitution was indeed a bit risky.
But football, by nature, is a game of risks.
---
"Napoli is making their first substitution."
"Let's take a look at this player a young 18-year-old from Argentina's second division, named Javier Pastore. He's never played in Argentina's top flight before and has only made five appearances in the second tier."
"He did participate in a warm-up match for Napoli, but we don't have any detailed performance data from that game."
"Right now, we can only speculate that he's a young talent with significant potential."
"But we also have to question, what does Gao Shen hope to achieve by bringing Pastore on at such a critical moment? Does he believe that what other players couldn't accomplish, Pastore can?"
"Pastore is coming on for Rakitic."
"Is Napoli switching to a single defensive midfielder?"
"We see that after Pastore hugged Rakitic, he ran onto the pitch and immediately began gesturing, communicating with his teammates, clearly relaying Gao Shen's latest instructions and tactical adjustments."
"Biglia is now occupying the deeper midfield role, while Pastore has taken a more advanced position, similar to where Rakitic was earlier. It still appears to be a cautious, balanced setup."
"After all, this is Napoli's first game back in Serie A after a six-year absence, so it's understandable that they're playing it safe."
"But time is running out for Napoli."
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