Starting With Real Madrid

Gao Shen had formed his ideas and tactical framework for defending against Barcelona early on.

This was why, when reaching the Champions League semi-finals, his biggest headache was Manchester United. Ferguson's tactics were highly unpredictable, Gao Shen had no idea what the legendary manager was thinking or what he might do next.

Guardiola's Barcelona, however, was different. This team played in a highly structured and predictable manner.

In other words, as long as Napoli could adapt to Barcelona's rhythm and style of play, they would already be halfway to success.

Athletic Bilbao had provided a clear example of failure, but Napoli could do better.

Take their approach to pressing, for instance.

Bilbao's strategy was to establish a solid pressing zone near the halfway line, allowing Barcelona to maintain possession in their own half but preventing them from advancing into dangerous areas with ease.

Napoli planned to follow a similar strategy.

Since advancing to the final, they had been practicing one-touch passing drills and shadow training daily, designed to improve ball circulation under pressure and enhance team pressing. The former ensured Napoli could transition smoothly after winning possession, reducing turnovers to Barcelona. The latter focused on maintaining high-intensity pressing as a unit.

What should happen if the press near the halfway line was broken?

The team would quickly retreat into position and reorganize their defensive structure.

To test this, Gao Shen had organized several intra-squad matches, assessing Napoli's ability to transition into their defensive shape at speed. The results were promising, leaving both him and the coaching staff satisfied.

This approach meant Napoli would not press aggressively in Barcelona's defensive third, especially near their penalty area. Instead, they would concentrate their efforts on establishing a strong pressing line near the halfway mark, preventing Barcelona from progressing through midfield.

One of the biggest challenges Athletic Bilbao faced was their physical endurance.

For Napoli, this would not be an issue.

Over the past three years, Gao Shen had perfected a rotational pressing system.

It functioned much like a relay race.

For example, Cavani would initiate the press, then drop into a wider position, allowing one of the wingers to step up. The responsibility kept rotating.

In fact, in the coming years, more and more teams would adopt this kind of rotational pressing strategy.

Gao Shen still vividly remembered the Champions League semi-final from that year, when Bayern faced Barcelona. Schweinsteiger, playing as a defensive midfielder, frequently pushed high to press, forcing Gomez and others to drop back and recover.

That was the essence of a well-drilled pressing system.

Napoli had the tireless Cavani leading the line and the equally relentless Rakitic in midfield.

When it came to executing this kind of strategy, Gao Shen was confident among all the top teams in Europe, no one could do it better than Napoli.

Rakitic's role would be to push higher, applying pressure on Xavi, Iniesta, and even Busquets.

Biglia, positioned closer to Thiago Motta, had the task of keeping an eye on Messi while also providing defensive cover for the flanks and tracking Iniesta's off-the-ball runs another crucial detail.

Eto'o and Henry were both world-class finishers, capable of making devastating runs down the flanks. Combined with the near-unstoppable Messi, Napoli had to concentrate their defensive resources in these areas.

…

After deep analysis, the tactical blueprint was now clear and fully developed.

Over the past few days, Napoli's training had been structured entirely around these principles.

"I'll say this again everyone on the outside expects this match to be an offensive spectacle because both Barcelona and Napoli are attack-minded teams. But I'll tell you right now, this is a defensive battle!"

Gao Shen's stance was firm.

"We will not be conservative, we're not a team that sits back but our priority in this game is to execute our defensive strategy flawlessly. If we can shut down Barcelona's passing game and attacking build-up, then given their defensive vulnerabilities, I guarantee we'll have plenty of attacking chances."

"On the other hand, if we fail to defend well, Barcelona's possession play will overwhelm us like a relentless tide breaking through wave after wave until we collapse."

This was not a matter of choice.

Put simply, Napoli could not compete with Barcelona in terms of ball possession.

Looking at world football, no team could go head-to-head with Barcelona in pure ball control.

Possession was ingrained in Barcelona's identity.

Not just now even during their darkest years in the late 90s and early 2000s, they were still a team built around possession.

That was why Gao Shen's tactical approach emphasized pressing in the attacking third, intense pressure near the halfway line, and compact defensive positioning in their own half.

Additionally, Gao Shen stressed one crucial factor disrupting Barcelona's rhythm.

"People say Guardiola's tactics are similar to ours."

"When they lose the ball, they press aggressively. When they regain possession, they slow the game down and pass patiently."

"When we dominate possession, we often use the same approach. It has worked for us every time. But in the Champions League, we've deliberately played more directly, reducing our reliance on patient build-up."

