SWR: Chapter 1077/1081

Chapter 1077: Blind Spot

The away dressing room at the Bernabéu.

When Martino, Roura, Rubi and the others walked in with Fàbregas, Barcelona's starting eleven looked up and realized a substitution was coming.

Agüero, the one most likely affected, was the first whose expression changed.

Fàbregas can play in midfield and attack, but he operates mostly through the middle.

The midfield iron triangle is the core Barcelona do not touch, and among the front three, Neymar is the rising star and Messi is the ace, neither of whom will be moved. That leaves Agüero.

What is more, Fàbregas has often played as a false nine.

Hardened by the Premier League, Fàbregas is not afraid of physical duels. More importantly, his passing and combination play are excellent.

By comparison, while Agüero can receive with his back to goal and is stronger in finishing and direct attacking, he is not as good as Fàbregas at linking left, right, and the midfield.

Sure enough, Roura signaled for Agüero to hit the showers.

Barcelona had to adjust for the second half.

After Agüero left, Martino asked for the tactics board and began to analyze the first half.

A 0-2 scoreline is bad, but it is not time to despair.

Martino believed one important reason for the two goals conceded was the lack of threat in Barcelona's attack.

Football is dynamic. When Barcelona's offense is not threatening enough, Real Madrid settle their shape and naturally commit more to counterattacks. Then conceding becomes inevitable.

From any angle, Barcelona must solve their attacking problem quickly.

But Martino still did not intend to change parts of the first-half approach, such as the medium and long passing.

It is an effective way to change the tempo, and Barcelona have many excellent passers.

What Martino wanted was to reconnect the team.

Neymar is new and has strong individual ability, but his chemistry with the team is not there yet. Martino clearly instructed him to stay on the left and keep creating danger.

At the same time, he asked the entire midfield and front line to feed Neymar as much as possible to create more one-on-ones with Carvajal. He believed Neymar could take Carvajal.

"If Real Madrid come to double you on this side..."

Martino drew a large circle on the tactics board outside the left of Real Madrid's penalty area.

"Neymar, try to switch it to the other side and Alves will meet you there."

This was a targeted adjustment based on the first-half pattern.

Everyone nodded.

Neymar's individual quality is beyond doubt, and he can create chances one-on-one against Carvajal.

"Cesc."

After placing Fàbregas's marker, Martino turned and pointed at him.

"When you go on, you can engage Real Madrid's two center-backs more directly, but I have a special role for you."

As he spoke, Martino pulled Fàbregas's marker back and set it in the space between Ramos and Xabi Alonso.

The message was clear. He wanted Fàbregas to find opportunities between Real Madrid's left center-back and holding midfielder.

"Your dropping off will draw Ramos's attention, and then Messi can cut diagonally into the space you create, or run in behind Ramos. The two of you will cross positions."

Not only the players, but Roura, Rubi and the rest were impressed.

Martino's success in South America was not without substance.

This might look unusual, but it made a lot of sense.

The positional interchange between Fàbregas and Messi could maximize Messi's threat. At the same time, Fàbregas's dropping off would effectively support Xavi and Iniesta.

Fàbregas's final pass is a real weapon.

At that point, Real Madrid's defenders would have a headache.

If they track him, gaps appear. If they do not, once Fàbregas gets time to receive and play, the combination among him, Messi, and Neymar could cut Real Madrid open.

Roura and Rubi exchanged glances, both filled with admiration.

Martino had clearly worked this out during the game from what he saw. It was no small thing and very imaginative.

Many people do not realize that head coaches, like players, need imagination.

If Barcelona could really create a threat through Messi and Fàbregas, they would definitely draw Real Madrid's defensive attention. Then the pressure on Neymar's side would ease, and chances would come.

"Alright, everyone, believe me, we are not done yet."

"In the second half, we must pull one back, even level it, then return to Camp Nou to avenge our previous defeat."

Martino finished with a passionate rally.

Barcelona's players were encouraged, and their confidence returned.

…

In his previous life, Gao Shen met all kinds of people, and gradually he summed up some experience.

People have different personalities, which lead to different behaviors.

Some are very aggressive, always trying to break through their ceiling. Some are extremely conservative, always careful to avoid pitfalls and sticking to the rules.

Of course, in life, these two extremes are not common. Most people fall somewhere in between.

Take buying a house as an example.

Gao Shen once had a colleague who missed the best time to buy for various reasons. When prices were at their peak and he had little money, he maxed out loans and borrowed everything he could to buy a small three-bedroom in a core area with a good school district.

Later, when prices dropped due to the mask issue, he accepted it.

In his words, he was willing to take the loss. More importantly, he wanted the school spot and had no intention of selling.

Gao Shen also had a friend who held his cash for more than ten years, waiting to buy. He went from the core area to the riverside, from riverside to the new district, then from the new district to the suburbs.

He watched as the money that could have bought a home in the core area shrank to the point he could not even afford one in the suburbs.

Almost every time he would lament that if he had another chance, he would never be so cautious.

But every time an opportunity came, he still hesitated, afraid of buying high and losing. He always nitpicked and never found one that felt right.

Gao Shen is different from both.

He is neither aggressive nor conservative.

