SWR: Chapter 1231/1235
Added 2025-10-27 21:28:29 +0000 UTCChapter 1231: The First Rich Family in History
Gao Shen received a call from Florentino while he was having lunch.
He stepped away and talked for about half an hour. When he came back, his expression was complicated, which caught the attention of his wife, Su Qing. She asked with concern, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"BenĂtez has been sacked," Gao Shen replied calmly.
"He's been sacked? When did that happen?" Su Qing was very surprised.
"Just now. I guess the press conference hasn't even ended yet." Gao Shen smiled, his emotions mixed. "Florentino called to tell me personally."
Su Qing immediately understood. "What does he mean by that?"
"He didn't say anything specific. He just asked about my current situation and whether I'd thought about coaching again."
"So what did you say..."
"I told him I haven't rested enough yet, so I'm not considering it for now," Gao Shen said instinctively.
That was exactly how he responded to Florentino earlier, almost without hesitation.
He felt that his answer was quite firm.
Su Qing nodded and didn't press further.
In fact, no matter what decision Gao Shen made, she would support him.
To her, nothing was more important than her husband and their family.
This was also why, when Gao Shen needed her, she chose to give up her career in China, followed him abroad, took over a football club she knew nothing about, and quietly managed his investment business behind the scenes.
With his current wealth, even if he never coached again, they could still live a worry-free life.
If he chose to return to coaching, there would only be one reasonâbecause he truly loved football and coaching. Otherwise, he wouldn't subject himself to such hardship.
Su Qing realized that Gao Shen was someone who couldn't truly walk away from football.
It was like how he often went to watch Leeds United games or matches of other teams. Sometimes he'd get very angry, unable to keep himself out of it, always imagining what he would've done in those situations.
How could she describe it?
It was like when Su Qing was learning to drive, and the instructor sat beside her, looking extremely nervous and easily irritated.
Gao Shen would make a comeback sooner or later.
Su Qing believed this firmly.
Whether it would be at Real Madrid or not, she didn't know.
...
"Real Madrid's current problems are very complicated, and the main issue is the coaching change."
As Gao Shen sat back down to eat, he unconsciously began talking about Real Madrid again.
"BenĂtez is a very stubborn person. He's deeply confident in the methods that once brought him success. He even once said that if you gave him 11 robots that could perfectly execute his tactics, he could win every match."
At this point, Gao Shen paused and changed direction. "But the problem is, no such robots exist in the world."
Back then, BenĂtez did another bizarre thing. When he was coaching Liverpool, he changed the starting lineup for more than 20 consecutive games, which was extremely unconventional.
Generally speaking, a head coach relies on the inertia of winning.
When you've carefully crafted a lineup that keeps winning, you won't change it easily. Even if you rotate players, you usually stick to the same framework. But BenĂtez's method was truly unorthodox.
When the team is winning, everything's fine. But once the results go south and coaching performance declines, that kind of behavior becomes a liability.
It's the same for everyone.
Just like Gao Shen, didn't he also face plenty of criticism during his final year at Real Madrid?
"A manager like BenĂtez can't handle Real Madrid's current midfield. But I said before, as long as the midfield structure stays intact, Real Madrid will remain one of the strongest teams in Europe. Now, BenĂtez has completely dismantled that."
As Gao Shen had said before, Real Madrid's players are like top-quality ingredients, but not every chef can turn them into Michelin three-star dishes.
BenĂtez may have once been capable of cooking at that level, but now, he clearly can't.
Midfielders like ModriÄ, Toni Kroos, Pogba, and Verratti have all been run into the ground by him. What else is there to say?
Naturally, he had to go.
"Who's going to replace BenĂtez?" Su Qing asked with concern.
She had been living in Madrid for the past few years. Because of her high status, she attended almost every home game of Real Madrid. She had developed a connection with the club and naturally cared.
"I don't know. It could be Lopetegui, Solari, Guti, or even Ancelotti. Who knows?" Gao Shen gave a bitter smile.
Given Real Madrid's current situation, it's hard to say if anyone could make this team successful.
Among those options, Gao Shen was most optimistic about Ancelotti. At least he had real coaching ability. Although Lopetegui often promoted himself as Gao Shen's disciple, to be honest, his coaching skills were mediocre.
Solari and Guti weren't strong enough yet either.
But the question was, would Ancelotti even be willing to take over?
After his failure at Bayern Munich, Ancelotti's situation wasn't looking good. If he failed again, he might lose his reputation as a top coach. In the future, he might only be able to manage second-tier teams in the top four leagues, just like BenĂtez.
Not just Ancelotti, even Mourinho was in a similar situation now.
In Gao Shen's previous life, after Mourinho was dismissed from Manchester United, he could only go to Tottenham and then Roma.
After Van Gaal was sacked by Barcelona, he stayed with Alkmaar for several years. It was thanks to his success there that he got the Bayern job, and later, because of his impressive work with the Dutch national team, he got the Manchester United job.
As coaches age, they often struggle to keep up with the evolving tactics and pace of European football.
New talent is always emerging, and each generation has its leaders.
That's just how things are.
...
"Honestly, I've always been curious. Why are so many star players and top coaches drawn to Real Madrid?"
As they ate, Su Qing asked the question with great interest.
Gao Shen paused mid-bite, then smiled. "Remember, I once told you that Real Madrid is like a scumbag."
"Yeah."
