SWR: Chapter 1069/1070

Chapter 1069: Dream Start

On the evening of August 18th.

As it approached 9 p.m., the Bernabéu Stadium in the heart of Madrid was brightly lit and bustling with people.

More than 70,000 Real Madrid fans poured into the stadium, filling every stand.

This was Real Madrid's first game of the season, and it was at home.

When referee Jesús Gil Manzano walked out of the tunnel with his officiating team and the players from both sides, the fans inside the stadium erupted in deafening cheers, as if they could shake down the roof of the Bernabéu.

The roar surged like a tide, sweeping through every corner of the stadium and rattling everyone's eardrums.

The atmosphere grew even crazier, more passionate.

…

"Dear viewers, welcome to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Tonight, we bring you the fifth game of the opening round of the new La Liga season. Real Madrid will host Real Betis."

"So far, four matches have been completed. In three of them, the home side claimed victory. Yesterday afternoon, Real Sociedad defeated Getafe 2-0, and last night Valencia beat Málaga 1-0 at the Mestalla."

"In another key game that just ended, Barcelona thrashed Levante 7-0."

"Barcelona's new head coach Martino has led the team to a string of emphatic wins since taking charge. At the Camp Nou, they stormed past their opponents with seven goals, unleashing a ferocious attacking display."

"Now, with Real Madrid set to host Betis, the pressure is mounting."

"Gao Shen's team missed out on the league title last season. Just yesterday, at the pre-match press conference, Gao Shen confidently declared that Real Madrid's goal this season is to win the treble."

"If the treble is the target, then Real Madrid cannot afford slip-ups in La Liga."

"But Barcelona's huge win earlier today has undoubtedly added more pressure on Madrid."

"Amidst the thunderous cheers of the fans, both teams are now taking the field."

"We can see Real Madrid's starting XI."

"In goal is Courtois, who was the first-choice keeper in La Liga last season."

"Gao Shen has two world-class goalkeepers. Courtois plays in the league, and Iker Casillas in the cup competitions. The roles are clearly divided."

"In defense, there have been changes. Marcos Alonso, Ramos, Varane, and Nacho make up the back four."

"It's a bit surprising to see three key players missing: Marcelo, Carvajal, and Pepe."

"It's obvious that Gao Shen has an eye on the Spanish Super Cup in three days' time, where Real Madrid will face Barcelona here at the Bernabéu."

"Midfield is also interesting, with Pogba, Casemiro, and Verratti."

"Among them, Paul Pogba is the young star Real Madrid signed for 60 million euros from Leeds United this summer. Gao Shen values him highly. Alongside him are Verratti and Casemiro, two of Gao Shen's trusted players. These three young midfielders are starting in the season opener."

"Brave use of youngsters has always been Gao Shen's style."

"Up front, Ronaldo is joined by Dzeko through the middle and Isco on the right."

"I have to say, this is also a surprising decision."

"It's no shock to see Ronaldo start, and it makes sense that Dzeko replaces Benzema. But Isco on the right is unexpected, given his previous struggles in that position last season."

"Especially since Real Madrid have other options for that role, such as Di María, Jesé, Morata, and Vázquez."

"Gao Shen's choice of Isco here is puzzling."

"From this lineup, Real Madrid may be shifting away from a simple 4-3-3, giving major responsibility to young players. The question is, can they deliver under Gao Shen's trust?"

…

After both teams lined up, Gao Shen walked out of the home tunnel.

The stands erupted with wild screams.

Countless fans shouted his name. At first it was scattered, but soon it became organized, until the entire Bernabéu was chanting for him.

Gao Shen, dressed once again in a sharp Kiton suit, waved and smiled to the fans before walking toward the visiting bench.

Betis head coach Pepe Mel, a bald, stocky man with a warm smile, was waiting.

"Welcome to the Bernabéu!" Gao Shen greeted.

"Thank you, Gao!"

After a handshake and a hug, Gao Shen shook hands with the rest of the Betis staff, then returned to Pepe Mel. "Let's hope for a wonderful match tonight. Good luck to you."

"And to you!"

Their exchange was shown live on the big screen, and the fans roared even louder.

…

"If this goes on, I'm starting to wonder if he'll run for the presidency of Real Madrid."

