Napoli domi the Meazza Stadium, delivering a stunning 3–0 victory away from home!
By the day, news of this victory had spread like wildfire across Europe, creating a huge uproar in the world of football.
The Serie A ndscape was shifting, and it was clear that a new era had begun.
Gao Shen and his Napoli side were bzing through Italian football like an unstoppable wildfire, challenging the traditional order with their aggressive and modern pystyle.
Italian coag legend Arrigo Sacchi was quick to publish a n after the match, stating that this wasn't evero version of Napoli yet.
Sacchi wrote that since Gao Shen arrived in Serie A two years ago, he had profoundly reshaped Italian football. Napoli, under Gao Shen's guidance, had bee a catalyst for ge, leaving a deep and sting impa the league.
Sacoted that many Italian coaches—such as Spalletti, Prandelli, Del Neri, Pioli, Ventura, and Ulivieri had praised Gao Shen and Napoli's tactical style.
"You see traces of Napoli's influen their transformations," Sacchi wrote.
"It's a widespread and profound effect!"
Sacchi argued that Gao Shen's success had not only elevated Napoli but also tributed to the growth of Italian football as a whole.
"Some critics cim Gao Shen's team is too iional and doesn't nurture Italian pyers. But let's take a closer look. During Gao Shen's tenure, pyers like Paolo avaro earned national team call-ups, and now Dossena and Bsi are als didates for the squad."
"And if these three aren't ving enough, let's look at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Both Bonucci, at ter-back, and Pelle, as a striker, performed exceptionally well. These two pyers are integral to Napoli and are seen as future pilrs of the Italian national team."
Sacchi tinued by highlighting Napoli's tributions to youth football. "The Italian U16 squad called up Napoli's 15-year-old midfielder Verratti, while the U18 team made an exception by calling up the 17-year-old Insigne."
"Both are rising talents who have received focused training at Napoli. They are the future of both the club and Italian football."
Sacchi also emphasized Gao Shen's broader tributions beyond tactid pyer development. His influeeo the football industry, drawing attention from the Italian professional league.
For instance, Sacchi pointed out that before the start of the season, the Italian Football Association invited Napoli's fitness coach, Pintus, to give a lecture oeam's innovative trainihods and use of advaeology.
"Before joining Napoli, Pintus left Juventus in disappoi. Ranieri preferred to use an uified fitness coach over Pintus, with some eveioning whether Pintus could effectively train pyers."
"But in Napoli, Pintus became a core part of Gao Shen's coag staff. During the sed half of st season, Napoli's sistend physical performance were outstanding. Gao Shen himself repeatedly credited Pintus for this achievement."
Sacchi revealed that young coaches from across Italy had applied to observe training sessions at Napoli's Castel Volturno base to learn from Gao Shen's advanced methods. "This alone is a signifit tribution to Italian football and even a meritorious one."
Sacchi cluded his n with a challenge:
"The ges Gao Shen has brought to Italian football are impressive, but they're not enough."
"If he guide Napoli to success in the Champions League this season, it will resonate even further, ving more people, inspiring more teams, and even influeng more nations the value of his methods."
…
As Sacchi's article gaira, it was clear that he was serving as Gao Shen's number one cheerleader.
The rest of the Italian media also followed suit, sh praise on Napoli.
Although Gao Shen was an outsider, his results had silenced critics. From their tactical approach to their trainihods, Napoli had bee the benchmark for innovation in Serie A.
In just two years, Gao Shen had built a team capable of peting at the highest level.
However, skepticism lingered among some entators, whued that Napoli's dominance might be exaggerated due to the dee of Serie A as a whole.
They poio Mani's Inter Min as a cautionary tale.
How dominant was Inter Min in Serie A under Mani?
They went on an uen run of over 40 matches, sweeping aside all challengers domestically.
But in the Champions League?
They were humiliated 0–3 both home and away, failing to score a single goal and being pletely outcssed by Liverpool in just 180 minutes.
Who's to say Gao Shen's Napoli wouldn't meet the same fate on the European stage?
…
Meanwhile, the rea to Inter Min's loss was markedly different.
Public opinion, while critical, was retively le, fog instead on individual performances.
Montari, for instance, was singled out for praise. The Ghanaian midfielder was hailed as Inter Min's ao Essien, and many believed he would be a key figure in their midfield this season.
Then there was Balotelli.
Despite a subdued performance against Napoli, the young striker was already being hailed as a future star.
"Moratti has described him as the most talented ter forward Inter Min has had since Ronaldo, Adriano, and Ibrahimovic—a future erstone of the club!"
As for Mourinho, his reputation as a tacti remained intact. Everyone knew about his fixation with the right-back position. During his Chelsea days, he struggled to find a reliable solution for the right fnk.
Now, at Inter Min, Mourinho had Mai, a pyer he described as the best right-ba the world.
With pyers like Montari, Balotelli, Mai, and Ibrahimoviter Min's strength was undeniable.
Especially sidering their massive summer spending, which amouo a iment of €50 million on pyers like Mani and Quaresma.
But what shocked the football world was Inter Min's rea to their defeat.
…
Reports emerged that following their loss to Napoli, Mourinho held a closed-door meeting with chairman Massimo Moratti.
The very day, Italian media outlets reported that Inter Min had submitted an official bid for Lazio foran Pandev.
At the same time, Gazzetta dello Sport revealed that Inter Min had also made an offer for Sp Lisbon midfielder Jo?o Moutinho.
These reports caused a stir, as it became clear that Inter Min wasn't done spending.
After a €50 million transfer spree, they were ready to spend even more to bolster their squad.
It was evident that the 0–3 loss to Napoli had shaken the club to its core.
…
In the following days, Inter Min moved with incredible speed.
Within three days, they secured Pandev for €15 million from Lazio.
A day ter, Moutinho joined from Sp Lisbon for €12 million.
The signings signifitly strengthened Inter Min.
Pandev, a versatile left-footed attacker, could enhaer's left fnk and py multiple roles in the forward line.
Moutinho, meanwhile, added mueeded creativity and passing ability to Inter's midfield, which had been criticized for its agination.
"Moutinho and Montari, one focused on attad the other on defense, have transformed Inter Min's midfield," Gazzetta dello Sport wrote.
However, Inter's attempts to sign Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho fell through, as the English club refused to sell.
Uerred, Iurheir attention to two other ter-backs: Flumihiago Silva and Bayern Munich's Lucio.
Each had pros and s. Thiago Silva was younger but had previously struggled in Europe, while Lucio's quality roven, though he was already 30 years old.
Ultimately, Mourinho chose Lucio.
Inter's teical direarco Branca, traveled to Munich to iate the deal. After persuading both Bayern and Lucio, the 30-year-old defender joined Inter for €15 million.
With these three signings, Inter Mi €42 million in just a few days. bined with their earlier spending, their iment for the summer reached an astonishing €90 million—surpassing even Bara to bee the biggest spenders in Europe.
Inter Min's revamped lineup now looked formidable.
Their defense, midfield, and attack had all received signifit upgrades, reignitiement among fans and media alike.
Suddenly, the mood surrounding Inter Min shifted.
From being dismissed after their loss to Napoli, they were now once again regarded as favorites to win Serie A.
As Gazzetta dello Sport put it:
"€90 million versus €2 million—a gap of 45 times."
"That's the weight of a championship!"
***
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