Chapter 469: Fan-increasing demon

March 21, San Paolo Stadium.

In the 29th round of Serie A, Napoli hosted AC Milan.

When the game reached the 23rd minute, Napoli pressed AC Milan near the center circle.

Flamini lobbed the ball to Beckham on the right, but Napoli's retreating winger, Di Maria, got there first, heading the ball forward. The Argentine winger accelerated instantly, leaving Beckham behind. After catching up to the ball, he dribbled straight toward AC Milan's penalty area.

Di Maria's dribbling skills were outstanding, immediately drawing the attention of Zambrotta, Maldini, Favalli, and Pirlo, who scrambled to stop him. Spotting a gap at the edge of the box, Di Maria decisively cut inside.

Cavani made a run into the penalty area, forcing Maldini and Favalli to fall back, fearing that Di Maria might pass to him. However, this retreat left an opening in front of the box.

Di Maria seized the opportunity, delivering a diagonal pass with his left foot to the right side of the penalty area.

Sanchez raced to meet it and, before Jankulovski could close him down, struck the ball with his right foot, sending it past Dida into the net.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"

"Sanchez with the volley! AC Milan's defense is breached—Napoli leads one-nil!"

"In the 23rd minute, Napoli finally breaks the deadlock!"

The entire Stadium erupted in celebration.

…

After Napoli's opening goal, AC Milan tried to respond aggressively.

In the 28th minute, they worked the ball into Napoli's penalty area from the right, attempting to feed Pato. But Bonucci intercepted the pass and quickly sent the ball to David Luiz.

Napoli's center-back duo, both skilled with the ball, calmly passed it out from the back.

David Luiz dribbled out of the penalty area and launched a long ball toward the front.

Cavani won the aerial duel, holding off Maldini with his physicality, brought the ball down, and surged forward.

AC Milan's defense scrambled to recover, but Cavani carried the ball into the left side of the penalty area. Suddenly, he stopped, faking a pass to Sanchez on the right, and instead played the ball back to Hamsik, who had arrived at the edge of the box.

Hamsik struck the ball first-time, and it flew past Dida into the back of the net.

Two-nil!

The San Paolo Stadium exploded with excitement.

…

With two quick goals, Napoli took full control and began to dominate AC Milan.

The Rossoneri, currently fourth in Serie A, were having a disappointing season. Ancelotti had already announced his departure at the end of the campaign, further dampening team morale.

AC Milan had suffered setbacks on all fronts, with their sole remaining objective being to secure a Champions League spot.

Beyond that, there was little fight left in them.

In the second half, Napoli continued creating chances. Di Maria even found himself one-on-one with Dida on the left side of the penalty area, but the angle was too tight, and his shot was saved.

Although Di Maria quickly pounced on the rebound, the follow-up shot missed.

Throughout the match, Napoli kept AC Milan pinned back, making it difficult for them to mount any serious offense.

Despite several missed opportunities, Napoli ultimately secured a comfortable 2-0 victory with goals from Sanchez and Hamsik.

…

"Hey, David!"

After the game, Gao Shen had just finished hugging his players when he spotted Beckham walking over. Gao Shen greeted him warmly and extended his arms for a hug.

Gao Shen still felt a sense of regret for Beckham, one of his favorite players during his time at Real Madrid.

Back then, after Florentino Pérez stepped down as president, the Galácticos began to fall apart. Zidane chose to retire early, and Beckham was forced to leave for Major League Soccer, though he was now on loan at AC Milan.

"Boss, you're incredible these days," Beckham said with a smile.

In the early days, Gao Shen had been a rookie coach, yet he'd managed to take control of the Real Madrid dressing room.

Even then, Beckham had recognized there was something special about Gao Shen.

Now, Gao Shen had become one of Europe's top coaches, and his bold comments before the Arsenal match had caused a worldwide sensation.

Besides being a successful coach, Gao Shen had also become a popular online personality.

Thinking about this, Beckham admired him even more.

He had set up his own Twitter account, even hiring a third-party company to manage it, but his follower growth still lagged far behind Gao Shen's, who seemed to have an uncanny knack for attracting fans.

