Chapter 420: Ancelotti, Do I Still Have a Chance?
October 29th, the ninth round of Serie A.
The match began under challenging conditions. A heavy downpour had left the pitch waterlogged and the humidity unbearable. It felt as if the stadium had been soaked in a washing machine, with water pooling everywhere.
The slippery field created challenges for both teams, but Gao Shen quickly adapted his tactics. Before the match, he instructed Napoli to play a more direct and concise style, minimizing risks in such conditions.
Reggina, playing away from home, struggled to adjust from the start. Under Napoli's relentless high-pressure defense, they repeatedly made errors.
In just the seventh minute, Cavani and Hamsik combined beautifully near the edge of the penalty area with a quick one-two. Breaking through Reggina's defensive line, Cavani slotted the ball into the net, giving Napoli an early lead.
1-0!
Nine minutes later, Di Maria broke down the left flank and delivered a precise diagonal pass behind him. Hamsik, perfectly timing his run to beat the offside trap, found himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. Calmly, he drew the goalkeeper out and passed to Cavani, who was unmarked.
The Uruguayan striker made no mistake, tapping the ball into the empty net.
2-0! Cavani had doubled Napoli's lead and secured his brace in just 16 minutes.
Eight minutes later, Reggina attempted a counterattack, but Biglia intercepted the ball near Napoli's 30-yard area. Without hesitation, he launched a long pass to the front.
Cavani, showing incredible awareness, chested the ball down and laid it off to Sanchez, who squared it to Hamsik. The Slovak calmly struck the ball into the net.
3-0!
With less than half an hour played, Napoli were already dominating with a three-goal lead.
Reggina responded by tightening their defense, while Napoli played a more measured game, controlling possession and conserving energy.
In the second half, the onslaught continued.
In the 63rd minute, Napoli launched a lightning-fast counterattack. Vargas sprinted down the left wing, received a precise pass from Di Maria, and whipped a cross into the box.
Cavani, perfectly positioned, calmly finished from six yards out to complete his hat trick.
4-0!
The score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
Napoli celebrated a commanding victory over Reggina, maintaining their position at the top of Serie A with a decisive win.
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Elsewhere in Serie A:
Juventus secured a 2-1 away victory over Bologna.
Lazio came from behind to beat Chievo 2-1 on the road.
AC Milan edged Siena 2-1 at home.
Roma defeated Sampdoria 2-0 in the capital.
And then there was Inter Milan…
Mourinho's side played away at Fiorentina and could only manage a goalless draw.
Yes, Inter Milan dropped points again.
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Mourinho's tactical blunders from the previous weekend were still haunting him.
Before the Fiorentina match, both Adriano and Kroos were handed suspensions, creating tension in the Inter dressing room. Even Inter chairman Moratti had to step in to mediate and reassure the players. Despite his public backing of Mourinho, the problems were clear.
On the pitch, things didn't improve. Fiorentina, missing key players like Gilardino and Mutu due to injury, adopted a high-tempo approach under Prandelli. The strategy left Inter Milan unsettled.
Although Inter dominated the first half, they couldn't convert their chances. Ibrahimovic was out of form, and the rest of the team seemed lethargic.
Adding fuel to the fire, Prandelli accused the referee of favoritism after the match. He pointed to an incident in the first half where Burdisso pulled Pazzini down in the penalty area, which should have resulted in a penalty and a red card. The referee waved play on, and Inter escaped unpunished.
In the second half, Fiorentina grew bolder. Sensing Inter's lack of confidence and cohesion, Prandelli pushed his team forward. The Rossoneri found themselves on the back foot, struggling to mount meaningful counterattacks.
The match ended 0-0, and with this draw, Inter Milan slipped four points behind Napoli in the Serie A standings.
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In his post-match interview, Mourinho remained defiant.
"The current standings don't matter. What matters is who's at the top after 38 rounds," he said, hinting that the title race was far from over.
