After careful deployment by Naples, on this national team match day, although the South American international was delayed on the road, he finally arrived in Rome, Italy in the afternoon of April 4th.
Naples arranged a special car to take the players back to the team as soon as possible.
After careful physical examination by Buenaventura, Pintus and the team doctors, it was determined that the player's health was basically fine.
This also made everyone in Naples breathe a sigh of relief.
Especially Gao Shen, he was really on tenterhooks all the way and had to call almost every day to check on the situation.
Now, the players are back safely and on time, and he is relieved.
In order to allow the international players to get a better rest, Gao Shen went north on the weekend for the away game against Sampdoria, and arranged for all the international players to rest, especially the South American international players. He did not take any of them with him and stayed in Naples.
Not only that, Gao Shen also directly gave them a day off to let them all have a good rest.
…
On April 5th, in the 30th round of Serie A, Naples challenged Sampdoria away.
Mazzarri's team continued their usual style and still faced Naples with a 3-5-2 score.
Gao Shen almost played with a full substitute lineup, which caused Naples to be quite passive at the beginning of the away game.
In the 28th minute, Sampdoria took advantage of a free kick. Midfielder Palombo's long shot penetrated the Naples goal and opened the scoring for the home team.
But before the end of the first half, Naples also got a free kick opportunity, and Pelle hit a header to equalize the score for the team.
But in the 63rd minute of the second half, there was another free kick in the frontcourt. Palombo took a direct free kick and penetrated the Naples goal, surpassing the score again.
This time, Sampdoria took the lead until the stoppage time before Hamsik assisted. Mertens, who came on as a substitute, stopped the ball and turned around and shot low, leveling the score for Naples again.
2-2, Napoli drew with Sampdoria away from home.
…
While Naples drew with Sampdoria away from home, Inter Milan defeated Udinese 1-0 with an own goal from their opponent.
Mourinho's team is actually also affected by the national team competition, but at critical moments, their luck is obviously better.
With this own goal, Inter Milan got a valuable three points.
As a result, after this round of games, Naples' league lead was shortened from five points to three points.
For a moment, Mourinho became excited again.
At the post-match press conference, after learning that Naples drew with Sampdoria, Mourinho once again put pressure on Naples, saying that his guess was not wrong at all. Naples would not be able to withstand multi-front battles and would eventually collapse.
"The closer we get to the end of the season, the more dangerous Naples' situation will be!"
Mourinho suggested that Gao Shen should choose to give up one or even two of the fronts.
"Naples is fighting on three fronts now. We all know how difficult it is and how stressful it is."
Mourinho said that many times, although the head coach is reluctant, he has to make some choices.
"As an adult, you can't want everything."
"That's greed, it's a disease, it needs to be cured."
Mourinho's words caused a lot of repercussions in Italy, and even in Naples, they also aroused the reactions of many media and fans. Many fans began to feel that the team should make a choice.
The league lead has been shortened from seven points to three points, and the situation is extremely dangerous.
The gap is only one game. If Inter Milan really has to catch up, Naples' situation will be dangerous.
If, as Mourinho said, he insists on fighting on three fronts and ends up with nothing on all three fronts, that would be a real tragedy.
Not only outside, but also inside Naples, there are similar discussions.
Seeing different voices emerging within the team, Gao Shen made a quick decision and immediately accepted an interview with the local media in Naples.
In the interview, Gao Shen bluntly pointed out the team's current problems. He admitted that the third-line battle has brought a lot of pressure to the team, but he believes that this is not a bad thing.
"Pressure can allow our players to grow and improve more. In the past three years, we have been doing this. When we were in Serie B, we dared to punch the giant teams in Serie A."
Gao Shen said that the tradition of Naples is not to compromise and not to be discouraged!
"What I want to say is that the word "give up" has never been in our Neapolitan dictionary."
"The great situation we are in now is due to our hard work in the past season. At this crossroads, I would rather we fight until the end, even if we get nothing, I am not willing to compromise at this moment and finally get something.
A league championship."
Gao Shen also issued an appeal. He said that he and his team had experienced dealing with similar situations.
"Back then, when I was coaching Real Madrid, I was also faced with a two-front battle. At that time, many people, including people within Real Madrid, were trying to persuade me, hoping that I could make an appropriate choice, give up one of the fronts, and focus on
Another one, but I didn’t do it.”
