SWR: Chapter 518/519

Chapter 518: A Classic Reappears

"The Napoli midfielders have successfully intercepted the ball."

"Barcelona made a mistake in their passing under Napoli's intense midfield pressure. Now watch this counterattack!"

"The ball goes to Biglia, but Barca retreats quickly—Xavi is tracking back."

"Biglia switches play to the left, finding Di María."

"Di María controls the ball on the left wing."

"Biglia moves up to support him, but Xavi stays tight on him."

"Di María plays a quick pass to Villa and immediately makes a sprint forward, with Alves chasing after him."

"Biglia returns the ball to the byline on the left side of the penalty area."

"Now look at this, Di María and Alves are locked in a footrace!"

Di María accelerated rapidly, pulling slightly ahead of Alves. But just inside the penalty area, Piqué was positioned near the byline, ready to block a low cross.

The Argentine winger took a quick glance, Cavani's position was clear in his mind.

If he played a low pass, even if Alves didn't block it, Piqué surely would.

Without hesitation, as he caught up to the ball with Alves right on his heels, Di María barely adjusted his stride and whipped in a cross with his left foot, aiming directly at the center of the six-yard box.

Sánchez was lurking at the back post, keeping Puyol occupied, while Piqué was drawn wide near the left edge of the box. This left Busquets as the only one marking Cavani in the middle. The Spaniard tried to keep Cavani behind him.

As Di María sprinted down the wing, both Busquets and Cavani charged into the penalty area from the edge of the box.

At first, Cavani feinted toward the left side of the penalty area, nudging Busquets slightly, making it seem like he intended to run in behind Piqué.

Busquets, falling for the movement, adjusted his position accordingly, ensuring that Cavani remained behind him.

This meant that if Di María wanted to find Cavani, he would need to bypass Busquets first.

But just as Busquets moved left, Cavani suddenly changed direction, cutting diagonally into the center of the six-yard box.

Right at that moment, Di María, having shaken off Alves, delivered his cross.

Alves, positioned wide, failed to block it. The ball sailed over Piqué, cleared Busquets, and dropped right into the danger zone in front of goal.

Puyol, ever experienced, reacted instantly, shaking off Sánchez and rushing toward the ball.

But Cavani had already launched himself forward like a charging tank, surging toward the ball's landing spot. With his powerful leap, he soared above everyone.

Puyol, despite his strong jumping ability, was at a height disadvantage. Cavani timed his jump perfectly, taking off a fraction of a second earlier, giving him the edge.

With a commanding header, Cavani directed Di María's cross toward the right side of the goal.

Valdés reacted quickly, he had initially been positioned near the left post but scrambled toward the center. However, he couldn't match the speed of the ball.

The moment he saw Cavani rise for the header, Valdés flung himself into a dive.

But he couldn't get there in time.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"59th minute—Napoli scores again!"

"2-0!!!"

"A brilliant assist from Di María on the left, and Cavani meets it with a powerful header, beating Puyol!"

"A devastating counterattack from Napoli, executed with ruthless efficiency!"

"Barcelona's defense reacted quickly, but they still couldn't contain Napoli's lightning-fast transition."

"Once again, we see the vulnerabilities of a three-man defense, particularly behind Alves."

"In the second half, after Barcelona switched formations, Napoli's counterattacks have primarily targeted the flanks."

"Barcelona is in real trouble now. Their attack has struggled to break through, and their defensive gaps are being exposed repeatedly."

"Two-nil, with about 30 minutes left, Barcelona must respond quickly!"

…

…

The live TV broadcast switched to the touchline.

Gao Shen, elated after the goal, leaped into the air in celebration, his excitement even surpassing that of Cavani, the goal scorer.

On the other side, Guardiola stood motionless on the sideline, a deep frown on his face, exuding frustration and helplessness. No one could tell what was going through his mind.

Two-nil.

Despite Barcelona's increased possession after the tactical shift, their overall performance had remained as ineffective as in the first half.

"This goal is a major psychological blow to Barcelona, especially to Guardiola."

In the stands, many influential figures from Italian football had gathered—Lippi, Ulivieri, Capello, Ancelotti, and others. Together, they watched, analyzed, and discussed the match.

After seeing Cavani's goal, Lippi shook his head and sighed, his expression indicating deep doubts about Barcelona's chances.