"Star players and famous coaches all want to conquer this scumbag and make him fall at their feet."
"I get that," Su Qing nodded. She had heard this before from Gao Shen. "But what's Real Madrid's foundation for that confidence? I've always felt they're different from other top European clubs."
"You're right."
Gao Shen paused, thought for a moment, then began to explain.
As we all know, the first football association in the world was the English Football Association, founded in 1863. That's why other countries' football governing bodies are called Football Associations, but England's is just "The Football Association."
In 1886, the four associations of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland formed the International Football Association Board, or IFAB, to establish common rules for matches and competitions in the UK.
In 1904, seven countries including France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium jointly planned and founded FIFA. They directly adopted the rules set by IFAB and promoted them globally.
To this day, any rule changes in football must be approved by a vote of the IFAB.
Among the seven founding members of FIFA, one stood outâSpain.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation was founded in 1909 and officially joined FIFA in 1913.
Before that, Spain's football scene was chaotic. Most clubs had their own local football associations. For example, Barcelona had its own in Catalonia.
The predecessor of Real Madrid was the Madrid Football Team, and they established the Madrid Football Association in the capital. Although Atlético Madrid also existed, at that time, they had not yet split from Athletic Bilbao. So, Real Madrid was the representative club of the Spanish capital and acted as Spain's representative in FIFA.
In other words, Real Madrid was among the seven founding members of FIFA. That kind of legacy is unmatched in modern football.
And that was only the beginning.
In the 1950s, as football rapidly developed globally, many realized that it would be exciting to see top clubs from different European countries compete. The idea for a European Club Cup was born.
But FIFA had no interest. UEFA even opposed it and reaffirmed at its Executive Committee meeting that it would not cooperate with any non-national team competitions.
Not only that, UEFA also planned a competing tournament based on cities rather than clubs, aiming to completely exclude clubs.
At that time, clubs like Real Madrid, Anderlecht, and Rapid Vienna were actively involved in planning the Champions League and gained the support of television broadcasters.
Only when everything was ready did UEFA change its stance and decide to take over the competition, naming it the European Champion Clubs' Cup.
What we now call the Champions League.
From this, we can see why top European clubs have long resisted UEFA and even tried to push UEFA out of the Champions League or establish their own Super League.
Whether it was the founding of FIFA, the creation of the Champions League, or winning five consecutive European Cups, Real Madrid played an irreplaceable role.
That's why Real Madrid stands apart from all other European clubs.
"To some extent, calling Real Madrid the top football club in the world is no exaggeration. Its historical heritage and contributions to major football events are unmatched."
Gao Shen used clear, logical language to sum up Real Madrid's legacy.
"But we all know that historical heritage alone isn't enough. Professional football is ever-changing. Countless clubs with rich traditions have faded into obscurity. That Real Madrid is still at the top today is thanks to Florentino."
(To be continued.)
Chapter 1232: The Ambition of the Wealthy
When people talk about Real Madrid, many often mention how much special treatment the club receives, such as the membership system, government support, and so on.
But none of that is irrefutable.
In the early years, Spanish clubs were almost all membership-based. Why did they later change the system?
Because the membership model eventually became unsustainable.
There are many clubs with royal titles, like Real Mallorca and Real Betis. Is it really only Real Madrid that received government support?
Whenever people mention government support for Real Madrid, the first thing they bring up is Florentino selling the old training ground when he first took office. But no one stops to consider whether the government also benefited from Real Madrid's old sports city project.
Just check the map. The answer should be clear.
If you still don't get it, think of it like an old city renovation project in a Chinese city.
Around the year 2000, Real Madrid's debt situation was very serious, but Florentino's sharp business acumen, his excellent personal network, and his real estate background gave him the confidence and ability to persuade the Madrid city government to acquire Real Madrid's old training ground and develop the Four Towers commercial district.
But that alone wasn't enough.
Florentino's keen business sense made him realize that with the rise of the internet, the world was entering an era of information explosion. The attention economy was becoming viable, so he proposed the strategy of signing one superstar a year and created the golden brand of the GalĂĄcticos.
In fact, managing to sign and handle one superstar per year is an impressive feat no matter the era.
Especially since these were star players from top clubs. For anyone else, this would have been nearly impossible.
As Real Madrid president, CalderĂłn tried for years to sign Kaka and Ronaldo. Did he succeed?
If we say that the first phase of the GalĂĄcticos was a massive commercial success but ultimately fizzled on the pitch, then in 2009, after Florentino returned, he made significant adjustments to his GalĂĄcticos strategy and launched the second phase.
That led to the crazy summer transfer window of 2009.
No matter how many years pass, that summer's madness remains unforgettable for fans.
This was the triumph of Real Madrid's superstar strategy.
Everyone knows that during those years, the world economy underwent tremendous changes again, ushering in the mobile internet era. Various social media platforms emerged, and anyone with a smartphone could connect globally.
Real Madrid was arguably the first top team to quickly embrace and ride this wave.
Previously, The New York Times reported that in the mobile internet era, the most influential football clubs online were Leeds United and Real Madrid, ranked second.
On social media, Real Madrid had the second-largest following, just behind Leeds United.
But in Gao Shen's previous life, Real Madrid was unquestionably number one in the world.
That's fate.
When Serie A was still considered a mini-World Cup, with AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus dominating European football, they failed to seize the opportunity. But Real Madrid did, and they continued to adapt with the times. Even the most prestigious and historic brands must continuously innovate and promote themselves to stay relevant.
