Starting With Real Madrid

When the Italian media, who once treated Gao Shen like a public enemy and couldn't criticize him enough, suddenly turned around to sing his praises, Gao Shen felt thoroughly uncomfortable.

The morning after the 5-0 victory, Gao Shen sat at his computer to check the Italian news websites. To his surprise, the reports were overwhelmingly positive, with fans' comments also full of admiration. There were hardly any criticisms or doubts.

Not quite believing what he was seeing, he finished his morning routine and rushed downstairs to read the newspapers.

While the local Naples media were naturally supportive, even publications like La Repubblica, Gazzetta dello Sport, and Tuttosport which had always been harsher on Gao Shen were full of praise. The few criticisms they contained were directed solely at Mancini and Inter Milan.

Gao Shen leafed through every newspaper he could find, searching for a single negative word about himself or Napoli, but there was none.

It was baffling. It felt as though all of Italy had been brainwashed overnight.

Some reports were so glowing that even Gao Shen felt embarrassed reading them. He almost wanted to call up the journalists and say, "Hey, weren't you the same people who were trashing me yesterday?"

He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Come on, have some backbone. Stick to your criticism! Don't just flip-flop overnight. If you're going to criticize me, then keep it up criticize harder, go all out!"

"This sudden praise makes me so uncomfortable," Gao Shen joked as he posted to his private social media page:

"I think I have a terminal illness. If I'm not criticized, I feel restless."

Not long after, as he headed out for the day, his computer pinged with a reply:

"Don't forget to take your medicine."

It even included a cheeky smiley face. Gao Shen chuckled to himself as he closed his computer and headed to the training grounds.

---

After their 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan and reclaiming the top spot in Serie A, the mood across Napoli was jubilant.

The team was riding a wave of morale, and though this was great for their confidence, Gao Shen worried it could lead to complacency.

After all, they were a very young team. With most players in their early twenties, it was easy for success to go to their heads. Gao Shen knew this firsthand because he was young himself.

Still, Gao Shen didn't want to stifle the players' enthusiasm or confidence. It was crucial to guide and channel it properly. Training would play an important role in maintaining their focus.

Since his days at Real Madrid, Gao Shen had always placed great importance on recovery sessions following matches.

Napoli's training schedule had been adjusted based on their fixture list. For instance, after Sunday night's game against Inter Milan, their next game against Roma was set for Sunday afternoon giving them six full days to prepare.

Here's how the week would typically look:

Monday Morning: Recovery training.

Monday Afternoon & Tuesday Morning: Rest.

Tuesday Afternoon: Resumption of training.

Wednesday: Strength training.

Thursday: Endurance drills.

Friday: High-intensity session.

Saturday: Light tactical adjustments to stimulate the players' sharpness for Sunday's match.

However, the timeline varied depending on their match schedule. If the next game was on a Friday or Saturday instead of Sunday, the preparation time would shrink to just four or five days. Conversely, if there were seven days between matches, they had more flexibility.

Gao Shen was keenly aware of how much of an advantage Napoli's lack of European commitments gave them. With no midweek fixtures, they could focus solely on the league, unlike Roma, who had to travel to Madrid midweek to face Real Madrid in the Champions League.

---

After the arrival of fitness coach Antonio Pintus, Napoli's training methods had seen significant improvements.

For recovery sessions, the players were split into different groups based on their physical condition and match involvement.

Players who had played significant minutes against Inter Milan worked indoors with Pintus on low-impact exercises designed to aid recovery. Meanwhile, assistant coaches Carlo and Buenaventura took the remaining players out onto the pitch for specialized drills tailored to their needs.

Goalkeepers, as usual, trained separately with their coach, Lopis, while injured players followed custom rehabilitation programs under Buenaventura's supervision.

This comprehensive and targeted approach ensured that training sessions were efficient and effective.

Following the recovery training, Gao Shen gathered the entire team for a talk. His tone was neither overly serious nor too lighthearted. He began by praising their excellent performance against Inter Milan, commending their efforts and encouraging them to maintain their focus.

But he also issued a warning:

"We're at the top of the table again, but this isn't the first time. The last two times, we couldn't hold onto it, we barely had time to warm the seat before we were knocked off. This time, I hope we can stay there."

"There are twelve games left in the league. No one can guarantee that if we lose the lead again, we'll get another chance to regain it. I don't want us to end the season with regrets."

While his words were measured, the message was clear: Napoli had to stay focused and vigilant.

Sitting at the top was exhilarating, but it also came with immense pressure.

After his talk, Gao Shen announced that the team would have the rest of the day off.

The young players cheered as they left the training grounds in small groups, eagerly planning how to spend their rare free time.

Carlo, standing beside Gao Shen, couldn't help but laugh. "You've spent so much time with these kids, you're starting to act like one of them."

Buenaventura and Pintus nodded in agreement, but Gao Shen just smiled. "I am young, you know."

---

Napoli's growing success had also attracted attention to their coaching staff. Carlo, Gao Shen's trusted assistant, had received multiple offers to become a head coach in his own right.

On the way back from the Inter Milan match, Carlo confided in Gao Shen that he'd been considering some of the offers but ultimately decided to stay in Naples.

"I know myself," Carlo admitted. "If I take over a team on my own, I won't be competing for titles or Champions League spots. But as your assistant, I still have a shot at achieving something big. That's why I'm staying."

Gao Shen was more than happy to keep Carlo on board. Finding a reliable assistant coach wasn't easy, and Carlo had become an integral part of the team.

Carlo himself knew that even with a blueprint of Napoli's tactics, he wouldn't be able to replicate Gao Shen's success. Tactics are ultimately shaped by the head coach, and Carlo understood that his coaching philosophy was different.

---

After the team dispersed for their day off, Gao Shen returned to downtown Naples for lunch with Zidane, Valdano, and Sacchi.

Guardiola and Cruyff had both left earlier that morning. Guardiola was eager to return to his role as Barcelona's B-team coach, while Cruyff, who had a history of disagreements with Gao Shen, chose not to linger.

During lunch, Sacchi proudly shared that he'd been flooded with requests from TV networks and newspapers to discuss Napoli's tactics and Gao Shen's success.

"At least thirty newspapers want me to write about you," Sacchi boasted.

Gao Shen laughed, shaking his head. "I think you're more popular than me right now."

"But I don't have as many Twitter followers as you," Sacchi quipped, feigning disappointment.

"Maybe if you changed your profile picture," Gao Shen teased. "From a distance, people might mistake you for Collina."

The table erupted in laughter, though Sacchi scowled and threatened to write a scathing column about Gao Shen in retaliation.

---

That evening, Gao Shen attended another dinner, this time with Napoli's management and Maradona. The legendary player was as beloved as ever in Naples, drawing adoring crowds wherever he went.

After the dinner, Gao Shen spent two more days preparing the team for their match against Roma.

Then, on Wednesday afternoon, following another intense training session, Gao Shen, along with Lucas and Buenaventura, boarded a flight to Madrid.

For the first time since leaving Real Madrid, Gao Shen was returning to the Bernabéu.

***

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