In the war of words between Gao Shen, Castori, and the Italian media, the Italian Football Federation chose to stay on the sidelihey even turned a blio Gao Shen's sarcasm.

  Why?

  Because they khey were in the wrong.

  Everyone uood that Napoli had been unfairly treated in terms of scheduling.

  But what could be done about it?

  Which league doesn't give the big clubs some advantages when it es to the schedule?

  So, despite public calls for the Football Association to step in and issue sans, they chose to keep quiet ahe matter die down.

  However, the day after the first round of the Coppa Italia, the Italian Football Federatiohe sed-round draw at its headquarters in Rome. During the proceedings, officials gently hio Marino, Napoli's representative, that it would be best if Gao Shen stopped discussing the matter publicly.

  Marino pyed along, putting on an i face. "He's my boss," he replied. "My main job is to support him, not trol him. But if you'd like, you could try talking to him directly." As he said this, he even took out his phone, to share De Laurentiis's taformation as if gerying to be helpful.

  The officials quickly backed off.

  Talk to De Laurentiis?

  That would be walking straight into a storm. The club president was known for being even more caustic than Gao Shen. Approag him would only lead to a scolding.

  So, the Football Association officials chose to drop it. It was clear they wouldn't be able to trol Gao Shen.

  Watg the officials leave, Mari a sense of satisfa and relief.

  When the scheduling fiasco first unfolded, he had tried to mediate, only to end up beied by De Laurentiis. And who had set up that whole situation? The Football Association.

  "Oh, Juventus gets to pid choose when they participate, and we're just supposed to roll over and accept it?" Marino thought bitterly.

  Now, he fully agreed with Gao Shen's attitude. Sometimes, this kind of establishment needed a good shaking up.

  ---

  In the draw for the sed round, the twelve remaining teams were divided into six pairs.

  Napoli drew Pisa.

  Yes, Pisa the team named after the famous leaning tower.

  Pisa had just been promoted to Serie B and, acc to some, had a lot in on with st season's Napoli. In the first round of the Coppa Italia, Pisa had pulled off a 2-1 eback win against Brescia.

  Brescia, a veteran Serie A side and a frequent tender for promotion, was sidered a strong team in Serie B, but the newly promoted Pisa mao knock them out. This showed that Pisa wasn't a team to be taken lightly.

  At the start of the season, several analysts had already identified Pisa as a potential surprise package, with a real ce to push for promotion like Napoli did the previous year.

  Winning the championship might be a stretch, but it wasirely out of the question.

  Why?

  Because Pisa had an experienced and well-regarded coach: Ventura.

  Ventura was hailed by the likes of Lippi as one of the top coaches in Italy. Often referred to as the "future Ferguson of Torino," he had parted ways with Verona after st season and taken the helm at Pisa, aiming to replicate what Gao Shen had achieved with Napoli.

  One of the bes of having a seasoned coach is the work they bring.

  After joining Pisa, Ventura utilized his es to secure the loan of several quality pyers from bigger clubs, including Kutuzov from Parma, Tiboni from Udinese, and Cerci from Roma.

  Especially Cerci.

  As a long-time fan of football manager games, Gao Shen remembered Cerci from the days when the game was still called Championship Manager rather than Football Manager. Back then, Cerci ractically a god-tier pyer in the game.

  Although in real life Cerever quite lived up to his virtual potential, he did achieve some notable success, being one of Serie A's top assist providers, representing Italy iionally, and ter joining Atlétiadrid. He wasn't a world-beater, but he was definitely a solid pyer.

  This was the advantage of having a well-known coach: they could bring in talented pyers on loan, strengthening a newly promoted side like Pisa without breaking the bank.

  It was an intriguing twist that the breakout team from Serie B this season would be fag st year's biggest surprise, Napoli. And once agaiura would go up against Gao Shen.

  ---

  Following Pisa's first-round victory, which saw them e back to defeat Brescia, the team was brimming with fidence.

  Wheura found out that his team would be fag Napoli in the round, he responded with a smile, calling it a favorable draw.

  "Yes, the team I led st season didn't fare well against Napoli, but that was different. I came in midway through the season. Now we have a eam, a fresh start, and plenty of talented pyers."

  The implication was clear: st season's struggles were behind him. This time, things would be different.

  Ventura also took the opportunity to ent on Napoli's 8-0 demolition of a in the first round. He hat he knew Castori well and believed that the heavy defeat had e down to the pyers failing to follow Castori's tactical instrus.

  "That sort of colpse wouldn't happen with my team," he decred.

  There was a bit of professional rivalry in his words.

  Like Castori, Ventura had won almost every league title in Italy except for Serie A and Serie B. He had even cimed two Serie D championships.

  Looking ahead to the mat three days, Ventura assured Pisa's fans, "Don't ioo much emotion in this game. Save it for the third round of the Coppa Italia at the end of the month. That's when the real show begins."

