SWR: Chapter 1071/1073

Chapter 1071: We Are Crazier Than Barcelona

Standing in front of the visiting bench at the Bernabéu, Pepe Mel was a little bewildered.

Tonight's game was completely beyond his expectations.

Many people do not know that Pepe Mel, who started his career as a professional player, actually came through Real Madrid's youth academy, Castilla.

But like most Castilla graduates, he never made it into Real Madrid's first team.

At 24, he left Castilla and joined the lower-league club Castellón. Two years later, he moved to Real Betis, where he played for four years.

What is less known is that Pepe Mel once had a very good teammate at Castilla, a man named Juancho Maqueda.

Does that name sound familiar?

That is right, he was the assistant coach when Gao Shen first took charge of Real Madrid.

The unlucky guy who was always pushed out to take the blame in front of the media.

But fate works in strange ways.

Later, when Gao Shen went to Napoli, Maqueda wanted to follow him, but Gao Shen rejected him. After moving through a few clubs, however, as Gao Shen's reputation grew, Maqueda's stock rose with it.

Who is he?

Gao Shen's very first assistant coach, his earliest right-hand man.

Could not find a footing in La Liga?

No problem. If Spain would not welcome him, he would go elsewhere.

Now he was working in the Middle East, doing well in places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia. He spoke often in the media and never failed to bring up his time with Gao Shen.

The more famous Gao Shen became, the more Maqueda benefitted, and the more comfortable his life grew.

Privately, Pepe Mel had heard Maqueda gush over Gao Shen countless times.

Like a dog wagging its tail at a goddess, utterly shameless.

Hearing it so often, Pepe Mel developed a rebellious mentality. On top of that, after years of coaching, every time he returned to the Bernabéu, he left with a heavy defeat. It made him deeply uncomfortable.

Each time, he wanted to prove himself at the Bernabéu.

He did not ask for much. He just wanted the fans to remember that he had once been part of Real Madrid.

That once upon a time, Castilla had produced someone like him.

So he always prepared carefully.

Tonight was no exception.

With plenty of time to get ready for this league opener, he had put in careful planning.

He knew Real Madrid's midfield was strong, so he set up with a 4-2-3-1, packing five players into midfield to suppress them.

But who would have thought that less than a minute after kickoff, his side conceded?

And before three minutes had passed, another goal went in.

How could they play after that?

It was completely beyond anything he had prepared for.

Real Madrid, attacking so fiercely, not leaving even a sliver of life for the opponent.

Pepe Mel stood on the sidelines, watching with frustration.

After conceding two goals so quickly, Betis pulled back to defend deep, barely managing to steady themselves. But Madrid's dominance remained overwhelming.

Gradually, Pepe Mel began to notice something unusual in Gao Shen's lineup tonight.

At kickoff, Isco lined up as the right winger, but throughout the game, he never stayed wide.

He drifted into the half-spaces and into central areas.

Pogba, Casemiro, and Verratti were like three central midfielders, with Pogba and Verratti pushing forward and Casemiro staying deeper, ready to drop into the backline when needed.

Madrid's full-backs pushed high, operating more like wingers.

Ronaldo and Dzeko moved actively, pulling wide or coming central to form a strike partnership.

The space between the two forwards and the midfield trio was Isco's territory.

But that was not the key point.

What made it truly difficult was that whenever Madrid pressed forward and built possession high up, forming a block in Betis' half, Pogba, Isco, and Verratti would directly face Betis' two holding midfielders.

Three against two. Madrid had a clear advantage.

Their sharp passing and movement in tight spaces caused endless problems for Betis.

The first goal came from a long pass. The second was born in a crowded defense, with Pogba stopping, turning, shaking off his man, and slipping the ball to Marcos Alonso.

Betis had no answer.

By the time Pepe Mel reacted, instructing his players to tighten up on Pogba and Verratti, Isco sprang to life.

The Spaniard was everywhere, especially on the ball.

He may not be tall, but his footwork was sharp, and he always drove forward when receiving. It gave Betis' defenders headaches.

