Starting With Real Madrid

Back in the locker room, Gao Shen made sure to shower his players with praise.

Winning the match was exhilarating, but the joy of being recognized and appreciated by their manager? That made them even happier.

Afterward, Gao Shen headed to the press conference room at Old Trafford.

In front of the media, he spoke highly of Manchester United and Ferguson, calling them one of the toughest opponents he had ever faced. He expressed his pride in Napoli's achievement, making it clear that their success was down to the hard work of his players.

Of course, he also took the opportunity to reiterate his deep respect for Sir Alex Ferguson.

But before that, Ferguson himself had already praised Gao Shen and his Napoli side during his own post-match press conference.

And whether it was because of those two cases of fine red wine, or simply out of genuine admiration, Ferguson didn't hold back in his praise.

He even went so far as to declare that, among the new generation of managers, the two he rated most highly were Gao Shen and Guardiola.

"The future of European football will belong to them!"

Coming from Ferguson, this was no small compliment.

Few managers in world football had the authority and credibility to make such a statement.

But Ferguson?

He was the one person whose words carried weight everywhere.

A Final Worth Watching

Ferguson also revealed something interesting to the press.

"I've already asked Gao for a ticket to the final."

He smiled as he said it.

"I think this will be a classic. A match that will shape the tactical evolution of European football for years to come!"

It was a massive endorsement, not just for Gao Shen, but also for Guardiola.

It only made sense for Gao Shen to return the favor with more compliments.

Respect is a two-way street.

And besides, Gao Shen genuinely admired Ferguson.

Back in the locker room, Gao Shen finally turned his phone back on.

It immediately lit up with missed calls and messages.

He had two phones, both Apple devices. One was strictly for business, while the other was for personal use, known only to close friends.

For example, when Ancelotti wanted to invite him for a poker game, he would always call the private number.

In Real Madrid, only a handful of people, Florentino Pérez, Butragueño, Valdano had that private number.

Everyone else had to go through official channels.

Looking at the two phones, Gao Shen couldn't help but miss his old phone.

The dual SIM, dual standby function had been ridiculously convenient.

Now? He had to carry around two separate phones just to manage everything.

He skimmed through the missed calls, most were work-related. Nothing urgent.

The messages, however, were different.

His family, friends, and Su Qing had all sent their congratulations.

Even though it was the middle of the night in China, they had all stayed up to watch the match.

Gao Shen checked the time. He still had a bit of free time, so he called his parents first.

It was already 3 AM in China, yet they were still awake.

Or rather, they had set an alarm just to wake up and watch his match.

That warmed his heart.

After a short call with his parents, he immediately dialed Su Qing.

She hadn't slept yet either.

Her mind was still buzzing from the match, making it impossible to rest.

When Gao Shen brought up the visa situation, she reassured him.

"Don't worry. I already reported it to my boss and will go collect it in the next couple of days. I've also applied for leave."

Hearing that, Gao Shen finally relaxed.

But then, something caught his attention.

"Wait… report it to your boss?"

He frowned.

"Why would you need approval just to get a visa?"

Su Qing hesitated for a second, then let out a soft laugh.

"Because of my job. Once you reach a certain level as a civil servant, you have to report any overseas travel in advance. Only after approval can you leave the country."

Gao Shen was intrigued.

"And what reason did you give?"

"Visiting relatives."

He was stunned.

Su Qing, on the other end, seemed to realize how awkward that sounded and chuckled.

"I couldn't exactly lie about it, could I?"

Gao Shen was still processing it when she added:

"Oh, by the way… our department head is a huge fan of yours."

"Huh?"

Su Qing burst into laughter, as if recalling a funny memory.

"When I submitted my request, my boss was so surprised. You know, he's always so serious and composed never showing much emotion. But when he found out I was going to Italy to watch you coach in the Champions League final… he was so excited!"

"No way!" Gao Shen laughed in disbelief.

"I swear!" Su Qing insisted. "He even told me to pass along his regards. Said that he once met some European leaders, and they actually discussed you in casual conversation. He told me to tell you to keep working hard"

Gao Shen was speechless.

"Seriously? They talked about me?"

He felt a little overwhelmed.

Then, a thought popped into his head.

"Wait a second… your colleagues don't know, do they?"

Su Qing had mentioned before that some of her female colleagues used to daydream about him.

If they found out she was dating him, wouldn't they die of embarrassment?

Su Qing smirked.

