SWR: Chapter 1132/1134

Chapter 1132: The Outdated Superstar Meets the Young Real Madrid

The Copa del Rey final is scheduled to be held at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium in mid-April.

That is still far away on Real Madrid's schedule.

Because La Liga and the Champions League knockout rounds are coming up soon.

Their opponent in the Champions League round of 16 is Galatasaray from Turkey.

In fact, many fans have underestimated Turkish teams. For example, the commercial revenue of Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe has always ranked high in European football, firmly placing them in the top 20. Their overall strength should not be underestimated.

Of course, in terms of overall strength, there is still a very obvious gap between them and Real Madrid.

…

After the Copa del Rey, the 24th round of La Liga arrived, with Real Madrid playing away at Getafe.

Goals from Jesé, Džeko, and Pogba helped Real Madrid win 3-0.

Three days later in midweek, Real Madrid faced Valencia in a rescheduled 17th round La Liga match.

In the end, Real Madrid defeated the Bats 3-1 away with goals from Ronaldo, Di María, and Benzema.

Back on the weekend, in the 25th round of La Liga, Real Madrid defeated Elche 4-0 at home.

New signing Illarramendi scored his first goal since joining Real Madrid.

Isco, Jesé, and Džeko each added a goal.

…

On the evening of February 25, at the Turk Telekom Stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye.

In the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, Real Madrid faced Galatasaray away.

Galatasaray is not a traditional European giant, but they managed to stand out in the group stage because the team is filled with well-known stars.

For example, the Ivorian striker Drogba, Dutch midfielder Sneijder, former Brazilian international Felipe Melo, former Arsenal full-back Eboué, former Liverpool player Riera, and former Real Madrid midfielder Altıntop…

All of them are famous European players with proven strength.

Their head coach is even more remarkable, an old acquaintance of Gao Shen, Mancini.

Galatasaray was able to qualify from the group stage in second place largely because Mancini replaced the old coach Terim at the start of the season.

Mancini had also prepared carefully for this match.

As the Italian said at the pre-match press conference, although Real Madrid is strong, they had traveled a long distance and their players were exhausted. Galatasaray had the advantage of home ground and rest, so they were fully capable of defeating their opponents.

After kickoff, the Turkish team immediately took the initiative and launched the first attack. They clearly wanted to catch Real Madrid unsettled and disrupt their rhythm and tactical deployment.

Gao Shen was mentally prepared for this situation, but an unexpected incident still occurred on the pitch.

Just two minutes into the game, Altıntop sent in a cross into the box. Drogba made a quick run and jumped at the same time as Ramos and Casillas to challenge for the ball.

Casillas got to the ball first and punched it clear, but his body was knocked over by Drogba and he fell hard to the ground.

After treatment from the team doctor, Casillas struggled back to his feet and stood in goal with determination, indicating he was fine.

But the report the team doctor gave Gao Shen after leaving the pitch was not encouraging.

"The collision with his waist aggravated his old back injury. The condition is not good. I have bandaged him, but I don't know how long he can hold on. It may even affect his performance."

Gao Shen nodded calmly, waved in thanks, and walked back to the bench, motioning for Courtois to warm up. "Be ready to play at any time."

The Belgian gestured in understanding and quickly began warming up on the sidelines.

Gao Shen continued to stand in front of the bench, eyes fixed on the pitch.

Soon after, a sudden long-range shot from Melo threatened Real Madrid, but Casillas dived and blocked it. Yet he landed heavily again.

This time, he struggled to get back on his feet.

Judging from the way he supported his waist and the pained expression on his face, the situation was worsening.

"We should take him off," Carlo suggested.

Zidane and Hierro both nodded.

Everyone could see Casillas was badly hurt.

What is Drogba's weight?

Even though the Ivorian was no longer the unstoppable beast of his prime, he was still a heavy striker.

Casillas already had a back injury, and even without it, this kind of collision was enough to cause serious pain.

Now, his painful expression left no doubt.

"Wait a little longer," Gao Shen shook his head.

"Why?" Carlo was puzzled.

But Zidane and Hierro, both former professionals, quickly guessed Gao Shen's reasoning.

