Starting With Real Madrid

"Congratulations, Gao!"

When the German referee Stark blew the whistle to end the game, Wenger walked to the visiting team's coaching bench with a dejected expression. He shook hands with Gao Shen and offered his congratulations.

Looking back now, Wenger finally understood the purpose behind Gao Shen's high-profile remarks before the match.

This kid was cunning!

Reflecting on it, Wenger had to admit that Gao Shen's expertly executed psychological warfare had caught everyone at Arsenal completely off guard.

Over the past few years, Arsenal had been painfully aware of the external criticism directed at the team. Everyone within the club was frustrated by it.

But there wasn't much they could do. The club lacked financial resources, and no one could fundamentally change the current situation.

If it had been Ferguson from Manchester United, or an opponent from Chelsea or Liverpool, making such remarks, Arsenal might have just tolerated it. But the fact that the provocations came from Gao Shen at Napoli—that was too much.

Arsenal may have struggled in recent years, but they hadn't fallen so far as to be bullied by a Serie A team.

And don't forget: Arsenal's financial revenue was among the best in European football.

What? Did Gao Shen think he could step on a declining Serie A team for clout?

So, when the game began, Arsenal's players lost control of their emotions.

Wenger's tactics had issues too, but his hands were tied.

The departures of Gilberto Silva and Flamini had dealt a severe blow to Arsenal, especially Flamini's exit.

The French midfielder had been a key player last season, one whom Wenger had nurtured for four years. While Flamini's development hadn't been overly costly, Wenger had invested significant effort into his growth. Flamini had played superbly.

But in the end, there was nothing Arsenal could do. Flamini's heart wasn't with the club. Arsenal couldn't meet his salary demands or offer him what he wanted, so he left on a free transfer to AC Milan.

With Flamini gone, Wenger had no choice but to promote Song, a player who previously couldn't even make the starting lineup.

Song's progress had been impressive, and his performances were solid. But in terms of overall ability, he wasn't yet stable or experienced enough and had obvious shortcomings.

For example, in this match, he couldn't contain Napoli in midfield and was frequently out of position.

"There were signs of this happening a long time ago," Wenger said bitterly, reflecting on the situation.

Standing beside him, Gao Shen couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Everyone knew about Wenger's challenges. Even for Arsenal, it wasn't easy to compete on three fronts with such a lineup and configuration this season.

Who could demand more from Wenger?

"It's 2–2 in Manchester," Wenger said, "but if nothing unexpected happens, you'll face the old man in the semi-finals. Be careful, Manchester United is very strong this year, especially after the winter break."

As he spoke, Wenger let out a long sigh.

"Manchester United before Christmas and Manchester United after the winter break are practically two different teams. The latter is the truly terrifying Red Devils."

Gao Shen understood that Wenger was offering him a warning.

In a way, it was an early concession of defeat. But Gao Shen couldn't afford to let his guard down.

After all, in the Champions League final of 2005, Liverpool had overturned a three-goal deficit in the first half. Who could guarantee that Arsenal couldn't overturn a four-goal deficit in ninety minutes?

As long as they found an opening and Napoli made a mistake, Arsenal's offensive firepower made such a scenario possible.

"I've always wanted to face Sir Alex Ferguson," Gao Shen said with a smile.

Wenger gave Gao Shen a long, thoughtful look before shaking his head with a proud smirk. "You're just like him—cunning and not a good person."

Gao Shen laughed. He took Wenger's comment as a compliment, even a form of praise.

But Wenger's warning was valid.

Ferguson's teams were experts at comebacks.

This season's Premier League was a prime example. Before Christmas, Manchester United had only managed third place after 19 matches. But since the winter break, they had overtaken both Liverpool and Chelsea to lead the standings by a comfortable four points.

Ferguson's teams had an uncanny ability to hit their stride after the winter break.

Even more remarkable was Ferguson's adaptability in managing his squad.

Gao Shen thought of a term: "The Ever-changing Demon Lord."

