SWR: Chapter 1207/1210

Chapter 1207: This is Leeds United's Football

Robertson came from the left to receive the ball and passed it to Mbappé.

The French winger tried to cut inside laterally but failed to beat the defender, so he passed the ball back to Milinkovic-Savic on the edge of the penalty area.

The Leeds United midfielder controlled it and passed back to Kimmich to reorganize.

Kimmich saw Vardy dropping off and played a straight pass, but Vardy could not hold it and laid it off to Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese evaded his marker and passed to Arnold on the right.

Both of Leeds United's full-backs pushed high up the pitch.

After Arnold controlled the ball and advanced, he saw Dembélé pulling wide for a pass and immediately fed it to him.

After Dembélé took the ball side-on and faced the defender, he suddenly burst toward the byline and whipped in a cross.

The ball arced into West Ham United's six-yard box.

Vardy had just dropped to link play, and now he sprinted forward with all his effort, but he could not reach it in time.

Milinkovic-Savic also made a forward run, but he was just as late.

Instead, at the back post, Mbappé arrived and poked the ball before Dembélé's cross hit the ground.

After the shot, Mbappé kept running, turned, and sprinted out of the box.

The ball flew straight into the left side of West Ham United's goal.

"Goalllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!"

Deafening cheers exploded from the stadium PA.

In an instant, all 67,000 Leeds United fans in the Amazon Stadium erupted in wild celebration, surging to their feet and roaring for the goal.

Even Gao Shen could not help but shout, clenching his fists and cheering.

The stadium turned into a sea of celebration.

Just 16 minutes into the game, Leeds United took the lead against West Ham United.

1-0!

Gao Shen looked at his wife with pride and shrugged, as if to say, look, did I guess right?

"What are you so proud of? Everyone guessed it right," Su Qing pouted playfully.

"Just wait, we scored in only 16 minutes. At this rate, there will be more."

From the opening exchanges, Leeds United had created three very good chances, although only one was taken.

If West Ham United did not adjust, more goals would follow.

…

Sometimes, a keen sense of the game makes a big difference, but it is not always exact.

He was right that Leeds United would score again, but he did not expect it to come so soon.

If the previous goal came from structured buildup, then the second arrived suddenly.

Arnold received the ball on the right and hit a long diagonal pass toward the outside of the box.

Milinkovic-Savic, with his back to goal, used his body to shield the defender, controlled it on his chest, turned left, and slid a diagonal pass to the left byline.

Robertson overlapped at full speed, met Milinkovic-Savic's pass, and crossed first time.

Mbappé at the near post could not make contact, but Vardy in the middle struck it first time into the West Ham United net.

The entire scoring move was neat and clinical.

Three minutes, two goals.

Gao Shen laughed out loud. He had not expected Leeds United to score so quickly.

"Two goals!"

Even though they had lost the bet, Su Qing, Lucas, and Borrell were all delighted.

Leeds United had started the match beautifully.

The team's attacking play was especially organized and layered.

Listening to the frenzied shouts of the Leeds United fans in the Amazon Stadium, you could feel their excitement and the thrill of watching the match.

This is Leeds United's football.

Pochettino's team always plays with attacking intent.

It showed again when Leeds United launched another attack shortly after the restart by winning the ball high.

Robertson carried it forward down the left. Under pressure, he passed to Milinkovic-Savic and continued his overlapping run.

With another team, Milinkovic-Savic might have slowed it down, but at Leeds United he drove forward, matching Robertson's run on the left.

Their surging runs set the entire stadium screaming and cheering.

Milinkovic-Savic's dribble drew defenders. When he released it left, even under pressure, Robertson still managed to play it into the box.

There was no one in the center arriving on time, but Dembélé collected it at the back and cut it back to the middle.

Vardy headed toward goal, forcing Fabianski into a flying save.

This attack did not result in a goal, but it was still thrilling and showed Leeds United's hunger to attack.

This is Leeds United's style, attack non-stop.

However, this constant attacking, especially the aggressive collective press, also brought hidden dangers to Leeds United's defense.

In the 21st minute, a long pass from deep sent the ball directly in behind the Leeds United back line.