  As for s about Gao Shen's success potentially undermining Italian football's traditional values, Ventura brushed them off.

  "My team adheres to the cssic Italian style, and we'll demonstrate that ich."

  ---

  The win over a had allowed Gao Shen to blow off some steam. The emphatic victory left him in a much better mood.

  When he saw Ventura's ents in the media, Gao Shen didn't take them too seriously. After all, Ventura was just another old-timer proo boasting.

  And besides, Gao Shehe reality all too well.

  If a coach like Ventura could lead Italy to a World Cup, his coag ability would have to be among the very best in the world.

  Seriously, who else could do that?

  As a young coach, Gao Shen knew he had to show some respect, right?

  And hadn't the Italian media always criticized him for not respeg the traditions of Italian football?

  So this time, Gao Shen decided to py it safe.

  At the pre-match press ference, he heaped praise oura, calling him a seasoned coach who had won many titles and possessed a wealth of experiehat young managers like him could learn from.

  He even plimented Ventura's performah Verona st season, noting that the coach had gained widespread reition for his work and that he believed Ventura would lead Pisa to a great season as well.

  Why not throw in a few pliments?

  When it came to scolding people, Gao Shen admitted he wasn't a master Mourinho could keep that title. But if there was ohing he was good at, it was giving pliments.

  Ba his corporate days, he could ftter everyone in the office, from the CEO down to the janitor, without missing a beat.

  So, plimentiura was no big deal.

  In fact, this time, Gao Shen decided to take the humble route.

  After all, the st win against a was dominant, and he didn't want his team getting too cocky. It was important to curb any arrogance before it took root, so he emphasized that Pisa was a strong team and Napoli o take the match seriously.

  Gao Shen's statements left the gathered media in disbelief.

  What was going on?

  The reporters had e all this way to hear him cp back at Ventura, to show some fire, to provoke some troversy. But all they got was Gao Shen being… polite?

  Where was the fident young coach? Where was the defiahe rebellious streak?

  If there was ever a time fao Shen to fire back at Ventura, it was noas he ag so restrained?

  Sitting in front of the press, Gao Shen tio pliment Pisa aura, but the atmosphere felt off.

  When he g the club's press officer, the man simply shrugged, just as puzzled.

  On paper, Gao Shen had performed fwlessly, stig closely to the talking points prepared by the press team, without deviating in the slightest.

  But why did it feel like the whole room was expeg something else?

  Sensing that the mood wasn't right, Gao Shen decided to the press ference quickly aed the room.

  ---

  "How did I do today?" Gao Shen asked the press officer as soon as they stepped outside.

  "You were great."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Absolutely no issues."

  Gao Shen nodded. "I followed your advice to the letter. If anyone pins, you'll have to expin it to De Laurentiis."

  The press officer quickly nodded in agreement.

  What could possibly g?

  It had taken a lot of effort to get Gao Shen to cooperate, and by all ats, he had exceeded expectations today. The press officer had heard that Gao Shen was quite skilled at giving pliments, and it seemed he was just as adept at fttering oppos as he raising his own pyers. His remarks were smooth and polished, far exceeding what the press team had hoped for.

  As the press officer watched Gao Shen walk away, he couldn't help but feel a sense of aplishment. It was as if he had just withe transformation of Gao Shen from a fiery young coato a posed and diplomatiager, the kind of gentlemanly figure that the Italian media had been calling for.

  This could be the start of a neter, one where Gao Shen's image would be reshaped into that of a world-css tacti respected by everyone.

  But her Gao Shen nor the press officer could have anticipated what would happe.

  ---

  The following day, the headlines in the neers left both of them speechless.

  The ce of the press ference was pletely different from what they had expected.

  One headline read, "Gao Shen Turns Two-Faced: Praises Ventura with One Hand, Prepares to Crush Pisa with the Other." Another one said, "Young Coach's Sweet Words Hide a Knife: Gao Shen's pliments Are Nothing More Than an Act."

  The articles were filled with accusations of Gao Shen being disingenuous. The narrative painted him as a ing and maniputive figure, someone who would use kind words to mask his true iions. The media seemed to suggest that Gao Shen's pliments were a strategy to lull Ventura and Pisa into a false sense of security before ruthlessly defeating them och.

  It was a plete 180 from the tohe Italian media had taken before. When Gao Shen had been aggressive, they had demanded humility. Now that he had shown humility, they accused him of being insincere and devious.

  The press officer was left stunned, cursing under his breath.

  Meanwhile, Gao Shen could only ugh bitterly.

  "Looks like I could really write a novel about this," he muttered to himself. "I'd call it I've Bee the Vilin!"

  No matter what he did, it seemed like the media was determio cast him as the bad guy.