Chapter 315: The Capture

Gao Shen had guessed correctly.

Ranieri indeed opted for more aggressive tactics at home.

Juventus Lineup:

Goalkeeper: Berardi

Defense: Molinaro, Chiellini, Legrottaglie, Birindelli

Midfield: Nedved, Nocerino, Zanetti, Salihamidzic

Forwards: Del Piero, Iaquinta

Ranieri's bench included offensive players like Camoranesi, Paladino, and Trezeguet. Clearly, the Tinkerman was determined to secure a victory in Turin tonight.

Notably, this was the first time in three months that Camoranesi was back on the roster after recovering from a muscle strain. There were also veterans like Nedved. Perhaps Ranieri was trying to rally the team and lift their spirits.

Napoli Lineup:

Goalkeeper: Handanovic

Defense: Dossena, Paolo Cannavaro, Bonucci, György Garics

Midfielders: Hamsik, Thiago Motta, Vidal

Forwards: Callejon, Pelle, Valencia

Compared to the previous game against Lazio, Gao Shen made significant changes to the starting lineup. This match would test the depth of Napoli's squad.

Thiago Motta, however, continued to start after his impressive performance in the last game. Gao Shen had high hopes for him.

The right flank, however, was a potential weakness, as Lichtsteiner had played full games back-to-back. Gao Shen had to rest him and instead fielded Garics, which could make Napoli's right side a target for Juventus' left-sided attacks.

…

As the game kicked off, Juventus pressed forward, with Del Piero spearheading an attack on Napoli's right side.

Just five minutes into the match, Del Piero won a free-kick on the left, though it didn't lead to a goal.

Juventus continued to press, earning a corner shortly after.

Legrottaglie's header went just wide.

Two early attempts showcased Juventus' home advantage.

But in the ninth minute, after Napoli intercepted the ball in the backfield, Bonucci launched a long pass that found Valencia behind the defense. Valencia outpaced Molinaro, reached the ball first, and dashed into the penalty area.

With goalkeeper Berardi rushing out to close him down, Valencia selflessly passed to the unmarked Callejon on the left.

Callejon calmly slotted the ball into the empty net, making it 1-0!

Napoli struck first!

…

The goal seemed to ignite Juventus' fighting spirit.

The Bianconeri became even more aggressive at home.

In the 15th minute, Del Piero attacked from the left again. As he dribbled past Garics and cut inside, the Napoli right-back fouled him, giving Juventus a free-kick in a dangerous area.

Del Piero took the free-kick himself, and the ball deflected off the wall, changing direction. Handanovic was helpless.

1-1!

…

The back-and-forth offensive battle between the two teams had the fans on the edge of their seats.

About five minutes after Juventus equalized, Napoli launched an attack from the left. Dossena made an overlapping run and crossed the ball into the box. Pelle, with his back to goal, controlled the ball and laid it off to Hamsik, who was charging in.

Hamsik, wearing the captain's armband, struck the ball with a powerful shot from distance, sending it past Berardi and into the net.

2-1!

Napoli reclaimed the lead.

…

The attacking continued.

Both teams played open, creating multiple scoring opportunities.

Del Piero, Iaquinta, and Salihamidzic all found chances to shoot.

Napoli's attack was even more ferocious.

On the defensive side, Del Piero made a long run with the ball through midfield.

Thiago Motta chased him down and executed a perfect sliding tackle just outside the penalty area, winning the ball from Del Piero's feet. Although he tripped Del Piero and drew boos from the crowd, the referee did not call a foul.

It was a brilliant piece of defending!

Gao Shen cheered loudly for Thiago Motta's performance from the sidelines.

The Brazilian midfielder had been playing like a true general in these last two games, excelling in organization, passing, and defense.

Thiago Motta's strong form was a huge boost for the team during this challenging period.

But in the 31st minute, Del Piero earned another free-kick on the left, sending it into the box. Iaquinta outjumped Cannavaro and Bonucci, scoring with a powerful header to equalize once again.

2-2!

The high-intensity battle between the two sides was thrilling to watch.

…

"You guys are doing an amazing job!"

At halftime, as soon as Gao Shen entered the locker room, he praised the players' performance.

The players' conditioning, form, and movement were visibly improving. But they still needed time to fully recover their sharpness.

After all, physical improvements take time; they don't happen overnight.

But tonight, Napoli's performance was commendable.

"We need to seize our chances in the second half and aim to beat Juventus here in Turin!" Gao Shen said resolutely.