De Ligt and West Ham striker Arnautovic sprinted after it. Arnautovic reached it first and brought it into the area, but De Ligt slid in decisively to tackle the ball out for a corner.

That excellent piece of defending drew warm applause.

In the middle, Ruben Dias had also recovered his position in time.

Pochettino was a center-back, and he has his own ideas about defending.

That is why, although Leeds United looks reckless, their defensive structure is solid and their results are stable.

…

With Leeds United two goals up, West Ham United launched their first threatening counterattack.

But the overall situation remained under Leeds United's control.

The White Rose kept probing for openings.

With Bernardo Silva's passing and ball-carrying in midfield, Milinkovic-Savic's support play, and Kimmich's organization behind them, Leeds United created chances again and again.

In the 38th minute, another attack came from the right. Arnold and the dropping Vardy combined to find Bernardo Silva, who drove forward and played a diagonal pass to Mbappé at the left corner of the box.

Mbappé controlled it and tried to cut inside for a right-footed shot, but the chance did not open up, so he shifted it across to the right side of the area.

Dembélé took it into the box and crossed.

Mbappé, who had just been outside the area, had already burst to the front of the six-yard box. Meeting Dembélé's pass, he pushed it into Fabianski's goal again to make it 3-0.

Gao Shen sensed the danger for the opponent.

Were West Ham United a bit too poor?

After all, they finished 13th last season. How were they getting torn apart by Leeds United like this?

It seemed 3-0 would not be enough.

As expected, Leeds United scored again in first-half stoppage time.

This time it started with an Arnold cross from the right. Bernardo Silva slipped a straight pass into the area. Dembélé cut in diagonally for a one-on-one, finished calmly, and added another for Leeds United, 4-0.

Now it was Su Qing and the others who were smug.

In any case, no one had guessed correctly.

…

With a four-goal lead at half-time, Leeds United were steadier in the second half and slightly slowed the tempo, but their overall advantage remained obvious.

West Ham United made a change at the interval and another in the 55th minute.

After two substitutions and a more defensive approach, they barely stabilized.

Pellegrini's face was full of helplessness, because his team had played very poorly.

Their counterattacks were hard to launch, their attack lacked threat, and their defense was pierced by Leeds United time and again.

Damn, who said Leeds United's strength was greatly reduced after selling six core players?

Who said Leeds United were aiming to avoid relegation this year?

Come out and take a look, and see if I will tear into you.

Judging from Leeds United's first-half performance and the pressure and attacking power they showed, they were definitely aiming for the title.

The White Rose were completely different from Guardiola's Manchester City.

Manchester City were more like a gentle breeze and fine rain, passing with finesse, circulating the ball, and constantly pulling the opposition, but at a slower tempo.

Leeds United were like a storm, playing ferociously and hard to handle. They attacked again and again, overwhelming opponents and exposing defenses repeatedly.

More importantly, the pressure was so intense it was suffocating.

In the 70th minute, Pochettino made a change, bringing on Bruno Fernandes for Milinkovic-Savic. The midfielder had played very well.

Unexpectedly, just three minutes after coming on, Bruno Fernandes broke into the area during an attack. Meeting Robertson's left-footed cross on the right side of the box, he cushioned it back into the middle with a first-time touch. Vardy followed up and finished, sending the ball into the net again.

5-0.

Just before the final whistle, Leeds United won a corner.

Bruno Fernandes delivered it. De Ligt at the back post rose to meet it and headed straight into the West Ham United goal, 6-0.

The entire Amazon Stadium went completely mad.

No one could believe that in the first round of the new season, after selling six star players, Leeds United had hammered West Ham United 6-0. It was unbelievable.

Gao Shen also looked stunned. He had not expected Leeds United to play with such fluency.

He had thought that 3-0 would be enough, but it turned out to be 6-0.

To be honest, he could hardly believe this surprise.

Had they hit form so early?

Of course, Leeds United have their own approach to maintaining form, and he believed Pochettino's team would manage it well.

In any case, a 6-0 victory in the first round of the new season was a massive boost to Leeds United's morale.

At the same time, it showed all those who doubted Leeds United that even after selling six key players, Leeds United are still Leeds United.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1208: Unstoppable Mbappé

Leeds United's 6-0 home win over West Ham United shocked the entire Premier League.

