The first half ended with a score of 1-0.

  After Napoli scored, the game fell into a stalemate once again.

  However, before the end of the first half, Bara accelerated their attacks, and Napoli responded with quick terattacks, creating several threatening moments.

  This time, it was Rakitic who took a le shot from outside the box, but he failed to trol the ball's trajectory, and it flew high over the crossbar.

  With just four shots, three of which were dangerous and oing in a goal, Napoli's attag efficy remained impressively high.

  Bara, oher hand, had 63% possession but managed only six shots, none of which were on target. Four of those were from long distance, highlighting their struggles in breaking through Napoli's deferucture.

  If Bara could find a way to break through, given their usual style, they'd prefer to pass the ball into the rather thaing to long shots. The fact that they had to shoot from distanderscored just how effective Napoli's defeactics had been in the first half.

  But as the matentators analyzed, the real battle would e down to the adjustments made by the managers during the halftime break.

  …

  Bara's pyers had no idea hooli would adjust.

  But on their own side, they quickly noticed a hint of ge.

  As they returo the dressing room, before anyone could catch their breath, Guardio and Vinova entered without saying a word, letting the pyers and staff go about their usual routines.

  At first, no one sensed anything unusual until Sylvinho walked through the door.

  That was when everyone realized something .

  A substitution was ing!

  Sylvinho was a left-back, so the most likely didate to be repced uyol, who had been pying on the left in this match.

  All eyes immediately turo Puyol, only to find the captain sitting calmly, without the slightest hint of .

  Everyohought about it and quickly ruled out the possibility of Puyol being substituted. As the team's captain and defensive leader, repg him would make no sense.

  Then came the logical clusion: if Puyol wasn't leaving, maybe he would switch tht-baake room for Sylvinho.

  But that didn't add up either. Alves had been solid on the right fnk, and Bara's most effective attag sequences in the first half had e from that side. Besides, the ceded goal wasn't his fault.

  With those possibilities ruled out, the answer became obvious.

  Almost as soon as everyone figured it out, they saw Yaya Touré's expression darken.

  Even his naturally dark plexion couldn't ceal the emotional storm brewing within him. He knew, it was going to be him.

  He had been the scapegoat of the first half. The entators had singled him out multiple times, and while no one openly criticized him, Touré could feel the unspoken bme for the ceded goal. If he'd tracked back quicker, maybe that goal wouldn't have happened.

  Despite his growing aouré sat still, pretending to be unaware.

  Until Vinova walked over and leaned down to speak quietly.

  "Yaya, we thea the left side in the sed half, so we're making a tactical ge. Go ahead and take a shower."

  Even though he'd been expeg it, the words still hit like a sledgehammer. Touré shot to his feet, his sudden movement making everyone in the dressing room tense.

  Being substituted at halftime in a Champions League final, yer wouldn't feel humiliated?

  Especially when he'd pyed more mihan Busquets throughout the tour and made signifit tributions along the way.

  Puyol, Piqué, Xavi, and a few others immediately stood up, positioning themselves subtly between Touré and Guardio, just in case the Ivorian lost his temper.

  That moment of tension made everything painfully clear to Touré.

  No matter how much he'd given to the team, no matter his tributions, he was still an outsider in this dressing room.

  Here, his role was to obey.

  The sileretched for what felt like ay.

  Finally, Touré took a deep breath, nodded, and turoward the showers without saying a word.

  His back, however, was etched with disappoi.

  …

  As soon as Sylviered Bara's dressing room, Gao Shen received the news.

  His immediate rea was to smile.

  The Philosopher has finally run out of patience.

  A left-back substitution? Who would Guardio take off?

  After a moment's thought, Gao Shen narrowed his guess down to Yaya Touré.

  But he couldn't be certain if Guardio would stick with his usual 4-3-3 formation.

  You never know with the Philosopher.

  "In the sed half, Bara is going to make a substitution," Gao Shen announced as he walked among the Napoli pyers. "Stay sharp."

  "No matter how they adjust their formation or tactics, their core philosophy won't ge. They'll still rely on possession and passing. So, stick to our first-half game pn."

  "Sylvinho is a left-back, so his introdu is clearly meant to boost their left-wing attack, especially their link-up py with Henry."

  Gao Shen paused and turoward Sánchez and Di María.

  "Be extra vigint on the right side. If necessary, drop back to help defend. Uood?"

  her Sánchez nor Di María were the type of pyers to shy away from defeies. After hearing Gao Shen's instrus, they both nodded without hesitation.

