SWR: Chapter 1108/1110

Chapter 1108: Benchmark Summit

As the saying goes, oranges grown south of the Huai River are oranges, while those grown north of the Huai River turn into tangerines.

The training of young players is actually similar to this.

Take the French striker Antoine Griezmann, who is currently performing well for Real Sociedad. If he had been judged by the French youth training standards, he would never have succeeded.

Griezmann was born in a small town called Mâcon, 65 kilometers from Lyon. Influenced by his father, he began playing football at a young age and received basic training at Mâcon United.

It was not until he was seven or eight years old that his family realized his potential. They took him out of Mâcon and tried him out in various clubs across France, including Lyon, Paris Saint-Germain, Auxerre, Saint-Etienne, Sochaux, Montpellier and more.

Griezmann had excellent natural technique and extraordinary football intelligence, but he also had a fatal flaw: his lack of speed and his short, slight build.

The selection criteria for France's youth training are very clear. Professional football must be based on physical qualities. Strong and fast players are more favored, while players like Griezmann are destined to be eliminated.

After repeated setbacks, it was not until 2005, during a trial at Montpellier, that Griezmann was spotted by Eric Olhats, an amateur scout for Real Sociedad. Olhats strongly recommended him to Roberto Orbaiz, the club's sporting director.

In Spanish football, deficiencies in speed, strength, and physique are not considered fatal, even for clubs in northern Spain, which are known for a rough style of play.

So, Griezmann joined Real Sociedad, grew steadily within their youth system, performed very well, and quickly entered the first team. He became their core player and began to shine.

In Gao Shen's previous life, as Griezmann excelled at Real Sociedad and later transferred to Atletico Madrid, he became famous overnight. His story was gradually reported in France, triggering reflection on the country's youth selection system.

"Why do French clubs focus more on what a player is like now, while Spanish youth academies focus more on what a player could become, better at discovering potential and talent?"

This reflection was once well known but gradually faded away.

In fact, Gao Shen had discussed this issue with Zidane and many others in the industry. The conclusion was that French football is spoiled by abundance.

According to official statistics, France's population exceeds 60 million, second only to Germany in the EU. Among them, 6 to 7 million are immigrants from Africa and elsewhere. Only a small portion have obtained citizenship, while millions remain migrant workers.

The book Football Economics notes that almost all successful professional players come from poor families with little opportunity for advancement.

For these children, football is their only path to changing their destiny.

Naturally, this immigrant population from Africa has provided France with a steady talent supply.

Looking back over the past decades, a large proportion of France's star players are of African descent.

Anyone familiar with history knows that West Africa was once a French colony, and immigrants from that region prefer going to France.

When clubs have a constant influx of talent, their selection standards naturally rise.

Even at the youth level, players need not only physical strength but also speed and technical ability.

As for the future? That can be dealt with later.

So, those who win at the starting line, those who are faster and stronger, are often preferred.

On the contrary, players like Griezmann, who have excellent technique but lack speed and strength, have little chance of standing out.

Of course, Griezmann's lack of pace also limits his ceiling.

In professional football, talent is innate.

Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, was born with African heritage. His muscle composition is unique, his speed and explosiveness unmatched. That is just the way it is.

Or players like Mbappé, born fierce and powerful, and rarely injured. What can anyone do about that?

Meanwhile, white players with exceptional speed, such as Gareth Bale, Robben, and Owen, suffer frequent injuries. Yet rockets with African ancestry like Ronaldo and Mbappé can expend their speed and impact recklessly.

That is something others cannot replicate.

But Gao Shen often wondered, what if these players also had more refined technique?

Why did Ronaldo transform into a goalscorer? Why do many people think he can no longer dribble past opponents?

The answer is simple. Speed is a gift of youth.

You can be unrestrained when you are young, but what about after turning 25? What about after 28?

Not to mention aging, even one injury can change everything.

Focusing too much on speed and strength while neglecting technical development is a problem.

This is not alarmist. It is already happening.

For example, this season L'Équipe conducted a survey, pointing out that muscle strains among young players are very common in Ligue 1.

"Usually, muscle strains occur more among older players. This is generally the case worldwide. But in Ligue 1 it is different. It is also seen in reserve teams and U19 youth squads."

"Young players across France are more prone to muscle strains, which is abnormal."

L'Équipe believes this reflects deeper problems in France's youth training, not only outdated physical preparation but also misguided training direction.

