SWR: Chapter 678/690

Chapter 678: Being stubborn is a disease that needs to be cured
Gao Shen is getting married!

During the two-week international break, when the European football world was otherwise calm, this piece of news broke out suddenly.

The source of the news was a photo published by the British newspaper The Sun.

Gao Shen, dressed casually, was seen holding Su Qing's hand at a high-end custom wedding dress shop near Knightsbridge in London.

As the birthplace of paparazzi, British media reporters quickly dug up the full story behind the photo.

For example, this time Gao Shen had taken special leave from his club to accompany his fiancée to London. While there, they stayed at a luxury hotel near Hyde Park and spent almost every day sightseeing and shopping in the city.

In addition, Gao Shen also took Su Qing to dine with his old friend Ancelotti and his family.

A few days later, it was during one of these outings that they were photographed by a reporter from The Sun.

That year, Gao Shen's proposal after the Champions League final caused a sensation and remains a topic among fans and media alike. However, since then, there had been no further news.

When asked about it previously, Gao Shen's answer was that he had been too busy.

But now, with this latest development, the media quickly jumped into action.

After learning that he had been exposed by reporters, Gao Shen commented on Twitter, admitting that he had been careless and had underestimated the "street-sweeping reporters" of London.

According to Ancelotti, celebrities appear around Knightsbridge daily. Whenever the major newspapers run out of material, they send reporters there to patrol the streets. But none of them expected Gao Shen to be the one caught this time.

Now that he had been discovered, Gao Shen chose to acknowledge it openly, saying that he was indeed considering marriage, though the date had not yet been set.

On Twitter, Gao Shen explained that he and his fiancée rarely had time together and that he hoped their relationship would remain undisturbed.

With these remarks, the media had the material they needed to stir up public attention, but they also expressed respect for Gao Shen's wishes.

Unexpectedly, after Gao Shen and Su Qing returned to Manchester from London, many world-renowned bridal brands reached out to them, expressing their willingness to sponsor the wedding.

Gao Shen's suit sponsor, Kiton, also contacted him, saying they would send someone to Manchester to take his measurements in advance and promised to assign their best designers to create a custom suit for him.

Gao Shen and Su Qing met with representatives from several top bridal brands and viewed a wide selection of high-end wedding dresses. In the end, Su Qing chose a design from a Chinese designer brand, which is quite renowned in the industry.

In addition to providing the wedding dress, this brand would also handle the setting and overall design of the entire wedding.

Gao Shen was now getting a taste of the benefits that come with being a celebrity.

Before he could even get his hair cut, a hair clipper brand would show up at his door. Now that he was preparing for marriage, wedding dress brands and various other wedding-related companies were coming to him on their own.

Even Mansour, from the Middle East, heard the news within two days and immediately called Gao Shen, inviting him to hold the wedding in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, promising to cover all the expenses.

However, this offer brought up another issue.

If the wedding were held in winter, the climate there would be suitable. But in summer, the Middle East would be far too hot.

Gao Shen politely declined, saying he was still considering holding the wedding back home.

Mansour expressed his regret and asked him to think it over once more.

In today's world, any piece of news can spread across the globe in an instant. If Gao Shen were to get married, it would undoubtedly become global news—the wedding of the century. Holding it in Abu Dhabi would also bring great publicity to the city.

After all, back then, Dubai invited Beckham to promote Palm Island and even gifted him a villa.

Gao Shen never expected to receive such treatment himself.

This made him feel quite proud.

…

Su Qing's long vacation ended before the conclusion of the two-week international break.

Gao Shen personally escorted her to London and saw her off at the airport before returning to Manchester to focus on preparing for the upcoming Premier League eighth round and the Champions League group stage.

Among these two matches, Gao Shen was most focused on the Champions League clash against Inter Milan.

In the third round of the group stage, Manchester City would be traveling to Italy for an away match.

Gao Shen had a deep impression of Inter Milan's performance in the Champions League that season, especially because Gareth Bale had emerged in the two games played against them.