  "Guys, let me reiterate, our performaonight has been excellent. We o keep it up. I'm fident that if we maintain our current rhythm and approach, if we tio disrupt Bara's passing game and offensive flow, then we'll be the ones lifting the trophy at the end!"

  Gao Shen paused for a moment, sweeping his gaze across the pyers before a fident smile.

  "You all know me, I hate a 1-0 lead. So let's push harder in the sed half and try to score one or twoals!"

  The pyers responded with enthusiasm.

  …

  Barade their substitution as soon as the sed half began, and Guardio's tactical adjustments were revealed.

  Gao Shen had guessed right: Sylvinho came on to repce Yaya Touré.

  What he didn't predict, however, was that Guardio had abahe 4-3-3 formation and switched to a 3-4-3.

  Busquets dropped into the back line, f a three-man defense alongside Puyol and Piqué, while the full-backs, Sylvinho and Alves, were pushed up into the midfield.

  When Gao Shen saw Bara's nee from the toue, a multitude of thoughts flooded his mind.

  Then came disbelief. Is he really going with three at the back?

  But after a moment's refle, Gao Shen began to uand Guardio's thinking.

  Firstly, there was Busquets. In the first half, Napoli had pressed him so deep that he ractically level with the ter-backs when trying to receive the ball. So now, Guardio simply shifted him back to join the defensive line.

  Sedly, under Bara's usual 4-3-3 structure, their full-backs already positiohemselves high up the pitch. Pushing Sylvinho and Alves into midfield was simply a more extreme application of their typical approach.

  With both full-backs stepping into midfield, they'd have more opportuo link up with Henry ao'o a more involved iack.

  In essence, Guardio was betting on more attag firepower.

  But more attaevitably means more defensive vulnerability.

  The biggest question y in midfield: could the diminutive duo of Xavi and Ia provide suffit defensive cover?

  And then there was the back line: Puyol, a right-footed pyer now stationed on the left; Busquets and Piqué, both g speed and agility. Together, they formed a retively slow, reactive defensive unit.

  With only three men at the back, wide areas were left exposed. If Sylvinho and Alves couldn't track back quickly, Bara's fnks would bee gring oints.

  And Napoli had i, spearheading the attack down the middle.

  "He's a textbook Spanish coach," mented with a sigh.

  Traditional Spanish coaches often prioritized attag principles, always fog on their own game rather than adapting to the oppo. Spain's historic relian winger-based tactics rime example.

  By trast, more pragmatic coaches, especially those from Serie A, or individuals like Benítez and Aragonés teo build from a defensive foundation.

  Guardio's decision ure Spanish football thinking: more possession, more attack.

  But it was also a gamble, as Napoli held the lead and noace to exploit.

  Gao Shen and Zidane exged a ghey uood Carlo's .

  A three-man bae against Napoli's quick, high-pressing attack was a risky move.

  Guardio's logic was sound from a possession standpoint, but it also gave Napoli clear tactical openings.

  Without waiting for the match to resume, Gao Shen rushed to the toue to make adjustments.

  First, he sigo i: Stay on Busquets.

  Since Busquets had retreated into defense, i's job was now simpler, press relentlessly, pinning the back line deep.

  , Gao Sheured to Di María and Sánchez, instrug them to s fnks. Di María returo the left side, while Sáayed wide on the right.

  During halftime, he had asked both wio track back occasionally, but now he hem to drop even deeper, shadowing Sylvinho and Alves whenever Bara advanced.

  Biglia and Rakitic were tasked with stepping higher to disrupt Xavi and Ia's passing nes.

  Napoli's two midfielders held a physical advantage over Bara's maestros, especially Rakitic, who could use his strength to overpower Ia.

  Motta, anch the midfield, would maintain his deep-lying, defensive role.

  The Italian had been a standout performer in the first half, shielding the defeh grit and precision.

  Tonight, against his former club, Motta was determio prove his worth, whether or not he returo Bara in the summer.

  Satisfied with his tactical adjustments, Gao Shen took a deep breath.

  The opening minutes of the sed half firmed that the pyers uood his instrus and were exeg them perfectly.

  Why wait for the future to teach you a lesson, Pep?

  I might as well do it tonight, brutally and decisively. If I leave a sow, maybe you'll think twice before trying these tricks again.

  Pep, I swear, I'm only doing this for your own good!

  ***

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