Choose optimism—that is Ferguson's coag creed.

  Football is a strange and unfiving sport. No matter how strong a team may be or how brilliant a coach is, losses are iable.

  In fact, the strohe team, the more devastating a defeat feel, especially when it es at a crucial moment.

  For a manager, knowing how to handle defeat is just as important as knowing how to win.

  But choosing optimism doesn't mean ign reality. It means fag the facts head-on, analyzing them with a clear mind, and finding the best way to improve.

  Just like now, standing in front of the home dugout at Old Trafford, Ferguson watched as Gao Shen sprinted from the visitors' bench, celebrating wildly with his Napoli pyers och.

  It was an unpleasant sight. But despite the sting of defeat, Ferguson wasn't overwhelmed by ive emotions.

  Over two legs, Maer United never really had the upper hand. If anything, they were slightly inferior to Napoli.

  Gao Shen had built a formidable, distinctive team, ohat embodied his uactical philosophy.

  He had found his own Path.

  Now, his task was to refi, to perfect it.

  As for Maer Uheir performance wasn't terrible.

  If they had been weak, they wouldn't have made it to the Champions League semi-finals in the first pce.

  This loss exposed fws in the squad, but it also provided crity, showing Fergusoly where the team o improve.

  With Cristiano Ronaldo set to leave, it was time to have some serious discussions with the board and the Gzer family.

  How much of the transfer fee from Ronaldo's departure would be reied into the squad?

  That was the question Ferguson o focus on now.

  The Champions League?

  It's over.

  …

  Gao Shen lost himself in the moment.

  Only for a sed.

  Quickly regaining his posure, he called for his pyers to show restraint. After all, this was still Old Trafford.

  As he made his way back to the sideline, he noticed Ferguson already standing there, waiting for him.

  "gratutions, d." Ferguson offered a warm smile as he extended his hand.

  "Thank you, Sir." Gao Shen shook it firmly.

  "You pyed well tonight. You deserved to gh." Ferguson's tone was gracious.

  Gao Shen simply smiled. There was no need for false modesty.

  Napoli had indeed pyed better.

  He wasn't sure what to say in this moment. This kind of situatioing a legend like Ferguson on such a grand stage was surreal.

  Then Ferguson spoke again, his voice calm and measured.

  "Ih tury, the British writer Rudyard Kipling once said: 'Treat triumph and disaster just the same. Do not be swayed by illusions of victory or the sting of defeat.'"

  He chuckled lightly.

  "Too many people lose themselves in success. Others are crushed by failure. When things are going well, they think they're invincible. But the moment they hit a rough patch, they feel like the world is colpsing around them."

  Gao Shen uood the lesson behind those words.

  "In psychology, they call that 'itive distortion.'" He picked up the versation naturally.

  Ferguson raised an eyebrow, momentarily surprised.

  Gao Shen grinned. "I told you, I studied psychology on my own."

  Ferguso out a hearty ugh.

  The more he ied with Gao Shen, the more he realized, this young man was fasating.

  Not quite as fun when he was winning, though.

  Ferguson's expression grew serious.

  "From a purely selfish perspective, I've won two Champions League titles. You've only got one. So, I should be the one giving advice here. But tonight, you beat me."

  "And if you win in Rome…" He let the words hang.

  Gao Shen smiled knowingly.

  If Napoli won the final, he too would have two Champions League titles matg Ferguson's tally.

  At that point, Ferguson would no longer have the same leverage to offer advice.

  "Doesn't matter when or where, if you speak, I'll listen." Gao Shen responded with humility.

  Ferguson nodded in approval.

  "I know you uand how to keep a level head in victory a otherwise, you wouldn't be here. But there's one mistake you 't afford to repeat."

  His expression grew even more solemn.

  "Last time, someoold me they admired me. Then his team beat us 2-1 at home in the first leg and held us 1-1 at Old Trafford. That knocked us out of the Round of 16."

  "And now, you told me you were a fan of mine. But the first leg was 1-1, and tonight, you won 2-0, eliminating me from the semi-finals."

  At that, Ferguson shook his head a out a bitter chuckle.

  "I keep getting knocked out by my own 'fans.'"

  Gao Shen ughed as well.

  Ferguson hadn't named anyone, but from the scoreli was obvious, he was talking about Mourinho.

  Ba 2004, Mourinho's Porto had stunned Maer United in the Round of 16, paving the way for their historic Champions League triumph.

  "In the final, watch out for Bara," Ferguson warned. "They're tough to deal with. I won't lie, I never found a perfect way to stop them."

  His gaze turned distant for a moment.

  "You either park the bus pletely or try to match them pass for pass… but holy?" He shook his head. "her approach guarantees success."

  Even if United had made it to the final, Ferguson wasn't sure he had an answer for Pep Guardio's Bara, a team that trolled the game like no other.

  So in the end, whether he lost here or in the final… did it really make a difference?

  ---

  Gao Shen and Ferguson stood on the sidelines for nearly ten mialking about football, tactics, and the game they had just witnessed.