"Guardiola is still too inexperienced. A halftime substitution is understandable, but switching to a 3-4-3 in such a high-stakes match is overly ambitious. No matter his reasoning, making such a radical adjustment in such an intense contest risks harming his own team more than the opponent."

Lippi's assessment earned nods of agreement from those around him.

The legendary "Silver Fox" had always been known for his sharp tactical eye.

"The team was completely smothered in the first half. Napoli's tactical discipline and off-the-ball movement were outstanding," Ulivieri observed. "I heard that ever since the quarterfinals against Manchester United, Gao Shen has drilled his players relentlessly on pressing and positional play every single day."

Guardiola probably saw that he had the upper hand in the first half but couldn't convert it into goals or real threats, so he wanted to adjust and strengthen Barcelona's wing play. But who would have thought..."

Ulivieri paused, then glanced at Capello, who sat upright.

"This match reminds me of the final at the Olympic Stadium in Athens."

Capello's expression changed slightly as he turned to look at Ulivieri.

The latter smiled faintly. "Who knows, the scoreline might just repeat itself! It's been a long time since we've seen more than four goals in a Champions League final."

Back in the 1993-94 season, one of the most iconic Champions League finals took place at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.

Capello, managing AC Milan, faced Cruyff's Barcelona in what was expected to be a tightly contested match.

It had been a remarkable season.

At the time, Capello's Milan had stumbled through the group stage. They narrowly secured first place by edging out Porto, coached by Bobby Robson. Among Porto's staff at the time was a young interpreter named José Mourinho.

In the other group, Cruyff's Barcelona had stormed through, playing dazzling attacking football. They had convincingly beaten tough opponents, including Monaco from Ligue 1, topping their group with ease.

Incidentally, Monaco's manager back then was none other than Arsène Wenger.

The Champions League format had been undergoing reforms in the early '90s, with fewer teams participating. Only the domestic league champions qualified, and the format was constantly evolving. However, the core principle remained, introducing a group stage to increase the number of matches.

In the 1993-94 season, the tournament featured 32 teams, who first played two rounds of two-legged knockout ties. The remaining eight teams were then divided into two groups, with the top two from each advancing directly to the semi-finals.

The semi-finals were also two-legged affairs, pitting the first-place team from one group against the second-place team from the other.

By this stage, the modern Champions League format was beginning to take shape.

Before the final, Cruyff, the architect of Barcelona's philosophy, was still young and brimming with confidence perhaps even arrogance. His side's performances had been dominant, and he didn't shy away from making bold statements.

While inspecting the venue, he remarked that the real AC Milan had been the one under Sacchi, featuring the legendary Dutch trio of Gullit, Rijkaard, and Van Basten. He dismissed Capello's Milan as a team that relied too heavily on defensive players like Desailly.

"We will be the winners, there is no doubt. We are more complete, more competitive. They rely only on defense, while we play beautiful, attacking football."

Those were Cruyff's exact words.

In the month leading up to the final, Barcelona had won six consecutive matches, scoring 20 goals and conceding just 3. Their attacking trio—Romário, Stoichkov, and Begiristain (now Barcelona's technical director)—had combined for 91 goals that season. They seemed unstoppable.

But on the night of the final, none of them showed up.

Meanwhile, Milan's counterattacks shredded Barcelona's defense to pieces.

The backline, anchored by Guardiola and Koeman, was completely overwhelmed.

The result?

4-0.

A crushing defeat.

Capello had orchestrated one of the most dominant performances in Champions League final history.

…

Even though 15 years had passed, for Lippi, Ulivieri, Capello, and the rest of the veterans, the memories remained vivid.

They had witnessed history. They had shaped football.

Now, as they sat in the stands, they were watching a new generation take the stage.

Ulivieri's comparison between Napoli vs. Barcelona and that legendary final wasn't without reason.

Gao Shen, from the moment he emerged in football, had often been called "Capello II."

Meanwhile, Guardiola was Cruyff's direct disciple.

If it had been anyone else, they might have been thrilled to hear such a comparison.

But Capello?

His expression remained as cold as ever.

"He is nothing like me," he said flatly.

Ulivieri chuckled. "That's true. He's not as conservative as you."

Capello's brow furrowed.

He didn't like the sound of that.

Conservative? Me?

Lippi, seated nearby, couldn't help but grin.

