SWR: Chapter 1046/1048

Chapter 1046: Ronaldo Strikes Again

"That header not going in has put Bayern in real danger in this game."

In the Wembley stands, Ferguson frowned, growing more animated the longer he watched.

He was talking about David Alaba's cross from the left that Mandzukic headed on target.

It was Bayern's first shot of the match and their best chance so far.

Unfortunately for them, Mandzukic's header was saved by Iker Casillas and tipped onto the crossbar.

"That was not a high-quality chance," Wenger shook his head.

"I've always said deep defending is underrated," Ferguson replied.

Wenger mulled it over, then nodded.

Isn't that the truth?

"If that had gone in and it was 1-1, Bayern might still be in it. But now Real Madrid are one up, Gao Shen has decisively switched to passing and control, and Bayern are in a very precarious spot."

He sighed again. "This Bayern side's strength, so far, begins and ends with that one effort."

His meaning was clear, it would be hard for Bayern to break Real Madrid down.

"This Real Madrid is so steady," Wenger said, full of praise.

"Gao Shen has played this completely straight, revealing nothing, while Bayern..." Ferguson exhaled, "If they keep this up, they will concede more."

There was nothing wrong with Heynckes's match strategy. Bayern's limitations were in personnel quality.

Often, tactics are only as effective as the players' level.

Everyone knows Gao Shen is ruthless in attack, and Heynckes anticipated Real Madrid would go at them early, so Bayern set up to defend from the start. Unfortunately, they conceded inside four minutes.

Heynckes stayed calm, waited for Real Madrid's opening spell to pass, then adjusted and launched a quick strike, but it did not yield a goal.

Now Gao Shen has reacted, dropped the block, and shifted into his preferred passing and control, outmaneuvering Bayern.

"Real Madrid's ability to circulate from midfield and the back is just too strong. How did I never feel this before?" Wenger gave a wry smile.

Gao Shen's Real Madrid and Mourinho's Real Madrid are two completely different teams.

Like now, Real Madrid are patiently circulating in midfield and the defensive third, slipping away from Bayern's press.

Win it back? They cannot get near it.

"The key is the midfield. Gao Shen's trio is one of the most controlling in Europe right now. Only two teams can compare." Ferguson held up two fingers.

Wenger did not need to ask which two.

Barcelona and Manchester City.

Barcelona speaks for itself, and Manchester City have been constructed with great care.

What is interesting is that under Pellegrini, City are not as stable as before.

United took the title this season because Pellegrini's side made errors in several situations where they should not have.

By contrast, look at Real Madrid under Gao Shen. In the autumn, the winter slog, and the spring run-in, with brutal schedules and heavyweight clashes, Gao Shen won again and again and held firm.

This season at Real Madrid, Gao Shen has showcased his coaching to the fullest.

Maybe the media and fans do not feel it as deeply, and at most marvel at his results. But professionals across Europe and the world are in awe.

So strong.

Strong in every department.

Just like in this match, they started with a blistering blitz. As soon as Bayern shifted, Real Madrid adjusted in kind and now are playing pass-and-move control.

If Bayern throw everything forward, Gao Shen will simply drop deeper, defend compactly, and wait to counter.

Bayern could be completely undone by this refined approach.

"Technical completeness leads to tactical richness. That is exactly what Gao Shen always says." Ferguson's admiration was clear.

United did not even face the full version of Real Madrid. Without Marcelo earlier, their left lost half its thrust.

But now, Real Madrid are truly formidable.

At this moment, Wenger suddenly hissed.

"Is Mourinho really here tonight?"

Ferguson blinked, then smiled. "He said he was coming."

"Where is he sitting?" Wenger asked.

"I do not know." Ferguson scanned the stands.

They were on the VIP platform, very prominent, and had just been picked up by the live cameras.

But there was no sign of Mourinho.

"I suspect he has not come at all and is too embarrassed to show," Wenger said, unimpressed with his London rival.

Especially after Mourinho came back, Chelsea beat Arsenal twice this season.

Infuriating.

Last season Mourinho stirred Real Madrid into such a mess that the dressing room nearly split. The players fractured into camps and conflict was rampant.

Last summer, when Gao Shen took over, how many people worried for him?

