Starting With Real Madrid

Security at the Konami Training Center in Castel Volturno was ramped up after Napoli's training camp began, but spies were still everywhere.

There were even incidents where people sneaked onto nearby golf courses, climbed to elevated spots, and used telescopes to watch Napoli's training sessions. Fortunately, golf course security caught them in the act.

After that, Napoli increased patrols and surveillance around their training grounds.

Whenever Napoli played an away match, it became an opportunity for opponents to gather intelligence. Scouts would openly set up cameras in the stands, recording every detail of the game.

In the close-knit world of Italian football, it was no secret who worked for which club. From the very first preseason match, Inter Milan had scouts tracking Napoli's every move. But after a few games, seeing that Gao Shen's lineups were disorganized and the opponents were mostly lower-tier teams, the scouts stopped showing up regularly.

Gao Shen found this amusing. At least it showed Mourinho regarded him as a serious opponent. Otherwise, why bother deploying such an extensive operation to track Napoli's progress?

This respect only motivated Gao Shen to activate his own anti-espionage tactics.

Take tonight's match at Grosseto's modest home stadium, for example. There were only about 1,800 fans in attendance, with tickets sold exclusively through Grosseto's own channels. It wasn't hard to weed out any potential spies.

The football world is small. Everyone knows everyone else.

…

"No scouts?"

After hearing Lucas's report, Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh.

"Do they think Grosseto isn't worth watching?"

Truthfully, Grosseto had a decent team. Of course, they were nowhere near Napoli's level, but they weren't pushovers either.

"I think they've just had enough," Lucas joked. "You've been running them in circles. They've probably decided it's a waste of time."

"That's what happens when people fall into stereotypes," Gao Shen replied with a smirk.

By "stereotypes," Gao Shen meant the preconceived notions others had about his team. For example, after selling Domic, most people assumed Napoli would sign a fourth-choice center-back—someone cheap and willing to sit on the bench as a backup option.

Had Napoli fans paid closer attention before the season started, they might have noticed that Mehdi Benatia barely garnered any attention. Even after David Luiz and Bonucci left to join their national teams at the Olympics, the media mostly focused on Paolo Cannavaro and Thiago Motta as the main defensive options. Motta had, after all, played as a center-back during his time at Barcelona.

There was also Arturo Vidal, who had originally started his career as a center-back.

But Benatia?

To most people, he was a complete unknown.

Yes, he was once part of France's U-17 national team. But after failing to break through at Marseille, he was loaned out repeatedly, failing to impress at smaller clubs. He even played for a team in Ligue 2 that got relegated.

Let's be clear—this was a player from a relegated Ligue 2 side.

Later, he tore his knee ligaments badly, causing Marseille to refuse to renew his contract.

At best, he was seen as a player with some talent but whose career had been derailed by injuries. Could he even still play professionally?

Thus, Benatia fit perfectly into the narrative about Gao Shen's "bargain-bin" signings: a free transfer for a fourth-choice center-back to warm the bench. The media barely mentioned him, and fans didn't expect much.

Gao Shen didn't mind. He used this perception to his advantage.

Whenever scouts or reporters were present, Benatia would remain on the bench or only appear as a late substitute. As a result, the media overlooked him entirely, treating him as an irrelevant figure in Napoli's squad.

And why not? He was a free transfer. That was enough for everyone to dismiss him.

But the reality was different.

Careful observers would have noticed that Benatia's actual playing time wasn't insignificant. In matches where no scouts were present and media attention was sparse, Gao Shen gave Benatia significant minutes, often pairing him with Cannavaro.

Moreover, Gao Shen never mentioned Benatia publicly. He deliberately kept him out of the spotlight.

So, while the media and fans worried endlessly about Napoli's defensive lineup for the Italian Super Cup, those within the club knew the truth: the starting center-back pair wouldn't include Thiago Motta or Vidal, it would feature Benatia.

From the very beginning, Gao Shen had placed a great deal of trust in the Moroccan defender.

Benatia wasn't brought in as a fourth-choice backup. He was intended to be a key part of the rotation, potentially even a starter.

Why?

