Starting With Real Madrid

Once again, Inter pushed forward, trying to find Ibrahimovic with the ball.

Benatia anticipated the play, stepped in front, and cleared the ball with a decisive header, defusing yet another attack from Inter Milan.

This drew loud boos from the Inter fans in the stands.

It wasn't the first time.

---

"The center-back is performing exceptionally well," remarked Moratti, seated in the VIP section. Despite claiming to not know much about football, he could clearly see Benatia's brilliance tonight. Even Ibrahimovic, Inter's star striker, had started to avoid direct confrontations with him.

The situation wasn't much better for Balotelli on the right flank.

The young forward, initially stationed on the right to exploit his physicality, found himself repeatedly neutralized by Vargas. After several failed attempts to attack, Balotelli began shying away from direct challenges, leaving Inter Milan reliant on long balls directed toward Ibrahimovic.

Otherwise, Balotelli—given his height and strength could have been a useful target.

As for Ibrahimovic, his performance tonight was far from ideal.

It seemed like every time he played in high-stakes matches, he struggled to make an impact.

On the other hand, Benatia, tasked with marking him, was putting on a masterclass, something even Moratti couldn't ignore.

---

Blanca and Oriali, key figures in Inter's management, sat nearby, visibly uncomfortable. Inter Milan had been facing a crisis in central defense for some time, but they had failed to bring in a player like Benatia. Watching his stellar performance tonight only highlighted their oversight.

"This is the player the media kept talking about, isn't it?" Moratti asked, his tone skeptical. "A nobody with a knee injury who hadn't played in over a year?"

Blanca, unable to avoid the question, nodded. "Yes, but it wasn't a broken leg. It was a severe knee ligament tear, very serious. That's why Marseille terminated his contract. He came to Napoli on a free transfer."

Moratti chuckled. "If Marseille is watching this game, they'll be kicking themselves. Letting him go like that is throwing away millions of euros."

Blanca and Oriali forced smiles, agreeing silently.

Just based on tonight's performance, Benatia was already proving to be an incredible find.

As the others marveled at Benatia's impact, Angelo Moratti, seated beside his father, spoke up coldly. "If we had signed Gao Shen this summer, this player would've been playing for us instead."

His statement silenced the group.

Everyone froze, their expressions awkward. No one knew how to respond.

Benatia had been scouted and signed by Gao Shen. He came on a free transfer, yet his performance tonight was worth millions. It was proof of Gao Shen's eye for talent.

This match would undoubtedly boost Benatia's reputation in Serie A and further enhance Gao Shen's standing in European football.

Angelo's remark stung because it was true: had Gao Shen been coaching Inter Milan, Benatia would've been their solution to the defensive crisis. Not only would Inter have gained a top-class defender, but they could've also saved millions.

But Gao Shen wasn't at Inter.

Instead, he was still coaching Napoli, and worse, he was their opponent tonight.

For Blanca and Oriali, the reminder of their missteps in squad building and their lack of enthusiasm for pursuing Gao Shen in the summer was embarrassing.

After Gao Shen rejected Inter's offer and instead stayed with Napoli, the club had quickly turned their attention to Mourinho.

From a rational perspective, even if Mourinho wasn't in the picture, there was no guarantee Gao Shen would've accepted Inter's job. But that lingering sense of "what could've been" always made regret harder to ignore.

---

Moratti was well aware of his son Angelo's admiration for Gao Shen.

In fact, Angelo had advocated for Gao Shen as early as last season, particularly after Napoli's 5–0 demolition of Inter. He had urged his father to act decisively and bring Gao Shen to the club.

However, Moratti, wanting to honor his commitment to Mancini, hesitated and ultimately missed the opportunity.

That decision had cost Inter dearly: Mancini failed to deliver two championships, while Gao Shen led Napoli to a league and cup double.

The father and son had clashed over this issue more than once.

This summer, Angelo had pushed hard for Gao Shen again, but to no avail. Gao Shen politely declined, leaving Inter to appoint Mourinho instead.

Even now, the thought of what might have been filled Angelo with regret.

But Moratti had no intention of dwelling on past mistakes tonight. Coughing lightly to change the subject, he smiled at Blanca and Oriali.

