Starting With Real Madrid

The Napoli fans at the San Paolo Stadium were far from welcoming to Hiddink, but the Dutchman did not retreat to his bench.

The first half ended with a score of 3-1 in favor of Napoli.

Napoli played a brilliant first half, almost completely suppressing Chelsea. Just before the break, Rakitic even came close to adding another goal with a long-range strike that rattled the crossbar.

After halftime, Napoli continued to deny Chelsea any room to breathe. From the first minute of the second half, they pressed forward and repeatedly threatened the visitors' goal, coming close to scoring again on multiple occasions.

Hiddink stood helpless as Napoli created chance after chance, leaving him increasingly uncertain.

By conventional wisdom, Chelsea should have made immediate substitutions to stabilize their defense. But the problem was the scoreline: 3-1 on the night, 5-2 on aggregate. If Chelsea still hoped to advance, they had no choice but to go all out on the attack.

Players like Malouda and Kalou needed to come on to intensify the offense.

But Hiddink hesitated.

If they did commit fully to the attack, they risked being punished further by Napoli. Another humiliating loss would not only end their Champions League hopes but also have a lasting impact on their league and domestic cup campaigns.

Yet simply accepting defeat was not in his nature.

Hiddink found himself grappling with an unfamiliar feeling: shame.

To be forced into such a position by a 28-year-old coach, and a Chinese one at that, it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Years ago, when he led South Korea against China, the psychological edge always belonged to him.

Now, it was unthinkable that this same young Chinese coach could push him into such a dilemma, leaving him at a loss for answers.

Even though Hiddink was old enough not to care about his reputation, the situation still stung.

"Where did this guy even come from?" Hiddink muttered to himself with a wry smile as he walked back to his bench.

His assistant, Ray Wilkins, shook his head and sighed. "Who knows? He burst onto the scene at Real Madrid, known for playing defensive counterattacks. Then he came to Napoli and suddenly started playing offensive football. Now he's leading tactical trends in European football."

Hiddink exhaled deeply. "From a tactical standpoint, his ideas are so advanced. For now, I don't see how to counter him. Nothing seems to work, whatever I try feels doomed to fail."

Wilkins nodded in agreement. It wasn't just Hiddink. Many coaches across Europe had faced the same struggle.

Teams that were more technically skilled couldn't match Napoli's speed. Teams that matched their speed lacked tactical discipline. Teams with strong tactics lacked the technical finesse to cope.

In short, Napoli had become a nightmare matchup for almost everyone.

"This kid has a remarkable tactical intuition," Hiddink said, managing a faint smile despite his frustration.

The changes in football rules, such as the new offside rule had created more space on the field, favoring technically gifted players like Biglia and Rakitic. With less physical contact in midfield, Napoli's style of play thrived.

Before these rule changes, midfield dominance relied on players like Essien, Lampard, and Ballack—powerful, dynamic midfielders capable of exerting high-intensity pressure. Chelsea had built their success around this style of play.

But such players had a natural weakness: their technical skills were not as refined.

Every change in football rules brings about new tactical trends.

This game was proof of that.

Chelsea represented the old guard, while Napoli symbolized the new era.

Hiddink couldn't help but marvel. Many veteran coaches struggled to adapt quickly to such changes, yet Gao Shen seemed to have embraced the new trends effortlessly.

Was this young coach truly a genius?

"That third goal really crushed us," Wilkins said, casting a sympathetic glance at the visibly demoralized Chelsea players on the pitch.

Hiddink sighed again. He couldn't disagree.

For the third goal, Chelsea hadn't touched the ball for nearly two minutes after losing possession.

Two minutes without regaining possession. Eleven players on the field, yet they could only chase shadows as Napoli moved the ball with ease, eventually culminating in a goal.

It was a psychological blow of the highest order.

For Hiddink, this was an agonizing experience. As a coach, he was used to making bold, decisive choices to influence the outcome of matches.

But tonight, he felt powerless. His decisions now only determined how his team would lose—and by how much.

It was a deeply unsettling realization.

…

In the 57th minute, Chelsea launched an attack.

Ashley Cole joined the attack from the left flank, attempting to reach the byline. However, Lichtsteiner timed his challenge perfectly, tackling the ball and sending Cole to the ground. Before the ball could roll out of play, Lichtsteiner got back on his feet and sent a quick pass to Cavani, who had tracked back to help.