"It has to be Casillas who makes this decision!"

Carlo froze, then understood Gao Shen's intention.

As captain of Real Madrid, Casillas had only been playing in cup matches, the Champions League, and Copa del Rey in the past two seasons, while Courtois was the starter in the league.

Everyone could see that Courtois was extremely capable and young, so it was natural for him to take Casillas's place. It was even the trend of the times.

Many people had already begun discussing whether Casillas should be sold so Courtois could take over completely.

But Gao Shen had always stuck to his principle of one keeper for league, one for cups.

This was his original promise to Casillas.

If Casillas left injured now and Courtois played in the Champions League, it would further reduce Casillas's playing time.

Back injuries do not heal quickly. Even if he could recover by the next round, if Courtois performed well, what role would Casillas have left?

Once the balance was broken, there was no going back.

Casillas himself understood this, which was why he refused to follow the doctor's advice and leave the pitch.

Gao Shen knew his captain too well. He knew the risks clearly as head coach.

But he believed in his captain.

Even if Galatasaray scored, so what?

…

Gao Shen adjusted the defensive line and asked the whole formation to drop slightly to protect Casillas.

But the captain's game was still extremely tough.

By the 7th minute, he was leaning against the post, visibly in pain, yet he still gritted his teeth and refused to give in.

Because he knew this might really be his last game.

Ramos and other teammates came back several times to check on him. Ramos even helped Casillas take goal kicks to ease his burden.

Even Courtois, warming up on the sidelines, occasionally looked toward his captain on the pitch, as if cheering him on.

But after ten minutes, everyone could see Casillas's condition was deteriorating. By the 13th minute, the Real Madrid captain could no longer hold on.

After calling the referee, he removed his gloves and lay down on the goal line with one hand covering his eyes, hiding his expression.

The referee quickly signaled for the stretcher.

All the Real Madrid players gathered to help, comforting him one by one, assuring him he would return.

Yes, there would surely be a chance to return.

But by then, he might not have any role left!

When the time came, he would have to face two painful choices.

Either become Courtois's backup, or leave Real Madrid, the club of his entire life.

No matter what he chose, it would be heartbreaking.

Before being carried off, Casillas, with red eyes, tore off the captain's armband and handed it to Ramos. After giving him a few instructions, he was carried away.

On the sidelines, Casillas shook hands with Courtois again.

Gao Shen stood nearby and clearly heard Casillas whisper in a trembling voice, "It's up to you from now on."

Courtois nodded firmly and ran quickly onto the pitch.

Gao Shen walked forward with a smile.

As soon as Casillas saw him, he could no longer hold back his tears. He cried out, "Boss," and then broke down completely.

For a moment, Gao Shen, Carlo, Zidane, Hierro, and the rest all felt the same sorrow.

Everyone ages, even professional footballers.

This is the fairest, yet cruelest truth in the world.

Just like Gao Shen's Real Madrid now, seemingly invincible, but one day time will strip away their sharpness, their passion, and everything else, until they too become an aging team.

This is inevitable.

"Don't worry. Recover well and be ready for the next round," Gao Shen patted Casillas's shoulder to comfort him.

Provided he could make it back in time.

Casillas steadied himself and followed the doctor and Buenaventura down the tunnel.

…

The injury of Real Madrid's captain seemed to mark the end of an era.

Courtois, who came on, was highly active. He made a brilliant save to deny Galatasaray.

Real Madrid gradually began to impose themselves. Under Gao Shen's adjustments, after getting used to Galatasaray's rhythm, they started to strengthen their attack.

Yes, the Turkish team had many stars, but they were all aging superstars.

Real Madrid, however, was still young.

In the 18th minute, Xabi Alonso suddenly delivered a long pass toward the left side of the box.

After a high-speed run, Ronaldo reached the ball near the byline, pulled it back, and passed it to Toni Kroos.

The German midfielder spotted a narrow gap on the edge of the box and sent a diagonal pass to the right side.

Di María ran in from the right and got to the ball before Riera. With a sudden stop, he flicked the ball back with his left foot, skipped past Riera, cut inside past the center-back, and curled a shot with his left foot.

