In the first leg, the matded in a 1-1 draw away from home. Now, in the sed leg, with the home advahe team knows the oppo will e out aggressively looking to score. So, how should they respond?

  Ferguson's answer was simple: attack!

  From the moment the whistle blew, Maer United unched forward without hesitation.

  Using the energy of the home crowd, the advantage of familiar turf, and various favorable ditions, they aimed to seize trol of the game right from the start. By doing so, they could disrupt their oppo's strategy and push to extend their advantage as much as possible.

  As soon as the match kicked off, Maer United ramped up the tempo.

  How fast?

  In just six seds, Cristiano Ronaldo had already sprioward Napoli's goal, f Handanovi? to clear the ball forward as all his passing options were blocked by United's pressing.

  His clearance was met in midfield, where Vidi the aerial duel and headed it back, keeping the ball in Napoli's half. From there, the battle began.

  Soon, Maer United registered the first shot of the match.

  How much time had passed?

  Fifty-seven seds!

  The shot didn't pose a real threat, but that didn't matter—United kept pressing, refusing to sit back.

  At just a minute and a half into the match, Gao Shen had already sensed Maer United's i and strategy.

  He quickly weighed his options.

  Should they go toe-to-toe and fight United head-on? Or should they stabilize their defense first?

  Less than two mier, Gao Shen stepped to the sideline aured to his pyers: fall bad hold the line!

  Thiago Motta, Biglia, Bonucci, David Luiz, and even Handanovi? all saw the signal. Napoli immediately dropped deeper, solidating their defensive shape.

  Gao Shen had made the call, abandoning the idea of an open fight with Maer United from the start and instead opting to prioritize defeability.

  At the same time, he gave Bonucci a specific reminder.

  From the opening minutes, it was clear that Evra, Anderson, and Rooney were pressing aggressively, especially Ronaldo and Rooney, who were frequently targeting Bonucci's side.

  Everyone khat Bonucci was Napoli's oint in one-on-one duels, so Maer United inteo exploit that.

  Ronaldo deliberately pulled David Luiz wide to the right, creating space for Rooo isote Bonuc the ter.

  Fortunately, Thiago Motta read the py well, stepping in to help at key moments, while Lichtsteiner's interceptions were also well-timed.

  Ihird minute, Maer United executed a tight passing sequence down the left fnk.

  Evra and Rooney drew the defenders' attention before Anderson suddenly received the ball and made a darting run. But Biglia tracked back quickly and executed a well-timed tackle, breaking up the attad preventing any real danger.

  From the sidelines, Gao Shen cpped enthusiastically, praising his pyers' efforts.

  "They hahat well," Zidane remarked with a smile.

  "We learned a lot from those 45 minutes against Inter Min," Gao Shen responded, also smiling.

  In that matapoli's defense had beeed heavily by Inter's dual-striker system aless attacks.

  Though Mourinho's deferategies weren't always the best, Inter's attag firepower was formidable.

  Napoli had mao withstand the pressure, but the game also exposed some weakhe coag staff addressed those issues after the match, and tonight, their adjustments were proving effective against Maer United's offensive onsught.

  "To be ho, Ferguson is a ing strategist," Zidane admitted sincerely. "He knew we o score, that we would e out attag, so he made the first move to disrupt our rhythm."

  Ferguson's tactical decisions were as sharp and decisive as ever.

  "But tonight, our response has been just as quick," Carlo added with a smile.

  As he spoke, his gaze shifted tao Shen, a look of admiration in his eyes.

  Maer United had e out strong, but Napoli had adapted just as decisively.

  This roof, Gao Shen had stepped out of Ferguson's shadow.

  Zidane nodded, uanding eaning.

  He could rete to Gao Shen's experien a personal level.

  After all, the whole world knew Zidane's idol was the Uruguayan football legend, Enzo Francescoli. Zidane had even named his eldest son Enzo, a tribute to his admiration.

  But fate had pyed its hand.

  When Francescoli was dominating Ligue 1, Zidane was still a young pyer striving to break through. He used to drive two hours from es to Marseille just to watch his idol py, studying his every move from the stands. Afterward, he would repy Francescoli's matches on tape, analyzing and imitating his style.

  To a great extent, Francescoli had shaped Zidane's footballing philosophy.

  But by the time Zidane made his professional debut, Francescoli had already moved to Italy.

  Then, when Zidaransferred to Juventus in 1996, Francescoli had already returentina two years prior.

  Yet fate had awist in store. Before Zidane joined Juventus, the club had won the Champions League, while River Pte, Francescoli's team, had won the Copa Libertadores. By sheer ce, the two sides faced off ioyota Cup.

  Zidane vividly remembered that moment.

  Before the match, when he finally met his idol in person, he was so overwhelmed with excitement that he found himself shaking. His performan the game wasn't his best, despite assisting Del Piero's winning goal in the 81st minute, he still wasn't satisfied.

  After the match, he got Francescoli's jersey, an autograph, and a photo together—a treasured memory.

  "Holy, I ualy how Gao Shen feels and why he's ged," Zidane reflected.

  Over time, as he found success and became an idol to many, Zidane gradually let go of his own idol worship. By then, however, he was already at the tail end of his career.

  Carlo g Zidane, not expeg him to be caught up in such memories at this moment.

  Maer United tiheir relentless attacks, but none were proving effective.

