SWR: Chapter 1002/1005

Chapter 1002: Come Over Here If You Can

On the afternoon of March 2, at the Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.

This world-renowned clash was about to begin.

Seventy-eight thousand Real Madrid fans flocked to the Bernabéu, filling every corner of the stands.

The stadium was deafening with chants and cheers.

In the presidential box, Real Madrid president Florentino, accompanied by senior executives such as José Sánchez, Valdano, and Butragueño, walked in slowly and took their seats.

Not long ago, he had gone to King Juan Carlos's box to greet him personally. Afterward, he was responsible for hosting Barcelona vice-president Bartomeu, who had traveled with the team.

Strangely, Bartomeu declined Florentino's invitation and insisted on sitting with the away Barcelona fans in the corner of the stadium. Florentino had no choice but to respect his wishes.

So now, Florentino was surrounded by Real Madrid's own people.

Also present was former Real Madrid technical director Arrigo Sacchi.

The Italian legend is now a columnist and regular contributor to major European media, and even a minor internet celebrity with a seven-figure fanbase and widespread recognition.

Of course, much of Sacchi's online fame had been built off Gao Shen's popularity.

Every time he interacted with Gao Shen, it brought him a wave of new followers.

Sacchi was very committed to his public persona as Gao Shen's biggest supporter.

As Sacchi often said, "I've been optimistic about him since the day he debuted. I'm his die-hard fan!"

The implication was clear: you can question my football views or professionalism, but you must never doubt my glowing judgment of Gao Shen, backed by my experience. All the other pretenders, step aside.

That was his style.

…

"I heard Gao Shen rotated heavily today?" Sacchi asked Valdano.

The Real Madrid technical director nodded. "Nine positions were rotated."

Sacchi was surprised. That was quite drastic.

Goalkeeper: Courtois.

Defense: Marcos Alonso, Pepe, Varane, and Nacho.

Midfield: Casemiro sitting deeper, with Kaká and Verratti in the middle.

Forwards: Jesé, Morata, and Vázquez.

Compared to the match three days ago, apart from central defenders Pepe and Varane, every other position had been changed.

This was clearly Gao Shen preparing for the upcoming battle at Old Trafford.

"Putting out such a lineup is really risky," Florentino sighed.

Two matches in such a short span with nine rotations, could Real Madrid still win like this?

This doubt was not only in the president's mind, but also shared by Real Madrid fans and supporters worldwide.

Everyone knew Gao Shen had to rotate.

The matches at the Bernabéu and Old Trafford were only two days apart. If the same players played both, even iron men could not withstand it. Gao Shen had no choice but to make sweeping changes.

There was no other way.

Many Real Madrid fans had mentally prepared themselves for defeat.

It was a strategic trade-off.

"Real Madrid's squad is still a bit thin," Sacchi commented.

Valdano nodded. "He's very selective about his players. If they don't fit his style, he won't take them."

"That's normal. He's right to stick to that principle," Sacchi agreed.

Think back to the start of the season, when many wondered why not keep Özil, Khedira, and Coentrão.

Leaving aside their disappointing performances after moving elsewhere, even if they had returned with strong form from the Euros, how would Gao Shen have used them?

Would he have left such Euro stars sitting on the bench?

The locker room would have exploded.

But if they were made starters, could Gao Shen's tactical system still be implemented?

Take Özil as an example. Who could he replace in the midfield or attack?

Kroos? Modrić? Di María?

The answer was, he could not replace any of them.

At Real Madrid, he would have been a substitute. Better to sell him while his market value was high.

The cases of Khedira and Coentrão were similar.

Gao Shen would rather use Marcos Alonso and Nacho than keep Coentrão, which showed his dissatisfaction with the player, especially his off-field lifestyle.

It was precisely Gao Shen's persistence that allowed Real Madrid to complete their transformation.

Today's La Liga giants no longer relied solely on defensive counterattacks. They were much more complete.

Now Real Madrid could adjust tactics depending on the opponent.

"If I'm not mistaken, Gao Shen will go with tight defense tonight," Sacchi predicted.

"Do we even need to guess?" Butragueño chuckled.

"We'll press aggressively at the start. That's Gao Shen's signature tactic."