With Ronaldo a constant free-kick threat, Betis did not dare to concede fouls outside the area, which further restricted their options when defending Isco.

From the 16th minute, Isco became increasingly dangerous.

First, a cross from the left edge of the box was blocked, the rebound falling for Pogba, whose shot flew just wide.

Two minutes later, Verratti threaded a pass, Isco burst into the area and squared it. Dzeko's touch forced Peques into an own goal, but the referee flagged Dzeko offside.

In the 21st minute, Pogba combined with Isco, who drove forward before being tripped by a desperate defender. Madrid won a free kick in a prime spot.

Ronaldo stepped up, but his effort skimmed just wide.

On the sidelines, Pepe Mel was frantic. He shouted at his players to stay compact, urging them to reorganize, while constantly adjusting Betis' attacks.

But Madrid's momentum was rolling.

With a two-goal cushion, they played with confidence and freedom.

Against such a fierce home attack, Betis looked like a crumbling wooden hut in a storm. Every hole sprung a new leak.

In the 22nd minute, Madrid were still camped in the final third.

Pogba, Verratti, and Isco combined. Isco carried the ball a few steps left at the top of the box, then slipped it behind Betis' defensive line into the left channel.

Marcos Alonso surged forward, let the ball bounce once, then whipped a low left-footed cross.

Ronaldo at the near post missed it, but Dzeko slid in at the far post and bundled it into the net.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

"3-0!"

"Dzeko!!"

The Bernabéu erupted once again.

Pepe Mel shook his head on the touchline.

He truly had no answers.

Looking at Gao Shen across the pitch, he could not understand how this young coach had devised such a tactical scheme.

And the scary part was that Madrid's players executed it perfectly.

Just over 20 minutes gone, and Betis were already down 0-3. How could they keep playing?

All they could do was survive.

…

Three goals down, Betis pulled back further, retreating into damage control.

But Madrid were in full flow.

Especially the Bernabéu faithful, who cheered wildly and drove their team forward.

When the lineups were announced, many thought Gao Shen was rotating heavily to save energy for the Super Cup. They expected Madrid to struggle.

But who could have imagined they would be so rampant, playing even more fiercely and beautifully than expected?

This was exactly the kind of attacking football Bernabéu fans craved.

With slick midfield combinations, sharp passing and movement, and a killer blow at the right moment.

Barely three minutes after Dzeko's goal, Madrid again tore apart Betis' defense.

Outside the box, Verratti, Pogba, and Marcos Alonso linked up with three sharp passes, switching play from the right channel to the left. Marcos Alonso then slid it into Isco.

The Spaniard popped up at the left edge of the area. He received, and instantly threaded a diagonal ball in behind.

Ronaldo darted between the full-back and center-back, controlled with his right foot, and without pause, fired left-footed.

The ball slipped through the keeper's arms and into the bottom right corner.

4-0.

A hat trick.

Ronaldo was so delighted he did not even bother running to the sidelines. He simply roared in the penalty area.

At the Camp Nou, Barcelona had won 7-0, but Messi only scored once.

Now, Ronaldo already had three goals. A hat trick in the league opener. What could be more thrilling?

…

With four goals on the board, Madrid kept pressing and created more chances.

In the 42nd minute, Isco appeared on the right, received a pass, and threaded Dzeko through. The Bosnian finished calmly, making it 5-0.

At the start of the second half, Madrid's fireworks continued.

From deep, Marcos Alonso sent a long pass toward Dzeko. The striker held off his man, turned, and laid it to the left channel.

Pogba burst forward, collected it at the edge of the box, but with defenders closing, he cut back, shielded, and rolled it sideways.

Ronaldo raced in, met it first time with his right foot, and drilled it inside the right post.

6-0.

A fourth goal.

The Portuguese celebrated wildly.

Gao Shen quickly substituted him, bringing on Morata.

But just four minutes later, Madrid struck again. After a neat sequence in midfield, Isco laid it back, Pogba clipped it over, and Marcos Alonso crossed from the left.

Dzeko could not reach at the near post, but Morata tapped in at the back post.

7-0.

The Bernabéu exploded.

