Chapter 342: A Single Trick for Success

"Beep!"

The referee, Saccani, blew his whistle for a foul.

Vidal shrugged helplessly, retreating with a frustrated expression. On his way back, he couldn't help but glance at the sidelines and pout at Gao Shen.

Gao Shen, unfazed, shook his head with a smile and gave Vidal a thumbs-up.

Meanwhile, Roma's players voiced their protests on the pitch, claiming that Vidal had deliberately shoved Aquilani from behind.

The referee, however, saw no need for further action, awarding only a free kick to Roma near the halfway line.

The 60,000 fans at the San Paolo Stadium responded with thunderous applause, cheering for Vidal's effort.

---

In truth, this incident was just a small moment in the grand scheme of the game.

Back when Gao Shen was just a fan, he and his friends often complained about Serie A matches. They found them dull, both teams usually played conservatively, prioritizing defense over offense.

When neither side dared to press forward aggressively and both relied on subtle fouls and disruptions to unsettle the other, the resulting spectacle often left much to be desired. It made for a fragmented and frustrating viewing experience.

But as a coach, Gao Shen had to admit that, tactically, Serie A was a chessboard of the highest level.

Take fouling as an example: the players in Serie A had mastered the fine line between what would and wouldn't get called.

This wasn't limited to aggressive players like Vidal. Even defenders known for their elegance, like Nesta, or midfield maestros like Pirlo and yes, even legends like Zidane knew how to make tactical fouls look incidental.

It was a hallmark of Serie A's style.

Vidal's foul moments earlier was a perfect example. He committed the foul intentionally, but it was subtle enough to avoid a card while effectively disrupting Roma's counterattack.

"Watch your positioning," Gao Shen called out to Vidal.

The push had been unnecessary, it only happened because Vidal had been caught out of position and overtaken by Aquilani.

Vidal raised a hand in acknowledgment, signaling that he understood.

---

There was no need to feel sorry for Roma, as the Red Wolves weren't innocent either.

For instance, when Sánchez carried the ball forward in a swift counterattack from midfield, running at full speed towards the penalty area, De Rossi responded with a fierce sliding tackle.

Although De Rossi didn't touch Sánchez or the ball, his aggression was enough to unbalance the winger. Cicinho quickly capitalized, blocking Sánchez's path and letting the ball roll out for a goal kick.

Napoli, of course, gave as good as they got.

When Biglia faced Perrotta in midfield, he went in hard with a sliding tackle but failed to win the ball.

Perrotta managed to recover and quickly threaded a through ball to Totti on the right edge of the penalty area.

However, Napoli's David Luiz was quick to close Totti down, using his physicality to shield the ball and prevent the Roma captain from making a play. Totti tried to muscle past him, but it was no use.

In the end, the ball didn't even reach the byline. David Luiz was forced to pass it back to goalkeeper Handanović, who cleared it with a long kick upfield.

It was far from a clean defensive sequence, but it got the job done. Gao Shen shook his head slightly on the sidelines, noting the team's struggles.

---

Moments later, Napoli attempted a long ball from the left flank. Biglia launched it toward Sánchez on the right side of the penalty area. Sánchez controlled the ball skillfully with his chest and prepared to shoot.

But before he could, Roma's Brazilian defenders Juan and Cicinho converged on him simultaneously.

In the end, Sánchez was tripped by Juan in the penalty area, but since the ball was no longer under his control, the referee ruled it a fair challenge. Roma escaped unscathed.

On another counterattack, Di María carried the ball forward with blistering speed, only to be swarmed by Panucci, De Rossi, and Taddei. The young Argentine, slight and just 20 years old, had no chance against the three defenders. It was as if an eagle had caught a chick, he was pinned down, unable to move.

A particularly telling moment came when Napoli attacked down the left flank. Vargas combined neatly with Di María, cutting inside before crossing to Pellè at the edge of the penalty area.

However, as Pellè controlled the ball and turned to shoot, he found himself facing a literal wall of six Roma players.

By the 30th minute, Gao Shen decided it was time to pull back. He signaled for the team to stop pressing so high and instead retreat slightly.

Roma had managed to keep pace with Napoli's rhythm, maintaining solid possession and sharp defensive organization. Continuing to press would be risky, as it left Napoli vulnerable to Roma's counterattacks.