Many people believe that Maicon's rapid fall from the position of the world's top right-back began with those two group matches.

As a fan, Gao Shen naturally felt that Maicon had been the stepping stone for Gareth Bale's rise.

But now, he wasn't so sure.

At 29 years old, Maicon certainly wasn't considered old. In fact, he should still have been at or near his peak.

So why did he perform so poorly in those two games against Tottenham?

The reason was actually quite simple. At the time, Inter Milan's head coach was Benítez.

Benítez's trademark tactic is using two defensive midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation with an overall high-press strategy.

This tactic has one particular characteristic—the defensive line is pushed up high, which leaves more space behind. This often forces defenders into uncomfortable one-on-one situations that require excellent individual defensive ability.

Maicon's form that season was definitely not at its best. After all, he had just passed his peak, so some decline in performance was normal. He happened to run into a fearless Gareth Bale, while Benítez's high-line 4-2-3-1 made things even worse.

As a result, Maicon was pushed to the spotlight and completely exposed by Bale.

The title of the world's best right-back was stripped away.

It can be said that Bale's breakout performance and the tactics employed by Benítez were both key reasons for Maicon's downfall in those two matches.

Of course, most people only remember Maicon's miserable performance because Bale's display was so astonishing.

But the current situation was clearly different.

Benítez was still coaching Liverpool, and Inter Milan's head coach was now Leonardo.

Not only that, but the Inter squad had also undergone major changes. Players like Sneijder, Eto'o, Diego Milito, and Thiago Motta were no longer there. Instead, the team featured Ibrahimovic and Moutinho.

This meant that Gao Shen's memories of his previous life were no longer applicable.

…

From what Gao Shen had observed of Leonardo's time as Inter Milan's coach this season, he could tell that Leonardo preferred an attacking style, which was very different from Mourinho's approach.

This made Inter Milan's choice of head coach quite puzzling.

Everyone knew that Inter Milan's current squad had been built under Mourinho's defensive philosophy, yet they had now chosen a coach who emphasized offense. It was hard to make sense of.

As a young head coach, Gao Shen might not be in a position to comment, but he genuinely felt that Leonardo lacked experience. After all, not everyone had a "tactical library" in their mind to browse and learn from at any moment.

As a result, while Inter Milan had scored many goals, their defense was problematic.

Leonardo tended to use a 4-3-3 formation, though it was not the traditional version. It leaned more toward a 4-2-1-3, somewhat similar to the old Brazilian 4-2-4 formation.

Quick short passes and a compact formation were the hallmarks of Leonardo's Inter Milan.

But the biggest problem with this Inter team was its aging squad.

Gao Shen was even convinced that Mourinho chose to leave Inter Milan this summer precisely because of this reason.

It had been the same in his previous life. Mourinho's so-called "leaving at the peak" was not the real reason.

When a team reaches a certain level of aging, many problems start to emerge, problems that cannot be easily solved. For example, older players recover more slowly and their physical condition is harder to maintain compared to younger players.

Moreover, Inter Milan's attack was also facing issues. They had failed to score in their first two group matches.

After losing 1-0 to Mourinho's Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, Inter Milan legend Bergomi openly advised Leonardo through the media, "Offensive football may sell tickets, but if you want to win titles, you still have to rely on defense."

"Learn from Mourinho!"

The team couldn't find a breakthrough in attack, and their defense was full of gaps, conceding nearly 1.5 goals per game. This level of defensive performance hardly seemed like that of a traditional Italian side.

Gazzetta dello Sport even wrote that Leonardo had declared before taking office that he wanted to lead Inter Milan in an offensive revolution, just like Gao Shen.

"And he really did," the paper commented.

"But it wasn't Inter Milan launching the offensive storm. It was their opponents bringing the offensive storm to Inter."

However, faced with the heavy criticism, Leonardo did not back down.

He fired back, telling everyone to shut up and saying he would stick to what he believed was right.

"I love creating excitement!"

The implication was clear: He would not listen to their nonsense.