Barcelona's 7-0? Impressive?

We can do it too.

We can do even better.

The fans roared Madrid on, urging them to push further.

Madrid relaxed into their rhythm, missing a few good chances, but in the 84th minute, Verratti slipped a pass in behind. Jesé timed his run perfectly, stayed onside, and scored.

8-0.

The Bernabéu went into a frenzy.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1072: Goal Shootout

Dzeko sat in the home dressing room at the Bernabéu, his ears filled with the heavy breathing of his teammates.

Even after a big win, the players were exhausted.

This was Dzeko's first La Liga match, but it was nothing like he imagined.

Before he arrived in Spain, many people told him that La Liga values technique and attack over physical duels, and that it is the paradise all attacking players dream of.

After just one game, Dzeko wanted to tell them to go to hell.

Who said La Liga does not like physical confrontation?

Real Betis' two center-backs not only relish physical duels, they are full of little tricks.

Unlike the straightforward clashes in the Premier League, they like to get dirty. It forces attackers to stay alert at all times. The moment you switch off, you get a harsh lesson.

Paradise for attackers... yeah, right.

No defender in La Liga is easy to deal with. They will use every possible method to defend.

Dzeko did not feel this match was any easier than the Premier League.

And this was only Real Betis.

If they face a real powerhouse like Atlético Madrid or Barcelona, how draining will it be?

Before joining Real Madrid, Dzeko had watched a lot of their matches from last season. At the time he felt nothing special and thought whatever Benzema could do, he could do too.

After playing one match, he realized that was not the case.

Even so, Dzeko was ecstatic to have scored twice on his debut.

That is a great start, right?

Looking around at his teammates, excitement was written on every face.

They had won the opener 8-0. Could there be a better start?

If Dzeko had to sum up his La Liga debut, aside from being tired, he would use just two words, very comfortable.

It felt really comfortable playing for Real Madrid.

Tired and comfortable seem like opposites, but they are not.

His body was tired, but his mind felt at ease.

Head coach Gao Shen spent the entire summer camp getting to know the three new signings and tailoring tactics to help them integrate.

For Dzeko, Gao Shen did not simply plant him up front. He allowed him to drift wide or drop off as he saw fit.

Not to mention the teammates, all of them were so strong. It was completely different from his time at Tottenham Hotspur. Many combinations he could not execute there came off naturally at Real Madrid.

Everyone's quality pulled Dzeko's level up too.

And the team's tactics were very sensible.

Just like Cristiano Ronaldo.

He is the biggest star and the face of Real Madrid. Everyone knows he is targeting the FIFA Ballon d'Or this season, and he is working for it.

Even so, he was not selfish. He defended when he should, dropped back when he should, and pushed on when he should.

In the match, Gao Shen assigned the two of them to press in turns and rest in turns.

But Dzeko thought that since he was new, he should work even harder. Plus, people always said Ronaldo was arrogant and played on his own, so he figured he should take more on himself.

As a result, the two almost overlapped their pressing.

On the way back, Ronaldo told him he did not need any special consideration. He should just do his own job.

After that, every time Dzeko finished a pressing sequence and it was Ronaldo's turn, Ronaldo carried it out without compromise.

This reminded Dzeko of what Gao Shen told him before the match.

"At Real Madrid, you do not have to overthink. Just do your job well."

That really was all that was needed.

And Paul Pogba.

Dzeko turned to look at the gifted midfielder who cost Real Madrid 60 million euros this summer.

He had heard of Pogba back in the Premier League. From when Gao Shen recruited him to Leeds United to his breakout last season, Dzeko knew him well.

But after arriving at Real Madrid and playing tonight, Dzeko realized some of his impressions were wrong.

He is really strong.

More importantly, he is so young.

Before, Dzeko, like many others, worried that a 60 million euro fee would weigh on Pogba and hurt his performances.

Now he suddenly felt that the potential and talent Pogba showed might be worth more than 60 million.

But it was Isco who was named Man of the Match.

From this Spanish prodigy, Dzeko confirmed something again.

A player only realizes his maximum potential within a tactical framework that suits him.

