On the evening of April 18th, during the 32nd round of Serie A, Inter Min faced an away challenge against Juventus.

  The match was intense right from the start. Just ten seds into the game, Nedvěd threatened Inter Min's goal with a le shot.

  In the ninth minute, Balotelli executed a brilliant first touch, cut inside, dribbled past two defenders, and struck a low shot with his left foot in front of the goal. The ball passed through Buffon's hands but was cleared in time by Puese midfielder Tiago, who had rushed back to defend on the goal line.

  Juventus sooaliated. Del Piero took a free kick, and after receiving the ball unmarked at the far post, he volleyed it into the air. However, the ball narrowly missed the target, and Juventus squandered a great opportunity to score.

  The first half ended in a 0-0 draw. But ih minute of the sed half, Inter Min unched a rapid terattack. Ibrahimovi? pyed a through pass, Muntari delivered a wonderful assist, and Balotelli dribbled past Grygera before firing a right-footed shot from teers out, seg the first goal for Inter Min.

  Juventus responded with a fierce offensive push, but ih minute, Balotelli was fouled while receiving the ball, and Puese midfielder Tiago received a red card, leaving Juventus with ten men.

  Just when everyohought Juventus was doomed, the game eoppage time. Giovinco delivered a er kick, and Grygera headed the ball into the the near post, seg a te equalizer for Juventus.

  The matded in a 1-1 draw, with both teams sharing the points.

  After the match, Mourinho was furious, uo believe that his team's three points had slipped into a single point in the final moments.

  "If we keep pying like this, I only gratute Napoli!"

  What he meant was that Inter Min's performance had been terrible, so bad that they were unworthy of the championship and unfit to pete with Napoli.

  However, Mourinho didn't stay upset for too long. Soon, he broke into ughter.

  That's because, in another match happening at the same time, Napoli fielded an all-reserve lineup against Cagliari in an away game. After 90 mihe matded in a 0-0 draw.

  In this way, Inter Min's draw didn't seem so bad.

  The five-point gap remained, with six rounds left in the league.

  Inter Min still had a ce.

  The key was the uping 33rd round, where Inter Min would travel to faapoli away.

  If they could secure a victory and close the gap, the title race would remain uable.

  ---

  Midweek: The Sed Leg of the Coppa Italia Semi-Final

  After a 3-1 away victainst Lazio in the first leg, Napoli returned home for the sed leg. Gao Shen tinued using a full reserve lineup, keeping his key pyers fresh for the crucial csh against Inter Mihe weekend and the Champions League enter against Maer United Wednesday.

  In a span of just four days, Napoli had two critical matches that would determiheir fate in both Serie A and the Champions League. The team o win both enters to keep progressing on both fronts.

  The Champions League csh against Maer United was especially challenging due to the unfavorable schedule, with Napoli hosting the first leg before traveling to Old Trafford. If they failed to win at home, they would be in a very difficult position for the away leg.

  Mourinho was already tough to handle, and with the ing Ferguson in the mix, Gao Shen faced enormous pressure from two of the world's top managers at the same time.

  During the preparation period, Gao She every day iactical library, reviewing the entire developmental process and tactical evolution of Ferguson and Maer United over the years. In addition tuson, he also studied Carlos Queiroz.

  Since Queiroz became Ferguson's assistant, Maer United had fully itted to the path of tial football reform. Ferguson mahe big picture, but all training, specific pyer roles, tactical arras, and match preparations were handled by Queiroz.

  This version of Maer United was undoubtedly Ferguson's team, but it also bore deep traces of Queiroz's influence.

  In Ferguson's book, there assage that read:

  "Queiroz's most crucial impact is on training and match preparations. The new ideas he brought to the club were not just 'tial ideas'—they were truly innovative and beneficial."

  It recisely due to his outstanding work at Maer Uhat Queiroz ointed head coach of the Galácticos at Real Madrid. After being sacked, he was immediately invited back by Ferguson. Now, he had moved on to coach the Pal national team.

  Gao Shen re-examined Maer United's tactical evolutiohe years, hoping to find a more effective way to ter Ferguson.

  ---

  Sinapoli ying with a reserve lineup, Gao Shen even gave Verratti and Insigne more than half an hour of game time. As a result, Napoli lost 1-2 at home to Lazio.

  However, with an aggregate score of 4-3, Napoli advao the Coppa Italia final.

  Meanwhile, at the San Siro in Min, Inter Min had suffered a shog 0-3 away defeat against Sampdoria in the first leg, leaving Mourinho's side in aremely difficult and humiliating position.

  In the sed leg at home, despite a fierce attag effort, Inter Min could only manage a 1-0 victory. With a 1-3 aggregate score, they were eliminated by Sampdoria.

