SWR: Chapter 1065/1068

Chapter 1065: The Strategy of the Rich

In the past two years, the fastest-rising sports brand on social media around the world has undoubtedly been Leeds United.

How fast?

In just two years, or strictly speaking, less than two years, Leeds United reached over 40 million followers on Facebook, 30 million on Twitter, over 3 million on Instagram, and more than 2 million subscribers on YouTube.

This simple series of numbers might not say much until you compare them with other teams.

Besides Facebook and YouTube, Leeds United ranks first in the sports world on two emerging social platforms, Twitter and Instagram, even surpassing American sports clubs.

Even on Facebook and YouTube, Leeds United ranks among the best in football, if not number one.

For example, on YouTube, Leeds United has twice as many subscribers as Barcelona and more than Real Madrid.

Many people say Leeds United is the fastest-rising sports influencer brand on the Internet.

Alongside the rise, the team has invested considerable money in this area.

For example, Leeds United's new media team rapidly expanded from a few people at the start to 20 now. The head of the department was hired from the United States by a headhunter with a high salary and is fully responsible for the new media operations.

Leeds United serves fans around the world in ten different languages on social networks.

For example, on Twitter, Leeds United's Arabic account has over one million followers.

By comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo, known as football's number one on social media, has just passed 20 million followers on Twitter.

Kaká has also been working hard on Twitter. He has 16.2 million followers, while NBA star LeBron James has only 9.3 million, and Neymar, who just joined Barcelona, has only 7.8 million.

Of course, Leeds United's fan base is still some distance away from American entertainment stars, such as Justin Bieber, who has 42.4 million fans.

Gao Shen is still the one with the most followers on Twitter, but his growth momentum is not as strong as before. He has just passed 50 million, slightly more than Justin Bieber, who ranks second.

However, there has always been a claim that Gao Shen has a close relationship with Twitter and is a shareholder of this American company, so Twitter has been quietly increasing his followers behind the scenes.

This claim is just a conspiracy theory.

Twitter is preparing to go public. Gao Shen already told Su Qing that once Twitter goes public, its stock price will experience an upward trend. It would be better to sell and cash out when the opportunity arises.

If he remembers correctly, Twitter's market value rose for a period after listing, then began to decline.

Based on Twitter's current valuation, the 5 million euros that Gao Shen invested are now worth at least 1.5 billion.

After five or six years, he made that much money, so it has still been a very good deal.

Gao Shen has also decided that after selling Twitter shares, the funds will be reinvested, including in companies like Generation Lithium Battery, BYD, which Buffett invested in, and Meituan, a food delivery and group-buying company.

It can be considered an early strategic layout.

Now, Gao Shen holds shares in companies such as Apple and Penguin and has made a lot of money.

There is also Bitcoin. Gao Shen has collected some over the years, but not much. When the price is right, he will sell slowly.

This was mainly a reminder from Su Qing.

If Gao Shen holds too many bitcoins, international speculators will not speculate on them at all. They might speculate on other virtual currencies, and then the bitcoins in Gao Shen's hands will not have much value.

If Gao Shen holds enough bitcoins, there is no need for him to speculate himself. Even if others follow suit, Gao Shen has so many on hand that if he sells, everyone will follow, and he will not be able to sell them.

Therefore, Gao Shen now chooses to make money quietly and watch from the shadows.

…

Leeds United's investment in its new media department is no secret in European football.

It was not until the collaboration between AXA and Leeds United that it drew some attention, though not much.

This is mainly because AXA Insurance is also in a wait-and-see mode, and the contract is only for three years.

This old insurance company wants to test the waters and see whether Leeds United can bring them fresh vitality in new media.

The most important part is the package plan for Internet promotion.

Leeds United's new media capabilities are clear to see. Any social post can get over a million views, which is astonishing. At the same time, Leeds United's new media operation is very restrained.

Many brands bombard fans on new media, such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich. They post many messages every day, sometimes even dozens.

Leeds United only posts one or two pieces of content a day at most, but each is guaranteed to be high quality.

For example, the new media department will arrange for players to participate in charity videos.

Currently, Leeds United's most popular video on YouTube is a carefully edited clip of the team visiting a community kindergarten to play a match against young kids, where the players are knocked around and even humiliated by nutmegs and tricks.

Many people love this video.

