The 6-0 rout of Roma had left Naples buzzing with excitement.

  That same energy alpable during the team's recovery training the m. Every pyer was brimming with enthusiasm and vitality, their spirits s high.

  Gao Shen had another surprise in store for his pyers: Zidane had agreed to stay in Naples for a few more days.

  In truth, Zidane didn't have much going on after his retirement. The French legend found himself bored at home, staring at his wife or shuttling his kids bad forth from school. For someone who had spent years och, this quiet life was hard to adjust to.

  And this, in fact, was quite on.

  Maired stars shared this sense of restlessness, with some even deying their retirement for as long as possible, trying to prolong their careers in any way they could.

  Zidane was no different in this respect.

  Gao Shen told the pyers that after each training session, Zidane would stay at the base to aheir questions, discussing football and helping them solve tactical dilemmas. Additionally, he would hold a seminar with the pyers to talk about the intricacies of the game.

  This ued news sent a wave of joy through the Napoli squad.

  It was Zidane!

  To receive one-on-one guidance from a football legend like him was something most pyers could only dream of. For the Napoli pyers, this was a golden opportunity.

  This also deepeheir admiration fao Shen, as they uood that Zidane had stayed because of his retionship with their coach. After all, Zidane could have easily goo Juventus, where he used to py.

  Gao Shen, notig the pyers' rea, was quite pleased.

  As the saying goes, "You're oo old to learn."

  This principle applied just as much to the football field. Young pyers o stantly improve their abilities and uanding of the game. Learning from football geniuses like Zidane, abs their insights and experiences, would be invaluable for their development.

  Gao Shen himself was well aware of this.

  Every book he read iactical library was of immense value, representing the wisdom of the greatest minds in football. These resources had accelerated his own growth as a coach.

  Now, he hoped his pyers could also be from iing with legends like Zidane and Guardio.

  At noon, the Coppa Italia semi-final draw took pce at the Italian Football Federation headquarters in Rome.

  Napoli sent their general manager, Marino, to represent the club at the draw.

  The four teams that had reached the semi-finals were Napoli, A, Inter Min, and Sampdoria.

  Of course, Napoli would have preferred to dradoria, giving them a better ce of reag the final. The sed-best option was to face A. The worst-case sario would be to draw Inter Min, who were by far the stroeam in Italy at the moment.

  But, as fate would have it, Napoli drew Inter Min.

  When Gao Shen and his coag staff received the news, they all shared bitter expressions.

  There was no denying it Inter Min was to this season!

  Ever sihe Calciopoli sdal, Inter had emerged as the dominant for Serie A.

  Their squad was incredibly deep, filled with world-css talent.

  In goal was Júlio César, not yet a household already demonstrating his quality. The defense featured the likes of Samuel, Materazzi, Cordoba, Burdisso, Mai, Zai, Maxwell, and Grosso all of them top-tier pyers.

  The midfield boasted stars like Vieira, Cambiasso, Stankovi?, Sori, and Figo, a colle of world-css talent.

  And their forward li was one of the most fearsome in the world, featuring Ztan Ibrahimovi?, Adriano, Crespo, Cruz, and Recoba.

  Simply put, Inter Min's squad was even strohan the Juventus team that domihe previous season under Capello.

  Mani, Inter's coach, was also formidable, having proven his tactical a during his time with Lazio.

  Against such a team, Napoli were truly fag an uphill battle.

  When the draw result was revealed, the Napoli coag staff looked uandably ed.

  But Gao Shen wasn't oo back down easily.

  "e on, cheer up! Stop with the long faces!" Gao Shen called out to his assistants, rallying their spirits.

  "If we lose 1-2 away and the Roma 6-0 at home, why 't we take on Inter Min? We have just as much ce of beating them in the semi-finals and making it to the Coppa Italia final!"

  His fighting spirit was tagious, and soon, the mood in the room began to shift.

  After all, hadn't Napoli just demolished Roma 6-0? Why should they fear Inter Min?

  If they could defeat Roma so decisively, why not Inter Min?

  With this new perspective, the coag staff's resolve returned.

  That afternoon, after lund a brief rest, Zidahe first of his seminars at the trainier in Castel Volturno.

  Gao Shen, along with the entire coag staff, attehe session.

  Sihere hadn't been much time for preparation, Zidaed for a more iive format, allowing the pyers to ask questions while he provided answers. This approach made the session engaging and lively.