Generally speaking, the first round of a new season is always difficult, but Leeds United have been in amazing form from the start.

With Liverpool drawing away, the White Rose's victory looked even more impressive.

Manchester City also performed brilliantly in the first round.

Guardiola's team beat Arsenal 2-0 away with goals from Sterling and Harry Kane.

So after the first round, Leeds United were first, followed by Chelsea and Manchester City, with Crystal Palace fourth. They also won 2-0 away at Fulham in the first round.

Leeds United going top in the opening round once again caused a strong reaction in the British media.

The key was not the big win and the top spot, but that after selling so many players, Leeds United could still perform like this. It could only mean one thing, that Leeds United's talent pool was truly strong.

Vardy and Mbappé both scored twice.

Vardy's performances in recent years have always been reliable. Although he has never been the team's number one center forward, he has been steady and played the role of second scorer well.

He has often played on the wing.

But his scoring output has consistently been in double figures every season.

Every team has players like this. They are not flashy or eye-catching, and they do not often speak out about the team or demand higher wages.

Some fans who are not very familiar with the team might not even remember that such a player is there.

But they contribute steadily every year.

It could be double-digit goals, steady output during midfield rotations, or solid defensive work.

It is precisely this group that is easily overlooked, yet actually very strong.

In the past, Vardy was always such a player. Even after joining the England national team, he still lived in the shadow of Harry Kane and had few opportunities to play.

But now that Harry Kane has left, he proved his presence with a brace.

Many fans unfamiliar with Leeds United suddenly realized there was such a player in the team.

Moreover, he is already 31 years old.

When the media listed the numbers, everyone was surprised to find that Vardy's scoring efficiency at Leeds United had been quite high in recent years. Looking back five seasons, the fewest goals he scored were in the 13/14 season.

In the next four seasons, he scored at least 13 goals, including cup competitions.

Last season, he scored 23 goals, 15 of which were in the league, making a great contribution to Leeds United winning the Premier League and FA Cup and reaching the Champions League final.

Because of this, Leeds United offered him a contract extension right after the season ended, with a weekly wage of £100,000. This was certainly not on the level of young stars like Harry Kane, but Vardy did not hesitate and signed immediately.

In an interview with the Yorkshire Post, Vardy said he had never thought about leaving Leeds United.

"I'm 31 years old, and the club is willing to give me a three-year contract with a pay rise, which makes me very satisfied."

"I hope to retire at Leeds United."

After Harry Kane left, Vardy became a flagbearer on Leeds United's front line.

In Leeds United's technical plan, Vardy's role is transitional, and the one they truly look forward to is Haaland.

But Haaland is only 18. Although he has appeared in cup matches for the first team, he is still too young.

Players at that age cannot be used too heavily.

Therefore, Leeds United plan to proceed step by step and take two to three years to develop Haaland.

In addition, there are several other highly valued players, such as Sancho and Vinicius, who are both 18.

Among them, Vinicius will get more opportunities this season.

Once Mbappé leaves, Leeds United's left side will rely on several homegrown players, as well as the highly promising Vinicius.

…

After the first round, Leeds United had a week of rest.

A week later, in the second round of the Premier League, Leeds United traveled south to London to visit Selhurst Park and face fourth-placed Crystal Palace, coached by former England manager Hodgson.

Hodgson took over Crystal Palace last season and brought the London club from lower mid-table to mid-table. Facing Leeds United, he set up a strict defensive plan.

West Ham United's crushing defeat in the first round had clearly sounded a warning for Hodgson.

Even at home, he still adopted a deep defensive approach and looked to counterattack, giving Leeds United no space. It is worth mentioning that former Leeds United player, Belgian striker Benteke, was now at Crystal Palace.

Hodgson lined up in a 4-5-1, with three defensive midfielders, focusing on quick wing counterattacks and leaving Benteke up front as a target man.

This approach caused Leeds United a lot of trouble.

After Harry Kane, Leeds United lack a traditional center forward.

In the first round, they beat West Ham United with a fast, direct attacking style led by Mbappé, Vardy, and Dembélé.

But the problem with this style is that against tight defenses, pace cannot be fully used and the threat is greatly reduced.