As a historic powerhouse in European football, Real Madrid must use its ambition to show the world that it not only has a glorious past but will continue to be great.
Temporary setbacks are inevitable, but Real Madrid will always remain ambitious, always striving to win everything.
Just like now. Many people think Manchester United is a mess, blaming inflated prices and incompetent management.
These criticisms aren't wrong. Sandezi and others on the board have made some questionable football decisions.
But Manchester United can afford to keep spending.
Do you really think Manchester United's top executives are fools?
Absolutely not. In professional football, anyone who rises to that level at Manchester United is extremely shrewd.
Because no one can predict results. In a league of 20 teams, there can only be one champion.
To some extent, failure is a high-probability outcome, while success is an exception.
But by continuously spending, Manchester United sends a clear message to the media, fans, and players around the world: they are still a top club, still full of ambition.
Once you lose your results and lose your ambition, it's over.
Just look at the traditional giants in Serie A. They are cautionary tales.
...
Football, like war, is about logistics. To a certain extent, the same principle applies.
Gao Shen had always felt that Florentino's management of Real Madrid was worth studying and learning from.
To a degree, Leeds United was learning from Real Madrid. But it wasn't just blind imitation, it was about grasping the essence.
For example, Real Madrid's business model was based on attracting attention and converting that into commercial revenue.
Leeds United currently follows the same model and has even surpassed Real Madrid in terms of generating traffic. But their conversion rate is still not on par, which is why Leeds United's commercial revenue remains lower than Real Madrid's.
Real Madrid has always strictly controlled its wage structure, and Leeds United is doing the same.
It took Leeds United several years to raise their maximum weekly wage from ÂŁ100,000 to ÂŁ150,000.
Currently, the training base is completed, the new stadium is in use, and the shopping center and commercial street are progressing steadily. Leeds United will make some small adjustments, and when the time is right, they'll go further, increasing the cap from ÂŁ150,000 to ÂŁ200,000, and eventually to ÂŁ300,000.
Everything depends on the club's revenue and performance.
But there was one thing Gao Shen realized.
"The team is in pretty good shape right now. Ruben Dias' contract renewal should be on the agenda," Gao Shen reminded.
Ruben Dias was the best-performing central defender at Leeds United and possibly in the entire Premier League this season. Gao Shen had high hopes for the Portuguese center-back, but his current weekly wage was only ÂŁ60,000, and that was after a previous renewal.
Based on his current performances, this contract would not last. A new deal was necessary.
"If we renew, it'll likely cost at least ÂŁ100,000," Su Qing reminded.
Gao Shen nodded. "Centre-backs are playing an increasingly crucial role in modern tactics. Doubling the salary is worth it."
Su Qing understood what he meant.
Wage control is a very delicate matter. A single misstep can affect the entire wage structure.
It's hard to keep it under wraps. The media could expose it at any time.
Just like Leeds United now. Things look great, but without careful handling, everything could fall apart.
Ruben Dias was still young and full of potential. More importantly, it was almost 2019, and Gao Shen's advantage as a transmigrator was down to only about two years.
From now on, Leeds United's development would no longer be as smooth.
To advance, they needed to plan ahead and prepare in advance.
So they couldn't keep selling players as easily as before.
Gradually increasing the wage ceiling and keeping more players in their prime would become Leeds United's next business focus.
Behind that, the club needed to further increase its income.
...
While Real Madrid suffered defeat at the hands of Barcelona in Spain, Leeds United was on a winning streak in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
In Premier League Round 9, Leeds United beat Huddersfield 1-0 away. Despite some struggles after the international break, Pochettino's team still managed to grind out a tough win.
Then, they beat Inter Milan 3-0 at home, earning their third consecutive win in the Champions League group stage.
That essentially meant Leeds United already had one hand on a ticket to the round of 16.
Back in the Premier League, in Round 10, they beat Cardiff City 5-0 at home, scoring another big victory.
In midweek, they hosted Nottingham Forest in the fourth round of the League Cup.
In 2017, Greek shipping magnate Marinakis and tycoon Kominakis jointly acquired Nottingham Forest and invested heavily. The club went from a lower-mid table Championship side to currently sitting 6th after 15 rounds, with a solid shot at promotion.
But at Amazon Stadium, Leeds United fielded a squad of backups and young players, yet still beat Nottingham Forest 3-1.
Players like Haaland, Foden, VinĂcius, Sancho, JoĂŁo Castro, and Reece James all got minutes, continuing Leeds United's tradition of using domestic cup matches as a platform for young talent.
Haaland scored twice and was outstanding in this game.
After the match, many clubs from both the Championship and Premier League, including Nottingham Forest, submitted loan requests for Haaland. But Leeds United rejected them all.
Haaland was different from other players. He was raised in Leeds and came up through the club's youth system. Although he returned to Norway as a child, he held British citizenship and was regarded as a native of Leeds United.
Previously, England's youth national teams had tried to recruit him, but Haaland chose to represent Norway.
Now, with Harry Kane's move to Manchester City, Leeds United had begun to focus more on Haaland's development. He had even started making regular appearances off the bench in the Premier League.
...
When Leeds United's youth team beat Nottingham Forest, Real Madrid's new coach was also announced.
Spain's national team manager Lopetegui resigned and took over at the Bernabéu.
