Starting With Real Madrid

In the chairman's box at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea owner Abramovich sat among the club's top executives. When Drogba headed the ball into Napoli's net, the entire box erupted into cheers.

Even Abramovich stood up, clapping enthusiastically and shouting, "What a great goal!"

At that moment, he looked just like any other passionate Chelsea fan in the stands.

After regaining his composure and sitting back down, he turned to the older gentleman seated next to him. The man had neatly combed white hair, gold-rimmed glasses, and an air of wisdom. Abramovich laughed and said, "Piette, your analysis was spot on. We really scored the first goal!"

The old man, full of energy despite the wrinkles on his face, let out a hearty laugh. "Hiddink's coaching is extremely adaptable, but it's all grounded in his deep understanding of the players. He always knows the team's strengths and builds his tactics around them."

Abramovich nodded in agreement, thinking about how Hiddink had emphasized physical fitness with the South Korean national team and how he built tactics around Arshavin for Russia.

Now, Chelsea's biggest strength was undoubtedly Drogba.

"He's one of the best head coaches in world football today," the older man said, praising Hiddink.

Abramovich nodded repeatedly, fully convinced.

The man was Piet de Visser, a highly respected figure in Dutch football.

De Visser's coaching career was unremarkable, with no standout achievements. His most notable stint was managing Graafschap in the early 1970s, where he coached a young midfielder named Guus Hiddink.

Since 1993, De Visser had worked behind the scenes, serving as the chief scout for PSV Eindhoven.

During PSV's golden era, De Visser quietly discovered talents like Romario, Ronaldo, and Van Nistelrooy, earning him immense respect.

In 2005, Abramovich partnered with PSV and brought De Visser to Chelsea as his special advisor. Tasked with helping Chelsea build their youth academy, establish a scouting network, and unearth talent globally, De Visser's influence became invaluable.

It was on De Visser's recommendation that Abramovich first approached Hiddink, leading to the Dutchman's stints with the Russian national team and Chelsea. De Visser had also suggested poaching sporting director Frank Arnesen from Tottenham, a former colleague of his at PSV.

For years, Abramovich followed De Visser's advice almost religiously, and the results spoke for themselves.

Once again, the so-called "Wise Man of Stamford Bridge" had been proven right. He had predicted Chelsea would score first, and they did.

…

The game resumed.

Although Chelsea had taken the lead, they continued to push forward aggressively.

Napoli, under Gao Shen's direction, steadied themselves. The players focused on consolidating their defense, showing no urgency to attack.

So far, Napoli hadn't managed a single shot on target, which caught De Visser's attention.

"This young coach from Naples isn't ordinary," De Visser commented. "He's maintaining his composure under pressure. Right now, he's focusing on defending and waiting to counterattack in the second half."

"When we're already exhausted?" Abramovich asked.

De Visser nodded. "With our current style of play, we'll face major physical challenges in the second half."

"What can we do about it?" Abramovich asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

De Visser shook his head. "There's no way around it. We can't slow down—if we do, Napoli will counterattack. This young coach may only be 28, but he's ruthless and decisive in his tactics, with the kind of composure and experience that doesn't match his age."

Abramovich was surprised. He hadn't expected De Visser to hold Gao Shen in such high regard, and it made him view the young coach in a new light.

"Is there no other solution?" Abramovich pressed.

"I told you during the winter break to bring in a top-class winger to strengthen the flanks, but you didn't listen," De Visser replied bluntly. "Now Hiddink has no one to rotate in. The best course of action is to capitalize on our current physical advantage and score more goals while we can."

This was precisely the strategy Hiddink was employing, an all-out attack to widen the lead.

But Gao Shen had anticipated this, ordering his team to retreat and withstand Chelsea's pressure.

De Visser noticed Abramovich's silence and added, "Don't worry. Hiddink understands the risks of the second half, so he'll have prepared for it."

He smiled, clearly enjoying the tactical battle unfolding on the pitch.

"This is why I love matches like these—when two brilliant coaches go head-to-head. Hiddink bet on Drogba to score, and he was right. In the second half, Napoli will bet on their counterattack. Now it's up to Hiddink to respond effectively. He's very capable defensively, so it'll be interesting to see how it plays out."

