Starting With Real Madrid

After the game against Real Madrid, Napoli didn't linger in Madrid. The team quickly returned to Italy, diving straight back into training the next morning.

Since meeting Buenaventura, Gao Shen had attached great importance to post-match recovery sessions. When Pintus joined the staff, recovery training became even more rigorous and systematic.

Even after a high-profile match like the one at the Bernabeu, players who didn't get much time on the field, or didn't play at all, were put through light training routines. This had become an integral part of Napoli's daily schedule.

For instance, after the Bernabeu victory, Pintus took seven substitutes, including Callejon and Parejo, for post-match training directly at the stadium. This session included drills designed to maintain rhythm and fitness for players who hadn't played or had limited minutes.

As always, Pintus led the exercises himself, closely observing the players.

This season, Napoli's post-match recovery protocol had been refined further.

According to Buenaventura and Pintus, proper recovery training offered substantial benefits. It helped maintain the players' form, boosted physical capabilities, and sped up recovery. For Gao Shen, this was a vital component of his team's preparation, ensuring that the players were always match-ready.

---

After the recovery session, Gao Shen organized a review and analysis meeting to go over the match against Real Madrid.

This wasn't just routine; it was essential. Napoli was making its first-ever Champions League appearance, and most of the squad was inexperienced at this level.

Experience couldn't be rushed, it had to be accumulated gradually.

Matches like the one at the Bernabeu were learning opportunities. Gao Shen emphasized dissecting such games in detail.

The team broke down everything: mistakes made, why they happened, how they could be avoided, and how to react if something went wrong during a match.

Every player received a detailed report afterward, highlighting areas for improvement and lessons to take forward.

At these meetings, Gao Shen also encouraged players to share their thoughts and insights, whether about their own performance or the team's. Mistakes could be called out, but only constructively.

However, Gao Shen was extremely cautious about this. He wanted a healthy dialogue, not a blame game. To ensure this, he implemented strict rules for the discussions.

Players were encouraged to speak their minds but had to focus on the facts. Criticisms were to be professional, not personal. To ease potential tension, Gao Shen introduced small rituals, after a critical discussion, teammates would shake hands or even hug to diffuse any lingering negativity.

At first, many players found this awkward. But over time, it became a norm. Now, they often discussed tactics or mistakes amongst themselves, even during halftime in matches.

This system fostered a sense of accountability and unity within the squad. Napoli wasn't perfect—no team was—but they were cohesive, working toward a common goal.

---

During lunch, news came from Madrid.

At around 10 a.m., Calderon and Mijatovic held a press conference at the Bernabeu to announce that Real Madrid had officially sacked Schuster.

The decision wasn't surprising, but it left Gao Shen feeling reflective.

He had faced many opponents as a manager, and his victories had occasionally cost rival coaches their jobs. But forcing the dismissal of Real Madrid's head coach with a crushing 7-0 win stirred something different in him.

After all, hadn't he himself taken over the Real Madrid job as an emergency replacement?

Carlo felt the same.

"I thought Schuster could hold on until November," Carlo said with a bitter smile, shaking his head.

He himself had replaced Capello at the end of November, during another tumultuous period for Real Madrid.

Historically, October and November were peak months for managerial changes. By then, early-season results often revealed whether a team needed a shakeup.

But to fire a coach in mid-September? That was rare.

Of course, with the embarrassment of a 0-7 loss at home, Real Madrid had little choice.

"If Schuster didn't get fired after that, who would?" Carlo remarked.

Zidane, sitting nearby, nodded. "According to the Spanish press, Real Madrid is starting their search for a new coach. AS and Marca have even begun polls, and you, Gao, are leading as the fans' top choice."

Gao Shen chuckled but said nothing.

The idea of returning to Real Madrid now was absurd.

Not only would it be awkward, given he had just handed them the most humiliating defeat in their history, but it would also paint him as opportunistic. After driving Schuster out of the job with a 7-0 win, could he really swoop in to take his place? That would be shameless, and Real Madrid already had enough controversies without adding another.

Besides, it wasn't practical.

---

Lucas chimed in, shaking his head. "Schuster's comments after the game forced Real Madrid's hand. He essentially burned every bridge with the players."

Schuster's post-match remarks had alienated the dressing room. Keeping him on would have only worsened the team's situation, as the players clearly no longer respected him.

At this point, a coaching change was inevitable.

The real question was: who could take over now?

Finding a top-tier coach in the middle of a season was never easy. Most elite managers were either employed or unwilling to join a club mid-crisis.

As Lucas pointed out, "The options right now aren't great. I heard the names being floated: Qinduo, Michel, Hugo Sanchez, and Portugal. None of them are long-term solutions."

Gao Shen was familiar with all of them, especially Portugal. When Gao Shen first joined Real Madrid's youth system, Portugal had been the Castilla coach. Gao Shen's reorganization of the youth team back then had inadvertently disrupted Portugal's plans.

Portugal's coaching career since leaving Castilla hadn't been stellar, making him an uninspiring candidate for the Real Madrid job.

"Whoever they pick," Carlo interjected, "it'll be a stopgap. Real Madrid won't find their ideal coach right now. They'll bide their time until next summer."

---

Later, as the players rested during their lunch break, Zidane stayed behind, looking unusually thoughtful.

It didn't take long for Gao Shen to notice.

After the room cleared, Gao Shen brewed a pot of tea, filling the air with its calming aroma. Zidane, like many others around Gao Shen, had developed an appreciation for tea.

Zidane often claimed that the process of brewing and drinking tea helped him think more clearly. Whether it was true or not, Gao Shen found his colleague's serious approach amusing.

Zidane sipped his tea, quietly enjoying the moment before finally speaking.

"Can I ask you something?" he said, breaking the silence.

Gao Shen raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often that Zidane sought advice. The Frenchman was a football genius, equally confident in his tactical acumen. If he had a question, it had to be significant.

"Of course," Gao Shen replied.

Zidane set his cup down and looked directly at him. "Do you really like coaching?"

The question caught Gao Shen off guard. His instinct was to say yes, but as he thought about it, he realized it wasn't such a simple answer.

Zidane's question wasn't just casual, it was loaded.

The recent sacking of Schuster weighed heavily on both their minds. For Zidane, who was just starting his journey into management, the abrupt dismissal of a coach, regardless of his faults, was a stark reminder of how unforgiving the profession could be.

Schuster had been Real Madrid's head coach last night. By morning, he was unemployed.

It was a sobering thought for anyone considering a career in management.

Gao Shen looked at Zidane thoughtfully. "It's not about liking or disliking," he said after a moment. "It's about whether you're prepared for what comes with it."

Zidane nodded, his expression serious. Coaching wasn't just a job, it was a constant balancing act, one that demanded both passion and resilience.

After all, as history had proven time and again, even the greatest players didn't always succeed on the sidelines.

***

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