When Gao Shehe Allianz Arena, he didn't look back.
His mind was still preoccupied with the versation he'd had with Bebauer, particurly about the German youth training system.
Gao Shen had long been aware of the rigor ah of Germany's football development programs. He uood the strength of their football infrastructure and the Germans' attitude toward the sport, qualities that couldn't be replicated or caught up to in a short period of time.
Currently, Gao Shen wasn't g in money.
When he signed his tract with Napoli this summer, he received a signing bonus of €1 million—equivalent to 10 million yuan—not including his sary and the bonuses he earned for winning the double st season.
So far this season, with Napoli advang to the Champions League knockout stage, Gao Shen was set to earn another sizable bonus, not to mention additional iives tied to their league performance.
But his ine wasn't limited to coag.
He held shares in panies like Penguin, Twitter, and Apple. His Twitter at itself held signifit ercial value, and his agricultural and wine businesses in Chile and Peru were seeing steadily increasing revenue and profit every month.
In shao Shen didn't have to worry about money anymore. He had the resources to pursue whatever he wanted, except when it came to football.
He'd once asked Su Qing to help him research ideas for a meaningful football project, something beyond coag a team. He articurly ied in youth training.
Su Qing piled materials, studied policies, and ducted detailed research. She eventually cluded that eveing up a small football training program for elementary school students would be a massive challenge.
The logistical hurdles were immense: finding suitable venues, s students, obtaining the necessary qualifications, ensuring student safety, and addressing the financial sustainability of the program.
In the end, Su Qing suggested, "You should focus on your promising career as a head coach. If nothing else, sider iing in stocks or other ventures. Youth training is not for you."
Although Su Qing didn't spell it out, Gao Shen uood what she meant.
If he mishahe project, it wouldn't just fail to produce results; it could also cause him signifit trouble and damage his reputation.
What would be the point of taking that risk?
Without widespread grassroots popurity in football, ung a youth training initiative would be a thaask. It could even bee a public embarrassment.
Gao Shen had seen simir situations before. A friend of his had started a basketball training program, but only after being the head coach of a top-tier high school basketball team with national reition. The school offered indepe enrollment quotas for exceptional students, and the program thrived as a result.
But that was around 2015.
Before then, his friend had simply been a promising physical education teacher.
Football training programs, oher hand, only began to emerge as a viable business in 2018, when the sport started gaining more tra in grassroots unities.
After his versation with Bebauer, Gao Shen gained valuable insights but alshe reality of the situation. Without widespread participation in football, any discussion of reform or development was meaningless.
How could you develop a sport if no one ying it?
His visit to Covero had sparked some ideas. Perhaps he could unch a coag training program instead?
Promoting football wasn't something one person could achieve alone, nor could it be done in a short amount of time. But training coaches was a feasible goal. After all, domestic leagues and clubs needed more professional, high-level coaches.
However, Gao Shen wasn't in a rush. He decided to revisit the idea ter, when he had more time.
For now, his focus remained on his coag career.
The higher he climbed, the more leverage he'd have to pursue meaningful projects iure.
He also wao prove to the world that even a ese coach could succeed at the highest levels of football.
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After the match against Bayern Munich, the Champions League group stage officially cluded.
Returning to Italy from Muniapoli quickly shifted their focus to domestipetition. Over the weekend, they faced Lecce at home ih round of Serie A.
Gao Shen tinued his rotation policy, and the team delivered a solid performance. With goals from Hamsik, Rakitid i, Napoli secured a 3-0 victory and ahree points.
Elsewhere, Roma edged out Cagliari 3-2 at home, while Inter Mied Chievo 4-2 at the San Siro, with Ztan Ibrahimovi? sg twice.
Despite losing ground earlier in the season, Mourinho's Inter remained determio fight back, waiting for Napoli to slip up.
After 16 rounds, Napoli maintaiheir five-point lead at the top of the table.
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At noon on December 19, the draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 took pce at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzernd.
Napoli sent general manager Marino to represent the club at the draw. The guest responsible for dug the draw was Bruno ti, the general manager of Roma, who also oversaw the group stage draw earlier this season.
Unfortunately, despite being an Italian, Bruno ti mao send Italian teams into difficult matchups.
As a group winner, Napoli drew Chelsea, a nightmare matchup by any standard.
It was a tragic oute.
Inter Min aired with Maer United, Roma drew Arsenal, and as for A…
Well, Ai's team didn't even make it out of the group stage and was relegated to the Europa League, where they would be pying alongside Real Madrid in what felt like a soap opera.