Everyone knows England has no shortage of fast and strong players, but their youth system consistently produces players with poor technique.

What Gao Shen did at Leeds United was to establish a foundation in England while developing young talent from all over the world.

Many people thought Leeds United was simply reforming youth training, similar to Liverpool, Arsenal, and others. But it was not the same. Spanish youth training cannot be applied wholesale in England.

Still, some essential things are worth learning, such as Spain's emphasis on developing technique and discovering talent and potential. These are clear strengths.

Whether acknowledged or not, the essence of football is ball control.

This does not mean possession statistics but the ability to control the ball.

Shooting, dribbling, passing... all require control. And behind that is technique.

Leeds United's philosophy is all-round development. Not only physical strength and speed, but also technique and awareness are critical.

The main reason Gao Shen visited Leeds United this time was that Paco Cerullo and Juan Villa had submitted a proposal.

…

"As the name suggests, the Sports Technology Innovation Seminar aims to bring together experts and scholars from around the world to discuss how to use new youth training concepts, methods, and data analysis to improve team training and youth development."

Paco Cerullo introduced his plan to Gao Shen and Su Qing.

"We have been in contact with many peers, and they are very interested in Leeds United, especially our big data center and the AXA Centre we are building."

At the AXA Centre, Leeds United's Big Data Centre collaborated with Huawei to develop an IoT system that monitors and analyzes players' activities at the training base, including gym sessions, providing real-time data support for coaching staff in daily training and youth development.

This is the first of its kind in the world.

Data analysis itself is not new, but the challenge for Leeds United lies in how to build statistical models, how to use data to design tactics, and how to train young players.

These were difficult before, but now Leeds United aims to create a complete system.

Of course, this is just the beginning.

It is not enough for Leeds United alone, so constant communication and attracting talent are necessary.

The Sports Technology Innovation Seminar is a platform and an important step to promote Leeds United.

Gao Shen had already discussed this with Su Qing, Lucas, and Borrell, and they agreed to host a two-day summit. The first event planned to invite 200 to 300 experts worldwide, including from the NBA and NFL.

In this respect, the United States is clearly ahead.

The investment would be considerable.

But as Su Qing, Lucas, and Borrell said, hosting the first summit of its kind at Leeds United's new training base would greatly boost the club's reputation, especially within the industry.

Gao Shen's requirement was simple. If it was to be done, it had to be done well.

"And we cannot just hold it once. It has to continue long-term, becoming a tradition and a golden brand for Leeds United. Our team will benefit enormously from it."

Modern football values openness and communication. A team that only buries itself in training achieves nothing. To improve, it must play more matches, especially against stronger opponents.

The same applies to youth training and coaching.

More communication with global experts, more exchanges with professionals from other fields, will undoubtedly benefit football in the new era.

At the very least, it will keep Leeds United up to date and ensure access to the most advanced science and technology.

Technology is the primary productive force.

Of course, if Leeds United wants others to share, they must also contribute.

It is impossible to hoard the latest research results while expecting others to share theirs.

So Gao Shen's stance was clear, consistent with Leeds United's philosophy.

"We never stand still. On the contrary, we are eager to communicate with experts and scholars worldwide, share our findings, and progress together."

"This is not just about performance and data analysis, but also club management, social responsibility, fan engagement, and more. Anything related to the sports industry can be discussed. We should learn from others' strengths and make up for our weaknesses."

Gao Shen immediately decided that Lucas would lead the development of a three-year implementation plan.

"We are the first to create this summit, and we will make it a benchmark summit in the industry."

This matched Gao Shen's style perfectly: either do not do it, or do it to the highest standard.

In the past, such initiatives should have been led by top clubs. But since they had not done it, Leeds United would take the lead.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1109: Atletico Madrid Run

"This proposal from the Methodology Department is very good and must be fully supported."

Leaving Thorp Arch and heading to Manchester Airport, Gao Shen gave instructions to Lucas and Borrell.

Leeds United's finances are not that bad now.

Even though they are planning to build a new training base and are also making preliminary preparations for a new stadium, the team's financial situation is still quite good.

This is mainly because Leeds United has been selling players continuously in the past two years.

"Our most difficult period has passed. Our main goal now is to consolidate our foundation and steadily improve our competitiveness. The Methodology Department will be a great help."

In Gao Shen's opinion, this sports technology innovation seminar is not just about enhancing Leeds United's influence. It will also bring long-term benefits to Leeds United, and it must be persisted with no matter what.