Both AS and Marca reported that Lopetegui was not Real Madrid's first choice.
Alfredo revealed in his column that Florentino had personally called Gao Shen, but was politely turned down. Afterward, Ancelotti also publicly stated that he had no interest in returning to coach Real Madrid for now.
In the end, Real Madrid chose Lopetegui.
At the press conference, Florentino said he hoped Lopetegui could get Real Madrid back on track and lead the team out of its current troubles.
But Marca revealed that Lopetegui's coaching contract only ran until the end of the season.
"It's obvious that Real Madrid's management is also unsure about Lopetegui. No one knows if this disciple of Gao Shen can restore order at the Bernabéu and bring back the glory Gao Shen once achieved."
(To be continued.)
Chapter 1233: The Nightmare Comes Again
There's a saying: changing the coach is like changing the knife.
Or to put it another way, a new official must take three steps when assuming office.
After Lopetegui took over Real Madrid, the GalĂĄcticos immediately went on a three-match winning streak.
First, they beat Valladolid 2-0 at home, then won 4-2 away against Celta Vigo. In between, they thrashed Plzen 5-0 away in the Champions League group stage.
Following three consecutive victories, Lopetegui received unanimous praise from the Spanish media. Even many Real Madrid fans were singing his praises.
This highly skilled coach brought a sense of stability to Real Madrid over the past three games.
In particular, the return to a 4-3-3 formation and the reintegration of the core players from the Gao Shen era back into the starting lineup stood out.
New signing Van Dijk also started replacing Varane, who had struggled since the World Cup, becoming Ramos' regular partner.
Everything seemed to be turning around.
But no one expected that on November 24, in the 13th round of La Liga, Real Madrid would suffer a crushing 0-3 defeat away to Eibar, who were only ranked 13th in the league at the time.
This match exposed many of Real Madrid's problems, but with the three consecutive wins earlier, fans still had faith in Lopetegui.
Especially since they went on to beat Roma 2-0 away in the Champions League group stage, and then defeated Valencia 2-0 in La Liga.
Everything looked like it was back on track, and the heavy defeat to Eibar seemed like an anomaly.
But in the next three matches, Real Madrid recorded two draws and one loss. First, they drew 1-1 with Huesca, then lost 0-3 at home to CSKA Moscow, followed by another 1-1 draw at home with Rayo Vallecano.
If the humiliating loss to CSKA Moscow could be explained by the fact that Real Madrid had already secured top spot in the group and lacked motivation, the two league draws afterward confirmed that the team's form was still poor.
After 16 rounds of La Liga, Real Madrid sat sixth in the table with 24 points, tied with Getafe but ahead on goal difference. Above them were Real Betis and Alavés, each with 25 points.
From ninth place when Lopetegui took over to sixth now, Real Madrid's position had improved on paper, but the results were still disappointing.
Especially when arch-rivals Barcelona were already 10 points ahead, many Real Madrid fans began to feel disillusioned.
Both Real Madrid and Lopetegui acknowledged the current issues and agreed there was still hope, particularly with the upcoming winter break offering time to reset.
Lopetegui stated that, having taken over midseason, he hadn't had sufficient time to familiarize himself with the squad or implement his ideas. He believed that once the league paused during the winter break, he and the team would have time to adapt and improve.
In the Club World Cup that followed, Real Madrid first defeated Kashima Antlers 3-1, then beat Al Ain 4-1 to claim the Club World Cup title, capping off 2018 on a high note.
But behind the scenes, instability remained.
Centre-back Varane was having issues with his contract renewal. Though still young, the World Cup-winning defender had already won numerous honors at Real Madrid. Now, with coach Nicolas Pepe, a former Real Madrid player himself, pushing for changes and the club having spent âŹ150 million to bring in Virgil van Dijk, Varane's status was being threatened.
The French defender felt undervalued by the club.
While Real Madrid's management tried to reassure and retain Varane, promising to renew his contract and increase his salary, the French media continued to report that Manchester United, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain were all interested and willing to offer him generous terms.
Since Varane's current contract ran until 2022, Real Madrid wasn't in a rush.
...
Entering 2019, after a two-week winter break, Real Madrid's fortunes still didn't turn around.
They first drew 2-2 away with Villarreal in Round 17, then suffered a demoralizing 0-2 loss at home to Real Sociedad.
This was a heavy blow to the team's morale.
For a period after that, Real Madrid's performances continued to fluctuate. They drew with Atlético Madrid away, lost at home to Girona, and narrowly defeated Espanyol on the road.
With results up and down, the team hovered between fifth and sixth place in the standings, and the doubts surrounding Lopetegui grew louder. The dressing room atmosphere was also reported to be uneasy.
In the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, Real Madrid lost 1-2 away to Ajax, triggering widespread concern among the GalĂĄcticos.
But Benzema's away goal gave them a glimmer of hope.
Returning to La Liga, Real Madrid first beat Levante away, but then lost 0-2 to Barcelona at home in Round 26, suffering another El ClĂĄsico defeat. That intensified the fans' dissatisfaction with Lopetegui.
What truly "killed" Lopetegui was what followed three days later. Real Madrid not only failed to overturn the tie against Ajax at home but lost 0-3. With a 1-5 aggregate score, they were eliminated.
This result shocked all of Spain and the entire European football community.
Knocked out in the round of 16?
