Starting With Real Madrid

Inter Milan's centennial celebration was held on March 8th.

After their 2-0 victory over Reggina, the club hosted a grand event at the San Siro Stadium.

This lavish celebration featured not only Italian political and business figures but also high-ranking officials from FIFA and UEFA, along with 200 superstars and legendary players from around the world.

The festivities lasted well into the early hours of March 9th. The following day, Inter Milan and the city of Milan continued with various celebratory events, paying homage to the club's storied history.

A century-old giant like Inter Milan carried immense significance, not just for the club but for the entire city.

During the climactic moments of the celebration, in the early morning of March 9th, Inter Milan's players walked onto the center stage to thunderous applause from the fans. Captain Javier Zanetti delivered a heartfelt speech on behalf of the team.

The Argentine legend expressed gratitude to the fans and promised that the players would give their all in the remaining matches to secure the Serie A title this season.

Initially, the club had also planned for Mancini to speak, but the Inter Milan manager tactfully declined.

After all, in the span of a week, Mancini had witnessed his team crumble in three major matches:

A humiliating 0-5 loss to Napoli, surrendering the top spot in the league.

A midweek Champions League Round of 16 loss, 0-1 at home to Liverpool, resulting in elimination.

Zero goals scored and eight conceded in their last three high-profile matches, with performances that left fans infuriated.

Given the circumstances, how could Mancini face the fans and deliver a speech?

Even Zanetti's speech, filled with promises of determination, felt more like damage control for the team's shaky morale. Behind the scenes, the Inter Milan locker room was on edge.

---

On the afternoon of March 9th, Napoli hosted Roma at the San Paolo Stadium and secured a commanding 3-0 victory.

The match itself wasn't filled with dramatic moments, but Napoli's performance was clinical and composed.

As media outlets described it afterward, Napoli displayed the confidence and temperament of champions.

---

The next morning, Italian newspapers were abuzz with praise for Napoli.

Many credited Gao Shen's brilliant substitution as the turning point in the game. Antonio Valencia, who had come off the bench, delivered one assist and scored a goal, helping Napoli secure their decisive victory.

This wasn't seen as mere luck. Gao Shen had hinted before the match that he had prepared a killer move against Roma. As it turned out, Valencia was that very move, delivering a devastating impact at a critical moment.

Even Roma's head coach, Spalletti, admitted in his post-match interview that Roma had no chance of contending for the title. He declared that the team would now shift its focus to the Champions League.

Interestingly, Spalletti also publicly backed Napoli to win the Scudetto.

"I'm more optimistic about Napoli winning the championship," he said.

This made Spalletti the first Serie A coach to openly support Napoli's title bid.

Even Gao Shen's old friend, Ancelotti, hadn't made such a statement. But then again, Ancelotti was too busy dealing with AC Milan's struggles. With the Rossoneri stuck in sixth place and unable to break through, Ancelotti had his hands full.

---

On the morning of March 10th, Inter Milan resumed training.

Mancini and his coaching staff arrived early at the training ground to analyze the team's current situation.

Being knocked out of the Champions League was a bitter pill to swallow, but Mancini saw it as an opportunity to shift all focus to Serie A.

"The biggest danger for Napoli is their away match at the Alp Stadium," assistant coach Mihajlović began, referencing Napoli's upcoming game against Juventus. "Ranieri's team is fighting for a top-four spot. They'll be desperate and will put up a fierce fight."

He continued, "Napoli's next three matches, Juventus away, Fiorentina at home, and Reggina away are packed into a single week. Fiorentina is the only team that has beaten Napoli this season, and they'll also meet in the Coppa Italia semi-finals."

Mihajlović paused before concluding, "This stretch will test Napoli to their limits. Their fixture list is brutal."

Indeed, as the season progressed, it became clear just how challenging Napoli's schedule was.

In the first round of this grueling run, they had faced top teams like Inter Milan and Roma. Now, they had to contend with Juventus, Fiorentina, and even relegation-battling Reggina, who had caused trouble for other big teams.