A year later, he is leading Real Madrid in a Champions League final, chasing the fifth Champions League title of his managerial career. How many who expected him to fall flat have been stunned?

With Mourinho's pride, is he really willing to come and watch?

"I think he will," Ferguson said confidently.

"He knows full well Gao Shen has driven tactical development in world football. This game reveals a lot, including Real Madrid's blueprint."

"Just from this, Koulibaly's price will rise another five million pounds at least."

Ferguson spoke with conviction, and Wenger kept nodding.

Why?

Because of the build-up.

Real Madrid's circulation from the back and midfield is so strong, there are almost no peers.

Perhaps only Manchester City and Barcelona compare right now.

Both share one feature, center backs with outstanding passing.

Barcelona have Piqué, Puyol, and Thiago Motta, Manchester City have David Luiz, Jérôme Boateng, and Kompany.

Now, Real Madrid's Ramos, Pepe, and Varane are also very good on the ball.

Across Europe, how many center backs are genuinely strong passers?

Bonucci at Juventus, Dante at Bayern. Who else?

Yet many clubs are desperate for center backs. Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United for starters, and even Bayern, on the pitch against Real Madrid, would love a higher level center back to cover Van Buyten's weakness, right?

Players like Van Buyten are destined to struggle to adapt to the mainstream tactics of today's elite clubs.

The German press has already suggested that once Guardiola takes over Bayern, his first move will be to sign a top center back.

…

While Ferguson and Wenger were chatting, Bayern seized a moment, intercepted in midfield, and countered at speed.

Ribéry, on the ball, wriggled past Carvajal and tried to cut inside, but Pepe stepped out decisively to challenge.

Ribéry reacted fast and poked it past Pepe first, but as he tried to go around him and chase it, the Real Madrid center back failed to pull out of the challenge cleanly and "accidentally" clipped Ribéry, tripping him.

Bayern's players were livid.

Come on, we were about to break through and you foul?

Card him.

It has to be red.

But as Bayern players rushed angrily toward the referee, Rizzoli smiled and waved it away as a foul with no card.

"Brazilian defenders are so savvy, they know how to work the laws."

"It is hard to tell if Pepe meant it, but he did trip Ribéry and shut down a dangerous Bayern attack."

"Bayern are very unhappy, but that is the reality."

"Pepe has a wealth of experience, especially in reading the referee."

"And to be fair, Gao Shen has always put great emphasis on this detail."

The cameras cut to Pepe, grinning as he backpedaled, seemingly unbothered by the foul.

No card anyway.

Bayern's free kick led to a scramble in Real Madrid's box, but Iker quickly gathered.

The captain's timing off his line was perfect, allowing Bayern no second chance.

Iker rolled it out to Marcelo on the left, urging him to carry forward, but Bayern immediately pressed high to counterpress.

Marcelo went back to Ramos, and it was recycled to the left again.

Real Madrid tried to punch through on that side, but Bayern were compact there, so Toni Kroos switched to Xabi Alonso, who moved it right.

Carvajal brought it under control and played forward.

Di María dropped over halfway to receive Carvajal's line pass with his back to goal, cushioned inside, and swept a left-footed pass into space for Modrić.

Vidal, sprinting back, rushed Modrić immediately, but the Croatian skipped past him, took two diagonal strides inside, spotted the angle, and launched a long diagonal.

The ball flashed past Gustavo, split the gap between Dante and Van Buyten, and dropped on the left side of the D at the top of Bayern's area.

The piercing pass drew a collective gasp around Wembley.

A white blur lunged into the space.

"Cristiano Ronaldo!"

He was electric, a flash of white lightning.

He knew if he could get there first, go one on one, and score, the game would be theirs, and he would be the hero who delivered the trophy.

At the same time, he would be the leading candidate for the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or.

With that in mind, he gritted his teeth and hit top speed. Reaching Modrić's pass on the left edge of the box, he cushioned with his left, pushing it into the area.

Chasing his touch, Ronaldo glanced at Butt, who had come halfway, stayed calm, and struck cleanly with his right.

The shot zipped past Butt and into the Bayern net.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

"In the 32nd minute, Real Madrid score again!"