The nightmare returned to the Bernabéu.
On the night of the crushing defeat to Ajax, the Bernabéu was filled with boos.
Over 80,000 Real Madrid fans vented their fury in the stands, and many die-hard supporters were in tears. No one could have imagined that Real Madrid, who had won the double last season, would collapse so dramatically.
Once again eliminated in the round of 16.
When was the last time they failed to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League?
It was the 2011-12 season, under Mourinho.
That season, too, was full of chaos and uncertainty.
Afterwards, under Gao Shen's leadership, Real Madrid made a historic breakthrough, winning six consecutive Champions League titles, something never seen before.
But now, following Gao Shen's departure, Real Madrid had again suffered a humiliating exit in the Round of 16.
The match against Ajax brutally reopened Real Madrid's wounds, telling fans that the glory of the past few years was truly gone. Real Madrid had fallen to the level where even Ajax could bully them with ease.
Who could accept that?
Just last season, this same team had won both La Liga and the Champions League.
At the Bernabéu, the fans called for accountability, for Lopetegui to be sacked, for Florentino to step down, and for Gao Shen to return.
After the match, thousands of Real Madrid fans gathered outside the Bernabéu, protesting and demanding an explanation.
Spain's national broadcaster aired the scene live, interviewing one passionate fan who broke down in tears and told the camera, "We never want to go back to those days of being eliminated in the Round of 16. We clearly have better options!"
"We need GonzĂĄlez! Only he can save Real Madrid!"
Countless Real Madrid supporters rallied at the Bernabéu, demanding Lopetegui's dismissal, Florentino's resignation, and Gao Shen's return.
At the same time, several opposition board members publicly criticized Florentino's poor decisions. They argued that he had been blinded by the success of previous years and foolishly let Gao Shen leave.
"And now we're seeing the consequences."
"Without Gao Shen, Real Madrid has lost its soul."
The opposition insisted that someone had to be held accountable for this season's collapse.
That night, Florentino held a press conference at the Bernabéu. Looking defeated, he admitted responsibility for the team's failures and announced a major decision.
Head coach Lopetegui had automatically terminated his contract due to failing to meet performance clauses tied to Champions League results. The team would be temporarily led by reserve team coach Solari.
This would be Real Madrid's third head coach of the season.
When the news broke, the entire football world was stunned.
Back when Moyes replaced Ferguson at Manchester United, the upheaval was considered chaotic enough. But no one expected Real Madrid to spiral even worse after Gao Shen's departure, changing coaches three times in one season.
AS even called it the most chaotic season in Real Madrid's history.
To make matters worse, players like Di MarĂa, Pogba, Verratti, Varane, and ModriÄ were all rumored to be leaving after the season, sparking widespread panic. No one could see a clear future for Real Madrid.
...
Meanwhile, in the Premier League.
After Leeds United drew 1-1 away to Arsenal in Round 11, they went on a nine-match winning streak in December. This included a 3-1 home win over Manchester United, a 2-1 away victory against Liverpool, and a 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle in the first match after Christmas.
On December 29, in their second Christmas fixture, Round 20 of the Premier League, Leeds United crushed Arsenal 6-0 at home, completely tearing apart the Gunners' fragile defense.
In their first match of 2019, Leeds drew 2-2 away with Manchester City.
After 21 rounds, Leeds United led the Premier League by 8 points.
Following the draw with Manchester City, Guardiola admitted for the first time at a press conference that Leeds had gained the upper hand in the title race.
One key reason was Leeds United's remarkable progress in the Premier League this season.
"Their players are very young and improving with every match. That's the most terrifying part about Leeds United."
Guardiola also mentioned Leeds United's excellent bench depth.
Especially the young talents born after 2000 who had emerged this season, leaving a deep impression on everyone.
Although Manchester City failed to beat Leeds United at home, they went on to defeat Burton 9-0 in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.
Leeds United also made it to the semi-finals, but unlike City, they faced a tougher opponent in Chelsea.
Pochettino still stuck with a lineup of backups and young players. With VinĂcius assisting Haaland for the only goal, they edged Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg. But in the return leg, they lost 1-2 away. Ultimately, they were knocked out in the penalty shootout, missing the final.
With this young squad, Leeds United defeated Queens Park Rangers 2-1 away in the FA Cup third round, then beat Portsmouth 2-0 in the fourth round to reach the fifth round.
As the youngsters continued to ease the fixture load, Leeds United beat Brighton, Crystal Palace, and Leicester in the league. It wasn't until Round 25 that they drew 1-1 away to West Ham, ending their winning streak.
But by that point, Leeds United were already 9 points ahead of second-placed Manchester City.
Mbappé and Vardy also led the Premier League scoring charts.
In the Champions League Round of 16, Leeds United defeated Lyon 1-0 away, then crushed them 5-0 at home, winning 6-0 on aggregate to reach the quarterfinals.
The day after Leeds United eliminated Lyon, a series of unexpected events occurred in European football.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 1234: Real Madrid's Dictator
When Gao Shen woke up in the morning, he was overwhelmed by the flood of news.
At some point, a Real Madrid fan group on Twitter launched a campaign with the hashtag: "Gao, save Real Madrid, go home!" It quickly became a trending search on Twitter and instantly turned into the hottest topic on the global internet.
With tens of millions of discussions, the hashtag quickly became a global sensation.