The ball bent beautifully through the crowded box and into the top left corner of Galatasaray's goal.

1-0, Real Madrid took the lead.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1133: You Win Again

Killing like crazy.

During the winter break, Mancini returned to Italy and attended a gathering of Italian head coaches at the Coverciano base. Many famous coaches, including Lippi and Ventura, shared their views on Gao Shen's coaching of Real Madrid over the past year.

Especially this season, Real Madrid has shown unstoppable momentum.

Lippi's Guangzhou Evergrande faced Gao Shen at the Club World Cup. From his own feeling, Real Madrid did not even go all out in that match, yet they exuded a powerful aura that felt impossible to overcome.

"That is the atmosphere of a great team."

In Europe, Real Madrid had been winning consecutively, and in La Liga they were on a perfect run. There was even the possibility of winning the league with a perfect record, which would make all opponents despair.

The ceiling of this Real Madrid team is too high.

Lippi proposed a viewpoint at the gathering, that the higher Real Madrid's performance this season, the longer their peak in European football will last.

"If Gao Shen's team can really win La Liga with a perfect record, along with the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, completing an unprecedented La Liga treble, then, given the team's current age profile, no team will be able to challenge them in the next five years."

If Sacchi had said this, Mancini might have had some doubts, because everyone knows Sacchi is the number one hype man.

But this was Lippi speaking.

In Italy, whether at the training courses at Coverciano, the University of Turin, the German Sport University Cologne, or Loughborough University in the UK, almost all well-known football institutions now offer specialized advanced courses analyzing Gao Shen's Real Madrid.

This is absolutely unprecedented in world football history.

Even Leeds United, the club he invested in, looks very different within European football.

For example, this time at Coverciano, Mancini heard many people discussing that Leeds United would host the first World Sports Technology Innovation Seminar in half a year.

This was very new.

Generally, conferences of this type are organized by FIFA or UEFA. Since when does a club host and plan one?

But it sounded like many professionals actually agreed with it.

The reason was convincing. Leeds United's results were not the best, but the club's entire training system was the most advanced and complete in the world, especially in using high technology and applying advanced concepts.

"This is a young team full of potential and well worth following," said Ulivieri, head of Coverciano and president of the Italian Football Coaches Association, giving Leeds United a very high evaluation.

Not only that, he would personally lead a delegation to Leeds to participate.

According to him, many professionals around the world were also looking forward to this event, and even UEFA, FIFA, and many national associations would send teams to attend.

It could be said that whether it was Gao Shen, the team he coached, Leeds United behind him, or even the players at Leeds United, they were the focus of countless teams, coaches, and operators across world football.

What was even more remarkable was that after rebounding from the bottom during the winter break, Leeds United went on a seven-match unbeaten run through January and February. Their league position rose again, overtaking Manchester United and Everton to move into sixth, only one point behind Tottenham Hotspur.

Leeds United's startling performance drew strong attention from the entire European football world.

In short, in the current football world, everything related to Gao Shen seems full of a magical pull.

Real Madrid under Gao Shen is a killer that all teams want to avoid.

But tonight, Mancini had to face this formidable old rival.

As a result, Gao Shen sent him another heavy blow.

…

At the start, Mancini only wanted to disrupt Real Madrid's tactical setup and seize the initiative. When he saw Casillas injure his back, Mancini immediately sensed a chance and told his players to increase their shots.

During that spell, Galatasaray had more attempts than Real Madrid.

But after Casillas went off, the situation changed dramatically.

First, Di María produced a brilliant first touch and dribble from the right side of the box, then cut inside and curled a left-footed shot into the far corner, scoring Real Madrid's opener to applause from the crowd. The Argentine soon contributed again.

In the 33rd minute, Di María dropped into midfield, pushed Modrić and Carvajal forward, then suddenly played a long diagonal pass, sending it accurately to the left edge of the box near the top of the area.

Ronaldo had already surged forward, but after judging the flight of Di María's pass, he checked his run, used his body to pin the Galatasaray defender, knocked the ball into the area, accelerated to catch up, and finished with his right foot, scoring again for Real Madrid.

