April 29th, uhe lights of the San Paolo Stadium in Naples.

  In the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, Napoli hosted Maer United.

  As the pyers from both teams, led by Danish referee Peter Rasmussen, emerged from the tuo the deafening cheers of over 50,000 Napoli fans, the atmosphere ihe stadium reached its peak.

  The live broadcast cameras sed every er of the ground, capturing every moment of this high-stakes enter.

  Both teams fielded their stro lineups.

  Napoli lined up in their familiar 4-3-3 formation:

  Goalkeeper: Handanovi?

  Defense: Vargas, David Luiz, Bonucci, Lichtsteiner

  Midfield: Thiago Motta sitting deep, with Biglia and Rakiti tral roles

  Forwards: Sánchez, i, and Di María

  Gao Shen had once again opted for ied wingers, clearly emphasizing their goal-sg threat by allowing them to cut io their stronger feet.

  Maer United also deployed their preferred 4-3-3:

  Goalkeeper: Van der Sar

  Defense: Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea

  Midfield: Carri the holding role, with Anderson and Fletcher in support

  Forwards: Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Park Ji-sung

  This had been United's go-to lihroughout the season.

  Ferguson, a master at squad rotation and tactical adjustments, often made ges to keep oppos guessing. However, this particur setup had delivered sistes in the Champions League, so he stuck with it.

  Seeing the lineup firmed that Gao Shen's pre-matalysis had been spot on.

  As the teams took the field, Gao Shen followed closely behind his pyers. But instead of heading straight to the home dugout, he lingered he tunrance, waiting.

  Soon enough, Ferguson emerged.

  "Evening, Sir!" Gao Sheended his hand with a smile.

  "Long time no see, young man." Ferguson, chewing gum as always, shook hands with Gao Shen before pulling him in for a brief hug.

  "You look sharp. I take that as a sign we're in for a tough match tonight."

  Gao Shen chuckled. "I think so too."

  "They say you've been under a lot of pressure tely, even struggling with insomnia. Any truth to that?" Ferguson asked, his tone half-serious, half-teasing.

  Gao Shen ughed. "The media probably knows how many times I go to the bathroom every day. What do you think?"

  Ferguso out a hum of amusement. "Did anyone mao predict my lineup?"

  "I did," Gao Shen answered holy. "Not a single mistake—not even in positioning."

  Ferguson nodded approvingly. "That's the basics, kid. But adjustments during the game matter just as much. And for the record, I figured out your lioo, including your ied wingers."

  He paused before fshing a grin. "After your match against Inter Min, plenty of people assumed you'd take a more servative approach tonight. I even gave Mourinho a call. He told me you used his team as a training ground and that you'd sit deep and terattack against us. But I didn't buy it. That old fox wants nothing more than to see me trip up."

  Gao Shen smirked. "I bribed him with a whole case of French wine. What do you think?"

  "That's . It's been all over the news."

  Ferguson spread his arms. "What about me? Where's my share?"

  "Wait until I win," Gao Shen quipped.

  Ferguson sighed, tapping his forehead lightly. "Well, then, I suppose I won't be getting any."

  After exging a few more words, they both returo their respective dugouts.

  her had fully deciphered the other's strategy yet.

  But ohe whistle blew, everything would bee clear.

  Although Napoli had home advantage, Gao Shen didn't start with the aggressive high press that had bee his team's signature.

  Whether it was the match against Inter Min or tonight's csh with United, he had chosen a more cautious approach.

  This alone showed how much importance he pced od how wary he was of Ferguson's team.

  Maer United, pying away from home, also adopted a measured approach. Both teams probed cautiously, feeling each other out, which resulted in a slow, tactical opening with few clear ces.

  Gradually, however, the strategitentions of both sides became evident.

  Napoli's primary focus was midfield trol, particurly ralizing Carrick. Whether through i dropping deep lia pressing forward, Carrick found himself harried at every turn, struggling to dictate py.

  In the final third, every time Rooney received the ball, Napoli pyers closed him down instantly, cutting off his passing options and making ball distribution a nightmare.

  United had their own termeasures.

  Fletcher's high work rate allowed him to drop deep and shield the defense. bined with Park Ji-sung's relerag back, Urengtheheir defensive ce on the wings, restrig Napoli's ied wingers from cutting inside freely.

  For the past three seasons, Maer United had boasted one of the most resolute defenses in European football.

  Evra attempted to push forward and support the attack, but Di María's energy and moveme him occupied, f him to stay cautious.

  Both teams had prepared extensively for this matchup, setting up specific tactical traps and denying each other space.

  The game settled into a teactical battle, her side able to find a breakthrough.

  "This kid is something else."

  Ferguson turned, gng toward the Napoli dugout, where Gao Shen stood issuing instrus. A look of admiration flickered across the San's face.

  He had first taken note of Gao Shehe young coach was at Real Madrid, studying his tactical approach. Back then, Gao Shen had favored defensive terattacks. Against Arsenal, he had even deployed an aggressive high press, resembliez's tactics.