Once he had saved enough for a down payment, he started looking. He did plenty of homework, including studying prices and rents in popular communities and their occupancy rates. He concluded prices would rise.

So he acted decisively and bought across the river near the core area when there were no new builds in the core.

Prices did surge afterward, but Gao Shen never believed they would keep rising.

Nothing in this world is absolute.

This is what a measured character looks like.

When acting, he prepares as much as possible, assesses the situation, and seizes the opportunity. He is neither greedy for quick success nor timid.

Specifically, in the second half of the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona at the Bernabéu, after taking a 2-0 lead into halftime, Gao Shen synthesized information from all sides, especially the input from his staff, and guessed that Martino would attack in the second half.

He had prepared well for it.

But he did not expect Martino to replace Agüero with Fàbregas and change the team's approach.

In the 51st minute, Barcelona launched another long pass.

This time Xavi hit a long ball directly to the right side of the final third for Messi.

Messi controlled it, cut inside, slipped it to the overlapping Alves and ran toward the middle, with Marcelo tracking him closely.

When Messi received the return from Alves, Xabi Alonso also arrived, but Messi threaded his way past Real Madrid's defenders and returned it to Alves.

Alves then swept a long diagonal, finding Neymar on the far side.

The Brazilian chested it down, immediately cut inside under close pressure from Carvajal, and accelerated the attack.

While cutting in, Neymar quickly slipped a pass into the area.

Fàbregas took it with his back to Pepe and quickly laid it back to the right edge of the box.

At that moment, Messi burst onto it, took Fàbregas's layoff inside, and struck first time with his left foot.

The ball arced into the top left corner of Real Madrid's goal.

Blind spot.

Iker stretched desperately, but he had no chance.

1-2.

Barcelona pulled one back.

The entire Bernabéu gasped.

This attacking sequence from Barcelona was excellent and quite different from before, with more long passes.

This was also part of Martino's change.

It was clear the Argentine was trying to transform Barcelona.

Gao Shen stood on the touchline. After seeing Barcelona score, he immediately made a change.

In the 55th minute, Gao Shen replaced Carvajal with Arbeloa.

It was a move to strengthen the right side defensively.

Carvajal defends well, but he is still a bit raw and at a disadvantage against Neymar.

Arbeloa's defending works against all kinds of opponents. Even Messi struggles to get joy out of him.

…

After the substitution, Gao Shen made a series of tactical tweaks and Real Madrid gradually steadied themselves.

Barcelona's attack began to fade.

But Gao Shen also had a contingency.

Especially after Real Madrid stabilized, Barcelona's issues began to show.

Modric had been suppressing Iniesta throughout. Iniesta had avoided him early on, but in the second half he started to take him on.

In the 58th minute, when Iniesta tried to dribble through, Di María and Modric double-teamed him.

Iniesta lost balance as Di María closed while he was dribbling, and Modric cleanly poked the ball away.

Iniesta went down, but the referee did not blow.

Modric burst forward, reached the ball before Busquets, and was about to launch a counter in the final third.

At the critical moment, Busquets committed a tactical foul.

The referee blew decisively.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1078: Go Brothers

Gao Shen has always felt that elegance and decency are based on strength.

Whether in past lives or this one, Barcelona have always been a very strong presence.

From Dream Team II to Dream Team III to now, Barcelona have been famous for their passing-and-control attacking style. With superstars like Ronaldinho and Messi, and great strength, they can naturally play elegantly and decently.

Facing such a Barcelona, the one getting the red card has always been the opponent.

But at this moment at the Bernabéu, when the referee's whistle sounded, Gao Shen felt like he was hearing the sound of heaven.

He cheered and shouted toward the referee and Busquets on the pitch, "Tactical foul!"

The Real Madrid fans across the Bernabéu reacted, booing wildly and shouting for a red card.

The Barcelona players realized the danger and immediately surrounded the referee.

Busquets, however, looked stunned.

It was then that he suddenly remembered he had received a yellow card in the first half.

"You will get booked for surrounding the referee!" Gao Shen shouted.

Argentina speaks Spanish, so Martino naturally understood what Gao Shen was yelling.

Turning to look at the home coach, who was gloating, Martino almost spat blood in anger.

Damn it, are you watching a show?

But Martino was anxious too.

Of course he knew that surrounding the referee could bring a booking, but if he did not stop the referee, it would be a red card.

The Argentine was also caught in a bind now.

On one hand, he feared the referee would book other players. On the other, he did not want the referee to book Busquets.

Damn it.

Gao Shen covered his mouth with his hands, turned around and burst out laughing.

Zidane, Carlo, Hierro and the others all found it funny. Were they really that happy?

"Why do I feel like you are more excited than scoring a goal?" Carlo was puzzled.

Gao Shen casually took a bottle of water, took a sip, and smiled. "This is different. This is Barcelona's red card."

After a pause, Gao Shen explained, "I have only seen Barcelona hand out red cards to others. When have I seen Barcelona embarrassed enough to take a red card themselves?"

It is true, it is rare.

Because Barcelona's passing-and-control style has such a clear on-field advantage, teams facing them basically focus on defending, which naturally makes them prone to fouls and cards. Red cards are not uncommon.

For example, was the feud between Barcelona and Chelsea not the result of accumulated red cards?