"I told the players at that time that everyone should be hard on themselves and push themselves, only then can they know how much their potential is, and only then can they know that nothing in this world is impossible."
"In the end, we won the double crown!"
Gao Shen said that now he also wants to say something similar to Naples.
The day after the media interview, when the players had seen Gao Shen's interviews and reports from the media and digested it, Gao Shen organized an internal mobilization meeting.
He told all the players with certainty that Napoli would not give up any front.
"I can tell everyone that we have no way out now."
"Either we will go all the way on these three fronts and fight until the last moment; or we will give up early, and the result of giving up will be that Inter Milan will quietly eat us up, Arsenal will also kill us, and we will eventually be very happy.
Probably nothing!"
Gao Shen made all the players have the same idea, and Naples must stick to it to the end!
"I know that there is a lot of pressure now and it is difficult for everyone, but I believe that as long as we work together and everyone bites the bullet, we can persevere. I believe you will be able to do it!"
"After success, you will become the heroes of this city!"
…
When Naples was trapped in a third-line battle, Arsenal was not in an easy situation, but the situation was much better than Naples. At least in the league, the Gunners' pursuit was not as fierce as that of Inter Milan.
Arsenal are currently fourth in the Premier League, three points ahead of fifth-placed Aston Villa.
But in the thirty-first round of the Premier League, Aston Villa visited Old Trafford. This was a game destined to fail.
Manchester United is currently competing with Liverpool for the league title, and Ferguson will not give Aston Villa a chance to upset them on their own turf under any circumstances.
Sure enough, Manchester United narrowly defeated Aston Villa 3-2.
This makes it easy for Arsenal, who are feeling the pressure of fourth place in the league.
In the home game against Manchester City, the Gunners easily defeated Mark Hughes' team 2-0.
By the way, after the 31st round, Mark Hughes' team is still ranked tenth in the Premier League. This makes Manchester City's huge investment last summer and this winter break look like a joke.
.
No one will question Manchester City's investment, but Mark Hughes cannot lead the ambitious Manchester City. The coaching change has become the consensus of the entire Manchester City.
The Gunners relied on this victory to expand their lead to six points.
With seven games left in the Premier League, this advantage is enough to ensure Arsenal's place in the top four.
…
The Gunners had a near-miss victory, but Napoli drew with Sampdoria 2-2 in the league. Although they played as a substitute, it was still somewhat disappointing.
More and more media are beginning to worry about Napoli's trip to London, England.
After Wenger played against Manchester City, he directly responded to Gao Shen's previous remarks.
Gao Shen said that he has the experience of defeating Arsenal, which has attracted the attention of the whole world, and he will demonstrate it again.
"I don't know who gave him the courage, but I would say I'm glad he has such ambition, but he won't have that opportunity because coming into the Emirates Stadium, we haven't lost in the Champions League so far.
ball."
Wenger is still very proud when talking about this record.
The home record is definitely a symbol of a strong team.
Gao Shen, who was far away in Italy, led the team to train for two days in a low-key manner. On the afternoon before the game, he once again responded to Wenger's words at the pre-match press conference announcing the 18-man squad.
"I don't deny that the Emirates Stadium is a very difficult fortress to conquer, but I don't think Arsenal are very strong."
"On the contrary, this is a team that lacks aggressiveness."
"Look at where they are in the Premier League, they're fourth."
"If it were me, if I were ranked fourth, I would be very ashamed, because I am still six points behind Chelsea, who is third, and I am a full 13 points behind Manchester United, who is first."
"But obviously, some people won't look at it that way, they will look down, oh, I'm six points ahead of fifth place, I'm firmly in fourth place, come on, have a drink and celebrate.
"
Gao Shen shook his head, "This is not my style!"
Obviously, Gao Shen is also engaging in psychological warfare.
Arsenal's lack of aggressive ambition in recent years is well known.
No, after selling Henry, they are now preparing to sell Fabregas.
The Spanish midfielder is obsessed with returning to Barcelona. There are reports that Real Madrid is also interested in him, but Gao Shen knows that Fabregas has not thought about going to Real Madrid.
Gao Shen's words are obviously poking at the weaknesses of Wenger and Arsenal to prepare for the next battle at the Emirates Stadium.
After the pre-match press conference, Gao Shen led the team to take a charter flight from Naples to London that night.