"After tonight, he'll have more Champions League titles than you."

Capello's eye twitched.

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Chapter 519: The Third Goal

Begiristain sat in the stands, his brows furrowed, his expression serious.

He was unaware that, not far from him, a group of Italian coaching legends were engaged in a heated discussion about how tonight's match resembled the iconic battle fifteen years ago.

But deep down, he couldn't shake the same thought.

It really did feel like that match.

And with every passing moment, the similarities grew stronger.

Although he was a Barcelona legend and now the club's technical director, Begiristain wasn't actually Catalan.

Born in the Basque Country, he started his career at Real Sociedad before joining Barcelona, where he played for seven years and witnessed the rise and fall of the Dream Team. After that, he moved back north to Deportivo La Coruña before eventually heading to Japan.

Many regarded him as a key figure in Cruyff's golden era, but in reality, his footballing philosophy differed in many ways from his former manager's. The Basque lion's blood still flowed in his veins.

It gave him a broader perspective.

Back in Athens, Barcelona had been completely dismantled.

Despite AC Milan missing their two main center-backs, Baresi and Costacurta, Barcelona's attack was completely nullified. The Italian side's meticulous defensive structure and suffocating press choked the life out of Barcelona's rhythm.

Romário and Stoichkov, usually so lethal, played like individuals, unable to bring the team's familiar fluidity into the game.

Yes—rhythm.

Whether it was Cruyff or Guardiola, their football relied on a specific tempo, a controlled flow.

As long as they dictated the pace, their teams played beautifully, unstoppable.

But when an opponent forced them out of their rhythm, their adaptability was shockingly poor. At times, it seemed as if they didn't even know how to play football anymore.

In Athens, Capello's Milan shut down Barcelona's offense in the first half and hit them with two deadly counterattacks.

Milan relaxed. Barcelona panicked.

Less than two minutes into the second half, Savicevic lobbed a stunning goal from an impossible angle—3-0.

At that moment, Barcelona completely collapsed.

Begiristain still vividly remembered how, shortly after that goal, Cruyff subbed him off.

His replacement? Eusebio Sacristán, a smaller, more technical midfielder, meant to shore up control and steady the midfield.

Ironically, just a few minutes later, Albertini assisted Desailly to make it 4-0.

The very midfield Cruyff had hoped to strengthen was ripped apart yet again.

That final was, without a doubt, one of the most painful defeats in Barcelona's history. Begiristain could still recall the sheer powerlessness every Barcelona player felt on the pitch.

And now, in Rome, against Napoli, that same feeling was creeping in.

Already two goals down, Barcelona had to attack.

But the game's rhythm had been completely hijacked. Napoli defended comfortably, yet at any moment, they could strike with a devastating counterattack.

Attacking meant exposing themselves.
Not attacking meant accepting defeat.

The worst part?

As a team built on possession football, Barcelona's greatest enemy was panic.

Patience was a fundamental requirement for their style of play.

But trailing 2-0 in a Champions League final, how could they possibly stay calm?

How could they not be nervous?

How could they avoid rushing their passes, forcing their attacks, falling into frustration?

The truth was—they couldn't.

Players weren't machines.

This contradiction was unavoidable.

At times, Begiristain felt that Guardiola was eerily similar to Cruyff.

Both were philosophers, thinkers, obsessed with complex ideas, relentlessly chasing the perfect version of football.

But there was one key difference.

Before that Athens final, Cruyff had been overconfident, dismissing Milan outright, believing Barcelona's victory was inevitable.

Guardiola?

From the start, he had doubted himself against Gao Shen's Napoli.

And Begiristain understood why.

Guardiola had been deeply influenced by Gao Shen.

If he suffered another crushing defeat tonight, it might haunt him for the rest of his career.

…

…

With a two-goal lead, Napoli had one hand on the Champions League trophy.

This second goal had delivered a devastating psychological blow to Barcelona.

Yet Guardiola made no tactical adjustments.

In truth, he didn't know how.

Switching back to 4-3-3 meant reverting to their first-half struggles and without Yaya Touré, the defensive stability wasn't there.

Making such a change would only shatter the team's morale further.

The real issue now was midfield control.

Barcelona couldn't contain Napoli, especially with referee's lenient approach to physical challenges, far different from La Liga's officiating standards.

