Starting With Real Madrid

Gao Shen was genuinely looking forward to this match against Mourinho.

Since taking charge of Real Madrid more than two years ago, competing with the world's top coaches had been the most exhilarating and fulfilling part of his journey. It gave him a deep sense of accomplishment.

As a transmigrator, he believed this was exactly what he should be doing. Otherwise, wouldn't he be letting himself down?

He had once admired Mourinho immensely. From his time at Chelsea to his triumphs with Inter Milan, especially when the Nerazzurri lifted the Champions League trophy, Mourinho had, in Gao Shen's eyes, stood at the pinnacle of world football management.

But after that victory, some of Mourinho's methods during his tenure at Real Madrid revealed clear limitations and flaws.

From then on, his coaching performance had steadily declined.

Meanwhile, European football was experiencing a renaissance.

Atletico Madrid's Simeone, Dortmund's Klopp, Bayern Munich's Heynckes, and a host of exceptional coaches like Tuchel, Conte, and Pochettino brought fresh ideas and fierce competition to the sport.

Not to mention the legendary figures who had always loomed large, like Benitez, Bielsa, Ancelotti, and Wenger, as well as Ferguson, who held an eternal place of reverence in Gao Shen's heart.

This flood of talent and tactical innovation reshaped Gao Shen's perspective. Over the years, he had come to a clear realization: Guardiola's style of football represented the future.

Initially, Gao Shen had been dismissive of the "La Masia philosophy," but he gradually came to admire it.

As for Mourinho, Gao Shen's feelings had turned into a mixture of regret and disappointment.

In the end, the Portuguese tactician had failed to create the epic rivalry with Guardiola that Gao Shen had envisioned back in 2010.

Still, this didn't diminish his respect for Mourinho.

The Dunning-Kruger effect in psychology states: individuals with lower levels of competence tend to overestimate their abilities, while those with higher levels of self-awareness are better equipped to recognize their limitations and grow.

"If you don't have the ability, you don't even realize you lack it!"

Dunning's words were painfully accurate.

Looking back, Gao Shen realized that before his transmigration, he had been standing at the peak of "ignorant arrogance." When he crossed over, he plunged into the valley of despair as his confidence crumbled. Only through relentless effort and accumulating experience did he begin to climb the slope of enlightenment.

This journey was lifelong. It had no end.

And it was this endless pursuit that defined Ferguson's greatness.

It was also the path Gao Shen aspired to follow.

On this journey, his greatest hope was to face and compete with more top-tier managers—Mourinho, Ancelotti, Benitez, Guardiola, Ferguson, Wenger, and even Zidane.

Victory and defeat mattered, but the progress and hard work along the way mattered just as much.

These were the thoughts running through Gao Shen's mind as he stood in front of the away team's dugout at the San Siro Stadium.

…

When referee Sakani blew the whistle to start the game, Ibrahimovic, positioned in the center circle, immediately passed the ball back to Balotelli and charged forward.

The San Siro erupted into thunderous cheers.

The much-anticipated opening match of the season's marquee fixture was underway.

After stopping the ball, Balotelli passed it back to Stankovic and darted forward toward the right side of Napoli's defensive line. His movement suggested he'd be operating primarily on the right wing.

Stankovic, upon receiving the ball, wasted no time. Instead of playing a safe back pass, he launched it to the left before Cavani could close him down.

Maxwell, charging up the left flank, received the ball and stopped it momentarily, but Valencia quickly closed in. The Brazilian full-back, wary of losing possession, passed it back to Stankovic.

Cavani pressed high, staying close to Stankovic, cutting off his passing lanes. This forced Inter Milan to circulate the ball between Cambiasso and Burdisso, their two deep-lying defenders.

Napoli's front line, led by Cavani, Valencia, and Sanchez, shifted with Inter's passing, ensuring they maintained their defensive shape and restricted options for a penetrating ball.

After about 20 seconds of this cautious buildup, Inter Milan spotted an opening and switched the play to the left flank.

Maxwell, advancing down the wing, delivered a quick pass to Mancini, who had dropped deep near the halfway line to receive it.

This was Inter Milan's first real foray into Napoli's half, drawing cheers from the home crowd.

But Mancini found himself in trouble immediately. Lichtsteiner and Valencia closed in from behind and in front, forcing the Brazilian winger to hurriedly pass back to Maxwell.

Napoli's aggressive pressing suffocated Inter Milan's attack, leaving them without clear options. Mancini retreated further, trying to shake off his markers and reposition himself.

Maxwell, noticing the lack of space, passed the ball back to Mancini, who was now in a slightly deeper position.

However, just as Mancini attempted to control the ball, Valencia turned sharply and closed the gap, while Thiago Motta and Vidal closed in as well.

Faced with overwhelming pressure, Mancini tried to pass the ball back to Stankovic in midfield, but Vidal's interference disrupted him. The pass was weak and ended up rolling loose.

Hamsik pounced. The Slovak midfielder surged forward with the ball and threaded a precise through pass to Cavani, who was positioned at the edge of the penalty area.

Cavani, under pressure from two Inter Milan defenders, controlled the ball before laying it off to Sanchez on the left.

The Chilean winger wasted no time, pulling the ball to his right foot and firing a low shot.

But before the ball could reach the goal, Burdisso lunged in with a block, deflecting the shot.

The ball ricocheted to the edge of the penalty area, where Cambiasso attempted a clearance. However, Cavani managed to block the clearance, causing the ball to loop into the air and land on the right side of the box.

Valencia, arriving late into the penalty area, controlled the ball. He paused briefly to assess the situation before bursting past Maxwell with a quick acceleration. Reaching the byline, he delivered a low cross into the six-yard box.

In the center, Cavani muscled past Cambiasso and Burdisso, ready to meet the ball. Goalkeeper Julio Cesar reacted swiftly, diving to intercept the cross and preventing Cavani from scoring.

However, Cesar's save didn't clear the danger. The ball bounced to the top of the penalty area, where Vidal was lurking. The midfielder struck a fierce volley, only for the shot to deflect off Burdisso and fall to the left side of the box.

Hamsik was perfectly positioned. Without hesitation, he lunged forward and stabbed the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net.

"GOALLLLLLLL!"

"Hamsik! It's Hamsik again!"

"He scores Napoli's first goal of the season!"

Gao Shen, standing on the sidelines, was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected his team to capitalize on their first counterattack so decisively.

When the ball hit the back of the net, he couldn't contain his excitement.

"Yes!" he shouted, punching the air with his fist.

"Well done, Hamsik!"

It had been a relentless sequence. First, Sanchez's incisive cut inside and shot; then, Valencia's precise cross and Cesar's desperate save; and finally, Vidal's deflected shot landing at Hamsik's feet.

Inter Milan, caught off guard by Napoli's rapid transitions, had been completely overwhelmed.

"In just one minute, Napoli takes the lead!"

"This was a textbook counterattack: quick, precise, and devastating."

"Napoli pressed high, forcing Inter into a mistake, and immediately launched a fast and furious attack."

"Mourinho's defensive line left too much space, and Napoli punished them for it."

"This is Gao Shen's hallmark—razor-sharp counterattacks."

"Mourinho may have underestimated Napoli's explosiveness, but now the pressure is on him to respond."

On the sidelines, Mourinho's expression darkened.

Conceding a goal so early in the game was not part of the plan.

Now, all his hopes rested on Ibrahimović.

***

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