At the same time, pranks and interesting training moments within Leeds United, and even small, unintentional gestures by the players, are captured by the new media department, edited into various entertaining videos, and posted to spark fan interaction.

On match days, the approach is different.

Gao Shen told the new media department that most fans who follow Leeds United online cannot come to the stadium. Letting them feel the match atmosphere and club culture through social networks is the core of content production.

The new media department focuses on the match, from building momentum and warming up, to real-time updates, to post-match feedback. Whether winning or losing, they can find many topics to trigger interaction.

By the end of last season, dozens of official tweets around a single match often received tens of thousands of comments, 600,000 retweets, and more than two million likes, with very high-quality engagement.

Now, Leeds United has a very mature social media rhythm and has begun to grasp the preferences and tastes of online fans, which will bring huge advantages to the club's subsequent operations.

There are also dissenting voices.

For example, some British media previously argued that Leeds United's investment and output in new media were seriously disproportionate.

One main reason is that the growth rate of Leeds United's commercial revenue cannot keep up with the growth of their social networks, which means the investment in new media has not brought many tangible benefits.

Even AXA's 15 million euros per year sponsorship is seen more as an experiment, and since it lasts only three years, it might not be renewed.

Therefore, many media criticized Leeds United for being like sensational Internet celebrities rather than a football club.

Even within Leeds United, many questioned Gao Shen's decision.

But Gao Shen received strong support from Su Qing and Lucas and insisted on pushing this plan forward.

Just as he told Lucas, once you enter this track, you must stick to it with unwavering determination.

…

"AXA is willing to sponsor us 15 million euros a year. That is indeed a drop in the bucket for them, but it also shows that this traditional insurance company recognizes the value of new media and is experimenting," Gao Shen said to Lucas.

Leeds United may seem to be losing money to build awareness now, but it does not matter. They must persevere no matter what.

"Even if they do not cooperate with us, I believe they will still try new channels and methods. In the future, more and more traditional industries like AXA will pay attention to new media and the Internet. This is our advantage."

Over the next few years, it will be difficult for Leeds United to retain their star players. The appeal of the traditional commercial field lags far behind the traditional giants with many stars, so the focus must be on new media.

As long as they establish an advantage in new media, and once Leeds United stabilizes and accumulates to a certain level, they will have the confidence to retain star players. Combined with their advantage in new media, Leeds United will usher in a breakthrough.

This is the top-tier strategy that Gao Shen tailored for Leeds United.

"I know it is difficult for everyone right now, and it is hard to push many plans forward, but this is normal. After all, we are just a team in our second season after promotion to the Premier League. Having a major financial group like AXA believe in us is already great, isn't it?"

At this stage, big brands sponsoring Leeds United not only bring sponsorship, but also provide endorsement for the club's brand.

However, Leeds United spent more than half a year negotiating the AXA Insurance project, which was not easy and involved many concessions. The Internet promotion business plan alone was more than 30 pages.

Many of Real Madrid's brand promotions on the Internet are just a few lines of text. Gao Shen saw them firsthand. They are very simple.

Yet those few lines might cost an extra one or two million euros, or even more.

This is the advantage of a wealthy club, which Leeds United cannot emulate.

In the future, when Leeds United has that level of confidence, they will be able to reach it.

For now, it is not possible.

"Believe me, Fernando, this path is the right one, and it will be our only chance to overtake," Gao Shen said confidently.

If Leeds United wants to gain a foothold in European football, they must have sufficient income, in other words, money.

Where does the money come from?

Either, like Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and Monaco, you have a wealthy backer behind you.

Or, like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Bayern, you have outstanding revenue generation.

Gao Shen told himself he is not a moneybag. Even if he sold all his shares, how long could he keep burning cash?

Therefore, he must do everything he can to help Leeds United generate revenue.

But professional football is a pyramid where the winner takes all, and the top teams almost monopolize the commercial resources.

If Leeds United wants to overtake, they must choose a new track.

There is no future in following the old path.

Lucas has complete faith in Gao Shen, and so does Borrell.

From their cooperation in recent years, they have always known that Gao Shen has never missed in terms of overall direction.

They believe it will be the same this time.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1066: Kanté Can’t Get Through

Fernando Lucas, Borrell, and Pochettino had all left.

