"Watch this, I'll demonstrate it again!"

  Gao Shen's remarks about the Champions League quarter-final draw spread like wildfire ht.

  The tone was bold and domineering.

  The media and fans worldwide were stunned. Was this something a manager of a team like Napoli should say?

  Yet, on sed thought, Gao Shen might actually be qualified to make such a statement.

  Why?

  Because Napoli had beaten Arsenal before, and it was a eback victory at the Emirates Stadium.

  More importantly, Gao Shen is a Champions League-winning coach.

  Wenger is undoubtedly a great and experienced manager, but does he have a Champions League title?

  What made it even more iing was the fact that Gao Shen's Champions League triumph had begun with a reversal against Arsenal.

  Thinking about it like that, doesn't he have the right to make such a cim?

  Still, the British media rgely branded Gao Shen as overly arrogant.

  Arsenal is one of the Premier League's "Big Four." Even if they're not at their peak, they're still in the same league as top-tier clubs like Maer United. And now a Serie A team—a deing league, hat isn't even sidered a traditional giant, wants to lecture Arsenal?

  Still demonstrating?

  Go on, show us how to make a fool of yourself!

  The British media immediately retaliated, acg Gao Shen of disrespeg Arsenal and Wenger with his ents.

  Everyone knows there's no love lost between Britain and Italy.

  Whenever an English club pys in Italy, or vice versa, it's almost always apanied by drama.

  As long as no one ends up in a stretcher, it's sidered minor.

  With Arsenal knog Roma out of the petition, Inter being eliminated by Maer United, and A failing to make it out of the group stage, Italian football was already in a tough spot.

  Now Gao Shen had stepped forward with such a provocative statement, stirring up a frenzy across Italy.

  The Italian media, fans, and even casual observers rallied behind Napoli and Gao Shen.

  Italy's collective se seemed to scream: We onihe footballing world, the "small World Cup" beloo Serie A! And now you, a nouveau riche Premier League club, dare to act high and mighty?

  For a moment, it felt like the entire try was united in its support for Napoli.

  What followed was an all-out war betweealian and British media.

  Both sides, self-procimed "literary powerhouses," unleashed every rhetorical on at their disposal—quoting historical figures, making clever digs, and ung blistering critiques, all to prove their own nation's superiority.

  And right in the middle of this media firestorm was Gao Shen.

  …

  When the news reached Inter Min's training base in the northern suburbs of Min, Mourinho couldn't believe his ears.

  "What the hell? Is this guy out of his mind?"

  Mourinho was genuinely shocked.

  Baresi, Faria, Boas, and the other coag staff were equally baffled.

  This didn't seem like Gao Shen's usual style. He was known for lying low, ag humble, and making his moves in silence. Since when did he start being so fshy?

  "José, everyone calls you the 'Special One,' but holy, Gao Shen might be just as crazy as you are," Boas joked.

  No one had expected Gao Shen, usually soft-spoken and low-key, to suddenly go so public with his fidence.

  Perhaps, they specuted, he was trying to take the pressure off his team by redireg media attention toward himself.

  "That's nonsense!" Mourinho snapped, unvinced. "This kid is still far from being like me. And now he wants to show people how to beat Arsenal?"

  Mourinho was utterly incredulous.

  What kind of logic was this?

  This was the quarter-finals of the Champions League. He wao show the world how to beat Arsenal?

  What if it backfired?

  Wouldn't it be humiliating?

  Even if he had a strategy, why advertise it so openly?

  "What the hell is he pying at?" Mourinho muttered, deeply puzzled.

  Based ohing he knew about Gao Shen, this wasn't typical behaviao Shen wasn't a braggart or an idiot.

  So why make su eous statement?

  "This guy is ing. I bet he's up to something," Mourinho said with a sly smile.

  Sier had been eliminated from the Champions League, Mourinho was now just a spectator.

  "How about you call him and ask?" Faria teased, clearly enjoying the drama.

  Mourinho's face darkened. "Why the hell would I call him? I'm hoping Wenger and Arsenal destroy him at the Emirates! Let his morale crumble, and his team falls apart. That way, we'll have a ce."

  Everyone looked at Mourinho in disbelief.