"Cristiano Ronaldo on the break, his second of the night!"

"2-0!"

"Real Madrid have one hand on the trophy!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1047: Single Blade Meets Single Blade Again

"Bayern make the first substitutions."

"Mario Gómez replaces Alaba, number 27."

"Heynckes clearly wants to go all in and make one last push."

"Bayern now have two centre-forwards on the pitch."

"I'm curious how they will adjust after this change."

…

Gao Shen glanced at the clock. Sixty-two minutes.

Heynckes finally made a move.

He stood on the touchline, carefully tracking Bayern's positional changes after the substitution.

He saw Mandžukić shift to the left, Ribéry drift inside, and Mario Gómez take up the central striker role.

That formed a front four.

Vidal dropped back to create a three-man holding unit with Schweinsteiger and Gustavo, leaving only three at the back.

In truth, it made sense.

This was Heynckes's last resort.

Two goals down, if Bayern wanted to turn it around, they had to throw more bodies forward.

If you strengthen the attack, you need fresh legs and more manpower.

Ribéry, Mandžukić, and Thomas Müller were Bayern's best attacking trio, and it was not ideal to remove any of them.

Schweinsteiger was the midfield hub and could not be touched. Vidal was the key balancer and could not be removed either.

Right now, Bayern were already at a serious midfield disadvantage. If Gustavo came off too, would there be any midfield left?

Would Real Madrid not then walk through the middle at will?

How would the back line hold?

As for the defense, Lahm's role was obvious, while Alaba's was relatively less critical.

So replacing Alaba was actually very reasonable.

With that in mind, Gao Shen understood.

He walked straight to the touchline and, at the next stoppage, called Di María over.

"Now that Alaba is off, drop a line and choke off Vidal and Schweinsteiger."

"Let Benzema push up. Tell him to track Van Buyten's positioning."

"Once you win it, try to drag Dante out. Got it?"

Di María, sharp as ever, understood immediately and nodded.

Back on the pitch, the Argentine quickly relayed the instructions.

Bayern are no pushovers. Even with substitutions or Real Madrid's targeted tweaks, it was not going to yield an instant payoff.

But now Bayern were the ones anxious, while Gao Shen and Real Madrid needed to stay patient.

So far, Gao Shen had not made a single change.

On one hand, the game state was still unsettled and needed to be consolidated.

On the other, Gao Shen wanted a third goal to crush Bayern's resistance.

A 3-0 lead at halftime is the most dangerous scoreline.

But now it was the second half.

One more goal and the game would be done.

…

"Gao Shen reacted so fast."

On the home bench, Heynckes felt his heart sink when he saw Gao Shen summon Di María. When he noticed Real Madrid's on-field adjustments, he could not help but sigh.

He sat back down to avoid the live cameras capturing the tight expression on his face.

"He gives me the feeling he had already guessed what I would do and was waiting there for me."

As Heynckes said it, he gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "Is he really only in his early thirties?"

"He certainly does not look it," assistant Peter Hermann muttered, leaning to glance at Gao Shen by the away bench.

Patrolling the touchline and directing is Gao Shen's calling card.

"He looks far too experienced, nothing like a youngster."

"Exactly." Heynckes shook his head. "Facing him is unlike facing anyone else."

It felt helpless.

As if no matter what you did, he would immediately find a counter to shut you down.

Sometimes, Heynckes really wanted to crack open his head and see what was inside.

How could he react and read so well?

Is that really pure talent?

Is he truly born with a heightened tactical instinct?

Heynckes had played and coached for decades, his entire life tied to football. He had seen countless prodigies on the pitch and many gifted coaches.

But someone like Gao Shen was truly unique.

Because no matter how hard you work, your coaching experience is finite.

But how deep is his?

It is as if he has endless, inexhaustible experience. Whatever you try, he has an answer and a way to restrain you.

Heynckes did not know whether other famous managers felt the same, but to him it was overwhelming.

Just like now.

Alaba goes off. Logically, most people would immediately strengthen the right flank and attack the vacancy Alaba left. That would be the direct play, right?

Heynckes had already prepared for that when he made the change.

But then what?

Gao Shen did not do it.

Instead of piling on down the right, he dropped Di María to focus on Vidal and Schweinsteiger.

