SWR: Chapter 1093/1097

Chapter 1093: Don't Play Offensive Against Real Madrid

On the evening of September 17, at Van den Stock Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.

In the first round of the Champions League group stage, Real Madrid faced Anderlecht away from home.

When referee Mark Clattenburg from England blew the whistle to start the game, Real Madrid, who took the kick-off, played the ball back. But instead of passing to the central defender, it went to Casemiro, who quickly passed it forward to Modric.

Di Maria dropped back from the forward line to receive the ball, but the defenders pressed him closely. The Argentine returned it to Casemiro, who then played it to Toni Kroos.

The German midfielder made a long pass into the empty space on the left side of the attacking third.

Marcelo controlled the ball and was about to push forward when Clattenburg blew the whistle.

The linesman raised his flag, offside!

The stadium erupted with applause and cheers from the Anderlecht fans.

As Marcelo walked back, he gave Kroos a thumbs up.

The pass had been excellent and comfortable to receive. He could have surged forward on his own, but his timing was slightly off. He pushed too early and ended up offside.

Anderlecht quickly restarted play, but soon lost the ball again to Real Madrid.

The visitors reorganized and prepared for another attack.

In the 3rd minute, Modric suddenly chipped a ball from outside the 30-meter area into Anderlecht's penalty box. Benzema darted in and reached it, about to shoot, when the whistle sounded again.

The linesman's flag was up, offside!

Two consecutive attacks had ended the same way.

Benzema shook his head helplessly.

Just as he had started his run, Anderlecht's defenders had collectively stepped up, executing an offside trap.

It was clear Anderlecht had no intention of defending deep tonight.

At home, they were playing bravely against mighty Real Madrid.

This has always been the style of many European clubs.

If a team plays too conservatively at home, the fans are unhappy, and it hurts the atmosphere and the football market.

On the other hand, even when facing a powerhouse, if they press high and play boldly, even if they lose badly, fans will still talk about it with excitement. Because for many supporters, football is a show.

And since it is a show, entertainment matters more than the result.

…

Gao Shen stood on the touchline, observing Anderlecht's defense.

Their line was always pushed up, sometimes even around the 30-meter mark.

It was a brave choice.

But bravery often comes with a price.

Gao Shen signaled his players to drop a little deeper, leaving space to exploit.

What Real Madrid lacked the least was speed.

…

Soon, the two sides were trading attacks.

Real Madrid tried several times to send balls in behind, but it didn't work.

After two successful offsides, Anderlecht also adjusted their backline.

Clearly, the Belgians were wary of being broken through repeatedly.

But sooner or later, the breakthrough would come.

In the 12th minute, Real Madrid intercepted in their own half and calmly built up.

Modric carried the ball forward, but before he crossed halfway, Di Maria dropped deep, pulling a defender with him. Modric didn't pass to him though. Instead, he gave it to Kroos.

The German looked up, then decisively sent a long pass behind Anderlecht's defense, aiming at the right side of the penalty area.

After Di Maria dropped, Benzema shifted sideways, as if moving wide.

Modric noticed but from his angle it was hard to deliver the ball directly. Even if Benzema received it, the next move would be difficult.

So he chose Kroos, and the German's long pass landed perfectly on the right side of the box.

Benzema accelerated forward, timing his run to perfection.

While Anderlecht's defenders were raising their arms for offside, Benzema had already latched onto Kroos's ball inside the penalty area. Before the keeper could react, he slotted it into the net.

"Goalllllllllll!!!"

"Real Madrid score!!!"

"Benzema opens the scoring in the 12th minute."

"After a series of offsides, Anderlecht's defenders finally paid the price."

"We've always said that using the offside trap is a double-edged sword. When it works, it disrupts the opponent's attack. But when it fails, it often leaves the striker clean through."

"From the replay, we can clearly see Benzema's clever lateral movement before surging forward. It threw Anderlecht's defense off."

"He was onside when Kroos delivered the pass."

"1-0, Real Madrid lead."

…

Barely three minutes later, Real Madrid created another big chance.

Marcelo advanced on the left, threatening but unable to break through, and laid it off to Benzema.

With his back to goal, Benzema laid it to Kroos, who quickly shifted it to Modric.

In a flash, Real Madrid switched play from left to right.

Modric played a straight ball to Di Maria.

The Argentine feinted, drawing defenders, pretending to cut inside, but suddenly slipped it down the line.

Carvajal burst forward on the right flank at blistering pace, catching Di Maria's pass near the box, and whipped in a low cross.

The ball flashed across the penalty area at high speed.

Anderlecht's defenders chased desperately, but none arrived in time. Only Ronaldo, sprinting at full speed from the left, met it in front of goal and tapped it in unmarked.

2-0.

…

In the 22nd minute, Real Madrid struck again. Kroos switched play with a long pass from the left to the right, where Carvajal received it.

The Spaniard advanced down the flank and combined quickly with Di Maria, who again released him to the byline. Carvajal surged forward and crossed low.

Almost identical to before, Ronaldo connected in the middle.

The Portuguese broke free of his markers, surged ahead of Anderlecht's center-back, and struck the ball into the net.

3-0.

A brace for Ronaldo.

