Starting With Real Madrid

Trembling, as if in the abyss, as if walking on thin ice!

This twelve-character mantra was once given to Gao Shen by a seasoned veteran when he was still navigating the complexities of the corporate world. It became a guiding principle in his life.

Being admired and holding power these are some of the most intoxicating experiences that can lead to self-inflation. This is a trap every leader faces sooner or later.

To avoid falling into this pit, self-reflection and caution are important, but not enough. One also needs constant reminders and supervision from others. But even these reminders come with their own rules.

Before a leader realizes they've made a mistake, subordinates must never point it out that's an iron law. Breaking it means facing severe consequences. But once the leader acknowledges their fault, that's when a subordinate should step in, pointing out the error and providing a solution, earning themselves a chance to be favored.

Back in his corporate days, Gao Shen had memorized this mantra, but he had still made mistakes from time to time.

He had worked his way up from the bottom. When he became a junior leader managing a small team, the praise he received inflated his ego. When he was promoted and began managing dozens of people, that sense of self-importance swelled even more. And it continued to grow as he climbed higher.

It wasn't long before Gao Shen realized that being in power is like an addictive drug impossible to quit. The side effect is self-inflation, which is difficult to control. That's why he always reminded himself to stay grounded, to reflect on his actions, and to proceed with caution like walking on thin ice.

Even so, he couldn't entirely escape it. That old shadow of self-importance lurked behind him, sometimes causing trouble without him even realizing it.

He often said this to his players: "When you're out on the field, with tens of thousands of fans chanting your name from the stands, no matter who you are, you'll feel a rush of adrenaline. You'll fight as if your life depends on it."

If anyone denies that feeling, it's because they've never truly experienced it themselves.

...

From the moment referee Nicola Rizzoli blew the whistle to start the match against Juventus, Gao Shen realized he had made a serious mistake.

A very serious mistake.

Before the match, Gao Shen had confidently predicted that Deschamps wouldn't take risks. But Deschamps surprised him. He came out fighting.

Juventus deployed an aggressive 4-3-3 formation at the Stadio San Paolo.

With Buffon in goal, the defensive line consisted of Balzaretti, Chiellini, Legrottaglie, and Birindelli. In midfield, Zanetti played deep, with Marchisio and Paro in front of him. The front three consisted of Del Piero, Zalayeta, and Camoranesi.

Right from the start, Juventus didn't sit back. They pushed forward, applying pressure and launching attacks. They pressed Napoli high up the pitch, trying to steal the ball and hit them on the counter as quickly as possible.

This was a bold, tit-for-tat strategy. While Juventus didn't dominate possession, they were just as dangerous as Napoli when it came to creating chances—especially after catching Napoli off guard with their aggressive approach.

It was clear to everyone: Deschamps wasn't holding back.

In the 22nd minute, Marchisio won the ball in midfield and quickly passed it forward to Zalayeta. Zalayeta then laid it off to Del Piero, who took control in his trademark position just outside the box and unleashed a shot that found the back of the net.

1-0 Juventus!!!

...

Gao Shen stood on the sidelines, mentally berating himself.

It wasn't because he had misjudged Juventus' tactics. It wasn't because he underestimated Deschamps' resolve. Nor was it because he found his team trailing.

No, Gao Shen was angry at himself for being careless. For being proud. For being arrogant.

Since his time at Real Madrid, he had faced countless challenges and always approached them with the utmost caution, staying humble and focused. That's what had allowed him to lead Madrid to the La Liga and Champions League titles.

After moving to Napoli, he quickly earned the trust of the club's management, built a competitive squad, and crafted a style of football that won widespread admiration high-energy, relentless attacking football.

Napoli had won nine consecutive matches in Serie B and three straight in the Coppa Italia. Whether they faced Serie B sides or Serie A powerhouses, they had crushed all comers.

Somewhere along the way, Gao Shen had become complacent perhaps without even realizing it. His confidence had turned into overconfidence. His pride had turned into arrogance.

Why had he been so sure that Deschamps wouldn't take the initiative?

Did he really believe that Napoli was that dominant? Dominant enough to make Deschamps abandon any thoughts of attacking?

That was foolish thinking!

Even a cornered rabbit will bite when desperate.

And who was Deschamps, after all? He was no pushover. This was the man who had led Monaco to the Champions League final. A footballing legend with a wealth of experience. Deschamps wasn't going to back down just because Gao Shen had won a few matches.

And yet, a five-nil thrashing of Juventus had made Gao Shen complacent enough to believe that he could humiliate them again.

Did he truly think Italian football had no fight left?

Standing on the sidelines, Gao Shen clenched his fists, his body trembling with frustration.

He blamed no one but himself. Not his players. Not his assistants. Only himself.

Before the match, he had been overly confident. He had dismissed the challenges of Serie B as trivial, believing that Napoli's nine-match winning streak meant they could waltz through the league without much effort.

For weeks, the media, fans, and those around him had showered him with praise. Everyone spoke of his genius, of Napoli's brilliance, and without realizing it, he had started to believe the hype.