At first, it was just a spontaneous initiative from Real Madrid fan organizations. But soon after, many Spanish media outlets including AS, Marca, and El PaĂs, as well as Real Madrid legends and stars such as RaĂșl, Guti, Ramos, and Casillas, along with renowned Spanish media figures like De La Morena and Alfredo, all joined in.
This drew worldwide attention to the hashtag.
Real Madrid fans were calling for Gao Shen to return!
Alfredo, editor-in-chief of AS, posted several tweets, one of which said that if appointing Gao Shen was the best decision Florentino had made as Real Madrid president, then letting him leave was the worst. He even suggested it could jeopardize Florentino's position as club president.
Cadena SER's star host De La Morena revealed on his program that opposition members on Real Madrid's board had begun to use the "Gao Shen card" in hopes of winning over more fans and shaking Florentino's hold on power.
Marca journalist Campo revealed that if Real Madrid failed to qualify for next season's Champions League, the board would launch impeachment proceedings against Florentino, demanding his resignation and pushing for early presidential elections.
Campo also reported that Real Madrid currently has 1,993 member representatives, most of whom are Florentino supporters, but a portion of them are dissatisfied with how he has run the club in recent years.
For example, Florentino previously revised Real Madrid's presidential election rules, with two critical changes: first, any candidate must have been a Real Madrid member for over 20 years; second, the candidate must pledge personal assets equivalent to 12% of the club's annual revenue as collateral. Based on Real Madrid's current revenue, this would amount to at least âŹ90 million.
Back in 2013, MartĂnez Bravo considered running against Florentino, but due to insufficient personal wealth, he was disqualified. As a result, Florentino ran unopposed and was re-elected.
At that time, under Florentino's leadership, Real Madrid was dominating Europe. Everyone at the club was proud and confident, so no one paid much attention to the rules. But now, more and more fans have started to question Florentino's governance.
His age is one factor, but more importantly, the team's poor performances are unacceptable.
MartĂnez Bravo publicly tweeted, "Since Real Madrid is a club of its members, every member should have equal rights. Florentino PĂ©rez's use of financial thresholds to block others from running only turns this team into his personal kingdom, with increasingly opaque governance."
"Even worse, he has become a stubborn dictator who refuses to listen to any dissent."
MartĂnez Bravo called for a reform of the club's election system and for implementing checks and balances on the president and the board.
He also promised that he would find an opportunity to meet Gao Shen in the UK and try to persuade him to return to Real Madrid.
"But I have a feeling that Florentino doesn't want to see that happen."
Former Real Madrid president CalderĂłn also argued that the president's power must be restrained. "As long as 10% of Real Madrid's members agree to impeach the president, the proposal should take effect. That would end the current climate of fear and silence among board members."
However, whether it's MartĂnez Bravo or CalderĂłn, to run for president, they must first amend the club's election regulations. And to do that, they need Florentino's approval.
But Florentino does face a real threat.
That threat is Enrique Riquelme, a wealthy businessman from Alicante in southeastern Spain.
The 32-year-old Spanish tycoon runs a renewable energy company called bsp; Energy, which primarily operates in Latin America and has a market value of âŹ300 million.
For Riquelme, the deposit required to run for president is not an issue.
What's more, despite being only 32 years old and coming from southeastern Spain, he has been a Real Madrid member for over 20 years. His parents registered him when he was a child.
In an interview with El Confidencial, Riquelme said that Real Madrid's performance this season has been deeply disappointing. The club has already gone through three coaches, and the team's form has not improved.
"Gao Shen left because he was disillusioned with the situation at Real Madrid, and he was proven right."
"Although Florentino keeps telling us that we are still number one in UEFA's club rankings and that we're the best club of the 21st century, I believe everyone knows it's time for change."
"Either choose a new path, professionalize the management, and become a truly global club, or continue to decline."
Riquelme insisted that Real Madrid must change.
...
On Twitter, the hashtag became the number one trending search overnight, instantly igniting the global internet. It made headlines across major media outlets, especially in Europe, where nearly every authoritative publication covered it in detail.
Many newspapers ranked Gao Shen's social media engagement higher than that of heads of state, showing just how much attention it had received.
TV stations from around the world also covered it.
Spanish national television even broadcast live from the Santiago Bernabéu, where Real Madrid fans had been protesting for several days in a row.
Many fans wore Real Madrid jerseys and gathered around the Bernabéu, singing improvised chants:
"Gao Shen, we want you back!"
"Save Real Madrid, we need you!"
"Florentino, take your people and leave!"
"I want profundity, not Florentino!"
From national TV to major newspapers, the coverage continued nonstop.
When Gao Shen woke up, he found that all the major British newspapers, whether it was the reputable Times and Guardian, or The Telegraph, The Sun, Daily Mail, The Independent... they were all reporting on this story.
Part of the reason was that there were no matches the previous day, and the media had no hot topics. But more importantly, this news had exploded overnight.
Especially since it involved two major global traffic driversâGao Shen and Real Madrid.
What surprised Gao Shen even more was that by noon, he received videos from Fernando Lucas and Borrell.
Judging by the scenes, they were taken at the entrance of Leeds United's AXA Center and outside the Amazon Stadium.
Many Real Madrid fans had gathered, holding up signs and calling for Gao Shen to return to the club.
"I spoke to them. They're organized by Real Madrid fans. They didn't know your address, so they came straight to Leeds United's facilities to show their support."
