Starting With Real Madrid

"Watch this, I'll demonstrate it again!"

Gao Shen's remarks about the Champions League quarter-final draw spread like wildfire overnight.

The tone was bold and domineering.

The media and fans worldwide were stunned. Was this something a manager of a team like Napoli should say?

Yet, on second thought, Gao Shen might actually be qualified to make such a statement.

Why?

Because Napoli had beaten Arsenal before, and it was a comeback victory at the Emirates Stadium.

More importantly, Gao Shen is a Champions League-winning coach.

Wenger is undoubtedly a great and experienced manager, but does he have a Champions League title?

What made it even more interesting was the fact that Gao Shen's Champions League triumph had begun with a reversal against Arsenal.

Thinking about it like that, doesn't he have the right to make such a claim?

Still, the British media largely branded Gao Shen as overly arrogant.

Arsenal is one of the Premier League's "Big Four." Even if they're not at their peak, they're still in the same league as top-tier clubs like Manchester United. And now a Serie A team—a declining league, no less—that isn't even considered a traditional giant, wants to lecture Arsenal?

Still demonstrating?

Go on, show us how to make a fool of yourself!

The British media immediately retaliated, accusing Gao Shen of disrespecting Arsenal and Wenger with his comments.

Everyone knows there's no love lost between Britain and Italy.

Whenever an English club plays in Italy, or vice versa, it's almost always accompanied by drama.

As long as no one ends up in a stretcher, it's considered minor.

With Arsenal knocking Roma out of the competition, Inter being eliminated by Manchester United, and AC Milan failing to make it out of the group stage, Italian football was already in a tough spot.

Now Gao Shen had stepped forward with such a provocative statement, stirring up a frenzy across Italy.

The Italian media, fans, and even casual observers rallied behind Napoli and Gao Shen.

Italy's collective sentiment seemed to scream: We once dominated the footballing world, the "small World Cup" belonged to Serie A! And now you, a nouveau riche Premier League club, dare to act high and mighty?

For a moment, it felt like the entire country was united in its support for Napoli.

What followed was an all-out war between the Italian and British media.

Both sides, self-proclaimed "literary powerhouses," unleashed every rhetorical weapon at their disposal—quoting historical figures, making clever digs, and launching blistering critiques, all to prove their own nation's superiority.

And right in the middle of this media firestorm was Gao Shen.

…

When the news reached Inter Milan's training base in the northern suburbs of Milan, Mourinho couldn't believe his ears.

"What the hell? Is this guy out of his mind?"

Mourinho was genuinely shocked.

Baresi, Faria, Boas, and the other coaching staff were equally baffled.

This didn't seem like Gao Shen's usual style. He was known for lying low, acting humble, and making his moves in silence. Since when did he start being so flashy?

"José, everyone calls you the 'Special One,' but honestly, Gao Shen might be just as crazy as you are," Boas joked.

No one had expected Gao Shen, usually soft-spoken and low-key, to suddenly go so public with his confidence.

Perhaps, they speculated, he was trying to take the pressure off his team by redirecting media attention toward himself.

"That's nonsense!" Mourinho snapped, unconvinced. "This kid is still far from being like me. And now he wants to show people how to beat Arsenal?"

Mourinho was utterly incredulous.

What kind of logic was this?

This was the quarter-finals of the Champions League. He wanted to show the world how to beat Arsenal?

What if it backfired?

Wouldn't it be humiliating?

Even if he had a strategy, why advertise it so openly?

"What the hell is he playing at?" Mourinho muttered, deeply puzzled.

Based on everything he knew about Gao Shen, this wasn't typical behavior. Gao Shen wasn't a braggart or an idiot.

So why make such an outrageous statement?

"This guy is cunning. I bet he's up to something," Mourinho said with a sly smile.

Since Inter had been eliminated from the Champions League, Mourinho was now just a spectator.

"How about you call him and ask?" Faria teased, clearly enjoying the drama.

Mourinho's face darkened. "Why the hell would I call him? I'm hoping Wenger and Arsenal destroy him at the Emirates! Let his morale crumble, and his team falls apart. That way, we'll have a chance."

