Mani's worst fear had e true.

  From the start of the sed half, he had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right. He couldn't shake the thought that Gao Shen and Napoli wouldn't stick to the same tactics for the ech. It was simply beh the level of a coach who had won both La Liga and the Champions League.

  Despite Mani downpying the importance of the double in front of everyone, he knew better than ahat only an exceptional coach could pull off su achievement.

  And now, his ominous feeling had bee reality.

  Napoli indeed had a pn, and it erfectly tailored to exploit Inter Min's weaknesses.

  To some extent, Mani khere wasn't much he could do about it. His roster had limitations, and his pyers were showing it.

  When Di Maria scored, the famed Italian coach cursed in frustration. As he turned back, his mind raced with one question: how should he adjust?

  After 60 minutes, Inter Min's pyers were visibly exhausted, and their performance was deteriorating fast. In stark trast, Napoli was growing stronger and stronger.

  It was as if they had limitless stamina.

  This was thanks to their youth and top-tier training.

  In this situation, if Inter wao stabilize the game, they had to make adjustments. But the key was, how?

  Stick with the 4-4-2? Or switch to a formation with three defensive midfielders?

  If they chose the tter, wouldn't that be an i admission that Inter Min was afraid of Napoli?

  "This kid is crafty," Mihajlovic muttered, gng toward the figure at Napoli's teical area.

  Mani nodded slightly. "Back when he was at Real Madrid, both Capello and Ai had their hands full dealing with him. What do you think?"

  Coag is an industry that pces a high premium on experiehere have always been talented young coaches, but none had the kind of meteoric rise that Gao Shen had. Winning the league and Champions League double at 25, and now managing a top Serie A team at 27, his resume was already legendary.

  Using words like "crafty" to describe a 27-year-old might seem odd, but fao Shen, it felt fitting.

  "They're pushing us harder and harder," Mani said, frowning.

  Napoli was relentlessly exploiting Inter's fatigue. They'd upped the tempo, applied more pressure in the final third, and with Pastore and Valencia leading the terattacks, they were overwhelming the Italians.

  Valencia's threat on the right was especially dangerous, and in one-ouations, Zai despite his css was struggling to keep up.

  "This kid is lightning fast," Mihajlovic remarked.

  There's a saying in martial arts: nothing in the world is faster than speed.

  The same holds true in football.

  While Zai's defense was usually reliable, his legs couldn't match Valencia's quiess.

  Mani had a decision to make. He could sub in Maxwell to repce the exhausted Zai, but he wasn't sure if Maxwell could handle Valencia's pace either.

  And if he couldn't stop him, would that be a wasted substitution?

  As Mani hesitated, Napoli created another the pitch.

  Lichtsteiner surged forward on the right, and after receiving a pass, he took a few steps ahe ball down the fnk.

  Valencia burst forward, using his speed to get past Zai, catg up to the ball before it crossed the byline, and whipped in a low cross.

  i sprinted into the box, ae the efforts of Cordoba and Samuel to mark him, the Uruguayan striker was to. Cordoba, trying to keep up, grabbed and pulled at him, but i powered through.

  At the critical moment, Samuel slid in to intercept, managing to get a foot on the ball, but his clearance almost turned into an own goal, skimming past the post. The stadium held its breath.

  Napoli's attacks were relentless!

  On the sidelines, Mani could no longer tain his frustration.

  After failing to score anoal and now g an equalizer, Inter was on the ropes. If they let in anoal, they would lose.

  That was something Mani couldn't accept under any circumstances.

  With this in mind, he decided to make ges.

  Like Gao Shen, he brought on two substitutes.

  Cesar and Figo were repced, with Zai and Cambiasso ing on. Stankovic ushed forward, shifting Inter Min's formation to a 4-3-1-2.

  This was also the formation Inter had used in the Champions League that season.

  Inter Min was showing weakness.

  …

  In front of Napoli's bench, Gao Shen couldn't help but ugh as he watched Mani hurriedly make substitutions.

  He had wo!

  Now, he was bursting with excitement, barely resisting the urge to shout out loud.

  Inter Min was bag down! He had won!

  Regardless of whether Napoli won this game, his strategic objective had already been achieved.