He sprinted off to celebrate wildly, his form clearly peaking tonight.

With the Ballon d'Or voting approaching, his performances were becoming more explosive.

In the 33rd minute, after a series of passes, Ronaldo dropped deep to collect and suddenly back-heeled it left. Marcelo overlapped, received it, and fired a shot-cross into the box.

Anderlecht's defender headed clear.

But the ball dropped to the left edge of the penalty area, completely unguarded.

"Anderlecht's midfield defense has collapsed…"

"Cristiano Ronaldo's arriving, he strikes!!!"

"Goal!!!"

"A stunning strike!!!"

"Ronaldo completes his hat trick!!!"

"He scores a world-class goal, making it 4-0!"

"Real Madrid's first-half attack is relentless, Anderlecht's goal being ripped open again and again."

"This proves once again, never play offensively against Real Madrid!"

"When you try to attack them, you pay the price!"

"Anderlecht's bravery is admirable, but they are paying dearly for it tonight."

"Ronaldo, fighting for his second Ballon d'Or, is in sublime form. His finishing is sharp, and this strike had perfect power, speed, and placement."

"A truly world-class goal!"

…

The first half ended 4-0.

During the break, Gao Shen praised Ronaldo's outstanding performance. He also highlighted Carvajal, who had been excellent on the right.

In fact, the midfield's control was key in pinning Anderlecht back and creating chances, even if it wasn't obvious. They were the unsung heroes.

Gao Shen urged his players to keep the intensity in the second half. Even with a 4-0 lead, there could be no complacency.

Real Madrid executed the instructions strictly.

From Gao Shen's perspective, Anderlecht should have become more cautious and tightened their defense.

But when the second half began, Gao Shen was surprised to see no change.

Yes, Anderlecht still pushed high and attacked bravely.

Truly stubborn.

But skilled teams know how to deal with stubborn opponents.

So in the 52nd minute, Casemiro passed, Carvajal combined with Di Maria on the right, the Argentine cut inside, went one-on-one, and finished low with his left foot. 5-0!

Gao Shen made substitutions, and just two minutes after coming on, Jesé assisted Benzema for another goal.

The French striker also had a brace.

6-0.

In the 87th minute, Verratti played a through ball, Jesé broke the offside trap, and blasted it into the net.

7-0!

Anderlecht were brutally dismantled on their home ground.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1094: Learn from Barcelona's Good Example

Set a record!

This was something Gao Shen himself had not expected. It was not until the post-match press conference, when a reporter from AS asked him for his opinion on the matter, that he realized Real Madrid's 7-0 victory had set a record in the club's history.

That was Real Madrid's most lopsided away win in the history of the Champions League.

Before tonight's game, Real Madrid's best away result was 5-1 against Austria's Sturm Graz in the 98/99 season. For many years afterward, Real Madrid had not been able to make history again.

But tonight, in Belgium, Gao Shen's team once again made history for Real Madrid.

7-0, a perfect away victory.

Gao Shen smiled and expressed his satisfaction with the result.

"It's a very good result, but Anderlecht also caused us a lot of difficulties in the game."

"Our players executed well in transition, and we were faster and more efficient, which was the key to our big win."

"Also, our front three of Cristiano, Ángel, and Karim all did a great job, and that made winning very easy."

Gao Shen also mentioned some difficulties in the game and felt that Anderlecht was a very brave team.

"We didn't expect them to adopt such an aggressive tactic at home. They also caused us a lot of problems, but, thanks to Anderlecht for giving the Belgian fans a wonderful game."

Gao Shen felt that the big win in the first match of the Champions League group stage was of positive significance.

"It's definitely a good thing to start the new Champions League season with a victory. Winning the first game will lay the foundation for the next games, but we still need to pay attention."

"Every one of the six games in the Champions League group stage is crucial and will even affect the situation in the group."

Gao Shen mentioned that last season, Real Madrid did not get the points they should have in some games, which led to the team only being able to qualify second in the group. Even qualifying still depended on the opponent's performance, which was very bad.

"Before this game, I asked my assistant to play a video of last season's Champions League group stage. I asked the players to review last season's group stage, including the game process, results, and changes in the group situation."

"I hope each of them can understand the importance of every game in the group stage. Our players are not at 100 percent physically, but we need to make up for the lack of physical condition by being more focused, more dedicated, and working harder."

Gao Shen reiterated, "We are a very young team. We have introduced three players this season. They still need to further integrate into the team and play a more important role."

Casemiro performed well in this game, replacing Xabi Alonso, so a Brazilian reporter asked Gao Shen what his position on Casemiro was.

Is he an alternative to Xabi Alonso?

Gao Shen smiled and shook his head, "No one is a backup for anyone else. In my team, everyone is the same."

"Casemiro and Xabi Alonso have different characteristics. Both are defensive midfielders, but Casemiro has stronger physical confrontation and defensive capabilities, while Xabi Alonso has better organization and passing abilities. As for Illarramendi, he has just arrived and has not yet integrated into the team and has not yet played to his strengths and characteristics."

Gao Shen treats all three players equally and does not favor any of them, but he said that for now, Xabi Alonso definitely has the advantage, while Casemiro and Illarramendi are still young and need to further improve their strength and prove themselves.

