"King's Return!"

  This was the headliered across the front page of Naples' loeer 'Il Mattino' after Napoli's 5-0 demolition of Udihe cover featured Gao Shen, dressed sharply in a suit, leaping into the air and pumping his fist in celebration as his team scored.

  The media gratuted Napoli for climbing to the top of the Serie A standings after just two rounds, being the new leaders.

  For both the local press and Napoli's passionate fans, there was no doubt: Gao Shen was the hero behind this remarkable achievement.

  This brilliant young coach had taken Napoli from Serie B to the top of Serie A in just over a year. Such a feat was nothing short of miraculous!

  The local media pointed out that, before the season began, all of Italy, and even European football, believed that Napoli's primary objective was to avation. This view was reinforced when the club decided to sell one of its top pyers, Gervinho, before the season kicked off.

  "But no one could have predicted that so far this season, Napoli would string together a three-match winning streak, including an 8-0 demolition of a in the cup, followed by two Serie A victories, culminating in a 5-0 away thrashing of Udinese."

  "Napoli have exploded onto the se, with Gao Shen and his young squad determio shake up the established order of Italian football."

  What is the traditional order in Italy?

  Looking back over the past two decades from 2007, the vast majority of Serie A titles had been won by the "northern giants": Juventus, Inter Min, and A.

  In the previous 21 years, only two teams outside of these northern powerhouses, Roma and Lazio had each won a sile. Napoli had captured two in 1987 and 1990, and ole had been cimed by Sampdoria from Genoa, another northern team.

  In other words, Napoli was the only team from southern Italy capable of peting with the northern and capital clubs.

  But i six years, Napoli had gone bankrupt and been reborn, g their way back from the bottom of the league system to finally return to Serie A.

  No oside of ruly uood the struggle and hardship the club had eo make it back to the top flight. The number of obstacles and challehey had overe was immeasurable.

  Even at the club's lowest point, when they were relegated to the lowest tier of Italian football, Napoli's fans had tio fill the stadium, supp their beloved team through thid thin.

  Even nooli boasts the highest average attendan Serie A, with every home match a sellout.

  Only the local media truly grasped the deep e betweey of Naples and its football team. They uood the fans' hopes and dreams for the club, and they deeply appreciated the resped admiratioy felt fao Shen, who had led the team to the top of Serie A.

  "He is being another hero of this city, alongside Diego Maradona!"

  The local media also shared an iing fact: Udinese's front three, their attag trident, all hailed from Naples.

  This revetion surprised many.

  Quagliarel, Di Natale, and Flores the three forwards who spearheaded Udinese's attack, were all born in Naples.

  This was something Gao Shen hadn't even known before the game.

  It certainly seemed like a ce, but it was also a fun little twist of fate.

  ...

  Napoli's 5-0 rout of Udinese sent shockwaves throughout Italian football, capturing the attention of the media and fans alike.

  Even though many media outlets typically loved to stir troversy around Gao Shen, none could ighe reality of Napoli's results. They had no choice but to provide extensive ce of Napoli's rise.

  The *Gazzetta dello Sport* ran a headlihat read, *Napoli from Another World*. The artioted that this was the first time Napoli had led Serie A in nearly 20 years, and that this achievement, after the club had gone bankrupt and been rebuilt, was nothing short of extraordinary.

  The Min-based neer focused on Gao Shen, emphasizing that his tactical approach had pletely outcssed Marino, Udinese's young coach.

  "If Gao Shen showed his ability to make effective in-game adjustments with his substitutions against Cagliari in the first round, then in the sed round against Udinese, his pre-match tactics had already ned Udio defeat."

  *Gazzetta dello Sport* argued that this wasn't a match that reflected the true strength of both teams because Udinese had never been able to find their rhythm. They had been dominated from start to finish, uo dictate the pace of the game.

  "Marino made a critical mistake. He foolishly believed that his team could go toe-to-toe with Napoli. Iy, advaeams have never been afraid of open py, and this roven st season!"

  "Udinese's coach clearly didn't do his homework on Napoli's matches, especially their sed-leg game against Roma st season. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made such a poor tactical choice."

  "It was Marino's decisions that led to Udinese's disastrous defeat!"

  The *Gazzetta dello Sport* aowledged Gao Shen as the architect of Napoli's success but added that their lead at the top of the table wasn't guarao st.

