Starting With Real Madrid

Napoli defeated Chelsea 4-1 at home and 6-2 on aggregate, successfully advancing to the quarterfinals!

This news quickly created a stir across European football.

Everyone was surprised by the result, yet at the same time, it seemed entirely reasonable.

Why?

After Napoli reversed Chelsea 2-1 in the first leg away, their chances of advancing were already very high. In the second leg, Napoli held the initiative, while Chelsea, forced to attack away from home, were placed in an extremely passive position.

This is the reality of the Champions League knockout stages: losing the first leg often triggers a chain reaction of setbacks in the second.

But few anticipated a scoreline as emphatic as 4-1.

That is a significant margin.

Since Mourinho and even during Ranieri's tenure Chelsea had been synonymous with stability. Under Mourinho, the team became renowned for its ironclad defense and tenacity, making them a nightmare for nearly all of Europe.

Even during Rijkaard's peak years with Barcelona's Dream Team II, Chelsea rarely suffered major defeats.

Defense was always Chelsea's foundation.

Hiddink, too, was a coach famous for his defensive acumen. Under his guidance, Chelsea had shown steady improvement.

If you ignored the scoreline and simply analyzed the games, it was evident that Chelsea were on the rise under Hiddink.

Yet, this same team was defeated 2-1 at home by Napoli in the first leg and then suffered a humiliating 4-1 loss in the second leg. To be thoroughly reversed in both matches, it was more than a coincidence. It pointed to deeper problems.

The Times quoted Hiddink's post-match remarks from the press conference. The Dutch coach congratulated Gao Shen and Napoli, stating they performed better and fully deserved their victory.

"These two games have taught my team and me an invaluable lesson. I feel that not just Chelsea, but the whole of Europe has underestimated Napoli's strength and progress. This is a very strong team, fully capable of reaching the semifinals and maybe even challenging for the title."

Hiddink admitted that while being knocked out of the Champions League was disappointing, it might not be entirely bad.

"These two matches exposed many of our weaknesses. Of course, losing is regrettable, but at the same time, it allows us to identify our shortcomings. This will be crucial for our long-term development. In that sense, it's not entirely a bad thing."

Indeed, Chelsea's lineup issues and outdated team-building philosophy were laid bare in these two games.

During the first half of the second leg, Chelsea were almost completely outplayed by Napoli. They struggled to mount any counterattacks, and even their trademark defensive solidity was visibly fragile.

Hiddink openly admitted that Gao Shen had introduced an advanced tactical concept to Napoli.

"I hope he continues to develop along this path."

Though he lost, Hiddink displayed the grace and humility of a seasoned coach, offering his sincere blessings to Gao Shen.

The British media also agreed that Napoli's performance was worthy of their victory.

Napoli earned their qualification by defeating Chelsea.

However, the same media couldn't resist pointing out Serie A's decline, which was becoming increasingly apparent.

…

Elsewhere in the Champions League, Inter Milan's campaign also ended in disappointment. After losing 2-0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford in the first leg, they failed to score at home in the return leg, resulting in a 0-0 draw.

The Nerazzurri were eliminated with a 2-0 aggregate loss.

Mourinho was livid, openly criticizing his players' lackluster performance.

Internally, however, questions were being raised about Mourinho's tactical approach and lineup choices. Given the strength of Inter Milan's squad, many felt they shouldn't have been eliminated in the Round of 16.

But the fact remained: they had fallen to Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Roma also suffered heartbreak. After losing 1-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates in the first leg, they returned to their home ground and equalized through Juan in the ninth minute, assisted by Totti.

Despite numerous chances, neither side managed to score again in regulation or extra time. The match went to penalties, where Roma's left-back Tonetto missed the decisive seventh spot-kick, resulting in their elimination.

Among Serie A's four representatives in the Champions League, only three advanced to the knockout rounds. Now, with Inter Milan and Roma both eliminated, Napoli stood alone as Serie A's last hope in the competition.

By contrast, all four of the Premier League's representatives had reached the knockout stages, and aside from Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal all advanced to the quarterfinals. This underscored the Premier League's dominance.

Following the Round of 16, the Italian media heaped praise on Napoli, using every possible adjective to commend the team. They also pinned their hopes on Napoli to restore some dignity to Serie A.

In recent years, Premier League teams had consistently gotten the better of their Serie A counterparts. Even during Mancini's tenure at Inter Milan, the Nerazzurri had a dismal record against Liverpool.

And now, even with Mourinho in charge, Inter's fortunes hadn't improved.

What could be done?

Napoli's strength gave the Italian media and fans a glimmer of hope.

