Starting With Real Madrid

"After two years of fine-tuning, Napoli's tactical system has matured."

While the leadership of Napoli met to plan their future, Inter Milan's coaching staff was busy devising a strategy to defeat Napoli in the Coppa Italia final.

This was Roberto Mancini's final match in charge of Inter Milan, and it was one he desperately wanted to win.

Serie A was already lost irretrievably so and Mancini couldn't afford to end the season without at least salvaging the Coppa Italia.

Assistant coach Sinisa Mihajlovic had also decided to leave Mancini's staff at the end of the season to pursue his own head coaching opportunities. Having spent many years in Italian football, Mihajlovic had a wide network, and clubs were already showing interest in him.

Mihajlovic acknowledged the quality of Gao Shen's work at Napoli. Over two seasons, Gao Shen had built a team with a mature tactical system, one that operated at peak physical fitness and executed his vision with precision.

"It's fair to say that with this season's performances, Gao Shen has truly stepped into the ranks of Europe's elite managers," Mihajlovic remarked.

His assessment was met with agreement. Even Mancini nodded, albeit reluctantly.

He couldn't deny that he had misjudged Gao Shen in the past. He had underestimated him, dismissing him as a mere upstart. But now, Gao Shen had proven himself a worthy peer.

However, Mancini's position was complicated. Despite his domestic success, his lack of progress in the Champions League over several seasons had kept him from breaking into the upper echelon of European coaches, where the likes of Carlo Ancelotti resided.

In contrast, Gao Shen's trajectory seemed brighter. He was only 27 years old, represented a modern, progressive approach to tactics, and had the popularity and credibility to attract a major club willing to gamble on him. Most importantly, Gao Shen already had a Champions League and a La Liga title to his name, achievements that set him apart from Mancini and elevated him beyond many so-called "first-tier" managers.

For all intents and purposes, Gao Shen had already established himself as a Champions League-winning manager, a distinction Mancini could only dream of.

…

Mancini had faced Gao Shen three times thus far.

In their first meeting, Mancini's Inter Milan had delivered a comprehensive victory. It was a tactical masterclass that validated Mancini's confidence at the time.

The second encounter was a different story. Inter played at home and Mancini approached the match with confidence, but as the game unfolded, it became clear that victory would not come easily. Inter scraped by but came close to losing.

By the third meeting at Napoli's Stadio San Paolo Inter suffered a humiliating defeat. It wasn't just a loss; it was a dismantling.

Observers noted that these three matches showcased the evolution of Gao Shen and Napoli. Mancini, however, felt nothing but frustration.

In the first match, Inter's superiority in squad strength was overwhelming. Napoli had no chance.

By the second match, that gap had narrowed significantly, and by the third, Napoli had overtaken Inter tactically and physically.

Everyone knew that Napoli's strength stemmed from their midfield. If you couldn't dominate them there, at the very least, you couldn't afford to be overrun.

It was the perfect demonstration of the saying: "Control the midfield, control the game."

Yet, all of Mancini's previous attempts to neutralize Napoli's midfield had failed. The question now was: What could he do differently?

…

"I want to play a 4-5-1," Mancini said.

The room fell silent as the coaching staff exchanged incredulous looks.

A defensive 4-5-1? Against Napoli?

Sinisa Mihajlovic opened his mouth, hesitating for a moment before deciding against saying anything. He understood Mancini better than anyone else. He could sense Mancini's frustration and desperation.

Not long ago, Mancini was considered the rising star of Italian football. As one of the leaders of a new generation of managers, he had been brimming with confidence and pride. Back then, Napoli was barely a blip on his radar.

Even as Napoli climbed to the top of the table, Mancini dismissed them as insignificant. To him, Gao Shen and his players posed no real threat to Inter Milan's dominance.

But that crushing defeat at the Stadio San Paolo had shattered more than just Inter's lead in the standings, it had broken Mancini's confidence.