But for Gao Shen, the draw was a welcome relief.
The four-point lead gave Napoli a crucial buffer, easing some of the pressure.
"If Inter had stayed just a point or two behind us, the tension would've been suffocating," Gao Shen admitted. "But now, we have some breathing room."
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Napoli sat atop Serie A with 25 points, followed by Inter Milan with 21.
Udinese, in third place with 20 points, was part of a tight cluster of teams. From second-placed Inter to ninth-placed Catania, only six points separated eight teams.
The competition was fierce.
Meanwhile, Roma, despite their strong performances in the Champions League, languished in 13th place domestically. Sampdoria, who had shone last season, were floundering in 16th place, just two points above the bottom.
"The balance of power in Serie A is shifting," Gao Shen observed. "Even the traditional giants, Roma, Juventus, Milan, and Inter—are struggling with serious issues."
Roma, in particular, faced internal turmoil. Spalletti had resorted to draconian measures, confining his players to the training ground and allowing them only one hour per day with their families.
Juventus remained plagued by injuries, thanks to Ranieri and Capanna's questionable methods.
AC Milan, despite their star-studded roster, lacked the energy and intensity of years past. Players like Kaka and Ronaldinho still had moments of brilliance, but they were clearly past their peak.
Inter Milan, however, were in turmoil largely due to Mourinho's abrasive style. Gao Shen suspected Mourinho was attempting to reshape the squad in his image, but the process had left the locker room divided.
"If this backfires, Inter could completely implode," Gao Shen thought.
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Amid Napoli's success, challenges remained.
The strain of competing on two fronts—Serie A and the Champions League—was beginning to take its toll. With Handanovic recovering and squad depth stretched thin, Gao Shen needed to manage his resources carefully.
After discussing the situation with his coaching staff, Gao Shen made a bold decision.
"In the match against AC Milan, we're rotating the squad," he declared.
The coaching staff nodded in agreement. While risky, the move would allow Napoli to rest key players ahead of more critical fixtures.
"I'll give Ancelotti a gift this weekend," Gao Shen said with a sly grin. "But whether he can make use of it is up to him."
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November 2nd, San Siro Stadium, Milan.
The tenth round of Serie A saw Napoli face AC Milan away.
From the opening whistle, Napoli played aggressively, imposing a frantic pace on the match.
Milan, unused to such intensity, struggled to adapt. Napoli's relentless high pressing left the Rossoneri scrambling and disorganized.
In the 21st minute, Benatia launched a long ball from near the center line, finding Pelle in the box. The Italian striker outmuscled Bonera and nodded the ball down to Hamsik.
The Slovak midfielder's initial shot was parried by Abbiati, but Callejon pounced on the rebound. His follow-up effort was blocked by Favalli, only for the ball to fall to Mertens.
With composure beyond his years, Mertens curled the ball into the top corner.
1-0! Napoli led.
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After taking the lead, AC Milan began to find their rhythm. Ronaldinho and Kaka, showing flashes of their brilliance, took control of the game.
Ronaldinho's solo runs caused constant trouble, eventually earning Maggio a yellow card.
Just before halftime, Ronaldinho drew another foul from Maggio, resulting in a second yellow and a red card. Napoli were reduced to ten men.
In the second half, Gao Shen switched to a defensive counterattacking strategy.
Despite their numerical advantage, AC Milan struggled to break down Napoli's disciplined defense.
Finally, in the 86th minute, Ronaldinho's pass found Kaka, whose shot struck Nainggolan's hand. The referee pointed to the spot.
Kaka converted the penalty to equalize.
1-1.
The match ended in a draw, but Gao Shen wasn't disappointed. In fact, he was grinning as he shook hands with Ancelotti.
"It's not that I didn't give you a chance," Gao Shen quipped. "I gave you the chance, but you just couldn't take it!"
Ancelotti could only smile wryly. "A chance? Do I still have one?"