Paco Cerullo and Juan Vera have both worked at Barcelona for many years and have extensive connections in the industry. They launched the initiative because they were able to invite so many heavyweight guests.

"Also, do not be too high-profile. Technology is technology. It is better to be low-key and down-to-earth," Gao Shen ordered.

Lucas and Borrell both nodded in agreement.

High-profile publicity certainly brings certain benefits, but it inevitably looks like a show.

Many people who work in technology do not like that kind of hype.

On the contrary, a low-key approach highlights the true purpose of the seminar and is more popular within the industry.

The most typical example is UEFA's Elite Coaches Summit, which is held once a year but is already suspected of being a show.

What results has the discussion actually produced?

Not to mention results, even communication among coaches in the industry is not very good.

In fact, many football associations also hold such exchange meetings, but they are not very meaningful.

Gao Shen believes that since it is a technical seminar, the focus should be on professionalism rather than hype.

"I understand." Lucas agreed.

Gao Shen also mentioned Leeds United's future operations.

The team has benefited greatly from serious sales for two consecutive years. The new training base and new stadium projects are a result of this, but it has also had a great impact on the team. Next, Leeds United will have to make some adjustments to its business direction.

Gao Shen feels that the team should adjust its goals for next season.

Leeds United's goal this season will not change, but they will definitely have to pay attention to results next season.

If you want to improve the team's performance, you can no longer sell players recklessly like before. You must retain players as much as possible to ensure the team's competitiveness in the Premier League.

"We will definitely sell players, but we will not sell as much as we did in the past two seasons."

Selling players is also a matter for the winter break and next summer, but now that Gao Shen has brought it up, it means that Lucas and Borrell need to make some preparations in advance, especially when contacting other clubs.

Lucas and Borrell both understood what Gao Shen meant.

Next, Leeds United needs to strike a balance between results and selling players.

It is not that they cannot sell, but the team's competitiveness must be guaranteed.

Leeds United is currently ranked quite high in the Premier League, but judging from their performances, it is estimated that Pochettino's team will find it difficult to maintain their current ranking, because the team's strength has indeed declined a lot after the devastating sales in the summer.

The defense is actually okay. De Vrij replaced Koulibaly and performed well. He was also selected for the Dutch national team, but the midfield has bigger problems.

Selling four key midfielders, including Pogba, Kondogbia, Jorginho and Allan, in one summer was a disaster. It is almost impossible to make up for the losses all at once.

Moreover, Pochettino is different from Sarri. Coutinho's return to the center of midfield has brought earthshaking changes to Leeds United's entire midfield and front line tactics, which requires time to adapt and adjust.

Judging from the performances this season, finishing in the top ten would be good.

The front line attacking trio of Harry Kane, Salah and Felipe Anderson has performed well.

This is also the key to Leeds United's current high position in the league, but the problems in midfield will be exposed sooner or later.

Others may not know, but Gao Shen and Leeds United are very clear about it and are mentally prepared.

…

Gao Shen and Su Qing returned to Madrid from Manchester Airport and immediately started work at Real Madrid.

The two weeks of national team matches ended quickly.

None of Real Madrid's internationals were injured on duty, but they were very tired.

While Gao Shen was relieved, he also had to engage in intensive preparations and begin getting ready for the tenth round, the league's first clásico of the season.

But first came the ninth round of La Liga, with Real Madrid hosting Malaga at home.

Just like after the previous international break, Gao Shen once again benched all the South American internationals who had traveled a long distance. Even when Di Maria volunteered to play, Gao Shen still put him on the bench.

In the match against Malaga, Gao Shen tried a different style of play.

A 4-2-1-3 formation.

It is essentially a 4-3-3, but the midfield uses a double playmaker setup, with Illarramendi and Verratti as the two, while Isco is left alone in the number ten position in front, acting as a free man.

Up front, the trio of Ronaldo, Morata and Jesé gave Real Madrid plenty of attacking power.

The back line was Marcos Alonso, Nacho, Varane and Arbeloa, and the goalkeeper was still Courtois.

Facing his old club, Isco was also extremely excited.

After the start, Real Madrid's two playmakers kept organizing and creating attacks, especially in the seventh minute. Real Madrid's pressing in the final third forced Malaga into a passing error. After Isco intercepted in the middle, he fed it forward to Morata.

The Real Madrid center chested the ball, turned, and slipped it into the left channel.