"We are Real Madrid. We have 50 or 60 games every year. We can't use just one player. In some positions, we have to reserve three or even more players. This is normal in European football."

"As the team's head coach, I will consider who will be on the bench and who will rest based on the characteristics of each player, the needs of the team, and pre-match condition. I think these are all very normal and not as complicated as you think."

"Specifically for Casemiro and Illarramendi, I think we are very patient. These are two young players who are very worth looking forward to. We hope that they can play well for Real Madrid and contribute their strength to the team."

"We won't put any extra pressure on them, because playing for Real Madrid is already stressful enough."

"We are open, inclusive, and patient with them and the young players in our team. We hope that they can continue to work hard to grow and make more contributions to the team in the future."

…

Gao Shen's remarks at the post-match press conference attracted widespread praise from the media.

Many people doubt that Real Madrid is not suitable for developing young players, but now, Gao Shen has always achieved a relatively stable balance between famous stars and young players.

Real Madrid's young players have been performing very well and improving steadily.

Gao Shen's words undoubtedly explain his attitude toward young players.

In turn, the young players have also continuously produced good results for Real Madrid on the pitch through their outstanding performances.

The players in the Real Madrid dressing room are very satisfied with this.

For example, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is often regarded as a thorn in the media's side, was replaced by Jesé after scoring a hat trick. He publicly expressed his recognition of Jesé, believing that the young Spanish player has the ability to become a top star as good as himself.

"He has everything it takes to be a top star. All he needs to do is stay focused and work hard, no matter what, just like me!"

Ronaldo gave a very high evaluation of the head coach and believed that Real Madrid is now in a very good stage.

"In the past, we were always conservative in midfield because we were all worried about the safety of the back line. But now, he has shown us another way, strengthening control in midfield, and letting the forwards invest more in defense, thereby reducing the number of dedicated defensive players."

"This way, we have more attacking options when we launch an attack up front, and the technical quality and control of the midfielders ensure that we get more support and opportunities to get the ball into advanced areas."

Ronaldo believes this is a very creative decision and that the team forms an organic whole from front to back.

"We are very united in the dressing room now. Everyone can speak freely and express their ideas, even including accusations, but we all know that we are not targeting people, so our exchanges and communication are very smooth."

"This has not had a negative impact on us, but has made us understand each other more deeply. Of course, this is based on the premise that all of us sincerely hope that the team can become better and stronger."

Ronaldo said that this is the biggest change brought about by Gao Shen.

As for the accusations of overcomplicated tactics made by some tabloids, Ronaldo said it was not worth refuting at all.

"We are the defending Champions League winners and the strongest team in European football. We don't need to explain or prove anything to anyone. That's why we never clarify anything."

But the facts also prove that people seeking attention are everywhere.

While the whole of Spain was singing praises for Real Madrid's landslide away win, some media, including the Catalan press, believed that Real Madrid did not show much strength away from home and did not have the overwhelming momentum of the past.

"Real Madrid now feels more like they are playing defensive counterattacks."

"By quickly switching from defense to attack after winning the ball, they can immediately hit the opponent's back line. Isn't this a defensive counterattack?"

As for the 7-0 result, these outlets believed that it did not explain the problem at all.

The implication was that Real Madrid under Gao Shen is still conservative and the football is not good at all.

At least, it is not as elegant, artistic, and composed as Barcelona's passing and possession.

Many media outlets even called on Real Madrid to learn from Barcelona's good example, saying that this is the essence of Spanish football.

But the slap in the face came soon.

In the first round of the Champions League group stage, Barcelona faced Ajax at home. The match was the day after Real Madrid played Anderlecht. As a result, Barcelona, full of superstars, defeated Ajax 4-0 at home.

This was also a comprehensive victory, but the key issue was not the score, it was the process.

Barcelona's possession was only 53.6 percent, which marked their lowest single-game possession in recent years.

Even more telling, Barcelona had 16 shots with 7 on target, while Ajax had 9 shots with 7 on target. The only difference was that Barcelona were better at taking their chances and scored four, while Ajax did not score.

Previously, the Catalan media accused Real Madrid of being conservative. One important point was that Real Madrid's possession was only 60 percent, and they had lost the suffocating pressure of the past.

You know, the best thing about Spain's small and agile style is to press the opponent into a 30-meter area, take turns controlling the ball and recycling possession, forcing the opponent's defense to make mistakes, then suddenly play a killer through ball to deliver the decisive blow.

But Real Madrid does not follow this pattern at all.

It was unreasonable, in their view, for Gao Shen to drop the entire formation back to the halfway line and allow the opponent to come out.

The Catalan media, who value ball control, scoffed at this, believing that such football was too conservative.

But now, the Barcelona they believed in actually played this way, and at Camp Nou, they even performed worse than Real Madrid.

Lower possession and worse defending.

If Valdés had not saved a penalty, Barcelona would have conceded at home.

No matter how you look at it, Barcelona is imitating Real Madrid.

Just think about it, at the same time, the Barcelona media had just criticized Real Madrid, and then their own team played like this. What should they do?

Blame Martino.

As a result, the Barcelona head coach was once again pushed to the forefront.

Anti-Barcelona football, going against tradition, being conservative...