Isco did not perform well last season, even worse than Kaká.

But this season, he has really changed.

Marcos Alonso had also improved. He was very dangerous down the left, even more so than Nacho on the right, though the two had different strengths. Nacho was quick, Marcos Alonso excelled in passing and technique.

Then there was Casemiro. This young Brazilian midfielder was no ordinary player. He was tough defensively, and his touch and passing were excellent. Many times, Real Madrid's backline was just him, Varane, and Ramos, yet Betis still could not break through.

Thinking of this, Dzeko leaned back, raised his head to the dressing-room ceiling, and let out a long breath.

He felt fortunate he had worked hard all summer, fortunate he had given everything and taken his two chances. Otherwise, how embarrassed would he be now?

Just as Dzeko quietly exhaled in relief, the dressing-room door opened.

Everyone looked over to see Gao Shen walking in with Zidane, Carlo, and the others.

He was smiling, clearly in a good mood.

Dzeko did not know how to describe it, but he felt Gao Shen had a strong aura. He did not need gestures or words, nor any ceremony. He only needed to be present.

For example, right now, just by pushing the door open, he gave off a special feeling.

As if he was born to rule this dressing room, and everyone should follow him.

Dzeko did not even know why he thought that.

He had worked with many head coaches, including famous ones like Redknapp, but none had given him that feeling. Gao Shen did.

As soon as he came in, he walked forward, stood there, smiled, and clapped twice.

"You did a great job tonight."

Hearing that, Dzeko felt a spark light inside him, as if he had gained great recognition. A sense of accomplishment surged up and he could not help but cheer loudly.

The others were the same.

This must be the charisma of a leader.

…

After praising the players in the dressing room, especially the new signings and Isco, Marcos Alonso, and Casemiro, Gao Shen headed to the Bernabéu press room at the urging of club staff.

On the way, he met many people.

Everyone greeted him, congratulated him, and praised the team's performance.

Gao Shen smiled and waved, then went in once he arrived.

The media applauded warmly.

Before the game, everyone thought Barcelona's 7-0 would put heavy pressure on Real Madrid.

Nobody expected Real Madrid to answer with an 8-0 at home.

Were these two super teams planning to compete in a goal-scoring contest?

Gao Shen said he had no interest in such media speculation.

"I have always been a very pragmatic pragmatist. My first priority is winning."

Reporters could only smile wryly.

Without that 8-0, they might have believed it.

Regarding the game, Gao Shen rattled off many names, which was rare. It showed he was in a very good mood, especially with his emphasis on Isco, the Man of the Match.

Gao Shen said Isco had not yet reached his best form.

"I do not think this is his best yet. I believe he can do even better."

"Pogba too."

Speaking of the young midfielder who cost 60 million euros, Gao Shen said he had never doubted him.

Later, when a reporter brought up Neymar's comments after Barcelona's 7-0 win over Levante, where Neymar claimed he had received an invitation from Real Madrid but chose a champion team, Gao Shen denied it.

"I do not know if Real Madrid contacted Neymar's camp before. I was not the head coach then, so I cannot speak to that. But since I became head coach, I can tell you responsibly that we have never tried to bring in Neymar."

His words caused a stir.

He spoke with such confidence because it was true.

Though it was only part of the truth.

The reason they did not try was not that they did not want him, but that Neymar had already reached an agreement with Barcelona.

Now Gao Shen made it sound like he did not want Neymar.

Why not?

"Because we have a group of outstanding young players. Isco and Pogba tonight, and Morata and Jesé who scored off the bench, and Vázquez."

"I want to say we have a very good group of youngsters. We do not need Neymar. I can even say responsibly that it would be difficult for Neymar to find a place at Real Madrid."

Yes, difficult.

Because Real Madrid have Cristiano Ronaldo on the left wing.

As for the champion team claim, Gao Shen said Real Madrid won two trophies last season, one of them the Champions League.

"This season, we will win every trophy, and then we will see who the real champion team is."

That was a declaration of war against Barcelona.

Because next, Real Madrid would face Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup.

The first leg would be at the Bernabéu.

Gao Shen was determined to win.