Napoli took full advantage, engaging in aggressive duels, disrupting Barcelona's flow without crossing the line into reckless fouls.

Guardiola, having played in Serie A, knew exactly how Italian teams manipulated the rules.

They understood when to foul, where to foul, and how to avoid bookings.

The proof?

Over 60 minutes played only one yellow card.

And that was Piqué's foul on Cavani.

Napoli had committed plenty of fouls yet not a single booking.

Outrageous? Maybe.

But that was reality.

If Webb had been biased toward Napoli, Barcelona could have protested.

But in truth, Napoli had simply mastered the referee's standard of enforcement.

They knew exactly when to push the limit and when to pull back.

And in this aspect, Barcelona was clearly outmatched.

There was no solution, except to complain to the referee and hope for leniency.

But Guardiola had a vague sense that referee did not appreciate Barcelona's protests.

Thinking about this, he felt helpless.

Even worse, time was slipping away for Barcelona.

Guardiola had considered going all-out against Napoli, but he lacked confidence.

With their strong defensive structure, Napoli could withstand pressure. Even if Barcelona pushed forward aggressively, breaking through their defensive line would be extremely difficult. Meanwhile, Barcelona's own defense…

…

As Guardiola wrestled with his thoughts, Messi dropped deep to receive the ball, only to be immediately closed down by Thiago Motta.

The Brazilian midfielder had been outstanding tonight. Though Messi managed to keep possession, he was forced into a backward pass to Iniesta. But before Iniesta could settle, Rakitic pressed him immediately, forcing him to shift the ball left toward Sylvinho.

Just as Sylvinho received the pass, Sánchez sprang forward out of nowhere, intercepting the ball!

Both Sylvinho and Iniesta were stunned and immediately tried to win it back.

But Sánchez stayed calm, taking a step back before playing a quick pass to Rakitic, who had moved into space. Then, without hesitation, he turned and sprinted forward.

Iniesta abandoned Sánchez and rushed toward Rakitic.

The Croatian midfielder spotted the incoming pressure and played a first-time pass into the middle, where Thiago Motta stepped up to receive it.

Motta stopped the ball, glanced forward, and delivered a lofted pass toward the edge of the penalty area.

Cavani was surrounded.

To his right was Piqué, Busquets was behind him, Puyol was to his left, and Xavi was sprinting back from the front.

But the Uruguayan striker had positioned himself perfectly.

He controlled Motta's pass with his chest, using his body to shield the ball from Piqué and Busquets behind him. Before Xavi could close him down, Cavani gently flicked the ball left, into Puyol's zone.

Puyol reacted instantly, charging in to cut off Cavani's path.

But just as he reached him, Cavani executed a brilliant move, with his right foot, he shifted the ball into the penalty area while facing sideways to goal!

The pass cut through Barcelona's defense.

Almost simultaneously, Sánchez who had won the ball moments ago, raced past Puyol like a flash of lightning!

The Barcelona captain had no time to turn and chase.

Sánchez burst into the penalty area, arriving just as Valdés rushed forward to close him down.

With incredible composure, the Chilean winger nudged the ball past Valdés, avoiding the keeper's challenge.

From there, it was simple.

Sánchez chased down the ball near the goal line and slotted it into the empty net.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"3-0!!!"

"THREE-NIL!!!"

"Another devastating Napoli counterattack, superb combination play between the striker and the winger!"

"Sánchez gets Napoli's third goal!"

"What a brilliant goal!"

Sánchez sprinted toward the Napoli fans, dropping to his knees and celebrating wildly.

Behind him, Napoli players rushed over one by one, even the substitutes stormed out from the bench, surrounding him in a frenzied celebration.

3-0!!

The game had reached the 70th minute.

Napoli had one hand on the Champions League trophy!

The Napoli fans erupted, cheering wildly!

They first chanted Sánchez's name, then Cavani's, and soon every player's name echoed through the stadium.

As Sánchez and his teammates jogged back toward the bench, he ran to Gao Shen, exchanging high-fives and hugs with the manager.

Nearly 30,000 Napoli fans inside the stadium roared in unison, chanting Gao Shen's name.

3-0!

No one had expected this before the match.

But it had happened.

Napoli, with just 30% possession, had shattered Barcelona's defense time and time again with their devastating counterattacks.

And at the heart of it all—Gao Shen.

He was the soul of this Napoli team!