In fact, shortly after kickoff, Leeds United's attack was threatening.

Kimmich's through ball sliced open Crystal Palace's defense and sent Mbappé through on the left side of the area.

When he received the ball on the left, Mbappé did not shoot immediately, but took another touch, missing the best shooting window. Then when he cut inside, he could not find a shooting angle.

This is also a current problem for Mbappé, his left foot is not strong enough.

Leeds United failed to capitalize on that chance and could not create further threats after.

No matter how Leeds United combined, pulled, or switched play, Crystal Palace's defense was airtight.

Hodgson specifically used Wan-Bissaka on the right to track Mbappé and limit the French winger's threat.

The match was one-sided in possession, but without penetration.

Obviously, after several years of development, more and more teams have improved defensively. They are no longer as afraid of repeated attacking waves and possession play as they were a few years ago.

In this kind of battle against a deep block, the role of a center forward becomes particularly important.

But Leeds United lost their center forward when Harry Kane left.

Hodgson anticipated this.

…

"Gao really has a plan that leaves nothing to chance."

In the visitors' technical area, Pochettino sighed with satisfaction.

"There is still a big gap between me and him, not only in tactics, but in every aspect."

Pochettino truly admired Gao Shen.

"Yes, great coaches are great for a reason, the results speak," said assistant coach Miguel D'Agostino.

Before the season, Gao Shen specifically reminded Pochettino to be prepared with a second and even third plan, because more teams would use defensive tactics against Leeds United this season.

It was only the second round, and Crystal Palace were doing just that.

But with that warning in mind, Pochettino and his staff were ready.

By the 30th minute, the match was still deadlocked. Leeds United had over 70 percent possession but could not break through. Pochettino walked to the touchline and signaled adjustments.

Five minutes later, during a Leeds United attack on the left, Crystal Palace's defense was drawn inside, and Robertson passed to Bernardo Silva.

After receiving the ball, the Portuguese midfielder escaped his marker, carried it a few steps, shifted the point of attack, and suddenly lofted a long pass into space on the right side of the 30-meter zone.

Arnold arrived, controlled, made a slight adjustment, and sent a 45-degree cross toward the front of the six-yard box.

A tall white-shirted figure surged forward, got in front of Crystal Palace center back Mamadou Sakho, rose high, overpowered him, and headed at goal.

The ball glanced off his forehead, changed direction, and flew straight into the Crystal Palace net.

Goalkeeper Hennessey could do nothing.

1-0.

"Milinkovic-Savic!"

The Serbian midfielder roared with excitement.

Leeds United players rushed over, surrounded him, and celebrated the excellent goal.

Yes, Leeds United do not have a traditional center forward, but in midfield they have a 1.92-meter powerhouse with the physicality of a center forward.

Pochettino also celebrated on the touchline.

The goal came at the perfect time.

…

After the deadlock was broken, the match opened up.

Crystal Palace began to lose patience and committed more fouls.

Leeds United pressed the advantage.

Just before half-time, Bernardo Silva threaded a pass into the area. Milinkovic-Savic held off Mamadou Sakho, controlled, turned, and was about to shoot, but was tripped by Sakho.

The French center back committed two fouls in quick succession, and Milinkovic-Savic went down.

The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation, and Mbappé converted to make it 2-0.

Three minutes into the second half, Crystal Palace won a corner at the end of an attack but could not threaten. Leeds United countered quickly, Dembélé drove down the right and played a diagonal pass.

Mbappé burst forward at top speed, went one-on-one, poked past the goalkeeper, and scored to make it 3-0.

Another brace.

This is what Leeds United mean by building the team around Mbappé.

Once he starts to sprint, Mbappé is almost unstoppable.

The French winger's pace was fully displayed in this counterattack.

In the end, Leeds United beat Crystal Palace 3-0 away and made it two wins from two at the start of the Premier League.

But while Leeds United were winning back to back, Real Madrid suffered a heavy blow at the start of the new season.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1209: Two, Three, and Four Consecutive Wins

After Gao Shen left, every move by Real Madrid attracted attention.

After Ronaldo transferred to Juventus, Modric, who won the World Cup Golden Ball, was forced to stay at Real Madrid.