  In the end, the Coppa Italia final was set: Napoli vs. Sampdoria.

  This also meant that Mourinho had no fallback optio.

  After Inter Min's elimination, Mourinho decred that they had only one remaining objective—Serie A.

  "We have no choice but to beat Napoli away in the 33rd round!"

  ---

  April 25th, Stadio San Paolo

  In the 33rd round of Serie A, Napoli hosted Inter Min.

  Mourinho stuck with the 4-3-1-2 formation he had frequently used i matches, showing his about Napoli's home strength, especially their attag prowess under Gao Shen.

  Inter Min's starting XI:

  Goalkeeper: Júlio César

  Defense: Chivu, Samuel, Lúai

  Midfield: Muntari, Stankovi?, Cambiasso, Moutinho (advanced role)

  Forwards: Ibrahimovi?, Balotelli

  This was the stro attag lineup Mourinho could deploy, undersg his determination to win away at Napoli.

  Gao Shen responded with a 4-3-3 formation:

  Goalkeeper: Handanovi?

  Defense: Vargas, David Luiz, Bonucci, Lichtsteiner

  Midfield: Thiago Motta (deep-lying role), Biglia, Rakiti?

  Forwards: Sánchez, Pellè, Di María

  Mourinho was surprised by Gao Shen's lineup, as he hadn't expected Napoli to field their full-strength Champions League squad against Inter Mie their uping csh with Maer United.

  However, he quickly realized something and immediately instructed his team to go all out in attack.

  The game unfolded just as Mourinho had anticipated.

  Right from the start, Napoli did not un aggressive attack as they usually did at home. Instead, they pyed defensively, a stark trast to their usual approach.

  Inter Min seized the initiative and pressed fgressively.

  In the seinute, Inter Min won a free ki the attag third. Lúcio's cle header was saved by Handanovi?. The subsequent er kick also posed a threat.

  Ibrahimovi? and Balotelli both had successive shooting opportunities afterward.

  The most dangerous ce came ih minute when Moutinho delivered a brilliant pass into the box. Ibrahimovi? used his body to shield Bonucd took a cle shot only to bst the ball over the bar.

  Napoli didn't get their first shot until the 21st minute.

  At this point, over 50,000 Napoli fans iadium were puzzled, what was going on?

  ---

  "What is he trying to do?" Boas was fused.

  Not only him Faria, and the others were also baffled.

  Only Mourinho uood what Gao Shen was thinking.

  "Training! Testing the formation!"

  "What?" Everyone was stunned.

  This was a decisive battle in the Serie A title race, yet Gao Shen was using such a crucial match to train his pyers?

  "I think he wants to test how much offensive pressure his ter-forward handle," Mourinho specuted.

  Everyone found it hard to believe, this was an incredibly bold move.

  "He still has great fiden his team's defense, but he's probably not so sure whether they hold up against Maer United. So, he's using this match as a trial ruing us attack!"

  At this point, Mourinho ughed and said, "If I don't beat him up, I'd be doing him a disservice!"

  How could Mourinho let such a rare and justified opportunity to crush Gao Shen slip away?

  Besides, if he truly mao defeat Gao Shen, the tter might even feel grateful.

  How perfect would that be? Winning three crucial points while receiving a heartfelt 'thank you' from my oppo!

  Looking at the assistants around him, Mourinho smirked again.

  "Don't fet, Napoli is still leading by five points. Even if they lose this match, they'll still have a two-point lead. And more importantly, we haven't even scored yet."

  At this moment, Mourinho suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. He immediately stepped up to the sidelines and signaled his pyers to press forward with mgression.

  He almost cursed out loud.

  Damn it, where is your Italian on?

  Fire it! Destroy them! Crush them to pieces!

  Throughout the first half, Inter Min unched wave after wave of attacks against Napoli.

  But to be fair, Napoli remained incredibly posed in defeheir overall deferucture was solid, and their discipline was remarkable.

  No matter how Inter Min attacked or tried to break through, they barely mao create any clear-cut ces.

  The only golden opportunity was squandered by the unreliable Ibrahimovi?.

  The rest of their attacks posed little to no threat.

  This left Mourinho shaking his head in frustration on the sidelines.

  Here's a golden opportunity for you!

  The oppo is willingly letting you attack, yet you still 't score, who's to bme for that?!

  It wasn't until the very end of the first half that Gao Shen finally let out a long sigh of relief.

  "We defended well in the first half. There were some minor issues, but overall, it was a solid performance. In the sed half, we attack!"

  ***

  For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 50+ advanced chapters: patreon./Blownleaves.