Starting With Real Madrid

"In the first leg, did you arrange for Perrotta to get that yellow card?"

Spalletti's words, sharp as a blade, came dangerously close to Gao Shen's throat. In that split second, countless thoughts raced through Gao Shen's mind. He analyzed the situation from all angles and explored every possible response. Finally, he flashed a confident smile at Spalletti.

This was a loaded question.

Gao Shen's initial impulse was to deny everything: "I didn't, stop making things up."

But such a denial would sound weak and unconvincing.

So, how should he answer?

He dissected Spalletti's question to its core: why was Spalletti even asking this?

The truth was, Spalletti was seeking solace.

He wanted a reason to believe and for the world to believe that Roma lost because they were missing their key midfielder, Perrotta. Without him, Roma's midfield crumbled, leading to their catastrophic defeat.

In this way, Roma's humiliation wouldn't seem quite so devastating.

Spalletti would still face criticism, but the blow would be softened. People might even sympathize with him.

After all, it was true that Roma's lineup had flaws, and the Coppa Italia's rule about suspensions after two yellow cards was unfair. 

Spalletti could comfort himself by saying, "I didn't lose to Gao Shen, I didn't lose to Napoli, I lost to a yellow card!"

But what about Gao Shen?

If the Italian media latched onto this, Gao Shen would be painted as a villain a devious tactician who manipulated the rules. Conspiracy theories would run rampant, and his victory would be tainted.

That was unacceptable.

As a confident, optimistic, and realistic young man of the new era, Gao Shen wasn't about to give Spalletti that chance. Instead, he smiled confidently.

"With or without Perrotta's yellow card, the result would've been the same," Gao Shen said with a casual laugh.

Then, he turned and walked away.

Behind him, Spalletti felt a hundredfold sting, as if the blood had drained from his face. He nearly collapsed on the spot.

After the game, Gao Shen celebrated with his players at the Stadio San Paolo.

Club President De Laurentiis and General Manager Marino also descended from the stands to congratulate the team on their monumental victory.

They showered the players with encouragement and praise.

For a Serie B team to reach the Coppa Italia semifinals was truly remarkable.

And considering Napoli was currently first in Serie B, this accomplishment was even more impressive.

De Laurentiis said many nice things, but something seemed off to Gao Shen.

Why was the boss's voice so hoarse?

Could it be that he had gotten too excited during the game, shouting himself hoarse as the team kept scoring?

As for Marino, he looked deflated, like a dried-out sprout. He smiled, but it was forced, as if he had just been hit by a hurricane.

Something was definitely strange!

But Gao Shen didn't dwell on it, focusing instead on his team.

Administrative matters weren't his concern.

While Napoli celebrated, news of their 6-0 thrashing of Roma spread like wildfire, shaking Italian and European football alike even before the final whistle had blown.

From the media to the fans, from bookmakers to rival teams, no one could believe Roma had been humiliated so thoroughly. They had been utterly dismantled.

How could this be possible?

Roma was the second-best team in Serie A! Even Inter Milan, the top team, couldn't beat them 6-0. How did a Serie B team like Napoli manage this?

At first, people thought the news was fake.

It had to be fake!

But as more reports confirmed the result, the shock turned to disbelief. 

Italian football was in an uproar.

Napoli beats Roma 6-0?!

Are you sure the score wasn't reversed?

This was a matchup between a Serie B team and one of the strongest teams in Serie A!

But as more detailed reports came out, everyone began to understand what had happened during the match and they were even more stunned.

Roma had been thoroughly dominated, with almost no ability to fight back. While they did create a few dangerous moments, they couldn't score. Meanwhile, Napoli had taken nearly 12 shots on target, and scoring six goals didn't seem like an exaggeration.

One fan posted online: "Is Roma's defense made of paper?"

Yes, was it paper?

How else could they have collapsed like that?

Roma was second in Serie A, with a defense equal to Inter Milan's. A team like that couldn't possibly have such a weak defense.

So, if their defense wasn't made of paper, what happened? Did Roma just not try hard enough?

That didn't make sense either.

Looking at the starting lineups, Roma fielded all their key players. Except for Perrotta, who was suspended, every starter was there especially their backline.

So, why did they lose so badly?

Match-fixing!

It had to be match-fixing!

Otherwise, how could Roma have lost so embarrassingly?