Florentino Pérez, seated in King Juan Carlos' box, chuckled as he watched the scene unfold.

Juan Carlos laughed heartily. "I don't even dare to see him now, in case he wants to challenge me for the throne."

The box burst into laughter.

Years ago, Juan Carlos had joked about giving up his throne for Gao Shen's sake in a Real Madrid match, and that story spread worldwide. Even the King himself would poke fun at it from time to time.

He had once told the media that the throne no longer belonged to him, that he was only keeping it for Gao Shen.

Of course, some believed he was simply riding Gao Shen's popularity.

"To be honest, tonight's match carries a lot of pressure," Juan Carlos said, calming his laughter.

Just two hours earlier, Barcelona demolished Levante 7-0 at the Camp Nou, with all four of their forwards finding the net.

Messi scored once, Neymar twice, while Sánchez and substitute Agüero added one each.

"With Barcelona winning so big, and Gao Shen making such heavy rotations, are you confident?" Juan Carlos asked with concern.

Florentino smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Gao Shen never goes into a battle unprepared."

Juan Carlos nodded. "If he really wins the treble this season, I'd gladly give him the throne."

Laughter filled the box once more.

Your Majesty, hadn't you already given it up?

Are you planning to reclaim it just to make another joke?

On the pitch, both teams had taken their positions.

From the box, it was clear that Real Madrid lined up in a 4-3-3, with Isco indeed stationed on the right wing.

This was surprising.

Isco lacked pace and explosiveness on the flank. Why would Gao Shen choose him there?

The match began with Betis striker Molina kicking off.

Amid cheers from the stands, Real Madrid's attacking trio surged quickly into Betis' half.

The game was underway.

…

Betis, after kicking off, didn't retreat far. Instead, they attempted a long ball toward the left, aiming for Real Madrid's right side and looking for Cedric.

Varane charged forward decisively, winning the header and clearing.

But the ball crossed the halfway line and was headed back into Madrid's half by a Betis player. Moreno collected it on the right, laid it off to Verdú, but Casemiro pressed aggressively and won possession.

As soon as Casemiro recovered the ball, three Betis players swarmed him, forcing him to pass backwards.

He played it to Pepe, who returned it to Courtois.

The goalkeeper controlled the ball near his six-yard box, raised his hand, and signaled his teammates to stay calm.

On the sidelines, Gao Shen remained composed.

He had already said all he needed to before the match. Now, it was up to the players.

Courtois played it short to Ramos. The captain carried it forward to the left, but Molina shadowed him closely.

Ramos abruptly turned, switching direction to the right, yet the Betis striker stuck with him.

Pepe and Casemiro were both tightly marked, leaving Ramos with few options.

Just then, Pogba dropped deep, raising his hand for the ball.

Ramos immediately passed to him.

Betis defenders pressed, but Pogba, shielding with his back to goal, quickly laid it off to Marcos Alonso on the left, then spun forward with a shout.

Alonso returned the pass first-time, perfectly into Pogba's path, completing a neat one-two on the flank.

Pogba then slid it into Ronaldo.

The Portuguese star dropped back, held it up, and played it back to Alonso, who sent it on to Pogba again. Pogba dragged it with his right foot, shifted sideways, adjusted his body, and launched a long pass.

It was well-placed, though the arc was a little high and the pace slightly slow.

Nacho sprinted down the right flank, meeting Pogba's ball with a header into his own stride. Accelerating at full tilt, he reached the right edge of Betis' penalty area.

Coincidentally, Betis' left-back, also named Nacho, was their captain. But unlike Madrid's Nacho, who was from the capital, Betis' Nacho hailed from Málaga.

Still, Madrid's Nacho was clearly faster. After controlling Pogba's pass, he used his pace to break to the byline and whipped in a low cross with his right foot.

The ball flew at high speed toward the near post. Dzeko made a sharp run, rising between the two Betis center-backs to flick a header on.

The deflection carried the ball toward the far post.

Ronaldo, bursting in at full speed, met it with a direct strike.

His shot flew low to the left.

Goalkeeper Andersen dived desperately, but he was too late. The ball hit the net.

"!!!!!!"

"54 seconds!"

"Just 54 seconds into the game, Real Madrid strike first against Betis!"