Ronaldo controlled it, cut inside, beat his man, and struck with his right foot. The ball flew into the right side of the goal, making it 1-0.

After taking the lead, Real Madrid continued to launch fierce attacks on Malaga.

In the 14th minute, Isco once again dropped deep to combine with Illarramendi on a press. After intercepting Malaga's pass in midfield, Verratti launched an instant counterattack.

Real Madrid's front trio broke quickly.

Jesé carried the ball and played a diagonal pass at the top of the area. Ronaldo took it on the left and slotted in with his left foot, making it 2-0.

A brace.

After scoring twice in quick succession, Real Madrid firmly controlled the game.

In the 36th minute, Real Madrid intercepted in their own half and quickly launched a long pass.

Varane hit it directly into the front. Morata held his ground, cushioned the ball with his right foot, laid it off to the onrushing Isco, then spun and burst forward.

Real Madrid's front three surged again like three arrows loosed at once.

Isco drove the ball into Malaga's 30-meter area, went left, and released Marcos Alonso arriving from deep. Marcos Alonso crossed to the edge of the six-yard box. Morata sprinted in and headed home from close range.

3-0.

After the restart, Real Madrid continued to press.

A minute into the half, Jesé broke into the box from the right and was tripped by Malaga defender Weligton. A penalty was awarded, and Ronaldo converted calmly to complete his hat trick.

4-0.

That was the last goal of the game.

Real Madrid finally defeated Malaga 4-0 at home with a Ronaldo hat trick and a Morata header.

…

Real Madrid won without much trouble, but their rivals were not so fortunate in the other two matches.

Barcelona's away game at Osasuna kicked off four hours after Real Madrid's. Whether it was the pressure of Real Madrid's big win or Barcelona's poor form, they ultimately failed to beat Osasuna away.

0-0, the two sides shared the points.

Atletico Madrid were even worse, losing 0-1 away to Espanyol.

As a result, the La Liga standings did not change much, with Real Madrid still in first place, but the gap to Barcelona opened to 2 points.

Gao Shen's team led the league with nine consecutive wins, showing amazing momentum.

Barcelona failed to beat Osasuna away, and Martino's lineup was once again criticized.

The Catalan media believe it will be difficult for Martino to lead Barcelona to challenge the powerful Real Madrid.

What really surprised Gao Shen was Simeone's Atletico Madrid.

They had agreed before to join forces to defeat Barcelona first and then compete. But now, Barcelona did not fall, and Atletico Madrid dropped three points again.

Gao Shen really wanted to ask Simeone, do your words count?

I am waiting for you up ahead. Please run faster.

…

Three days later, in the third round of the Champions League group stage, Real Madrid traveled to Germany to face Leverkusen away.

Bayer Leverkusen's head coach is former Liverpool legendary center back Sami Hyypiä, and in this game he deployed a 4-3-2-1 Christmas tree formation, with Kiessling as the spearhead.

It was clear that even at home, Hyypiä wanted to focus on defense to contain Real Madrid's overwhelming attack.

But not all teams suit the Christmas tree.

A powerful Real Madrid cut through Leverkusen and completely split the Pharmaceutical Company's lines.

In the 22nd minute, Benzema played a pass, Di Maria broke into the right side of the box, and finished low to open the scoring.

This was the third straight match in which the Argentine had scored.

Just eight minutes later, Benzema nodded the ball across for Di Maria to finish at the back post from close range, his second of the night, 2-0.

After the break, Carvajal scored first, then Ramos netted from a corner.

Finally, Ronaldo received a pass from Pogba, who had come on as a substitute, and sealed the win.

Real Madrid defeated Leverkusen 5-0 away.

After three rounds of the Champions League group stage, Real Madrid beat Anderlecht 7-0 away, Manchester United 4-1 at home, and Leverkusen 5-0 away. Real Madrid have scored 16 goals, with an extremely fierce attack.

Especially after winning three in a row, there is no suspense about qualifying from the group, and top spot is almost certain.

Manchester United defeated Anderlecht 1-0 in this round and ranked second in the group.

After winning comfortably against Malaga and Leverkusen, Gao Shen's team returned to Madrid for a short rest, then set off for Barcelona without stopping.

After defeating Barcelona twice in the Spanish Super Cup, this was the third clásico of the season.

Including the four games last season, Barcelona had faced Real Madrid six times in the past year and lost all six.