"Sometimes, I wonder if you said all that just to gain followers," Beckham teased, slinging an arm around Gao Shen's shoulders like they were old friends catching up.

In truth, they often chatted privately on Twitter.

"Damn, you figured me out?" Gao Shen replied, pretending to be caught in the act.

Beckham was about to respond when Zidane approached.

The two former teammates, who had shared a great relationship during their playing days, exchanged pleasantries.

Gao Shen stood off to the side, observing their conversation while reflecting on their contrasting paths.

Both were football legends, yet they had chosen very different directions.

Zidane had dedicated himself entirely to football, while Beckham pursued the path of a global commercial star. His move to Major League Soccer was part of a strategy to enhance his brand and facilitate business ventures.

Over time, the Beckham family became a cultural phenomenon, leveraging his fame to build a lucrative empire.

Zidane, on the other hand, stayed focused on football and later led Real Madrid to great success, cementing his legacy in football history. In terms of wealth and social prestige, however, he couldn't compare to Beckham.

It wasn't a matter of right or wrong, just personal choices.

From a coaching perspective, though, Gao Shen could understand Ferguson's frustration with Beckham.

Beckham could have achieved even more in football.

Still, his influence and ability to transcend the sport were undeniable. He had entered the upper echelons of society, something even football icons like Beckenbauer could never have imagined.

…

"You've been pretty high-profile lately."

After parting ways with Beckham, Gao Shen headed to the visiting team's dugout to shake hands with Ancelotti.

Naturally, the two exchanged some friendly banter. They were familiar enough to poke fun at each other.

Even if Gao Shen's team had won on the pitch, a little teasing was harmless.

"High-profile? I don't think so," Gao Shen replied with mock innocence.

Ancelotti's expression darkened. He looked like he wanted to kick Gao Shen.

Damn it, just because I'm older and rounder now, don't think I've lost my edge. Back in the day, I was a world-class midfielder!

Are you trying to show off in front of me? Looking for trouble?

For some reason, Gao Shen and Mourinho both enjoyed seeing Ancelotti in this flustered state.

Maybe it was because his chubby, good-natured demeanor made him seem like a human punching bag.

"What I'm really worried about now is the international break," Gao Shen said, shifting the conversation.

With 28 rounds played, the league was about to pause for over a week for international fixtures. From March 22 to April 5, there would be no club games.

When the players returned, Napoli would immediately head north to face Sampdoria, a tough opponent.

And right after that would be the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals in London.

With so many fixtures piling up, Napoli's squad was being pushed to its limits.

This was why Mourinho was eagerly waiting for Napoli to falter. Inter no longer had European commitments and could focus solely on Serie A.

Napoli, however, had to juggle the league, the Champions League, and even the Coppa Italia at the end of April. The sheer number of games posed a daunting challenge.

Ancelotti understood Gao Shen's predicament.

"International breaks are always tricky, especially at this stage of the season. The players are already exhausted and more prone to injuries. If someone comes back hurt, there's nothing the club can do."

Gao Shen nodded, letting out a long sigh.

Players representing their national teams was a matter of pride, something he couldn't deny them.

But Arsenal was facing the same challenges.

"At least you don't have as many distractions," Gao Shen said, sighing again.

Ancelotti had been about to offer words of encouragement, but hearing this, his expression soured, and he swallowed his response.

He'd rather choke than comfort Gao Shen after that.

"You're unbelievable!" Ancelotti huffed. "I'm leaving!"

"Come on, stay a bit longer. I'll buy you a drink."

"Drink? After listening to your nonsense? I'd rather leave!"

With that, Ancelotti stormed off.

Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh.

Ancelotti truly was the perfect stress reliever. Whenever Gao Shen felt pressured or frustrated, talking to him instantly lifted his mood.

But the concerns Gao Shen voiced were real.

Scheduling international games at the end of March, when players were already stretched thin, was a genius move by FIFA. They left clubs to deal with the aftermath.

Whenever Gao Shen thought about it, he felt the urge to curse.

Still, no matter what, he was determined to win at the Emirates Stadium!