They were going back to rest, as Leeds United would be flying to Miami early tomorrow morning.

The fifth and sixth place playoffs of the International Champions Cup would be held at the Sun Life Arena in Miami, as would the final.

But the final between Real Madrid and Chelsea would be held one day later than the fifth and sixth place match, so Real Madrid would stay in Los Angeles for training tomorrow.

After seeing off Lucas and the others, Gao Shen fell into deep thought.

Building a top team is not easy.

It is not just about money. It is also about time and many other factors.

Even now, Manchester City have won two Champions League titles, yet many people still do not consider them a top club.

As for Chelsea, even now, the Blues are still questioned.

A wealthy club is not just about trophies and money. It also requires heritage.

It is like a golden signboard.

Sometimes Gao Shen feels that building a wealthy club is like creating a world-class brand.

It might even be harder.

…

"I told you before, running a club is hard, especially for someone like you."

Carlo saw Gao Shen frowning and sighed for no reason.

Back then, he was not very supportive of Gao Shen acquiring Leeds United.

Although Gao Shen's achievements at Leeds United over the past two years have impressed everyone, this is just the beginning.

Especially with the kind of continuous heavy outflow and reinvestment Gao Shen has made, the returns may look high, but the risks are also huge.

For example, this summer, is it fine to sell so many players at once and change the head coach?

If something goes wrong and they fail to avoid relegation, Leeds United will suffer heavy losses.

Building a new stadium is never easy.

For example, Valencia's finances completely collapsed because of their new stadium, and they have not recovered to this day.

What about the new stadium?

It has become the largest unfinished project in Valencia and is just sitting there.

"But you cannot turn back now," Carlo reminded him.

From the moment Gao Shen decided to build a new training base, and now a new stadium, he could no longer turn back.

He has to see this path through to the end. If he gives up halfway, the losses will be very painful.

Gao Shen nodded and smiled gratefully at Carlo.

Although Carlo is conservative and cautious, he has vision.

"Honestly, the pressure is definitely great, but it is not that dangerous. We can generate 300 million euros in revenue over the next three years. If that does not work, we can ask the bank for a loan. We must complete the stadium project no matter what. By then, the value of Leeds United will be extraordinary," Zidane said calmly.

The American market has never been easy to develop. It is known as a football desert.

Although that is a bit exaggerated, it shows how difficult it is.

Of course, many now feel that the American market is not the hardest to enter. The domestic market is the hardest.

Barcelona were originally going to come to China this summer, but then they did not go. They went from Singapore to Malaysia, played two games, and then returned.

Gao Shen knew very well that once Leeds United's new stadium was completed, the value of the White Rose would be extraordinary.

Therefore, during this period, no matter what, they have to tighten their belts and carry the plan through to the end.

…

On August 6, two placement finals were held simultaneously at the Sun Life Arena in Miami.

In the first, for 7th and 8th place, Juventus and Inter Milan drew 1-1. In the end, Inter beat the Bianconeri 9-8 on penalties to take seventh.

In the subsequent fifth and sixth place match, Leeds United faced Valencia.

Pochettino learned from the heavy defeat against Real Madrid and adjusted the team's tactics, especially at the start. Leeds United decisively adopted a fierce attacking approach and unleashed heavy firepower on Valencia from the beginning.

The Bats were driven back and had to defend deep.

Leeds United still used a midfield triangle of Brozovic, Kanté, and Coutinho, but the three players' positions were clearly adjusted, especially Kanté. The freed-up French midfielder was everywhere, covering the whole pitch and putting in a standout performance.

Coutinho was deeper, linking with Brozovic, and most of the pressure on Valencia came from the flanks through Zaha and Salah, while Harry Kane's center-forward strengths were utilized in the middle.

Pochettino's adjustments worked. Leeds United had a clear advantage on the pitch, but they still lacked the edge at key moments. This was due to the players' lack of understanding and unfamiliarity with the head coach's tactics.

Valencia defended steadily and countered, also creating several chances.

In the second half, after the sides switched ends, Leeds United continued to press the Bats. Finally, in the 74th minute, thanks to Salah's goal, they beat Valencia 1-0.

Gao Shen brought Zidane, Carlo, Hierro, and others to watch the match on site.

Gao Shen was quite satisfied with Leeds United's process and result.

Pochettino's adjustments were crucial.