Later, when Mourinho coached Real Madrid, the red-card feud with Barcelona continued.

It is rare to see a match like tonight, leading on the scoreboard and forcing Barcelona into a tactical foul.

"Just wait and see, I will tear off Barcelona's last fig leaf tonight!" Gao Shen said confidently.

…

Faced with pressure from Barcelona's players, the referee issued a clear warning and threatened bookings, which made the Barcelona players back off a little.

He then walked straight over, waved at Busquets, and showed the yellow card.

Since Busquets had already been booked in the first half, the referee immediately showed the red and sent him off.

The entire Bernabéu erupted.

It was not even sixty minutes, with more than half an hour left, and he was sent off.

The thought alone was exciting.

But what made the Real Madrid players even more excited was seeing head coach Gao Shen walk to the touchline as Busquets left, call Xabi Alonso over and give some instructions.

He then waved differently to the players on the pitch.

From his expression, there was no need to guess. He was telling them to attack.

Attack hard.

Go ahead, brothers.

This further ignited the enthusiasm of the Real Madrid fans.

More than 70,000 Real Madrid supporters were roaring for the team.

That also made the players on the pitch even more motivated.

…

Play restarted.

After Real Madrid took a quick free kick, they used the numerical advantage to launch a fierce attack, pinning Barcelona back.

The player sent off occupied the No. 4 role for Barcelona, which is a vital hub in their tactics.

Real Madrid's quick free kick did not produce a direct chance, but Barcelona had problems when they won the ball.

Only Xavi and Iniesta remained in midfield.

Iniesta dropped into the No. 4 role to receive, but was immediately trapped between Benzema and Modric.

There was no clear passing option nearby, and Modric intercepted directly.

After winning it, Modric quickly slipped the ball into the left channel, in behind Alves.

Ronaldo had already started his sprint. Piqué was deepest and did not play him offside.

The Portuguese controlled Modric's pass inside the box and accelerated.

Real Madrid had formed a three-on-three in the final third, but Alves was slightly behind Ronaldo, so Piqué had to slide across to help, while Puyol tracked the trailing Benzema, who had just reached the top of the box.

On the right side of the penalty spot, the unmarked Di María had already raised his hand for the ball.

Ronaldo saw him.

The Portuguese clipped a diagonal with his left foot. It skimmed past Piqué and dropped to the right side of the six-yard box.

Di María arrived and calmly pushed it into the net.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

"3-1!!!"

"Real Madrid score again!"

"Di María!"

The Argentine winger charged to the sideline, made a heart with his hands, and celebrated non-stop.

His teammates chased after him one by one.

The entire Bernabéu was roaring.

…

When Gao Shen saw Di María score, he jumped with excitement, but quickly calmed down, went back to the touchline and shouted to the celebrating players.

He signaled them to get back quickly, keep attacking, and try to score more.

What is this called?

As the saying goes, it is better to use the remaining courage to pursue the enemy than to seek fame by imitating the tyrant.

Now was the best time to press the advantage and crush Barcelona with overwhelming force. If not now, when?

The Real Madrid players were encouraged by the head coach. After returning and restarting, they kept pushing forward, creating overwhelming pressure on Barcelona.

Martino responded quickly.

His first choice was to pull Fàbregas back into midfield to restore a three-man unit, leaving only Neymar and Messi up front. But the effect was clearly not ideal.

With a man down, and Real Madrid's physical power well known, when the home side pressed Barcelona crazily, they had no answers and were forced into a deep block.

That made the Real Madrid fans even more excited.

When have you ever seen a team suppress Barcelona like this?

Not only did they concede, they lost a man. The state of the match was so dominant, it was just too exciting.

The fans cheered louder, and the players found even more energy.

In the 60th minute, seeing Real Madrid continuously pressing and creating danger, Martino realized the risk. He immediately substituted, replacing Neymar with Alexandre Song.

The Brazilian's performance was fine, but given the overall situation, he was powerless to turn the tide.

With Song on, Barcelona shifted to a 4-3-2, with Fàbregas and Messi up top, but their midfield had completely lost its advantage.

Especially after Gao Shen adjusted, pushing both Marcelo and Carvajal high, actively opening up the wide attacks to break Barcelona's flank defending, Barcelona became even more passive.

In the 71st minute, Ronaldo drove into the left side of the box and was tripped by Piqué, but the referee did not blow.

From the slow-motion replay, it was clearly a foul and should have been a penalty.

But perhaps because Piqué was also on a yellow, the referee let it go.

In the 74th minute, Real Madrid built another wave of pressure in Barcelona's third.

Ronaldo and Di María combined on the right. After a quick one-two, Di María crossed from the byline, but Puyol blocked it in front of the six-yard box.

Real Madrid kept the ball.

Modric settled it and rolled it to Toni Kroos, who played forward to the dropping Benzema.

The French striker retreated to the D. Kroos's pass arrived to his left, and Benzema understood, leaning into Alexandre Song, cushioning with his left foot, and spinning sharply.

The touch and turn were one seamless action, leaving the defender no time to react.

By the time Benzema turned, Song, Puyol and others realized the danger and rushed at him, but the Frenchman had already unleashed a fierce right-footed shot.