Valdano nodded. "We all thought so too."

The technical director and vice-president exchanged looks, laughed together, then glanced at Sacchi, as if to say: Save that for the fans in the papers and online. Don't try it with us.

"Give me something real," Valdano teased.

"Alright then, I'll bet Real Madrid score first," Sacchi replied slyly.

Valdano, Butragueño, and the others laughed.

Gao Shen knew Barcelona inside out, and his opening blitz tactic often worked.

"Honestly, this season has been too tough," Sacchi said seriously.

Valdano and Butragueño turned to look at Florentino. Sacchi's words were clearly directed at him.

The Real Madrid president was shrewd, of course he understood.

"I know, that's why I won't let him leave, no matter what."

Sacchi nodded. "He's already repaid many of the debts from past seasons. I just hope his team can keep going."

In terms of results alone, Real Madrid's season had been impressive. Even before the team fully gelled, they held their own against Manchester City, the defending Champions League winners.

Both the scoreline and the performance had been respectable.

But why did they only finish second in the group stage?

Because of Real Madrid's poor European results in recent years, they had been placed in Pot 3 and drawn into a group of death. In that brutal group, they lost out to Manchester City by just one point and still qualified in second place, which was already a strong achievement.

As group runners-up, they drew Manchester United in the round of 16, while also running into Barcelona in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey. All competitions became entangled, leading to their current predicament.

"With our Champions League performances this season, we should be back in Pot 2 next year," Valdano nodded.

Who would believe that a team as powerful as Real Madrid had fallen into Pot 3?

If not for Gao Shen, Real Madrid might still be struggling to even escape the group stage.

"He's done really well. Especially those three straight wins against Barcelona, which completely shattered their aura," Butragueño said with satisfaction.

When had Real Madrid fans enjoyed a season like this in recent years?

In just one campaign, they had crushed their eternal rivals, Barcelona.

That was why everyone believed Real Madrid could still win tonight, even with nine rotations.

Because leading the team was Gao Shen.

…

Real Madrid rotated, and so did Barcelona.

Goalkeeper: Valdés.

Defense: Alba, Piqué, Thiago Motta, and Alves.

Midfield: Busquets sitting deeper, with Iniesta and Xavi.

Forwards: Villa, Messi, and Pedro.

Barcelona also rotated a few players, but the team's core structure and tactics stayed intact.

With Thiago Motta, their defense and buildup passing looked more stable.

But when Gao Shen saw Barcelona's lineup, he felt a little regret.

What a player Motta was. How brilliantly Napoli had played under his leadership.

But back at Barcelona?

He had become nothing more than Busquets' backup, often shifted into central defense, which hurt his performances.

And then there was Alexandre Song on the bench.

Last summer, Barcelona signed him from Arsenal with a big salary, even in a controversial way.

Everyone thought they had big plans for him. And the result?

Sometimes Gao Shen really felt Barcelona's transfer dealings were unprofessional, even absurd.

But there was nothing he could do, because this was Barcelona.

Wealthy and powerful.

Yet no matter how strong, it did not matter. At the Bernabéu, Gao Shen would still bring them down.

…

As soon as the whistle blew, Real Madrid pressed collectively in the front line, going straight at Barcelona's defense.

It was intense pressing.

Just 12 seconds into the game, Barcelona had only passed twice across the back line before Piqué played it to Alba on the left. But under Vázquez's pressure, Alba failed to control the ball, and it rolled out of play.

Real Madrid won possession.

Nacho quickly stepped up and threw the ball to Morata, who controlled it and laid it back to Vázquez.

The winger charged to the byline and whipped a cross into the box.

Kaká's late run was a bit slow, and goalkeeper Valdés came off his line to claim it.

The Barcelona keeper motioned for his teammates to push forward.

Real Madrid immediately dropped back into defensive shape.

Unlike previous matches at Camp Nou, tonight they retreated into their own half, holding the line around midfield.

The defensive setup was basically the same.

It was clear Gao Shen's approach was defensive counterattack.

No surprise after rotating nine players.

Even Barcelona weren't surprised, and began pushing forward steadily.

Once across midfield, they tried moving the ball forward, but were repeatedly forced back by Real Madrid's compact defense.