  With that thought, Gao Shen walked to the toue and shouted at his pyers, "See? They're afraid of us! Keep pressing! Push harder!"

  "I want to see anoal!" Gao Shen yelled without hesitation.

  His voice echoed through the stadium, drawing a wave of boos from the Inter Min supporters at the Meazza.

  Mani, sitting in his dugout, heard Gao Shen's words and fumed, but he quickly calmed himself.

  Especially when he saw that Napoli, with their superior fitness, was now pletely dominating the game.

  What could he do?

  Push forward and attaapoli?

  Did he have the ability to do that now?

  Without physical strength to back it up, what good were teique, experience, or strategy?

  Mani ched his teeth in frustration, but there was little he could do.

  …

  Inter Min's substitutions and shift to a 4-3-1-2 formation only seemed to fuel Napoli's momentum further.

  After the 60th mihe game had bee Napoli's show.

  "I think Inter Min will have to admit that Napoli was better prepared and fitter today."

  "Even though they both have ter forwards, i's movement is far superior to Kroos and Ibrahimovic. He's stantly running. Sometimes, he'll track back to help defend and then turn around and sprint forward to press."

  "This Napoli side is leaving a sting impression, not just for their attag power, their relentless pressing, and their ability to trol the ball, but for their mental strength."

  "You see it in pyers like i, Hamsik, Sanchez, Di Maria, Biglia, and Rakitic. Together, they've shaped Napoli's identity."

  "In trast, Inter Min has always cked that fighting spirit, from the star-studded teams of the past to the more defensive sides under previous coaches, and even now under Mani…"

  "Inter has yet to prove their grit in a game that truly tests them."

  "Tonight, as Napoli's aggression ramps up after 60 minutes, Mani opts for defense."

  "It's hard to say if this is the right choice, but in terms of mentality, Inter Min has already lost."

  "Napoli chose to attack, to stick to their pe the early setback, but in the face of adversity, Mani's Inter chose to py it safe and defend."

  "The morale on both sides is no longer on the same level."

  Napoli, fired up, pressed high and suffocated Inter Min's midfield, making it difficult for them to transition the ball forward. Inter resorted to passing the ball around in their own half.

  When the ball went out to Zai on the left, Valencia pounced on him.

  The Ecuadorian winger's speed caught Zai off guard. The veteran, who had been looking to move forward, suddenly hesitated, turned, and pyed a backpass to the goalkeeper.

  However, he was far from goal, outside the 30-yard mark, and the rushed pass cked power and speed.

  i, as if by instinct, shrugged off Samuel and Cordoba and sprioward Cesar.

  The goalkeeper rushed to the edge of his box, trying to intercept Zai's pass, but i's sudden approach threw him off, and he couldn't use his hands.

  In a panic, Cesar tried to shield the ball and quickly py it out to Mai on the right.

  But i, tall and quick, stuck out a long leg and blocked the pass, defleg the ball away from Mai.

  Di Maria had been waiting for the loose ball and swooped iing Mai to it.

  Samuel immediately rushed toward Di Maria, and Cordoba followed, reizing the danger.

  i, realizing he was offside, smartly stepped bato position.

  Seeing Samuel and Cordoba verging on Di Maria, i raised his hand and shouted, "Here!"

  Di Maria, without waiting for Samuel to close him down, passed the ball with his left foot.

  Samuel and Cordoba had been fully focused on Di Maria, never expeg the pass to go behind them.

  i, unmarked, trolled the ball with his right foot and fired it toal.

  The ball thundered into the back of the lightning speed.

  "Goooooooooaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllll!!!"

  "Napoli takes the lead! 2-1!"

  "Napoli has pleted a stunning eback!"

  "Di Maria with a perfect assist, and i, with i his veins, delivers the finishing blow with a powerful shot, seg a 2-1 lead for Napoli!"

  Ooue, Gao Shen leaped with joy, running out of the teical area to celebrate with Di Maria and i as they sprioward him.

  "Beautiful! Absolutely brilliant!"

  As long as they didn't make any mistakes, Gao Shen was fident that tonight's victory would belong to Napoli.

  Inter Min was finished!

  ****

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