During the two-week iional break, Napoli meticulously prepared for the uping match against Roma. The same was true for the Giallorossi. Both teams were determio e out on top, but Roma, in particur, were desperate for a win.

  Anyone familiar with football uands the importance of seg points at home, especially in a crucial csh against a strong oppo. Every point matters when pying on home turf, as it's never a guarantee you'll pick up points away. That's why Napoli's draw against Inter Min at the San Siro had made such waves in Italian football—aoints are precious.

  Now, it was Roma's turn to defend their fortress.

  "What's he pying at?" Spalletti muttered, frowning as he sat in his office, addressing his coag staff.

  He'd just shown them a clip of Gao Shen's ret interview, where the Napoli coach had hi his strategy for the uping game. But Spalletti uzzled, uo decipher Gao Shen's iions or predict what tactics he might employ.

  It was a tricky situation.

  If it hadn't been for the bold approach Gao Shen took at the Meazza against Inter, Spalletti would never have believed he would adopt an aggressive approach away from home. But Gao Shen had indeed gooe-to-toe with Inter Min, and more surprisingly, he hadn't crumbled.

  The question was, would Roma be able to withstand that kind of pressure?

  Spalletti turned his gaze back to his assistants, waiting for their input.

  "We're not signifitly impacted by the iional break, at least not pared to some teams. However, ht side is still a . Both Panucd ho pyed full games for their national teams, so whichever we choose, that fnk will be vulnerable," said Marenii, Spalletti's long-time assistant.

  "There's also De Rossi, Perrotta, and Mexes. They all started in their national games, which will affect their fitness and could impact our lineup."

  Domenii had been Spalletti's right-hand man for years. They'd first worked together at Empoli, Domenii with the youth team, Spalletti with the senior squad. When Spalletti moved to Sampdoria in 1998, he'd brought Domenii along. They'd been a team ever since.

  Nodding thoughtfully, Spalletti remained silent, stroking his as he absorbed Domenii's insights.

  Another assistant, Daniel Baldini, took the opportunity to add his thoughts. A former captain at Empoli and ter a coach, Baldini joined Spalletti in Rome as a teical coa 2006.

  "From the reports we've received, it seems uhat Panucci will be able to py the full y. He was a starter in both national games, and the toll is showing. But even if we start ho, he's a defensive liability."

  When ho arrived from Real Madrid, he initially dazzled on the right fnk. But the more he pyed, the more Roma's defensive frailties were exposed. In the seventh round, Spalletti had repced ho with Panucci as right-back, and Roma immediately went on to beat Parma 3-0 away.

  Spalletti was well aware that Roma would o go on the offe home. He couldn't afford to be cautious, especially when Napoli had shown their willio attack head-on, even away from home.

  The real question was whether Roma's defense could hold up under pressure.

  Even with Chivu in the bae st season, they'd been dismantled by Napoli, losing 6-0. That bitter memory still stung.

  Spalletti's eyes fshed with anger. Gao Shen was ing to Roma looking for reveer Inter, but Spalletti had his own scores to settle.

  But what tactics would Gao Shen use?

  While Roma had little choice but to attaapoli's approach was far from certain. The uability left Spalletti feeling on edge.

  Three days after the match with Napoli, Roma would have a crucial Champions League fixture against Sp Lisbon. This only added to the plexity of managing pyer fatigue and tactics.

  Spalletti id out his tentative starting lineup for discussion:

  Goalkeeper: Curci/Doni.

  Defeoo, Ferrari, Mexes, ho/Panucci.

  Midfield: Pizarro and De Rossi in defensive roles, with Mani, Perrotta, and Giuly/Esposito further up.

  Striker: Totti.

  Gao Shehrough a simir exercise with Napoli's coag staff, meticulously pg pieces oactical board to represent the likely Roma lineup. He paused, studying Panucci's piece, then took it off the board.

  He believed Spalletti wouldn't start Panucci.

  Firstly, Panucci wasn't one of Spalletti's preferred pyers. Sedly, he had pyed two grueling games for the national team. As an older pyer, such a workload was too much to expect him to handle seamlessly.

  Mani, however, was certain to start, having had no national team itments. Perrotta, Pizarro, and De Rossi were also key pilrs of Roma's midfield and uo be rotated, especially given their importan Spalletti's tactical scheme.

  On the right side, it was between Giuly and Esposito. Gao Shen ultimately chose Esposito, a former FM legend known for his pad crossing ability.

  The goalkeeper decision—Curci or Doni—was still a toss-up.

  With Spalletti relut to make any calls on the spot, Gao Shen finalized the list of likely starters for Roma. Carlo and the other Napoli coaches gathered around to discuss their own projes, paring notes with Gao Shen. While their ideas varied slightly, they were mostly aligned.

  "This game, Roma is definitely going to attack. They have to," Gao Shen stated fidently.

  From the intelligehered by Napoli's scouts and pre-game analysis, Gao Shen was certain Roma would py an aggressive game, especially at home. But he also knew Roma's defense wasn't airtight.

  "So, for this match, we're going with a defensive terattack approach," Gao Shen announced, a slight grin on his face.

  When Napoli pyed Ihe whole world expected them to sit bad ter, but Gao Shen had surprised everyone by goio-head with the Nerazzurri.

  Now, he was saying the exact opposite, g he'd attaa wheually po defend.

  Of course, "defend" in this case meant pressing hard and tering sharply.

  "In the opening minutes, we o press hard. For the first ten minutes, we should try to grab an early goal," Gao Shen said, his voice brimming with determination.

  Carlo quickly nodded, uanding the importance of seizing the initiative. "If we're going for an early goal, we'll o press them aggressively. Don't let Roma settle or take shots from distance."

  Lucas chimed in. "Right. We'll o wi-pieces in their half. If we get a free-kick or er, we exploit Roma's weakness defendi-pieces and aim to score early."

  The room buzzed with agreement. Roma's set-piece defense had shown clear vulnerabilities, and Napoli's lineup held a height advah pyers like Pelé and the ter-backs.

  "We also attempt direct attacks in open py. If we mao score, Roma will be forced to push up. That's when we exploit their gaps," Gao Shen said, a sly smile f.

  Defensive terattacks were one of Gao Shen's greatest strengths.

  When he'd led Real Madrid, his disciplined defense aating ters had bee his signature. But now, at Napoli, people seemed tet that he was capable of more than just aggressive pressing and attag football.

  "I'm not afraid to defend if it means we trol the game," Gao Shen tinued. "But the key is to ule them from the start. If we score early, Roma will be under pressure and more likely to make mistakes."

  His strategy was now set in his mind.

  For the past few weeks, Napoli had been drilli-pieces and honing their targeted pys against Roma. These tactics were specifically desigo ter Roma's aggressive style. If Roma chose to sit back, it would be surprising, but Gao Shen doubted they'd do that.

  If Roma did retreat, Napoli could still outst them, waiting for an opening in the sed half. By then, Napoli's substitutions and fresh legs would tilt the bance.

  Gao Shen looked at his staff and cluded, "The three points in Rome, I'm taking them!"