In any case, there was no problem with Barcelona as a whole, the problem was with the head coach.

With Barcelona's squad and overall strength, they can definitely launch an attacking storm not inferior to Dream Team III.

Use the perfect storm of attack to completely destroy Gao Shen's Galácticos.

This is the football that Barcelona fans want to see.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1095: I Was Kidnapped

In his previous life, after becoming a corporate leader, Gao Shen developed a strong interest in history.

Because he discovered that everything that happened in history was actually repeating itself over and over again.

The form and methods may change, but the core essence does not.

Just like the rise and fall of a company, does it not resemble the rise and fall of ancient feudal dynasties?

There was a time when Gao Shen kept studying one question, which was why ancient dynasties always changed.

Land annexation, factional disputes, climate change, wealth distribution, and so on.

These are certainly important factors, but why did those in power not reform?

All of these could, in theory, be addressed through internal reforms.

Why not change?

People always like to stand from a high vantage point and look down on life.

It is like people today always like to give advice to those from the past as if they were later generations.

But only those caught in the vortex of the times will understand that many seemingly absurd things are not pointless, they are the final struggle.

It is like how people always laugh at why Nokia was so foolish that it could not see the big trend of Android, and insisted on clinging to Microsoft, becoming the most tragic and ridiculous former overlord in the mobile phone industry.

But everyone at Nokia, from management to employees, could probably find countless pieces of evidence to show that they saw the Android trend very early, that they knew full well it was the future, and that they tried hard to make changes and change course.

Nokia was a very large ship, and it could not turn around quickly.

But the tide of the times came too fast and too fierce.

Before the Nokia ship could turn, it was sunk by the tide of the times.

And all of this stemmed from two words, institutional rigidity.

Whether it is a country or a company, as development continues, sooner or later it will face this problem.

At the beginning, when the scale was still small, there was no psychological burden or pressure, and the system was lightweight. We were able to constantly reform ourselves, update and upgrade to adapt to ever-changing situations.

But gradually, the number of people increased, the rules and regulations became more and more complicated, and every step forward became heavier.

Sometimes, through reform, we can shed some burdens and return to the right track, but most of the time this is not possible. We can only keep moving forward, the burdens keep piling up, until we begin to feel sluggish and even overwhelmed.

Until one day, it collapses.

It becomes the "Nokia" ridiculed by countless people.

There is no shortage of such cases in football.

Real Madrid's first Galácticos era is a lesson for us.

Ever since Florentino began introducing superstars in large numbers, Real Madrid went further and further down the superstar strategy, and Real Madrid fans even developed a demanding requirement that cannot be called abnormal, but is definitely too harsh.

Win, and win beautifully.

This can certainly be seen as the high demands that Real Madrid fans place on one of the world's top clubs, but on the other hand, it is also a constraint. Coupled with the superstar strategy, many of Real Madrid's decisions seemed really ridiculous and foolish.

For example, selling Marcelo and Hierro.

But from the perspective of that time, and from the standpoint of Real Madrid's managers, this does not seem inexplicable.

Mark Lailai is a defensive player. The team also had a group of young players such as Elguera, Pavón, Mejía and others at center-back. Beckham had just arrived in midfield, and there were also young players such as Cambiasso.

To a certain extent, in the first two or three years of the century, Real Madrid relied on attacking stars in the front line to conquer opponents, and the back line being a little weak did not seem to be a problem. As long as the attacking firepower up front was strong enough, they could always score more than the opponent.

The key was to play beautifully and please the fans.

This is called path dependence.

But the facts proved that Real Madrid was wrong, and it paid a heavy price.

However, things like Real Madrid happen every day in this world.

Just like Barcelona now.

Over the past few years, passing and possession have achieved great success, especially under Guardiola, reaching unprecedented heights. This not only changed Barcelona, it also completely changed Spanish football.

How successful?

Barcelona dominated La Liga and won the Champions League. In just four years, Spain won two European Championships and a World Cup, and its possession-based style completely reshaped world football.

Is there anything more successful than this?

This is a footballing philosophy that not only Barcelona, but Spain as a whole, is proud of.

But Guardiola sensed the danger. He saw a lurking crisis that ordinary fans could not see, so he left.

Soon, Real Madrid rose and landed a heavy blow on Barcelona.

Repeated failures made Barcelona start to reflect.

They began to ask whether the players were not running actively enough and not pressing opponents enough.

Was it because the star players lacked ability?

Was it that after receiving so many honors, the players' fighting spirit had weakened?

Yes or no.

But no one dared to question whether there was a problem with their possession system.

So, when Martino, a head coach from South America without an impressive résumé, came to Barcelona and called for reducing possession, avoiding excessive pressing, and increasing medium and long passes, all Barcelona fans and Spanish fans rose up to attack.

Why?

Because this challenged their beliefs.

In everyone's eyes, as long as Barcelona played the kind of football they did at their peak, they would immediately return to the top.

Ball possession is Barcelona's lifeline. Reducing possession would be tantamount to slow suicide, would it not?

If Real Madrid fell into that pit, then Barcelona has fallen into that vicious circle.

Is this not also rigid thinking?

"I feel like Barcelona has been kidnapped by their own passing and possession system."