In the 38th minute, Real Madrid's midfield and front line combined in tight spaces. Benzema played it to Modrić, and the Croatian, while cutting inside, slipped a pass behind him.

The ball struck a Galatasaray center-back and looped up, but still dropped for Di María. The Argentine brought it down, turned, then used his pace to force his way into the right side of the box. After drawing the defense, he clipped a cross into the middle.

Ronaldo arrived on a high-speed run and finished into the empty net, making it 3-0.

The home team were three goals down before halftime.

It was a huge blow to the Turkish side.

What made Mancini even more incredulous was that in the second half, Real Madrid continued to intensify their pressure.

Under the press, a defender misjudged a clearing header, which fell to Di María.

The Argentine volleyed it forward at once. Benzema broke into the box and scored again for Real Madrid.

4-0.

That goal completely shattered Galatasaray's morale.

From then on, Real Madrid kept attacking and the goals kept coming.

First, Ronaldo scored to complete his hat-trick, then Benzema added another. Finally, Di María dribbled past three opponents on the left of the final third and struck with his left foot from outside the box.

7-0.

The match was not over yet, but the entire Turk Telekom Stadium had fallen silent.

More than 50,000 Galatasaray fans had come hoping to see a peak clash between the Turkish Super League giants and the La Liga giants, but instead witnessed the home team being dismantled by the visitors.

Mancini stood grim-faced in front of the home dugout, deeply disappointed with the result.

This was something he had never imagined before the game.

He expected his team to lose, maybe by two or three goals, but never by this margin.

This was not only a gap between him and Gao Shen in terms of lineups, but also a huge gap in the strength of the two teams.

…

"You win again."

As soon as the referee blew for full time, Mancini walked to the visiting dugout to shake hands and speak directly with Gao Shen, who was standing in the technical area.

The first words from the Italian conceded the point.

The two stood side by side. Mancini looked at Gao Shen and suddenly remembered their first meeting when he was coaching Inter Milan. Gao Shen was a rookie then, but already showed an unstoppable rise.

Even if Sacchi had been optimistic, he might never have imagined Gao Shen would reach this level.

Today, he is no longer just the best active coach.

He is aiming for the title of the greatest coach in the history of world football.

"It's all thanks to the players' hard work," Gao Shen laughed.

He was very satisfied with the team's performance.

A big away win provided a perfect start, and the second leg at the Bernabéu was basically decided.

All that remained was the quarterfinals.

"Your team really delivers. You are balanced across all three lines with no obvious weakness. Even if some are stronger in attack than defense, overall, you are very strong," Mancini praised.

The greatest wish of a professional head coach is to lead a team that bears his mark. Gao Shen can always build such a team, and even profoundly influence a club's development. That is undoubtedly greatness.

"Actually, you played well tonight too, with 12 shots," Gao Shen said with a smile.

He might as well not have mentioned it. Once he did, Mancini felt a little embarrassed.

Many of those shots came early, when he tried to exploit Casillas's injury and urged his players to shoot. In the end, only two were on target.

"You have big ambitions this season, right?" Mancini asked, full of envy.

Today's Real Madrid had been honed by refined teamwork, and everyone could see this was a team capable of extraordinary results.

Gao Shen did not hide it and replied with a faint smile, "Everyone in our team wants to give it a try and see how high we can go."

This answer surprised Mancini.

If Gao Shen had simply said he wanted the title, or even a treble, Mancini would not have been surprised. But talking about going higher was obviously about more than just this season, it was about the next season and the years to come.

At this moment, listening to Gao Shen, it truly felt like, "When I reach the summit, I am the peak."

Gao Shen did not say more on the topic. After all, things are achieved, not declared.

Looking at Mancini again, he suddenly felt a little sad.

"You should return to one of the top four leagues as soon as possible. You are being wasted in the Turkish Super League," Gao Shen advised.

There was no doubt that Mancini had come to the Turkish Super League for money.

At his age, making money is not shameful, but he cannot stay there too long.

Given the intensity of the top four leagues today, especially the Champions League, if you are away for a year or two, you often lose your feel for tactical trends and fall behind step by step.