"We need to shore up the midfield. If we can't stabilize that area, our defense won't stand a chance against Napoli's attack. Especially with Burdisso and Chivu as our center-back pairing," Mancini explained, his voice tinged with bitterness.

Materazzi was injured. Samuel and Cordoba were out for the season. The remaining defenders—Rivas, Chivu, and Burdisso—had glaring weaknesses. And against a forward like Cavani, who thrived in aerial duels and physical battles, this was a major problem.

"What about the midfield personnel for a defensive counterattack?" Mihajlovic asked tentatively.

"We'll put Suazo up front. His pace is crucial for counters," Mancini replied curtly.

The omission of Ibrahimovic was glaring. Clearly, Mancini was unwilling to rely on him for this match.

Cruz was suspended due to yellow card accumulation, leaving Mancini with three options for the central striker role: Suazo, Balotelli, and Crespo.

"For the midfield five, we can use Cesar or Solari on the left, Vieira, Stankovic, and Zanetti in the center, and Balotelli on the right."

Figo, once a stalwart, was now too old to be a reliable option.

Balotelli, at just 17 years old, had shown promise throughout the season, but entrusting him with such a critical role was a gamble.

Mancini's intentions were clear. He wanted to protect the defense, absorb pressure, and rely on counterattacks for scoring opportunities. The wingers—Balotelli and Cesar or Solari—would be tasked with driving the ball forward during transitions.

But this strategy had its flaws.

Napoli's full-backs were formidable. Vargas, in just his first season, had established himself as Serie A's top left-back. Lichtsteiner, after adapting to Italian football, was now a force on the right, strong in both attack and defense.

Could Inter's makeshift lineup withstand such a challenge?

"We don't have much of a choice," Mancini admitted with a note of frustration, sensing the doubts in the room. "Our squad is stretched thin. What else can we do?"

He wasn't wrong. Despite Inter Milan's reputation for having a deep squad, many of their players were veterans well past their prime.

The forward line, for example, looked impressive on paper: Ibrahimovic, Cruz, Suazo, Crespo. But these players were all specialists in scoring; none of them contributed much to the midfield or could link play effectively.

Cavani, on the other hand, was a relentless workhorse who chased opponents from one end of the pitch to the other. He embodied the spirit of Napoli's high-intensity style. It wasn't just his goals that made him the league's top scorer, it was the sheer volume of chances Napoli created under Gao Shen's system.

Even Pellè, another forward in Napoli's rotation, had a clear tactical role that fit seamlessly into the team's structure.

Who in Inter's lineup could replicate the impact of Cavani or Pellè? Ibrahimovic? Perhaps, but only if he felt like it.

"Balotelli is the only player in our squad who can carry the ball forward. Am I wrong?" Mancini asked rhetorically, silencing the room.

No one could argue otherwise. Who else could do it? Figo? He was no longer up to the task.

The only alternative was to push Maicon higher up the pitch, but that would leave the right flank defensively vulnerable. And against Napoli's lethal left-wing options—Di Maria, Callejon, Mertens—such a move would be suicidal.

Everyone in the room understood Mancini's predicament. Inter Milan's squad may have looked impressive from the outside, but internally, it was riddled with weaknesses.

The truth was, Inter should have replaced Mancini months ago. The writing had been on the wall since their disastrous 5-0 loss earlier in the season. By now, the team's issues had snowballed into a crisis.

This final against Napoli felt more like a formality. The outcome seemed inevitable.

Unless Napoli somehow sabotaged themselves, there was no logical reason why they would lose.

Even Inter's management seemed resigned to defeat. Moratti had reportedly told Mancini that it wouldn't matter if he fielded youth players for the final.

In essence, the result was already decided before the match began.

Word had even spread that after the Coppa Italia final, Inter Milan planned to contact Gao Shen and invite him to take over at the San Siro.

It seemed like a foregone conclusion. After all, Napoli, for all their brilliance, lacked the financial muscle to compete at the highest level in the Champions League.

***

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