Reggina may have seemed like an easier opponent on paper, but their home performances had been exceptional, with Inter, AC Milan, and Roma all struggling against them. Juventus even lost at their stadium.

"Napoli's form is strong now, but it's bound to dip eventually. That's just how football works," Mihajlović said confidently. "When it happens, we need to be ready to capitalize and overtake them."

Mancini, ever pragmatic, nodded. "Then we'll wait for our chance. As soon as Napoli slips, we'll strike!"

The coaching staff agreed. From their perspective, Inter's chances of reclaiming the top spot were very much alive.

---

Meanwhile, similar questions were being asked across Serie A.

How do you stop this Napoli team?

Ranieri, too, faced this dilemma as he prepared his Juventus side for the upcoming clash against the league leaders.

Napoli, the newly promoted team, had grown stronger with every passing week.

By March, it was clear just how far they had come. Compared to the squad at the start of the season, Napoli's players had shown remarkable progress, both individually and as a team.

Their recent victories, a 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan and a 3-0 triumph over Roma, demonstrated not just strength but dominance.

This wasn't a fluke. Napoli was the real deal.

For Ranieri and Juventus, the challenge was daunting.

---

"Stay compact, hit them on the counterattack."

At the Juventus coaching staff meeting, Ranieri laid out his plan.

Playing at home, Ranieri was determined not to lose to Napoli again.

From the Serie B season last year, Gao Shen's Napoli had been a thorn in Juventus' side, handing them several humiliating defeats. The players carried both a grudge and a mental block against their rivals.

Ranieri had to tread carefully.

"The key is to stay disciplined defensively," Ranieri emphasized. "Napoli are chasing the title. They'll be desperate for a win, and desperation leads to mistakes. When they slip up, we'll strike!"

Ranieri made a slicing motion with his hand, as if delivering the killing blow.

Since last season, Serie A teams had developed a healthy fear of Napoli.

So far this season, Napoli had only lost one match to Fiorentina, after playing three consecutive high-stakes games.

That victory had been a defining moment for Fiorentina, boosting their confidence and fueling their strong league campaign.

Ranieri knew that Juventus couldn't afford to show any weakness.

---

"Our goal this season is to secure a top-four finish," Ranieri told his staff.

The room nodded in agreement. This was the bare minimum Juventus had to achieve.

After all, Champions League qualification brought in tens of millions of euros in revenue, a vital boost for any club. Even a historically dominant team like AC Milan was fighting tooth and nail for a top-four spot.

Ranieri knew the stakes were high.

"This weekend, no matter what, we have to defend our home turf. We can't let Napoli walk out of here with three points. If we hold them here, it'll send a message to the rest of the league."

With that, Ranieri's tone grew sharper.

"Whatever it takes, we have to stop them. We have to cut them down at the Alp."

He repeated the words as though they were a mantra.

"Defend tight, stay patient, and wait for the moment to strike. When that moment comes..."

Ranieri mimed a beheading motion.

"Take them down."

Ranieri's hand sliced the air one last time, his determination unwavering.

Since last season, Serie A teams had developed a lingering fear of Napoli. Their explosive style, relentless pressing, and rapid counterattacks had left even the most experienced managers scratching their heads.

So far this season, Napoli had only lost once to Fiorentina and even that came after an exhausting sequence of matches against top-tier teams.

"Napoli is strong, but they aren't invincible," Ranieri continued. "They're young, and they're under immense pressure. We've seen what happens to teams that peak too soon. It's our job to expose their flaws and make sure they leave here empty-handed."

Ranieri's staff nodded in agreement.

"Everyone," Ranieri said, his voice steady but firm, "our season depends on this match. We must hold them here. Whatever it takes, we stop Napoli."

There was no room for debate. This wasn't just a tactical decision, it was a battle for Juventus' pride and future.

***

For every 500 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 55+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.