Chương 258: Chapter 258: Ventura's Killer

"Cough!"

With a sigh, Gao Shen patted the club's young press officer on the shoulder.

The poor guy had done his best.

It wasn't that the press officer lacked ability; the real issue was that the opposition didn't play by the rules.

Gao Shen had come to realize that the Italian media seemed dead set on casting him as a villain. They were determined to exaggerate and twist his words to stir up controversy, further intensifying the situation.

For instance, when Gao Shen said that Ventura had won many championships, it was a factual statement Ventura indeed had a long list of titles. But how did the media spin it?

They framed Gao Shen's comment as a sneer, implying that Ventura's championships were insignificant compared to Gao Shen's own La Liga, Champions League, and Serie B titles.

Some publications even fabricated quotes, attributing words to Gao Shen like, "I won the Serie B last season, did you?"

How could that not provoke backlash?

Another example was when Gao Shen said that Ventura had extensive coaching experience. The media interpreted this as mockery, insinuating that Ventura's long career was full of failures, with few accomplishments to show for it.

Even Gao Shen's compliment about Ventura's performance last season with Verona, stating that Ventura had earned respect for keeping the team in Serie B, was twisted into a slight. They highlighted that leading a team to avoid relegation was the peak of Ventura's coaching career, while Gao Shen had won the league title in the same competition.

No matter what Gao Shen said, the media distorted his words into something else, turning every compliment into sarcasm.

At this point, all Gao Shen could do was sigh. He felt like an uneducated man trying to navigate a world where the rules were written by others.

The media truly were masters of manipulation.

---

In reality, Gao Shen wasn't all that concerned about Ventura and Pisa.

From what he remembered, Pisa wasn't exactly a powerhouse. In recent years, they hadn't even been close to Serie A, which meant their strength likely wasn't sufficient for a promotion push.

Of course, Gao Shen couldn't be sure whether his presence in this world had already caused some changes, but based on the scouting report from Lucas and his analysis team, Pisa wasn't particularly threatening.

Ventura's side primarily played a 4-4-2 formation, though during attacks, the wingers would push higher up the pitch. If anyone had seen the future Italian national team under Ventura, they would find this setup familiar; it was essentially a 4-2-4 formation with aggressive wing play.

In their previous victory over Brescia, Alessio Cerci had been a game-changer, coming off the bench to help turn the match around. It was almost certain that he would start against Napoli, and Gao Shen knew he needed to keep an eye on Cerci.

Ventura's teams were known for their crosses from wide areas, so Napoli had to make some defensive adjustments accordingly.

However, rotation was necessary for this match since Napoli had their Serie A debut just around the corner. It was crucial to win that game, especially since it was a home fixture.

Therefore, some key players would need to rest in this Coppa Italia game. Otherwise, the players would end up playing three matches within a week—a workload that was hardly sustainable.

Not to mention, the third round of the Coppa Italia would take place in the middle of next week, followed by the second round of Serie A that weekend.

The packed schedule was nothing short of a nightmare.

Blame the Italian Football Federation and Juventus!

---

While the players were resting and enjoying their free time, some playing games, others watching movies or chatting Gao Shen and his coaching staff were busy analyzing Pisa's tactics and Ventura's coaching style.

As they reviewed their notes, a commotion erupted in the recreation room.

"Are you kidding me? This is absurd!" shouted David Luiz, who had been browsing the latest news online.

"What's going on?" asked Handanovic, who was nearby.

"Look at this," David Luiz said, gesturing to the computer screen. "They've completely twisted the boss's words. It's like they're trying to start a fight on purpose."

His voice was loud enough to draw the attention of everyone in the room. Soon, a crowd of players gathered around the monitor, reading the news articles in disbelief.

The players had been aware that Gao Shen would be doing a pre-match press conference. Many of them had even joked about how it was probably the most diplomatic they had ever seen him behave, with every word sounding polite and restrained. Yet, the media had taken those remarks and spun them into something entirely different.

As the players read through the coverage, they became increasingly outraged.

