Chapter 266: Serie A Voldemort

After the first round of Serie A, the biggest surprise was undoubtedly the newly-promoted teams, who somehow managed to dominate the headlines for better or worse.

First up was Genoa, the third-place finisher in Serie B last season, who suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat at home against AC Milan. Ancelotti's side shined, with Kaka scoring twice and Ambrosini adding a goal, showcasing a polished start to their campaign.

Meanwhile, Napoli secured a 2-0 victory against Cagliari at home. Though the match itself was rather uneventful at times, the introduction of Pastore injected new life into the game, earning the young midfielder high praise from the media. It was clear that Napoli had unearthed yet another gem, reinforcing the notion that Gao Shen had a knack for spotting young talent.

Last season saw the emergence of players like Hamsik, Sanchez, Cavani, Biglia, and Rakitic names that have since become crucial to Napoli's lineup. Even players like Pelle, once labeled a stagnant talent in the Italian youth ranks, have found a new lease on life under Gao Shen's guidance, performing well enough that many are now calling for his inclusion in the national team. The same goes for Bonucci, who was an afterthought at Inter Milan's youth academy but has thrived since joining Napoli.

Then there's David Luiz, who arrived from the Brazilian lower leagues and made a statement in the match against Roma, attracting significant attention. And now, Gao Shen has unearthed yet another talent in Pastore, this time from Argentina's second division. His reputation for cultivating young players seems only to be growing stronger.

Di Maria, another young player, also made his mark in the Cagliari match by providing an assist, showing that Napoli's future remains bright. After Gervinho's departure to Arsenal, many had written off Napoli, thinking they were preparing for a relegation battle. How else could they justify selling their best player just before the season began? But with Di Maria stepping up on the left wing and the versatile Callejon as a backup, it's evident that Gervinho's exit hasn't left as big a void as anticipated.

Now, with the emergence of young midfielders like Parejo and Pastore, the expectations for the squad have only grown. Could the new arrivals Mertens, Antonio Valencia, Nainggolan, Dossena, and Thiago Motta make a similar impact?

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The most impressive team in the first round, however, was undoubtedly Juventus.

Yes, you heard that right: the Bianconeri, under "The Tinkerman" Ranieri.

In their home game against Livorno, Ranieri stuck to a classic 4-4-2 formation, starting with Trezeguet and Del Piero as the striking duo. Del Piero assisted Trezeguet's goal in the 29th minute, putting Juventus ahead.

For a while, though, the game stagnated. Then, in the 60th minute, Ranieri made a game-changing substitution by bringing on Iaquinta for Del Piero. The switch to two tall center-forwards saw Juventus relentlessly pressure Livorno's defense.

The impact was immediate: Iaquinta scored twice and assisted Trezeguet for another goal. With Iaquinta's burst of form, Trezeguet also added two goals, and Juventus cruised to a 5-1 victory. Livorno managed a consolation goal in stoppage time, with Diego Tristan setting up Loviso.

The resounding win sent shockwaves through Italian football. Fans and media alike proclaimed that the mighty Juventus was back, eager for revenge after the Calciopoli scandal and a season in Serie B.

Meanwhile, defending champions Inter Milan had a disappointing 1-1 draw with Udinese at home, while Roma secured a 2-0 win over Palermo with goals from Mexes and Aquilani.

After the first round, Juventus topped the table, followed by AC Milan, Fiorentina, and Roma. But everyone knew it was too early to draw any conclusions.

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Gao Shen read Lucas' report on the first round of Serie A but didn't pay much attention to the standings. Rankings were meaningless this early in the season; the true picture wouldn't emerge until later.

What concerned him more were Napoli's upcoming fixtures: the third round of the Coppa Italia and a challenging second-round Serie A away match against Udinese.

After their win over Cagliari, the media had begun to heap praise on Gao Shen, dubbing him the most promising young coach in Italian football. It was a savvy tactic by the media. If they simply criticized or dismissed him as a rookie, who would care? But by giving praise where it was due, they could later retract it and appear insightful. After all, with Napoli's success, pretending otherwise would be absurd.

Gao Shen was used to these media games. Praise or criticism, it all came and went. What mattered was that the team's morale was high, something that was clear in the training sessions.

The day after the Cagliari match, Gao Shen received an invitation to the annual Italian Professional Coaching Summit.

He had mixed feelings about it. Last year, Arrigo Sacchi had sung his praises a bit too much, and the media's portrayal of him as some sort of villain had only made him more enemies. There were plenty of coaches who would love to make a name for themselves by defeating Gao Shen.

And really, what could he gain from attending a summit dominated by the old guard of Italian football? If he were going to attend a coaching conference, it should be something on a grander scale—like one organized by UEFA or FIFA.

The summit's schedule was similar to previous years, with the event taking place during the two-week international break in early September. Gao Shen had the time, but the question was whether he wanted to go.

Adding to his hesitation was the fact that Ulivieri, a highly respected coach, was one of the keynote speakers. Not only would Napoli face his team, Reggina, in the third round of Serie A, but Ulivieri would also be at the summit.

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"What do you think I should do?" Gao Shen asked, his voice serious.

The atmosphere in the coaches' office was tense. All eyes were on the invitation letter lying on the table in front of Gao Shen.

Not long ago, they had received the news that Napoli's next opponent in Serie A would indeed be Reggina, coached by Ulivieri. And soon after that, they'd be at the summit together.

"As you all know, I deeply respect the rules of the game and our senior coaches. I truly want to attend a professional summit like this, to learn from those who have paved the way and absorb their wisdom. It would be an invaluable opportunity for me," Gao Shen said earnestly.

The assistants could barely contain their laughter. Carlo even closed his eyes as if trying to maintain his composure.

Respect for seniors? Wasn't this the same man who just questioned whether the Italian Football Federation would penalize him if he skipped the summit?

"Seriously, do you think God is playing tricks on us?" Gao Shen continued, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "First, we get Castori, then Ventura, and now we're facing Ulivieri. I've already beaten the first two do I really need to make it a hat trick?"

He paused, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "And if I do, what are the odds that Ulivieri takes a dig at me during his keynote speech at the summit? Should I even bother going?"

The assistants burst into laughter. Someone pounded the table, struggling to catch their breath.

"You guys have no sympathy at all! The man is 66 years old!" Gao Shen feigned indignation. "But for the sake of Napoli's championship ambitions, I guess I'll have to bear the burden. If the media and fans want to criticize me, so be it. I've already taken down Castori and Ventura."

"After all, if you've beaten two, what's one more? We'll call it a game of 'Three on the Spot.'"

The assistants roared with laughter once again, familiar with the poker game Gao Shen had taught them called "Three on the Spot." But beneath the humor lay a deeper truth: Gao Shen's feud with the traditionalists of Italian football was growing, and there was no turning back.

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