This theory quickly gained traction online and resonated with viewers who had watched the live broadcast and sports highlights afterward.

It was the only explanation that made sense for such a shocking result.

Yet, amidst all the conspiracy theories, no one was willing to admit the most obvious truth: Napoli had played exceptionally well.

As the most vocal advocate for Gao Shen, Arrigo Sacchi made sure to call Gao Shen after the game and then rushed back to his hotel to write.

That very night, his article was published on Gazzetta dello Sport's official website.

In his match analysis, Sacchi once again praised Napoli's advanced tactical play, calling the game a perfect representation of modern football.

"Napoli's potential is enormous, but in terms of immediate strength, both offensively and defensively, they're still behind Roma especially their right side, which remains a glaring weakness. This is Napoli's biggest concern for the future."

However, Sacchi argued that the reason for such a lopsided scoreline was Napoli's tactical brilliance. They completely dominated the midfield, which allowed them to dismantle Roma's attack and defense.

"Napoli's pressing and counterattacks were devastating. Every turnover was followed by an attack that Roma simply couldn't handle. Meanwhile, Roma's disjointed play meant that their only real threats came from long-range shots, lacking any effective offensive strategy."

Sacchi concluded that this was a tactical victory for Gao Shen.

"Despite being outmatched in terms of overall strength and coming off a 1-2 loss in the first leg, Gao Shen engineered a stunning 6-0 win that has sent shockwaves through Italian and European football."

Sacchi called for Italian football to study this game carefully, emphasizing that it held valuable lessons.

"A Serie B team, 6-0, crushing one of Serie A's top teams this is nothing short of a miracle!"

...

Sacchi's column sparked widespread debate, primarily centered on advanced tactics and strategies.

As more time passed, more details about the match emerged.

At the post-match press conference, Roma coach Spalletti, visibly disappointed, admitted that his team had been overwhelmed by an "alien attack."

"We completely lost control of the game," Spalletti said. "We were forced to play by Napoli's rules. We couldn't establish any rhythm or impose our own ideas. Every time we tried to attack, it felt like we were just giving Napoli more chances to score."

Spalletti refrained from mentioning Perrotta's yellow card, likely because Gao Shen had already dismissed it as irrelevant. Bringing it up again would've been embarrassing.

However, Spalletti did concede that Roma lost the midfield battle.

"Napoli's midfield looked like it was made up of only three players, but in reality, it was five or even six at times. The two wingers often dropped back, and even the left-back would push into the midfield."

Spalletti acknowledged that Napoli played fluid, dynamic football, with players constantly switching positions.

"Usually, when players leave their designated areas, the formation becomes disorganized, but Napoli managed to stay cohesive throughout."

In Spalletti's view, Napoli was playing a whole new brand of football, seamlessly combining offense and defense.

This only highlighted Roma's inadequacies that night. If Napoli wasn't strong, then what did that say about Roma, who lost 0-6?

Spalletti's post-match comments stirred much discussion.

Previously, when Napoli had beaten Juventus, Parma, and Ascoli, many doubted the team's abilities, dismissing them as merely a side that could play attacking football. Critics asked, "Can they really keep this up against stronger teams?"

But this time was different. Napoli hadn't just beaten any team they had crushed Roma, a team second in Serie A, a team on par with Inter Milan.

And they didn't just beat them they slaughtered them, 6-0!

What kind of statement does that make?

Suddenly, all doubts were silenced.

Because, faced with such a decisive scoreline, there was no questioning Napoli's legitimacy. The real question was now about the strength of Serie A itself.

What Sacchi said could be dismissed as fanboy praise, but what about Spalletti's post-match comments? Could anyone ignore those?

For the first time, Italian football from the media to the fans had to acknowledge that Napoli had won convincingly.

But there was still resistance.

Was there really no one in Italian football who could stop Gao Shen and his Napoli?

Were they truly going to sit back and watch as a 26-year year-old young man, with a team of players mostly around 20 years old, dominated the so-called "small World Cup" and dismantled all the proud pillars of Italian football?

Could this really be happening?

Napoli's stunning 6-0 victory over Roma was not just a win. It was a statement. It was a declaration that the landscape of Italian football was shifting dramatically.

And leading the charge was Gao Shen, the young coach who had taken a team from Serie B and turned them into giant killers, defying all expectations.

The Italian football world was now left with only one question:

Who could stop Napoli and their fearless young coach?