Chapter 514: We Will Win Tonight

"It's okay, it's okay! Get back quickly and prepare to defend again!"

Gao Shen shouted loudly from the sidelines.

Cavani had just squandered a great chance to give Napoli the lead in the eighth minute. But Gao Shen didn't blame him, these things happened.

Even the best strikers in the world couldn't guarantee a 100% success rate, right?

"Stay composed! Don't rush—be patient, just like we practiced!"

"Pay attention to the second ball! Control the situation! Don't get careless!"

Gao Shen's voice echoed across the pitch as he directed his players from the technical area.

Barcelona's goal kick was contested fiercely. Napoli won the initial header and quickly regained possession of the second ball. But Barcelona's counter-press was relentless as they tried to win the ball back high up the pitch.

Napoli weren't fazed. They calmly passed the ball around, playing it out from the back with short, sharp exchanges before sending it back to goalkeeper Handanović.

Eto'o sprinted toward the goalkeeper, trying to force a mistake, but Handanović remained composed and passed the ball out to David Luiz.

When it came to passing and ball control, Napoli weren't lacking. The difference lay in the philosophies of the two teams.

Napoli were always prepared to play a direct pass when an opportunity arose.

Barcelona, by contrast, prioritized ball retention. Long passes were rare; they preferred to progress gradually through intricate passing sequences. This mindset was deeply embedded in the club's footballing DNA.

Gao Shen had once jokingly told Guardiola, "Without the ball, you wouldn't know what to do."

Napoli's tactical approach had already proven effective after their first dangerous attack.

Gao Shen saw no reason to change it. He continued instructing his players to stay patient and disciplined.

…

On the opposite sideline, Guardiola was busy adjusting Barcelona's tactical structure, especially their attacking patterns.

Napoli's defensive scheme was clearly well-prepared.

With Cavani dropping deep to mark Busquets, Napoli's midfield trio of Rakitic, Biglia, and Thiago Motta perfectly matched Barcelona's midfield.

Every time Messi dropped deep, Napoli's center-backs held their positions while the midfielders stepped up to engage him.

Cavani's defensive involvement created a numerical advantage for Napoli in midfield.

But there was a trade-off: Barcelona's center-backs now saw more of the ball and had greater freedom to push forward.

Guardiola didn't buy it.

"He's baiting Yaya Touré to move forward," Guardiola muttered through gritted teeth.

Tito Vilanova, standing beside him, was momentarily confused but soon grasped the point.

"Do you think Gao Shen wants Yaya Touré to step into midfield?" Vilanova asked, surprised.

"Absolutely," Guardiola said firmly. "Gao Shen is crafty. He never leaves gaps without a reason."

His expression grew more serious as he spoke.

He had his concerns about Yaya Touré.

The Ivorian had been outstanding in Barcelona's recent Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao, scoring a crucial goal. His performance was so convincing that Guardiola couldn't justify keeping him out of the lineup tonight.

But pushing forward from center-back carried significant risks.

If Touré lost the ball while advancing, Napoli's counterattack would exploit the space behind him just like they had done when Dani Alves ventured forward earlier.

Barcelona's defensive pairing had its vulnerabilities.

Piqué was tall and technically skilled but struggled with quick turns and recovery runs. Puyol was fearless in his tackling but lacked physical presence against powerful strikers.

Guardiola had opted for Touré as a compromise. The Ivorian provided defensive strength but also had a natural tendency to carry the ball into midfield.

"Tito, keep a close eye on Yaya," Guardiola instructed. "Don't let him get carried away."

Vilanova hesitated for a moment, unsure if Guardiola was being overly cautious. But he ultimately nodded.

After all, Napoli was no ordinary opponent, they were Serie A champions and had reached the final with a brand of football that had stunned Europe.

Still, Vilanova didn't share Guardiola's near-obsessive attention to detail. He was more tolerant of players taking risks, unlike Guardiola, who demanded near-perfection.

…

Barcelona's attack struggled to find any rhythm in the final third.

They maintained their passing game, circulating the ball from side to side, probing for weaknesses but Napoli's defensive structure remained compact and organized.

Every time a Barcelona player received the ball near the box, Napoli defenders swarmed the area, forcing the play backward.

Possession remained Barcelona's lifeline.

But after fifteen minutes, something changed.

Barcelona suddenly increased the tempo. Their passes became quicker, their pressing more intense, and the energy in their front line surged.

It was clear they'd realized the truth:

If they kept playing at Napoli's pace, the night would only get harder for them.

In the 18th minute, Barcelona finally created a promising opportunity.

Messi delivered a pass from the edge of the penalty area to the left wing, where Henry received the ball. Facing Lichtsteiner, the French forward suddenly accelerated, shaking off the Swiss right-back, before sending a low cross toward the near post.

Eto'o made a diagonal run into the box, but David Luiz stuck to him tightly. Under pressure from the Brazilian defender, Eto'o was forced into a rushed shot that deflected off Luiz and went out for a corner.

