The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals was scheduled to take pce at noon.

  The eight participating teams had all sent representatives to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzernd, to withe draw ceremony in person.

  The special guests for the event included Bruno ti, representing the final venue in Rome, and UEFA Secretary General David Taylor, who presided over the ceremony, which was broadcast live worldwide.

  This draw not only determihe quarter-final matchups but also set the path for the semi-finals by dividing the teams into the upper and lower brackets.

  Looking at the distribution of the eight teams, the Premier League and La Liga clearly held the upper hand, especially the Premier League.

  If Napoli hadn't eliminated Chelsea, the Premier League would have taken up half of the top eight spots.

  Truly, this era of European football be sidered the golden age of the Premier League.

  …

  Gao Shen and his assistants gathered early in the coach's office to watch the live broadcast of the draw.

  As the broadcast began, the highlights of the round of 16 and the performance of the remaini teams were reviewed. This was standard procedure.

  "I suddenly don't want to face Maer United so soon," Gao Shen said with a chuckle.

  It was a curious feeling.

  Previously, he had wao test himself against Maer United and Ferguson, mostly because he hadn't had a clear expectation of the team's results at the time.

  But now things were different.

  Reversing Chelsea in both legs of the round of 16 had made Gao Shen realize his team's potential. His current goal was to reach the semi-finals, or perhaps even further.

  To achieve that, advang past the quarter-finals was essential.

  Uhese circumstances, meeting Maer Uoo early would not be ideal.

  Ferguson was no pushover.

  If they faced Maer United now, Gao Shen holy wasn't sure how he would approach the game.

  Of course, there was aeam he didn't want to face too soon: Bara.

  In his previous life, Guardio's Bara had ushered in a actical era, with their peak sting several years. But Gao Shen's favorite iteration of the team was the one from 2009.

  How could he put it?

  The Bara of that year felt more human, fwed, proo mistakes, and occasionally struggling…

  Yaya Touré, for instance, clearly wasn't suited to the number six role for Bara. There was no question about that. He struggled as a single defensive midfielder because he liked pushing forward too much. Given his skillset, putting him in that role was simply a waste of talent.

  But when Yaya Touré was benched in favor of Busquets, Bara became obsessed with minimizing errors. Their game was increasingly dominated by horizontal passes, with fewer and fewer direct pys…

  Some argued this was a rea to the external pressure on Bara, which had steadily escated, f them to py safer.

  Take the 2010 semi-final against Mourinho's Inter Min, for instance.

  Whatever the reasons, the Bara team that followed never reached the same electrifying, awe-inspiris as the 2009 squad.

  Not to mention, the overag theatrics from some Bara pyers ter on made them harder to root for.

  In Gao Shen's previous life, he'd always had a special affe for the Bara team of 2009.

  But now, fans weren't as awestruck.

  Gao Shen and his Napoli team had disrupted the narrative too early.

  In fact, almost everyone, including Guardio himself reized the deep tactical imprint Gao Shen had left on Bara.

  After all, Guardio had once been Gao Shen's assistant.

  For now, Gao Shen didn't want to face Bara or Maer Uoo soon. As for the other teams, he wasn't particurly ed.

  Eveez's Liverpool were clearly past their prime and not as formidable as they once were.

  Napoli's back-to-baebacks against Chelsea had already proven that this teically skilled team was capable of peting with any oppo in the quarter-finals.

  Gao Shen and his team were fident.

  …

  As Gao Shen and his assistants discussed potential matchups, Arsenal's name was the first to be drawn.

  Wenger's Gunners had already earned a reputation as being vulnerable to Serie A teams.

  Gao Shen joked, "I wonder if Bruno ti cursed under his breath when he pulled Arsenal's name? Like, 'Damn it, I'll make sure you get Bara a eliminated by Roma!'"

  The room erupted in ughter.

  "I bet he draws a weaker team , like Vilrreal or Porto," Lucas suggested. "That way, if Arsenal makes it to the semi-finals or even the final, Roma's elimination in the round of 16 won't look as bad."

  Everyone agreed that it made sense.

  Gao Shen couldn't help but smile wryly.