Mancini felt Gao Shen's sincerity. He nodded with a smile, then waved and said goodbye.

He was also an unlucky man whose fate had been altered by Gao Shen, the butterfly.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1134: The Strongest Real Madrid in History

The strongest Real Madrid in history.

This was the headline on the front page of Spain's Marca after Real Madrid defeated Galatasaray 7-0 away.

The newspaper, long close to Real Madrid, wrote in its commentary that this would be a match remembered by history.

"Real Madrid, wearing their away kit, were like an invincible war machine, completely crushing Galatasaray."

Marca revealed that on the road, fanatical Turkish fans tried to cause problems for Real Madrid. For example, they created huge 3D displays in the stands to intimidate the players.

Real Madrid's start was full of uncertainty, especially with Casillas's injury, which raised concerns about their prospects. But at the critical moment, Real Madrid's stars performed superbly, scoring one after another and calming any anxiety.

At 7-0, Real Madrid not only claimed a near-perfect victory, they also effectively booked their place in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Marca believes that playing away in Turkey has always been a major challenge in the Champions League, but Gao Shen made excellent use of the away setting and unleashed an incredible attacking storm.

"In fact, Real Madrid arrived in Türkiye half a day earlier than planned, and the team took a chartered flight, which gave them more rest before the game."

Marca also analyzed that Gao Shen's team has very rich in-game experience. Since he took over, Real Madrid has always traveled with a mental coach and a sleep specialist, ensuring players get enough rest even on the road.

"Every away trip, Real Madrid carefully prepares food and water for the players in the host city. These are the players' favorites and most familiar choices. The goal is to let them prepare for the match with peace of mind."

"And the facts prove that, in the two seasons since Gao Shen took over, away matches have not had much impact on Real Madrid."

In addition, Marca believes Gao Shen has brought unprecedented balance to Real Madrid since becoming head coach.

The forward line, midfield, and defense had all drawn criticism in the past, but under Gao Shen's guidance, the three lines have blended into a solid and reliable whole.

Today's Real Madrid has the most powerful attack in Europe, the most solid defense in Europe, and the most complete and versatile midfield in Europe. This makes Real Madrid the most formidable team in European football.

No doubt about it.

Marca believes Gao Shen's transformation of Real Madrid has been successful and can be called textbook.

Whether it is the transformation of the forward line, such as doubling down on Benzema and letting Higuaín go, or the midfield overhaul, letting go of Özil, Khedira, and Kaká and bringing in Toni Kroos and Modrić, or the back line's reshaping, backing Marcelo and Carvajal to form devastating full-backs.

"What is most discussed is Gao Shen's development of Varane and his trust in Ramos."

Marca revealed that not long ago they conducted a Christmas interview with Ramos. The Spanish defensive stalwart spoke highly of Gao Shen and even said Gao Shen was the only Real Madrid coach he was willing to fight for.

Ramos mentioned his mistakes last season and regretted his impulsiveness at the time. If not for that, Real Madrid might have completed the treble last season.

But in that situation, Gao Shen still trusted and supported him, which made Ramos grateful.

"During that time, many media outlets accused our boss of favoring me. He chose to fight back and said a lot on my behalf. I will always remember that."

"The night we lost the league title, I swore I would change those bad habits no matter what. I would never allow myself to make the same stupid mistake again."

Ramos said that everyone grows through pain.

"I feel like I am not young anymore."

Coincidentally, Pepe has also become more stable this season.

For a long time, Pepe left people with the impression of being overly aggressive and not refined enough. He often made inexplicable mistakes and his challenges were frequently too robust.

But now, everything has changed.

In the words of Real Madrid fans, Pepe suddenly evolved from a novice to a master and became elegant.

Regarding this change, Pepe said it was not only down to his own improvement, but more importantly to the transformation of the entire defensive system.

"After the head coach took over, he made earth-shaking changes to our entire attacking and defensive setup, especially the defensive system. He completely overturned the previous structure and built a solid defensive framework for the team."

"Each of us has found our place in this system, and we have discovered that defending well is not that difficult."