If the tactics are right, the players can perform effectively.

The most obvious example was Kanté. Whether pressing Parejo or chasing back to defend, Kanté was excellent.

As a defensive player, he is truly impressive.

But this also surprised Zidane, Hierro, and the others.

Because Gao Shen has always liked to reuse players who can both attack and defend, such as Pogba, Kondogbia, Toni Kroos, and Modric. Even Allan at Leeds United last season was not a pure destroyer.

But Kanté is different. He is truly about ball-winning.

"Is this a regression in concept?"

In the stands of Yongming Stadium, Zidane joked with Gao Shen.

Gao Shen did not take offense and laughed. "Because he is Kanté."

Zidane and the others looked at each other. What did that mean?

That guy?

"There are no insurmountable obstacles in life, only insurmountable obstacles," Gao Shen laughed, quoting a saying from his previous life.

How could Zidane, Carlo, and the others know it was a meme?

They must have been shocked to hear Gao Shen's evaluation of an insignificant young player, right?

"Do not spread this," Carlo warned.

Zidane and Hierro nodded.

Now, the whole world is scrambling for talent. If Gao Shen's words get out, Kanté will have no chance of staying at Leeds United until September 1, because top teams will definitely come to snatch him.

Gao Shen does not praise easily, but once he does, that player's value immediately increases a hundredfold.

It is all because he is too famous.

…

On the evening of August 7, the International Champions Cup final was also held at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

Real Madrid faced Chelsea, and Gao Shen met his predecessor Mourinho.

Mourinho was in a good mood and unstoppable in warm-up matches. The key was that his defense was stable.

The Portuguese coach is so conservative that he cannot sleep well as long as his defense is unstable.

After spending a lot to sign Koulibaly, this young French player was excellent. Whether in passing out from the back or defending, he was eye-catching. Anyone who used him would know.

Look, Mourinho now used Koulibaly with Terry, adding Ivanovic and Ashley Cole to form the back line.

But Chelsea's midfield and attack were not strong, which was also their biggest problem at the moment.

In midfield, Lampard, Van Ginkel, and Ramires formed the triangle, with Willian, Lucas, and Oscar in front.

Because the schedule was tight, Gao Shen had to rotate.

Real Madrid took advantage of Chelsea's weakness in midfield and controlled the game with their passing and possession.

In the 12th minute of the first half, Benzema dropped deep and released Isco, who crossed from the left side of the box. Ronaldo sprinted in behind and scored a close-range header to open the scoring for Real Madrid.

After that, Real Madrid controlled the game firmly but could not score again.

After the break, Real Madrid launched another wave.

Gao Shen's attitude was very clear. Since his warm-up results were always poor, he did not care. He was more interested in using Chelsea to rehearse the team's attack.

In the 59th minute, Modric played a through ball and Marcelo burst into the left side of the box to shoot.

Koulibaly's attention was drawn by Ronaldo. He reacted and rushed over, but he was a step late and could not block the Brazilian's shot, which flew into the far corner.

2-0.

But two minutes later, Lampard's long-range shot caused Casillas to spill the ball, and Lukaku missed the follow-up into an empty net, which made Mourinho furious on the touchline.

Gao Shen could not believe it either.

Missing that kind of chance is harder than scoring. It was really difficult not to score. Yet Lukaku pulled it off. His future looked bleak.

Afterward, Chelsea went all out. Mourinho brought on Schürrle, Torres, and others to keep pushing.

Gao Shen rotated as well, bringing on Morata and Jesé.

Morata scored a brilliant backheel near the end, but the referee ruled him offside and disallowed it.

Chelsea had a player go down in the area. Oscar had contact with Ramos in the box and appealed for a penalty after falling, but the referee waved it away.

In the end, Real Madrid defeated Chelsea 2-0 to win the International Champions Cup.

…

After lifting the International Champions Cup, Real Madrid traveled north to St. Louis to play a friendly against Inter Milan.

This was Real Madrid's fourth friendly in the United States.

By contrast, Leeds United played six warm-up matches because their training camp was based in the United States.

After the International Champions Cup, Leeds United would return to the UK and play two more matches there.

Real Madrid faced Inter in St. Louis with a half-regular, half-rotated lineup, and eventually defeated the Nerazzurri 4-0.

From this game, Gao Shen felt the decline of Serie A even more clearly.