What did that mean?

He was essentially telling Heynckes he had read the plan and would not bite.

On the contrary, by keeping three in midfield, Real Madrid made Bayern's midfield circulation even clunkier.

Schweinsteiger is the hub.

Ribéry's display on the left tonight was not ideal. He got little change out of Carvajal.

Heynckes tried moving him inside as a 10 to better link midfield and attack.

But with Gao Shen's adjustment, Real Madrid's grip in midfield only tightened.

"We should not have let Toni Kroos go." The old coach could not help a long sigh.

Peter Hermann looked at Heynckes in surprise, then glanced around to make sure no one had heard before relaxing.

"Not the time to say that," Hermann warned.

Heynckes smiled. "I am retiring soon. What is there to fear?"

It was a mistake.

Khedira, the one who was taken off earlier, sat on the bench.

Would Heynckes dare to undo that change?

Bayern's biggest issue now was not defending, it was progression.

Without midfield control, the front line did not function.

They also lacked pace.

The attacking rhythm up front was too slow.

This was already clear in the semi-final against Manchester City. They scraped through.

Against this refined Real Madrid, the problems surfaced again.

With Toni Kroos, at least there would be a steady distributor.

In some respects, Kroos's organisation and passing are better than Schweinsteiger's.

But such a fine player was handed to Real Madrid. Was that not a mistake?

Why not admit it?

"We missed two players. One was Toni Kroos, whom we should not have let go. The other was Reus."

The former would give passing, the latter, speed.

But now, it was too late.

…

In the seventy-third minute, the chance Real Madrid had waited for finally arrived.

Ronaldo and Benzema pressed high. Dante tried to feed Schweinsteiger, but with Modrić harrying, Schweinsteiger knocked it back again.

Benzema had closed on Dante, forcing a pass.

Dante played into Vidal on the angle.

The Chilean took it centrally, returned it into Schweinsteiger, and darted forward for the return.

Schweinsteiger did not take a touch and laid it back first time for the give-and-go.

Modrić reacted quickest, stepped in, slid, and nicked it before Vidal.

Vidal got through, but the ball was gone.

Although Modrić fell, he still prodded it to Di María.

The Argentine spun, collected Modrić's pass, and burst into a quick counter.

"A rapid break from Real Madrid."

"Di María carries into Bayern's 30-metre zone."

Behind him, Vidal and Schweinsteiger chased, but Di María's dribbling speed was blistering.

Benzema in the middle and Ronaldo on the left both surged, ready to pounce behind Bayern's line.

While driving forward, Di María scanned the picture.

Gustavo held the centre, Dante stepped out.

That was what Di María wanted. His route was always into the right half-space, to pull Dante out.

But it was not enough.

As Di María entered the 30-metre zone and saw Dante step, he cut inside decisively.

The lane was exactly between Gustavo and Dante.

Both Bayern players converged on him, but the Argentine reacted faster, sliding a left-footed through ball.

It zipped between the two at pace and dropped on the right side of the box.

Almost in the same beat, Benzema, who had been lurking, shook off Van Buyten, angled into the right of the area, and met Di María's pass with his right.

All the while, Van Buyten could only track at his side and do nothing. He watched Benzema bring it under and dash to the right corner of the six-yard box, creating another one-on-one.

The Belgian was simply not quick enough to catch him, and he dared not foul.

Butt came off his line, but Benzema expected it. The French striker struck early, the whole motion cool and composed.

The ball sped past Butt and nestled in Bayern's goal again.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

"3-0!!!"

"Benzema!"

"Real Madrid score again, a finish from Benzema!"

"At the key moment, he stayed calm and ruthless, taking the one-on-one."

"Once again, Bayern's back line was ripped apart by Real Madrid's attackers."

"Four defenders could not stop three attackers. That is the gulf in individual ability."

"3-0!"

"With under 20 minutes to go, Real Madrid have all but seized the Champions League!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1048: My Goal for Next Season Is to Win the Treble

The game was not over yet, but Real Madrid's players, coaches, and staff were already rubbing their hands on the touchline, ready to burst onto the pitch the moment Rizzoli blew for full time and celebrate without restraint.

Gao Shen used all three substitutions in the final stages.

