Starting With Real Madrid

This was a war without gunpowder.

From the very first minute, Gao Shen realized just how tough this game was going to be.

In the opening two minutes, Napoli managed a long-range shot following Hamsik's breakthrough through the middle.

But just a minute later, Juventus responded. In their attack, they aimed to find Trezeguet, only for Bonucci to step in and intercept. However, Trezeguet, frustrated, lunged in with a dangerous tackle from behind, taking Bonucci and the ball to the ground.

It was an ugly foul, the kind that deserved a straight red card.

But at the Alp Stadium, with the home crowd roaring, referee Gianluca Rocchi handed only a yellow card.

This decision immediately ramped up the tension on the pitch, with tempers flaring and small confrontations breaking out between players from both sides.

Napoli, as usual, pressed aggressively and ran tirelessly, but Juventus's players, with their physical advantage and home support, matched them.

A moment in the 13th minute exemplified the growing edge in the game. Trezeguet, already on a yellow card, committed another blatant foul, using both his elbow and knee. Once again, Rocchi turned a blind eye, letting him off entirely.

This infuriated Gao Shen, who couldn't hold back his frustration on the sidelines. He loudly confronted the referee, questioning his leniency with such obvious fouls. Rocchi didn't hesitate to punish him, Gao Shen received a yellow card.

The game began to spiral further into chaos. Fouls and physical altercations dominated the match, with both teams appearing more focused on disrupting their opponents than creating meaningful chances.

Juventus, under Ranieri's direction, fielded a tough and combative midfield lineup with Mohamed Sissoko, Portuguese midfielder Tiago, Nedvěd on the left, and Nocerino on the right. These players weren't just skilled but physically imposing as well.

Despite dominating possession, Napoli struggled to create significant threats. By halftime, the score remained locked at 0-0.

---

In the dressing room, Gao Shen was furious.

He didn't mince words as he scolded his players.

"I don't care how young you are or how hot-tempered you feel falling for such a basic provocation is unacceptable!" he snapped.

He gestured to Lucas, who presented the first-half stats.

"Look at this," Gao Shen continued. "They've dragged us down to their level. They provoked us into playing their game instead of sticking to ours. Is that what we trained for?"

As young players, the Napoli squad was naturally fiery and passionate, but Gao Shen suspected that Ranieri had planned this exact tactic. Juventus knew they couldn't go toe-to-toe with Napoli on tactics alone, so they tried to disrupt them mentally instead.

And it was working.

"Juventus wants us to lose focus," Gao Shen reminded his players. "Don't let them. Stick to our plan, stay disciplined, and play our football."

---

In the second half, Napoli returned to the pitch with a renewed sense of purpose.

The team's attacks became more structured, with the midfield taking control of the game. Juventus, sensing the growing threat, made two defensive substitutions in the 55th minute.

Ranieri replaced Trezeguet with Birindelli, perhaps wary of the striker's temper and potential for a second yellow card. Nocerino also made way for Molinaro.

These changes signaled Juventus's intent to hunker down defensively. Ranieri's focus was now on absorbing pressure and trying to hit Napoli on the counterattack.

Gao Shen responded quickly. In the 60th minute, he substituted Hamsik for Pastore, bringing in fresh energy and creativity in midfield.

Since joining Napoli, Pastore had developed significantly, especially after working with Pintus on improving his physicality. The young Argentine now looked more composed on the ball and better equipped for the rigors of Serie A.

From the moment he entered, Pastore began driving at the Juventus defense, increasing the pressure on their tired players. His dribbling and passing added another layer of complexity to Napoli's attack.

Gao Shen made his second substitution in the 70th minute, replacing Vidal with Parejo. The move further emphasized Napoli's offensive intentions.

With the changes, Napoli shifted to a 4-3-3 formation.

Biglia sat deeper in midfield, while Parejo and Pastore pushed forward, taking turns to dribble into the final third. Their relentless drives made it harder for Juventus to hold their shape, and Parejo's ability to threaten from set pieces forced the Bianconeri to defend more cautiously near their penalty area.

Despite Napoli's dominance, Juventus's deep defensive block made breaking through difficult. Gao Shen pondered his next move.

In the 81st minute, he made his third and final substitution: Callejón off, Mertens on.

---

Ranieri, watching from the sidelines, felt a sense of resignation.

Napoli's substitutions were relentless, each one adding a new threat to the game.

How does Gao Shen keep doing this? Ranieri thought to himself. Players bought for peanuts Pastore for €500,000, Parejo and Callejón brought in cheaply from Real Madrid were now shining on the Serie A stage.

And now Mertens, another bargain buy, was entering to wreak havoc.

Napoli's fresh legs and endless creativity were suffocating Juventus. The constant movement and probing attacks left the Bianconeri players stretched and exhausted.

Veterans like Nedvěd, Salihamidžić, and Del Piero were visibly struggling to keep up. Del Piero, left as the lone striker, was barely able to run anymore.

Ranieri hesitated. Should he substitute Del Piero to bolster the defense?

The idea made sense tactically, but the optics of such a move were troubling. At home, in front of their fans, Juventus was already on the back foot. Pulling Del Piero would look like surrender.

He glanced at the clock. 81 minutes. Maybe it was better to wait and see.

---

Meanwhile, Mertens brought new instructions from Gao Shen to his teammates.

"Spread them out," Gao Shen had told him. "Pull their defense wide and press through the middle. They can't keep up anymore."

Napoli's players took the advice to heart.

Bonucci, confident in his coach's plan, began pushing higher up the pitch. After a successful interception in Napoli's half, he surged forward with the ball and passed to Parejo near the halfway line.

Parejo received the ball with poise, sidestepped an onrushing Tiago, and quickly played it forward to Pastore.

The Argentine midfielder's first touch was sublime. He flicked the ball past Sissoko, catching the midfielder off guard, and charged into Juventus's final third.

As he neared the penalty area, Pastore drew Chiellini out of position. Instead of forcing a shot, he passed wide to Sánchez, who had sprinted into space on the right flank.

Sánchez, recognizing the opportunity, sent a low cross toward the six-yard box. Pastore continued his run, but instead of shooting, he cleverly cut the ball back to the penalty spot.

There, Parejo arrived like a freight train. The Spanish midfielder struck the ball cleanly, sending it flying low into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Buffon, despite his best efforts, couldn't reach it.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"

"Daniel Parejo scores! Napoli takes the lead in the 84th minute!"

"The Spanish youngster breaks the deadlock with a stunning finish!"

Napoli's players celebrated wildly, rushing to embrace Parejo, Pastore, Sánchez, and Bonucci, the key architects of the goal.

The Alp Stadium, meanwhile, was filled with jeers from frustrated Juventus fans.

On the sidelines, Gao Shen allowed himself a satisfied smile.

Attacking through the middle wasn't easy, but sometimes, it was the best way to catch a defense off guard. Juventus had been too focused on their wings, leaving just enough space in the center for Napoli's quick interplay to exploit.

Gao Shen turned his attention to Ranieri, curious to see how the Juventus manager would respond.

Ranieri, however, looked utterly dejected, his frustration written all over his face.

***

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