Starting With Real Madrid

After a two-week break, Serie A resumed its campaign with renewed intensity.

Lazio, currently top of the table, continued their strong form, securing a 1-0 home win against Sampdoria thanks to a goal from Zarate. The win allowed them to maintain their position at the top of the standings.

Torino, however, wasn't as fortunate, managing only a 1-1 draw away to Reggina.

The real surprises came from AC Milan and Roma.

Both Ancelotti and Spalletti suffered heavy defeats in this round.

Roma, after taking an early lead away against Palermo, conceded three goals in a row and ultimately lost 3-1.

AC Milan fared no better, losing 2-0 away to Genoa. Diego Milito sealed the win with a penalty in the closing moments of the match.

These back-to-back defeats from two of Italy's top clubs were shocking.

AC Milan, in particular, had raised expectations after adding stars like Ronaldinho and Flamini over the summer. Yet their performances had worsened, with two consecutive losses to start the season. Ancelotti appeared to be in deep trouble, looking increasingly helpless about the team's predicament.

---

In the weekend's other matches, Juventus faced Udinese at home. A goal from Amauri helped the Turin side secure three points.

Inter Milan delivered a statement victory, showcasing their bolstered squad. The arrival of Lucio significantly improved their defensive solidity, while Moutinho, Pandev, and Quaresma added firepower to the attack.

In the first half, goals from Moutinho and Quaresma put Inter 2-0 up. After the break, Pandev added another to complete a 3-0 win over Catania. Inter's dominant performance earned them another three points.

---

Napoli, meanwhile, hosted Prandelli's Fiorentina at the San Paolo.

Fiorentina had been one of Serie A's strongest sides over the past two seasons. Even as the away team, they fielded a fearsome attacking trio of Mutu, Gilardino, and Santana. Their midfield was led by Montolivo, with players like Jovetic, Osvaldo, and Pazzini available on the bench.

Facing such a talented side, Gao Shen didn't dare to take the match lightly.

However, with a midweek trip to Madrid looming for their Champions League opener against Real Madrid, Gao Shen opted to field a heavily rotated lineup, resting his South American internationals entirely.

Even so, Napoli's squad depth ensured a competitive lineup:

Goalkeeper: Handanovic

Defense: Dossena, Cannavaro, Benatia, Maggio

Midfield: Vidal and Nainggolan as a double pivot, with Callejon, Hamsik, and Mertens further up.

Striker: Pelle

This lineup featured Napoli's now-famous "Mohawk Trio" in midfield: Nainggolan, Vidal, and Hamsik. Their ability to dominate and disrupt in the center of the park was a major strength. However, their defensive positioning still left room for improvement, and their protection of the backline wasn't always reliable.

This flaw was exposed in the 40th minute. Gilardino won a header, creating space for Mutu to break through. The midfield duo failed to track back quickly enough, and the opportunistic Romanian forward pounced on the second ball inside the box, putting Fiorentina 1-0 up.

After halftime, Napoli came out with renewed intensity, spurred on by Gao Shen's stern halftime talk.

The breakthrough came from Callejon, who made a determined run down the left and whipped in a cross. Hamsik timed his run perfectly and finished clinically to equalize.

Gao Shen then made two key substitutions in the 60th and 65th minutes.

First, Pastore came on for Mertens, with Callejon shifting to the right wing and Pastore taking the left. Five minutes later, Parejo replaced Nainggolan, giving Napoli more control in the midfield.

The impact was almost immediate.

In the 71st minute, Pastore carried the ball forward from the left and played a pass to Parejo. The Spaniard combined with Hamsik in a quick one-two, threading the ball through to Maggio, who surged into the box from the right and rifled a shot into the net.

Napoli had turned the game around. 2-1!

Despite late pressure from Fiorentina, Napoli held on for the win, thanks to goals from Hamsik and Maggio.

---

After two rounds, Napoli sat third in the table with six points, behind Lazio and Inter Milan, who both had identical records and a +5 goal difference.

Reactions to Napoli's narrow victory were mixed.

Supporters praised their depth, noting how they had beaten a strong Fiorentina side with a heavily rotated squad. This, they argued, highlighted the team's strength and Gao Shen's smart preparation for the Champions League.

Critics, however, saw it as a risky gamble. They warned that balancing domestic and European commitments could backfire, leaving Napoli empty-handed on both fronts.

