When referee Christian Brighi blew the final whistle, thunderous cheers erupted from the fans at the Meazza Stadium.

  Gao Shen had a fleeting illusion that the appuse and cheers were for him.

  But the cold, hard numbers on the scoreboard reminded him of the truth: they had lost.

  pletely defeated.

  Inter Min was just to, incredibly strong.

  Their strength wasn't in any fshy tactics but in the fact that they had no obvious weaknesses. Mani's approach was standard a basic 4-4-2 formation.

  Gao Shen couldn't help but suspect that Mani had deliberately used the 4-4-2 formation.

  At the ret coag summit, Sacchi had criticized Italian football for being too servative and not innovative enough.

  Now, Mani had used the same "servative" 4-4-2 to utterly defeat Gao Shen's "advanced" 4-2-3-1 formation.

  Formations alone don't win games. Mani's victory seemed to prove that as long as a team is strong enough, even so-called "servative" tactics prevail.

  So, Mani should be very pleased with this 3-0 victory.

  Gao Shen stood there, motionless, staring at the pitch. He didn't say a word, make a move, or show aion.

  Behind him, Carlo, Pep Guardio, and the rest of the coag staff were also in low spirits.

  Inter Min was simply too powerful.

  While Napoli had potential and strength, they were still far behind Inter Min at this point.

  I half-hour of the game, Mani even brought on Adriano from the bench, fielding three strikers, clearly i on further humiliating Napoli.

  Gao Shen made quick adjustments to hold onto the scoreline, defendilessly in both halves.

  They had to what other choice was there?

  Ibrahimovi? had pletely domihe bination of avaro, Sori, and Maxwell, tearing apart Napoli's right side. Meanwhile, Vieira and Mai's pressure on the left had paralyzed Napoli.

  Losing by only three goals was actually a relief.

  But that couldn't be said aloud.

  Especially not when Carlo and the others looked at Gao Shen's back, uo see his face but clearly feeling the emotional weight of this defeat pressing down on him.

  It was the worst loss in his coag career so far.

  Zero to three. A plete defeat.

  Even more painful was the fact that they had lost purely because the oppo was better.

  Carlo, Lucas, Guardio, Bueura, and Borrell all wao approach Gao Shen, to offer some words of fort, but they didn't know what to say.

  Just as they hesitated, Gao Shen took a step forward.

  The pyers were walking off the pitch.

  "It's alright," Gao Shen began, addressing his pyers.

  "Don't feel bad. I've got this."

  "Stand tall, don't hang your heads."

  "Look up, smile."

  "Like me stay calm."

  Gao Shen reassured each pyer as they came off the field, one by one.

  His ow hurt more than theirs. This was the first time he had realized that even after giving his all, it still wasn't enough to defeat an oppo. Being outcssed repeatedly like this was a terrible feeling.

  But he khat he didn't have the luxury of feeling sorry for himself or lig his wounds.

  Because he was the head coach.

  The entire first-team squad, the coag staff, the club's ma everyo Napoli was looking to him, relying on him. He couldn't afford to falter.

  Not now, not ever.

  "So we lost so what?"

  Ba the dressing room, Gao Shen tio rally his pyers.

  "Every great team has experienced losses. Which team hasn't failed before succeeding? Aren't all great teams fed through the fire of failure?"

  Gao Shen ched his fists as he spoke, not just encing the pyers but also himself.

  Every great coach has emerged from the ashes of failure.

  Who hasn't?

  Even Ai, the coach Gao Shen admired most, had endured tless defeats. His A led 3-0 in the Champions League final, only to be famously overturned by Liverpool.

  But what was the result?

  This year, Ai's A would have the ce to reverse that defeat aheir revenge on Liverpool.

  And iure, Guardio how many times would he lose? Yet he would rise again and again.

  Even Heynckes, who ehe infamous "Triple Silver" season with Bayern Munich, would bounce back the very year to lead them to a treble.

  Success is always rare; failure is the norm.

  Gao Shen was in a bad pce emotionally. He was hurting. But he khat only those who could endure failure would ever be able to embrace success.

  If he crumbled tonight, if he broke down in the face of this 0-3 loss at San Siro, he would never rise again.

  "e on! Look at me!" Gao Shen shouted, his voianding the attention of everyone in the dressing room.