"This is truly a dream start!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1070: This Guy Is Really A Genius

Gao Shen was on the touchline. When he saw Ronaldo score right at the start, he immediately clapped hard and shouted his praise for the Portuguese. He turned and hugged Carlo, Zidane, and the others who rushed out to celebrate.

At this moment, the entire Bernabéu had turned into a sea of celebration.

In the first match of the new season, a goal after just over fifty seconds. Could there be a better start than this?

"His long passes are still a bit raw," Gao Shen said to Zidane with a critical look.

When it comes to refining technique, Zidane is a true expert.

Take shooting technique for example, even Ronaldo has to admit it.

The two had competed in free kicks before. Although Zidane used a little guile so the Portuguese would not be too embarrassed, Zidane's free-kick ability was still very impressive.

"The arc is a bit high and there are still issues with the contact. I will go through it with him in detail later," Zidane said with a smile.

A good long pass needs three qualities, speed, accuracy, and stability.

That is what you get from Toni Kroos and Xabi Alonso. Receiving their long passes feels effortless.

If Pogba's long pass just now had been quicker, Dzeko would have scored.

Who scores is not the main issue. What matters is that if you can remove an extra action, the success rate goes up significantly.

In a scoring move, one extra step often means one extra risk.

"This kid is such a gem," Carlo said without hesitation.

Who would disagree?

Pogba is the kind of player whose talent is obvious at first glance.

He has excellent physical attributes and is very secure on the ball, which is very different from Yaya Touré.

What Yaya Touré does best is attacking, especially driving forward through the middle. That is when he is most dangerous. When he bursts to the edge of the box, he is often at his most threatening.

He is good at both passing and shooting.

But Pogba is different. His straight-line impact is actually slightly inferior to Yaya Touré, but his ability to slow down to receive, to dribble, control, and pass is far superior. That is Pogba's biggest advantage.

Both players have certain problems. For example, they are both tall and powerful, which makes it hard for them to cover the entire pitch like smaller players such as Kanté and Modrić.

Neither is a natural holding midfielder, and neither has been trained strictly as a defensive specialist, so playing them as a defensive midfielder, especially as a lone pivot, would be fatal.

Gao Shen had always felt in his previous life that Manchester United spent a fortune to buy Pogba from Juventus, only to put him at defensive midfield. That was absolutely a waste of his talent.

Pogba is at his most dangerous in the final third, so we should reduce his defensive tracking and allow him to press higher. The aim when progressing the ball is to maximize Pogba's strengths when receiving.

The best example is how Gao Shen used Zidane when he first coached Real Madrid.

Zidane and Pogba are very similar in this respect. Both are very strong in duels, and both are excellent at holding and distributing the ball. They are ideal focal points high up the pitch.

But if you use Pogba as a holding midfielder, it is like buying a Ferrari and using it as a moving van, then complaining about its cargo capacity.

"The combination play down the left just now was good. We should try that kind of pattern more often." Gao Shen was very satisfied with the earlier goal.

The key was the passing down the left. It was beautifully done.

"Marcos Alonso should push a bit higher, and Casemiro should drop a little, to free up attacks from both flanks," Zidane suggested.

Gao Shen nodded. That was his idea as well.

So Gao Shen went to the touchline and immediately signaled instructions, adjusting positions and asking both full-backs to push up and restart the game.

As soon as Real Betis kicked off, Real Madrid pressed high and quickly forced an error in their passing.

The ball was intercepted as it crossed into Real Madrid's half.

Madrid immediately launched an attack and worked it to the left again.

Soon, Marcos Alonso had a chance to cross from the left side of the box, but it was a little behind the intended target.

The Betis center-back headed it clear and the ball dropped outside the 30-meter zone.

Casemiro, sitting at the base of midfield, brought it down and quickly played it to Verratti, warning him that there was a man on.

Verratti already knew. He immediately cushioned the ball to the left, barely evading the opponent behind him, then stepped sideways and fed Pogba.

As soon as Pogba controlled it, the defender behind stepped in to block him.

Pogba leaned into Nosa, who was marking him, calmly shielded Verratti's pass, drove the ball to his left, and when a second defender came to double up, he took it one step forward.

These days, let alone midfielders, many center-forwards cannot control and turn under pressure with their back to goal.

