Three, two, one… beep!

  The referee's whistle pierced the air.

  Instantly, every Napoli pyer surged forward, pressing into Maer United's half like a blue tidal wave.

  From the sidelines, Gao Shen watched the movement unfold, and for some reason, a lively Spanish melody from a barbecue restaurant in Madrid popped into his head.

  It was almost as if his pyers were moving in perfect rhythm, each press, each sprint falling into pce like notes in a song.

  And then it hit him, his mi had shifted.

  For the first time in a long time, Gao She pletely free of pressure.

  All the tension, all the weight that had e with fag Ferguson—gone.

  It was like a breakthrough moment, a personal evolution.

  Even if he faced Ferguson again iure, he would never feel the same pressure as before.

  Some battles, once fought, ge you forever.

  Oapoli's high-iy pressing took full effect.

  They pushed their defensive line past midfield, suffog Maer United's buildup py.

  When it came to high-pressing football, Napoli were the best in Europe.

  Even Bara, with all their intricate passing, might struggle to match this level of iy.

  Ba the first leg, Ferguson had asked Gao Shen:

  "Why didn't you attack?"

  At the time, Gao Shen had given no response.

  But now?

  Now, he had his answer.

  This is the attack you were waiting for, Sir!

  With a 2-0 lead, Napoli pyed with fidence, posure, and ruthless execution.

  Gao Shen had given them one clear instru:

  "Unless I tell you to drop bao oreats!"

  And so, they pressed forward relentlessly, throwing Maer United into chaos.

  United's passing game, already struggling, pletely unraveled.

  Every time they tried to py out from the baapoli's pressing forced hurried passes and mistakes.

  And the moment Napained possession, they unched instant terattacks, f United onto the back foot.

  The Red Devils found themselves trapped, uo build anything meaningful.

  Slowly but surely, they were being overwhelmed.

  ---

  Ooue, Ferguson gritted his teeth, watg the game slip away.

  A realization dawned on him—

  Gao Shen had turned his own tactics against him.

  The same high-pressure strategy Ferguson had used to trol the first half…

  Napoli were now exeg it to perfe in the sed.

  Only this time, the situation was far worse for United.

  Because now, they hree goals and time was against them.

  If they couldn't break free from Napoli's press, there was no ce to even unch a eback.

  Already, Rooney and Nani were forced to drop deeper, trying to help their midfield escape the pressure.

  Eveov and Ronaldo had to track back.

  And that was the problem.

  Instead of attag, United were stuck defending.

  Could they go long?

  In theory, yes—Napoli's high press left space behind.

  But to exploit it, they needed precision passing.

  And uhis level of pressure, it was almost impossible to find the right pass.

  Every time Uried to py a long ball forward, Napoli's midfield swarmed them before they could eve up.

  In the end, most long passes turned into desperate clearances, wild punts with almost no accuracy.

  Even if Berbatov or Ronaldo got he ball, Napoli's defenders were always first to react.

  If United had a teically gifted midfield, they might have been able to pass their way out of trouble.

  But aside from Carrione of their midfielders were fortable pying quickly under pressure.

  And the moment they hesitated?

  Napoli swarmed them, forced mistakes, and unched atack.

  Steal the ball. Attack. Steal the ball. Attack.

  It was a nightmare cycle.

  The kind of football that had made teams across Europe terrified of fag Napoli.

  Even in Italy—the birthpce of defeactiapoli's relentless pressing had been hailed as a tactical revolution.

  Could United do what Hiddink's Chelsea had doay pad defend?

  Maybe.

  But they weren't in a position to defend.

  They hree goals.

  Ferguson hated to admit it, but right nooli were simply the better side.

  He had no choice but to bide his time just as Gao Shen had done in the first half.

  "Let's see how long you keep this up!"

  At the 60th minute, Hamsik started warming up.

  Gao Shen reparing his first substitution.

  Meanwhile, Ferguson found himself hesitating.

  Did he o ge things again?

  Should he adjust the tactics?

  The problem wasn't just positioning, Napoli's energy levels were unreal.

  Rakitic had been phenomenal.

  For the past hour, he had been an absolute menace, pressing Carrid Fletcher relentlessly.

  Alongside i, Di Maria, and Sanchez, Napoli had choked United's entire midfield and bae.

  But after 63 minutes of iy, Rakitic was beginning to fade.

  That's when Gao Shen made his move.

  63rd Minute: Substitution

  Hamsik ON, Rakitic OFF

  Napoli adjusted their shape, shifting into a 4-2-3-1 formation.

  However, iy, the front three remained aggressive, with:

  Hamsik pyi midfield

  Biglia deeper on the right

  Thiago Motta anch the back

  Hamsik might look like a brute with his Mohawk and tattoos, but his teique was exceptional.