  After Gao Shen moved to Napoli and dropped down to Serie B, Ferguson hadn't paid much attention.

  But st season, Napoli had burst onto the se as a surprise package, immediately drawing his i.

  At the UEFA Elite Coaches Summit earlier in the year, Ferguson had exged a few words with Gao Shen. They weren't particurly close, he had spoken more with Guardio, who had once been on United's radar as a potential signing.

  At the time, Ferguson had already been impressed by Guardio. But now, watg Napoli on this Champions League stage, he had to admit—Gao Shen had something special too.

  Especially tonight.

  Ferguson was genuinely impressed by hooli had set up. Their game pn was well-structured, and their tactical approach was razor-sharp.

  If this strategy had been deployed by seasoned managers like Wenger or Benítez, Ferguson wouldn't have thought much of it—just another solid, well-executed pn.

  But Gao Shen was only 28.

  For someone so young to produce this level of tactical sophistication? That was remarkable.

  "He really did his homework," assistant coach Mike Phen remarked.

  Phen had been with Maer United for years. A former United pyer, he had coached elsewhere for a few seasons before returning to mahe youth team. In 2001, Ferguson promoted him to the first-team coag staff, initially as a fitness coach.

  By 2008, following Carlos Queiroz's departure, Ferguson had split the assistant coag responsibilities. Phen took on a rger role alongside Rene Meulensteen, with both men serving as United's assistant managers.

  "It's good to do your homework, but the real test is whether he adjust in time," Ferguson remarked.

  Football is uable. Situations ge stantly, and a manager must be able to adapt on the fly.

  Wenger has always beeively weak in making in-game adjustments, and Guardiles with it as well. Ferguson was curious to see if Gao Shen could keep up with him.

  "Rakitic, shift slightly to the right."

  "Biglia, push forward a little."

  "Sánchez, Di María, stay ected—keep linking up."

  "Speed up the terattack! Keep the ball on the ground—no high balls. We don't have an aerial advantage."

  Gao Shen stood ooue, tinuously issuing instrus, stantly tweaking his team's setup to respond to the unfolding match. He was actively adjusting Napoli's offensive approach, trying to find an opening.

  But he quickly realized that whenever Napoli mao build some attag momentum, Ferguson was always oep ahead, shutting it down immediately.

  The old San's tactical responses were razor-sharp.

  pared to him, Gao Shen's adjustments felt slower, though just enough to keep pace.

  As a result, the match remained locked in a stalemate.

  Both teams were getting shots off and creating ces, but clear-cut opportunities were few and far between.

  Gao Shen stood with a furrowed brow, fully focused.

  The pressure Fergusoed on him was immense.

  After all, this was one of the greatest managers in football history. If Gao Shen didn't feel the weight of that, he'd either be overfident or ht foolish.

  Time ticked away as the tetle tinued.

  The first half ended 0-0.

  In the sed half, both managers made tactical tweaks in search of a breakthrough. Ferguson adjusted United's approach, while Gao Shen made corresponding ges. Both sides probed for weaknesses, but her could gain a decisive advantage.

  Napoli's intricate passing and movement struggled to break down United's defensive shape. Unlike Bara, Napoli cked a singur, game-ging talent like Messi, someone who could single-handedly tilt the baheir positional py was good, but it wasn't enough to fully dismantle United's structure.

  Oher hand, United's midfield looked disjointed. Rooney was well-tained, and every time Cristiano Ronaldo got the ball, David Luiz was right there to apply pressure, preventing him from creating danger.

  As for Park Ji-sung, he managed a few crosses, but Bonucd David Luiz trolled the aerial space, making it difficult for Uo capitalize.

  It was a game of patiend enduraneither side had mao nd a decisive blow.

  But as the match crossed the 60-minute mark, Ferguson began preparing his first substitution.

  "Berbatov is ing on," Zidane observed from the sidelines, watg United's bench.

  Gao Shen nodded, his expression serious. His mind raced through the possible ges—who would Berbatov repce?

  Logically, Rooney wouldn't be taken off, and Cristiano Ronaldo was untouchable. That left only Park Ji-sung.

  Unless Ferguson nning something bold—but that seemed unlikely.

  "He'll probably take off Park Ji-sung," Gao Shen said. "That would mean Cristiano Ronaldo shifts to the right wing…"

  After a brief moment of thought, he acted decisively.

  "Switch Sánchez and Di María. Focus our attacks on the left side—target O'Shea!"

  Cristiano Ronaldo rarely tracked back defensively, which left a potential ot on United's right fnk.

  Of course, Uill had Fletcher c in midfield, so breaking through wouldn't be easy. But pared to United's left side, where Rooney and Evra bined effectively the right wing was their more vulnerable side.

  Sure enough, ih minute, Ferguson made his move.

  Park Ji-sung came off. Berbatov came on.

  And at the same time, Gao Shen made his own adjustment—Sánchez and Di María sed fnks.

  ***

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