This was his reward to the players.

He replaced Benzema with Higuaín.

Over the years, Higuaín had made immense contributions to Real Madrid, achievements that cannot be erased.

Even if he was leaving now, Gao Shen still wanted him to be treated with dignity.

What is more, even now, Higuaín had not kicked up a fuss with the club. He simply made it clear that he intended to leave.

Gao Shen had no doubt that if the club stalled on signing a striker, Higuaín would stay if Gao Shen insisted.

But Gao Shen was not willing to do that.

A forced melon is not sweet.

Besides, Real Madrid should be a pack of wolves, not a kennel.

He hoped every player who stayed at Real Madrid was willing and as hungry as a wolf.

If Higuaín were forced to stay and still gave everything for the club, could he really feel nothing?

So forcing Higuaín to stay was the worst option in Gao Shen's plan.

The second substitution was Kaká.

Even now, the Brazilian midfielder was still loved and lamented by many Real Madrid fans.

Gao Shen hoped he could make an appearance and leave his mark at Real Madrid.

Moreover, Kaká had indeed made important contributions to the team this season.

As Gao Shen told him earlier, he hoped that when Kaká walked away in the future, he could proudly tell everyone he helped Real Madrid win the Champions League.

That was the least Gao Shen could do.

For the last change, Gao Shen took off Cristiano Ronaldo, who had scored twice, and sent on the youngster Morata.

When the game is already decided, there are only two reasons to make changes, aside from injuries or fatigue.

One is to appease senior players, the other is to encourage young ones.

Putting Morata on was more about encouragement.

Morata's idol is Ronaldo. Gao Shen had him replace Ronaldo to inspire him, hoping he would be as hardworking, disciplined, and self-driven as Ronaldo.

After coming on, Morata and Higuaín formed a front two, which also told Morata his position was not on the wing. He should be in the middle, as a centre forward, a powerful number nine.

Do not underestimate this substitution.

At the very least, many inside the Real Madrid squad were watching closely.

Varane and Verratti were still on the bench, while Nacho and Isco were not even in the matchday squad.

So even though he came on during garbage time with the result already decided, Morata was inexplicably excited, worked extremely hard, and felt deeply grateful to Gao Shen.

It was not just a generous appearance bonus. It represented the head coach's expectations of him.

At least, neither Jesé nor Lucas Vázquez made the squad.

But before the final, Gao Shen had already spoken to each of them individually and offered reassurance.

Whether Jesé or Vázquez, they were players Gao Shen intended to use more in the future. He also hoped they would work even harder to improve.

Their improvement would raise Real Madrid's overall level.

If they could firmly establish themselves, advanced rotation would be much easier to manage.

…

The moment Rizzoli blew for full time, everyone around Gao Shen sprinted onto the pitch.

The entire stadium was engulfed by the deafening roar of Real Madrid fans.

By contrast, Gao Shen remained composed.

He stood on the touchline, very calm.

He was not pretending. He was genuinely calm.

He now truly had the mentality of "after seeing the greatest peaks, others do not impress."

How to put it?

He had already won four titles like this, including defending one, and he was used to it.

Of course, being used to it did not mean he was numb or lacked ambition.

On the contrary, he was pursuing higher goals.

For example, looking at the Real Madrid players on the pitch right now...

Ronaldo's eyes were red with emotion as he faced the night sky and shouted. The noise drowned out the words, but it was clearly the release of years of frustration.

Ramos charged to the touchline, pumping his fists and roaring to the fans.

Iker knelt in front of his goal, clutching his head, pressing it to the turf, his shoulders shaking. He was probably crying.

There were also Xabi Alonso, Di María, Toni Kroos, Modrić, Pepe, Carvajal...

Each of them trusted Gao Shen completely and executed his plan.

Many would look at a 3-0 scoreline and say Real Madrid were too strong.

Yes, Real Madrid were truly strong.

But they were not this strong from the start.

Back to last summer, who would have believed, who would have dared believe, that Real Madrid could come this far?

Never mind last summer.

When Real Madrid were drawn into the group of death, how many people dismissed them?

As Real Madrid fought through every obstacle on a rocky path, how many questioned them?