As Radio SER's star host De La Morena praised, "Gao Shen's reputation as Barça's nemesis is truly well deserved."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1110: The World's Richest Man is Here

Before the derby of the century, there was endless news about Real Madrid.

First up was the La Liga monthly awards.

As we all know, the Premier League selects the best of the month, including players and head coaches. It is an honor for all involved, and La Liga has begun to follow suit.

Starting from September this season, the Spanish Professional Football League officially launched the monthly awards, including Coach of the Month and Player of the Month. The same applies to the Spanish Second Division.

In the selection for La Liga's Player of the Month, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Di Maria, as well as Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa, were all strong contenders. All three were among the best performers in La Liga in September.

In the end, Di Maria beat Ronaldo and Diego Costa to win the first Player of the Month award in Spanish football history.

For Coach of the Month, Barcelona's Martino and Atletico Madrid's Simeone were the leading contenders. But in the Madrid derby in September, Simeone was slightly inferior and lost the game.

Martino and Gao Shen, both unbeaten, became the main competitors.

In the end, Gao Shen had the last laugh.

Real Madrid swept both monthly awards for the first time in La Liga history.

The ceremony was held on the afternoon of the day Real Madrid departed for Barcelona. After training, the awards were presented directly at Valdebebas. Both Gao Shen and Di Maria received their trophies.

This was also a great boost for Real Madrid.

…

Before Real Madrid's joy at sweeping both awards had faded, Italy's Tuttosport brought more good news.

The 40-man shortlist for the 2013 Golden Boy Award was officially announced. Real Madrid had three players shortlisted, namely Jesé, Pogba, and Varane. All three were born in 1993.

This also made Real Madrid one of the clubs with the most selected players in European football.

Another club with three players selected was Leeds United.

The players from the White Rose on the 40-man Golden Boy shortlist were Cancelo, Harry Kane, and Filipe Luís.

These three have performed well in the Premier League this season, and their selection is well deserved.

But Leeds United had another record unmatched by any other team. In addition to these three, Icardi, Kondogbia, Pogba, and Marquinhos all came through Leeds United's youth setup.

In other words, Leeds United contributed a total of seven players to the 40-man Golden Boy shortlist.

Tuttosport ran a special feature on Leeds United's youth academy, praising the White Rose for outstanding work in youth development and the remarkable results achieved over the past two seasons.

You know, in last year's Golden Boy selection, Leeds United were already a major presence. This year, seven players were shortlisted at once. Although four were sold, they should still be credited to Leeds United.

Such an impressive hit rate is enough to attract the attention of all European football.

Tuttosport commented that Leeds United are rising rapidly and becoming an emerging force in European football.

There was not much suspense about this 40-man list. Basically everyone knew the likely winner was Real Madrid midfielder Paul Pogba.

He shone at Leeds United last season and led France's youth team to win the World Youth Championship in Turkey in the summer. He then moved to Real Madrid for a massive 60 million euros and has delivered eye-catching performances again this season. If Pogba does not win this award, who would?

If Pogba wins, it would also set a record, with Real Madrid taking the European Golden Boy in back-to-back years, since Isco won it last season when he had already transferred to Real Madrid.

There are clubs that have won the Golden Boy twice, such as Manchester United, where Rooney and Anderson both won it. But only Real Madrid would have won it two years in a row, which is undoubtedly a great honor.

…

Following the news about Player of the Month and the Golden Boy, El Confidencial dropped a bombshell.

The world's richest man is here.

As Real Madrid's general assembly approached, news about Florentino's report emerged one after another. The most talked about topic was the Bernabéu renovation plan.

At this sensitive moment, a story suddenly broke in Spain's financial sector that American billionaire Bill Gates had spent 113.5 million euros to buy 6 percent of the shares of the Spanish construction company FCC, becoming its second-largest shareholder.

The Spanish government responded positively, saying this showed Bill Gates' confidence in the Spanish economy.

Bill Gates quickly followed up, stating he was full of confidence in Spain's economy and expressing strong interest in further investment. The newspaper also revealed that Bill Gates had visited Florentino at the ACS Group.

FCC is currently the largest construction service provider in Spain, larger than Florentino's ACS, though the two have extensive cooperation. This visit was obviously not about the two construction firms, but about Real Madrid.

According to El Confidencial, Florentino said Real Madrid planned to renovate the Bernabéu in 2016 and hoped to cooperate further with Bill Gates and Microsoft, such as with the Bernabéu's management software systems.