…

"To be honest, after learning about him, I suddenly understand why AC Milan and Inter Milan both hired him as head coach," Carlo said with a smile after reading about Leonardo's background.

"In some ways, he really reminds me of you back then."

Carlo looked at Gao Shen, as if seeing the same boldness Gao Shen had shown when he first coached Real Madrid—fearlessly challenging the Brazilian faction and shaking up the locker room.

But Gao Shen wasn't pleased to hear the comparison.

"I'm nothing like him," he replied.

"Why not?" Carlo asked.

"First of all, he was a successful player, which is something I can't compare with. Also, I'm not stubborn. I know exactly what I'm doing. That's called sticking to your principles."

Everyone laughed.

Yes, when you succeed, it's called sticking to your principles. When you fail, it's called being stubborn and obstinate.

There was a certain truth to that.

"You know," Gao Shen continued, "this applies everywhere, whether in football, society, or business. You must have the strength to back up your perseverance. If you lack the ability but insist on doing things your own way, you're essentially digging your own grave."

Gao Shen had encountered many such people in both his past and present lives.

His attitude toward these people had always been fairly neutral.

But as an opponent, he was looking forward to seeing Leonardo continue to cling to his belief in offensive brilliance.

Because that would make it easier for Manchester City to play away at the San Siro.

Being stubborn is a disease—and it needs to be treated!

Since he hadn't managed to "cure" Magath, Gao Shen wanted to see if his "medicine" would work on Leonardo.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 679: I want you to kill Maicon
The international players had not yet returned to the squad, but Manchester City's Carrington training base was already bustling with activity.

Aside from the players who stayed behind, several internationals who were stationed closer to home had already begun returning to the team one after another.

Gareth Bale, for example.

The Welshman was always among the first to report back. In addition to training with the remaining squad, he consistently increased his personal training load. According to Buenaventura and Pintus, Bale had specifically requested additional training.

The benefit of this was clear. Gareth Bale's physical condition had significantly improved compared to when he first arrived at Manchester City.

Especially when he took off his jersey—his muscular physique was striking and left a strong impression on everyone.

Last season, on the left flank, Gao Shen had actually favored Hazard a bit more. The Belgian winger also worked incredibly hard, particularly excelling in physical conditioning, which had made him stand out and allowed him to suppress Robinho's position in the squad.

But Gareth Bale's performance had been far from disappointing.

This season, Gao Shen was even forced to make adjustments, moving Robinho to the right.

The left wing became a fierce competition between Hazard and Gareth Bale, leaving even Sturridge with few opportunities to feature.

Gao Shen's usage of these two players was also different.

Hazard possessed excellent dribbling ability, somewhat reminiscent of Messi. He was suited for breaking down stubborn defenses.

Gareth Bale, on the other hand, was incredibly fast, physically dominant, and explosively powerful. When given space, he was like a dragon-slaying sword, always capable of slicing through defenses to create chances.

More importantly, Bale had started his career as a full-back. His defensive abilities and willingness to track back were both very strong.

Because of this, in many high-stakes matches, Gao Shen actually preferred to start Gareth Bale.

Simply because he was so effective.

On top of that, Gareth Bale had a powerful scoring ability from the left side of the penalty area, with solid technique and remarkable efficiency.

It could be said that as long as you created opportunities for him in that zone, he would always find a way to score.

Among wingers, there were truly not many who could consistently cut inside and finish as decisively as he could.

With such clear strengths, natural talent, and a strong work ethic, it was hard for Gao Shen not to rely on him.

Just like now.

The team had finished training and most players had left Carrington, but Gareth Bale remained on the field, practicing free kicks and shooting alone.

This was a requirement Gao Shen had set for him, and there would be no compromise.

Many people had asked Gao Shen why Bale could always score from that specific zone.

The answer was right here!

…

"Gareth!"

Gao Shen carried two chairs to the entrance of the training building and brought over a few bottles of water. Then he called out to Gareth Bale and waved him over.

The Welshman had just finished his extra training session. He was sweating heavily and panting, but when he heard Gao Shen call him, he immediately jogged over.

