Starting With Real Madrid

The sun was setting in the west, and the day's training session had ended, but the training ground at Fort Volturno remained bustling.

Many players voluntarily chose to stay for extra training, and the coaching staff also remained on the field.

In the next two days, they all had an important task: to focus on personalized training for Pelle.

Before the afternoon training session, Gao Shen had asked the defensive players to volunteer for additional work. As a result, all the young players chose to stay.

This group of young lads was full of energy. Even though the training sessions in Naples were intense, after a short break, they were back on their feet and ready to go again.

Gao Shen organized a drill with David Luiz, Bonucci, and Vidal as defenders, while Pelle was in charge of passing with four other teammates.

This was a five-on-three training exercise proposed by Gao Shen and further refined by Carlo and Borrell. It focused on closely simulating real-game situations, especially the key marking that Pelle would encounter during matches.

The training was led by Borrell, but the initial results were unsatisfactory, with frequent mistakes.

However, gradually, the players involved in the training, including Pelle, began to settle into the rhythm.

"Pelle, pay attention to your footwork when receiving the ball. Try to control it with one touch."

"You need to anticipate ahead of time, plan your passing routes, and pay attention to your movements. It should not only make it easier for you to pass but also for your teammates to receive. You're a link in the chain."

"Don't be too predictable. Add some deception to your plays."

"Gervinho, your passing line is too obvious. Leave a bit more margin for error."

"Make circuitous runs. While the straight line is the shortest distance, it's also easier to track. Move in a roundabout pattern."

"Okay, that was a great combination play this time."

The training ground was filled with Borrell's shouts as he continuously directed the players and fine-tuned their drills.

Occasionally, when there was a significant issue, he would call for a halt to the training to point out flaws in the passing and running lines, instructing on how to run, how to pass, and how to deceive opponents in certain situations.

Often, these were minor details, but their impact was substantial.

Gao Shen, Carlo, and the coaching staff watched the training intently from the sidelines. Pelle's footwork wasn't a problem; the key issue was that he was unfamiliar with this style of play, and it would take some time for him to adjust.

But he was adapting quickly, and his improvement was evident.

This wasn't surprising; when you're on the right track, progress can come twice as fast with half the effort.

While the focus was on training Pelle, other players were also benefitting.

For instance, during one drill, Pelle ran out to support. After Rakitic passed the ball to his feet, Pelle received it with his back facing the attacking direction. He used his body to shield the ball from Bonucci and then made a precise pass into the penalty area.

It was a moment of inspiration from Pelle.

At the same time, Gervinho cleverly tricked Vidal, using a circuitous run to find space behind him and receive the ball, earning applause all around.

Had it been a real game, it could have easily been a one-on-one chance with the goalkeeper.

The teammates watching from the sidelines weren't the only ones impressed; even Gao Shen and the coaching staff gave warm applause for this play.

"Well done, Graziano!" Gao Shen shouted loudly, sounding like an enthusiastic fan.

He never hesitated to praise his players, even if it was slightly exaggerated.

After all, these young men in their early twenties thrived on such encouragement.

...

...

"Do you think the match against Juventus will be broadcast live on TV?" Bonucci asked, breaking the silence in the locker room.

After the training session, the players had returned to the locker room. Some were showering, some were dressing, some were sitting there texting, and others were just relaxing.

Bonucci, however, had been sitting quietly since he came in, pondering this question.

Rumors were swirling everywhere, with all sorts of speculations about the game.

The match was set to take place at the San Paolo Stadium in Naples, which could accommodate 55,000 people. It had long been a Serie A venue and met the requirements for live television broadcasting.

Since Naples drew Juventus, there were rumors that broadcasters were planning to televise the Coppa Italia earlier than usual, with the first game being Naples' home match against Juventus.

The reason was simple: this game had garnered massive attention.

Not only were the fans of the two teams keenly interested, but even many neutral fans were closely watching.

To put it bluntly, even after being relegated, Juventus remained a giant in many people's eyes. Meanwhile, Gao Shen, who came to Italy with the glory of winning La Liga and the Champions League double, coaching a Serie B team like Naples had generated considerable intrigue. There had also been much banter between Gao Shen and Juventus in the media.

This game had become the most highly anticipated fixture in the Coppa Italia so far.

"Do you want it to be broadcast or not?" David Luiz asked with a grin, fresh out of the shower.

Bonucci looked up. Under the lights, his nineteen-year-old face still bore the traces of youth his hair extremely short, his face beardless and pale. Yet, his eyes were filled with an eagerness that belied his age.