When Gao Shen said this, a joke popped into his mind.

Hello, I am Macy, and I have been kidnapped by the DQ group...

"In fact, Guardiola had already seen the signs of the problem, but it was difficult to carry out drastic reforms. He had hoped that his successors would make the decisions he could not, but he did not expect the situation to get worse."

Gao Shen finished and gave a wry smile.

In fact, the problems Barcelona is facing now will be encountered by all teams, including the powerful Real Madrid.

It is imaginable that one day in the future, when these players get old, what will Gao Shen do?

Each of them is a beloved player who has followed him into battle for many years. But when these long-time supporters suddenly become obstacles to the team's progress, who can bear to act against them?

Besides, will the fans accept it? Will the management accept it? What if results drop significantly?

Everything will eventually come to you.

This will be a difficulty and challenge that Gao Shen has never encountered before.

But for now, this is Barcelona's problem.

Real Madrid is still in a period of rapid growth.

"From the current perspective, modern football increasingly emphasizes teamwork and minimizes reliance on individual ability, no matter who that person is, including Messi and Ronaldo."

Relying on individual players is very dangerous.

Because once that player is tightly marked and shut down, the team's fighting power drops sharply.

So what matters now is teamwork and overall coordination.

Put simply, a team is a machine, and each player is a component of this machine, forming a combined force and relying on the team system to compete.

Moreover, the team should try to operate with multiple cores, making it difficult for the opponent to carry out effective targeted defense.

Just like Gao Shen, he prefers versatile players, and this is his starting point.

The breadth of technique determines the richness of tactics.

Therefore, the tactical environment of the past that relied on personal ability to decide matches no longer exists.

But this also brings a new problem.

That is how efficiently this machine works.

Everyone knows that the more people involved and the more complicated the process, the lower the speed and efficiency.

Once it becomes system-based, the key test is not only the overall strength of the team, but more importantly, efficiency.

As long as your overall strength reaches a certain level, efficiency becomes the key factor that determines how competitive you can be on the pitch.

A crucial part of efficiency is the transition between attack and defense.

Many Catalan media criticized Gao Shen, saying his football was very similar to a defensive counterattack.

In fact, there is nothing wrong with that in itself.

Because Real Madrid has a sophisticated strategy, they are very good at quickly counterattacking after regaining possession at the moment of transition.

There are more and more teams like this, and it is a major trend. By contrast, teams like Barcelona, who slowly recycle possession after winning the ball, seriously drag down their attacking efficiency. The end result is that when they meet teams with high defensive efficiency, Barcelona can only keep circulating the ball in midfield and the back line to increase their possession rate.

"Actually, what Martino did was right." Zidane understood Gao Shen's meaning and clearly saw the current trend. "But Barcelona's current environment probably does not allow him any room."

After defeating Ajax 4-0, they still get scolded. How can this be justified?

"As Gao said, Barcelona now is very similar to our Real Madrid back then." Hierro also sighed.

Everyone nodded. It was just that Barcelona and Real Madrid were pursuing different things.

But the kidnapping effect is exactly the same.

This should be the dilemma that all teams face when they decline from prosperity.

"Now it depends on whether Rosell will support Martino. If Barcelona's management does not support the head coach, it will be difficult for Martino to stay long, and he may even be dismissed in disgrace." Zidane sighed.

Gao Shen smiled. Based on his previous life's experience, Barcelona's management would not support Martino.

"I even feel that once the pressure rises, Barcelona may directly sack Martino to appease the fans."

Firing the head coach to appease fans has become a compulsory course for European professional teams.

Because it is the lowest-cost option and a tried-and-tested method.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1096: New Situation in La Liga

The new situation in La Liga began with coaching Real Madrid.

Barcelona's issues actually have little to do with Gao Shen. They are more a topic of conversation between him and the coaching staff.

As Real Madrid's head coach, Gao Shen also carries a heavy burden.

Due to the 2014 Brazil World Cup, the European league schedule was greatly compressed, so after playing Anderlecht away, Real Madrid faced a packed run of fixtures.

In the fifth round of La Liga, they would face Getafe at home.

In the sixth round of La Liga, they would visit Elche.

In the seventh round of La Liga, they would host Atletico Madrid.

In the second round of the Champions League group stage, they would host Manchester United.

There was also the eighth round of La Liga, an away trip to Levante.

In just two weeks, 15 days, Real Madrid would play five matches in a row.

The pressure on Real Madrid during this stretch was extremely high.

Gao Shen did not have much time to care about Barcelona.

…

September 21, the 5th round of La Liga.

Barcelona visited Rayo Vallecano.

Thanks to Pedro's hat trick, Barcelona won 4-0 away.

Martino's team earned a crucial victory after being under pressure.

The pressure naturally shifted to Real Madrid.

But just one day later, Gao Shen's team beat Getafe 5-1 at home.

Ronaldo scored a brace. Pepe, Isco, and Dzeko each scored once.

With this big win, Real Madrid continued to lead the La Liga table with five straight victories.

Atletico Madrid also beat Valladolid 2-0 away.

Thus the three unbeaten La Liga teams all won again this round.

This also created a very interesting situation in La Liga.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid were tied at the top, far ahead of teams such as Villarreal and Espanyol in fourth.