Everyone looked at Mourinho in disbelief.

That was… unbelievably ruthless.

"Also, don't waste time thinking about Gao Shen. That kid is shrewd. Focus on winning our games instead."

With that, Mourinho returned to his usual grumbling.

"Damn it, we've got locker room issues, problems outside the pitch, and now this guy is out there stirring things up…"

Baresi, Boas, and the others exchanged glances.

How exactly was Gao Shen "stirring things up" for Mourinho?

Nobody asked Mourinho to follow the drama, but here he was complaining while staying glued to the story.

…

"What? He actually said that?"

At Juventus' training base in Turin, Ranieri was equally astonished when he heard the news.

That's Wenger and Arsenal he's talking about!

Seriously? He wants to show the world how to beat Arsenal?

Does he even have the qualifications to say that?

"As far as I know, Gao Shen said it himself," confirmed assistant coach Christian Damiano, a former assistant to Houllier at Liverpool and an expert on the Premier League.

"This is absurd!" Ranieri couldn't hold back his disdain.

There was bad blood between Gao Shen's Napoli and Ranieri's Juventus, and their rivalry had put Ranieri's job on the line.

It was natural for Ranieri to find fault with anything Gao Shen said or did.

"Let me tell you something, Wenger and Arsenal have been elite for years. Napoli isn't Real Madrid. This team has no real experience in the Champions League. They only got this far because Chelsea had to change managers at the last minute."

"But against Arsenal? It's a completely different story. Wenger's team won't be scared of Napoli's high-pressing tactics," Ranieri predicted confidently.

Teams that struggle with high-pressure defenses typically lack strong passing abilities. Chelsea had struggled because their passing was error-prone even without pressure.

But Arsenal?

The Gunners were renowned for their passing and movement.

So how exactly did Gao Shen plan to demonstrate beating Arsenal?

"Is he suicidal? Or is this some kind of psychological ploy?" Ranieri wondered aloud.

If it's mind games, isn't it a bit reckless to back yourself into a corner so early?

Wouldn't this pressure crush Napoli's inexperienced players?

"This is their first Champions League knockout stage, and now Gao Shen has cut off all their escape routes. What happens if they collapse?"

Ranieri shook his head. "Forget it. I'll just wait to see how he crashes and burns at the Emirates." He scoffed twice before leaving.

…

"Demonstrate? Demonstrate my ass!"

In Rome, Spalletti nearly exploded when he heard Gao Shen's remarks.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Gao Shen's comments were directed at him.

What an embarrassment!

Arsenal had just knocked his team out, and now Gao Shen was saying he'd show everyone how to beat them.

Wasn't this just mocking him for being incompetent?

Fuming, Spalletti paced back and forth in his office, his anger almost choking him.

This was adding insult to injury.

If Gao Shen wanted to provoke Wenger, that was fine, but why drag Spalletti into the mess?

"I'm going to destroy him next time we play cards!" Spalletti grumbled.

…

"Pfft!"

At Arsenal's Colney training base, Wenger spat out a mouthful of water.

Thankfully, Pat Rice, seated across from him, dodged in time.

"I'm sorry, Pat. I couldn't help it," Wenger said apologetically, handing him tissues while laughing.

Pat Rice waved it off, though he looked slightly annoyed.

"Did he really say he wants to show the world how to beat us?" Wenger asked curiously.

"Yes, he did," Pat Rice confirmed seriously.

Wenger chuckled. "Should we call it arrogance or confidence?"

But his expression quickly turned serious.

"Then again, maybe he really does have something up his sleeve."

Wenger vividly remembered that 2006 match at the Emirates. It was Gao Shen's first Champions League game, and even after losing the first leg at the Bernabéu, Gao Shen had led Real Madrid to a stunning comeback.

The tactics and adjustments Gao Shen used in that match had left a deep impression on Wenger.

Now, Gao Shen was declaring he'd show the world how to beat Arsenal?

Wenger found it amusing, but he also couldn't shake a sense of unease.

Gao Shen wasn't usually one to make bold public statements.

Could he really have figured out something new?

***

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