Cavani controlled the ball, spun around, and surged forward, crossing the halfway line at full speed.

Di Maria instinctively drifted to the right, dragging defenders away and creating space for Cavani.

As Cavani entered the penalty area, he laid the ball off to the right for Di Maria.

Ashley Cole was still out of position, leaving Di Maria one-on-one with Alex. The Argentine winger sent a low cross to the front of the six-yard box.

Sanchez charged into the center but collided with Mikel as both failed to connect with the ball, which rolled past the goal.

Biglia was the quickest to react, rushing to the loose ball on the left side of the box. He controlled it neatly, looked up, and spotted Vargas arriving in support. Biglia guided the ball toward the Peruvian full-back, setting him up perfectly outside the penalty area.

Vargas took a touch, adjusted his footing, and curled a left-footed cross toward the far post before Lampard could close him down.

Cavani and Terry both leapt for the ball, but Terry managed to head it clear under pressure.

However, his clearance lacked distance and fell near the edge of the box.

Just as Chelsea's players began to breathe a sigh of relief, a sky-blue jersey stormed forward.

It was Rakitic.

Without hesitation, the Croatian midfielder struck the ball on the half-volley as it bounced up.

The shot flew like a missile, smashing into the left side of the net before Cech could react.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"Rakitic!"

"Ivan Rakitic scores again!"

"That's his second goal in two consecutive Champions League games!"

"Napoli leads 4-1 on the night and 6-2 on aggregate!"

"After such a promising start, Chelsea has completely fallen apart. Napoli's technical and tactical superiority has been overwhelming at the San Paolo tonight."

"This goal has surely ended Chelsea's hopes. They now need four more goals to turn this around. But let's be honest, how likely is that?"

On the sidelines, Gao Shen leapt up in celebration, punching the air in delight.

Rakitic, overcome with emotion, sprinted toward the home bench and embraced Gao Shen tightly. Napoli's players swarmed around them, with even the substitutes rushing over to celebrate.

Everyone understood what this goal meant: the game was effectively over.

With more than half an hour still to play, the result was beyond doubt.

Chelsea's players, visibly deflated, wandered around the pitch, their energy and spirit drained.

Hiddink's gamble in the first leg had paid off, but tonight, his decision to start Essien backfired. The Ghanaian midfielder, returning from a long injury layoff, failed to match his former intensity and dynamism.

This wasn't surprising, after such a long absence, it would have been unrealistic to expect peak performance immediately.

It was a reflection of Hiddink's predicament. He had no better options.

…

After Rakitic's goal, the suspense was gone.

In the final half-hour, the match lost its edge.

Napoli, content with their 4-1 lead, saw no need to push for more goals. With a 6-2 aggregate score, they had already secured an emphatic victory.

Chasing additional goals risked unnecessary physical strain or worse, provoking Chelsea into reckless challenges. Napoli still had a long season ahead, and Gao Shen was determined to keep his players fresh.

He made several substitutions to rest key players.

Chelsea, too, made changes, but even Drogba's last big chance, a powerful header was denied by Handanovic's brilliant save.

The final moments were uneventful.

Napoli had thoroughly dominated the first hour, but the last thirty minutes passed quietly.

When the referee blew the final whistle, the scoreboard read 4-1.

Napoli had completed another comeback victory.

…

"Congratulations to Napoli! And congratulations to Gao Shen!"

"This is Napoli's first Champions League campaign since the tournament's reform, and they've already exceeded all expectations."

"Coming out of the group of death, beating Real Madrid, Bayern, and Zenit, and now eliminating Chelsea with a 6-2 aggregate score in the round of 16—this team is truly remarkable."

"Both legs were thrilling, showcasing Napoli's competitiveness and quality."

"This season, Napoli is the ultimate dark horse. Can they keep defying the odds?"

"As they advance to the quarterfinals, Napoli will undoubtedly face even tougher opponents than Chelsea. We wish Gao Shen and his team the best of luck!"

The broadcast ended with a final shot of Gao Shen walking over to the visiting team's coaching area.

He extended his hand to Hiddink, and the two exchanged a polite handshake before sharing a brief hug and a few words.