"Boss, you were looking for me?"

Ever since the match against Manchester United last season, Bale had held deep admiration for Gao Shen. His tone was always polite and full of respect.

"Sit down, have some water." Gao Shen pointed to a chair and handed him a bottle.

Bale grinned, unscrewed the cap, and drank the water down in one go.

Gao Shen sat next to him, looking at his sweat-soaked body. He could clearly feel the explosive strength hidden within Bale's bulging muscles, something that could never be achieved through talent alone. It was the result of tireless effort.

Back then, Real Madrid's decision to pay 100 million euros for Gareth Bale had not been a joke.

If Bale could stay healthy, steadily develop, and maintain his progress, Gao Shen truly believed that his future potential was limitless.

Unfortunately, in his previous life, Bale's move to Real Madrid had not been the wisest choice.

The main issue was that Real Madrid already had Cristiano Ronaldo dominating the left flank.

No matter how great Bale's potential was, Ronaldo's superstar status at Real Madrid was untouchable.

What's more, Bale was one of the rare players whose performance on the right side was not as effective as on the left. Combined with frequent injuries, his development at Real Madrid had ultimately fallen short of expectations.

But right now, looking at Bale's powerful physique, Gao Shen couldn't help but feel admiration.

No top superstar achieves success purely through talent alone.

Even someone as naturally gifted as Messi had put in unimaginable effort.

Because hard work and dedication are also part of what makes up talent.

For players like Ronaldo and Bale, success achieved through relentless effort is a big part of their appeal.

Gao Shen even felt that this was the point that resonated most with ordinary people.

Rare geniuses like Messi and Maradona were undoubtedly extraordinary, but their brilliance often felt out of reach to the average person.

Ronaldo and Bale represented what everyday people could aspire to become.

In Gao Shen's previous life, many fans used to argue over who was better: Messi or Ronaldo?

In truth, there was no need for such debates.

The two represented two different extremes and both were the best in their own way.

Now, Gao Shen wanted to personally train Gareth Bale and see if, by staying at Manchester City instead of moving to Real Madrid, Bale could achieve even greater heights than in his previous life.

…

"How have you been feeling lately?" Gao Shen asked casually.

Bale's eyes lit up. "Very good. Really good."

Gao Shen smiled. "I saw you hit a nice free kick just now."

"The accuracy and consistency still aren't where they need to be," Bale replied honestly.

Gao Shen nodded. Free kicks were a skill that required painstaking practice, and even then, the success rate in actual matches was often not high.

Many players were accurate in training but struggled to replicate that under match pressure and environmental factors.

"Do you know Maicon?" Gao Shen asked, steering the conversation directly to the point.

"Maicon? Of course. The world's number one right-back. Very strong," Bale replied.

Real Madrid had come close to signing Maicon from Inter Milan this summer, but the two clubs failed to agree on a price.

Whether that was a blessing or a curse for Maicon remained to be seen.

"Are you confident going up against him?" Gao Shen asked seriously.

"Me?" Bale was a little surprised.

"Yes. One-on-one. I'll give you the space to sprint. Do you have the confidence?" Gao Shen repeated, his tone serious.

Bale immediately understood what his coach meant.

This was Gao Shen hinting that he would be starting against Inter Milan.

For any Manchester City player, this was a huge opportunity.

The competition for starting spots this season was incredibly fierce. Almost every position had two capable players competing for it.

If you could perform well in a key match, it would undoubtedly give you the upper hand in the battle for playing time.

More importantly, Bale was still considered an underdog in this competition.

"If it's one-on-one, I'm confident!" Bale answered firmly, his tone filled with determination.

After all, wasn't this exactly why he had been training so hard? To seize the opportunity when it came?

Now, the opportunity was right in front of him.

Gao Shen nodded. "Good."

After a short pause, he continued, "I'll have Lucas prepare a detailed scouting report and video analysis on Maicon and Inter Milan. Study it carefully. When the time comes, our attack will focus on your side."

Bale could feel the trust and expectations Gao Shen had placed on him. He nodded repeatedly.