But everyone believed this new situation would not last long.

Because in the 7th round, Real Madrid would face Atletico Madrid.

…

September 24, the 6th round of La Liga.

Barcelona hosted Real Sociedad.

Neymar and Messi put on a show from the start.

In the 5th minute, Sánchez assisted Neymar to open the scoring.

Just three minutes later, Neymar assisted Messi to score again.

In less than ten minutes, Barcelona were already two goals ahead.

In the end, Barcelona defeated Real Sociedad 4-1. Messi and Neymar both registered one goal and one assist, and their performances were eye-catching.

Almost identically to Barcelona, Atletico Madrid scored two quick goals. Diego Costa netted in the 18th and 24th minutes, a brace that helped Atletico beat Osasuna 2-1 at home.

Both rivals won.

Real Madrid, who played a day later, encountered Elche's tenacious resistance.

Gao Shen again made a large rotation, but the away match was not smooth. Elche's rugged defending caused Real Madrid's players a lot of trouble.

A total of 11 yellow cards.

Almost everyone at Elche was booked, yet, strangely, there was no red card.

This was not referee favoritism. Elche's players deliberately avoided those already on a booking when executing their defensive tactics, especially when committing tactical fouls.

Simply put, they took turns getting carded.

Real Madrid had no easy answer to this.

Gao Shen asked his players to target those on a yellow, but the effect was not ideal.

Especially in the second half, Real Madrid's youngsters played a bit anxiously.

It was not until the 81st minute that Real Madrid won a free kick in the attacking third.

Verratti delivered toward the back post, but the placement was not great. Pogba chased to the byline and headed back across. Ramos nodded in from close range to break the deadlock for Real Madrid.

It was the only goal of the game.

In the end, Real Madrid narrowly defeated Elche 1-0 away thanks to Ramos's goal.

…

The win at Valero Stadium allowed Real Madrid to continue leading La Liga, but the outside world questioned Real Madrid's performance.

Real Madrid did not play well against Elche.

At the review meeting the day after the Elche match, Gao Shen analyzed the team's various shortcomings in this game.

Some problems could be forgiven, because everyone at Real Madrid was under heavy pressure from consecutive fixtures.

Especially since Barcelona and Atletico Madrid had played a day earlier and both won, Real Madrid had less time and greater pressure, so every player was desperate to win.

Sometimes, that mentality is a problem.

But Gao Shen also said, "When you are a Real Madrid player, you must learn to bear this kind of pressure."

Illarramendi performed poorly in this match and was replaced by Casemiro in the second half.

With Xabi Alonso injured, Gao Shen wanted to rotate between Illarramendi and Casemiro, but it now seemed that Illarramendi was not ready yet.

Casemiro was very strong defensively, but his contribution going forward was not strong enough.

Gao Shen softened his tone and reassured the players, saying that the win was secured regardless.

"I know everyone is under a lot of pressure right now, and I can see you are all trying hard to help the team win, but I still hope you remember to be patient."

To some extent, Elche are not really a match for Real Madrid, given the huge gap in strength.

But it is precisely this gap that made Elche abandon all illusions.

Especially since they were 17th in La Liga, level on points with the teams in 18th and 19th.

Do you know how cruel La Liga is this season?

Sevilla, a team all fans are familiar with, were bottom.

In their first five games, they collected only 2 points.

However, in the sixth round, Sevilla beat Rayo Vallecano 4-1 at home, and their ranking suddenly rose to 14th, which dropped Elche into the relegation zone.

This is why Elche fought Real Madrid so hard.

In La Liga, not all teams advocate attacking and technical play.

For example, Atletico Madrid, Elche, Osasuna, and others.

Especially at critical moments, every team's players will fight tooth and nail to avoid relegation.

…

After playing Elche on the 24th, the city derby with Atletico Madrid was on the 28th.

There was a gap of three days in between.

Gao Shen and the coaching staff could only squeeze in one training session for tactical drills against Atletico Madrid.

This was thanks to it being a same-city derby.

But it was precisely this damn city rival that made Gao Shen rack his brains.

Atletico Madrid are very difficult to deal with.

Gao Shen has always felt that Simeone is very much like an Italian head coach at heart, not only because of the tactics he built at Atletico Madrid, but also because of the suffocating high press across the pitch.

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Simeone's pressing is organized and coordinated, a systematic, oppressive press. They are willing to commit numbers high up. At the same time, to win the ball, they really will do whatever it takes.

Atletico Madrid's players particularly buy into Simeone's style.

Conversely, players who do not buy into Simeone's approach will not be able to establish themselves at Atletico Madrid.

As a result, Atletico Madrid have become a team that gives everyone a headache.

Gao Shen could not find an obvious weakness.

The left side was a weak point last season, but last summer Atletico signed Siqueira and solved the issue on that flank.

Against Barcelona, Gao Shen could still choose to defend and concede possession. Against Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid could not do that, especially at the Bernabéu.

This troubled Gao Shen greatly.

So before the match, he specifically called Xabi Alonso, Modric, and Toni Kroos together.

…

If not every match, Gao Shen chats with players almost every day.

Sometimes he goes to them, sometimes he calls them over. The location could be in a restaurant, on the roadside, at the training ground, or in the office.