He wanted to pour cold water on Martino and Barcelona.

They could not be allowed to keep winning like this.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1073: The Strongest Real Madrid Is Here

Real Madrid are incredible.

In the first match of the new season, Real Madrid defeated Real Betis 8-0 at the Bernabéu, a perfect start. This greatly boosted the team's morale and sent the fans into a frenzy.

AS published a commentary immediately after the game, saying this was not only a feast of goals, but also magnificent attacking football, the kind of artistic football Real Madrid fans dream of.

Looking back at Real Madrid's eight goals, they were all brilliantly taken, many of them the result of exquisite team play.

"Even thinking back on it after the game, it is still amazing."

AS said that Gao Shen's team played an astonishing attacking style that their opponents could only envy.

"They are trying to develop an attacking method that organically integrates the individual abilities of the players into the team's overall tactics."

This is a football philosophy unlike the past, different from Barcelona, and even different from the Spanish national team.

Gao Shen's team overwhelmed Real Betis with a suffocating, torrential attack.

"After the game, Betis coach Pepe Mel said that Real Madrid showed superb football from outer space."

The 8-0 victory allowed Real Madrid to overtake Barcelona after the first round and go top of La Liga. This was the first time since Gao Shen took charge.

Last season, Real Madrid were always chasing Barcelona. This time, Real Madrid led after the opening round.

"Barcelona only spent two hours at the top before being replaced by Real Madrid."

According to AS, both Real Madrid and Barcelona clearly understand the importance of the start of the new season.

The two Spanish Super Cup matches will stage a clásico that will have an immeasurable impact on the start for both sides, especially considering that Martino has just arrived.

If Barcelona were to lose to Real Madrid and Gao Shen in the Super Cup right after La Liga kicked off, it would be hard to accept for Martino, who has been winning consistently and riding a wave of momentum since the summer.

"You know, last season, Real Madrid completed a four-game sweep of Barcelona."

"This is a great humiliation for the champions, so Barcelona still have a very important task this season, which is to beat Real Madrid in the clásico."

To that end, after owning top stars such as Messi, Sánchez, Agüero, Pedro, and Fàbregas, Barcelona went on to sign Neymar for a sky-high fee and built an astonishing attacking lineup.

"The most important task for Martino and his team right now is to get out of the Bernabéu unscathed, but it will not be easy."

AS analyzed Gao Shen's post-match comments and believed he had been preparing early for the Super Cup and the match against Barcelona.

"Gao Shen has always said he is the coach in the world who is most familiar with, and best at, playing against Barcelona."

"That is certainly true, because his record against them is astounding."

"Barcelona are determined to reverse their embarrassing record against Gao Shen. From Rijkaard to Guardiola to Vilanova, Barcelona never managed to escape Gao Shen's shadow. Now all their hopes are pinned on Martino."

"The battle at the Bernabéu three days from now is destined to be not only the first leg of the Super Cup, but also a battle for a trophy."

…

If AS focused more on the big picture, then Marca focused more on individual Real Madrid players.

For example, Isco was selected as Man of the Match.

This Spanish player has dazzled since his debut, but has also stirred controversy.

Those who like him praise his technique, while those who do not say he holds onto the ball too long.

This controversy reached a new level after he joined Real Madrid last season.

But Gao Shen has always protected Isco. No matter how he performed, Gao Shen's stance on him was very clear.

Under team pressure and after disappointing attempts out wide, Isco did not get many chances last season. Even Kaká performed better than Isco.

But this summer, Isco worked extra hard and showed the right attitude in training, which earned him a start in the first round of the new season.

"In this match, Gao Shen only started three key players from last season, Courtois, Ramos, and Ronaldo. The rest, including Marcos Alonso, Nacho, Varane, Casemiro, and Isco, were all rotation or bench players last season."

"Not to mention the two new arrivals, Dzeko and Pogba."

Even with such heavy rotation, Real Madrid still won 8-0 at home, which surprised everyone.

Marca analyzed that Betis' tactical choices certainly played a part.

"Pepe Mel wanted to prove that his team could conquer the Bernabéu."