"I think local British fans and media will also start getting involved. They might even show up at your home."
The media, always eager for spectacle, would not hesitate to hype this up. Some even hoped Real Madrid fans would block Gao Shen's house.
"Is Real Madrid's situation really that bad?" Gao Shen asked.
He had checked the league standings and found it hard to believe. The team was still sixth, and despite two coaching changes, there had been no significant improvement.
It was even possible, as Piqué had mocked, that they'd end up merely fighting for a top-four spot.
"The gap is too big. It feels like a complete collapse," Fernando Lucas analyzed.
Gao Shen said nothing more.
After finishing his conversation with Lucas, Gao Shen contacted Zidane and Carlo, who were both in Madrid.
He learned the latest developments from his two former assistants.
The situation was indeed dire.
On one hand, the widening performance gap had given the opposition the opportunity to rise. More critically, many who were previously silent had now been stirred into anger.
"You know, a lot of stories have come to light recently. Things like your disagreement with Florentino in 2017, the real reason behind Valdano's departure... all of it is being discussed."
"When the team was performing well, everything was smooth. But now that the team is struggling, the opposition on the board is gaining momentum. This wave cannot be stopped," Zidane said with concern.
Last year, Real Madrid's revenue reached âŹ750 million.
What does that mean?
Enrique Riquelme's company, which is considered quite successful, is worth only âŹ300 millionâless than half of Real Madrid's revenue.
More importantly, everyone knows that the true value of being Real Madrid's president isn't just the money.
It's the resources, the influence, the personal connections, the power, and the massive boost to personal prestige. All of that is more valuable than money.
Previously, with Real Madrid performing at a high level, no one dared to challenge Florentino. There was no hope, no competition.
But now, everything had changed. As the team faltered, Florentino's standing in the eyes of fans had been shaken.
This season, the club had gone through three coaches and still hadn't found stability. Even top managers were staying away from the job, which made Real Madrid fans even more furious.
A growing number of Real Madrid supporters were beginning to realize they had misunderstood Gao Shen.
If it weren't for his tireless work, last season's double would have been impossible. Now, the moment he left, Real Madrid collapsed. It was just like when Manchester United lost Ferguson.
Is Real Madrid heading down the same path as Manchester United?
Could this century-old football giant really fall now?
Just as this storm was sweeping across Europe and beyond, Real Madrid, the club at the center of the chaos, suffered yet another blowâlosing 1-2 away to relegation-threatened Valladolid.
Solari failed to deliver a win in his first match in charge. The determination of the underdog exposed Real Madrid's panic, resulting in another humiliating defeat.
This also meant Real Madrid remained sixth in La Liga, with little hope of climbing higher, and even less of challenging for the title.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 1235: Real Madrid Without Ferguson
Florentino stood in front of the window of the president's office, looking at the street outside. He could still see many Real Madrid fans gathered. They were scattered in groups of three or five, but from time to time, they would shout slogans in unison.
Just like the crowd of fans gathered outside the Bernabéu Stadium.
How many days had it been?
Florentino reached out and twisted the rod on the windowsill blinds.
With a swish, the blinds closed.
The office remained brightly lit.
At that moment, José Sånchez, Butragueño, Tapias, and others were seated inside, discussing a matter not suitable for outsiders.
"News from the Bernabéu says that fans are still gathering. And in the UK, I heard another fan club has organized dozens of people to head over this weekend. This time, they're going straight to Cheshire," José Sånchez reported.
For the first time, Florentino felt that transportation within Europe, especially the EU, was annoyingly convenient.
A round-trip ticket from Madrid to Manchester costs just over 100 euros. Can you believe it?
Even cheaper if it's a budget airline.
If the price were a few times higher, or if you added a zero to the end, there wouldn't be so much trouble.
"What's the situation outside now?" Florentino asked, adjusting his glasses with a sigh.
"Not great. The fans' response is still very strong. They're very unhappy with the current state of the team."
Butragueño, the club's public relations director responsible for media control, replied, "The team's performance has been too good in recent years, which makes the gap now all the more unbearable."
Florentino glanced at Butragueño, then sighed helplessly.
It wasn't just the fans. Even he, the club president, couldn't tolerate the current state of the team. But there was no good solution.
From BenĂtez to Lopetegui to Solari, Real Madrid's situation had only deteriorated, and the core problem was internal.
There was no issue with the strength of the squad. But players were either injured, out of form, or mentally off. On top of that, after Ronaldo's departure, the team's attacking power dropped significantly.
What made it worse was that Gao Shen, the successful and celebrated manager, had also left.
A combination of factors had led to Real Madrid's current crisis.
But fans don't care about those details.
For a club like Real Madrid, winning is expected. Losing is a crime.
The biggest difference between Real Madrid and Manchester United is that Real Madrid is a membership club. The president is elected by votes from the members. So even if Manchester United underperforms, as long as Sandes has the Glazers' backing, his position is secure.
But Florentino didn't have that luxury.
Now that the team was struggling, the fans were furious, and the opposition had seized the opportunity to rise up.
Even the protests at the BernabĂ©u, Valdebebas, and even in Englandâcould they truly be said to have no connection to the opposition?
"What's Gao Shen doing now?" Florentino asked Butragueño.
Everyone knew that the Real Madrid vice president had a close relationship with Gao Shen. They were practically old friends.