The ball flew like a cannonball, arrowing into the right side of the goal.

The strike came out of nowhere. Benzema's control and turn were so quick that goalkeeper Valdés was caught cold. He thought Benzema would take a touch back.

When Benzema suddenly struck, Valdés dived across, but it was too late.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

"4-1!!!"

"Benzema!"

"Real Madrid score again!"

"After sustained pressure, we finally have another goal."

"Benzema's long-range effort from the edge of the box beats Barcelona again."

"Alexandre Song did not track Benzema in time, allowing the Frenchman to control, turn, and shoot."

"Barcelona's defending really has problems."

"But we also have to recognize how sharp Real Madrid's attack is."

"Gao Shen on the touchline is preparing a substitution."

"It looks like an attacking change. This is to keep piling on the offense."

"With a man advantage, Gao Shen wants to make the most of this chance and secure as big a win as possible."

"Of course, 4-1 is already an excellent result."

"We are deeply impressed by Real Madrid's performance tonight, while Barcelona suffer a complete defeat at the Bernabéu."

"Perhaps now, for Barcelona, the hope is simply to avoid conceding more, or at least concede fewer."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1079: The Game of the Coward

When the referee blew for full time, Gao Shen raised his hands high above his head.

The Bernabéu was filled with deafening cheers from the fans.

On the pitch, Real Madrid's players gathered in small groups, celebrating the victory.

4-1.

But that was not the main point.

In the final twenty minutes, even after Real Madrid made a series of substitutions, they still kept the intensity high and applied relentless attacking pressure on Barcelona, especially the young substitutes, who worked extremely hard.

For example, Illarramendi.

Gao Shen brought him on to replace Modric, partnering Xabi Alonso and Toni Kroos in midfield, allowing him to learn the styles of these two predecessors up close.

At the same time, Gao Shen gave Illarramendi more freedom to step up and press.

It was valuable experience, and there was not much pressure.

In the closing stages, Real Madrid used their numerical advantage to pin Barcelona back severely.

Valdés, Piqué, and Puyol became Barcelona's busiest players, especially Valdés, who was making saves almost constantly.

Fortunately for Barcelona, Valdés did not commit any fatal errors and performed bravely, otherwise the score would not have stopped at 4-1.

Even so, 4-1 was enough for Real Madrid to have one hand on the Super Cup.

…

At the whistle, Gao Shen immediately walked toward the away dugout.

Martino had seen him coming and stood waiting.

"Congratulations, Gao," Martino said graciously.

"Thank you." Gao Shen shook hands with Martino, then with Roura, Rubi, and the others who came over.

Having coached Real Madrid twice, Gao Shen has exceptional prestige in Spanish football.

Even as opponents, Barcelona's coaches had to acknowledge his status.

He is the first in Champions League history.

More importantly, he keeps breaking new ground.

"Honestly, you did great. Keep going. This road is not easy." After shaking hands, Gao Shen chatted briefly with Martino on the touchline and offered encouragement.

Martino certainly knew what Gao Shen meant.

Gao Shen understood exactly what he was trying to do.

"Someone has to do it, right?" Martino managed a wry smile.

He did not come to Barcelona to hide. He wanted to make his name in Europe, at least to the level of Pellegrini, to gain a foothold.

Coaching in the top European leagues is the real money job. The salary in South America is much lower than in Europe's top leagues, and the fame here is greater.

Who does not want both fame and fortune?

"This is the right path," Gao Shen encouraged.

They were opponents, but once the match ended, talking off the pitch was another matter.

Besides, Gao Shen did not think Martino would change anything based on his words.

"Thanks."

"Do not thank me yet." Gao Shen changed tone. "We are rivals. I will not be polite later."

With that, he waved and left.

Martino expected as much.

Seeing Barcelona in this state, it would be surprising if Real Madrid's coach did not throw a few stones.

What is more, there is still the second leg at Camp Nou, and La Liga is about to begin.

…

Back in the dressing room, Gao Shen gave the players high praise before heading to the Bernabéu press room.

By then, all the reporters were already waiting.

Three days earlier, in the same stadium, they had welcomed Gao Shen with warm applause.

Tonight was the same.

Beating Barcelona 4-1 at home was an astonishing victory.

As usual, Gao Shen was generous in praising his outstanding players and confident about the team's chances of winning the Spanish Super Cup. But when it came to Barcelona, his tone sharpened.

"Barcelona's football philosophy is becoming increasingly conservative. They are turning football into a game for cowards."

Gao Shen's undisguised broadside shocked the room, then quickly thrilled the press.

Was this not exactly what they wanted?

Gao Shen said, "Possession is only a means, a means to attack, not an end."

"But from my personal experience over the past two years, Barcelona have treated possession as the ultimate goal."

"I can understand their logic. If they keep the ball and stop the opponent from touching it, then the game is safe."

This was indeed Barcelona's philosophy, once praised worldwide.

"But they forget one thing. Everything has limits. Once you exceed a threshold, returns drop sharply, or you become hostage to it, just like Barcelona now, keeping the ball for the sake of keeping it. That is not normal."

Gao Shen criticized Barcelona's football, believing their players had become risk-averse, recycling safe passes endlessly.

