Starting With Real Madrid

On the evening of February 28th, at the Olympic Stadium in Turin.

When the match reached the 88th minute, Napoli's Argentine midfielder Pastore, who had come on as a substitute, received a pass from Vargas near the left corner of the penalty area. Shaking off Juventus' right-back Grygera, he forced a breakthrough down the left side of the box.

Facing Juventus' center-back Legrottaglie, who was blocking his path, the young Argentine kept feinting and shaking, eventually attempting a cross from the byline. However, the experienced Legrottaglie blocked it, deflecting the ball out of bounds before it could reach the goal.

Napoli was awarded a corner kick from the left side of the attacking third.

"The fourth official has raised the board—there will be three minutes of added time in the second half."

"Napoli's relentless attacks have put enormous pressure on Juventus' defense, but they've still failed to break through."

"Let's see if this corner kick can pose a threat."

"This corner will be taken by Spanish midfielder Parejo, who came on in the second half."

"We can see Napoli's taller players positioning themselves in the penalty area."

"Juventus is also fully alert, clearly wary of this corner kick threat from Napoli."

"Ranieri is shouting instructions from the sidelines, frantically organizing his team's defense."

"Napoli's head coach, Gao Shen, is equally busy."

"The young and talented coach made three substitutions in the second half, continually bolstering Napoli's attack, but Ranieri's tight defensive tactics have been unyielding. The veteran coach even substituted Giovinco for Mohamed Sissoko, a more defensively capable player, during the halftime break."

"Later, he replaced Del Piero with Salihamidzic, signaling a clear intent to defend until the very end."

"Juventus' tenacious defense is a tough nut to crack for any team in the world."

"Now, let's see how Napoli executes this corner."

…

Gao Shen stood in front of the visiting team's coaching area, as composed as ever in his usual sharp suit and polished shoes.

He refrained from micromanaging the players on the field, trusting their judgment in the heat of the moment.

No one knew the immediate challenges on the pitch better than the players themselves.

As head coach, Gao Shen's job was to analyze from a broader, strategic perspective. Details like corner kicks were dictated by regular training sessions and players' instincts during the game.

These were no longer matters that could be influenced at this late stage.

Letting out a long sigh, Gao Shen cursed silently.

That damned tinkerer!

The match is practically over, and you're still giving me this much trouble!

Irritated, Gao Shen glanced toward Ranieri, who stood by the home team's technical area, directing his players.

Juventus had gone all out defensively tonight, starting in a 4-4-2 formation. But after a difficult first half, Ranieri made adjustments at halftime, replacing Giovinco with Sissoko.

Fine, switching to a 4-3-1-2 formation made sense.

But then, by the 60th minute, even Del Piero was subbed off.

Now Juventus only had Trezeguet left up front.

Gao Shen almost wanted to march over and say, "If you have the guts to sub off Trezeguet as well, I'll be seriously impressed!"

If every substitution Gao Shen made was designed to enhance Napoli's offense, then every substitution Ranieri made was aimed at strengthening Juventus' defense. He was determined to transform Juventus' penalty area into a fortress.

Napoli still found it difficult to cope with such a defensive setup.

Meanwhile, another high-profile match was taking place simultaneously. Inter Milan had drawn 3-3 with Roma at the Meazza Stadium.

Mourinho's team had also rotated their squad, starting with Burdisso and Cordoba as center-backs. However, they conceded two quick goals in the 23rd and 29th minutes of the first half.

Though Adriano later set up Balotelli to score, Roma responded quickly with another goal of their own.

Inter earned a controversial penalty, which Balotelli converted.

It wasn't until the 79th minute that Figo, who had come on as a substitute, assisted Crespo—another substitute—for the equalizer.

3-3. Inter Milan and Roma ended in a draw.

This was a golden opportunity for Napoli.

A win against Juventus would extend their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points, easing much of the competition's pressure. It could even effectively decide the league title in Napoli's favor.

But here was Ranieri, determined to make life difficult.

He's never this stubborn. Why now?

Parejo jogged to the corner flag on the left side of the pitch.

Before subbing him on for Vidal, Gao Shen had specifically instructed Parejo to take this corner kick.

Napoli's towering players, including Benatia and Cannavaro Jr., had already crowded into Juventus' penalty area.

Juventus' defense remained on high alert.

Gao Shen folded his arms across his chest, silently observing the action near Juventus' box.

…

Parejo raised his right arm high, signaling to his teammates.

In the penalty area, every Napoli player took note of his gesture.

Juventus' defenders grew visibly more tense.

The ball was coming.

