"God, y million euros!!"

  When the news of Inter Min signing Lucio broke in Napoli, the coag staff erupted in disbelief.

  No one had expected Inter Min to spend su astronomical sum—€90 million—on building a team for Mourinho, especially in an eically sluggish European football market.

  This was no longer just a "luxury squad"; it was ht extravagant.

  Inter Min was ag like a footballing version of royalty, throwing mo every problem.

  When Gao Shen heard the news, he was stunned. He hadn't anticipated Mourinho ving Moratti to spend su exorbitant amount.

  It was clear that Moratti, in his relentless pursuit of a Champions League title as chairman of Inter Min, was willing to sacrifiything, perhaps even his family fortune.

  Yet, there was something admirable about Moratti's itment. To pour this level of iment into his club out of pure love aion was rare in modern football.

  Let's be ho: how many owners in European football are willing to spend so much with little expectation of financial return?

  "It's going to be tough to py Serie A this season!" Carlo said, his worry evident.

  Always a cautious thinker, Carlo preferred to sider the challenges first.

  The rest of the coag staff nodded in agreement. Inter Min's revamped squad was indeed daunting.

  After their 3–0 victory over Inter in the Supercoppa, Napoli had been brimming with fidence about defending their Serie A title. But now, with Inter's heavy iment, the threat they posed could no longer be ignored.

  In professional football, moalks. With money, you get top pyers. Without it, you're left scrambling to make do.

  "Gao, what do you think?" Carlo asked, sensing Gao Shen's silence.

  The coag staff turheir attention to him.

  Gao Shen gave a faint smile. "I had a feeling this would happen. After sharing a drink with Mourinho that night, I guessed he'd push the ma for reinforts. But I didn't expect it to be this extensive. Moratti really pulled out all the stops."

  Only someone like Moratti, born into wealth and privilege, would be willing to i so heavily just to chase a dream.

  y million euros. verted into ese yuan, that's 900 million.

  Gao Shen couldn't help but be astonished.

  "Still, no matter who the oppo is, it doesn't ge anything for us," Gao Shen said firmly, his voice exuding fidence.

  "The games have to be pyed o a time. The oppos have to be beaten one by one. Whether it's Roma in the first round or Inter Min ter on, oal remains the same: victory!"

  Gao Shen's fident smile lit up the room.

  "Holy, I thought this season's Serie A would be dull, but now it looks like Inter Min won't disappoint me!" he added.

  "The strohe petition, the better for Napoli. That's what defines us!"

  For reasons they couldn't fully expin, the coag staff felt reassured by Gao Shen's words.

  Sure, Inter Min was stronger, but Napoli wasly weak.

  This was the same Napoli that had defeated Inter 3–0 at the Meazza before those signings. And even with their new acquisitions, Inter wasn't necessarily better, they might be evenly matched at best.

  So, why should they be afraid?

  …

  News of Inter Min's signings also reached the pyers, but Gao Shen quickly calmed any u.

  It was clear that Inter would be Napoli's main rival in Serie A this season. And with their bolstered lineup, the pyers couldn't help but feel a little shaken.

  But Gao Shen made it clear that he had full faith in his squad. Even with Inter Min's reinforts, they wouldn't dispapoli at the top.

  "Mark my words!" Gao Shen decred passionately in front of his pyers. "Wheurn to the Meazza, we'll crush Inter Min again!"

  His bold words reighe pyers' fighting spirit.

  Sure, Inter Min had strengthened, but Napoli wasn't g either.

  Most of Napoli's squad had been together for two years. Their chemistry and uanding were unmatched, and they weren't about to be intimidated by Inter's transfers.

  Adding to the optimism, Napoli received good news as the pyers who participated in the Olympics begaurning to the team. Before the start of the Serie A season, everyone was back.

  The Argentinian ti—Olympic champions no less, were the st to return.

  Di Maria and Biglia had shone during the tour, boosting Napoli's fidence further.

  Napoli had already cimed two trophies before the Serie A season even began, and their first league match was against Roma away.