Today's Inter is completely different from the high-spirited Nerazzurri he faced when he coached at Napoli.

The only familiar face to Gao Shen was their captain, Cambiasso.

But he is older now and about to decline.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1067: Invincible Barcelona

Compared with last season's preseason, Real Madrid's warm-up results this summer have been much better.

This left many Spanish media asking, are you sure it is really Gao Shen leading the team?

Not Carlo, Zidane, or Hierro in charge?

It does not look like him at all.

Everyone knows Gao Shen loves to get fancy in warm-up matches and never cares about results, yet so far this season, Real Madrid have not shown many new tricks.

They tried a back three in two matches when the games were drawn, then quickly switched back.

This does not look sophisticated at all.

Yes, that is right.

Reporters quickly found a new angle of attack. Gao Shen was being too conservative.

Why did Real Madrid perform so well in friendlies?

Because Gao Shen had become conservative. He wanted to rest on his laurels and no longer had the courage or determination to try new tactics. Now he wanted to polish Real Madrid's 4-3-3 step by step.

In short, this was not the sophistication they expected.

They wanted to see Gao Shen always full of passion, always reckless, dismissive of results, always trying new tactics and new playing styles, never satisfied with the status quo.

Gao Shen was puzzled when he saw this.

Are you talking about me?

He specifically asked Carlos Vargas to find some of the media's past remarks, compile them, then repost them on Twitter to slap them in the face.

"If there had not been any evidence, I would have believed it."

Fans and netizens were delighted.

This is how we should treat the media, hit them hard.

The previous warm-up results were not ideal mainly because we were testing tactics and changing player roles. You all pretended not to see it and only criticized the results.

Now that I have stopped the extravagance and the results have improved, you start blasting me for being conservative and not sophisticated?

Fine, you have said everything. What else can I say?

Alright, I will say no more. I will just post the screenshots.

…

"Are you guys pretending not to see anything?"

In the coach's office at Valdebebas, Gao Shen sat with his legs crossed, browsing Twitter.

To this day, he is still a shareholder of Twitter.

Is he on Twitter?

No, he is generating traffic for Twitter, he is making money.

Gao Shen did not put his phone away until everyone came in, and he switched it to silent mode.

After returning from the long trip in the United States, Gao Shen first gave the players two days off.

Going away for a summer training camp is a big test for all players, coaches, and staff.

After all, no one wants to be away from family.

But while players can rest, the coaching staff cannot, so they only took one day off.

The new season is about to begin.

The new season is very different for Real Madrid.

First, last season's Champions League and Copa del Rey double have raised expectations for Real Madrid this year.

Not to mention outsiders, even inside Real Madrid, everyone is looking forward to the new season.

This summer, after selling Higuaín, Albiol, and Kaká, Real Madrid brought in Pogba, Illarramendi, and Dzeko, and the overall strength is not weaker at all.

In fact, it is stronger than last season.

At present, Real Madrid have two players in almost every position, and the level is very good.

The options in midfield and attack are even more complete.

The issue in defense is on the left, Marcelo's side.

Marcelo, Marcos Alonso, Nacho, and Arbeloa can all play left back, so numbers are not a problem. But once Marcelo is injured, the left-side attack will be affected.

This is a problem.

Similarly on the right, Carvajal's attacking threat is something Nacho and Arbeloa do not offer.

The reason Gao Shen tested a back three was to try a different style.

In Gao Shen's previous life, Marcos Alonso was best as a wingback in a back three, but in the match against Lyon, Gao Shen saw he was not especially comfortable.

After all, the back three has been out of the mainstream in Europe for many years.

Many players have never played it since they were young, so it will take time to adapt.

In the following games, although he did not use it in warm-ups, they worked on it frequently in training. He also explained the back-three tactics to the players, as preparation for the future.

After all, Real Madrid cannot conquer the world with only one set of tactics.

Another factor is the schedule.

Real Madrid's schedule last season was quite bad, both in La Liga and the Champions League.

In the Champions League, being seeded in Pot 3 and drawn into a group of death was already decisive.

In La Liga, the schedule was also not ideal, with big matches often falling before and after Champions League nights.

Competing on multiple fronts is inevitable.

But Real Madrid's coefficient will definitely rise this season, returning them to Pot 2, which gives them a chance to breathe.