Because Gao Shen believed Cannavaro was reliable enough for Serie A, but for Napoli to compete in the Champions League, they needed someone stronger as the third center-back.

Before Gao Shen's "journey," Benatia had performed brilliantly in Ligue 2 for two years after recovering from injury. Udinese eventually signed him for a low fee, and he made an immediate impact in Serie A.

This was proof of Benatia's ability. Despite his setbacks, he had returned stronger.

In Naples, under the guidance of world-class trainers like Buenaventura and Pintus, Gao Shen was confident Benatia's recovery and development would be even faster and more effective.

So far, Benatia had lived up to expectations.

…

Napoli's center-back options were carefully organized.

David Luiz and Bonucci, for example, complemented each other. Luiz was aggressive, often stepping forward to intercept, while Bonucci stayed back, covering and organizing.

Benatia was similarly skilled at intercepting and reading the game. His sharp anticipation and precise timing made him excellent at one-on-one situations.

Standing 1.9 meters tall with a strong physique and good speed, Benatia was an ideal defender for high-pressing systems. His background as a youth striker also gave him excellent ball control, solid passing, and aerial ability, all traits that fit perfectly into Gao Shen's tactical blueprint.

So why had Marseille let him go after his injury?

It came down to tactical fit. A player's abilities can shine in one system but be ineffective in another.

This was why David Luiz, for instance, had always received mixed reviews before Gao Shen's "journey."

But for Gao Shen, these types of players were treasures waiting to be unlocked.

And Benatia? He was the secret weapon Gao Shen had prepared for Mourinho in the Italian Super Cup.

…

In the match against Grosseto, Gao Shen decided to field Benatia and Cannavaro as his center-back duo after confirming that no scouts were present. This was another opportunity to test their chemistry.

Grosseto, under Pioli, played a high-pressing, counterattacking style similar to Napoli's, putting extra pressure on Napoli's defenders. Pioli even fielded a speedy forward to exploit any gaps on the counter.

But when the game began, Napoli's defense held firm.

Benatia, in particular, impressed. His quick recovery runs and ability to cut out dangerous counterattacks stood out.

On one occasion, he chased an opponent all the way back from midfield to the penalty area, executing a clean and decisive tackle without committing a foul.

The crowd applauded the Moroccan defender's effort, and Gao Shen nodded in satisfaction from the sidelines.

By contrast, Cannavaro's performance seemed less remarkable. While reliable, he lacked the flair and dominance of his older brother, Fabio.

In the second half, Gao Shen made adjustments, bringing on Thiago Motta and switching to a three-back formation. This allowed him to test another tactical approach he had been considering.

As a student of tactics, Gao Shen had been studying Bielsa's strategies extensively, including his failed experiments with the Argentine national team. Gao Shen found the concepts intriguing and worth exploring further.

For Gao Shen, warm-up matches were golden opportunities to experiment.

In the end, Napoli secured a 2-0 victory over Grosseto.

This marked the first time Benatia had played a full 90 minutes for the team.

…

"This center-back is something special," Pioli remarked after the game, clearly impressed.

Before the match, Pioli, like everyone else, had assumed Napoli lacked options in defense. Now, he could see how wrong that assessment had been.

Thiago Motta, Vidal, and even Benatia, all of them fit Gao Shen's system perfectly.

"You've been hiding him for the Super Cup, haven't you?" Pioli teased.

Gao Shen merely smiled, dodging the question. Instead, he shifted the conversation.

"With a high defensive line, center-backs need to be comfortable in one-on-one situations. They also need strong passing skills. That's the direction football is heading. The days of big, physical defenders with rough technical skills are over."

Pioli nodded, though he couldn't help but glance at his own defenders. Compared to Napoli's, his options were limited.

"How do you even find players like these?" Pioli muttered, half in admiration, half in frustration. "They're talented, fit your system, and cost next to nothing. It's unreal."

"Well," Pioli added with a grin, "there's just one thing. He's too clean. You should teach him to play a bit dirtier."

Gao Shen chuckled.

"Are you asking me to corrupt the kid?" he replied with a smirk.

***

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