Starting With Real Madrid

The away trip to Russia lasted less than forty-eight hours, but the drastic temperature difference and long-distance travel took a serious toll on Napoli.

The moment they arrived in St. Petersburg, Handanovic developed a high fever. After barely recovering enough to play the match, his fever spiked again upon returning to Naples, landing him directly in the hospital.

Almost every player who had traveled to St. Petersburg was deeply affected by the ordeal.

The team was unhappy about only managing a draw against Zenit, but once back on the training ground, it was clear the players were exhausted and uninspired.

This is the kind of disaster teams face when traveling to Russia during the freezing winter months.

And Napoli was not alone in experiencing this.

On October 1st, Barcelona traveled to Ukraine to face Shakhtar Donetsk. The match was a struggle, with Lionel Messi coming off the bench to score two late goals, reversing the scoreline to secure a 2-1 win in injury time.

That was in early October, and Donetsk is farther south than St. Petersburg. Given the harsh conditions Napoli faced at the end of October, their struggles were all but inevitable.

The Italian media, however, commended Napoli for managing to bring home a point from such a difficult away fixture.

Anyone familiar with football knows the perils of playing in Ukraine or Russia during this time of year, especially in a place as far north as St. Petersburg.

---

While Napoli battled the elements in Russia, Klinsmann's Bayern Munich hosted Real Madrid, who were fresh off a managerial change, at the Allianz Arena.

The match couldn't have started worse for Real Madrid. Within five minutes, Ribery orchestrated an attack, setting up Luca Toni, who assisted Klose for the opening goal.

Despite a balanced contest for the remainder of the first half, Bayern struck again just five minutes into the second half. This time, Ribery provided the assist, and Toni scored.

The two early goals at the start of each half sealed a 2-0 victory for Bayern Munich.

After three rounds of Group H, Napoli sat at the top with two wins and a draw, earning seven points.

Bayern Munich, with two wins and one loss, were second with six points.

Zenit St. Petersburg and Real Madrid were both on one point, but Zenit had the edge on goal difference, leaving Real Madrid at the bottom of the table.

The result sparked widespread concern for Real Madrid.

Though mathematically possible, their chances of advancing looked bleak. To have any hope, they would need to win their home match against Bayern in early November. and likely win all three of their remaining games.

Napoli, on the other hand, were in a strong position to qualify, with two of their final three group games being played at home against Zenit and Real Madrid. Their toughest hurdle, the trip to St. Petersburg was already behind them.

As for Bayern, their five-point lead wasn't secure either. They still faced two major challenges: a potentially decisive away game against Real Madrid and their own daunting trip to St. Petersburg in late November.

Both games could dramatically alter Bayern's group standings.

---

After returning to Naples, the team was given a day to rest before traveling to Rome for their Serie A clash against Lazio in the eighth round.

The effects of the Russian expedition were clear, prompting Gao Shen to make significant rotations to his lineup.

Goalkeeper Handanovic, despite being discharged from the hospital, was still rested. Veteran Iezzo was given the start.

Napoli's rotated lineup faced a well-rested Lazio, who held a slight advantage at home. While Napoli focused on defensive counterattacks, Valencia capitalized on a break in the 61st minute, assisting Callejon for the opening goal.

But just five minutes later, Iezzo suffered an injury and had to leave the field.

Gao Shen was forced to bring on third-choice goalkeeper Gianello, and the team shifted into full defensive mode.

It's worth noting that since Gao Shen took charge, Napoli underwent a comprehensive overhaul across all three lines—except in the goalkeeper position.

Handanovic, signed shortly after Gao Shen's arrival, immediately became the starter. Iezzo, the former first-choice, transitioned into a backup role. At 35 years old, Iezzo remained a reliable professional but rarely got the chance to play.

Gianello, Napoli's third-choice keeper, had been with the club since its days in the third division. He hadn't made an appearance in three years and was only included in the squad due to Handanovic's fever and Iezzo's subsequent injury.

Despite his lack of game time, Gianello benefited from the rigorous training regimen set by goalkeeping coach Lopis. Both veteran keepers stayed in excellent shape, and Gao Shen treated them with fairness and respect, ensuring their salaries and bonuses were never compromised.

After Napoli's 1-0 victory over Lazio, Gao Shen lightened the mood in the locker room with a joke aimed at Gianello.

"Now we've got one goalkeeper sick and another injured. You're the most important player in the team right now. Everyone needs to take care of you or else we'll have to stick David Luiz in goal!"

The team burst into laughter, knowing full well that Luiz, during training, occasionally jumped in as a makeshift goalkeeper and wasn't half bad.

But beneath the humor, Gao Shen was emphasizing Gianello's importance.

With the ninth round of Serie A coming up midweek, there was little time to recover, and Gao Shen wasn't even sure if Handanovic would be fit to play.

He needed Gianello ready.

---

Not all the news Gao Shen received was bad, however.

Inter Milan, fresh off a dominant 4-0 win over Roma in the seventh round, returned to Serie A to host Genoa. Despite their momentum, Mourinho's side was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at home.

Gasperini's Genoa played a disciplined defensive game, relying on Diego Milito to lead counterattacks.

Inter started aggressively, riding their wave of recent victories. Mourinho even appeared on the sidelines with a fresh haircut, exuding confidence.

But the swagger didn't translate into goals.

Missed opportunities in the first half left Mourinho visibly agitated. By halftime, his frustration boiled over, leading to two substitutions. Ten minutes into the second half, he used his final substitution, bringing on Cruz to further bolster the attack.

Watching the game live, Gao Shen couldn't help but smirk.

"That's just how he is sometimes. It's ridiculous, isn't it?"

Inter had dominated but failed to convert their chances. Instead of staying calm, Mourinho's rash substitutions felt more like an emotional outburst than tactical adjustments.

"What if one of his players gets injured now? He'd be left a man short for no reason," Gao Shen mused.

Moments later, his prediction nearly came true—though not quite how he expected.

It wasn't an Inter player who got injured, but Genoa's Juric, who was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

"Well, now he's probably regretting everything," Gao Shen said, laughing at the sight of Mourinho raging on the sidelines.

Despite the man advantage, Inter couldn't break through Genoa's defense. The match ended in a goalless draw.

---

The following day, Italian media heavily criticized Mourinho's decisions.

Even La Gazzetta dello Sport called his substitutions "suicidal," arguing that they cost Inter the Serie A lead and handed Napoli an advantage.

Mourinho didn't hold back in his post-match press conference, publicly criticizing his players—particularly Cruz. He accused the forward of being "self-righteous" and not following instructions.

Reports later surfaced of a heated argument between Cruz and Mourinho in the locker room. Cruz, already in contract negotiations with Inter, was furious at being called out in front of the media.

In an interview, Cruz fired back. "I still remember when someone first came to Inter and said, 'The last thing I'll ever do as a coach is criticize my players publicly.'"

"Well, I guess he's forgotten that now."

The Italian media sided with Cruz, pointing out that Mourinho's substitutions were the real issue.

"It's understandable to be angry about losing the Serie A lead," Turin Sports Daily wrote, "but Mourinho should reflect on his actions instead of blaming his players. Was it really wise to use all his substitutions so early?"

The paper concluded with a jab at Mourinho:

"Compared to Mourinho's irrational antics, Napoli's poise feels almost charming."

***

Check the Reading List on my profile for other books i'm working on.

For every 300 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 100+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.