Although they will still face top seeds, the possibility of repeating last season's nightmare is slim.

As for the eight top seeds, who is afraid of whom?

The real trouble is the start.

Since Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, this season's Spanish Super Cup and European Super Cup will be held in August, which means Real Madrid face a very tough, congested schedule in August.

On the 18th, they host Real Betis in La Liga's first round.

On the 21st, they host Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup first leg.

On the 24th, they visit Granada in the second round of La Liga.

On the 27th, they travel to Barcelona for the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup.

On the 30th, in the European Super Cup, Champions League winners Real Madrid face Europa League winners Chelsea.

On September 2, in La Liga's third round, Real Madrid face Athletic Bilbao.

Real Madrid will play 6 games in 16 days.

This is very, very tough for any team, comparable to the Premier League's Christmas schedule.

But the Premier League's Christmas period is a few days with three matches. Real Madrid now have to handle six in one go.

This is why Gao Shen did not dare to overdo it during the summer friendlies.

He must refine two complete tactical systems during the training camp to make the players understand his ideas, especially newcomers like Dzeko, Pogba, and Illarramendi, who all need to adapt to advanced tactics.

Only then can Real Madrid handle such a brutal schedule.

There is no way around it. With two cup wins and two Super Cups to play, the fixtures have to be squeezed in.

To postpone the third round, Real Madrid even negotiated with Athletic Bilbao.

Everyone knows Athletic are entirely Basque, so they were not particularly opposed to postponing the third round. It just meant some of their internationals would report late to their national teams.

Real Madrid were more affected.

More importantly, it seems these six games cannot be lost.

The European Super Cup is a must. Gao Shen does not want to lose to Mourinho at all. He has had the upper hand against Mourinho for many years. If he loses now, the media will explode.

As for the International Champions Cup final between the two sides, it is not very meaningful.

That was a friendly.

Real Madrid cannot lose to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup.

…

"Martino has just arrived, and their warm-up matches have been very impressive, big wins all the way."

Gao Shen briefed the staff on the current situation.

"Barcelona are in a very strong position. Neymar, Messi, Sánchez, Agüero, all are world-class. Together with Pedro and the others, Barcelona have an extremely luxurious midfield and attack."

"They have been winning big in the warm-ups and look unstoppable."

This is common knowledge. The Catalan media have almost crowned the invincible Barcelona as La Liga champions already.

Of course, a more professional analysis shows Barcelona's preseason opponents have not been strong.

What kind of strong teams can you meet in Singapore and Malaysia?

At best, they met Brazil's Santos in the Gamper Trophy, and Barcelona won 5-0.

But what does that prove?

Santos came all that way just to play a friendly. How much strength could they show?

Moreover, you just took their star Neymar.

Therefore, Gao Shen believes Barcelona's preseason results have little practical significance.

This does not mean Barcelona are weak.

A campaign is about opening strong, then declining, then fatiguing.

It does not matter if the warm-up results are unconvincing. As long as Barcelona beat Real Madrid in an official match, especially in the Spanish Super Cup, and keep that momentum, it will be valuable.

"No matter what, we must snipe Barcelona in the Super Cup, give Martino a wake-up call, and severely dampen their momentum."

Gao Shen laid out his thoughts and strategy.

Across the season, if Barcelona's momentum is dampened from the start, Real Madrid will undoubtedly gain the upper hand in the title race.

Unlike last season when the first Clásico was in the 7th round, this season's first Clásico is again at the Camp Nou, but at the end of October in round 10.

That will be another key moment.

Gao Shen also reminded everyone to pay close attention to Atletico Madrid.

In the seventh round, Real Madrid host Atletico, which is no easy opponent.

"My requirements are simple. From the start of the season, I want to suppress Barcelona and severely undermine their momentum. If possible, I also want to seize the advantage in the standings and create more pressure on them."

"We must learn from last season's mistakes and aim for perfection in all preparations. I will communicate this with the players," Gao Shen said firmly, allowing no doubt.

Today, at Valdebebas, no one dares to question his decisions.

Including Zidane and Hierro.

"I will say it again. In the new season that is about to begin, we have only one goal, and that is to win the title."

"All the titles."

"We must win again what we won last season, and we must reclaim what we lost."