"Once the defensive structure is solid and organized, it becomes hard for opponents to directly confront the center-backs, let alone the goalkeeper. This has greatly improved our overall defensive level."

Pepe also believes Gao Shen's coaching is epoch-making for Real Madrid.

"He is an incredible manager, very knowledgeable and intelligent, always full of ideas and able to make you think. He is completely different from all the other managers."

"In my mind, he has long been the best head coach in the world."

The two center-backs firmly guarantee the quality of Real Madrid's defense and make the team the best defensive side in the Champions League, La Liga, and across all competitions.

Real Madrid's goal has become a fortress that is hard for opponents to breach.

…

Coincidentally, AS also ran the headline "Real Madrid Captures Istanbul," highly praising the team for staging a spectacular attacking feast in Türkiye.

This Madrid-based paper attributed Real Madrid's current situation to the team's sheer strength.

"Any doubts about Real Madrid's victory based on Galatasaray's supposed lack of strength are unfair."

AS believes that Galatasaray's passage to the Champions League knockout stage had already proven their level. The most important factor in Real Madrid's overwhelming away win was the excellent head coach.

"His arrival has played a vital role in every corner of the team, and more importantly, he has kept the locker room in a state of peace and happiness."

This was obviously a comparison with his predecessor Mourinho.

After Gao Shen took charge, there was visibly less locker-room noise around Real Madrid, and there have been no explosive scandals.

This calm and happy atmosphere keeps Real Madrid's players focused on the pitch.

Ronaldo is Real Madrid's biggest star and top scorer. In an interview with AS after the game, he said he was in excellent form, and so was the team.

"For us, the time is right now. We are in very good shape. We are leading La Liga, we have reached the Copa del Rey final, and now we have one foot in the quarterfinals."

Ronaldo believes this is the strongest team he has seen since joining Real Madrid. "No, this is the strongest team I have seen since I started playing football. I feel no opponent can make us afraid. We have the strength to beat everyone."

"I have never had more faith than I do right now."

"As our boss said before, our goal is the treble. Why not? Who can stop us?"

"He is as confident as we are. No team can stop us from striving for higher honors. Not this season, not next season, not the one after that, and not for many seasons to come."

"The only thing that can stop us is time."

…

In fact, after Real Madrid beat Galatasaray 7-0, even Mundo Deportivo and Diario Sport, two outlets close to Barcelona, praised Real Madrid.

Unless they were willing to lie to themselves, it was hard to find any flaws in Real Madrid.

L'Équipe even wrote, "The Real Madrid created by Gao Shen is like a gift from God."

This was high praise for Real Madrid.

L'Équipe believes that Gao Shen's team completed an unstoppable conquest in Türkiye, allowing fans in the Far East to witness the level of the strongest team in the world.

Germany's Bild believes that the CBD trio of Ronaldo, Benzema, and Di María is unstoppable, representing the highest standard in world football today and the most individually capable attacking combination.

Among them, Ronaldo's goal tally is still climbing and is about to set a new career high. Benzema is also on course for a new personal best.

But the most surprising is Di María.

As last season's assist king, Di María has become even sharper this season, scoring in torrents.

Argentina's Olé highly praised Di María's outstanding form, believing that with refined and meticulous training, he has become one of the strongest superstars in world football today, and his threat on the pitch is no less than Messi's.

Olé believes this is the sharpest weapon Gao Shen has created for both Real Madrid and Argentina.

"The team played a football match with a tennis score. Di María performed at a world-class level and gave us hope for the 2014 World Cup."

Olé believes that with Di María's current form and with Messi, Argentina will have a real chance at the World Cup in Brazil. Behind this, Argentine football should thank Gao Shen.

"He has produced for us players like Di María and Pastore."

"The goals that Real Madrid fans dream of will soon be realized, because they have the best players in the world, the best coach in the world, and they play the most beautiful and dreamy attacking football in the world."

"The goal of Argentine fans is the same, this summer."

…

The outside world was buzzing, and even media from some South American countries and North America joined in.

By contrast, after returning to Madrid from Türkiye, Gao Shen went back to his usual routine.

