Chapter 213: Half-time Champion

As expected, things went exactly as planned. During the recovery training session the next morning, the young Napoli players were like they had been injected with adrenaline.

This sudden shift in energy did not escape Guardiola's notice, and he looked at Gao Shen with a newfound respect…

No wonder these young players were completely in the palm of Gao Shen's hand, this technique…

Gao Shen raised his eyebrows and looked at Guardiola playfully, as if to say: Convinced?

Guardiola smiled wryly, admitting defeat: "I'm done! Really impressed!"

Gao Shen remained as calm as ever, watching Buenaventura oversee the recovery training from the sidelines.

Back in his Real Madrid days, his team had already benefited from this recovery training. And given that Napoli's squad was even younger, the results were even better than those at Real Madrid.

After the session, Gao Shen gathered the players on the training field to deliver a brief speech. He touched on the current situation of the team and the skepticism surrounding Napoli from the outside world, encouraging his players to put in even better performances.

"Let's make sure everyone who doubts us shuts up!"

Gao Shen's words clearly fired up the players even more.

Youth is filled with passion, after all!

But youth also comes with its own challenges while it's easy to get excited, that excitement can fade just as quickly.

That's why Gao Shen had to keep pushing and maintaining control from the sidelines.

…

Weekend, the fifteenth round of Serie B.

Napoli played away against Cesena. With two goals from Cavani in the first half and another from Hamsik in the second half, Napoli secured a 3-0 win, continuing to lead the Serie B standings.

Juventus, meanwhile, beat Verona 1-0 at home.

…

A week later, in the sixteenth round of Serie B:

Juventus continued their home streak by defeating Cesena 2-1.

However, the Bianconeri's offensive issues remained, and Deschamps once again publicly urged the club to bring in an attacking midfielder and a speedy forward during the winter transfer window.

Whether Secco would grant his request, though, remained to be seen.

Back at home, Napoli managed a narrow 1-0 victory amidst relentless attacks.

Mantova, the visiting team, deployed a defensive "park-the-bus" strategy at Stadio San Paolo, making it difficult for Napoli to break through.

It turns out that lying flat and defending can indeed be a powerful weapon.

…

With Christmas fast approaching, Serie B saw a midweek round of games.

In the seventeenth round, Napoli played at home and earned a clean 3-1 win over Brescia.

The only downside was the partnership between Bonucci and David Luiz, which once again allowed a goal. This left Gao Shen wondering if he should just kick these two "rogue" defenders out of the lineup.

Juventus also secured a 1-0 away win against Bologna.

After this round, the Italian Football Federation held the draw for the fifth round of the Coppa Italia in Rome.

Unfortunately for Napoli, they were drawn against AS Roma the "Giallorossi."

Roma, having just advanced to the Champions League round of 16, were certainly a formidable opponent.

Gao Shen immediately instructed Lucas and the club's scouting department to begin preparations for Roma.

Luckily, both legs of the Coppa Italia match would take place after the winter break, giving Gao Shen ample time to prepare.

…

December 22, the eighteenth round of Serie B.

This was also the final match before the winter break.

Napoli played away against Modena.

Perhaps with the holidays in mind, Napoli's performance was lackluster.

The defense was relatively solid, but the attack was ineffective.

The game ended in a 0-0 draw.

Coincidentally, Juventus also stumbled in their match, drawing 2-2 at home against Arezzo.

With that, all the pre-Christmas games came to an end.

After 18 rounds of Serie B, Napoli had an impressive record of 16 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, standing atop the Serie B table with 49 points and securing the title of "half-season champion" ahead of time.

Juventus followed closely behind in second place with 13 wins, 4 draws, and 1 loss. Their only loss was to Napoli. Despite a nine-point deduction from their earlier scandal, they still had 34 points.

Even with the points penalty, Juventus remained in second place.

Behind them, Rimini and Piacenza were tied for third with 33 points.

Further down, Genoa and Bologna had 32 points, while Mantova had 30 points.

From the standings, it was clear that Napoli was performing exceptionally well. Only Juventus seemed to have the strength to compete with them, while the other Serie B teams were noticeably weaker.

…

After the eighteenth round, the team returned to Naples.

The next day, as arranged by the club, the team visited hospitals, nursing homes, and kindergartens in the city and surrounding areas. This gave the players an opportunity to feel the support of the local fans.

This was a routine event in Naples, especially with Christmas around the corner.

