As Biglia walked out of the hospital with Bueura and the team doctor, they had barely stepped into the car when Gao Shen's call came through on Bueura's phone.

  "How is he?"

  Biglia, sitting beside Bueura, could faintly hear Gao Shen's anxious voi the other end. His immediate for him was unmistakable.

  The Argentine midfielder felt a warmth spread through him.

  Clearly, Gao Shen valued him greatly.

  "Calf muscle strain, expected to be out for a month," Bueura replied.

  "I know that already. Is there any way to speed up the recovery?" Gao Shen asked, still sounding worried.

  Bueura g Biglia and sighed softly. "It's hard to say for now. We'll o monitor it further."

  There was a brief silen the other end befao Shen simply said, "Alright." Then he hung up.

  ...

  "Boss seems pretty worried," Biglia said with a rueful smile.

  Bueura g him and nodded. "Of course, he's worried. You're an important part of his tactical setup."

  The Argentine midfielder uood. "I'll do everything I to cooperate and recover as soon as possible. Once I'm close to being fit, I'll py even if I'm not fully healed. I don't want to leave the team hanging."

  "This 't happen," Bueura said firmly, waving off the suggestion. "The boss has made it clear: if you're not fully recovered, you're not pying. Those are the rules. His priority is your health, and at ye, any lingering issues could bee serious problems ter on."

  Biglia was deeply moved by this.

  The Argentine wasn't oo wear his emotions on his sleeve, and he didn't talk much, but he could feel how much Gao Shen cared about him and his well-being. It wasn't just about tactics, it was about genuine for him as a pyer and person.

  In professional football, that kind of care was rare.

  For many managers, pyers were merely assets, odities belonging to the club. They were treated as tools to be used, often disregarding their long-term health. Many pyers were forced to py through injuries, risking further damage, all for the sake of short-term results.

  It wasn't unon to see pyers rushed back before they had fully recovered, only to see their injuries worsen. Coaches who treated their pyers like expendable tools didn't inspire loyalty or respect.

  But Gao Shen wasn't like that.

  It was clear to Biglia and everyone else in Napoli that Gao Shen genuinely cared about his pyers. He was close io most of them, areated them more like friends or brothers than just subordinates. His attitude fostered a sense of camaraderie, and it made everyone want to py for him, to give their all for him.

  "I know he really wants to beat Inter," Biglia said, breaking the silence.

  Everyone oeam k. Ever sinapoli's 0-3 defeat to Inter Min st season, Gao Shen had been clear about his iions.

  He wao return to the San Siro and avehat loss he wao win by the same 3-in.

  Bueura sighed. "It's easier said than done."

  Inter Min was simply to.

  In Serie A, Inter was in a league of their own, with no real rivals. Even hoping to beat them was difficult, let alone doing so by a 3-0 scoreline in their own backyard.

  Napoli had performed admirably this season, but there was still a signifit gap between them and Inter Min in terms of raw strength.

  Still, Gao Shen wao go for it.

  Even if they couldn't win by 3-0, they had to at least try to win the game.

  But to do even that, Napoli would have to perform at their absolute best.

  "All of us believe the boss do it," Biglia said, his toimistic.

  Bueura was a little taken aback, but he quickly nodded. "So do we!"

  Gao Shen had earhat level of belief in Napoli.

  It wouldn't be easy, but what in life was easy?

  Napoli had overe numerous challenges before. Why couldn't they do it again?

  Even if they didn't ma this time, there would be another apoli was still young, and they had immeential. Sooner or ter, that day would e, and they would stand victorious.

  ...

  As the pyers begaurning from iional duty, Gao Shen started receiving some good news.

  Aside from Biglia, none of the other pyers had picked up any serious injuries. They were just exhausted, which was a huge relief fao Shen.

  It was music to his ears.

  However, Biglia's absence would force the coag staff to revise their pns, and the few weeks would be grueling. The real problem with iional breaks wasn't the games themselves but the toll taken by long-distaravel. Some pyers had to endure multiple eg flights, and the fatigue was iable.

  But it art of the job. There was no choice but to adapt.

  ...

  ...

  Oember 16th, Napoli hosted Sampdoria ihird round of Serie A.

  Sampdoria's coach this season was Walter Mazzarri.

  Mazzarri had made a name for himself by leading Livorno to promotion and then keeping Reggina in Serie A for three straight seasoe losing key pyers each year. His tactical abilities were widely respected, and his tenacity as a coach was well known.

  Last seasina started with an 11-poiy due to the infamous "Calciopoli" sdal, making them the favorites fation. But under Mazzarri, Reggina defied the odds, finishing 14th in the league and avoiding relegation.

  It was that performahat earned Mazzarri reition across Italy.

  Gao Shen was familiar with Mazzarri from his past life. He khat Mazzarri would go on to coaapoli iure. Mazzarri was famous for his tactics, particurly his steadfast itment to a 3-5-2 formation. Frina to Sampdoria to Napoli, Mazzarri's tactical setup remaihe same.

  His style was tough, aggressive, and full of resilience.

  It was a style Gao Shen admired.

  But today, at the Stadio San Paolo, Gao Shen and Napoli would have to defeat Mazzarri and his Sampdoria side.

  ...