"To be fair, Mourinho's defensive organization isn't bad," Moratti said. "We've been on the back foot most of the game, but Napoli's attacks haven't been particularly threatening."

"To get Cambiasso and Burdisso functioning as a central defensive partnership and hold off a team like Napoli, it's impressive."

His words helped ease some of the tension. Blanca and Oriali quickly nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Mourinho has always been excellent at organizing defenses. Even though we're a goal down, we still have chances," Blanca added with a smile.

"Exactly. Defense is Mourinho's strength. If we can neutralize Napoli's attack, we'll find opportunities to counter. Even if Ibrahimovic isn't performing at his best, we still have Mancini and Balotelli," Oriali chimed in.

At the mention of Balotelli, Moratti's mood visibly improved.

He had high hopes for the young academy product.

"This kid is going to be a superstar—just like Ronaldo, Adriano, and Zlatan," Moratti declared confidently.

Everyone around him nodded in agreement.

At just seventeen, Balotelli's potential was undeniable.

---

While Inter Milan's management believed they had stabilized, Napoli suddenly struck back.

In midfield, Vidal intercepted a pass and immediately sent the ball wide to the right, where Valencia was waiting.

Valencia controlled the ball near the sideline and faced Maxwell one-on-one. With a clever feint, the Ecuadorian winger attempted to cut inside along the baseline but was blocked, and the ball deflected upward.

Valencia chased after it, heading the ball into Inter's penalty area and rushing in from the right. Before Montari could close him down, Valencia delivered a low cross toward Cavani.

However, Cambiasso reacted first, clearing the ball just outside the penalty area. Stankovic, under pressure, booted it forward hastily, sending it toward the right touchline.

Napoli quickly took the throw-in. Benatia, receiving the ball, evaded Ibrahimovic with composure and launched a precise long pass back to Valencia up front.

Valencia, now under pressure from Maxwell, mishandled his first touch, and as Maxwell closed in, he inadvertently knocked the ball out of bounds, giving Inter Milan a throw-in.

The home crowd erupted in cheers, their voices reverberating throughout the stadium.

---

On the sidelines, Maxwell wiped the ball dry with his jersey before scanning for passing options. Seeing Mancini make a forward run, he hurled the ball toward him.

However, Mancini mistimed his movement. Mid-sprint, he attempted to brake, but his momentum carried him too far forward.

Lichtsteiner, quick to react, used the opportunity to block Mancini's path. The ball hit the ground, and before Mancini could recover, the Swiss defender intercepted and passed it back to his defensive line.

Benatia, receiving the ball, found himself immediately closed down by Ibrahimovic.

Inter Milan had clearly shifted to pressing higher up the pitch.

Benatia, calm under pressure, made a feint as if to carry the ball forward, drawing Ibrahimovic closer. Then, with a single step toward his goal, he offloaded the ball to Cannavaro.

---

At that moment, Balotelli, who had drifted centrally, made a sudden dash toward Cannavaro.

This tactical adjustment was part of Mourinho's pre-match instructions. Inter's flexible formation allowed Balotelli to switch between winger and striker roles depending on the situation.

Cannavaro, caught off guard by Balotelli's sudden approach, remained composed.

Having spent two years at Napoli, he had developed his composure and ball-playing ability. Situations like this no longer rattled him.

Spotting Thiago Motta in space, Cannavaro played a measured pass to the midfielder.

Motta controlled the ball and quickly surveyed the field. Inter's defensive shape had tilted toward Napoli's right flank to cover Cavani and Valencia, leaving Maicon slightly out of position and creating a gap in their defensive line.

Sanchez had moved into that gap.

Recognizing the opportunity, Motta delivered a precise long pass over Inter's defense, placing it perfectly at the edge of the penalty area.

Sanchez timed his run beautifully, beating the offside trap.

Neither the referee nor the linesman raised any objections.

---

Sanchez controlled the ball expertly with his right foot, charging into the penalty area as Julio Cesar advanced to close him down.

With a quick fake, Sanchez sent Cesar the wrong way and calmly slotted the ball into the empty net.

2–0!

***

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