Everyone felt Gao Shen's mountain-like determination.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1068: The Profound Philosopher’s Stone

Every conversation with Gao Shen changes Pogba's career.

He still remembers the first time he met Gao Shen, when he was a Manchester United player.

Back then, he was troubled by his contract renewal and by Ferguson's view of him. He changed agents several times, but no one dared challenge Ferguson, which caused him great pain.

Gao Shen's appearance gave him a new choice.

He chose to go to Leeds United.

After two years at Leeds United, Pogba grew very quickly.

Sarri and his staff, along with the coaches and personnel at Leeds United, fulfilled the promise Gao Shen made to him. The White Rose were promoted from the Championship to the Premier League and became a dark horse in the league.

With his outstanding performances at Leeds United, Pogba attracted the attention of many of Europe's giants.

He began to receive national team call-ups and started to rank among Europe's well-known players.

At that point, Real Madrid paid a 60 million euro transfer fee and took him from Leeds United.

Going to Real Madrid was truly a step to the top for Pogba.

He was even a little hesitant.

His idol Zidane and Gao Shen were both at Real Madrid. They both called Pogba and persuaded the French midfielder to join because they both sensed it would be a decision that could change his career.

Real Madrid have many excellent midfielders, such as Toni Kroos and Modric, Isco, a Spanish player of a similar age and reputation, and Verratti, a talented Italian midfielder.

A club like Real Madrid never lacks stars.

But Pogba came.

Because Gao Shen said something to him.

"If you want to be the best player in the world, come to Real Madrid."

Pogba came.

The intensity of Buenaventura and Pintus's summer training camp was indeed frightening.

When he was at Leeds United, Pogba had already heard talk about it and seen reports in the media.

Although he had prepared himself mentally, once training actually started, he discovered that all his preparations were in vain.

Every session with the coaching team seemed to squeeze out all his potential and limits. Sometimes he even felt he could not hold on for one more second.

The long run after high-intensity training was especially brutal.

In fact, during the first week's sessions, particularly the final long runs, Pogba wanted to give up every time. He really could not run anymore, not even by grit alone.

But when he saw everyone, including pretty boys like Isco and Verratti, clenching their teeth and pushing through, he felt he could not be the one to fall short.

Those two are his competitors. If they can persist, why can't he?

Besides, whether in physique, background, or anything else, his physical fitness and running ability should be better than theirs. How could he lose in the area he is best at and most confident in?

With that belief and courage, Pogba persisted.

Gradually, he adapted.

He also realized that training under Sarri at Leeds United had actually been so comfortable.

Real Madrid's camp is exhausting, physically and mentally.

After each session, there is analysis and review. Every mistake must be corrected and improved.

These things are similar to Leeds United, and not difficult for Pogba to adapt to.

The difference is that his teammates here are too strong and think too fast.

Especially in training, Pogba could not keep up with many of their passing ideas at first, which led to many mistakes.

He brought this up with Gao Shen, and Gao Shen gave him an idea.

Treat them to dinner.

"At Real Madrid, there is no problem that cannot be solved by treating someone to a meal."

"If there is, then treat them to two."

So, like Illarramendi, Pogba wrote an invitation to treat the squad on the clubhouse blackboard.

Everyone showed up, and they started hanging out with Pogba.

He found that Real Madrid at the dinner table was very different from what he had imagined.

Ronaldo looks rebellious, but he is actually a very nice person. He even chatted with Pogba about nightclubs, including how to meet girls in Madrid.

One tip was, "On non-match days, it's best not to stay out past midnight, or you will be punished by the boss the next morning."

Why?

"Because he has informants everywhere in Madrid. Sometimes I even think he might know how many Durex you used with your girlfriend last night. You cannot hide it."

Pogba felt it sounded terrifying.

The boss is such a good person. How could that be possible?

But he had to admit, treating people to dinner was a great way to build closer relationships.

Gradually, Pogba became friends with them, and they began to tell him their in-game habits, little codes, and preferences on the pitch.

As they became more familiar over time, Pogba gradually fit in.

He began to link up with teammates on the pitch.

Sometimes, it even became those flowing, continuous combinations.

Pogba discovered that keeping up with these geniuses' thinking was not that difficult.

And time passed without him noticing.

The new season was about to begin.

At that moment, Gao Shen called him to the office again.

…

"I heard you moved into a new place?"