Parejo dashed forward, planting his left foot firmly before swinging his right foot to deliver an inswinging cross.

The ball soared with speed, tracing a graceful arc through the air before descending sharply toward the far-right corner of the six-yard box.

Chaos erupted in the penalty area as players from both teams jostled for position, disrupting one another.

Benatia, the tallest and most physically dominant player, had been a primary target for Napoli's set pieces all night. He and Pelle had consistently drawn the attention of Juventus' defenders.

This time, Benatia moved toward the center, engaging Chiellini and Legrottaglie in a tussle for positioning.

Meanwhile, unnoticed by the defense, a figure suddenly broke free at the far post.

It was Cannavaro.

Leaping high, completely unmarked, Cannavaro met Parejo's corner with a perfectly-timed header, driving the ball into the right side of Juventus' net.

Buffon, his view obstructed, reacted too late to stop it.

"Gooooooaaaaallllll!!!"

"In the 90th minute, Napoli scores a critical goal!"

"A header from Paolo Cannavaro!"

"My word! Nobody expected this! It wasn't Pelle, it wasn't Benatia—it was Cannavaro who stepped up when it mattered most!"

"What a beautiful goal! What an absolutely vital moment!"

Cannavaro tore away in celebration, running down the sideline and roaring with exhilaration. He wanted to shout to the world: I'm not an ordinary person!

His Napoli teammates chased after him, celebrating wildly.

1-0!

Napoli takes the lead!

…

"Yes!"

Gao Shen jumped into the air, pumping his fists in triumph.

"Fantastic, Paolo! You're the best!" he shouted with excitement.

He had always trusted his players, whether it was Parejo, who had been subbed on, or Cannavaro, who had gradually become the team's fourth-choice center-back. Gao Shen never doubted them lightly.

Trust the ones you rely on, and don't rely on those you can't trust.

That was Gao Shen's philosophy when it came to managing players.

This victory carried even greater significance. The first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals loomed in midweek, and managing a busy schedule with a rotating squad was a challenge. Any mistake could derail Napoli's momentum.

Just look at Mourinho's Inter tonight against Roma. Even his rivalry with Spalletti wasn't enough to prevent setbacks.

After his initial excitement, Gao Shen calmed down, clenching his fists and sharing celebratory hugs with his assistants.

When he turned back, he saw his players running past on their way to reset. Gao Shen stepped forward, exchanging high-fives with each of them.

"Well done, everyone!" he encouraged.

"Keep pressing! Try for another goal!" he urged, his voice full of confidence.

The Napoli players shouted in unison, fired up by their coach's belief in them.

…

"That's the Napoli spirit!"

"Gao Shen has spent three years instilling this iron will into the team."

"Fans say that when watching Napoli play, you don't just see their relentless fighting spirit—you see graceful passing moves, brilliant tactical awareness, and flashes of individual brilliance."

"This Napoli team isn't perfect yet, but it's already incredibly strong."

"No one questions Gao Shen anymore."

"Three years ago, when he took over newly-promoted Napoli, he promised to build a Serie A powerhouse within three years. Today, Napoli is undoubtedly the strongest team in Serie A."

"And coincidentally, Juventus the team that suffered at Napoli's hands three years ago is still being outplayed by them now."

"Gao Shen once claimed to have forgotten his feud with Juventus' sporting director, Secco. Whether or not that's true, one thing is clear: Gao Shen always wins when facing Juventus."

…

When referee Elordi blew the final whistle, Gao Shen visibly relaxed, his tension melting away.

Napoli's players erupted into celebration on the pitch.

With this victory, Napoli secured three crucial points. Coupled with Inter Milan's draw against Roma, Napoli's lead at the top of Serie A had now stretched to seven points.

It was a moment worth savoring for the entire city of Naples.

Fighting on three fronts had pushed the team to its limits, both physically and mentally.

But now, with a seven-point cushion, Napoli had room to breathe.

In the weeks ahead, even if a sacrifice had to be made in the league to prioritize the cup, this victory gave them the flexibility to make those tough decisions.

Of course, such measures would only be a last resort.

Gao Shen firmly believed in one principle: opportunities favor the prepared.

Napoli had prepared. Their ammunition was stocked, their resolve was unwavering.

Ranieri approached to shake hands with Gao Shen after the game.

This would likely be the last time the two faced each other this season.

Barring any surprises, Gao Shen would be leaving Serie A at the end of the season. Who knew when they'd meet again?

And as rumors had it, Ranieri's tenure at Juventus was nearing its end.

Thinking of this, Gao Shen couldn't help but let a wry smile creep across his face.