Di Maria, who was determined to leave, failed to do so and was retained by Real Madrid.

At the same time, the team brought in Van Dijk, Odriozola, Mariano, and Lunin. They invested 200 million euros this summer, with a net spend of nearly 100 million, a rare major outlay in recent years.

Real Madrid performed quite well in their preseason friendlies after Benítez took over, which drew strong attention to their new season.

The first match of the new season was the European Super Cup in Tallinn, Estonia, against Marseille from Ligue 1.

As a rising force in Ligue 1, Marseille, after being acquired by American billionaire McCourt in 2016, vowed to build into a strong Champions League side and break Paris Saint-Germain's domestic monopoly.

Marseille also invested heavily this summer. From Strootman to Radonjic and Duje Caleta-Car, and they signed Balotelli from Nice. Marseille suddenly became star-studded.

Goalkeeper Mandanda, defenders Rami and Rolando, former Bayern midfielder Gustavo, French star Payet, Argentine talent Ocampos, France's top winger Thauvin, plus a net spend of 70 million euros this summer.

Marseille's overall strength was clear.

Long before the match, many media outlets warned Real Madrid to be cautious, especially about Benítez's overhaul of Real Madrid's entire midfield and attack.

But in this key game, Benítez still chose his most familiar 4-2-3-1.

The goalkeeper and back line basically continued the setup from the Gao Shen era, but after Pepe left, Varane, one of the world's most valuable center backs, stayed in Madrid along with Pogba and Modric.

The double pivot was Toni Kroos and Casemiro, and ahead of them were Asensio, Isco, and Di Maria.

Benzema led the line.

It was clear that Benítez wanted to implement his ideas.

But no one expected that less than a minute into the game, Real Madrid conceded.

A high press failed, and Strootman played a long pass into the final third.

Balotelli used his body to lean on Ramos, neither won the first contact, and Balotelli took the lead, turned and sprinted, nodded the ball into the box, shook off Varane, and finished with his right foot to score.

Real Madrid then launched a furious counterattack at Marseille.

But the team had abandoned its usual 4-3-3, which left Real Madrid's players uncomfortable and exposed flaws quickly.

Growing frustrated as the equalizer did not come, Real Madrid were hit again in the 79th minute. Marseille counterattacked, Thauvin dribbled into the box and squared for Balotelli to score again.

The former Italian prodigy announced his return with a brace against Real Madrid and reminded fans worldwide of his name.

In the end, Real Madrid lost 0-2 to Marseille.

…

After the Tallinn setback, Spanish and European media launched fierce criticism of Real Madrid's performance.

This was the first time in years that Real Madrid had lost the European Super Cup.

More importantly, with such a luxurious squad, why use such tactics in the match?

Benítez explained after the game that Pogba, Modric, and others had played in the World Cup and were exhausted, needing rest, while Van Dijk had just joined and was not yet adapted, needing time to integrate.

But this was clearly unsatisfactory.

Goalkeeper Courtois was unhappy with the defensive display. Both goals conceded were counterattacks and both were close-range finishes.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot react to a shot like that."

"I do not think any goalkeeper in the world can guarantee a save on those."

Toni Kroos said in an interview after the game that the Real Madrid seen in Tallinn was not the real Real Madrid.

"In fact, this is not our best tactical style."

AS editor-in-chief Alfredo also wrote that Real Madrid's problem was that the overall shape was too high, leaving too much space behind, which made the players uncomfortable.

"In recent years, although Real Madrid were known for attacking, the team did not actually press very high. They concentrated numbers around midfield, but Benítez wants the block to push higher."

"This requires the forwards to defend more, which is very demanding on Real Madrid's older players. Benzema and Di Maria are already 30, and Asensio and Isco are not strong defenders."

Alfredo believed Benítez's reforms were understandable, but Real Madrid's actual situation had to be considered.

There was another obvious problem. Casemiro and Toni Kroos were not suited to a double pivot together.

…

After losing the European Super Cup in Tallinn, Real Madrid returned to La Liga for the opening round.

At the Bernabéu, against crosstown side Getafe, Real Madrid drew 0-0.

