Inter Min, Piina Training Base.

  In the coaches' meeting room, Jose Mourinho sat at the head of the table, fnked by his trusted assistants Vils-Boas, Faria, and goalkeeping coach Sylvinho, alongside Inter Min's assistant coach Giuseppe Baresi.

  Laid out before them were freshly piled reports analyzing Napoli's ret warm-up matches, plete with pyer evaluations and performaa.

  With the Italian Super Cup looming, Mourinho and his team were fiuning their strategy. The first step was deg how Inter Min would approach the game.

  But before the discussion began, Mourinho couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath.

  "That damned old man!"

  His assistants exged knowing smiles and shook their heads, clearly aced to Mourinho's fiery personality.

  …

  Although Mourinho was o Serie A, his bative nature hadn't ged a bit.

  Just two days earlier, he had engaged in a public spat with Juventus head coach Cudio Ranieri.

  The bad blood betweewo went baourinho's time at Chelsea, where he had repced Ranieri as head coach. It was that Ranieri harbored reseoward Mourinho, and now that they were rivals in Serie A, the tension had oed.

  Their first csh came at the TIM Trophy.

  Before the tour, Ranieri was asked about Mourinh a press ference. While he praised Mourinho's achievements in Pal and Engnd, he also pointed out that managing in Italy was uniquely challenging.

  Mourinho, never oo back down, fired back immediately: "If Juventus 't beat Inter Min, Ranieri should focus on his own team instead of w about me." The subtext was clear, mind your own business, old man.

  But when Ranieri's Juventus defeated Inter 1-0 iour, he didn't miss the opportunity to gloat. He decred that no matter how successful Mourinho had been elsewhere, "In Italy, I won't let him succeed."

  Mourinho, of course, wasn't the type to take such jabs lying down.

  When Juventus lost 0-3 to Hamburg in the Emirates Cup shortly after, Raried to shift focus by g he wasn't someone like Mourinho, who only cared about winning. He said he was fih criticism, even boos from fans.

  At that point, Inter Min's preseason performances had started to improve, and Mourinho responded with his trademark fidence.

  "I am someone who demands the best from myself and my team," he said. "I need victories to feel happy, and I love winning championships."

  Then came the verbal knockout punch:

  "Ranieri says he doesn't o win, and that's probably true. He's over 70 and has only won a handful of trophies. I could t them on one hand and still have fingers left over."

  He added, "He should really ge his mi, but he's too old for that. He's even fotten that his assistants need proper coag lises. I pity him."

  Ranieri had no answer for Mourinho's sharp wit. The spat, which had sted several days, became the talk of Italian football, captivating fans across the try.

  Last season, Serie A had Gao Shen dominating the headlihis summer, Mourinho had taken up that mantle.

  Now, with the Italian Super Cup just days away—Inter Min versus Napoli—the media frenzy was in full swing.

  The match, set to take pce at the Meazza Stadium, promised to be a blockbuster.

  …

  This wasn't just a match that had Italy talking—it had the attention of football fans across Europe and even the world.

  It was the first-ever meetiween Gao Shen and Mourinho.

  It was also a csh between Napoli and Inter Min, the twest teams in Serie A.

  From any perspective, it was a must-watch showdown.

  However, both teams were far from full strength.

  Napoli was missi key pyers, all of whom had left to represent their national teams in the Olympics. This left gring holes in their lineup, particurly in defense.

  Iingly, Inter Min was fag a simir crisis.

  Sihe previous season, Inter's tral defense had been pgued by injuries.

  Walter Samuel and Iván Córdoba were still out with long-term injuries. Maraterazzi and Cristian Chivu were also sidelined, leaving Nicolás Burdisso as their only fully fit ter-back.

  …

  "From the data we've collected, we firm one of Napoli's likely startier-backs: avaro Jr.," Vils-Boas began, presenting his analysis.

  "As for the sed ter-back, there are three possibilities: Thiago Motta, Arturo Vidal, or Mehdi Benatia."