"These journalists are unbelievable! Anything for a headline, I guess," one player said.

"This is exactly why you can't play nice with the media. They're out to get us," added another.

"It's like they've got something against us against Napoli and the boss."

"Of course they do," a teammate chimed in. "If we do well, the big clubs won't look so mighty anymore. They don't want us to succeed."

"Just look at our average age. We're the youngest team in Serie A and probably all of Italy. If we actually perform well, those so-called big teams will have no excuse."

The players continued to vent their frustrations, with more and more of them joining the discussion. Even those who had been playing games or watching movies gathered around, each of them looking increasingly annoyed.

Captain Montevino observed the scene and couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

Gao Shen clearly had the full support of his squad. The players genuinely respected him and wouldn't stand idly by while he was misrepresented by the media.

"Alright, enough," Montevino said, raising his voice to get their attention. "We've known the media's bias against us for a while now. This isn't new."

His words calmed the players down, if only a little.

"Exactly," he continued. "Our coach is young, already a double champion at Real Madrid, and constantly in the spotlight. The Italian media loves to ride on his fame for clicks and sales."

As the room quieted, David Luiz voiced what many were thinking. "But it's getting worse. They're not even hiding it anymore."

"Yeah, it's like they don't care if people see through their bias," another player added.

"Talking about journalistic ethics with these guys is like talking to a brick wall," a teammate replied.

"There should be a limit to how far they can go," someone else said.

"Ha! If you think the media has limits, you're just fooling yourself," came the response.

Montevino stepped in again. "Listen, guys, all this arguing won't change anything."

Silence fell over the room.

He was right. What could they do?

"If you really want to help the boss, there's a simple way," Montevino said, looking each player in the eye. "Just go out there, play better than ever, and crush whoever stands in our way. Let our performances speak for themselves."

The players nodded in agreement.

Most of them were in their early twenties, full of youthful energy and idealism. They looked up to Gao Shen not just as a coach, but as a mentor and a leader. The thought of him being treated unfairly made their blood boil.

The solution was clear.

They were going to take out their frustrations on the pitch.

---

With the pre-match drama surrounding the media's coverage, Gao Shen felt slightly awkward when he finally met Ventura before the game.

The experienced Italian coach was clearly not thrilled to see him either. A man of considerable pride, Ventura had likely been swayed by the media's portrayal of Gao Shen as a disrespectful upstart.

The two exchanged a quick handshake before heading back to their respective benches.

As expected, Ventura set up his Pisa team in a 4-4-2 formation, with the wingers pushing higher up the pitch when attacking. Alessio Cerci was indeed starting on the right flank, tasked with exploiting the wide areas.

Gao Shen immediately called over Dossena, instructing him to be vigilant in his defensive duties, especially against Cerci. He also reminded both Dossena and Lichtsteiner to be mindful of crosses, while Bonucci and David Luiz were told to stay alert in the center.

For this match, Gao Shen opted for a 4-3-3 formation. Thiago Motta played as the holding midfielder, with Biglia and Vidal ahead of him. Up front, Callejon, Pelle, and Mertens formed the attacking trio.

---

Ventura's tactical expertise was evident from the start.

Despite being the away team, Napoli tried to impose their usual high-pressing, fast-paced style. But Pisa's defense held firm, their formation well-organized and compact. The players worked tirelessly to close down space, with the forwards dropping back to support the midfield.

For the first half, Napoli struggled to break through. The rotation in the lineup meant that the team's rhythm was a bit off, and Ventura's side made the most of it, keeping the score at 0-0.

Gao Shen shook his head and chuckled as the halftime whistle blew.

From the other bench, Ventura noticed Gao Shen's reaction and grinned.

"I told you," he said to his assistant. "Napoli's not as unstoppable as everyone thinks. Keep the lines tight, stay disciplined, and they don't have many answers."

The veteran coach had one more trick up his sleeve.

If the game remained scoreless in the second half, he planned to unleash a surprise tactic to catch Napoli off guard.