Unlike the Super Cup, Benítez rotated, using Pogba and Verratti as the double pivot. The two are younger and played more actively, but the midfield still lacked stability and the back line faced frequent danger.

This made the Bernabéu crowd uncomfortable.

In recent years, Real Madrid under Gao Shen had always been steady. Even last season, their home form was strong.

As Marca said after the match, this season's Real Madrid had completely lost their backbone and soul and had become like a headless fly, crashing around the Bernabéu aimlessly.

After failing to score in two straight matches, Real Madrid faced a crisis. Benítez's management was questioned from the outset, and even within the squad there were many voices.

Years of coaching, especially after leaving Liverpool, made Benítez more diplomatic, but facing Real Madrid's current issues, he still insisted there was nothing wrong with his tactical thinking.

"I think we can do better."

As expected, in the second round of La Liga, Real Madrid beat Girona 4-1 away to claim their first win of the new season.

Back at the Bernabéu in the third round, Real Madrid beat Leganés 4-1, making it two wins in a row.

But in the same round, Barcelona thrashed Huesca 8-2 at home, making it three straight wins.

Valverde's team started the new season aggressively, almost unstoppable, launching a fierce charge at La Liga.

By contrast, although Real Madrid had won two in a row, they conceded first to Girona and had to come from behind. Against Leganés, they scored first but were quickly pegged back, then struggled to break them down for a long time.

This exposed Real Madrid's biggest issue.

As SER Radio's De la Morena analyzed, Benítez's overhaul of Real Madrid had only just begun, and many problems remained to be solved.

De la Morena also warned that Real Madrid's players, especially many over 30, would struggle to sustain his high pressing.

In four matches, they conceded four goals, especially in the last two league games where the opponents were not strong. Scoring eight was certainly encouraging, but conceding two also needed attention.

…

While Real Madrid were up and down to start the season, Leeds United beat Brighton 2-0 at home in the third round of the Premier League with an Arnold long-range strike, a quick counter after a midfield interception, and a goal from Mbappé.

Leeds United not only made it three wins from three, but more importantly, they had not conceded a single goal.

This amazed the whole of English football.

Everyone knows Leeds United are good at developing center backs, but even after selling several in succession, they maintained an excellent defensive level, which was impressive.

In particular, this season's pairing of Ruben Dias and De Ligt showed tremendous promise. Their performances were very stable and left a deep impression.

However, in the fourth round, Leeds United's clean sheet streak ended away to Leicester City.

At the King Power Stadium, Leeds United scored through Vardy just over three minutes in.

In the tenth minute, Robertson dribbled down the left, beat full-back Pereira, and crossed. Mbappé controlled, dribbled past the center back, and finished before the defenders could close, adding another for Leeds United.

It was Mbappé's sixth goal in the four Premier League rounds since the new season began.

Leeds United have delivered on their promise to Mbappé. They have not only nurtured him, helping refine his technical profile and expand his tactical roles, but also organized the team around him to unlock his potential.

With six in four, Mbappé showed a temperament comparable to his predecessor Cristiano Ronaldo.

Especially his speed, it is simply too fast.

At the end of the first half, Leeds United won a corner and Milinkovic-Savic scored with a header.

It was the second straight match in which the Serbian midfielder scored a header.

3-0.

However, in the second half, Leeds United's defense made a mistake. De Ligt's back pass lacked power and was intercepted by Leicester striker Yin Henrique, who drew Alisson and squared it. Gazabi pushed into the empty net.

In the end, Leeds United defeated Leicester City 3-1 to make it four wins in a row, but their clean sheet run ended.

Pochettino defended De Ligt after the match, believing the young player had performed very well.

As for the mistake, "We have already won, and he has nothing to feel guilty about."

Not only did the head coach defend him, but everyone in the team basically shared this attitude.

When it comes to protecting young players and allowing them to make mistakes, Leeds United's achievements in recent years are obvious to all.

After the fourth round of the Premier League, Gao Shen and a group of Leeds United players took a charter flight from Leeds to Monaco.

He originally did not want to attend, but this time he had a special mission.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1210: Real Madrid Has Changed

"Hey, Gao!"

"Hello, Gao, nice to meet you!"

"Oh God, I finally see you again, Gao!"