In the evening, club president De Laurentiis hosted a banquet at a hotel near Stadio San Paolo, inviting the coaching staff and club employees to express his gratitude for their contributions to the team over the past few months.

During the Christmas dinner, De Laurentiis once again reaffirmed the club's unwavering support for Gao Shen.

"I won't say much more. Just remember that our top priority is to support the team, so you can focus on the matches without any worries. That's the club's job!"

De Laurentiis was clearly pleased with the team's performance in the first half of the season, and he also stood behind Gao Shen's earlier declaration about trying to win the Coppa Italia.

"The last time we won the Coppa Italia was in 1987, when Maradona was still with our team."

Having a club with such a storied history has its perks. Mentioning past glories can always fill people with pride, as was the case with De Laurentiis at that moment.

When Maradona's name was mentioned, everyone present couldn't help but show admiration some even in awe.

Maradona was a legendary figure, no question about it!

Especially for the South American players in the team, they practically worshipped Maradona.

"If we make it to the Coppa Italia final, I'll invite Diego to watch the game." De Laurentiis added, painting a big dream for the players.

Although the offer might not have been too realistic, the players responded enthusiastically nonetheless.

Afterward, general manager Marino gave a speech, primarily to explain the team's reward system for the season.

This was something Gao Shen had specifically requested.

Clear rewards and punishments were essential.

If a player performed well, they deserved to be rewarded. If the team wanted even better performances, bonuses were a must.

Even though Napoli was a Serie B team, its earnings this season were likely better than half the teams in Serie A.

For one, the home attendance alone was something other teams couldn't match.

This only underscored the importance of the local city.

This is the foundation of European professional clubs.

Marino's bonus structure was quite generous, especially the promotion bonus, which was very sincere. The players' reactions were far more enthusiastic and excited than when De Laurentiis spoke.

After all, wasn't football all about making money at the end of the day?

Once De Laurentiis and Marino had finished, it was time for Gao Shen to speak.

In truth, he communicated with the players daily, so he had a clear idea of what was on their minds.

When he stepped up, he didn't say much. Instead, he signaled for Lucas to bring something in.

Lucas entered the room pushing a cart filled with gifts, immediately sparking curiosity among the players, who scrambled to stand and get a closer look.

"I told everyone before that if we were in the top three by the halfway point of the season, I'd get you all new phones. But unfortunately, Steve Jobs' development process couldn't keep up with how fast we've been winning," Gao Shen joked, referencing Apple's founder.

Many of the tech-savvy players quickly caught on, recognizing the mention of Apple and laughing at the joke.

De Laurentiis, Marino, and a few others, however, seemed slightly confused.

De Laurentiis knew about Jobs as the former head of Pixar, but how did this connect to football?

"To keep you from getting bored over Christmas and causing trouble, the club has purchased the latest PS3 game consoles and games for you. Play to your heart's content, and feel free to challenge me anytime," Gao Shen said confidently.

When it came to football, Gao Shen knew he couldn't match these players. But video games? He was certain he could beat them all!

Inwardly, Gao Shen had a moment of realization.

Twitter, Weibo, and similar platforms… why haven't they launched yet?

Once they did, he could post his victories online. Imagine challenging Ronaldo, Zidane, or Beckham, crushing them one by one in games, and posting the results online. He'd become a massive celebrity!

Once he became a top-tier internet personality, the money would come rolling in. Just posting a single Weibo or Tweet could bring in huge profits.

This was Napoli's Christmas gift to the players.

Each player received a PS3 and the latest games that had just been released in November.

Players like Cannavaro, who were a bit older, might not have been as excited. But the younger ones, like Di Maria and Pelle, had no resistance to these gifts. Especially since Gao Shen had already bought two consoles for the team's recreation room, specifically for them to play.

Now, with each player getting their own, and it being the latest model, they rushed forward eagerly, helping themselves without hesitation.

This sight made De Laurentiis, Marino, Carlo, Buenaventura, and even Guardiola realize something: Gao Shen truly understood the minds of these young players.

Otherwise, why would these young people be so devoted to him?

There's no denying the generation gap, whether you want to admit it or not.

Take Carlo, Buenaventura, or even Guardiola, for example they all had great relationships with the players, but there was still a sense of distance, a certain level of formality. It wasn't the same as the bond Gao Shen had with them.

With Gao Shen, it was different. He was more than just their coach he was their friend.

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