"Gao, to be honest, only at a time like this would you want to come back!"
In the presidential box at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples, Italy, Gao Shen, Lucas, and Sarri were seated next to Napoli chairman De Laurentiis and general manager Marino.
Both of Napoli's top executives treated Gao Shen with great respect and politeness.
For good reason. After all, the current starting lineup for Napoli was largely built by Gao Shen.
That included the two full-backs who had just joined this summer, Alex Sandro and Danilo.
This was the seventh round of Serie A, with Napoli playing at home against Inter Milan.
It was also a direct battle for the top spot in the league.
Napoli had performed very well so far this season. Even though they had lost their core midfielder Parejo, the overall strength of the team remained strong. Inter Milan, aware of this, did not dare to take them lightly.
Allegri lined up Napoli in a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond-shaped midfield.
Vidal, Nainggolan, Hamsik, and Pastore formed the midfield core, while the forward line was the combination of Callejon and Cavani.
Inter Milan, on the other hand, used Leonardo's trademark 4-2-1-3 formation.
Despite facing Manchester City at home on Wednesday, Leonardo still fielded his strongest starting lineup in this game.
He really had no choice. After all, this was a battle for first place in the league, directly influencing the title race between the two teams.
Especially after Gao Shen's tenure at Napoli, the rivalry between Napoli and Inter Milan had only grown deeper.
"How has Inter Milan been playing this season?" Gao Shen asked with interest.
De Laurentiis and Marino both understood very well that the main reason Gao Shen had come to Naples was to scout Inter Milan. This was the final match of the current round of Serie A, essentially the main event.
"I don't think they can go far," Marino replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Leonardo's team plays beautiful football, and their style is exciting to watch, but their defense is weak. The squad is aging, and a lot of things need to change. For example, the center-backs are struggling to keep up with the tempo, and the double pivot of Cambiasso and Zanetti is simply not strong enough."
Listening to Marino's assessment, Gao Shen thoughtfully considered Allegri's tactical choices.
There was no denying that Napoli's midfield was indeed strong.
Especially with Vidal, Nainggolan, and Hamsik, these three Mohawk-style midfielders were all tough and aggressive.
Pastore, known as the "new Kaka," was excellent at carrying the ball and dribbling past opponents.
It was clear that Allegri's plan was to use Napoli's midfield advantage to suppress Inter Milan.
….
To everyone's surprise, the match had barely begun when the deadlock was broken.
Strictly speaking, it was less than twenty seconds into the match. Napoli's first attack, their first shot, and Cavani blasted the ball into the back of Julio Cesar's net.
The Uruguayan striker's long-range effort from outside the penalty area was like a thunderbolt, shaking Inter Milan's defense from the very start.
Gao Shen stood up from his seat in the stands, visibly excited.
"Hey, this kid has improved a lot, hasn't he?" De Laurentiis asked proudly.
Was this just about the player?
No, what the Italian saw was clearly the euros.
The more goals Cavani scored, the more his market value would rise.
Gao Shen nodded in agreement.
The facts proved that choosing Allegri as his successor had been a wise decision. Cavani's progress followed the development path that Gao Shen had envisioned for him, but Allegri's guidance and utilization had also played a crucial role.
Scoring within the first minute disrupted the rhythm of both teams completely.
Inter Milan had to switch to attack mode, while Napoli focused on defending, using their strong midfield to suppress Inter Milan's passing and forward movement.
Inter Milan's three midfielders were no match for Napoli's four-man diamond midfield.
Especially with two tough players like Nainggolan and Vidal, Inter Milan's midfield was left in complete disarray.
Despite the early lead, neither side managed to score again for the remainder of the first half.
It wasn't until the 62nd minute of the second half that Danilo advanced rapidly down the right flank, received the ball, and delivered a diagonal cross into the box. Cavani out-jumped Zivu and powered a header into the net, doubling Napoli's lead with his second goal of the night.
Then, in the 82nd minute, Pastore controlled the ball, evaded his marker, and carried the ball forward before assisting substitute Mertens, who scored Napoli's third goal.
Throughout the match, Inter Milan's midfield was completely dominated by Napoli, unable to organize or execute any effective attacks.
Sitting in the stands, watching both the game and the scoreboard, Gao Shen had to admit that Inter Milan was not as strong as he had originally thought.
Leonardo's in-game adjustments were still far from adequate.
Conceding a goal within the opening minute could be considered bad luck. But the fact that Inter Milan made no significant tactical changes throughout the entire first half, or even after halftime, clearly showed that Leonardo was out of answers.
"Let me tell you some news," De Laurentiis said with a smile as the game neared its end.
Napoli were about to secure a 3-0 victory over Inter Milan, taking the lead in Serie A.