As long as he wants to chat, they can chat anytime, anywhere.

This is also something many people admire about Gao Shen.

There are many who can talk, but among professional head coaches, there is no one who communicates as well as he does.

Even Ancelotti, who likes to communicate with players, feels inferior to him.

Gao Shen often calls a few players together for a short meeting to study the game and listen to their ideas.

Because he has always felt that the players' feelings on the pitch are more real than the head coach's on the touchline.

Many times, the head coach sets tactics and requires players to cooperate on the pitch.

No matter how good the tactics are, what is the point if the players cannot execute them?

Therefore, Gao Shen often talks with players to hear their opinions and suggestions.

This time he called the three midfielders not because he had decided the starting lineup.

In fact, although Xabi Alonso had resumed training, it was still a bit difficult for him to play against Atletico Madrid.

Gao Shen preferred to use him against Manchester United, which was also a crucial game related to qualification from the group.

Xabi Alonso was working hard to adjust his condition, hoping to meet the match standard as soon as possible.

But Gao Shen called him over today not to ask him to play, but to hear his view.

In midfield, Xabi Alonso has rich experience and a sharp mind, and many of his suggestions are very useful.

Gao Shen brought Zidane, Carlo, and Hierro. They gathered in a small conference room. They had asked the restaurant to prepare some drinks and fruit beforehand, so it was a relaxed and pleasant exchange.

As for Atletico Madrid, Gao Shen believed the team had to be mentally prepared for a tough battle, and it would be a tough battle for 90 minutes.

Los Colchoneros are by no means easy to deal with. In both defending and tenacity, Simeone's team is top-level in today's European football.

As early as last season, Gao Shen said that Simeone's team had the level to perform well in the Champions League, they just were not in it. This season, they are.

In the first round of the group stage, Atletico Madrid beat Zenit St. Petersburg 3-1 at home, which is enough to prove that judgment.

Simeone's team has no obvious weaknesses. Against such an opponent, you can only fight hard and wear them down. There is no shortcut.

But there are still details to consider for this match.

Gao Shen had some ideas of his own, so he called the three midfielders for a short meeting, just to hear their opinions and see if they could be implemented.

If they reached a preliminary consensus, Gao Shen would call other players for another meeting, and finally hold a meeting for the entire team.

He has always conveyed his ideas to the players in this way.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1097: Real Madrid, What Do You Do?

A football match is a bit like a turn-based game.

Both sides set up on the pitch and engage in an offensive and defensive battle.

A stronger team will attack more often. A weaker team will attack less often.

But they basically do not deviate from this pattern.

You advance, I retreat. After we win the ball, I advance, you retreat. After we lose the ball, you advance again, I retreat.

These are all very regular offensive and defensive rhythms.

What people often call changes in rhythm are usually adjustments to the speed of advancing and retreating.

Everyone is used to this rhythm.

But Gao Shen wanted to change his thinking this time.

"I think there is a possibility, that is, when Atletico press forward, we will not retreat, but press forward and push them back head-on. Once Atletico retreat, we will also retreat and play to our advantage in possession."

Gao Shen's idea was really interesting.

In a local area, it is actually quite easy to do.

For example, in the Spanish Super Cup, when Real Madrid faced Barcelona, Gao Shen's requirement for Modric was to suppress Iniesta, which meant pushing Iniesta back when he tried to move forward.

In that game, Iniesta played awkwardly and was seriously out of form.

Because he was too far from the attacking third.

But now, what Gao Shen wanted was for the entire team to do this in unison.

Xabi Alonso, Modric, and Toni Kroos are all very smart players and very good thinkers, which is why Gao Shen called them over to discuss.

After listening to Gao Shen, the three fell into deep thought.

"I think this is theoretically feasible, but to achieve it, many problems must be solved."

Xabi Alonso was the first to share his thoughts.

"For example, when Atletico press forward, do they have the ball?"

"If they have the ball, Atletico will advance very quickly and attack the flanks. If we also choose to press forward, the targeted setup of the back line will be crucial. We must also consider player coordination and defensive cover."

"If they do not have the ball, Atletico will usually press high. If we press forward then, passing and support are also key, because once the ball is intercepted, the defense behind us immediately faces the risk of a counterattack."

Xabi Alonso analyzed quickly.

He is a thoughtful player, calm and wise.

After his analysis, many situations became clearer.

"Of course, the benefits are also obvious. We are not playing at the normal tempo, and Atletico will definitely not adapt. This will impact them and may even create an advantage."

"At the very least, after disrupting Atletico's rhythm and tactical deployment, we will continue to drain their energy. When Atletico's players are close to exhaustion, we will get more opportunities."

Modric and Toni Kroos nodded repeatedly after hearing this.

Both are midfielders with both attacking and defensive qualities. Both are highly valued by Gao Shen. They built a strong understanding last season and are fully aware of Gao Shen's tactical requirements, so they understand the head coach's intentions.

To put it bluntly, they want to carve a gap in Atletico's iron wall.

Against a team like Los Colchoneros, you can only fight hard and not expect shortcuts.

"I think it should be possible," Modric added.

