The Net: Power Play

Five years ago, the Italian industrialist family Tessari bought the insignificant Toscana Soccer Club, which eventually went on to win the Italian championship. Nowadays, the club is not only fighting to remain in the premier league but also battling for financial survival. The media blame Vincenzo, son of club president Cosimo Tessari, and his overpriced and questionable acquisition of players. A few years ago, Vincenzo bought four young players during an acquisition spree in Cameroon. He signed Kenneth N'Douram, an alleged relative of the internationally successful player Emanuel Kanu. Considered a promising young player, he feels overwhelmed in the professional team. Cosimo Tessari follows the all-important match in the relegation battle from his sofa at home, far away from the violent fans in the stadium. Unfortunately, the outcome of the game got decided a few days prior: Maurizio Corridoni, ex-goalkeeper and the old man of Italian soccer, persuaded Vincenzo to have the team lose the match with the aid of a few players in the know. The relegation would mean the end for Vincenzo’s father, Cosimo, on the board and brings an opportunity for international investors to come in who could rebuild the club with a lot of money. Vincenzo himself could then take over the post of sports director. Vincenzo has no idea that Corridoni is interested in taking over the club. Vincenzo bribes the team captain and center forward to bring the match to the desired outcome and convinces the coach to include Kenneth in the starting line-up for the first time. Kenneth scores the first goal moments before half-time. In the locker room, the coach must make a tough decision: he removes the alleged "weak" regular players from the team and challenges Kenneth to score another goal. However, Vincenzo's plan risks failing. Subjected to more pressure by Corridoni, he bribes another player to ensure that his team loses. But will things go as planned? Sasà Di Pascale, a player from the opposing team, is onto Toscana's weird game style. As the match draws to a close, the fates of the team, Vincenzo, and the prospect of bringing in new investors, all hang on the outcome.

A few years ago, while looking for a country estate, Maurizio Corridoni discovered the picturesque monastery of San Zaccaria and knew it was the only place he could imagine as his home. Thanks to a generous donation of seven million euros, the monks allowed him to stay there. After the team barely escaped relegation, Toscana FC's new season begins on a rough patch when the identity of the international investor gets revealed, making the fans skeptical. Instructed by Corridoni, Vincenzo travels to Milan for a TV interview in the coach's stead while the coach remains at home to answer questions in a Florentine radio station interview. But Corridoni manages to influence public opinion about Toscana FC. As a result, Renzaccio provokes coach Guglielmo during the interview. Before Vincenzo leaves for Milan, Corridoni explains his side of things. Furthermore, his father is on the verge of bankruptcy and is no longer considered an equal partner to the Chinese investor. Vincenzo realizes he should better do what Corridoni asks of him. With his instructions in hand, he drives to Milan. In the TV studio, Genghis Kal, a well-known ex-Toscana FC player, speaks out against new investors getting involved. As agreed, Vincenzo takes the same line but adds a few points. At a press conference, the new investor announces the acquisition of Wang Li, the "Chinese Messi," the plans for a new stadium, and the start of his TV station under the direction of Vincenzo Tessari. Before the next match, ultras block the gate to the training ground. The situation risks spiraling out of control as Vincenzo drives toward the group in his Ferrari. Genghis Kal, who is in the car with him, attempts to turn the tide and rally the fans behind the club and the current owners again.

Vincenzo and Zhang Bo, the investor Lei Bo’s son, admire the model of Toscana FC's new stadium. A completely redesigned club is due to be unveiled shortly to the press, but WFA president Jean Leco and Vasconcelos, who is supposed to be the new coach, are running late. For Vincenzo, Lei Bo's entry leads to a loss of power for him at the top of the club. Neither Vincenzo nor the previous coach Guglielmo fit the image which Lei Bo wants to present on the world stage. But after all that Guglielmo achieved for the club, Cosimo Tessari insists that his son should be present when the coach gets dismissed. Meanwhile, Jean Leco and his son decide to visit his old rival, Corridoni. In return for supporting Leco's initiative to create a world league that will break tradition and transforms the sport into a billion-dollar empire, Corridoni demands Leco's help to get rid of Toscana FC's new Chinese investors. The conversation between the coach, Vincenzo and Zhang Bo doesn't go as planned. Guglielmo assumes that his future will be bright under Lei Bo. He dons his club suit to sign the contract, but Lei Bo doesn't share his optimism and asks him to look for another club. The coach bids farewell to the team and assistant coach with an emotional speech. Leco, meanwhile, no longer cares for traditional soccer. He meets with Chinese businessman Chai Dan, whose vision is to create a world league. He would not hesitate to sacrifice the Bo family to achieve his aim. To impress Miriam, Vincenzo tells the journalist almost everything about the upcoming changes at the club. Above all, he offers her a leading position at the club's newly established TV channel. A few days before the presentation, Cabeza, advisor to Spanish coach Vasconcelos, expresses skepticism when presented with Toscana FC's new growth strategies. He doesn't see a real future for his client in the Italian metropolis. He wants to win titles and not develop a mediocre club into an international player. However, Lei Bo's big wallet convinces the manager to give in. The presentation should have already started when Vasconcelos declares that he does not want to work in Florence in the future. Lei Bo blames his son for the failure of the project.