  A had drawn 1-1 with Fiorentina the previous evening, meaning Napoli would stay at the top of Serie A for at least two weeks until the third round of matches but everyone khe league had only just begun.

  "Both Inter Min and A had slow starts, which allowed Napoli to take advantage. But rest assured, ohese teams get into their groove, they'll be ba top."

  The *Gazzetta dello Sport* cluded that Napoli's momentum would likely be disrupted by the uping two-week iional break, followed by a grueling schedule. "It will be tough for them to hold onto the top spot for long!"

  ...

  Rome's *La Repubblica* used the headline *0 to 5*, calling Napoli's performahe most beautiful dispy of attag football in the first two rounds of Serie A. They praised it as a masterpiece.

  "Gao Shen and his team have tihe offeyle they showcased st season, and they are reaping the rewards in Serie A."

  *La Repubblica* highlighted Napoli's firepower in attad their solid defense, which had allowed them to take the lead and shatter the public's preceptions about the team.

  "However, we must remind Gao Shen and his Napoli squad that the Serie A season has just begun. The results from the first two rounds are not enough to draw clusions, as many teams are still finding their rhythm. The true challenges lie ahead."

  The neer suggested that expectations for Napoli this season should be raised, but it was still uhat this upstart team from the south could truly tend for the Serie A title.

  "They still o beat Inter, Roma, A, and Juventus first!"

  *La Repubblica* emphasized that the league is a marathon, not a cup petition.

  Roma, still smarting from their 6-0 loss to Napoli st season, would be looking for revenge in Serie A. Spalletti's team was expected to be much better prepared this time around.

  "They haven't faced a real challe!"

  ...

  The *Turin Sports Daily*, unsurprisingly, was far less impressed. They dismissed Napoli's rise as a fluke.

  The northern-based neer pointed out that Juventus had been the most dominant attag team in Serie A, having scored eight goals in two matches. Juventus, they cimed, had been far more impressive.

  The paper, with its close ties to Juventus, even suggested that Cagliari hadn't put in their best effainst Napoli in the first round, serving energy for their sed-round csh with Juventus. Despite falling behind twice, Cagliari had fought back twice to equalize before Juventus ultimately prevailed.

  In trast, Napoli hadn't faced any real opposition in their first two matches, acc to the *Turin Sports Daily*.

  "This is what a Serie A champion should look like!"

  "And as for Napoli, they have yet to be truly tested!"

  The paper reported that her Juventus ma nor their coach, Cudio Ranieri, had included Napoli in their list of title tenders for the season.

  "Juventus knows exactly who their rivals are A and Roma. Napoli isn't even on their radar."

  The message was clear: Napoli's time at the top was tempao Shen's team wouldn't be a serious tender in Serie A this season.

  ...

  Napoli's 5-0 victory didn't just make waves in Italy; it quickly spread across European football and beyond, capturing the attention of the global football unity.

  Back when Napoli was in Serie B, their successes in the Coppa Italia and Serie B had garnered only limited attention.

  But nooli was leading Serie A, and the world was taking notice. This performance had shattered the preceived notions many had about the club, shog both media and fans worldwide.

  Many people initially believed that Gao Shen and his Napoli were nothing more than an anomaly. But as the media delved deeper, unc more about the team, fans began to realize that Napoli's rise had been building for some time.

  After leading Real Madrid to a league and Champions League double, Gao Shen's decision to coach a lower-tier team like Napoli had puzzled many. He seemed to fade from the mainstream spotlight, and some eveed that he might leave coag altogether.

  But now, after a year away, Gao Shen had returo the global stage by leading Napoli to the top of Serie A.

  When Gao Shen had won the double with Real Madrid, there were whispers that it was the strength of the team, not the coach, that had achieved those victories.

  Now, with a team that had been bankrupt and rebuilt from the ground up, Gao Shen had taken them from Serie B to the top of Serie A in just one year. What people say now?

  Isn't that achievement ving enough?

  France's *L'équipe* even published a feature on Gao Sheailing his journey with Napoli, both on and off the pitch.

  "Mani's Inter Min remains as strong and stable as ever; Carlo Ai's A are the reigning Champions League title holders; Roma under Luo Spalletti are a formidable force, and Juventus, with their rapid rebuilding and heavy iment, have restored the might of the Bianeri…"

  "And now, there's one more tender: Gao Shen and his Napoli!"

  "This promises to make Serie A more fiercely petitive than ever before!"