"I know what Barcelona want. With the ball, they try to lure the opponent up to create space. But how is that possible? The ball is at your feet, you are the ones initiating the attack, and you want the defense to create space for you?"

"Why not remove the goalkeeper and let you shoot as you please? Would that not be better?"

Gao Shen argued that Barcelona's logic about possession, while accusing opponents of conservatism, was distorted.

"Keep the ball to attack and score."

As for this match specifically, Gao Shen believed Martino had done something brave, starting to change Barcelona's play, bringing more long passes from midfield and the back, which he viewed positively.

"Tonight, Barcelona had 54 percent possession, which was influenced by the red card."

"Of course, you cannot deny the red card. Being a man down affected their possession. Normally it should be around 60 percent. I think that is a reasonable figure."

But the media immediately pointed out that while Barcelona's possession looked reasonable, their defense had frequent problems.

"That is a different issue. It has nothing to do with possession, and everything to do with the defensive system. But Barcelona also scored a wonderful goal. I think it is the best goal they have scored since I returned to La Liga over a year ago."

Catalan outlets believed Gao Shen was trying to interfere with Barcelona's decision-making and waging psychological warfare for the second leg.

"You can think that, but I am speaking from the heart. I sincerely hope Barcelona are stronger. That gives me and my team greater motivation."

The room erupted.

What is dominance?

This is dominance.

When most coaches hope their opponents are weak to make winning easier, Gao Shen says the opposite. He wants Barcelona to be strong, to push Real Madrid further.

Whether or not he meant every word, the attitude alone drew applause.

…

The Spanish media split sharply over Gao Shen's remarks.

Pro-Real Madrid outlets lavished praise, believing Gao Shen showed the spirit of a strong man. They also noted his philosophy aligns with Real Madrid's temperament, namely beautiful attacking football.

Alfredo, the editor-in-chief of AS, wrote that Gao Shen can beat Barcelona on the pitch and in public opinion, because he represents the most advanced football in the world today.

Speaking specifically about the 4-1 at the Bernabéu, Alfredo argued that Real Madrid not only won the first leg impressively, but also shattered Barcelona's confidence.

Especially Busquets's red card.

Alfredo listed Real Madrid's poor performances against Barcelona over recent years, including many bookings and dismissals.

Now, the situation has completely flipped.

It was Barcelona who received the red.

Times have changed.

Alfredo said Barcelona used to be stronger, but now Real Madrid are better.

He concluded that this powerful Real Madrid will create their own La Liga dynasty, perhaps even more glorious than Barcelona's Dream Team.

By contrast, the pro-Barcelona Catalan media blasted Gao Shen, saying he took advantage of Barcelona's misfortune after victory, unworthy of a famous coach.

Daily Sports rebutted Gao Shen point by point, insisting Barcelona's problems are in their lineup.

"In fact, if Fàbregas had come on earlier, the game would never have turned out like this."

Barcelona's mouthpiece argued that the crushing defeat was man-made rather than a matter of strength.

Martino trusted his compatriot too much, which cost Agüero his edge in the first half.

"Since joining Barcelona from Atlético Madrid, Agüero has never truly integrated into the team. By contrast, Fàbregas, a La Masia product, was more adept and had better chemistry with Messi, Xavi, and others after coming on."

Daily Sports said the heavy loss at the Bernabéu proves little. Busquets's red was a personal mistake. At the same time, the referee's favoritism toward the home side and excessive decisions were key factors.

"The team's real problem lies with coach Martino. He should tailor tactics to Barcelona's actual situation and conditions."

They produced Barcelona's passing data, especially long passes, showing a poor success rate, which led to many of Real Madrid's attacks starting from Barcelona's passing errors.

That suggests that if Barcelona's pass completion rises, will Real Madrid still be able to counter?

If so, why abandon Barcelona's traditional passing-control style and choose a riskier, less reliable long ball approach?

It is also obvious that many in the squad are not comfortable with it, including Xavi, Busquets, and even Messi.

Daily Sports directly targeted the new coach Martino, saying he lacks familiarity with Barcelona and understanding of Europe's top leagues, which led him to misjudge such a key match.

"He should be held responsible for this fiasco."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1080: Mr. 60 Million and the World Wave

In the second round of La Liga, Real Madrid traveled to face Granada.

The game had just passed three minutes...

"Granada's quick counter pushed them to the edge of Real Madrid's penalty area."

"Pogba tracked back, and Casemiro made the steal."

"Played to Pogba."

"Real Madrid break quickly, Pogba carrying it forward."

"Marcos Alonso comes across and they play a neat one-two."

"It is Pogba again on the ball, driving to the edge of the box and slipping it to the left side of the area."

"Isco brings it down, drags it back, feints, chops inside..."

"A lovely burst into the box and a right-footed strike."

"The ball is in."

"Real Madrid score."

"Inside three minutes, Isco dribbled in from the left and unleashed a sudden right-footed shot. It arrowed into the bottom left corner, right in the blind spot, through the narrow gap between goalkeeper Roberto and the left post."

"1-0."

"A great move down the left from Real Madrid, Pogba with the pass and Isco with a fine finish."

…

Ten minutes...

"Verratti spreads it to the left."

"Marcos Alonso controls, plays into Pogba, who slips it forward to Isco."

