Chapter 292: Top Again

Napoli's away game against Roma was scheduled for a 5:00 PM kickoff.

By the time the match ended, it was almost 6:30 PM.

After Gao Shen attended the post-match press conference, the players packed up, and the team returned by bus to Fort Volturno in Naples. By then, Inter Milan's away game against Reggina, the second game of the eighth round was just starting.

The coaching staff and players gathered at Fort Volturno to watch the game. The players were in the lounge, while the coaching staff gathered in the office.

Surprisingly, Inter Milan didn't field their strongest lineup. Stars like Ibrahimovic, Crespo, Zanetti, and Samuel were left on the bench.

Up front, Mancini opted for Adriano and Cruz as the striking pair.

This lineup caught everyone off guard, especially since Adriano hadn't played in a long time.

Everyone knew that Inter's star forward had fallen far from his peak.

From the opening whistle, Reggina seized their home-field advantage and launched a relentless attack on Inter Milan.

Inter's players seemed sluggish, slow to get into the rhythm of the game.

Reggina's offensive surge lasted for the first 18 minutes. During that time, Inter Milan only managed one free kick and didn't take a single shot on target, showing just how one-sided the opening was.

But then, in the 18th minute, Inter Milan earned a set-piece opportunity on the right side. Figo delivered the free kick, and Adriano headed it in, giving Inter an unexpected lead.

Football can be so unforgiving!

Reggina had been the better team at the start, creating more chances and playing actively. Inter, on the other hand, had struggled, yet it was Inter who scored first.

Despite conceding, Reggina kept pushing, desperate to equalize.

Even after the 20th minute, Reggina kept Inter under pressure, forcing them to retreat deep into their penalty area. At one point, they took three consecutive shots that nearly found the net, causing chaos in Inter's defense.

"Reggina's finishing is just awful!" Lucas sighed in frustration.

Inter Milan's form was clearly below par, and they were struggling. If Inter had been at their usual level, they wouldn't have been pinned back like this by Reggina.

But despite their advantage in play, Reggina just couldn't convert their chances.

"They're just a team fighting relegation. You can't expect too much from them," Carlo remarked with a bitter smile.

Sometimes, the gap between top-tier relegation battlers and giants is wider than the gap between second-division teams and giants. Napoli experienced this last season as well.

"Reggina's 4-5-1 midfield formation is effective at suppressing Inter's movement, especially on the flanks. Without creativity in the center, Inter is a bit like Capello's Juventus," Gao Shen analyzed.

Capello's Juventus was tough but lacked finesse and creativity.

Now, Inter Milan seemed to be suffering the same problem.

Gao Shen could see why Sneijder was so critical for Inter Milan.

The swap deal bringing Eto'o in for Ibrahimovic had been an incredible opportunity for Inter. But beyond that, Inter's management had worked hard to shore up their weaknesses.

After Ibrahimovic left, Inter needed a center forward. Mourinho shifted to a 4-3-3 formation, but Eto'o wasn't naturally suited for that central role.

So Mourinho wanted Drogba, but Inter's management brought in Diego Milito instead.

Milito's arrival not only fit the 4-3-3 but also helped unlock the potential of both Milito and Eto'o.

Mourinho had also wanted Deco to add creativity to midfield, but Inter's management signed Sneijder from Real Madrid, filling the playmaking gap and adding vision to Inter's central midfield.

Without Sneijder, Inter Milan's attack would be forced out wide.

And instead of Carvalho, Inter brought in Lucio, which turned out to be a more fitting choice.

Inter's other center-backs, Samuel, Cordoba, Burdisso, Rivas, and Chivu were all under six feet tall, leaving them vulnerable to tall, physical forwards.

Carvalho, though talented, was also relatively short and might have been a poor fit for Inter.

Imagine if Carvalho were marking a towering forward how would Inter cope?

Materazzi, at 1.93 meters, was an exception, but the 34-year-old veteran was injury-prone and couldn't play many games. Lucio's arrival, therefore, bolstered Inter's backline considerably.

Lucio was among the best center-backs in the world at that time, perhaps even the best in terms of individual ability.

David Luiz was also strong individually, but like Lucio, he had an attacking mindset.