With the lineup that Gao Shen had left behind, Napoli stood a real chance of challenging for the title this season.
De Laurentiis was happy to return the favor by sharing some inside information.
"Go on," Gao Shen replied with interest.
There was never a shortage of gossip around De Laurentiis, especially given his background in the entertainment industry.
Maybe he wasn't reliable on other matters, but when it came to behind-the-scenes stories and rumors, he was always well-informed.
"Leonardo and Cambiasso are at odds," De Laurentiis revealed.
Gao Shen was taken aback. "Are you sure?"
Cambiasso was Inter Milan's main defensive midfielder. If he and the coach were not on good terms, that was serious.
"One hundred percent. They had a big argument and still haven't reconciled."
"What was the argument about?"
"I heard it was over tactics," De Laurentiis answered, though he admitted he didn't know all the details.
Many things that happened behind closed doors in the locker room were hard for outsiders to confirm. Most of what they knew was based on speculation.
"Did you hear what Bergomi said?" De Laurentiis added.
Gao Shen nodded. Bergomi had advised Leonardo through the media to learn from Mourinho and prioritize defense.
Although Leonardo hadn't directly responded to anyone by name, many interpreted his reaction as targeting Bergomi.
"Cambiasso agrees with Bergomi. He thinks the team's tactics are too aggressive. Leonardo often uses Cambiasso and Zanetti as the double pivot, but it's clearly not solid enough."
"Sometimes Leonardo even uses Stankovic as part of a three-man midfield, positioning Stankovic centrally and pushing Cambiasso out wide. Cambiasso doesn't like it at all."
Gao Shen understood the situation immediately.
In short, there was a conflict between the head coach's tactical decisions and the players' actual experience on the pitch.
As a key player on the field, Cambiasso likely felt the issue more deeply than Leonardo did. He knew that the midfield pairing of himself and Zanetti, both aging players, lacked the stamina and physicality needed for high-intensity matches.
Both were shorter and less physically dominant, which put them at a disadvantage against many opponents.
It was understandable that Cambiasso wanted the coach to adjust the tactical setup.
There had been many criticisms of Leonardo, the biggest being his poor defensive organization.
Despite Inter Milan's good results in Serie A so far, everyone knew that the league traditionally valued solid defense.
Leonardo's team conceding an average of 1.5 goals per game was hard for Italian fans to accept.
As Gao Shen analyzed the match and observed Inter Milan's formation and positioning, he couldn't yet determine whether Leonardo would stick with two defensive midfielders or switch to three in the Champions League.
But either way, Inter Milan's midfield would struggle to compete against Manchester City.
With David Silva, Rakitic, and Javi Martinez, Manchester City's midfield possessed both technical quality and individual ability.
Up to this point, Manchester City had yet to concede a goal in the Champions League group stage.
"Tonight, Leonardo played Zivu at center-back to give Lucio and Samuel a rest. Both are regular internationals for Brazil and Argentina. When it comes to the midweek game, Zivu will likely shift to the left," Marino analyzed.
Zivu, Samuel, Lucio, and Maicon.
This backline was still considered one of the strongest in European football.
But whether that would still hold true after their Champions League clash remained to be seen.
"In midfield, you clearly have the advantage. But in the attacking third, be careful with the young Brazilian, Coutinho. He's very talented," Marino reminded.
Gao Shen nodded. He was well aware of Coutinho's ability.
At this stage, the young Brazilian was still trying to prove himself at Inter Milan. Who would have thought that in the future, he wouldn't find a place there, only to shine at Liverpool and later transfer to Barcelona for a record fee?
Still, this only confirmed that Coutinho had real quality.
"There's also the young Italian, Thornton. He can play on either flank. A lot of people compare him to Zambrotta. Be cautious," Marino added.
Thornton was highly regarded at the time, though he ultimately failed to live up to the hype.
This only highlighted how unpredictable the development of young players could be.
"I hope if he's really like Zambrotta, then we'll have less to worry about," Gao Shen joked.
Marino, being sharp, immediately caught the implication.
"It seems like you're planning to attack down the wings."
Gao Shen had long been known for favoring wing play, even back when he coached Napoli.
Though Allegri emphasized the strength of the central midfield, Napoli's flanks were still powerful.
If Leonardo opted for a 4-3-1-2 with three central midfielders, the wings would be wide open for Manchester City to exploit.
Even if Leonardo stuck with two defensive midfielders, Gao Shen was determined to create one-on-one opportunities on the flanks.
With the talents of Robben and Gareth Bale, Gao Shen believed they could open up the game and create decisive chances for Manchester City.
Just like tonight, when Cavani struck in the first twenty seconds of the match.
(To be continued.)
***
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