  The entire Napoli squad stood up, raising their heads to meet their coach's gaze.

  "Remember this 0-3 tonight, but don't be defeated by it. I promise you all, right here and now, I swear I will e back to this stadium, and I will return this 0-3 scorelio Inter Min!"

  As Gao Shen said this, he ched his fists tightly, his voice filled with determination.

  He didn't hate Inter Min there was no point in that. The defeat wasn't due to anything but their own shortings.

  Football was like that. The winners were kings.

  But Gao Shen swore that he would exact his revenge.

  And he would do so with an honorable, resounding victory.

  At this very San Siro Stadium.

  Everyone present, including the coag staff behind Gao Shen, could feel his fierce resolve.

  ---

  "I lost."

  The moment Gao Shen stepped into the post-match press ference, he spoke before any of the journalists could ask a question.

  "I admit it I lost!"

  The room was instantly abuzz.

  Most reporters had expected Gao Shen to put up some kind of defense, or even struggle to find words uheir probing questions.

  But to their surprise, Gao Shen admitted defeat right away.

  "I don't see any reason not to admit it," he tinued. "I don't think there's anything to be ashamed of. We lost 0-3 to one of the stroeams in Italy and Europe Inter Min. We lost fair and square."

  Gao Shen id out his reasons for the defeat.

  "I'm not going to make any excuses for this loss, and I don't want to find any. We lost. The oppo was better, stronger, and performed at a higher level than us. That's all there is to it."

  The media members preseaken aback, as if they were seeing a new side of Gao Shen for the first time.

  Many had e with the hope of seeing Gao Sheed, hoping flimpse of him being downcast like a fallen rooster. It would have satisfied their sense of schadenfreude.

  But instead, they were greeted with Gao Shen accepting his defeat with grace.

  It was clear that Gao Shen was hurt by the loss, but he accepted it.

  "I want to thank Mani and his Inter Min fiving us a wake-up call during our period of growth. They forced us to sober up, to see ourselves more clearly, and the gap between us and the stroeams in Europe today. We've also learned more about our own weaknesses."

  "This match has given us valuable experience, and we'll take it to heart."

  Gao Shen apologized to the Napoli fans who had traveled to Min to support the team.

  Before the game, he had promised them a victory. Instead, they were dealt a crushi.

  But he emphasized that both he and the pyers had given their all.

  Inter was simply to.

  "Inter is a very mature, very stable team. They have outstanding pyers in every position, making it extremely difficult for us to gain any advantage in the game. That's why we lost."

  "But what I want to say is this: we are a young team. Our average age is only in the early twenties. I believe that tonight's game will help our pyers gain more valuable experiend lead to signifit growth."

  Gao Shen aowledged that this 0-3 defeat at the Meazza Stadium had likely sealed their elimination from the Coppa Italia. But he didn't see that as entirely ive.

  "There are still five months left in the Serie B season, and my goals remain the same. In fact, I'm more determined and fident than ever."

  "I will use the five months to hohis team, to push every pyer to their limit, to uheir full potential. I will work to correct our tactical deficies and address the gaps in our lineup. I will do everything in my power to improve my coag abilities."

  "In five months, I guarantee you, Napoli will be stronger. We will not only be promoted to Serie A as Serie B champions, but we will also carry our unique brand of Napoli football into Serie A. We will shake up Serie A just like we did Serie B!"

  "Tonight's loss ainful blow, but it is also our motivation to work harder!"

  Gao Shen's voice grew louder, more forceful.

  "And I'm telling you now, oal for season in Serie A is the championship!"

  "I'm telling all our oppos—Napoli will be stronger season than we are today!"

  "And I swear I will e back to this San Siro Stadium with Napoli and erase this humiliati!"

  Gao Shen's powerful words echoed through the press ference hall, lingering in the air.

  They initially anticipated witnessing the downfall of Gao Shen, but in the end, they were left disappointed.

  As Gao Sheed the press ference hall, the media reporters suddenly regaiheir posure, resulting in a flurry of reas from the crowd.

  Doubt filled the air as they questioned Gao Shen's statements, particurly his bold vow to aveer Min, which drew derisive ughter.

  Yet, despite his evident struggles, there was something about him that exuded an unwaveriermination ahusiasm, leaving a sting impression on those present.