Milito, Sneijder, and Lucio formed the backbone of Inter's spine, which Mourinho integrated to bring out the best in the team.

Without any one of those three, it would have been tough for Inter to win the Champions League.

Just look at them now, facing a much weaker Reggina, yet struggling and getting pressed back.

Why? Because they had no playmaker in midfield!

If Inter had a Sneijder or even someone like Parejo the game could have been completely different. Reggina wouldn't have stood a chance.

Sometimes football is simple.

But it can also be incredibly complex.

---

One surprising moment in the game came when Mancini substituted Adriano with Zanetti in the 55th minute.

This decision left Gao Shen, Carlo, and the rest speechless.

It was so conservative!

Inter was a team contending for the Serie A title, facing a relegation-threatened team. Even if they were away and out of form, was that a reason to play so cautiously?

"Now I understand why Inter Milan struggles with mental resilience. No wonder they keep falling short in the Champions League," Buenaventura muttered with a bitter smile.

Inter had the strength advantage, even if they were not playing well. A strong team should still show some fight.

But what did Mancini do?

He chose to protect the lead.

Yes, it was smart to secure three points, but at the cost of spirit and morale.

A defensive substitution sent a clear message to the players: I only care about the three points; I don't care about dominating the game.

Adriano was visibly upset. When he came off, he ignored Mancini and walked straight down the tunnel.

Things took another turn ten minutes later, when Mancini replaced Vieira with Ibrahimovic.

Gao Shen and his team were utterly baffled.

What was Mancini thinking?

Adriano had been doing well tonight. Why not replace Vieira with Zanetti earlier?

"He's probably just trying to run down the clock with substitutions," Lucas guessed with a laugh.

Everyone chuckled.

Reggina, sensing weakness, brought on striker Barreto, intensifying their offense and creating even more pressure on Inter's goal.

Gao Shen even joked, "What if Reggina actually scores?"

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

It was possible, after all.

Reggina genuinely had the advantage on the pitch.

If they managed to equalize, Mancini would be in trouble.

But despite their efforts, Reggina couldn't find the net.

Their attack was simply too blunt, and they squandered several good chances.

In the end, Inter Milan scraped by with a 1-0 win, thanks to Adriano's lone goal.

However, Gao Shen and his team weren't too concerned with the result.

Especially the players in Napoli's lounge.

Before the match started, there was a lot of cheering.

By the end, although Inter had won the three points, Napoli's 4-0 victory over Roma meant that they had overtaken Inter on goal difference, reclaiming the top spot in Serie A.

After a month, Napoli was back at the top!

The players burst out of the lounge, rushing to the coaches' office to share the good news.

But Gao Shen couldn't help feeling a bit regretful.

"I was really hoping Reggina would score, but…"

He then joked, "I even wanted to loan Cavani to them!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Cavani was Napoli's top scorer, always active but not the most efficient. Still, he found the back of the net regularly.

"Boss, they couldn't even create that many chances. Even if I went, I probably wouldn't have scored much," Cavani admitted, a bit self-conscious.

He knew his finishing needed work.

"Well, keep honing your shooting skills and improve your efficiency. We're playing in the Champions League next season!" Gao Shen said, smiling as he looked around at his players.

"In the Champions League, especially in the knockout rounds, the defenses we'll face will be even tougher. We might only get one or two good chances in a game, and we'll have to seize them. Miss those chances, and that's it. Game over."

Cavani, Pellè, Hamsik, and Sanchez all nodded.

Callejon, who had Champions League experience from Real Madrid, knew just how intense the competition could be, especially in the knockouts.

Even a superstar team like Real Madrid treated each game with utmost caution, so a team like Napoli would need to be even more prepared.

"Alright, go get some rest, we're back to training tomorrow morning!"

Gao Shen clapped his hands firmly. "Remember, we're back on top of Serie A, but I want everyone to push harder this time, especially with our game against Juventus next week. We need to win that one, and I want us to hold onto the top spot even longer!"

"Even better if we can stay there for the rest of the season!"

The players erupted into applause, their spirits high and filled with enthusiasm.

Once again, at the top of the table, the young Napoli squad was bursting with morale!