He had tried to stay cautious, even reminding himself to remain humble. But he had still fallen into the trap.

He had suffered from this kind of arrogance before and more than once.

Suddenly, Gao Shen remembered Carlo's quiet warnings before the match. His assistant had tried to caution him, and now all Gao Shen could do was smile bitterly.

...

...

The first half ended with Juventus leading 1-0, thanks to Del Piero's goal.

As soon as the whistle blew for halftime, Gao Shen turned to Carlo, embraced him, and softly said, "You were right. I was careless."

Carlo looked up in surprise, unable to believe what he had just heard.

He never expected Gao Shen to admit he was wrong.

Gao Shen offered a wry smile and sighed, "It's been too easy lately."

Carlo nodded firmly. He had observed this from the sidelines, but he was surprised at how quickly Gao Shen had recognized his mistake.

What impressed Carlo the most was how, despite his youth, Gao Shen had the maturity and humility to admit his errors so openly.

"I'll need you to keep reminding me in the future," Gao Shen said sincerely.

Carlo nodded again, agreeing wholeheartedly.

"Thank you," Gao Shen said before walking to the touchline.

As the players walked off the field, they were visibly frustrated, heads hung low. But Gao Shen greeted each of them, offering hugs and taking full responsibility for the situation. He encouraged them and ushered them into the locker room.

The match was only at halftime, and there was still time to turn things around.

As a leader, making mistakes is inevitable. But what matters most is how you respond to those mistakes, how quickly you can stop the bleeding and turn the crisis into an opportunity.

...

"The first half was my fault. The responsibility lies with me. I apologize to all of you."

Gao Shen's first words in the locker room were an apology.

The players were stunned. It was rare for any coach to admit fault, let alone apologize so sincerely.

Most coaches, when things went wrong, would either shift blame onto the players or stubbornly refuse to acknowledge their mistakes.

But Gao Shen's apology was genuine, and it was clear to everyone in the room.

With the apology out of the way, Gao Shen quickly shifted to adjusting tactics for the second half.

Juventus had lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Del Piero and Camoranesi pushing forward on the wings, pinning back Napoli's fullbacks.

"But by doing that," Gao Shen explained, "they've created more space between their wingers and fullbacks. For Juventus to maintain their shape, their fullbacks will have to push higher. When that happens, their defense will be stretched, and that's where we'll attack."

Juventus had expended a lot of energy pressing high up the field. Their intensity was bound to drop in the second half, and that's when Napoli would have their chance especially on the flanks, where one-on-one opportunities would open up.

Napoli's pressing game was less energy-intensive, as they compressed the space between their lines and moved together as a unit. Juventus, on the other hand, was pressing all over the pitch, which required more stamina. And their squad, on average, was older than Napoli's.

This was where Napoli could take advantage.

After laying out his tactical adjustments, Gao Shen turned to Carlo, silently asking if he had anything to add.

Carlo smiled and shook his head.

Now that Gao Shen had calmed down, his tactical vision had returned, and he quickly spotted Juventus' weak points.

In fact, the Bianconeri's problems have always been there, and Gao Shen's judgment that Deschamps was hesitant to attack wasn't unfounded.

It's just that no one expected Deschamps to press so aggressively, clearly determined to take a gamble.

It's likely his position as head coach was on shaky ground, and the pressure was overwhelming.

Sometimes, being a head coach is like being the cream in an Oreo there's pressure from above, and something pushing from below.

...

...

After switching sides for the second half, Napoli continued to dominate the field and keep Juventus under pressure.

The Bianconeri's intensity in pressing had noticeably diminished compared to the first half. The age and physical condition of the players were factors the coach couldn't control, and Napoli used this to repeatedly probe and launch attacks.

In the 56th minute, Bonucci sent a long pass from the backfield to the right side of the front.

Pelle ran to the right, outpaced Chiellini, won the header, and passed it to Gervinho.

The Ivorian winger quickly received the ball, immediately shaking off Barzagli, and dribbled diagonally toward the center, accelerating rapidly. Neither Barzagli nor Paro could catch him.

As he neared the edge of the penalty area, Gervinho passed the ball to Hamsik, who was charging forward to meet him, and sprinted even faster into the box.

Under pressure from Zanetti, Hamsik didn't wait for the ball to come to him. Instead, he moved toward it, made contact, and flicked the ball back toward the right side of the penalty area.

Pelle, who had just won the ball on the right, also made a quick run into the box and managed to reach the cross before anyone else, sending it straight toward goal.

Gervinho, arriving perfectly on time, rushed to the left side of the six-yard box and, before Buffon could react, struck the ball into Juventus' goal from close range.

1-1!

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!"

"Gervinho equalizes for Napoli!"

"It was a brilliant combination play between the right flank and the center, and Gervinho executed it beautifully."

Gao Shen breathed a sigh of relief on the sidelines and loudly applauded his players' efforts.

But at the same time, he urged his players to keep pressing forward.

He wanted another goal!