After his club gets disgraced internationally, Cosimo Tessari wants to present a new coach within three days on the occasion of the traditional "Guicciardelli" tournament. He wants to bring back Guglielmo, but he declines the post. As the mood between Cosimo Tessari and Lei Bo hits a new low, Zhang Bo and Vincenzo pick up the club's latest addition from the airport: young Chinese soccer star Wang Li. Tessari wants to introduce Wang Li at the Guicciardelli Cup but also needs a coach for this tournament. Influenced by Corridoni, his top choice Achilli turns him down. Tessari then wants to hire Garzilli, who gave up coaching years ago and lives in seclusion in the countryside. Patience, persuasion, a real fight, and a few grams of coke are not enough to win Garzilli over to become Toscana FC’s new coach. When Vincenzo proposes to become the coach, his father suffers a heart attack. In this moment of weakness, Corridoni presents himself as the savior who brings in Achilli as the new coach. Albeit involuntarily, Vincenzo becomes the savior in need when Wang Li's sports car crashes in the middle of Florence. Cosimo Tessari is only allowed to leave the clinic for the Guicciardelli Cup, but neither Achilli shows up nor does Wang Li prove to be the talent they were hyped to be. Tessari has already left the stadium when ex-soccer player Sasà Di Pascale takes over as coach.

Sasà Di Pascale, who employs an unfamiliar esoteric approach, has taken over as coach at Toscana FC. But he is extremely unpopular with the fans after three defeats in a row: the confusing strategy that he presented to Vincenzo, his father, and Lei Bo didn't work out. Some players consider boycotting their coach for his bad strategy, while others are delighted with his methods. With the "awareness and movement" approach, he tries to convey his unusual training methods to the team. At least, he convinces Wang Li to quit smoking and start exercising by demonstrating his slightly metaphysical responsiveness. A few weeks earlier, Corridoni tried to win Di Pascale over to his side, but Di Pascale turned him down. As a result, Corridoni wants to convince the club management to fire Di Pascale. Furthermore, they find a suitable contractor for the new stadium. During another match, Di Pascale tries his methods, fielding only offensive players: Toscana FC leaves the pitch with a 0:3. Di Pascale, however, remains true to his belief that defeat is a necessary learning curve for the team to succeed. Kenneth starts having doubts about Di Pascale's radical ideas. He surprises Vincenzo, who is on a date with Miriam, asking for a release from the contract. Sasà decides to take revenge by making him play in the wrong position, which hurts his chances of playing at the World Cup. After the last defeat, Toscana FC gets off to a bad start again in the next match. Sasà gets fired at half-time, and the deputy coach takes over in his place. The team turns their luck around and achieves a sensational win.

The World Championships are imminent. Due to a knee injury, Kanu cannot play for his team. In his place, Kenneth gets a spot in Cameroon’s national team. Vincenzo is proud that a Toscana FC player has received this honor. To become independent from his father, Vincenzo acquires Poggibonsi, a relegated team, for which Cosimo ridicules him. Cosimo then asks Corridoni to ensure that his son's plans fail. Little does he know that his wife Angela is also turning to Corridoni, asking the old man to give Vincenzo a chance. Kenneth gets bullied by his teammates, but Kanu encourages him. Vincenzo visits Kenneth at training camp and asks him to be the best man at his wedding to Miriam. Vincenzo also thanks Kanu for allowing Kenneth to take his place on the team. Vincenzo's enthusiasm for the young player touches a raw nerve in Kanu, who decides to play in the World Cup regardless of his injury. Kenneth's dream of winning the World Cup gets shattered. Vincenzo finds out about Miriam's alleged affair, leading to a heated argument. As urged by Kenneth, Vincenzo wants to renew his proposal. Miriam's microphone still switched on, leads to him being turned down live on television. Leco urges Corridoni to vote for him and his World League project, but the old man sticks to his principles and loses: Leco asserts himself. Even worse: he also becomes the new president of Toscana FC. Vincenzo organizes a friendly match to console Kenneth. Because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter where you play or who you play for. It only matters that you play!