"Don't worry, Boss. I won't let you down."

Gao Shen smiled and nodded.

…

Watching Bale jog back toward the locker room, Gao Shen remained seated, leaning back in his chair, gazing at the sunset that had quietly dipped below the horizon.

People often say that the sunset is beautiful because it signals the end of the day.

But Gao Shen felt that for him, everything was just beginning.

Times had changed. People had changed. Tactics had changed. Everything had changed.

But some things would never change.

For instance, Gareth Bale was even stronger and more confident now than he had been at this stage in Gao Shen's previous life.

There was no Benítez using a high-line 4-2-3-1 this time. Instead, Inter Milan had Leonardo and his offensive-minded football.

More importantly, Gao Shen was determined to create as many one-on-one opportunities as possible for Bale to face Maicon.

If the conditions existed, he would use them. If they didn't, he would create them.

Either way, he just wanted Bale to take down Maicon.

He wanted to see if anyone could stop him.

Thinking of this, Gao Shen felt a wave of pride swell inside him.

As a time traveler, he was often trapped by the memories of his previous life.

But he wanted to break free from that past and rewrite everything.

No one could stop him!

…

Three days after the international players returned to the squad, Manchester City set out for their next away match.

In the eighth round of the Premier League, Manchester City were set to face Blackpool away from home.

Gao Shen again implemented a large rotation, keeping all the South American internationals on the bench.

Manchester City played poorly throughout the first half and failed to break through Blackpool's defense.

It wasn't until the 67th minute of the second half that Van Persie scored to give Manchester City the lead.

But shortly after, Haywood equalized for Blackpool following a mistake from Gary Cahill.

However, just one minute later, Sturridge put City back in front, and then Hazard added another goal.

In the end, Manchester City defeated Blackpool 3-1.

Elsewhere in the league, Manchester United drew 2-2 at home against West Bromwich Albion. Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw away at Aston Villa, while Liverpool lost 2-0 to their city rivals Everton.

Only Manchester City and Arsenal managed to win this round, with Arsenal coming from behind to beat Birmingham 2-1.

Gao Shen's team remained as stable as ever, while Wenger's Arsenal showed a rare bit of grit.

Many believed that if Wenger's team could maintain this fighting spirit, they still had a chance to achieve something this season.

As for Manchester City, with eight consecutive wins in the Premier League, they had once again cemented their status as the top title contenders.

Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool were beginning to fall behind, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for them to shake Manchester City's dominance in the league.

After the match against Blackpool, Gao Shen did not return to Manchester with the team. Instead, he traveled to Italy with Lucas and Sarri.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 680: Disharmony between Generals and Commanders

"Gao, to be honest, only at a time like this would you want to come back!"

In the presidential box at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples, Italy, Gao Shen, Lucas, and Sarri were seated next to Napoli chairman De Laurentiis and general manager Marino.

Both of Napoli's top executives treated Gao Shen with great respect and politeness.

For good reason. After all, the current starting lineup for Napoli was largely built by Gao Shen.

That included the two full-backs who had just joined this summer, Alex Sandro and Danilo.

This was the seventh round of Serie A, with Napoli playing at home against Inter Milan.

It was also a direct battle for the top spot in the league.

Napoli had performed very well so far this season. Even though they had lost their core midfielder Parejo, the overall strength of the team remained strong. Inter Milan, aware of this, did not dare to take them lightly.

Allegri lined up Napoli in a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond-shaped midfield.

Vidal, Nainggolan, Hamsik, and Pastore formed the midfield core, while the forward line was the combination of Callejon and Cavani.

Inter Milan, on the other hand, used Leonardo's trademark 4-2-1-3 formation.

Despite facing Manchester City at home on Wednesday, Leonardo still fielded his strongest starting lineup in this game.

He really had no choice. After all, this was a battle for first place in the league, directly influencing the title race between the two teams.

Especially after Gao Shen's tenure at Napoli, the rivalry between Napoli and Inter Milan had only grown deeper.