But Pogba's move was so smooth that it caught the Betis defenders off guard, and he slipped between the two.

As soon as he broke the line, Pogba released it to the left.

Marcos Alonso arrived, took a touch, glanced into the box, and whipped a low left-footed cross across the face.

Ronaldo surged forward, got across his marker, and poked it into the bottom left corner from the edge of the six-yard box.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"2-0!!!"

"Not even three minutes into the first half, and Real Madrid have two goals from two shots."

"Ronaldo has a brace!"

"My word, Real Madrid's attack is brutally efficient tonight!"

"Paul Pogba, the French midfield prodigy who joined for 60 million euros this summer, is showing astonishing talent in his first appearance."

"The first goal came from his combination on the left and the long pass that created the opening. This time, he used his body to break through and then slipped it to Marcos Alonso to create the chance."

"Two goals in under three minutes. Real Madrid's performance tonight is sensational!"

…

On the big screen at the Bernabéu, Gao Shen could be seen raising his arms and shouting his praise for the Real Madrid players.

Everyone rushed out to celebrate with Ronaldo, and many also congratulated Marcos Alonso and Pogba.

It was obvious that these two young Madrid players were indispensable in this goal.

Especially Pogba.

In the box, King Juan Carlos of Spain was stunned.

"This kid is a genius. That physique and that technique, incredible."

Florentino laughed and nodded. "He must be someone Gao Shen picked."

Juan Carlos nodded repeatedly.

In today's European football, every player selected by the top coaches seems to thrive.

"To be honest, with his physicality and technique, I do not think many teams in La Liga can stop him," Juan Carlos kept praising.

"And look at how Gao Shen is using him. He is making him the focal point up front. I remember he used Zidane like this in 2006."

"Yes, but Real Madrid were not as strong then, and Zidane was older."

"Exactly."

Even Juan Carlos did not expect Real Madrid to deliver such a big surprise right from the first match of the season.

In less than three minutes, they scored twice. Their attacking efficiency was simply off the charts.

The key breakthrough was Paul Pogba.

This kid was a huge surprise and caught everyone off guard.

The Betis head coach must have scouted Pogba, but he could not have imagined the Frenchman being used in this way. One-on-one, he is unstoppable.

"That 60 million euros is worth it. Worth every cent," Juan Carlos laughed.

Florentino could not help feeling a little proud.

He was the one who brought this star in, and he is destined to become a top-class superstar.

As Gao Shen joked earlier, his biggest headache now should be how to allocate minutes, because he has four excellent midfielders, Toni Kroos, Modrić, Pogba, and Verratti.

What to do?

When the Real Madrid president mentioned Gao Shen's headache, Juan Carlos could not help but laugh.

"Good, let him worry about it."

After a pause, the King of Spain added praise. "Gao Shen's ability to develop and trust young players is remarkable. Look at our start tonight, it is very polished. That is definitely not a coincidence."

It had been less than three minutes since kick-off, and Betis had barely put their foot on the ball. It was all Real Madrid attacking.

First on the right, then on the left, Madrid were relentless.

"I keep feeling the team's approach tonight is not simple at all, especially the sophisticated use of personnel. This is not how they are supposed to look," Juan Carlos clicked his tongue twice. He understood what the emperor of football meant.

"When we scored the first goal, Isco seemed to drift into the middle. I keep thinking we are not really playing a 4-3-3, or rather, the 4-3-3 at the start was a bit of a smokescreen."

You know what, looking at it that way, it might be true.

For the first goal, Pogba hit the long pass, and it was Nacho who advanced to receive it from the flank.

Where was Isco?

Florentino had not paid close attention, but he certainly was not hugging the touchline.

In fact, Gao Shen tried Isco on the wing several times last season, but it did not work well because he lacks explosiveness.

On the other hand, when Gao Shen used Isco in midfield, the young Spaniard could play to his strengths, but he held onto the ball too long and missed the timing of the pass, costing opportunities. Gao Shen was furious and had Ramos and the others "shape" Isco hard in training.

Because of this, Isco complained to the media that the head coach had "abused" him.

So why did Gao Shen put Isco at right wing in this match?

The more Florentino thought about it, the more he felt Juan Carlos' suspicions made sense.

Perhaps Gao Shen really had something else in mind.

(To be continued.)