  The Napoli pyers, uanding the rarity of this opportunity, didn't hold back. They asked Zidane all sorts of questions, ranging from tactical advice to the minutiae of his personal rituals, such as whether he stepped onto the pitch with his left foht foot first.

  Zidane, enjoying the iion, answered every question patiently.

  One of the defining traits of Napoli's squad was their youth and vitality.

  With a team mostly posed of pyers in their early twenties and a ma style that emphasized openness and unication, the atmosphere was electric. This vibrancy rubbed off on Zidane, and he found himself being more ied in the sessions.

  After the first seminar, there was still plenty left to discuss, so both sides agreed to tihe following day.

  Iernoon, after training, Zidane once again took to the field to personally coach the pyers.

  He demonstrated various teiques, showing attackers how to shoot, pass, and even take free kicks.

  At Zidane's level, his and over the ball was extraordinary. His teical mastery left everyone in awe.

  Occasionally, Zidane would get so carried away with his demonstrations that he'd join in, prompting appuse from the pyers.

  "If he hadn't retired, he could still be a starter on any team in the world," arked with a sigh.

  Gao Shen didn't doubt it. But notig Carlo's wistful expression, he smiled and said, "Don't overthink it. None of this matters now."

  Zidane's decision to retire was tied closely to Real Madrid's struggles the previous season. Although the team had improved in the sed half of the season, Zidane remained firm in his decision.

  In a way, Zidane was a wise man.

  Whether och or in coag, he uood when to advand when to retreat.

  If Zidane had decided to return to football after winning a double with Real Madrid and finishing as World Cup runner-up, the world would've celebrated his return. Real Madrid and many other clubs would have weled him with open arms.

  But then what?

  Age catches up to everyone, and no matter how well Zidane maintained his form, he was still getting older.

  By retiring when he did, Zidahe game at the pinnacle of his career, preserving his legacy. The fans would always remember him at his best.

  Staying too long would've only tarnished his reputation as younger pyers iably surpassed him.

  Zidane was smart. He knew when to bow out gracefully.

  …

  The draw against Inter Mied an immense sense of pressure throughout the Napoli camp.

  From the day the draw was made, Gao Shen trated all of the team's efforts on preparing for the first leg at San Siro against Inter Min. He and his coag staff studied Inter's tactid match footage day and night, hoping to identify any weakhey could exploit.

  Over the weekend, ih round of Serie B, Napoli drew 1-1 away at Lecce.

  To rest his key pyers for the uping cup match, Gao Shen fielded a nearly full reserve team against Lecce, resulting in a hard-fought draw.

  This decision wasn't easy, but it was necessary.

  Napoli's squad depth wasn't that great, and Gao Shen had to focus his best pyers oer Min csh.

  After two days of meticulous preparation in Castel Volturno, Napoli headed north to Min.

  On the evening of January 24, at the ii Siro Stadium, Napoli faced off against Inter Min in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final.

  As the dark horse of the tour, Napoli had garnered signifit attention, especially after their 6-0 demolition of Roma. The Italian media had rallied behind Inter Min, calling oo stop Napoli's fairytale run. Under no circumstances could Gao Shen and his team be allowed to have the st ugh it would be a disaster for Italian football, they said.

  Mani, the Inter coach, kept quiet before the match but made his iions clear ohe game began.

  Inter Min fielded their stro lineup, with Júlio César in goal, Maxwell, Samuel, Materazzi, and Mai f the defense. In midfield, Sori, Cambiasso, Vieira, and Figo started, while Ibrahimovi? and Crespo led the attack.

  It was a formidable lineup, pying in a 4-4-2 formation.

  Inter quickly exposed Napoli's weakness on the right fnk, where Sori and Maxwell ran riot, while Ibrahimovi? kept Napoli's right-ter back, avaro, under stant pressure.

  Ih and 24th minutes, Inter Min scored two goals in quick succession, first through Sori and then Crespo.

  After halftime, despite Gao Shen's best efforts troup his team, Inter's dominance tinued. Ih minute, Vieira added a third, extending their lead to 3-0.

  Napoli, despite their resiliend hard work, were no match for Inter's overwhelming strength that night. Gao Shen had prepared meticulously for this csh, but it wasn't enough to overe the gap in quality and experieweewo sides.

  It was the most painful defeat Gao Shen had experienced since being a coach.

  This 3-0 loss at San Siro served as a harsh reminder of the challehat still y ahead for his young Napoli team.