"Pelle, Valencia, Callejon—make sure you're pressuring their defense and challenging the goalkeeper. Stay alert and be ready to capitalize on any mistakes."

Gao Shen also gave instructions for their defense.

The issue on the right flank had been apparent for some time, but Gao Shen hadn't focused on it too much tactically.

As long as the right side didn't collapse, a high-scoring draw would still be a favorable outcome for Napoli.

Of course, it would be even better if they could lock down the right side altogether.

So, he instructed Vidal and Thiago Motta to provide additional support.

"In short, I want everyone to stay focused, come out strong in the second half, and aim to take Juventus down!"

"Tonight, we're going to conquer the Alpine Stadium!"

Gao Shen's words were filled with pride, and the players responded with cheers.

…

The second half began with Napoli's Pelle intercepting a pass in the front line and delivering a cross from the right.

Vidal, who was positioned in the center, managed to get his head on the ball but narrowly missed the target.

Three minutes later, Pelle took a powerful shot from 25 meters out. The strike was on target, but Berardi made the save.

Valencia quickly followed up, but Berardi fumbled the ball. The Ecuadorian winger rushed forward, but in his excitement, Berardi managed to recover just in time.

Two minutes later, Hamsik lobbed a pass into the box, and Valencia broke free on the right side. He fired a shot but only found the side netting.

Then, in the 53rd minute, Thiago Motta sent a long pass just past the halfway line, perfectly finding Pelle up front.

Pelle used his body to shield the ball from Legrottaglie, controlled it with his chest, turned, and drove into the penalty area. He slotted the ball into the bottom corner, putting Napoli up 3-2!

The relentless attacks finally paid off!

But Napoli's pressing and offensive intensity didn't stop.

The players focused on putting pressure on Juventus' goalkeeper.

As Juventus attempted to launch a counterattack, Napoli continued pressing high up the field.

Valencia closed down Molinaro, forcing the left-back to pass back to Berardi.

The Napoli winger immediately sprinted towards Berardi, who seemed flustered under the pressure. In a moment of panic, he misjudged the ball and ended up deflecting it straight to Valencia.

Valencia was almost stunned by his luck.

Did he really just get handed a free goal?

Without hesitation, Valencia lobbed the ball over Berardi, and it sailed into the net.

4-2!

The entire stadium was left in shock!

Even the Juventus players seemed dumbfounded.

What a ridiculous mistake!

Especially at a moment when the team was preparing to counterattack—this kind of error was a complete morale killer!

…

Seeing his team's morale plummet, Ranieri made immediate substitutions, bringing on Trezeguet and Camoranesi in place of Iaquinta and Birindelli.

It was a clear signal: Juventus was going all-in on attack!

Everyone could sense Ranieri's desperation. He wanted to turn this around.

But Napoli's relentless pressure continued.

In the 65th minute, Hamsik threaded a through ball to Pelle, who burst into the penalty area. Just as he was about to shoot, Legrottaglie slid in from behind and knocked the ball away.

But three minutes later, after an attack from the right broke down, Napoli passed back to Thiago Motta.

The Brazilian midfielder launched a precise long pass to the left flank.

With Birindelli off the field, Juventus had shifted to a three-man defense, which left their flanks exposed.

Callejon found himself unmarked, easily controlled the ball, and sprinted towards Juventus' penalty area. Facing Legrottaglie one-on-one, he sent in a low cross.

Pelle positioned himself to draw Chiellini's attention in the center, allowing the ball to glide past him.

Valencia came racing in at the far post, outpacing Molinaro, and fired the ball into the net once more.

5-2!

The Ecuadorian winger had scored twice!

After his second goal, Valencia ran to the sideline, sliding on his knees and roaring in celebration.

When he first joined Napoli, he was nervous.

But now, he had not only earned more playing time but had also shown he could shine, even scoring twice against a top team like Juventus.

This was something he never could have dreamed of before.

After celebrating with his teammates, Valencia ran over to the Napoli bench, high-fiving Gao Shen and giving him a big hug.

"Well done, Antonio! Keep it up and go for a hat trick!" Gao Shen encouraged him loudly.

Gao Shen's voice was picked up by the live broadcast microphones, and many fans in the stadium heard it, immediately erupting into loud boos.

In this away leg, Napoli had already scored five goals, yet they still weren't satisfied!

Valencia, fired up by his coach's words, nodded with determination.

A hat trick? Why not? Who wouldn't want that?

***

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