"Last season, in Serie A, I played just three minutes no, to be precise, a little over two minutes."

As soon as Bonucci finished speaking, David Luiz and the others, who had been joking around, were taken aback and stopped their banter.

"Injured?" David Luiz asked with concern.

Bonucci shook his head. "When I joined Inter Milan, I signed a contract that included a clause stating I had to make an appearance in Serie A. So, they substituted me on during stoppage time in the final game."

Everyone was stunned.

That was a bit of a blow.

Either don't play him at all or give him more time. What's the point of a token appearance?

But, things like this happen often in football.

Bonucci wasn't the first, and he wouldn't be the last.

Paolo Cannavaro was one of the big names in the Napoli team because he had the most appearances in Serie A and an older brother who was a world-class defender. That's why he was the field captain of Napoli.

As for Bonucci, Cannavaro was actually quite optimistic about him. He had good physical conditions, solid skills, strong passing abilities, and a good long ball really promising.

But everyone knew that the key to being a central defender in Italy was being good at defense, and Bonucci still had room for improvement in that area.

"You guys are still young; when you're twenty, you still have a lot to learn," Cannavaro said.

After a pause, he added, "I've only been here for a little over a month. I can't say I know him very well, but I've gotten a sense of it. Our head coach is very ambitious. I can see he values you all very much. He wants to prove himself here in Naples, and you're his way of doing that."

"Whether it's our head coach or the coaching staff, they're all very competent. You guys are lucky!"

Cannavaro's words were met with nods of approval from everyone in the locker room.

They were in contact with the manager daily and knew better than anyone how competent he was.

Look at how he trained and helped Pelle, or how he built the team's overall tactics. Consider his daily communication with the players everyone on the team had a very good impression of him.

Of course, they heard that when he got angry, he could be quite fierce.

This is what Lucas, the analyst on the coaching staff, had shared. He said that when the head coach got angry, even superstars like Ronaldo and Zidane would go quiet and not dare to move.

Fortunately, in Naples, they hadn't experienced that yet.

"Paolo, I've always been curious why did you decide to come back?" someone asked, taking advantage of the rare moment for a chat. Many had been wondering about this rather sensitive question.

Cannavaro had been a mainstay defender for Parma in Serie A, but he chose to return to Naples in Serie B. It didn't seem logical, especially not for money.

After all, he could certainly have earned more in Serie A.

Cannavaro glanced around, noticing the curiosity on everyone's faces, clearly showing they had been wondering about this for a while.

"It's simple: this is my hometown, and I made my debut here."

It's no secret Cannavaro, a linchpin in Italy's national team defense, also debuted in Naples.

"I still remember that I was only seventeen when I first joined the senior team. The club had just been relegated from Serie A, and everyone was eager to help the team get back up, myself included. That was my biggest dream back then."

"That season, I only played two games in Serie B because I was too young and couldn't really help the team. After that season, I went to Parma and waited for my chance there. Meanwhile, after I left, Napoli got promoted to Serie A the very next season, but not long after, the club went bankrupt."

When he said this, Cannavaro sighed, a bitter smile on his face. "You can't imagine what a catastrophe this was for Napoli fans because just ten years earlier, it was one of the most powerful teams in Italy, led by the globally dazzling Maradona.

"Some things can only be cherished after they are lost, and some dreams must be fulfilled with your own hands to bring peace of mind," said Cannavaro calmly.

Naples certainly offered money, but that was not the decisive factor in Cannavaro's return. 

In fact, he gave up his role as a starting central defender in Serie A to return to Serie B, primarily to help the team return to Serie A and fulfill an unfinished dream from the past.

"We will succeed!" Sanchez said firmly. "I believe in the boss!"

"Me too, we'll get to Serie A!" Rakitic said confidently.

"In all of Serie B, if we can't make it to Serie A, then no other team can," David Luiz added in his typical style.

"I believe it too!" Cannavaro smiled slightly. "That's why I came back!"

A simple statement, but with many stories behind it.

"We want to get to Serie A, and we want to defeat Juventus in the game the day after tomorrow. We want to use this game to make all those who doubt us see us in a new light, especially for our head coach!" Cannavaro said in a deep voice.

"He has always stood in front of us, bearing all the doubts. Now, it's time we repay him!"

"It starts with beating Juventus!" Sanchez said fiercely.

"Yes, starting with beating Juventus!" the others responded in unison.