  The Red Devils dominated possession, stantly pressing forward, with most of the game being pyed in Napoli's half or he halfway line.

  This high-iy pressing gave United a clear advantage, but as a Serie A team, Napoli was well-drilled in defensive py.

  "This guy pulled back just in time!" Ferguson couldn't help but praise.

  "Since moving to Italy, his defensive anization has improved signifitly. There's more structure, more adaptability, it's impressive."

  United had tried multiple times to exploit Bonucci, but they couldn't find success.

  Ronaldo initially positioned himself on the right, but after seeing his teammates struggle to break through Bonucci's side, he began drifting more toward the left, hoping to create an opening there. However, Napoli's defensive adjustments were just as swift.

  Despite United's aggressive py, their attacks cked a real threat.

  Ferguson watched as Ronaldo took a le shot from outside the box, only for it to sail wide. He shook his head and sighed.

  Nearly ten minutes had passed. Maer United had taken seven shots—five from Ronaldo alone—and not a single one had hit the target.

  Ferguson's rexed demeanradually faded.

  He could afford to stay calm for now after all, there was no immediate pressure.

  But who could remain rexed forever under mounting frustration?

  After attag for ten straight minutes, what ? Could United really sustain this pace?

  Gao Shen had just returhe pressure batuson.

  Looking at the current situation, United's aggressive start hadn't achieved its objective. At the very least, they hadn't scored, and their attacks cked the sharpness o trouble Napoli.

  And the key reason?

  Gao Shen had reacted swiftly, pulling his team bato a solid defensive shape at the perfeent.

  Now, the dilemma was Ferguson's.

  If Napoli remained posed and Maer United decided to withdraw, then, as expected from an Italian side, Napoli would start pushing forward in response. How would United deal with that?

  But if United didn't retreat, they would leave themselves exposed at the back. A single terattack could be disastrous.

  Tonight, Maer United's midfield setup resembled aeral triangle, with Anderson positioned ahead of Carrid Fletcher. Effectively, their shape leaoward a 4-2-3-1, with Anderson pushing forward to limit Thiago Motta.

  However, after Napoli dropped deep, Thiago Motta also shifted back, f Anderson to advance further. This made United's midfield more top-heavy, causing Carrid Fletcher to cover even mround.

  Napoli, on the surface, seemed passive and non-threatening. But iy, they were biding their time, waiting for the right opportunity.

  With Sanchez, i, and Di Maria all iack, any well-executed ter could turide in an instant. If they mao break through and exploit United's defensive gaps, it would be a dangerous situation for Ferguson's side.

  Ferguson had sidered an alternative approach. If things got out of hand, he could set up his team like Hiddink's Chelsea, three defensive midfielders stationed just ahead of the bae, abs pressure and pying on the terattack.

  But that would be far too servative.

  And, more importantly, it wouldn't look good, this was Old Trafford, after all.

  After weighing his options, Ferguson made his decision.

  Without hesitatioepped to the sideline and sigo his pyers: slow dowack. They had been pressing too aggressively and o maintain their shape, ensuring proper positioning across the pitch.

  "Maer United is pulling back!" Zidane exhaled, feeling a sense of relief.

  When Ferguson's United went all out, they were geerrifying.

  But thanks to Gao Shen's timely adjustments, Napoli had stabilized.

  They had been on the back foot, uister a single shot so far, but their defensive discipline was holding firm.

  Carlo nodded in agreement. When he saw Gao Shen walking back from the toue, he immediately reached behind him, grabbed a water bottle, and ha over.

  Gao Shen only ever stepped back from the sidelines when he was thirsty. Otherwise, he remaihere stantly, issuing instrus.

  Everyo Napoli was used to his style.

  Some pyers even joked that if they didn't see Gao Shen on the sideline during a match, they would feel uneasy, like something was missing.

  "What's the move?" Zidane asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

  With United now retreating, it was time for Napoli to push forward.

  But Gao Shen shook his head.

  "No rush. Stay patient. First, trol the midfield, then we make our move."

  Zidane and ediately uood.

  "Did you notice Ronaldo tonight?" Gao Shen asked as he twisted opetle cap and took a long drink.

  "When pyers are tehey get thirsty," he remarked casually.

  Zidane chuckled. "It's simple, he hasn't beeing the ball."

  But as soon as he said it, he grasped what Gao Shen was implying.

  And suddenly, he uood exactly why Gao Shen wao remain patient.

  The truth was, Ronaldo wasn't naturally suited to pying as a ter-forward. His most effective role was as a goal-scorer, a finisher. It suited his personality and the way his game had evolved. He thrived when attag from wide areas, not when ag as a traditional striker.

  But Ferguson had little choice.

  If he pyed Berbatov as the tral striker and moved Ronaldo back to the left, Evra would be left overwhelmed on that fnk.

  If Ronaldo shifted to the right instead, Wes Brown had managed before, but now O'Shea was struggling.

  No matter which side Ronaldo pyed on, United's midfield would have to take on a heavier defensive burden, which would disrupt the overall bance of the team.

  So, Ferguson pushed Ronaldo into the ter.

  But the results weren't ideal.

  Was there a way to fix this?

  There was.

  United had signed Hargreaves precisely to bolster their defensive midfield.

  But…

  "Just wait a little lao Shen said with a fident smile.

  "Our time is ing soon."

  With that, he put down the empty water bottle, turned, and strode back toward the sideline.

  ***

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