"Of course not. This is personal information. My boss wouldn't just go around telling people."

Gao Shen exhaled.

"Right, makes sense."

Su Qing had always said that in government work, you do more and talk less.

She suddenly changed the subject.

"By the way, you should get the guest rooms ready. Zidane and Sarri already told me they'll move in with Lucas when my family arrives."

Gao Shen chuckled.

Those two had been living in his house for a while now.

It wasn't a big deal—his house was massive, and he lived alone.

But with his family coming, it made sense for them to move out temporarily.

After hanging up with Su Qing, Gao Shen noticed a text message from Pep Guardiola.

"Congratulations! See you in the finals!"

Short and to the point.

But the fact that Guardiola had sent it at this moment spoke volumes about their friendship.

Gao Shen thought for a second before replying.

"Come on! See you in the finals!"

Of course, Barcelona still had to play their second leg against Liverpool the next day.

Technically, they weren't in the final yet.

But let's be honest, no one expected Benítez's team to pull off a miracle at the Camp Nou.

The gap between the two sides was simply too big.

British Media Reacts to Ferguson's Defeat

The battle of old versus new had ended in total victory for the young coach.

Napoli's 2-0 triumph at Old Trafford had sealed a 3-1 aggregate win over Manchester United, and the British media wasted no time in dissecting what had happened.

Leading the charge was The Guardian, which ran a post-match commentary under the headline:

"Ferguson Outclassed: The Veteran Manager Falls to a Young Mastermind!"

In their analysis, The Guardian noted that this highly anticipated showdown had not been as evenly matched as many expected.

Instead, Napoli had dominated.

Apart from a bright opening spell, Manchester United barely put up a fight.

The article highlighted Ferguson's tactical missteps, particularly his decision to play Cristiano Ronaldo as a central striker.

"He looked like a caged beast, completely out of place."

The Guardian even quoted Ronaldo's post-match interview, where he didn't hold back his frustrations.

"Everything was wrong. We shouldn't have played like this."

The paper interpreted this as a direct criticism of Ferguson, especially his insistence on playing Ronaldo out of position.

Beyond that, The Guardian brutally exposed Manchester United's midfield weaknesses.

With Michael Carrick tightly marked, United's midfield had completely collapsed.

As for Anderson, once hailed as the "new Ronaldinho", the report noted that he now looked more like a defensive midfielder, a player who had lost all his creativity and spark.

The Times: "Ferguson Got It Wrong!"

The Times also placed the blame squarely on Ferguson.

Their headline left no room for doubt.

"Napoli Deserved It, Ferguson Got It Wrong!"

The article criticized Ferguson's tactical choices and team selection, calling them flawed from the start.

Wayne Rooney lacked his usual fire.

Park Ji-sung was overwhelmed by nerves.

Cristiano Ronaldo? Completely out of sorts.

"United underestimated this game. They overestimated themselves, especially their midfield."

According to The Times, Ferguson's plan had been to launch an early offensive, disrupting Napoli's rhythm before they could settle.

But with three defensive-minded midfielders on the pitch, United simply didn't have the creativity to sustain that approach.

"Ferguson was torn," the report explained.

"On one hand, he was scared of Napoli's midfield, so he played it safe. That's why Giggs and Scholes never started."

"But on the other hand, he still wanted United to press high and attack. The result? A complete tactical disaster."

The two first-half goals had effectively ended the contest.

In fact, Napoli could have scored more in the second half.

"Manchester United were lucky to escape with just a 2-0 loss."

The Times also showered Gao Shen with praise, highlighting his tactical superiority.

"Unlike the first leg, this time he got everything right."

"Napoli were dominant in every aspect, technically, tactically, and in terms of organization."

"This is the mark of a truly elite young coach."

As for the upcoming Champions League final, The Times remained cautious.

They acknowledged that Barcelona had the stronger squad.

With Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, and Eto'o, Guardiola's team boasted some of the best players in the world.

Their passing and positional play were also unmatched.

Napoli, meanwhile, had reached their absolute peak after three years under Gao Shen.

But compared to Barcelona's all-star lineup, they were still underdogs.

However, there was one crucial advantage in Napoli's favor.

Their manager.

"In terms of squad strength, Barcelona has the edge."

"But in terms of coaching ability? Gao Shen is miles ahead of Guardiola."

The Times believed Gao Shen's tactical mind would be the decisive factor in the final.

"If Napoli are to make history, it will be because of Gao Shen."

"He is their greatest weapon."

***

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