"Barcelona's high-pressing style leaves space behind them when they push forward as a unit, that's an area we can exploit. Their fast, intricate passing game is their greatest strength, but physically, they struggle in direct confrontations and set-piece defense which is our biggest advantage."

Gao Shen advised that in the final days before the match, the team should dedicate additional time to set-piece drills, particularly attacking corner-kick routines.

Guardiola's Barcelona had a limited squad, a fixed style, and a predictable rhythm. If they were forced to adapt mid-game, they had no Plan B.

Of course, football wasn't always predictable.

Players like Messi and Iniesta could produce moments of brilliance that changed everything.

But those moments were rare.

…

After a two-hour tactical meeting, Gao Shen had the club's restaurant prepare a late-night meal for the staff before sending everyone home.

As usual, Gao Shen left with Zidane and Lucas, though their destinations were different.

Lucas had always lived alone in a rented apartment and changed girlfriends more often than anyone else.

Zidane had also moved into a hotel starting yesterday.

His family and friends from Madrid and France had arrived in Naples.

With Rome so close, they wanted to take the opportunity to explore.

As one of Italy's major cities, Naples had plenty of attractions to visit.

For example, the Castel dell'Ovo, located not far from Gao Shen's home, and Mount Vesuvius, which stood across the bay, watching over the city day and night.

After his family arrived, Zidane naturally moved out of Gao Shen's home to stay at the hotel with them.

Sarri, meanwhile, had also gone back to stay at his own place.

"By the way, Gao, when will your 'Mourinho' finally meet the real Zidane?"

On the drive back to the Bay Area, Lucas suddenly asked with a laugh.

Zidane's expression darkened the moment he heard that.

That damned Gao Shen! He had promised to delete that character, but in the end...

This would be a lifelong embarrassment for him!

"I just checked the message they sent me. They've already taken off from Dubai. I've arranged for the club's driver to pick them up. By the time I wake up, they should be here," Gao Shen said, unable to hide his anticipation.

He hadn't seen his family in half a year.

Su Qing and the others had flown from Beijing to Dubai and then from Dubai to Rome. The entire trip had been arranged by Emirates Airlines, a perk of Gao Shen being their global ambassador.

Come to think of it, this was the first time anyone had met Gao Shen's family.

Even during his time at Real Madrid, when he reached the Champions League final, his family had never attended.

This was the first time.

"Are you nervous?" Zidane suddenly asked.

Gao Shen sat in the passenger seat, closed his eyes, and smiled. "I was nervous against Manchester United, but I'm not nervous about the Champions League final."

"Why?" Zidane was curious.

Gao Shen shook his head. "I don't know… Maybe because I know Pep better."

He truly was familiar with Guardiola.

He could even predict many of Guardiola's thoughts and tactical plans. It wasn't just because of his knowledge from his previous life, but also because of their interactions and mutual understanding over the years. Most importantly, the two shared a certain tacit connection and professional respect.

Of course, Guardiola also knew Gao Shen well.

The key to this final would be who could restrain the other more effectively.

"By the way, Zidane, have you made a decision?" Gao Shen asked with concern.

Florentino Pérez had officially announced his candidacy for the Real Madrid presidency, and so far, he was the only one in the race. If no challengers emerged, he would return to the position without contest.

With his comeback, Valdano was set to return, while José Ángel Sánchez and Butragueño would remain.

Pérez had also extended an invitation to Zidane, hoping he would join as the president's special advisor.

The Spanish media saw this as a clear indication—if Zidane, currently serving as Gao Shen's assistant, went back to Real Madrid, wouldn't that be laying the groundwork for Gao Shen's own return in the future?

But Gao Shen knew better.

Returning to Real Madrid this summer?

That was impossible.

In fact, even he himself had no idea when he would go back.

And he wasn't in a hurry.

As the saying goes: You can't eat hot tofu in a rush.

"I haven't decided yet," Zidane shook his head.

Pérez's invitation was hard to refuse, and the soon-to-be Real Madrid president had made it clear that he needed Zidane's help.

Gao Shen nodded. He had expected this.

"No matter what, I'll support your decision," Gao Shen said with a chuckle.

Zidane nodded but remained silent.

His return to Real Madrid was only a matter of time.

His family was there. His past career and his future path were all there.

There was no reason not to go back.

What Zidane truly wanted, though, was for Gao Shen to return with him.

But some things weren't up to him to decide.

Not even Gao Shen or Pérez could decide that.