But now, they walked into Wembley and, with a dominant performance, beat Bayern to win the title.

That was Gao Shen's greatest takeaway.

No frenzy, no madness, just composure.

Because when he walked into this stadium, he already knew he would win.

He would definitely win.

…

Gao Shen stepped out of the technical area and went to the home bench, extending his hand to Heynckes from a distance.

The German coach gripped his hand and pulled him into a hug.

"Well done, Gao," Heynckes said, frustrated but convinced.

"You did very well too," Gao Shen replied.

In fact, Bayern reaching the Champions League final was a huge surprise in itself.

Especially beating Manchester City in the semi-final could be called an upset.

In the previous timeline, treble-winning Bayern had Neuer, Boateng, Robben, Toni Kroos, and Javi Martínez.

Now, all of them were gone.

That was like taking away half of Bayern.

That Heynckes led this half-strength side to the final was enough to impress Gao Shen.

"The future of football belongs to you young people," Heynckes said, arm around Gao Shen's shoulders as they stood together.

He was going to retire.

At the same time as Ferguson.

"But Guardiola should thank you."

As soon as Heynckes finished, Gao Shen laughed.

"Of course, we are best friends."

If Heynckes had really won the Champions League, Guardiola's life at Bayern would have been difficult.

Of course, it would not be easy now either.

After all, Heynckes was leaving a double.

"Honestly, if I were ten years younger, I would give you a real fight. But now, I just want to go home and keep a dog."

Gao Shen could not help laughing. "You will not, Jupp."

"Why not?" Heynckes asked.

"I can tell you still have fire. You are not as content as you say."

"And then what?"

"As soon as someone tries to tempt you back, you will be moved."

Gao Shen made a little gesture, and Heynckes burst out laughing.

"Honestly, it is impossible to say I have no competitive urge at all, right?"

Gao Shen nodded repeatedly. That was only human.

Although Heynckes had taken the initiative to say he would step down at season's end and had asked Bayern to prepare early, no one expected Bayern to act so quickly and announce it so early.

That left Heynckes passive.

There was no way he felt no desire to fight.

He just wanted to make a big statement and see how Guardiola would deal with it next.

Professionally speaking, Heynckes had handled it superbly. The handover was exquisite.

"I am actually looking forward to it now."

"Hm?"

"In European football today, after Ferguson retires, Manchester United will definitely make a big move. Moyes probably will not be your match. Manchester City are strong, but Pellegrini..." Heynckes shook his head.

It was obvious he did not rate Pellegrini highly.

"Chelsea's Mourinho may become your rival, but it still depends on whether the owner is willing to spend. Serie A has declined. In La Liga, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid may be your challengers. In the Bundesliga, Guardiola's Bayern will be even stronger."

About to retire, Heynckes sounded like a statesman surveying the landscape.

He did not mention Dortmund, mainly because Dortmund's problems were plain to see.

Klopp's style could not be sustained for long, and the players struggled to bear it.

More importantly, Dortmund could not keep their stars.

Götze and Lewandowski were likely to leave this season. How competitive would Dortmund be then?

Hearing Heynckes's words, Gao Shen felt a surge of pride.

"Then keep a close eye on us. Next season, my goal is to win the treble."

"The treble?"

Gao Shen nodded confidently. "In La Liga history, no team has ever completed the treble, not even Guardiola's Barcelona."

Barcelona's Dream Team achieved remarkable feats, winning La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey, but never in the same season.

"You are ambitious. Then save me a ticket for the Champions League final," Heynckes said with a smile.

Gao Shen would not refuse.

That was his next, most immediate goal. And it was not his only one. There were more distant and higher targets, but there was no need to say them all.

Goals should be achieved step by step.

Talking too much does no good.

…

Just as Gao Shen said goodbye to Heynckes and turned back toward the away bench, Real Madrid players suddenly appeared behind him and rushed over. Some grabbed his arms, some held his waist, some lifted his legs, and they hoisted him into the air.

More and more Real Madrid players joined, all cheering for Gao Shen.

This gave him a very bad feeling.

Finished.

I must have been too strict with these guys day to day, and now they have a perfect excuse to get their revenge.

Damn it, are you still human?

I am afraid of heights!

(To be continued.)