"Atletico play a 4-4-2, with two forwards, two wingers, and two central midfielders. If our back line can step up in time, our three midfielders can press as a unit to contain their two central midfielders. I think we can cut off their connection to the wingers and the two strikers."

Toni Kroos added, "At that point, Luka and I can shift wider. Even if we cannot completely contain them, we can force them to pass backward and take away the forward lanes."

The three midfielders began discussing on the spot, speaking one after another.

They are all top players with exceptional ability. Even the youngest, Toni Kroos, has rich experience. They all know clearly what may happen in such a high-intensity match.

Through this discussion, a rough framework emerged.

The more they discussed, the more feasible it seemed.

Not only that, it also involved how to continue to control the tempo after dropping off.

Real Madrid must control the rhythm, then use the tactic of retreating when the opponent retreats and advancing when the opponent advances to contain Atletico, constantly draining their stamina.

In high-level clashes like this, both sides expend a lot of energy, but the team with the initiative will often have more advantages.

When physical energy is consumed to a certain level, many gaps and hidden dangers will naturally be exposed.

Even if they are not, Real Madrid's players have individual superiority and can create local breakthroughs.

But a problem soon arose.

If you want to do this, how do you ensure an advantage in possession?

The three midfielders immediately looked at Gao Shen.

Gao Shen looked at the three world-class midfielders in front of him, then turned to Zidane and Hierro, and could not help laughing.

"What is so difficult about that? If Atletico want the ball, let them have it. We do not care."

Everyone was stunned at first, then understood and started laughing.

Right?

Is there anything more uncomfortable than making Atletico, a team built for counterattacks, play a possession game?

I guess Simeone will be furious.

Damn, Real Madrid, what are you doing? Come and fight for the ball!

Everyone could imagine Simeone's expression.

…

After talking with the three midfielders, Gao Shen quickly organized another discussion, this time with more people.

Casemiro, Pogba, Isco, Verratti, Illarramendi, and others were all called in.

The coaching staff also presented Gao Shen's earlier ideas and the discussion with the three midfielders, inviting everyone's opinions.

Although Gao Shen had not announced it publicly, everyone could guess that, barring accidents, Casemiro should replace Xabi Alonso in the starting lineup.

In fact, Casemiro had not been planned to play in the sixth round against Elche, but Illarramendi's performance was not good, forcing Gao Shen to bring Casemiro on.

But for this match against Atletico Madrid, Xabi Alonso could not play, and Casemiro would start.

Therefore, among the midfielders, Gao Shen attached the most importance to the Brazilian's view.

Casemiro found his footing and did not overthink it. He said he was determined to carry out the task and promised to cooperate well with Toni Kroos and Modric.

After the small-group chat, Gao Shen started a team-wide discussion.

When they first heard the proposal, many were surprised, but after in-depth discussion, they felt it was feasible.

They even brought up another idea that had been tried in a preseason friendly.

If Real Madrid's two full-backs pushed high to pin Atletico's wingers, they could form a back four with Toni Kroos and Modric.

At that time, Casemiro would need to cover and fill in behind, while also protecting the two center-backs. If necessary, he could even drop into the back line to make a back three.

The defenders also offered many suggestions, some of which were indeed workable. The forwards and wide players actively contributed ideas as well.

In the end, as the discussion went on, many became more and more excited. It even felt like it was getting out of control.

Gao Shen and the coaching staff became spectators, responsible only for guiding the discussion.

Those who play for a club like Real Madrid are among the top players in world football. Their game intelligence, on-field instincts, and understanding of football are truly exceptional.

Even legendary stars like Zidane and Hierro may not have the same depth of understanding as this group, because times have changed.

Therefore, the suggestions and ideas they offered were quite valuable.

During this discussion, Gao Shen gradually impressed upon them that facing a team like Atletico Madrid would undoubtedly be very difficult, but whoever held out to the end would win.

The stronger the contest, the more Real Madrid needed to remain patient and rational.

…

"After I retired from Real Madrid, I played for many teams."

After the meeting, the players were still very interested in the discussion, and many even pulled teammates aside to talk before leaving.

Of course, some ideas were wild, but many were practical.

Whether feasible or not, this kind of discussion among players is beneficial for the next match.

Hierro watched the players leave and felt emotional.

"I have never seen a team operate like us, you know? For a second, I felt like we were not a football team."

"Not like a football team? Then what did we look like?" Gao Shen found it funny.

Hierro thought for a moment and replied, "A university."

Gao Shen's first reaction was to deny it, but after thinking it over, it seemed true.

"Maybe it is because I have never played football that I always feel the feelings and understanding of the players on the front line are important. Their discussion just now strengthened that idea," Gao Shen said with a smile.

It is well known that Gao Shen loves to talk with players.

Behind that is the fact he always puts players first.

In the past, Zidane and the others did not feel this, but thinking about it now, it may really relate to Gao Shen's background.

Having never played professionally made him pay more attention to the players.

"Everyone, go back and rest well. Recharge. We are going to fight Atletico Madrid to the end. This damn game will make you spit blood."

Gao Shen waved his hand and prepared to go home to hold his child.

"And Manchester United. I gave Ferguson tickets. If he dares to come to the Bernabéu, I will let the old man see with his own eyes how I destroy his team."

(To be continued.)