Starting With Real Madrid

"Just now, in the locker room, I told my players that I only have two and a half months left as Inter Milan's coach."

This was Mancini's statement at the post-match press conference, taking responsibility for the disastrous defeat.

He said that despite having four years remaining on his contract with Inter Milan, he would leave his position at the end of the season. He emphasized that this decision had little to do with the humiliation suffered that night.

However, Mancini reiterated that he would not resign before the season ended.

"I understand that someone must take responsibility for tonight's game, and that person can only be me. I am willing to bear the blame. But I want to stress that there are still 12 rounds left in the league, and we haven't completely lost the title race. We also have the Coppa Italia. I believe resigning now would be irresponsible."

"It's not hard for me to leave, but that's not my style," he added.

Mancini also pointed out that Inter Milan's temporary slip from the top of the table didn't mean they had lost their shot at the title.

"I want to congratulate Napoli. They played better and deserved the victory and the top spot. But I believe we have the quality to reclaim the lead."

"There are still 12 games left, and the schedule favors us. I believe we still have a good chance of achieving a domestic double. Even in the Champions League, our hopes aren't entirely dashed."

Mancini admitted, however, that achieving this would require everyone on the team to perform at their best.

"It's difficult, it's not easy, but I believe we can do it."

---

Mancini's press conference preceded Gao Shen's.

By the time Gao Shen entered the room, he had already heard parts of Mancini's responses.

Although Gao Shen didn't have the best impression of Mancini believing him to be arrogant and condescending he had to admit that Mancini showed a sense of responsibility in his handling of the situation.

Just as Mancini had done as a coach.

It would have been easy for Mancini to walk away now, leaving the mess behind and shifting blame. After all, not all defeats are solely the coach's fault. But choosing to stay on during such a tumultuous time was undoubtedly the harder path.

Of course, when Mancini stated he wouldn't resign, the subtext was clear: if Inter Milan wanted him gone, they would have to fire him.

Given Mancini's personality, he would probably even forgo any termination fees just to walk away cleanly. For this, Gao Shen found himself admiring Mancini and gave him due respect.

At the press conference, Gao Shen defended Mancini when asked by reporters. He praised the Inter coach for leading his team to an unbeaten run of 25 matches this season, and 40 in total, calling it an extraordinary achievement.

He also stated that one loss couldn't erase Mancini's contributions and accomplishments.

At the same time, Gao Shen emphasized, "We haven't won the championship yet. We're only temporarily at the top due to head-to-head results. This is the result of collective effort from everyone in the team, and we must keep working hard!"

---

For this victory, Gao Shen expressed his satisfaction.

Over a year ago, Napoli had been humiliated 3-0 by Inter Milan at the San Siro. That loss had lingered in Gao Shen's memory. Now, with a 5-0 demolition of Inter at home, it felt like sweet revenge.

But Gao Shen jokingly added, "This is Napoli's home turf. I still hope to settle the score at the San Siro!"

The implication was clear: home defeats should be avenged at home, and away defeats should be avenged away.

Naturally, Gao Shen delivered this statement with a lighthearted tone, as if making a joke.

---

Gao Shen held a high opinion of this game but didn't believe it indicated that Napoli was now strong enough to dominate Inter Milan.

"Since last November, we've experienced a period of instability. Both players and coaches lacked the experience to navigate such a situation. But during the winter break, we made significant adjustments and strengthened in all areas," Gao Shen explained.

He attributed Napoli's improved form to the comprehensive adjustments made during the winter break. Everyone from the players to the coaching staff and the supporting team, had contributed to the club's current momentum.

"This is not the result of any single individual. It belongs to the entire team and everyone involved," Gao Shen emphasized.

He expressed confidence in maintaining the team's form until the end of the season.

"In our plan, we aim to sustain this momentum and form through the rest of the campaign."

Gao Shen believed that the difficult period earlier in the season had been instrumental in shaping the team's resilience.

"What makes me happiest is that during this time, my players, my assistants, and everyone in the club showed unwavering trust and support in me."

"Difficulties have made us stronger. This rough patch has united us and pushed us to work harder. The team has made remarkable progress. But I don't think we've reached our peak yet, that would be a misconception."

"We are a team with an average age barely over 22. Anyone familiar with professional football knows this is far from a team's peak age. We still have immense potential to unlock."

Looking ahead, Gao Shen envisioned Napoli competing on a higher stage in the future.

When asked by reporters if he was referring to the Champions League, Gao Shen smiled and responded, "Why not?"

---

For this season, however, Gao Shen set more immediate goals: winning the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles.

Now leading Serie A, Gao Shen didn't shy away from stating his team's ambitions. "If I didn't voice this goal now, it would be hypocritical."

However, he acknowledged the challenges ahead. Napoli still had to face tough matches against Roma and Juventus.

As for the Coppa Italia, Gao Shen admitted he had unfinished business from last season and hoped to claim the trophy this year. Yet, he emphasized the strength of the remaining teams in the competition, making it no easy task.

---

When Napoli wins, Gao Shen's press conferences tend to be longer and filled with insightful commentary. Often, he would back his analysis with data, and this time was no different.

Under questioning from reporters, Gao Shen shared a stunning statistic:

Napoli had covered nearly 120 kilometers in the match.

And Inter Milan?

Gao Shen didn't give an exact number but hinted it was around 100 kilometers.

In other words, Napoli had outrun their opponents by 20 kilometers, equivalent to an extra two players on the field.

This revelation left the reporters in shock.

"Isn't this basically 13 versus 11 on the pitch?" one journalist remarked.

While common statistics like shots, fouls, and possession were already available, Gao Shen highlighted a few other key metrics.

"Our possession rate was 65.3%. We completed nearly three times as many passes as our opponents, with a pass success rate of 90%, compared to their 70%."

Gao Shen explained that these figures demonstrated Napoli's superiority in off-ball movement and overall tactical execution.

"Our tactics worked perfectly," Gao Shen declared proudly, his confidence evident in his tone and expression.

This victory, for Gao Shen, was not just about three points. It was a validation of his players, coaching staff, and tactical philosophies.

And now, whether it was Gao Shen himself, the team, or the coaching staff, they had all delivered a full-score performance.

Confidence was evident throughout Napoli, and it was well-earned.

---

As Gao Shen wrapped up the final question, Napoli's PR staff indicated the press conference was coming to an end. Suddenly, a few journalists stood up and began clapping for Gao Shen.

At first, it was only one or two.

Then three.

Then four.

More and more reporters joined in, until the entire room was standing and applauding.

Even reporters from the Italian media, who were typically critical, joined in.

Gao Shen was taken aback by the scene. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond.

He smiled, waved, and placed his hands over his chest in gratitude. With a slight bow, he thanked everyone before leaving the room. The applause continued long after he had gone.

---

This wasn't the first time Gao Shen had received such recognition, but it was undoubtedly the one he cherished most.

Previously, critics attributed his success at Real Madrid to the club's inherent strength.

But this time, it was different.

This was Napoli, a team he had taken from Serie B and rebuilt step by step. Now, they had just dismantled Inter Milan 5-0 in Serie A.

This victory was entirely his own.

And it made Gao Shen feel truly proud.

***

I'm thinking of picking up a new ff to translate, but I'm a bit stumped. If you know of a good ff that hasn't been worked on yet and think it'd be worth translating, drop me a link, and I'll check it out.

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