After a brief pause, he added, "Of course, if we can score one more goal, the situation will be much better."

This was undoubtedly Hiddink's mindset as well.

On the pitch, Chelsea continued their relentless attack, trying to extend their lead.

…

Another set-piece opportunity arose in the attacking third for Chelsea.

Once again, it was on the right flank for Chelsea and Napoli's left.

Vargas had fouled Kalou while trying to defend him.

Lampard stepped up to take the free kick, while Chelsea's aerial threats pushed into Napoli's penalty area.

The Stamford Bridge crowd roared, energized by Drogba's earlier goal.

In the penalty area, David Luiz marked Drogba closely.

Moments ago, he had been outmaneuvered by the Ivorian, partly due to being blocked by other Chelsea players. This time, he was determined not to let it happen again.

Lampard delivered the free kick, but this time, instead of targeting Drogba, he aimed for the near post.

Napoli's defensive midfielder, Thiago Motta, positioned himself perfectly and cleared the ball with a header. However, the clearance didn't go far, landing near the edge of the penalty area.

David Luiz quickly assessed the situation, noting Ballack's position near the penalty arc and Drogba behind him. Without hesitation, he abandoned Drogba and sprinted toward Ballack.

The Brazilian defender used his long legs and speed to reach the ball just before Ballack. Leaping high, he headed it clear.

Under normal circumstances, David Luiz might have paused to reassess after landing.

But tonight, Gao Shen's words rang in his ears: suppress your personality, control your habits.

The moment his feet touched the ground, David Luiz turned and ran straight back to Drogba, resuming his mark.

This was his mission.

Meanwhile, Chelsea regained possession outside the penalty area and quickly passed the ball to Kalou. The winger turned and played a clever through ball.

By the time David Luiz realized the danger, Drogba had already started his run.

Reacting instinctively, David Luiz sprinted after Drogba with explosive speed.

Just as Drogba controlled the pass and prepared to shoot, David Luiz slid in with a perfectly timed tackle.

The ball deflected off Luiz's leg and bounced high into the air.

Napoli goalkeeper Handanovic charged forward and leapt to claim the ball before Drogba could react.

A collective groan echoed through the stadium.

If David Luiz had been a split second slower, Drogba would have scored again.

The Brazilian defender grabbed Bonucci's hand and pulled himself up.

"Stay sharp, everyone! We have to hold the line. The boss is counting on us!" David Luiz shouted.

Hearing this, Napoli's players turned to the sidelines.

There, Gao Shen stood at the edge of the technical area, clapping and shouting encouragement.

"Great work! Keep it up! I believe in you!"

The Napoli players nodded in unison, rallying around their coach's belief in them.

…

Sixteen minutes had passed.

After finishing his shouts of encouragement, Gao Shen turned and walked back toward the bench.

Carlo handed him a bottle of water, which he drained in one go.

"How long do you think Chelsea can keep this up?" Gao Shen asked Buenaventura.

The fitness coach thought for a moment, recalling Chelsea's match against Aston Villa. "No more than 20 minutes. They spent a lot of energy in their last game."

Pintus, another member of the coaching staff, agreed. "They won't last more than 20 minutes."

Of course, that didn't mean Chelsea wouldn't be able to attack after that. But they would need to manage their energy carefully, knowing there were still 90 minutes left in the tie.

If they exhausted themselves too early, they'd have nothing left in the second half, a fatal mistake.

Gao Shen nodded. He was confident Hiddink would adjust Chelsea's tempo soon.

By then, Napoli's defense would have fully settled.

Gao Shen turned back to the sidelines, continuing to direct the game.

He had faith in his team and understood that Drogba's goal had been crucial for Chelsea.

But Hiddink wouldn't let them play at full intensity for the entire first half.

In some ways, scoring only one goal wasn't ideal for Chelsea.

A one-goal lead might give them a temporary advantage, but it also left them vulnerable.

Gao Shen had always placed his bets on the second half.

***

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