  During his visit to Maer, Gao Shen had brought along two cases of fine Chilean wine as a gift for Ferguson.

  He didn't mention that it was from his own winery. Instead, he simply introduced it as a well-known Chilean brand, saying that a friend had ree and that he wanted Ferguson to try it. He promised to have someone deliver it ter.

  Even i, Ferguson's mood had improved siderably. The gesture, bined with a couple of cases of quality wine, was more than enough to earn a heartfelt thank you from the legendary manager.

  But Ferguson didn't just chat idly. He ao Shen some advice regarding the uping Champions League final against Bara.

  The first leg of the other semi-final had already seen Bara dismantle Liverpool 3-1 at Anfield. Their p the final was all but secured.

  That meant a showdowween master and apprentice was on the horizon.

  But no matter their past, Guardio had the advantage.

  He was managing peak Bara, perhaps the stroeam in the club's history.

  Fao Shen, the challenge was immense.

  As Ferguson had said, there were only two real ways to approach a game against Bara.

  One: Park the bus—defend deep, stay pact, and wait for terattag opportunities, much like Chelsea or Inter Min had done in the past. But this approach was extremely passive. Bara could dominate possession with over 70%, f their oppos to endure relentless waves of attack.

  For a young Napoli squad, whose average age barely exceeded 20, was it realistic to expect them to hold out for 90 minutes under sutense pressure?

  Besides, ihree years since Gao Shen had taken charge, Napoli had ruly adopted a purely deferategy. It was simply not their style.

  Two: Press high and py them head-on.

  This was how Heynckes' Bayern Munich would ter dismantle Bara.

  But this Napoli side wasn't Bayern.

  And the Bara they were fag now was even strohan the one Bayern would crush in 2013.

  So how should he py?

  Gao Shen already had a framework in mind.

  After all, when Guardio was still his assistant, Gao Shen had often pohis exact sario how to beat Guardio's Bara.

  Back then, it had been nothing more than a hypothetical battle against an imaginary oppo.

  Now, he had to put those ideas to the test.

  …

  Full-time!

  Napoli had do!

  A 2-0 victory at Old Trafford.

  A 3-1 aggregate win over Maer United.

  Napoli were through to the Champions League final!

  As the stunned home crowd began to file out of the stands, a versation was taking pear the visitors' dugout.

  Maer City's young chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, stood beside Ferguson, his excitement barely tained.

  "He's the perfect manager for us!" Mubarak decred, his voice filled with vi. "No matter what, we have t him to City!"

  "He's the one who take us to the top, who make us challenge United and every club in Engnd!"

  Meanwhile, over in Germany, at Bayern Munich's headquarters on S?bera?e, the club's legendary Big Three—Franz Bebauer, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Uli Hoeness—had also watched the game.

  And they were just as stunned.

  They had ruly believed that Napoli could eliminate Ferguson's Maer United in the semi-finals.

  But Gao Shen had do.

  He had outcoached Ferguson in a direct tactical battle, proving his ability beyond any doubt.

  Even more impressive was the team he had built.

  Napoli had world-css talent, young pyers with enormous potential. Letting them go would be painful.

  Bebauer leaned ba his chair, shaking his head in admiration.

  "A manager like him doesn't belong in Naples anymore."

  He spoke with certainty.

  "He needs a bigger stage, ohat matches his ambitions. A true top club."

  Rummenigge and Hoeness both nodded.

  Bayern had been monit Gao Shen for some time.

  But there had always been s about his age, his experience.

  That was why they had opealks with Louis van Gaal, the current manager of Dutch side AZ Alkmaar. iations had progressed well.

  But now?

  Now, Gao Shen had taken Napoli to the Champions League final.

  And if he won it?

  He would bee a two-time Champions League-winning coach.

  That would pce him alongside Ferguson and Ai the only active managers with su achievement.

  At just 30 years old, Gao Shen would be one of the most elite coaches in Europe.

  Bebauer folded his arms.

  "We o rethink our decision."

  Rummenigge and Hoeness exged ghen nodded.

  …

  Meanwhile, in Madrid.

  Florentino Pérez sat in his office, watg the final moments of the mat a rge s.

  His emotions were plicated.

  He had miscalcuted.

  Or, more accurately, he had uimated Gao Shen.

  Bara had been unstoppable in La Liga.

  her Real Madrid nor any other Spanish club had been able to keep pace with them.

  If Florentiuro power at Madrid, his first and foremost mission would be to take down Bara.

  But how?

  His philosophy had always been Galácticos, signing global superstars. That was his vision for Madrid's future.

  But Gao Shen?

  Gao Shen didn't believe in buying superstars just for the sake of it.

  Florentino had assumed he could sign the pyers first and then vince Gao Shen to e ter.

  But now, things weren't so simple.

  He had put himself in a weaker position.

  If Gao Shen won the Champions League again, he wouldn't need Madrid.

  At that point, it wouldn't be Gao Shen chasing Real Madrid.

  It would be Real Madrid chasing him.

  Florentino exhaled slowly, leaning ba his chair.

  Miscalcuted.

  ***

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