At the post-match press conference, Gao Shen expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance.

"A well-functioning rotation system is key to competing effectively on multiple fronts," he stated.

He reiterated his belief that relying on just one lineup was unsustainable for a team competing in multiple competitions.

Some saw this as a subtle jab at Ancelotti's struggles.

---

Real Madrid had also been rotating their squad under Schuster.

Even after losing 2-1 to Deportivo La Coruña in their league opener, Schuster fielded a heavily rotated lineup at home against newly promoted Numancia.

Apart from Van Nistelrooy, Robben, and Guti, most of the starters were either substitutes or fringe players.

The rotation, however, nearly backfired.

Just six minutes into the game, Numancia shocked the Bernabéu by scoring the opening goal. Although Van Nistelrooy assisted Guti to equalize shortly after, Numancia regained the lead three minutes later.

It took another three minutes for Real Madrid to draw level again, this time through a goal from Higuain.

Eight minutes later, Van Nistelrooy set up Van der Vaart to score Real Madrid's third. In the 40th minute, a Numancia own goal made it 4-2 to Madrid.

Despite the two-goal lead at halftime, the second half exposed Real Madrid's vulnerabilities.

Numancia quickly pulled one back to make it 4-3 and continued to create dangerous chances, threatening to equalize. Although Madrid eventually held on for the win, their performance left much to be desired.

Compared to the newly promoted side, Real Madrid's defensive frailties were glaring.

---

Gao Shen and his coaching staff watched the game closely.

Although it was just a live broadcast and not an in-person observation, Gao Shen formed a preliminary impression of Real Madrid. He would wait for detailed reports from his scouts in Madrid to finalize his preparations, but he already had a general strategy in mind.

"First of all, Real Madrid's backline is a major concern," Gao Shen noted during the team's analysis session. "Marcelo, Metzelder, Pepe, and Salgado started in this game. I'd bet none of them will be in the lineup against us midweek."

Real Madrid also had Heinze, Cannavaro, Ramos, Arbeloa, and Miguel Torres available. Marcelo was still young and defensively unreliable, while Pepe, though talented, remained inconsistent. Salgado, meanwhile, had long lost his starting spot, yet Schuster still relied on him. Metzelder's performances in Spain had fallen far short of his standards in Germany.

"They'll likely stick with a 4-4-2 formation," Gao Shen continued. "But Van Nistelrooy's positioning in this game was interesting."

The staff discussed how Van Nistelrooy, traditionally a penalty-box predator, had played deeper, acting more as a link-up forward. This allowed Higuain to occupy the central attacking spaces.

On the wings, Van der Vaart and Robben had been Real Madrid's standout performers, with Van der Vaart particularly impressing since his arrival.

"Guti also played well and should keep his spot," Carlo Ancelotti added. "His partner will likely be either Diarra or Gago. If it's Diarra, they'll have better balance. If it's Gago, it's a clear signal they plan to attack us."

Zidane, after some thought, offered his perspective. "At the Bernabéu, they'll look to take advantage of their home ground and start aggressively. We lack experience, so we need to stay cautious early on."

He paused before adding, "Don't forget about De la Red in midfield."

Gao Shen nodded. He hadn't forgotten his former protégé, one of Real Madrid's emerging talents.

While Real Madrid had a strong squad, it lacked superstars capable of single-handedly dominating games. With proper tactical preparation, they could be beaten.

The problem, as Gao Shen saw it, was Schuster himself.

He simply wasn't the kind of coach capable of unlocking the full potential of this team.

Gao Shen agreed with Zidane's analysis.

Many of Napoli's players are making their Champions League debut and are essentially rookies. On top of that, they're going up against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu Stadium. Under these circumstances, it's nearly impossible for Napoli to go all out against Real Madrid right from the start.

Napoli will almost certainly play cautiously at the beginning, and Real Madrid will likely try to capitalize on this.

If Schuster can't exploit such an advantage, then he's not fit to coach Real Madrid.

Gao Shen had kept Rakitic and Thiago Motta on the bench during the match against Fiorentina specifically to prepare for this game.

With Thiago Motta's wealth of experience, Rakitic's composure, and Biglia's presence in midfield, Napoli's midfield would be solid and balanced.

But as for how to defeat Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, Gao Shen still needed to think through his strategy carefully.

The assistants openly shared their thoughts and ideas.

That was when Gao Shen received a call from Madrid.