While Roma's overall speed was lacking, Vučinić posed a significant threat on the break. As a result, Lichtsteiner had been cautious all game, hesitant to push forward.

Napoli would have to take a step back to move forward.

---

In the 34th minute, after just four minutes of adjustments, Napoli seized their opportunity.

Roma pushed forward on the attack, but Thiago Motta intercepted a pass in Naples' defensive third. He quickly passed the ball to Bonucci, who stopped it, scanned the field, and spotted an opportunity.

Without hesitation, Bonucci launched a long ball upfield.

The ball soared through the air in a beautiful arc, landing perfectly on the right flank in Roma's half.

Sánchez sprinted to meet it, controlling the ball near the touchline and driving forward.

Roma's defense scrambled to recover. Cicinho, Juan, Mexès, De Rossi, and Panucci all raced back to close the gaps.

Cicinho, in particular, focused intently on Sánchez, shadowing him as he approached the penalty area. Sánchez slowed down, appearing to prepare for a cross. Cicinho, wary, stayed close but didn't commit.

Then, in a sudden burst of creativity, Sánchez chipped the ball over the defensive line.

Pellè surged forward, drawing the defenders' attention and opening space behind him. From deep, a blue jersey streaked into the penalty area.

It was Vidal.

Charging in at full speed, Vidal leapt high at the edge of the six-yard box, meeting Sánchez's pass with a powerful header. The ball bounced off the ground just inside the small box and rocketed into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Goalkeeper Doni dove in vain. He had no chance.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"

"Vidal! Arturo Vidal!"

"In the 34th minute, Vidal's brilliant header puts Napoli ahead, 1-0!"

The San Paolo Stadium erupted in wild celebration.

Fans roared with delight, applauding Vidal's aggressive and fearless play.

On the sidelines, Gao Shen jumped with excitement, applauding as he nodded approvingly at Vidal's effort.

This was Vidal in a nutshell: bold, direct, and relentless.

He was the same player who had fouled Aquilani earlier, and now he was the one who had broken the deadlock with a daring header.

"This kid is working hard for your farm," Carlo joked, laughing.

It was no secret within the club that Gao Shen, Vidal, and Sánchez had jointly invested in a cherry farm in Chile. Despite being a relatively new venture, the farm had already shown promise, generating enough profit in its first year to allow for reinvestment and expansion.

Gao Shen chuckled. Vidal did indeed have a passion for farming, and his teammates loved to tease him about it.

"People with dreams work harder," Gao Shen remarked with a smile.

---

Napoli entered halftime with a 1-0 lead, and Gao Shen decided to stick with the same tactics for the second half.

Roma, on the other hand, made adjustments.

In the 55th minute, Spalletti substituted Taddei for Giuly, hoping the Frenchman's pace could spark their attack.

Giuly immediately made his presence felt, delivering a dangerous low cross into the box. Totti was ready to pounce, but Handanović reacted quickly, diving to smother the ball.

Still, the game remained tightly contested, with both sides exchanging blows in midfield.

Spalletti grew frustrated. He had been content with the stalemate earlier when the score was 0-0, but now, trailing by a goal, he needed to take more risks.

Giuly wasn't proving to be enough of a difference-maker.

At the 63rd minute, Spalletti made another substitution, bringing on Esposito for Perrotta, who had been carrying an injury but had performed admirably.

Roma's attack became more aggressive, putting Napoli under pressure. For a brief period, the visitors even managed to pin Napoli back into their own half, much to Spalletti's satisfaction.

But just two minutes later, in the 65th minute, Spalletti noticed movement on the Napoli bench.

Gao Shen was preparing to make a substitution of his own.

Valencia was set to replace Sánchez, who had delivered the assist for Vidal's goal.

"A like-for-like substitution?" Spalletti murmured, puzzled.

Yet, for some reason, unease crept into his thoughts as he watched Gao Shen give final instructions to Valencia. The young Ecuadorian nodded repeatedly, looking eager to prove himself.

What Spalletti didn't know was that Gao Shen had only said one thing to Valencia before sending him on.

"Remember what I told you before?"

"Of course!" Valencia replied firmly.

"One trick is all you need if it works every time!"

"Got it!" Valencia nodded enthusiastically.

"Good. Now go out there and show me what you've got." Gao Shen gave him an encouraging pat on the back.

***

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