In Serie A, Napoli was seen as a rival by all other teams. But in the Champions League, Napoli became the sole representative of Italian football. Even the media in Turin, Milan, and Rome expressed their support, as did fans of other teams.

This newfound solidarity made Napoli feel like they were carrying the banner of Italian football.

As for the allocation of Champions League quarterfinal spots, the Premier League claimed three places, La Liga took two, and Serie A, the Bundesliga, and the Portuguese league each secured one. This distribution reflected the current balance of power among Europe's top leagues.

The Premier League firmly held the title of the world's strongest league, with its traditional "big four" continuing to dominate.

La Liga was still spearheaded by its two powerhouses, though this season saw Real Madrid fail to progress beyond the group stage, Atlético Madrid exit in the Round of 16, and Villarreal reach the quarterfinals.

Serie A, the Bundesliga, and the Portuguese league were clearly a step behind, struggling to compete with the Premier League and La Liga.

…

In Beijing.

When Su Qing woke up in the morning, she felt refreshed and energized.

She pulled open her bedroom curtains, letting sunlight flood the room. Outside, it was a rare clear day, bright and cheerful.

For a moment, she couldn't help but smile.

Last night, Gao Shen's Napoli had won again.

Whenever Gao Shen won, Su Qing felt a sense of joy and pride.

She ate a simple breakfast, some bread and a bottle of milk, while replying to Gao Shen's texts.

Every day, he would send her updates about his life, whether it was his activities, where he was going, or what was on his mind. Su Qing had developed a habit of checking her phone frequently, worried she might miss one of his messages.

"I'm off to work now," she typed before sending the message. She knew Gao Shen was likely still asleep and wouldn't reply immediately.

After finishing her breakfast, Su Qing grabbed her bike and headed to work.

On the way, she stopped at a newsstand and bought three newspapers: the official party newspaper, the city daily, and most importantly, the sports paper.

As she had expected, even the official party newspaper had reported on last night's Champions League match. Although the headline was tucked into a corner of the front page, the sports section contained extensive coverage of Gao Shen and Napoli.

In recent years, Su Qing had noticed Gao Shen's name frequently appearing in the official party newspaper.

The same was true for national television.

She could even guess that the morning news had covered the match highlights.

Gao Shen, as a Chinese coach succeeding on the global stage, had become a source of national pride.

A well-known football commentator once remarked, "Coaching in Europe's top leagues is a hundred times harder than playing football."

Many fans and journalists who had visited Europe echoed this sentiment, acknowledging Gao Shen as a rising star in the world of football coaching.

Today's party newspaper had even reprinted an analysis from the Italian media, praising Gao Shen's success with Napoli and speculating about his future.

"The next step for Gao Shen will likely be to join a major club. The top candidates are Real Madrid and Bayern Munich," the report said.

"But according to inside sources, AC Milan is expected to change coaches this summer, and Gao Shen is their first choice. Chelsea has also begun their search for a new manager, and Gao Shen is on their shortlist."

"He is the hottest young coach in Europe right now!"

Smiling, Su Qing paid for the newspapers and continued her ride to work.

When she arrived, she overheard her colleagues discussing the match and the morning news reports.

Those working in government ministries were often the most well-informed, and Gao Shen's growing reputation had not gone unnoticed.

With his rapid rise, it seemed inevitable that Gao Shen would become a symbol of Chinese success abroad, following in the footsteps of Yao Ming and Liu Xiang.

"Twenty-eight years old, single, wealthy, and already a famous coach. Does he have a girlfriend?" a female colleague asked, her tone filled with curiosity.

"I'm sure he does," another replied. "Didn't you see the reports? All those European celebrities are chasing after him. He's even one of the most-followed personalities on Twitter. Who wouldn't want to be with him and become famous?"

"That's true. Guys like him—young, rich, and famous are the most sought-after."

"What a pity! I should have studied journalism and become a reporter. Maybe then I'd have had the chance to meet him up close. Who knows, maybe he'd like someone like me…"

"Are you kidding? Why would he like you?"

"What's wrong with me dreaming? Is that illegal?"

"You're right. My dear, Gao Shen hasn't said anything, so why are you so anxious? It's fine, Xiao Wang, I officially give you my blessing. You're free to go after our Gao Shen!"

"Thank you, Sister Zhao! I'll treat you to afternoon tea for your support."

Su Qing silently watched from the side, stunned by the conversation.

Are these people really ministry officials?

Why are they acting like crazed fans chasing after a celebrity?

And what was that about "our Gao Shen"?

Hmph!

***

Bonus for 200 PS