"Isco receives outside the left corner of the box and plays a straight ball across the six-yard line."

"Džeko arrives and stabs it low with his left..."

"The ball is in."

"Real Madrid have scored twice in ten minutes, 2-0."

"Džeko shows his killer instinct again."

"Real Madrid's start has been very lively, especially down the left."

"The combination of Pogba, Marcos Alonso, and Isco is very clever."

"Especially Isco's through ball and Džeko's sharp run."

"Granada's center-backs cannot cope with Džeko's front-post attack."

…

Twenty-three minutes...

"Ramos launches a long pass to the right side of the final third."

"Jesé chests it down and carries inside, drawing defenders in."

"Arbeloa is overlapping quickly on the right."

"Jesé slips it to the byline and Arbeloa crosses."

"Džeko attacks it, but it is blocked before it leaves the box."

"Jesé swings through it on the rebound."

"The ball is in again."

"3-0."

"Real Madrid now lead Granada 3-0."

"A goal for the young Jesé."

"In the first half, Real Madrid's attack has been relentless, giving Granada no time to breathe."

"Real Madrid's possession in the first 24 minutes is 76 percent, a remarkable number. They have 8 shots, averaging one every three minutes, with five on target, which is very efficient."

"Of course, Granada's approach plays a part. At home, they have not sat back with a strict defensive plan, but tried to attack and break Real Madrid down."

"Granada have had two shots, but neither has troubled Courtois."

…

Forty-four minutes...

"Granada attack down the right at Real Madrid's left."

"The first half is almost over, let us see this move from the hosts."

"They try to play it in, but Casemiro blocks and it pops up."

"Marcos Alonso heads clear, but not far."

"Casemiro battles on, shielding and laying it back to Pogba."

"Pogba chases forward, gets there before the defender, feeds Isco, then cuts inside himself."

"Isco clips a cross, Pogba drives on and arrives at the edge of the box."

"Džeko peels away, let us see how Real Madrid combine here."

"Pogba whips a left-footed cross behind him, Jesé arrives with pace and heads it home."

"The ball is in."

"A brace."

"Jesé."

"The young Real Madrid forward scores twice."

"He should thank Pogba. The delivery was perfect. Jesé only had to direct the header and it went in."

"That is Pogba's value, a €60 million midfielder."

…

In the 56th minute of the second half...

"Real Madrid attack again. Arbeloa advances on the right and finds Jesé."

"No angle, so it goes back to Verratti."

"Switches to the left, played to Marcos Alonso."

"Forward to Isco, trying the clip into the area for Džeko."

"The defender heads it away, but it drops outside the box. Pogba takes a touch, sets it, and lets fly from range."

"Pogba, a world wave."

"5-0."

"My word, that was from thirty meters. Pogba blasted it straight in, another sudden world wave, smashing Granada's net."

"Real Madrid's €60 million man has been fully justified by Gao Shen."

"That is two straight games with standout performances from Pogba."

...

While Barcelona labored to a 1-0 win over Málaga at La Rosaleda, Real Madrid thrashed Granada 6-0 away.

After Pogba's world wave, Varane pounced in the chaos from a corner to score another.

Real Madrid beat Granada 6-0 away.

On one side, Barcelona eked out a hard-fought win. On the other, Real Madrid delivered a perfect victory. The two teams have shown very different trends since the start of the season.

Especially Real Madrid. This season, the club's highly rated young players have produced stunning performances in two consecutive games, leaving a deep impression on everyone.

In particular, the newly signed €60 million man Paul Pogba has scored and assisted a string of wonderful goals, and has also shown his orchestration and planning in midfield, astonishing not only Spain but the whole of Europe.

Even many media and fans who had questioned Pogba's fee now admit the €60 million looks worth it.

At the post-match press conference, Granada's Spanish coach Alcaraz did not hide his admiration, calling Pogba Real Madrid's most dangerous player.

"I just cannot believe he is only twenty."

"He looks like a mature, composed, world-class midfielder, and I have no doubt he has the potential to start for Real Madrid."

In fact, Pogba has completed ninety minutes in both of Real Madrid's opening league matches.

He even won man of the match in his second La Liga game, beating Jesé, who scored twice.

Gao Shen was not surprised, and even felt Pogba had not yet hit his best level.

"I have no doubt about what he has done so far, but I think he can be better in all areas."

Gao Shen said the two straight league wins were normal.

Whether it is Real Betis or Granada, they are clearly not sides who can truly threaten Real Madrid.

Although big wins are pleasing, what Gao Shen cares about most now is the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup at Camp Nou.

"It would be a wonderful experience to beat Barcelona at Camp Nou and lift the trophy."

Gao Shen's words further stung Barcelona.

Catalan outlets in particular went at Gao Shen furiously, claiming he showed a lack of respect.

Barcelona fans even threatened to punish Gao Shen at Camp Nou.

But many outlets revealed that Barcelona's players had suggested Martino adopt tactics more familiar to the team to face Real Madrid.

"Barcelona's players believe that if they want a comeback at Camp Nou, they need to rediscover the football they know best."

"Especially with Busquets suspended."

Yellow cards in the Copa del Rey and La Liga can carry over, but red cards are different.