"How has Inter Milan been playing this season?" Gao Shen asked with interest.

De Laurentiis and Marino both understood very well that the main reason Gao Shen had come to Naples was to scout Inter Milan. This was the final match of the current round of Serie A, essentially the main event.

"I don't think they can go far," Marino replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Leonardo's team plays beautiful football, and their style is exciting to watch, but their defense is weak. The squad is aging, and a lot of things need to change. For example, the center-backs are struggling to keep up with the tempo, and the double pivot of Cambiasso and Zanetti is simply not strong enough."

Listening to Marino's assessment, Gao Shen thoughtfully considered Allegri's tactical choices.

There was no denying that Napoli's midfield was indeed strong.

Especially with Vidal, Nainggolan, and Hamsik, these three Mohawk-style midfielders were all tough and aggressive.

Pastore, known as the "new Kaka," was excellent at carrying the ball and dribbling past opponents.

It was clear that Allegri's plan was to use Napoli's midfield advantage to suppress Inter Milan.

…

To everyone's surprise, the match had barely begun when the deadlock was broken.

Strictly speaking, it was less than twenty seconds into the match. Napoli's first attack, their first shot, and Cavani blasted the ball into the back of Julio Cesar's net.

The Uruguayan striker's long-range effort from outside the penalty area was like a thunderbolt, shaking Inter Milan's defense from the very start.

Gao Shen stood up from his seat in the stands, visibly excited.

"Hey, this kid has improved a lot, hasn't he?" De Laurentiis asked proudly.

Was this just about the player?

No, what the German saw was clearly the euros.

The more goals Cavani scored, the more his market value would rise.

Gao Shen nodded in agreement.

The facts proved that choosing Allegri as his successor had been a wise decision. Cavani's progress followed the development path that Gao Shen had envisioned for him, but Allegri's guidance and utilization had also played a crucial role.

Scoring within the first minute disrupted the rhythm of both teams completely.

Inter Milan had to switch to attack mode, while Napoli focused on defending, using their strong midfield to suppress Inter Milan's passing and forward movement.

Inter Milan's three midfielders were no match for Napoli's four-man diamond midfield.

Especially with two tough players like Nainggolan and Vidal, Inter Milan's midfield was left in complete disarray.

Despite the early lead, neither side managed to score again for the remainder of the first half.

It wasn't until the 62nd minute of the second half that Danilo advanced rapidly down the right flank, received the ball, and delivered a diagonal cross into the box. Cavani out-jumped Zivu and powered a header into the net, doubling Napoli's lead with his second goal of the night.

Then, in the 82nd minute, Pastore controlled the ball, evaded his marker, and carried the ball forward before assisting substitute Mertens, who scored Napoli's third goal.

Throughout the match, Inter Milan's midfield was completely dominated by Napoli, unable to organize or execute any effective attacks.

Sitting in the stands, watching both the game and the scoreboard, Gao Shen had to admit that Inter Milan was not as strong as he had originally thought.

Leonardo's in-game adjustments were still far from adequate.

Conceding a goal within the opening minute could be considered bad luck. But the fact that Inter Milan made no significant tactical changes throughout the entire first half, or even after halftime, clearly showed that Leonardo was out of answers.

"Let me tell you some news," De Laurentiis said with a smile as the game neared its end.

Napoli were about to secure a 3-0 victory over Inter Milan, taking the lead in Serie A.

With the lineup that Gao Shen had left behind, Napoli stood a real chance of challenging for the title this season.

De Laurentiis was happy to return the favor by sharing some inside information.

"Go on," Gao Shen replied with interest.

There was never a shortage of gossip around De Laurentiis, especially given his background in the entertainment industry.

Maybe he wasn't reliable on other matters, but when it came to behind-the-scenes stories and rumors, he was always well-informed.

"Leonardo and Cambiasso are at odds," De Laurentiis revealed.

Gao Shen was taken aback. "Are you sure?"

Cambiasso was Inter Milan's main defensive midfielder. If he and the coach were not on good terms, that was serious.