"Bill Gates recognizes the significant brand value Florentino has built for Real Madrid over the years and hopes to sponsor the Bernabéu. He is also willing to donate an additional 1 million euros in the name of the Bill Gates Foundation to work with Real Madrid on social and sports programs."

El Confidencial revealed that Real Madrid hoped to sell the stadium's naming rights for 200 million euros over 10 years.

This would undoubtedly be the most expensive stadium naming fee in professional football history.

However, El Confidencial also reported that, to successfully sell the naming rights and rename the Bernabéu as Microsoft Stadium, Florentino needed to convince all Real Madrid members and the board at the general assembly.

"This is undoubtedly very difficult."

If Real Madrid's members could not be convinced, neither Bill Gates nor Microsoft would accept a proposal that included sharing the name with the Bernabéu.

The report also noted that Microsoft had long wanted to enter the sports world. Internet giants such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook were also ambitious in this area, and some had already begun making contacts.

"During their training camp in the United States, the management of Leeds United met with Google and Facebook in California, and even went to Seattle to visit Amazon. All sides expressed interest in cooperation."

El Confidencial believed that amid an economic downturn, football was becoming a hot target for Internet giants.

Compared with their huge annual marketing and promotion budgets, sponsoring a football club is just a drop in the bucket, and they barely notice the cost.

This report quickly caused a huge reaction in Spain.

At the pre-match press conference before Gao Shen led the team to Barcelona, a reporter asked his opinion on the matter, and Gao Shen said he had not received any information.

"This is not something I should be asking about. If you had not told me, I would not even know about it."

Gao Shen reiterated that as head coach, he is only responsible for the team on the pitch and not for other matters.

But after the press conference, Gao Shen made a special call to Butragueño to find out the details.

After all, Leeds United are also recruiting investors now.

Butragueño clearly told Gao Shen that Bill Gates had indeed discussed Microsoft sponsoring Real Madrid with Florentino.

Before the two bosses met, both teams had already communicated.

"But this is very difficult to do. Many members, and even board members, have already made it clear that they do not want to change the name of the Bernabéu, so this will probably be hard to achieve."

Clear and straightforward.

The longer a club's history, the heavier the burden it carries.

Just like the advertisement on Barcelona's shirt front, if Barcelona had not taken a roundabout path, it would not have been easy for them to put a sponsor on their chest.

"Barcelona has always wanted to sell the stadium naming rights. After all, it brings at least 20 million euros a year. But the name Camp Nou cannot be lost, so it is very difficult," Butragueño said, clearly conflicted.

As a Real Madrid legend, no one really wants to sell the naming rights.

Ask yourself, would it be enjoyable to turn the Bernabéu into Microsoft Stadium or Gates Stadium?

But as a club executive, he had to admit that such a large sum every year is very tempting.

Some may think Real Madrid is a membership-based club that cannot make a profit, so why make so much money?

The answer is simple. Is it not a good thing to use the money to improve player salaries or buy another star?

"If I asked you to choose, what would you choose?" Butragueño asked Gao Shen in return.

Gao Shen laughed helplessly. "Do not ask me about this kind of thing. I do not know how to choose."

This is indeed hard to resolve.

Just like Leeds United, when they planned a new stadium, many fans suggested keeping the name Elland Road, in the name of tradition.

But Leeds United's approach is more palatable.

According to Lucas's idea, the nearby road will remain Elland Road, but the naming rights of the stadium will be sold.

Of course, this matter has not yet been settled, and the club still needs to guide the fans. But by comparison, Leeds United's pressure will be much smaller.

After all, they were a bankrupt club, and their fans are more understanding of the club's need to make money.

After sinking to the lower leagues for so many years, life has only just improved. How could they want to see the club fall again?

"No more talking, we have to leave," Gao Shen said, about to hang up.

"Be careful when you get to Barcelona," Butragueño reminded. He would not travel with the team this time, as he had other things to do in Madrid.

"Also, remember to wear earplugs. This trick used by Barcelona fans is always effective."

Gao Shen laughed. He was already used to such away treatment.

As long as Barcelona fans did not smash the windows of the Real Madrid bus, Gao Shen would be happy enough.

After all, smashing bus windows is a regular activity among Barcelona fans.

As for playing instruments and singing in front of the Real Madrid team hotel, that is even more common.

"Do not worry, wait for my good news," Gao Shen said confidently.

He was full of confidence for this match.

(To be continued.)