"Nothing much. He's staying home and hardly going out. Said he's been hooked on a mobile game recently."
Everyone in the room wore complex expressions. Some didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Brother, there's chaos outside, and you're playing mobile games?
"But I've heard people from Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have contacted him."
Florentino frowned immediately. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. But we don't know the details of their conversation."
"Who did he meet with?"
"PSG was Nasser, and for Bayern, it was Rummenigge. They had a meal together."
After a pause, Butragueño added, "Germany's Kicker magazine said Rummenigge also discussed Kimmich's transfer with Gao Shen, but the specifics aren't clear."
Kimmich had been performing very well for Leeds United this season and was also highly valued in the German national team. It was no surprise Bayern had their eye on him.
But for Real Madrid, this was definitely bad news.
No one in the world understood Gao Shen's coaching capabilities better than the people in this office.
If he really took over at Bayern or PSG, it would spell trouble for Real Madrid, who aim to win titles every season, especially now while in crisis.
"If you ask me, we should just invite him back," Tapias said impatiently.
José Sånchez and Butragueño immediately looked at Real Madrid's first vice president and fell silent again.
Because this matter was extremely sensitive.
Florentino had always aspired to become one of the greatest presidents in Real Madrid's history, comparable to Santiago Bernabéu and Ramón Mendoza.
He was currently leading the massive renovation of the Bernabéu Stadium, clearly aiming to compete with those legendary predecessors.
But everyone knew Real Madrid had an unwritten rule. The head coach was never the protagonist. The players were, and so was the presidentâespecially presidents like BernabĂ©u and Mendoza, who were the true decision-makers at Real Madrid.
When Real Madrid won five consecutive European Cups, coaches changed, but the president remained the same.
During the Quinta del Buitre era, head coaches came and went, but Mendoza stayed.
In Florentino's first GalĂĄcticos era, coaches were replaced frequently, but the end result was disappointing, and Florentino himself was ousted.
In the second GalĂĄcticos era, Florentino appointed Pellegrini and Mourinho, but both ultimately failed.
It wasn't until the Gao Shen era that Real Madrid truly reached the peak of its glory.
Six consecutive Champions League titles. Five straight La Liga titles. Who else in the world could match that?
Even Florentino's own reputation was eclipsed.
At that time, Real Madrid belonged to Gao Shen, not Florentino. Many said Gao Shen would become Real Madrid's Ferguson.
But the truth was, a "Ferguson" could exist at any club in the worldâexcept Real Madrid.
Because this club, above all, devalues its head coach.
In fact, for many reasons, Gao Shen almost left in 2017.
But he didn't.
The situation at the time didn't allow it. Even Florentino was doing everything he could to keep him.
Everyone knew that the ideal moment for Florentino to move on was mid-2018/19, when the team's performance was shaky and Gao Shen's influence was slightly declining. If Gao Shen had left then, the impact would have been minimal for both Florentino and the club.
But Gao Shen insisted that he would never resign, leaving no one bold enough to sack him.
And then, against all odds, he led the team to a historic La Liga and Champions League double, clinching an unprecedented sixth consecutive Champions League title and fifth straight league title, pushing Real Madrid to the pinnacle of its history.
In truth, today's outcome was sealed the moment Gao Shen left.
At the time, no oneânot even brilliant minds like Zidane or Ancelottiâwas willing to take over Real Madrid.
Just like when Ferguson retired. No top manager dared to touch Manchester United.
Now, everyone in the room understood one thing clearly.
Gao Shen's departure looked like a retreat, but it was a warning to Florentino and the club's leadership.
If Real Madrid could remain dominant without him, then it would prove he wasn't irreplaceable, and the success of the second GalĂĄcticos era would be credited to Florentino.
But if the club faltered and they had to beg him to return, and he succeeded again, then Gao Shen's position in Real Madrid would become unprecedentedly powerfulâeven greater than that of the president.
And that has never happened in Real Madrid's history.
At that point, Real Madrid would become Gao Shen's Real Madrid. Not Florentino's. Not the president's.
This was why neither José Sånchez nor Butragueño dared to suggest bringing him back so casually.
Only Tapias, Florentino's childhood friend and longtime supporter, dared to speak so directly.
"If we invite Gao Shen back, it won't just be for the head coach position," Florentino said calmly.
Gao Shen had only been head coach before. Although he earned considerable influence due to his fame and success, he was still, officially, just the manager.
Above him were football director Valdano and CEO José Sånchez. Valdano was his direct superior.
After Valdano's departure, José Sånchez took over football operations.
JosĂ© SĂĄnchez made a massive mistake by appointing BenĂtez, so it was understandable to curtail some of his power.
But now, if Gao Shen were to return, would it be just as head coach?
Impossible.
That would mean giving him full control over all football-related decisions at Real Madrid.
He would essentially join the club's core leadership and become a genuine senior executive.
If that happened, Gao Shen would be a true football manager. His authority at Real Madrid would far exceed what Ferguson had at Manchester United.
But if they didn't give him that, how could they convince him to come back?
What would be the point of making him manager, only to sack him again if results didn't go well?
From a career development standpoint, who would accept that?
After all, it was Real Madrid that needed Gao Shen now, not the other way around.
As soon as Florentino said this, the room fell silent.
Everyone knew that if they truly took this step, it would upend Real Madrid's 100-year-old management structure and cause a seismic shift in the world's greatest football club.
(To be continued.)