  Against Roma, Napoli held a psychological edge. Gao Shen's recainst the Roman side was excellent, and the team was full of fidence.

  Roma's captain, Totti, along with Perrotta and Taddei, was injured ao miss the game.

  This effectively removed Roma's most dangerous attag threats, giving Napoli an even bigger advantage.

  …

  On August 29, the day before the Serie A season kicked off, the Champions League group stage draw was held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

  Napoli sent general manager Marino to attend the ceremony.

  Meanwhile, Gao Shen and the team remai Castel Volturno, preparing for the league opener.

  Everyone kneoli's draw would be tough. Without any European points, they were pced in the fourth pot.

  It was ironic: the Serie A champions, pced in the lowest seeding pot. Napoli wasn't happy about it, and other teams certainly wereher.

  After all, who wao face a team as strong as Napoli in the group stage?

  The fourth pot also included other formidable sides like Atletiadrid and Shakhtar Dosk.

  The eight top seeds included defending champions Maer United, along with Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bara, A, and Inter Min.

  The Premier League's dominance was clear, with four of the eight top seeds ing from Engnd. Three of the four Champions League semifinalists st season were English clubs.

  The Premier League wasn't just rich—it was a stage for the world's best pyers and managers.

  It was also where some of the greatest coag minds collided: Ferguson, Wenger, Benítez, and more.

  "If you could choose, which team would you want to face?" Zidane asked, breaking the silence as they watched the live broadcast of the draw.

  Without hesitation, Gao Shen replied, "Ferguson's Maer United."

  "You want to face the defending champions?" Carlo excimed, startled.

  Gao Shen nodded. "Yes. I want to test myself against Ferguson. They're the stroeam in Eurht now. Pying against them will show us how good we really are and where we o improve."

  Fao Shen, matches agaie teams were like sharpening a bde.

  What's the point of dominating Serie A if you 't pete against Europe's best?

  You 't grow in isotion.

  Gao Shen wao challehe masters of the game. Even if he lost, he'd wele the lessons learned.

  "Imagine if every game were as easy as our 3–0 win over Inter Min. What would we gain from that?" he said.

  Fao Shen, only by fag the stro oppos could they truly grorogress.

  "And the team you don't want to face?" Zidane asked.

  Gao Shen smiled. "Bara and Real Madrid."

  "Why?" Zidane asked curiously.

  "Guardio is coag Bara. I know what kind of football he wants to py, and I know him too well. If we face each other, I'll win. As for Real Madrid… well, if I beat them, their fans at the Bernabeu might never five me," Gao Shen joked, breaking into ughter.

  In truth, Gao She fident against both teams.

  Real Madrid was struggling with internal flicts between coach Schuster and direijatovic.

  As for Bara, Gao Shen didn't want to disrupt their trajectory. He was ed that if he defeated Guardio's side, it might derail their jouroward the treble.

  "If that happened, Guardio wouldn't bee the legendary manager he's destio be, and my role as his Mentor would lose some credibility," Gao Shen teased, half-jokingly.

  Sometimes, even rivals need a little help.

  …

  The draw soon began, and the groups took shape.

  Due to seeding rules, Napoli wouldn't face A, Inter Min, or Roma.

  However, their potential oppos included Maer United, Liverpool, Bara, Arsenal, and Real Madrid, all European powerhouses.

  The sed pot was just as intimidating, featuring teams like Bayern Munich, Lyon, Vilrreal, Porto, and Werder Bremen.

  No matter how the draw pyed out, Napoli was destined for the "Group of Death."

  The only question was: how deadly?

  As the draw progressed, Bara was grouped with Sp Lisbon, Liverpool with PSV Eindhoven, Maer United with Vilrreal, Arsenal with Porto, and Real Madrid with Bayern Munich.

  Watg the unfolding groups, Gao Shen sighed inwardly.

  They were all tough draws, and none of the potential oppos looked easy.

  The most unfortunate pairing so far seemed to be Group H, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

  But Gao Shen thought to himself: surely Napoli wouldn't be that unlucky… right?

  ***

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