"Hey, you, I missed you so much, Gao!"

As soon as Gao Shen appeared at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, he immediately drew attention and became the focus of the room.

Although Gao Shen had often been in the news worldwide in recent months, apart from the World Cup opening match and final, he rarely attended public events. This was his first time at an occasion like today.

Even with European football's elite, star players, and UEFA officials gathered, Gao Shen was still the center of attention.

Leeds United's delegation accompanying him to Monaco was sizeable.

He was joined by CEO Fernando Lucas and technical director Borrell, as well as Leeds United's global ambassador and former captain Lucas Radebe, along with five or six club staff.

Lucas Radebe attended because Leeds United's Amazon Stadium would host this season's Champions League final, and traditionally the final venue recommends an ambassador to serve as a draw guest.

For example, when the Champions League final was held at Sporting Lisbon's Estadio da Luz, Figo served as the venue's ambassador.

Radebe is South African, but he played for Leeds United for many years and was beloved by fans during the club's years in the lower leagues. He has also served as the club's ambassador in recent years.

He is devoted to charity, and Leeds United has supported him. They have even been commended by the United Nations, which greatly enhanced the club's image.

So Lucas Radebe was a worthy choice to represent the Champions League final host.

In addition, representatives from the British government and the Leeds City Council came with the group, mainly to liaise with UEFA.

Hosting the Champions League final is not only a matter for Leeds United, but a major event for Leeds and even the British government.

If nothing else, the final would bring hundreds of millions of pounds in direct and indirect economic benefits to Leeds and the UK.

It would also enhance the international reputation and image of the city.

Leeds needed to prepare in terms of infrastructure. For example, the influx of more than 60,000 fans would challenge the city's hotel, catering, and service sectors.

…

Gao Shen's reputation and status in European football are exceptional. His leading the group to Monaco also showed due respect to UEFA.

What Gao Shen did not expect was that former Real Madrid superstar Kaka had also come to Monaco.

He was invited as a draw guest.

When he saw Gao Shen, Kaka gave him a warm hug.

Although his Real Madrid career had not been a success, Gao Shen had given him a dignified exit, and Kaka remained grateful.

"Let me be clear first. When you draw later, be gentle. We at Leeds United have a weak foundation and cannot take any hits," Gao Shen joked.

Kaka laughed. "Boss, do you think anyone would believe me if I said that now?"

Although he left Real Madrid years ago, Kaka still called Gao Shen "Boss," as if he still played for him. It was an unforgettable memory for both.

"Besides, I checked the coefficients. You are in the first pot. You will face a strong team no matter what, right?" Kaka said helplessly.

Gao Shen could only shrug and spread his hands.

The facts were hard to argue.

Looking at UEFA coefficients over the past five years, Leeds United had indeed performed well in Europe. Whether in the Europa League previously or the Champions League since, their results were strong, so they had accumulated a solid coefficient.

But that alone did not qualify them as a seeded team.

Since UEFA reformed the Champions League seeding in 2014, league champions like Leeds United automatically get a top seed.

That made the second pot very strong.

The draw situation for Premier League teams was not optimistic.

For example, Manchester City and Manchester United were also in the second pot, and Liverpool were even in the third, which showed how fierce the second pot was.

In recent years, Guardiola's Manchester City had been the most consistent side in both the Premier League and Europe.

So many said that, as in the past two seasons, whoever drew a Premier League team would land in the group of death.

…

After meeting Kaka, Gao Shen ran into Ferguson, and the two chatted for a while.

As soon as he left, he was greeted by José Sánchez and Beckham.

The two have always had a good relationship.

José Sánchez facilitated Beckham's transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid.

This time, Beckham attended with his wife Victoria mainly because he would receive UEFA's President's Award. In addition to UEFA President Ceferin, Ferguson would also present the award.

"I was just talking about you with the old man," Gao Shen said, giving Beckham a warm hug, then greeting Victoria politely.

To be honest, Beckham's wife was very thin, the kind of thin that did not look healthy.

"Thank you, Gao," Beckham said gratefully.

"It was nothing. I just bought him dinner," Gao Shen laughed.