Therefore, Busquets's red in the first leg ruled him out of the second.

This would be a huge blow to Barcelona.

And Gao Shen did take note.

In the match, Martino flipped his first-leg plan and adopted a more Barcelona-style approach, controlling the ball and attacking with a trident of Neymar, Fàbregas, and Messi.

But Gao Shen also saw the pattern. Since Barcelona wanted to dominate the ball, Real Madrid deliberately ceded possession, tightened the three defensive lines, and further compressed the trident's space.

As a result, the positional rotations between Fàbregas and Messi that Martino had devised in the first leg became ineffective.

Real Madrid defended solidly and waited for chances to counter.

In the 34th minute, Real Madrid stole the ball outside their own area and broke quickly.

Ronaldo carried it down the left and slipped it into the box.

Benzema received under pressure from Piqué on the left of the area, but could not turn to threaten. He was forced to protect it, then laid it back to Di María at the right of the D.

Di María, sprinting up, controlled it, found no angle, and rolled it sideways.

At that moment, Toni Kroos arrived from deep, met Di María's pass, set himself, and hit it.

The ball flew like a cannon, skimming the turf into the bottom right corner of Barcelona's goal at great speed.

Valdés was stationed left and had no chance against the sudden long shot.

The top of the D in front of the box is where Busquets usually sits.

But against Real Madrid's quick break, Alexandre Song had dropped too deep.

After that, no matter how much Barcelona kept the ball, Real Madrid stayed compact and repeatedly launched dangerous counters.

Although Barcelona had possession, they struggled to enter Real Madrid's box, and they failed to threaten.

In the end, they watched Real Madrid win 1-0 at Camp Nou.

With an aggregate 5-1, Real Madrid beat Barcelona to win the Spanish Super Cup.

When the final whistle blew, Camp Nou rang with boos.

That did not dampen Real Madrid's joy as they lifted the Super Cup.

The louder the boos, the more vigorously Real Madrid celebrated.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1081: I Want to Complain About You, Florentino

After celebrating the championship at Camp Nou, Real Madrid returned to Madrid from Barcelona overnight.

The team had no time to stay because they would soon travel to Prague, Czech Republic, to participate in the European Super Cup against Chelsea, coached by Mourinho.

Gao Shen and Ronaldo would first go to Monaco to attend the UEFA awards ceremony and the Champions League group stage draw, then head to Prague to meet up with the team.

This arrangement was troublesome.

In the past, the European Super Cup had been held at the Stade Louis II in Monaco for more than ten years. But this year, the venue was changed to Prague, Czech Republic, which created new inconveniences for Gao Shen and others.

Originally, Gao Shen thought Ronaldo was basically guaranteed to win the Player of the Year award. He could just go alone to give UEFA face. But UEFA negotiated with Real Madrid, and both Platini and Infantino personally called Gao Shen.

Since he had skipped the ceremony several times before, this time he was told he had to attend no matter what.

If you win the Champions League, they will give you the Coach of the Year award. It would be inappropriate not to show up.

Florentino also called Gao Shen and persuaded him to go.

In the end, he had no choice but to agree.

The morning after the team returned from Barcelona, after recovery training, a simple ceremony was held at the Bernabéu Stadium to place the Spanish Super Cup trophy in Real Madrid's museum.

This was actually a very ceremonial moment.

Speaking of the Real Madrid museum, there was something interesting.

In the history of Real Madrid, the Champions League has always been regarded as the most important trophy. This could be seen from Real Madrid's five consecutive wins in the early years. Therefore, in the trophy display room of the Real Madrid museum, the La Liga trophies could only serve as a backdrop to the Champions League.

The true protagonist in the core position was always the Champions League trophy.

But when Florentino placed the newly won Copa del Rey trophy in a corner, Real Madrid executives, senior managers, players, and the invited media and fans all applauded enthusiastically.

Florentino then gave a speech, thanking Gao Shen, all the coaches, players, and staff for their efforts on behalf of Real Madrid.

All routine.

But then, Florentino invited Gao Shen over to say a few words.

This had not been planned beforehand. It was purely an improvisation.

Gao Shen glanced at Butragueño from the Public Relations Department in surprise, but the Vulture looked innocent, clearly unaware as well.

But who was Gao Shen?

How could he not see that this was a prank by Florentino, Butragueño, and others?

Improvisation?

Who couldn't do that?

Gao Shen immediately walked up to Florentino with a smile, grabbing the president of Real Madrid who was about to leave. Just as Florentino was stunned, Gao Shen spoke.

"Since the media and fans are here, I must raise a very serious issue. I want to lodge a complaint against our Real Madrid president, Mr. Florentino Pérez."

Everyone was stunned.

Florentino and Butragueño were also dumbfounded.

Florentino was the first to react. Thinking Gao Shen had been tricked and was angry, he quickly turned back with a smile and tried to smooth things over. His expression seemed to say: We can argue in private, but in public we must stay united.

Butragueño also stepped forward immediately.

Everyone felt nervous and began to sweat.

But Gao Shen turned to face Florentino, looked at him seriously, and asked, "Our trophy display room is too small. Why don't you plan to expand it?"

Everyone froze.

Was this really a complaint?

Against Florentino?

Florentino was left speechless.