And he immediately encountered a new problem.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1135: Gao Shen’s Dismissal

After returning to Madrid from Istanbul, Real Madrid’s preparations immediately shifted to the upcoming city derby in the 26th round of La Liga.

Whenever there are two matches in a week, especially after a long midweek away trip like this one, the Real Madrid coaching staff is extremely busy, and Gao Shen works late into the night.

When he got home, the children and the elderly were already asleep, and only his wife Su Qing was waiting for him.

Gao Shen and Su Qing felt at ease with little Gao Ming being looked after by his mother and mother-in-law.

The master bedroom in Gao Shen’s house is a large suite. When he came out after a hot shower, he saw Su Qing still working on something in the study.

This is her habit of working remotely after giving birth.

Unless something is urgent, she leaves it for the evening and tries to spend more time with the child during the day.

Besides, if it really is urgent, doesn’t Leeds still have Fernando Lucas?

"How is it? Have you made all the contacts?" Gao Shen walked over and sat on the lazy sofa next to her. He was so tired he did not want to get up.

"Almost. The contract with Adidas is basically settled. They asked for a commitment on future sales cooperation. We have already confirmed it with Fanatics. There are basically no problems," Su Qing replied while typing.

As long as the contract details are finalized, this cooperation will enter the fast lane.

As for domestic OEM factories, Su Qing went back to China during the Spring Festival and personally contacted many qualified companies. After multiple rounds of screening, she finally chose a well-known domestic OEM factory as a partner.

It can be said the entire production and sales chain has been opened up. The rest depends on results.

"We still have to pay attention to quality. This is a long-term business." Gao Shen had great confidence in Su Qing’s ability, but he could not help reminding her.

Su Qing looked up and smiled at him. "Got it, Boss."

After a pause, she continued, "Next month, Fernando Lucas will lead a team on a tour of the Middle East, Asia, and North America."

"Any progress?" Gao Shen became interested.

Leeds United is short of money everywhere right now.

Of course, this shortage is not immediate, but a foreseeable one.

According to the total budget provided by Norman Foster, the total investment for the new stadium and surrounding commercial projects is about 1 billion pounds. What does that mean?

Currently, Leeds United has not even sold the stadium naming rights, but many companies are interested in the commercial projects, including leading British companies, France’s largest commercial real estate giant, and even the Australian mall giant Westfield has expressed interest in cooperating with Leeds United.

But unfortunately, this project has to be put at the end for now.

According to Leeds United’s plan, the stadium must be built first, then Elland Road will be demolished, and then the commercial projects will be built. It is estimated this will take until around 2020.

Of course, do not think that is too long.

For these giant companies, a six to seven-year timeline is very normal.

For example, Westfield’s shopping center in west London took the Westfield Group five years from land purchase to opening.

When it opened in 2008, it coincided with the subprime mortgage crisis and the European debt crisis, and everyone was pessimistic about Europe’s largest shopping mall, thinking it would not make money.

But more than five years later, it has become a London landmark, and phase two is being planned.

In this respect, Westfield Group has extensive operational experience.

Of course, the British commercial real estate company ndsec is also impressive. Trinity Street in central Leeds is their masterpiece. Since opening, it has always been Leeds’s brightest calling card. They often develop major UK commercial real estate projects, and their strength is considerable.

The French Unibé & Rodenco consortium is the largest commercial real estate company in Europe. Formed by the merger of France’s Unibé and the Netherlands’ Rodenco, they have long wanted to enter the UK market.

Projects like Leeds United are extremely attractive to these commercial real estate companies.

The reason is simple. Football stadiums naturally attract crowds.

Many people later summarized a key factor in the success of Westfield’s west London center, namely that a vast number of fans heading to the London Bowl passed through this mall.

Just like the commercial corner of Real Madrid’s Bernabéu, rental income is also very high, for the same reason.

This is why these potential commercial real estate firms are interested in Leeds United’s new stadium plans.

But for now, there is no definite outcome.

…

"I met with Casillas today and talked for a while."

Gao Shen was completely sprawled out, staring at the ceiling.

"How is he now? Is it serious?" Su Qing asked.

She actually had a good impression of Casillas.