  He broke down each option:

  "Thiago Motta is physically strong and good at distributing the ball. He's pyed as a ter-back several times for Bara and performed detly. Vidal, oher hand, was inally a ter-back before moving into midfield after ing to Italy. His style is aggressive, even reckless at times."

  "Then there's Benatia. He's the most iing of the three. Based oa, it's hard to gauge how much the team values him. On the surface, it seems they don't. But iy, he's had more pying time than you'd expect for someone in his position. Acc to scout reports, he's mostly e on as a substitute and his performances have been average."

  The three options each had their strengths and weaknesses, leaving the choice up to Gao Shen's preference.

  Based on minutes pyed, Benatia seemed the least likely option. As a newer with a troubled injury history, he hardly seemed capable of filling the void left by Domic.

  But Mourinho wasn't vinced.

  "Would Gao Shen really sign someone like Benatia just to make up the numbers?" he asked.

  It didn't add up. How could Gao Shen repic, a proven defender who had earned Napoli over €3 million in transfer fees, with someone Marseille had let go on a free transfer?

  Sure, transfer fees didn't tell the whole story, but the gap in their perceived value was staggering.

  If Gao Shen could casually uh hidden gems like this to repce established pyers, then that would be terrifying.

  …

  "What tactics do you think Gao Shen will use?" Mourinho asked with a sly smile.

  "Attack," Vils-Boas answered without hesitation.

  Faria nodded. "Attack."

  Giuseppe Baresi, however, was more cautious. "Gao Shen once said he wanted revenge for the 3-0 loss at the Meazza st season. Plus, he's young and bold. With so many key defenders missing, he probably doesn't trust his bae entirely. I'd guess he'll lean toward attag."

  Mourinho thought for a moment and agreed.

  "If that's the case, then he'll likely go with Thiago Motta. His passing range is excellent, and his long balls be very dangerous. Gao Shen will want to exploit that strength."

  An idea began f in Mourinho's mind.

  With the additions of Mani Jr. and Sulley Muntari, plus the emergence of young Mario Balotelli, Inter's attag options had improved signifitly.

  The 17-year-old Balotelli, in particur, was a fasating pyer—fast, strong, teically gifted, aless in pressing oppos. pared to Cruz and Ibrahimovi?, Balotelli offered a different kind of dynamism.

  Mourinho wondered: could he use Balotelli and Ibrahimovi? together to disrupt Napoli's shaky defense?

  The Italian Super Cup might not carry the same weight as other trophies, but it was still a valuable opportunity. Winning it would give Inter a morale boost heading into the new season, especially after st season's disappois.

  For Ihis match was about more than a trophy. It was about rest pride and fidence.

  "Do you think our defense handle Napoli's attack?" Mourinho suddenly asked.

  The room fell silent for a moment as the coaches exged uneasy gnces.

  Inter's defensive depth was thin, and stopping Napoli wouldn't be easy.

  Unless…

  "If we domiheir midfield, I think we manage," Baresi finally said.

  Everyone knew how crucial the midfield was to Napoli's system. Even Sacchi had once famously decred, "trol the midfield, trol the game."

  Napoli's relian their midfield was well-doted.

  "If we suppress their midfield, we eutralize their attack," Baresi tinued.

  "Two key abseo note are Biglia, their midfield anchor, and Di Maria, their left winger. Without Biglia, their midfield stability takes a hit. And without Di Maria, their left-side attack is signifitly weakened."

  Mourinho nodded. Napoli's depleted squad presented a golden opportunity for Inter.

  This was the perfect time to strike.

  Take advantage of their weakness and crush them.

  With renewed determination, Mourinho decred, "Let's stick to this pn. At the Meazza, we'll go all out to win the Super Cup ahe tone for the season."

  And, deep down, Mourinho had another reason for wanting to win.

  He wao prove to everyone especially himself—that he wasn't just a backup choice for the jobs at Bara and Inter.

  He wahe world to know:

  He, Jose Mourinho, was not a spare tire.

  He was better than Gao Shen.