  To ter Sampdoria's 3-5-2, Gao She up a 4-3-3 for Napoli. He opted to rest all of the South Ameri pyers, instead fielding a squad full of European iionals, who were less fatigued from their shorter travel distances.

  Up front, Callejon, Pelle, aens formed the attag trio.

  In midfield, Rakitid Hamsik were deployed further forward, with Thiago Motta sittio protect the defense.

  At the back, Dossena, Paolo avaro, Bonucci, and Lichtsteiner formed the defensive line.

  Handanovic started in goal.

  Gao Shen's strategy was clear: trol possession, wear Sampdoria down, and wait for the right moment to strike.

  As for Sampdoria, Mazzarri stuck to his principles. Whether pying at home or away, his 3-5-2 formation remained unged.

  The first half was hard-fought, with both teams pying at a high tempo. However, there were plenty of errors on both sides, and the game cked any real fluidity.

  But just before halftime, Hamsik threaded a perfect through ball from outside the penalty area. Mertens mao lose his marker on the right, delivering a low cross into the box. Pelle was there to sweep it home, giving Napoli the lead.

  After the break, Sampdoria came out mgressively, pushing forward and pying with more urgency.

  But ih minute, Bonucched a long pass from deep. Pelle rose to meet it, heading the ball into the path of Hamsik, whed into the box and unleashed a powerful shot to double Napoli's lead.

  In the end, Napoli ran out 2-0 winners at home.

  ...

  Napoli's victory exteheir perfect start to the season, putting them at the top of the table with three wins from three matches.

  Meanwhile, Juventus suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Udinese, with Di Natale sg the winning goal.

  A were held to a 1-1 draw away to Siena.

  Roma secured a 2-0 win against Reggina, while Inter Mi ia 2-0 at home.

  As a result, Napoli maintaiheir lead at the top of the Serie A standings, with Roma in sed pd Inter Min moving up to third.

  ...

  The real impact of the iional break on Napoli and Serie A as a whole became evident in the fourth round.

  Despite a week of rest, Napoli struggled tain their rhythm. With Biglia still sidelihe team's attag anization suffered, and they bored to create clear-cut ces.

  In the end, Napoli were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw away to Empoli, despite dominating possession and creating numerous opportunities.

  i, Sanchez, Di Maria, and substitute Pelle all failed to vert their ces.

  Elsewhere, Roma and Juventus pyed out aertaining 2-2 draw in Rome.

  Inter Min were also held to a 2-2 draw away to Livorno.

  A, struggling for form, drew 1-1 at home against Parma.

  All of Serie A's top teams experienced a dip in form after the iional break, resulting in a round full of stalemates.

  ...

  Three days ter, in the fifth round, Napoli hosted Livorno at home.

  Once again, Gao Shen deployed his usual 4-3-3 formation, sending out a highly motivated Napoli side determio make up for the previous round's disappointing draw. From the opening whistle, Napoli attacked Livorno with relentless energy, pying with iy and dominating possession.

  Despite their trol, Napoli struggled to break down Livorno's defehe visitors, well aware of Napoli's attag prowess, sat deep, tent to absorb the pressure and wait for terattag opportunities.

  The match dragged on with Napoli tinuously searg for a breakthrough. But it wasn't until the 85th minute, when substitute Callejon tched onto a loose ball in the box, that Napoli finally found the back of the .

  Callejon's goal, a cool and posed finish into the bottom er, was enough to secure a narrow 1-0 victory for Napoli.

  Though it wasn't their best performanapoli took all three points, keeping them at the top of the Serie A standings.

  ...

  Elsewhere, Roma were held to yet another 2-2 draw, this time away at Fiorentina.

  A suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Palermo on the road.

  Juventus, oher hand, bounced back with an emphatic 4-0 victory gina at home, while Inter Min cimed a 3-0 win against Sampdoria at the San Siro.

  After five rounds, Napoli remained in first pce with 13 points, with Inter Min and Roma hot on their heels, both sitting on 11 points.

  ...

  The following weekend brought even more excitement as Serie A es sixth round.

  Inter Min traveled to the Stadio Olimpi Rome to faa in what was billed as the csh of the titans. Early on, the match took a dramatic turn when Roma's Giuly was sent off, redug the home side to 10 men. With the numerical advantage, Inter Min capitalized, cruising to a 4-1 victory.

  Meanwhile, Napoli hosted Genoa at the San Paolo.

  It was aightly tested affair. Napoli dominated much of the game and looked poised to secure another victory. But ih minute, a defensive pse allowed Genoa to snatch a te equalizer through Domenico Criscito.

  Napoli were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw, a bitter pill to swallow after dominating the match for so long.

  A, tinuing their struggles, drew 1-1 with ia at home, while Juventus narrowly defeated Torino 1-0, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from David Trezeguet iurin derby.

  After six rounds, both Napoli and Inter Miied at the top of the table with 14 points each. Iingly, both teams had identical goal differences of +10.

  Due to alphabetical order, Inter Min edged out Napoli for the top spot.

  The seventh round of Serie A was shaping up to be a showdowweewo teams, with Napoli set to travel to the San Siro to fater Min in romised to be a titanic csh.

  The stage was set. All eyes were on this uping match.

  Would Gao Shen finally get his revenge against Inter Min?