"The back injury is an old problem. He will be out for at least a month. He will miss the second leg. He has no energy at all."

Su Qing could fully understand.

He would miss the second leg. Once Courtois performed well, by the time Casillas returned and needed to regain form, it would likely be difficult for him to start again.

It is inevitable for the in-form player to displace the returning one.

Especially in the Champions League knockout stage, the further you go, the less risk you can take.

Of course, if he were lucky and Courtois also got injured, then...

But Gao Shen faced a dilemma.

"You have done plenty for him lately. That is already good," Su Qing said.

Casillas caused a lot of controversy because of his girlfriend and was benched by Mourinho for a season. After Gao Shen took over, he set up a rotation between him and Courtois, one playing the cups and the other the league. This drew dissatisfaction from many Real Madrid fans. If Real Madrid had not later won the Champions League, the doubts around Casillas would have been even stronger.

But even so, many still accuse Casillas of being a locker-room tyrant, saying he squeezed Courtois’s room for growth. Some tabloids even spread rumors from time to time that Casillas was suppressing Courtois and Ramos.

Gao Shen always stood up to support Casillas.

From Hierro to Raúl to Casillas, every Real Madrid captain has been called a "locker-room tyrant."

It is entirely foreseeable that Ramos will be labeled the same.

Ultimately, it is not that their captaincy is bad, it is that they are getting old.

Professional football is very cruel and depends on strength.

If you have the ability, even your shortcomings are tolerated. If you do not, no one supports you no matter how right you are.

But the contradiction is that every person struggles to accept aging. The stronger someone is inside, the harder it is to accept.

This is also why almost all superstars see their reputations decline as they age.

There are very few as smart as Zidane.

But as head coach, Gao Shen has to face this and manage these relationships well.

Take Casillas. He has good standing in the dressing room, but how to handle his case is a problem.

Because there are veterans like Xabi Alonso in the team.

Besides, who does not grow old?

Right now, the players are watching how Gao Shen handles Casillas, and they will use this to judge how he will deal with them in the future.

This seems simple, but it has far-reaching implications.

"From the current perspective, Courtois’s rise is unstoppable. This Belgian goalkeeper is just too strong."

Gao Shen’s personal impression of Courtois is not necessarily great. Although the scandals from his previous life did not happen this time, Gao Shen still does not feel much about him. But strong is strong, no doubt.

Moreover, Courtois truly respects Gao Shen and even regards him as a mentor.

In this situation, Courtois cannot be held back any longer.

It is impossible that once Casillas recovers, Courtois is immediately benched despite performing well in the Champions League.

This is unrealistic.

The later the stage and the more crucial the match, the harder it is to make changes.

If you really change it, would it not be like that scene from a certain mean little chubby comedian?

"Here I come to win a prize? I am heading to the final."

"Here to receive the award? Oh my God, who arranged this?"

Su Qing also noticed her husband’s distress. In fact, Gao Shen is facing a common problem worldwide.

Not only teams and clubs, but all companies encounter these problems, and they are very hard to handle.

"You are only dealing with Casillas now. What about the future?" Su Qing teased.

With Real Madrid’s current age structure, in a few years many players will be of similar age. By then, there will be more of these issues. When they come in groups, how do you deal with them?

Is this not the situation Barcelona is in now?

Xavi, Puyol, Valdés, Abidal, Alves, and even Iniesta, this group is all in their thirties, which means Barcelona is facing several Casillas-like situations.

Didn’t Guardiola see this early and wisely leave?

Gao Shen nodded. "So I have to be smarter. When the time is right, I have to leave quickly. I would rather fire Real Madrid than let Real Madrid fire me."

At the end, Gao Shen could not help laughing.

This may sound heartless, but the truth is cruel.

Ask yourself, if this Real Madrid starts to decline, and Gao Shen continues but results are poor, will he be sacked?

The answer is obvious, he will be dismissed.

But the manner of departure might not be ugly. It could be through friendly negotiation.

Yet Gao Shen is a man of pride. He will not allow himself to reach that point, so he will leave early.

This has nothing to do with emotion, it is more a self-protection mechanism for a head coach.

(To be continued.)