  He was deadly with through balls, dangerous from deep runs, and under Gao Shen's coag, had also developed into a tenacious presser.

  Despite being benched in the Champions League for tactical reasons, he had been one of Napoli's best pyers in Serie A.

  Now, Gao Shen had unleashed him, his main mission?

  Shut down Carrick.

  "Damn it! Why do all their pyers have endless stamina?!" Ferguson cursed.

  Time was slipping away.

  By the time Napoli pleted their substitution, it was 65 minutes in.

  Fergusoated, five more minutes passed.

  Finally, in the 73rd minute, he made his move.

  Rooney OFF, Giggs ON

  It was a clear signal, United were throwing everything into attack.

  But before they could build momentum, Napoli struck back.

  75th Minute: Vidal ON, Di Maria OFF

  This infuriated Ferguson.

  Gao Shen had just repced a winger with a two-way midfielder.

  The message was clear, Napoli weren't bag down.

  With Vidal joining Biglia in midfield, and Hamsik pushing higher, Napoli tio trol the game.

  They weren't slowing the tempo.

  They weren't sitting back.

  They were fighting to the very end.

  At that moment, everyone iadium knew.

  Maer United were finished.

  With 15 minutes left, Maer United's hopes were fading fast.

  They hree goals, but there were no signs of a eback.

  Napoli had them pletely locked down.

  United were losing in possession, shots, and even spirit.

  Gao Shen's sed-half substitutions had reinforapoli's midfield, making it even harder for Uo break through.

  Ferguson had no answer.

  It was eerily simir to the first leg, where United had alsled to create ces, the only exception being a brief moment wheov linked up with Ronaldoal.

  But tonight?

  Napoli had closed that door too.

  No one could question Cristiano Ronaldo's desire.

  He had taken the most shots of any pyer ich.

  But every siempt had been tained, blocked, or sent off target.

  That was United's biggest problem, their star pyer couldn't create real danger.

  Ferguson had used all three substitutions, yet the situation remained unged.

  United were out of time.

  They still hree goals and everyone iadium knew:

  It was impossible.

  Even the Maer United fans se.

  Even the United pyers oew it.

  As the game he 80th minute, Gao Shen made the call.

  With his team's energy levels dropping, he sighem to drop deeper, tighten their shape, and lock down the defense.

  They no longer o press high, they only o see the game out.

  But he wasn't taking any risks.

  82nd minute— Final Substitution

  Valencia ON, Sanchez OFF

  The Chilean winger had been instrumental in the first goal, w tirelessly throughout the match.

  But now? He was out of gas.

  In came Antonio Valencia, an explosive winger with raw pace.

  It was a clear tactical shift, Napoli were switg to terattack mode.

  "Napoli is setting up for a defensive terattack," the entator noted.

  "They have pyers who hit long passes, and with both teams exhausted, if Maer United pushes too far forward, Napoli could exploit them with one quick ball over the top."

  "Valencia's speed will be their on now."

  Napoli adjusted their formation, moving to a 4-3-1-2 setup:

  i and Valencia up front.

  Hamsik pying behind them as an advanced midfielder.

  A solid deferio in midfield, sittio protect the bae.

  The message was clear:

  Napoli would not let their guard down until the final whistle.

  From the toue, Gao Shen opped shouting instrus, keeping his pyers focused.

  Everyone iadium khe game was effectively over.

  But Gao Shen wasn't taking any ces.

  Because in football, miracles happen in the final moments and he wasn't about to let one happen against Napoli.

  ---

  Even in the dying minutes, Ronaldo opped running.

  He was still looking for a way bato the game.

  With every sprint, with every dribble, he threw everything he had onto the pitch.

  But football is a team game and tonight, he was alone.

  89th minute—o moment of danger.

  Ronaldo drove forward on the left wing, weaving past defenders, winning a er kick.

  For a brief sed, Gao She his heart tighten.

  Maer United pushed everyone forward for the set piece.

  They won back-to-back ers, hoping for o lifeline.

  But Napoli held firm.

  her set piece produced a real threat.

  And that was it.

  In stoppage time, United resorted to long balls.

  They unched desperate crosses, hoping for something, anything.

  Ronaldo got on the end of a few passes, but there was no support.

  The attacks were isoted, aimless.

  Four minutes of extra time came a.

  No miracle. No eback.

  ---

  FULL-TIME: 2-0!

  NAPOLI HAVE DO!

  3-1 ON AGGREGATE—NAPOLI ADVAO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL!

  The referee blew the final whistle, and for a split sed, there was silence.

  Then.

  Gao Sheed.

  He had do!

  He sprinted onto the pitch, fists ched, r in triumph.

  Napoli were going to the final!

  ***

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