In the end, Real Betis suffered a humiliating defeat.

But the most important factor was Real Madrid's excellent overall performance.

"Isco being named Man of the Match speaks for itself. New signing Pogba's performance was no less impressive, especially in the first two goals where he played a crucial role."

"He proved his worth at the Bernabéu."

"And Dzeko, with a brace, received the best possible recognition. He has shaken off his slump at Tottenham Hotspur and rekindled the killer instinct he showed at Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga."

"Young players like Verratti, Marcos Alonso, Nacho, Casemiro, Varane, Morata, and Jesé were all outstanding. Real Madrid quietly assembled a group of impressive young talents."

Marca believes this group will definitely become valuable assets for Real Madrid.

"In fact, we all underestimated what Gao Shen did for Real Madrid last season."

"I still remember the summer of 2012, when Gao Shen had just taken over. He concluded that Real Madrid would be a team with great potential. At the time, no one expected that what he intended was to promote a group of young Real Madrid players."

Back then, everyone thought he said that to buy time to integrate the squad.

"It was not until the second half of the season that we were surprised to see these young players starting to establish themselves. They got more opportunities and continued to improve. We were all surprised."

"But this summer, on that night against Real Betis, we were shocked to discover that these Real Madrid players are now ready to stand on their own and take on the responsibility of being starters."

"We used to envy Barcelona because they had a group of outstanding youngsters playing beautiful attacking football. Now it is Barcelona's turn to envy us."

Marca believes that the epic win over Real Betis is more than just three points for Real Madrid.

"It is more like a declaration."

"It is telling all opponents and all fans that the strongest Real Madrid is here."

…

When Real Madrid thrashed Betis and overtook Barcelona to top the table, the Catalan media turned sour.

The scoreline was the same, but Barcelona scored one fewer goal than Real Madrid. Still, if the media want to find an angle to mock, they will.

For example, Daily Sports claimed that the reason Barcelona scored one fewer than Real Madrid was because Barcelona saved energy in the second half. Barcelona led 6-0 at halftime and clearly eased off after the break.

"If Barcelona had gone all out, they could have scored more in the second half."

But Daily Sports did not mention that Real Madrid only fielded three mainstays, while the rest were young rotation and bench players. In contrast, Barcelona used all their key starters.

Martino put in a lot to ensure a perfect debut at Camp Nou.

That is the Barcelona media. Sticking to the fine tradition of not telling the whole story, they harshly criticized Real Madrid.

Finally, Daily Sports even argued that, judging from the game, Barcelona performed better than Real Madrid, especially in attacking sequences, where Barcelona were smoother.

The interplay among Neymar, Messi, Agüero, Sánchez, and others was described as art.

"This is the most fantastic Barcelona ever."

Daily Sports also quoted Martino after the game, saying that Barcelona's attack has been honed and formed, and as the players gain more understanding, their offensive firepower will only grow.

"The biggest problem right now is the third forward."

"Who will form a front three with Messi and Neymar? This will be Martino's first problem."

But Daily Sports concluded that this was a happy headache, because whether it was Sánchez, Agüero, or Fàbregas, they all performed well under Martino.

Barcelona's mouthpiece even claimed that Martino is like a combination of Guardiola and Vilanova, inheriting the strengths of the previous two head coaches while addressing Barcelona's weaknesses.

"This gives us every reason to expect Martino and his team to bring unexpected surprises at the Bernabéu."

Not only Daily Sports, but Mundo Deportivo also gave high praise to Martino's Barcelona after the big win, while glossing over Real Madrid's victory and even nitpicking.

This is normal and consistent with the Barcelona media's stance toward Real Madrid.

Conversely, the Real Madrid media treat Barcelona the same way.

It is a propaganda war between two camps, fanning the emotions of both sets of fans, warming up for the upcoming battle at the Bernabéu, and building momentum for their respective teams.

Meanwhile, as the media and fans argued, Gao Shen, the central figure, focused on preparations at Valdebebas.

At Barcelona's Ciutat Gamper, Martino was also busy studying how to deal with Gao Shen.

(To be continued.)