Xavi quickly took the corner, and Piqué rose to meet the ball, but his header sailed over the crossbar.

It was Barcelona's second shot of the game.

"Napoli's defensive organization is very impressive," the commentator noted.

"They haven't adopted a traditional low-block defense. Instead, they've created a tight, compact zone from the halfway line to the 30-meter area in front of their own goal. Once Barcelona tries to break through, Napoli's defenders immediately shift into position to close down the space."

"The players are switching and covering for each other seamlessly. It's clear they've rehearsed these movements extensively in training."

Barcelona failed to convert that chance, but the opportunity gave them confidence.

The Catalan side had always relied on their high-pressing philosophy. Now that they'd sniffed out a half-chance, they were eager to ramp up the pressure and pin Napoli back.

They hoped to break the deadlock within the first twenty minutes.

On the sidelines, Gao Shen kept barking instructions.

"Stay calm! Don't get impatient! Stick to the plan!" he shouted, gesturing emphatically.

"Keep your shape, stay focused on the second ball!"

Napoli's defensive discipline remained intact, but Barcelona was visibly increasing the intensity of their press in midfield and the attacking third.

"The match has entered a tense phase," the commentator observed.

"Napoli has stayed composed, but Barcelona is gradually turning up the heat. The pressure is high on both sides right now."

"The tempo has been relatively slow so far, but once a goal is scored, the game could open up significantly."

"Big matches often start like this, cautious and cagey. But when the deadlock breaks, everything changes."

Barcelona steadily advanced their defensive line until both Piqué and Yaya Touré were stationed near the halfway line, circulating the ball back and forth. Meanwhile, their forward line pushed toward Napoli's penalty area, though clear-cut chances remained elusive.

Messi repeatedly dropped deep to receive the ball, but Napoli's midfielders swarmed him each time.

It was clear Napoli had laid a trap for Messi, constructing a defensive "cage" to neutralize the Argentine.

Still, Barcelona was gaining territorial control.

The atmosphere resembled a cannon being carefully positioned, silent for now, but ready to fire at any moment.

Beneath the surface, the tension was palpable.

…

"They say that when we push the defensive line to the halfway line, it means we're about to launch an all-out attack!"

In the VIP section, Barcelona president Joan Laporta leaned back in his seat and laughed heartily. His confidence in the team was unmistakable.

From Laporta's perspective, Barcelona was the superior side. Napoli had enjoyed a stellar season, but their squad depth and global influence couldn't compare to Barcelona's star-studded lineup.

Even more reassuring was the swirling rumor that Gao Shen would leave Napoli after the match to manage Real Madrid—a move Laporta hoped would destabilize Napoli's focus.

The best-case scenario? Barcelona wins convincingly tonight, Guardiola bests Gao Shen, and the latter's confidence takes a hit even before his rumored arrival in Madrid.

Real Madrid was gearing up for a massive summer rebuild. If Gao Shen did take over, Barcelona would face serious competition.

But a defeat tonight would give Barcelona the psychological upper hand.

"Napoli's tactics are very stable," technical director Begiristain cautioned. "Their defense is rock-solid. They won't be easy to break down."

He knew football's unpredictability well.

Barcelona appeared to have the upper hand, but if Napoli exploited a single counterattack, the balance of the match could shift dramatically.

This game wasn't as straightforward as Laporta made it sound.

But the Barcelona president was unfazed.

"Relax, Txiki. Look at the pitch. We're dominating. We'll win tonight!" Laporta declared with unwavering confidence.

Winning this match and completing the treble would cement his legacy as Barcelona's greatest-ever president.

Núñez? Gaspart? Rosell? Laporta wanted to surpass them all.

He craved historical significance and was convinced that this Barcelona side, with Guardiola at the helm, would make that dream a reality.

Almost as if to validate Laporta's optimism, Barcelona launched another attack.

Dani Alves sprinted down the right flank, combining with Eto'o to deliver a cross into the box. David Luiz read the play, stepped forward, and blocked the ball at the near post.

Unfortunately for Napoli, the ball bounced out to Xavi just outside the penalty area.

Before Xavi could fully control it, Biglia lunged in and clipped his foot.

Howard Webb immediately blew his whistle and awarded Barcelona a free kick from a dangerous position.

The Barcelona players reacted furiously, demanding a yellow card. Puyol led the protests, claiming Napoli's defenders were using constant small fouls to disrupt their rhythm.

But Webb remained unmoved.

In truth, Barcelona's players had been equally physical throughout the match. Webb's decision to let play flow aligned with the Premier League-style officiating he was known for.

While Xavi prepared to take the free kick, Piqué and Yaya Touré jogged forward to join the aerial assault in Napoli's box. Even Busquets advanced from midfield, signaling Barcelona's intention to capitalize on this set-piece opportunity.

On the sidelines, Gao Shen paced nervously.

He shouted instructions to his players, urging them to stay sharp.

His instincts told him that the moment he had been waiting for was finally here.