Ferguson was capable of constantly adjusting his lineups and tactics. He could change player positions from game to game or even within a match.

The key was that he could still win while doing so.

While Benítez was infamous for using over 20 different starting lineups in as many games, Ferguson wasn't far behind in his flexibility.

Wenger's reminder wasn't wrong—Ferguson was not someone to be underestimated.

"Professor, how about we make a deal?" Gao Shen suddenly suggested with a grin.

"What kind of deal?" Wenger asked curiously.

"If—just if—I lead my team to the Champions League final, you have to come watch and celebrate that I helped you eliminate Ferguson."

Wenger burst out laughing. He truly wanted to crack open Gao Shen's head to see what kind of strange ideas were floating around inside.

"Fine," Wenger said. "But what if you lose?"

"Then you'll treat me to a nice meal to console me," Gao Shen joked.

Even though Wenger was in a sour mood after the defeat, he couldn't help but laugh again. "Why do I feel like you're just angling for a free meal?"

Gao Shen shrugged innocently. "What can I say? I might be out of a job soon."

"Alright, I'll treat you," Wenger agreed with a chuckle.

---

"Overall, the game was quite balanced and intense. The gap wasn't as wide as the score suggests."

At the post-match press conference, Gao Shen praised Wenger and Arsenal, emphasizing their resilience and calling them admirable opponents. He even warned that Napoli needed to remain cautious in the second leg.

Gao Shen also addressed the score disparity, attributing it to Arsenal's overly aggressive style of play, which had exposed their vulnerabilities during transitions between offense and defense.

Regarding his pre-match remarks about "showing the world how to beat Arsenal," Gao Shen clarified that his words had been misunderstood. He even offered an apology to Wenger and Arsenal.

There was no need to gloat after a victory, especially since Wenger had agreed to treat him to a meal. Gao Shen saw no reason to burn bridges and preferred to leave some goodwill for future encounters.

In the end, Gao Shen admitted that his pre-match comments were part of a psychological strategy.

At the press conference, Wenger acknowledged Napoli's superiority.

"We were beaten by a stronger team," Wenger said.

He praised Napoli's speed and efficiency in counterattacks, admitting that they had dealt devastating blows to Arsenal.

"Our midfield was out of control, and this is something we need to address urgently," Wenger added.

As for the second leg, Wenger said he wasn't overthinking it. "We'll focus on playing well. From now on, there's no room for error."

---

News of Napoli's 4–0 demolition of Arsenal spread quickly around the world.

At the same time, Manchester United drew 2–2 with Porto at Old Trafford.

The results meant that Napoli had one foot in the semi-finals, while Porto had gained a significant advantage with two away goals.

British media heavily criticized Arsenal's and Manchester United's performances, particularly Arsenal's. Many outlets claimed that Wenger's team had completely lost its competitiveness in the Champions League.

Even in the Premier League, Arsenal seemed limited to merely fighting for a top-four spot.

The Times described Wenger's team as lacking ambition.

Meanwhile, Gao Shen once again dominated global headlines. From leading a newly promoted team to consecutive league titles to guiding Napoli through the Champions League's group of death and defeating both Chelsea and Arsenal, Gao Shen's accomplishments were nothing short of remarkable.

Napoli's 4–0 win at the Emirates showcased their strength. On defense, they had been flawless, while their front trident and midfielders, particularly Rakitic, were firing on all cylinders.

Napoli was now seen as the ultimate dark horse in this season's Champions League.

But Gao Shen knew the road ahead was steep. If Manchester United advanced, he would face the strongest Red Devils team in years, led by the ever-unpredictable Ferguson.

Yet, before Gao Shen could focus on Manchester United, something unexpected happened.

The day after the Arsenal match, Gao Shen received a call from a stranger.

What was surprising wasn't just the call, it was the purpose behind it.

The stranger wanted to give Gao Shen money.

And not just a small amount.

This was truly unexpected.