As soon as he sat down, Gao Shen started with family matters.

Pogba smiled and nodded. "In La Finca, rented. It costs a lot per year."

La Finca is in the western suburbs of Madrid, a new wealthy community where Cristiano Ronaldo and others live.

Many young players like it, and they all live in detached villas.

"That's good. Keep working hard and perform better, and I will apply for a contract renewal for you. Then you can buy your own house," Gao Shen encouraged.

Pogba nodded firmly. He really thought so.

Gao Shen chatted with him about trivial daily matters, including how he was getting along with teammates and his situation at home.

This was because Gao Shen remembered that Pogba's brother did not seem very reliable, so he showed more concern.

When the moment was right, Gao Shen got down to business.

"Next week we host Barcelona, so I am considering starting you in this weekend's league match."

Pogba looked surprised. Start the first match of the new season? And at home?

"Any problem?" Gao Shen asked, noticing his expression.

Pogba immediately shook his head. He was confident in his ability.

Gao Shen smiled.

Whether in memory or in the Pogba we know now, he has a big heart.

As Gao Shen often says, that is what a top star must have.

"As we emphasize in daily training, our midfield is as vital as the heart, and you will be the player we rely on most in this game." Gao Shen looked at Pogba with expectation.

Pogba felt the weight of his words, and also felt the coach's high expectations.

"Do not worry, Boss. I will never let you down."

"I believe it," Gao Shen smiled. "When the time comes, let the entire Bernabéu and everyone in the world see your strength."

Pogba nodded heavily.

…

After watching Pogba leave, Gao Shen stood and returned to his desk.

Buenaventura had just submitted a report stating that Xabi Alonso's recovery was not as good as expected, and recommending Casemiro or Illarramendi for the first match.

Gao Shen thought for a moment and finally chose Casemiro.

The reason was simple. He did not want to put too much pressure on Illarramendi.

This kid has carried heavy pressure since joining Real Madrid. If he plays the first match of the new season and performs well, then fine, but if he does not, would that not make things worse?

Gao Shen is cautious with Illarramendi now. He plans to let him train with the team, get familiar, and integrate, then gradually arrange minutes.

Xabi Alonso could be used, but Gao Shen prefers to keep him for the Barcelona match.

In the upcoming period, there will be only two days between matches. Real Madrid will basically need two lineups, which is a big test of the bench.

How to arrange appearances and coordinate rotation is a major test for Gao Shen.

For this match, he plans to pair Pogba, Verratti, and Casemiro.

Ronaldo is determined to compete with Messi for goals, so he volunteered to play. Gao Shen agreed.

The Portuguese has excellent fitness and stamina. There should not be problems.

At center forward, Gao Shen plans to use Dzeko and keep Benzema for Barcelona.

Isco has been working very hard in training, and Gao Shen plans to use him on the right.

This is also related to the approach for this match.

The first round of the new season is not easy, especially at home.

The optimal strategy is to rely on stable possession, use the team's strength to overpower the opponent, and win.

Of course, Gao Shen will also try to press in the opening phase and aim for a good start.

As Gao Shen was thinking, there was another knock at the door.

"Boss, you were looking for me?"

Isco stood at the door, smiling.

He had obviously guessed why Gao Shen wanted him.

Many people say that anyone called in for a talk by Gao Shen before a match will get a chance.

There are even mysterious rumors in the media that Gao Shen has a magical philosopher's stone, and anyone invited to touch it before a game will shine in the match.

Of course, Real Madrid's players know it is only a rumor, but they all hope to be called by the head coach for some pre-match guidance.

They know what that means.

Isco is a really good kid. Gao Shen likes him a lot. His technique is excellent, but his lack of top-end speed reduces the threat of his dribbling and penetration.

If he were faster, Gao Shen believes his ability and career achievements would be on a higher level.

Unfortunately, speed is something you cannot really change.

So Gao Shen can only try to change Isco's playing habits.

For example, tell him not to dwell on the ball so much. When it is time to pass, seize the moment and play it decisively.

Otherwise, who can keep missing those windows?

Fortunately, last season Gao Shen had Ramos and the other tough guys "rough" Isco up in training, which helped him improve. After Pogba joined this summer, Isco also put in extra work.

Gao Shen wanted to give him a chance.

(To be continued.)