When UEFA decided to give this year's President's Award to Beckham, Beckham expressed his hope that Ferguson would present it. It had special meaning for him.

At first, Ferguson refused. UEFA tried many times to persuade him, to no avail. Later, Beckham and Ceferin contacted Gao Shen, because everyone knew Gao Shen lived close to Ferguson and they were on good terms.

Gao Shen could not refuse, so he invited Ferguson to dinner. The talk was straightforward, about an old man and his pride. Even Beckham had given ground, so why keep up appearances?

As they talked, Ferguson relented.

Especially after Beckham called him personally, he accepted UEFA's invitation.

Of course, all of this happened behind the scenes, and no outsiders knew except those involved.

All people would see was Ferguson personally attending and presenting the award to Beckham, which would be cited as a fine story.

In fact, Beckham also helped Gao Shen.

For example, Beckham helped arrange Leeds United's U.S. training camp in Miami this summer.

When Beckham moved from Real Madrid to MLS, it seemed like he had ruined his career, but in reality, he struck gold in the United States.

Ironically, it was Victoria who pushed Beckham to go to the U.S., yet she did not enjoy a revival in her career. Instead, she met repeated setbacks, which held Beckham back.

After José Sánchez finished chatting with Beckham and Gao Shen, he led Gao Shen to a quiet corner.

"Florentino asked me to tell you he hopes you can visit Madrid more often when you have time. You are still the president's advisor at Real Madrid," José Sánchez relayed.

"Brother, I do not get paid."

"If you want it, I will have finance wire it immediately," José Sánchez said excitedly.

He had that authority.

Even if Florentino, the board, and the fans knew, they would probably be delighted.

Why?

If you take Real Madrid's money, you have to work for Real Madrid, right?

"Do I owe you a hundred or two hundred thousand?" Gao Shen shot back.

"Okay, okay, I know you are the rich one now," José Sánchez surrendered.

After the joke, the Real Madrid CEO sighed.

"From the outside it may not look like much, but we can feel problems in the dressing room. The players are very resistant to Benítez's tactics and style."

Gao Shen had suspected as much, but still feigned surprise. "Why?"

José Sánchez pointed at him in mock anger. "Stop pretending. I do not believe you cannot see it. You are just playing dumb. Do you have to be so sensitive with me?"

Gao Shen smiled wryly. "Then how should I put it? Just say it outright?"

José Sánchez was speechless.

He had been the one to insist on hiring Benítez, so Gao Shen really could not say much.

"I discussed it with the technical team then, but we were too idealistic. Reality is more complicated, especially with the players. After six straight titles, many things have changed."

Gao Shen disagreed. "If nothing had changed, we would not have won six in a row."

It was a complementary process.

Real Madrid managed six straight because of resilience.

That resilience was born from the pride of every player in the squad.

Without that spirit, what would they use to fight their opponents and persist to the end?

It is like how many people think Ronaldo is too arrogant.

So what?

Without that arrogance, could Ronaldo have come this far?

You cannot accept his arrogance when he is dominant, then criticize or ridicule it when he is older and declining.

It is not Ronaldo who has changed, it is the fans.

Fans love the dominant Ronaldo, but dislike the older Ronaldo who remains proud.

The same is true at Real Madrid now.

The players have not actually changed much. It is normal for them to be proud. Without that pride, where would Real Madrid's dominance come from?

But Benítez's pride is no less than the players'. The problem is, where does his pride come from when facing Real Madrid's players who have won six straight Champions League titles and five straight La Liga titles?

The players do not even need to say much. They just have to ask him, "How many Champions Leagues have you won? How many La Liga titles? How many trophies?"

Why is what you say right? Why should we trust you and follow you?

Head coach?

These days there are plenty of famous head coaches with poor coaching.

This is Real Madrid's biggest and most serious problem now.

The more Benítez wants to prove himself, the more he insists on his tactics. The more he insists, the more he clashes with the players. The more he clashes, the more they resist. The more they resist, the harder it is to implement his tactics, the worse the team performs, and the more Benítez feels the need to prove himself.

It is a vicious cycle.

In fact, all non-superstar managers who coach top clubs encounter such problems.

Was it not the same when Gao Shen first coached Real Madrid?

(To be continued.)