He had just played a prank on Gao Shen, and now Gao Shen was getting his revenge.

"Yes, yes, yes. I accept the criticism and will correct it immediately. Our showroom is indeed too small. There is no space left for trophies."

Everyone burst out laughing.

The two bosses were sparring like gods, but they should at least think about the feelings of the others.

The media reporters almost cursed aloud. This was so Versailles.

The trophy room was already massive. Was it really not enough?

Well…

Some reporters looked around. It did seem a little crowded, especially in the main display area. Eleven Champions League trophies, plus all the league championships. If Gao Shen really did as he promised and won all the titles this season, there truly might not be enough space.

Florentino immediately stood beside Gao Shen, facing the media confidently, and said that management would begin working on an expansion plan as soon as they returned. The museum's trophy room had to be enlarged.

Was this really about the trophy room?

No, it was about Real Madrid's ambition.

Gao Shen laughed and added, "Then we'll have to move quickly. Our team wins trophies very fast."

At that moment, many people present felt that Gao Shen and Florentino, standing before the long row of Real Madrid trophies, looked perfectly in sync. Many reporters took photos on the spot.

These photos would be on the front page the next morning.

…

After the event, Gao Shen stayed at the Bernabéu to attend a meeting with Florentino and others.

The transfer market was about to close. If Real Madrid needed anyone, it was not too late to act.

But Gao Shen said he did not want any new players except Alaba.

He was simply too fond of Alaba.

"In fact, our current squad is very strong. After last season's training and development, the young players have matured well. Several new signings have also performed excellently. I believe we can achieve great things this season." Gao Shen was full of confidence.

Florentino and the others also shared his optimism.

Since there were no major needs in the transfer market, they shifted their focus to the upcoming Champions League group stage draw.

Thanks to last season's triumph, Real Madrid was now in Pot 2, while Barcelona and Atletico Madrid were in Pot 1.

If Real Madrid was lucky, they could draw Porto and Benfica. If unlucky, they might face Premier League sides or Bayern.

Teams like Benfica and Atletico Madrid had accumulated enough coefficient points through Europa League performances.

Pot 2 was now filled with top sides, including Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, AC Milan, Juventus, and Manchester City. All were strong teams from Europe's top leagues.

Pot 3, however, was tricky. Dortmund and Leverkusen were both in this pot.

Once in Pot 2, theoretically, there was no chance of being drawn into a group of death like last season.

For example, in Pot 4, the strongest side was Real Sociedad from La Liga.

But they had lost Illarramendi, and their overall strength had declined compared to last season.

Other teams like Anderlecht, Copenhagen, and Viktoria Plzen posed little real threat.

Therefore, Gao Shen was actually more worried about Pot 3.

"I absolutely don't believe we'll get Dortmund again this year."

Gao Shen was not afraid of Dortmund. He just did not want to face them, because they were always difficult to deal with.

But he refused to believe they could be drawn together so many times in a row.

"If it happens again, I'll confront Platini right there on the spot to see if he really wants to kill me."

Gao Shen clearly intended to act like a rogue.

Florentino and the others burst out laughing.

Not to mention, Gao Shen now had the status and prestige to act like one.

With his current reputation, if he truly clashed with UEFA, Platini would have a major headache.

In fact, from UEFA's perspective, they did not care who won the title.

The Champions League was a place of fame and fortune. Clubs invested heavily, and if UEFA caused trouble, would the club owners tolerate it?

Platini was not untouchable. Many club owners had more influence and stronger connections. If provoked, Platini would be in serious trouble.

For example, Beckenbauer at Bayern Munich or Florentino at Real Madrid.

Not to mention the powerful backers behind Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

On the contrary, owners like Abramovich of Chelsea, who seemed like outsiders barging in, were actually very well-behaved.

Besides, if UEFA wanted to target a team, they did not need something as transparent as the draw. They could simply arrange for a referee to take charge.

Why had Juventus benefited from favorable refereeing?

If UEFA really did that, who would know?

Even if something happened, they could just blame the referee and wash their hands of responsibility.

"If nothing unexpected happens, Ronaldo will win Player of the Year. Our PR department should begin preparations to support him." Florentino looked at Butragueño and gave instructions.

The Vulture nodded in agreement.

This was not just about media hype or inviting celebrities to show support. It also meant contacting media organizations and national teams with voting rights to secure as many votes as possible.

At the very least, they could not allow rivals to steal votes.

Whether it was the current FIFA Ballon d'Or, or the former Ballon d'Or and World Player of the Year, the awards were always determined by voting. There was always room for campaigning.

This was why in Gao Shen's previous life, Inter Milan's Sneijder and Bayern's Ribéry could not compete with Messi and Ronaldo.

Even after Ronaldo left Real Madrid, the club concentrated its resources to promote Modric, who had shined at the World Cup, and pushed him to the throne.

Real Madrid had extensive experience in managing the Ballon d'Or and World Player of the Year.

This was also a major attraction for many professional players who aspired to the highest honors.

At the same time, winning more awards also reinforced Real Madrid's influence and brand.

To a large extent, the dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona in European football was built on years of such accumulation.

Even the current Premier League giants, and even Bayern, found it difficult to compete with Real Madrid in this regard.

(To be continued.)