"For two years, I've been reflecting on one question: why did the Galacticos fail?"
After watching the game, Florentino invited Gao Shen and a few others to a high-end restaurant near the Bernabeu.
In the privacy of the VIP room, Florentino opened up to Gao Shen, Valdano, and Zidane, sharing some of his reflections. Get full chapters from 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥
Gao Shen guessed that Florentino had likely come to some important realizations.
"I discovered that the main reason was that we didn't follow the fundamental rules of football."
Florentino's conclusion aligned perfectly with what Gao Shen had said long ago.
The so-called "fundamental rules of football" largely referred to the age of the players.
The Galacticos policy had prioritized signing one superstar each year, but the issue was that most of these superstars were already past their prime.
For instance, Figo was 27 when he joined Real Madrid, and Zidane was 29. Though both were at the height of their careers, everyone knew that a player's peak often lasted only about three years.
By the time Beckham arrived, Figo was already 30, and Zidane was 31. Both were on the decline, and this led to Real Madrid's barren years after 2003, culminating in the earthquake of 2006 when the club fell into turmoil.
In truth, this outcome had been inevitable since the inception of the superstar strategy.
Yet looking back, the core problem was that Real Madrid's approach to signing superstars was unsustainable. The strategy demanded the best players in the world, but those players were often already in their late 20s. The pool of available talent was inherently limited.
This created an unsolvable contradiction within Real Madrid's superstar policy.
However, Gao Shen believed this dilemma wasn't without solutions, Real Madrid just needed to adjust its perspective.
They could either sign multiple superstars at once to create a golden generation or focus on acquiring younger players with the potential to grow into superstars.
Gao Shen agreed wholeheartedly with Florentino's assessment but also brought up another crucial factor: the improvement of training methods.
This insight came directly from his experience coaching Napoli.
As high-level scientific training became more prominent in professional football along with increasingly mature player development systems players were getting younger and peaking earlier.
For example, Kaka, who led AC Milan to a Champions League title and won the Ballon d'Or, was only 25.
Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese winger making waves at Manchester United, was just 23.
And then there was Messi, Barcelona's prodigy and future Ballon d'Or winner, who was only 20.
As someone with knowledge of the future, Gao Shen knew these three players were already top stars, and their achievements would only grow.
Of course, Kaka would eventually be hampered by injuries, but at this moment, he was still in his prime, and Gao Shen had to acknowledge him.
"The level of training is improving dramatically," Gao Shen said. "It's becoming more scientific and standardized, and player support systems are increasingly comprehensive. For example, Cristiano Ronaldo already has a dedicated fitness coach, a personal chef, and a nutritionist, among other things."
"This season in Serie A, Del Piero is performing exceptionally well because he hired a personal trainer. Totti has also long had his own personal trainer, and both veterans are in remarkable shape."
"I can confidently say that in the foreseeable future, the careers of highly self-disciplined players will continue to lengthen. We'll see more and more players reaching the top level earlier in their careers. Some could even become world-class stars in their early twenties."
This bold prediction wasn't just speculation—it was grounded in reality.
Take Napoli, for instance.
Napoli's squad had an average age in the early twenties. The oldest player in their starting lineup was Vargas, a 24-year-old Peruvian, while the youngest was Alexis Sánchez, a 19-year-old Chilean winger.
Yet despite their youth, they were dominating on the pitch.
After all, this was the same team that had crushed Serie A champions Inter Milan 5-0 at home.
Under their advanced tactical system, Napoli's young players were just as effective as any established stars.
People were already comparing Gao Shen's Napoli to Van Gaal's Ajax, a young, fearless, and immensely talented team brimming with passion.
Florentino, Valdano, Zidane, and Butragueño were all stunned.
Every time they spoke with Gao Shen, his ideas and insights were thought-provoking, often ahead of their time.
Even more remarkable was Gao Shen's confidence and clarity in presenting his arguments.
Many of the predictions Gao Shen had made two years ago were now becoming reality, and Napoli's performances continued to validate his theories.
Gao Shen was no longer the inexperienced coach of two years ago. Now, he was leading a Serie A title contender and one of the most talked-about teams in Europe. His reputation and influence were growing rapidly.
So much so that Florentino jokingly said, "If I return to Real Madrid, you'd be my ideal candidate for head coach!"
Gao Shen merely smiled and didn't respond.
He knew better than to take Florentino's words at face value. People in business always knew how to sweeten the deal, but promises were rarely guaranteed.
Even if Florentino returned to Real Madrid, who could say he would keep his word?
And even if he did, was Gao Shen willing to dive back into Real Madrid's chaos?
So, he just laughed it off.
Instead, Gao Shen turned to Zidane.
"Zinedine, have you passed your coaching certification yet?" Gao Shen asked abruptly.
The French legend froze for a moment before smiling awkwardly. "Not yet."
"A slacker, huh? A proper underachiever!"
Who would have thought that Zidane, a genius on the pitch, hadn't even completed his coaching certification?
The others, curious, asked for the full story, and Gao Shen explained. The room erupted in laughter.
"You've got five months left," Gao Shen said. "If you haven't passed the test by then, it's fine, you can still come and report to me. But I'll make sure to confess to the media beforehand so we don't end up with another Ranieri situation."
Ranieri had faced significant trouble due to his fitness coach Capanna's lack of certification. While Juventus' management eventually protected him, it had still caused plenty of headaches.
Gao Shen didn't intend to make the same mistake, so he warned Zidane with a smile. "If you're caught, I'll drag you straight to the stands to be my assistant. That way, it's not me who gets embarrassed, it's you."
Zidane's expression turned sour. "You're too ruthless!"
But Gao Shen remained firm. "If I don't push you, who knows how long it'll take you to get certified?"
In truth, Gao Shen wasn't overly concerned with his long-term future.
Like many coaches, he preferred to focus on the present.
For now, his primary goal was to lead Napoli to the Serie A title and take the team to the next level next season.
While he didn't expect too much from Napoli in the Champions League given the competition's unique challenges he couldn't help but dream.
After shaking up Serie A, Gao Shen wanted to do the same in Europe.
However, he was acutely aware of the challenges ahead.
The Champions League's Moat
Napoli, as Serie A champions, would undoubtedly qualify for next season's Champions League. Yet due to their lack of European competition points, they would be placed in Pot 4 during the group stage draw, effectively guaranteeing placement in a "Group of Death."
This wasn't unique to Napoli, it was how the system worked. European points acted as a moat for traditional powerhouses, protecting their dominance.
Napoli's inexperience meant they'd face a brutal uphill battle from the start. Even if they advanced from the group, it would likely leave the team exhausted, making further progress difficult.
But Gao Shen didn't care.
He refused to believe that a team like Napoli young, fearless, and brimming with potential couldn't defy the odds.
If Napoli could be Serie A's dark horse, why not Europe's?
For Gao Shen, the challenge was irresistible.
After conquering Serie A, his next goal was clear: turn Napoli into the first true dark horse in Champions League history.
But first, he had to finish the job at hand.
Win the Serie A title. Win the Coppa Italia.
Only then could he set his sights on Europe.
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