"One hundred percent. They had a big argument and still haven't reconciled."

"What was the argument about?"

"I heard it was over tactics," De Laurentiis answered, though he admitted he didn't know all the details.

Many things that happened behind closed doors in the locker room were hard for outsiders to confirm. Most of what they knew was based on speculation.

"Did you hear what Bergomi said?" De Laurentiis added.

Gao Shen nodded. Bergomi had advised Leonardo through the media to learn from Mourinho and prioritize defense.

Although Leonardo hadn't directly responded to anyone by name, many interpreted his reaction as targeting Bergomi.

"Cambiasso agrees with Bergomi. He thinks the team's tactics are too aggressive. Leonardo often uses Cambiasso and Zanetti as the double pivot, but it's clearly not solid enough."

"Sometimes Leonardo even uses Stankovic as part of a three-man midfield, positioning Stankovic centrally and pushing Cambiasso out wide. Cambiasso doesn't like it at all."

Gao Shen understood the situation immediately.

In short, there was a conflict between the head coach's tactical decisions and the players' actual experience on the pitch.

As a key player on the field, Cambiasso likely felt the issue more deeply than Leonardo did. He knew that the midfield pairing of himself and Zanetti, both aging players, lacked the stamina and physicality needed for high-intensity matches.

Both were shorter and less physically dominant, which put them at a disadvantage against many opponents.

It was understandable that Cambiasso wanted the coach to adjust the tactical setup.

There had been many criticisms of Leonardo, the biggest being his poor defensive organization.

Despite Inter Milan's good results in Serie A so far, everyone knew that the league traditionally valued solid defense.

Leonardo's team conceding an average of 1.5 goals per game was hard for Italian fans to accept.

As Gao Shen analyzed the match and observed Inter Milan's formation and positioning, he couldn't yet determine whether Leonardo would stick with two defensive midfielders or switch to three in the Champions League.

But either way, Inter Milan's midfield would struggle to compete against Manchester City.

With David Silva, Rakitic, and Javi Martinez, Manchester City's midfield possessed both technical quality and individual ability.

Up to this point, Manchester City had yet to concede a goal in the Champions League group stage.

"Tonight, Leonardo played Zivu at center-back to give Lucio and Samuel a rest. Both are regular internationals for Brazil and Argentina. When it comes to the midweek game, Zivu will likely shift to the left," Marino analyzed.

Zivu, Samuel, Lucio, and Maicon.

This backline was still considered one of the strongest in European football.

But whether that would still hold true after their Champions League clash remained to be seen.

"In midfield, you clearly have the advantage. But in the attacking third, be careful with the young Brazilian, Coutinho. He's very talented," Marino reminded.

Gao Shen nodded. He was well aware of Coutinho's ability.

At this stage, the young Brazilian was still trying to prove himself at Inter Milan. Who would have thought that in the future, he wouldn't find a place there, only to shine at Liverpool and later transfer to Barcelona for a record fee?

Still, this only confirmed that Coutinho had real quality.

"There's also the young Italian, Thornton. He can play on either flank. A lot of people compare him to Zambrotta. Be cautious," Marino added.

Thornton was highly regarded at the time, though he ultimately failed to live up to the hype.

This only highlighted how unpredictable the development of young players could be.

"I hope if he's really like Zambrotta, then we'll have less to worry about," Gao Shen joked.

Marino, being sharp, immediately caught the implication.

"It seems like you're planning to attack down the wings."

Gao Shen had long been known for favoring wing play, even back when he coached Napoli.

Though Allegri emphasized the strength of the central midfield, Napoli's flanks were still powerful.

If Leonardo opted for a 4-3-1-2 with three central midfielders, the wings would be wide open for Manchester City to exploit.

Even if Leonardo stuck with two defensive midfielders, Gao Shen was determined to create one-on-one opportunities on the flanks.

With the talents of Robben and Gareth Bale, Gao Shen believed they could open up the game and create decisive chances for Manchester City.

Just like tonight, when Cavani struck in the first twenty seconds of the match.

(To be continued.)