  That was… unbelievably ruthless.

  "Also, don't waste time thinking about Gao Shen. That kid is shrewd. Focus on winning ames instead."

  With that, Mourinho returo his usual grumbling.

  "Damn it, we've got locker room issues, problems outside the pitch, and now this guy is out there stirring things up…"

  Baresi, Boas, and the others exged gnces.

  How exactly was Gao Shen "stirring things up" for Mourinho?

  Nobody asked Mourinho to follow the drama, but here he was pining while staying glued to the story.

  …

  "What? He actually said that?"

  At Juventus' training base in Turin, Ranieri was equally astonished when he heard the news.

  That's Wenger and Arsenal he's talking about!

  Seriously? He wants to show the world how to beat Arsenal?

  Does he even have the qualifications to say that?

  "As far as I know, Gao Shen said it himself," firmed assistant coach Christian Damiano, a former assistant to Houllier at Liverpool and an expert on the Premier League.

  "This is absurd!" Ranieri couldn't hold back his disdain.

  There was bad blood between Gao Shen's Napoli and Ranieri's Juventus, and their rivalry had put Ranieri's job on the line.

  It was natural for Rao find fault with anything Gao Shen said or did.

  "Let me tell you something, Wenger and Arsenal have beee for years. Napoli isn't Real Madrid. This team has no real experien the Champions League. They only got this far because Chelsea had to ge managers at the st minute."

  "But against Arsenal? It's a pletely different story. Wenger's team won't be scared of Napoli's high-pressing tactics," Ranieri predicted fidently.

  Teams that struggle with high-pressure defeypically ck strong passing abilities. Chelsea had struggled because their passing was error-prone even without pressure.

  But Arsenal?

  The Gunners were renowned for their passing and movement.

  So how exactly did Gao Shen pn to demonstrate beating Arsenal?

  "Is he suicidal? Or is this some kind of psychological ploy?" Ranieri wondered aloud.

  If it's mind games, isn't it a bit reckless to back yourself into a er so early?

  Wouldn't this pressure crush Napoli's inexperienced pyers?

  "This is their first Champions League knockout stage, and now Gao Shen has cut off all their escape routes. What happens if they colpse?"

  Ranieri shook his head. "Fet it. I'll just wait to see how he crashes and burns at the Emirates." He scoffed twice before leaving.

  …

  "Demonstrate? Demonstrate my ass!"

  In Rome, Spalletti nearly exploded when he heard Gao Shen's remarks.

  He couldn't shake the feeling that Gao Shen's ents were directed at him.

  What an embarrassment!

  Arsenal had just knocked his team out, and now Gao Shen was saying he'd show everyone how to beat them.

  Wasn't this just mog him for being inpetent?

  Fuming, Spalletti paced bad forth in his office, his anger almost choking him.

  This was adding insult to injury.

  If Gao Shen wao provoke Wehat was fine, but why drag Spalletti into the mess?

  "I'm going to destroy him ime we py cards!" Spalletti grumbled.

  …

  "Pfft!"

  At Arsenal's ey training base, Wenger spat out a mouthful of water.

  Thankfully, Pat Rice, seated across from him, dodged in time.

  "I'm sorry, Pat. I couldn't help it," Wenger said apologetically, handing him tissues while ughing.

  Pat Rice waved it off, though he looked slightly annoyed.

  "Did he really say he wants to show the world how to beat us?" Wenger asked curiously.

  "Yes, he did," Pat Rice firmed seriously.

  Wenger chuckled. "Should we call it arrogance or fidence?"

  But his expression quickly turned serious.

  "Then again, maybe he really does have something up his sleeve."

  Wenger vividly remembered that 2006 match at the Emirates. It was Gao Shen's first Champions League game, and even after losing the first leg at the Bernabéu, Gao Shen had led Real Madrid to a stunning eback.

  The tactid adjustments Gao Shen used in that match had left a deep impression on Wenger.

  Now, Gao Shen was deg he'd show the world how to beat Arsenal?

  Wenger found it amusing, but he also couldn't shake a sense of unease.

  Gao Shen wasn't usually oo make bold public statements.

  Could he really have figured out something new?