The result was clear: a showdowween Serie A and the Premier League.
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After the draw, the Italian media were not optimistic about Napoli's ces against Chelsea.
Uhe ma of Luiz Felipe Scori, Chelsea was having a strong season. They were sitting in sed p the Premier League, with an impressive streak of eight secutive away victories. While their Champions League performances had been less dominant, their struggles were rgely fio away matches.
The biggest for the Italian media, however, was Chelsea's status as the most baeam in the Premier League this season. Known for their solid defense under Scori's meticulous coag, the Blues had scored 35 goals in 16 league matches while g only six.
By parison, Maer United, in third pce, had scored 30 goals but ceded 10. Chelsea's defensive record was unmatched.
Napoli, oher hand, was celebrated for their offensive football. But teams with strong defensive systems, like Chelsea, had historically posed signifit challenges for them. Scori's coag style, marked by defensive anization and resilience, recisely the kind of oppo Napoli would prefer to avoid.
The bookmakers' odds reflected this pessimism.
Before the draoli had the sixth-best odds of winning the Champions League among the 16 remaining teams, trailing Bara, Maer United, Chelsea, Inter Min, and Liverpool. Their odds were 15-to-1, signaling strong outside fiden their abilities.
But ohe draw was revealed, Napoli's odds of winning plummeted to 29-to-1, ranking them alongside Roma and even below Bayern Munich.
In trast, Chelsea's odds remained unged at 6-to-1, tied with Maer United and sed only to Bara.
Though odds are not definitive predictors, the message was clear: few believed Napoli could advance past Chelsea.
For Napoli, it felt like they'd fallen victim to bad luck twice, first with their group stage draw in the so-called "group of death," and now with this.
When Gao Shen saw the results of the draw, he half-jokingly wao call Bruno ti to ask, "Do you have something against me? Or did you fet to wash your hands before the draw today?"
How could the oute be so terrible?
It wasn't just Napoli, this draw seemed like a collective punishment for the Serie A teams. The Premier League was at its peak, and Serie A teams had sistently struggled against English opposition i years. If they weren't careful, all three Italian clubs could be eliminated.
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As was ary, Gao Shen was interviewed by the media following the draw.
No matter how much frustration he vented privately, he maintained a calm and fident demeanor in front of the press.
"Yes, drawing Chelsea is undoubtedly a challenge," Gao Shen admitted. "We all know the Blues are one of the stroeams in the petition, and no one wants to face such a tough oppo early on."
However, he made it clear that Napoli wouldn't back down.
"At the end of August, when we were drawn against Real Madrid, Bayern, a, everyone said the same things they're saying now that we wouldn't make it out of the group stage, that it was a 'group of death.' But in the end, we proved them wrong. Everyone saw the result."
"What I want to emphasize is this: no matter who our oppo is whether they're the stro or the weakest we won't let it affect us. We won't be afraid or overfident. We will focus on pying our best football in every game."
Gao Shen also pointed out that Napoli had an advantage in the schedule. As group winners, they would py the sed leg at home.
"I'm looking forward to the battle at Stamford Bridge in February," he said with a fident smile.
Napoli's pyers echoed their coach's ses. While they expressed respect for Chelsea's strength, they also voiced their belief in their ability to advance.
Even club president De Laurentiis made a bold statement, deg his faith ieam.
"I think Napoli is the stroeam in European football! Even if we secure qualification at Stamford Bridge, I wouldn't be surprised at all because I know we have the strength to do it!"
The ever-bold and outspoken preside no doubts about his fidence.
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Whether due to the pressure of the draw or other factors, the 17th round of Serie A saw mixed results for the league's top teams.
Roma suffered a shock 3-2 loss to ia on the road, g three goals early before mounting a eback that ultimately fell short. Spalletti's team seemed haunted by their uping csh with Arsenal.
Inter Min, oher hand, managed a narrow 2-1 victory over Siena thanks to a brace from Mai.
Juventus defeated Atanta 3-1, while A crushed Udinese 5-1 at the San Siro.
Napoli, meanwhile, traveled to Turin, where i's lone goal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory and ahree points.
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After this round, Serie A officially es winter break.
Napoli remai the top of the table with a five-point lead over sed-pced Inter Min. Juventus, A, and Fiorentina rounded out the top five.
However, instead of starting their Christmas holiday immediately, Napoli's pyers gathered at their training base in Castel Volturno the day after the final match.
Gao Shen had something pnned, something he had been preparing for a long time.