  As for spiracy theories about the draw, they were hard to prove or disprove.

  Every team in the quarter-finals was strong. Unless you were a team like Bara, there were no guarantees about advang.

  Ultimately, if you waress, you had to perform well och.

  That was why Gao Shen remained calm and prepared to fay oppo.

  As people often said, winning the Champions League required both skill and luck.

  To everyone's surprise, after Arsenal was drawn, the name Bruno ti pulled out was Napoli.

  The representative from Rome ractically beaming.

  "Why does it look like he's gloating?" Lucas grumbled with a ugh.

  Everyone nodded in agreement. It really did seem that way.

  Fag Arsenal in the quarter-finals wasn't a bad draw.

  Of course, a matchup against Porto or Vilrreal would've been eveer.

  But Gao Shen had a feeling he wasn't that lucky.

  …

  The final quarter-final matchups were as follows:

  Arsenal vs. Napoli.

  Maer United vs. Porto.

  Vilrreal vs. Liverpool.

  Bara vs. Bayern Munich.

  The first four teams were pced in the upper half of the bracket, while the tter four teams were in the lower half.

  This meant that if Napoli eliminated Arsenal to reach the semi-finals, their oppo would be Ferguson's Maer United.

  Want to face Bara? Sure—just make it to the Champions League final first.

  This was a realistic path.

  After all, it was unrealistic to expe easy draw in the quarter-finals.

  Even a team like Chelsea, which had extraordinary luck st season, still had to face Liverpool in the semi-finals.

  If Napoli mao breeze all the way to the final, it would practically make them God's chosen team.

  Besides, Gao Shen had never been lucky when it came to draws or lotteries iher this life or his previous one.

  His most absurd experience was during his school days. He'd goo a venieore and won a free dri times in a row. Feeling invincible, he spent his entire month's savings of 100 dolrs on lottery tickets.

  The result? Not a single winning ticket.

  From then on, Gao Shen stopped believing in luck.

  But there was a silver lining: every time he gambled, he prepared for the worst.

  No hope meant no disappoi.

  That was a good mio have.

  …

  After the draw results were announced, opinions from the media poured in.

  In Italy, Serie A pundits believed Napoli's draw was her particurly bad nor especially good.

  At least they hadn't drawroeams like Bara or Maer United.

  La Repubblica warned Napoli not to uimate Arsenal, pointing out that Wenger's side had been strong tenders in this season's Champions League.

  Meanwhile, in London, Wenger was quick to speak to the media.

  He praised Napoli as a petitive team but emphasized Arsenal's experien the knockout stages. "I think both teams have an equal ce of advang," he said.

  Wenger also expressed satisfa with the schedule, which had Arsenal hosting the first leg before traveling to Naples.

  "We o gain an adva home in the first leg to give ourselves more trol in the sed," he added.

  Wenger also spoke highly of Gao Shen, describing him as the most exg young coa football.

  "I've faced him before. His teams always deliver surprises in knoatches."

  However, Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis, attending the draw in Nyon, was far less cautious.

  Beaming with fidence, Gazidis decred, "We're strohan Napoli. I'm very satisfied with this draw!"

  Gazidis expihat Arsenal's tense victory over Roma in the previous round had proved the team's resiliehis is a good draw, no doubt about it."

  In trast, Napoli's general manager Marino remained modest.

  As a club with limited finances and newfound success, Napoli sidered simply reag the quarter-finals an achievement. Marino expressed gratitude and humility, saying, "The Champions League is a grand stage. Arsenal is a huge challenge, but we'll do our best to advance."

  Even Napoli's outspoken owner De Laurentiis was uncharacteristically subdued, saying, "Every team has its strengths. Arsenal will be a tough oppo, but we'll give it our all."

  Ba Castel Volturno, Gao Shen faced the Italian media with more fidence.

  "This is a good draw. I like pying against Arsenal, and I like beating them. I've do before."

  "In 2006, when I first coached Real Madrid, we faced Arsenal in my first Champions League match. We beat them at the Emirates and advanced."

  "Want to see it happen again? Watch me, I'll demonstrate it again!"