Watching Real Madrid retreat as though facing a formidable foe, Sacchi and Valdano in the stands couldn't help feeling disappointed.

They had all guessed wrong.

Gao Shen didn't go for a furious opening attack. Instead, he adopted a cautious defensive-counter style right from the start.

But the intent was clear to everyone.

He was provoking Barcelona from afar.

Barcelona, this is how I'm playing tonight.

If you have the ability, come and break through my defense!

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1003: Are You Convinced?

When the game reached the 37th minute, Barcelona once again slowly pushed across the halfway line.

Alves moved the ball from the right into the middle, Busquets controlled it and stepped into Real Madrid's half.

Spotting an opportunity, the Barcelona midfielder suddenly sent a through pass to the feet of the retreating Messi.

The Argentine superstar didn't even take a touch. He swept Busquets' pass behind him to the left.

Seemingly casual, Messi's pass sliced through Real Madrid's defense and landed on the left side of the penalty area.

Villa rushed forward and trapped the ball, but by then, Varane had already caught up.

The French center-back, hands clasped behind his back, shadowed Villa step by step like glue.

With no choice, the Spanish striker attempted a cross, but the ball went out of bounds.

Thunderous applause rang throughout the Bernabéu.

On the sidelines, Barcelona's acting head coach Jordi Roura covered his face in frustration, regretting the wasted chance.

Messi's pass had been sublime. But Villa, no longer at his best, was neutralized by Varane's watertight defense, given no chance at all, and forced into a desperate cross that went out.

"Gao Shen is shameless tonight!" Roura cursed angrily.

"How can this be the style of a top coach?"

Look at Real Madrid on the pitch. Did they look like a top team, one led by a famous coach?

Their possession rate?

25 percent.

Like everyone else, Roura had expected Gao Shen to launch an early offensive, his trademark. Barcelona had even carefully prepared to counter Real Madrid's opening storm.

After all, Real Madrid had rotated nine players, while Barcelona had not. On paper, Barcelona held the advantage.

But instead, Gao Shen refused to attack. From the first whistle, Real Madrid dropped back.

That defensive wall had held for more than half an hour.

Roura had to admit Gao Shen's defense was excellent, layered, and flexible, making Barcelona's attacks fail time and again.

But wasn't this too conservative?

So far, Barcelona had managed only one shot.

Real Madrid had only three.

The match wasn't particularly entertaining, but it was intense and played at a furious pace.

"His deployments are always unexpected," Roura muttered, depressed.

Barcelona had no real answer to Real Madrid's defense.

Especially when Gao Shen set his team up this way.

Messi dropped deep several times to get the ball, only to be harassed by Casemiro's relentless marking.

The Brazilian midfielder was strong, defensively tough, and tireless, a steel wall in front of Real Madrid's defense, repeatedly breaking up Barcelona's attacks.

And more importantly, he didn't just defend.

Courtois launched a goal kick long into the front.

Morata dropped deep, held off Busquets with his back, chested it down, and laid it off to Casemiro.

Casemiro immediately drove the ball forward.

By then, Kaká and Verratti had already drifted wide, leaving space in front of Casemiro.

The Brazilian advanced into the 30-meter area. Xavi stepped forward to intercept, but Casemiro accelerated, used his body to shrug him off, and continued forward.

Sensing danger, Busquets closed in quickly, but Casemiro shifted direction, trying to play it right toward Vázquez.

Alba slid in and tackled the ball out.

Nacho recovered it, carrying it slowly along the right sideline.

Real Madrid eased the attack.

If the quick counter didn't materialize immediately, they had to stabilize and reorganize.

With Nacho holding the ball, Real Madrid's shape reset. Vázquez moved over for support.

But Nacho didn't play him in. Seeing no space ahead, he sent it sideways.

Verratti ran across to receive it. Shaping as if to recycle, he feinted, skipped past Iniesta, and surged forward through the right channel.

At the same time, Real Madrid's forwards sparked into motion.

Jesé prepared to break on the left, while Morata, Kaká, and Vázquez all readied their runs. Morata even pointed ahead, signaling the path for Verratti's pass.

Verratti drove forward to the edge of the box. Glancing up, he chipped an inch-perfect cross with his right foot.

The ball dropped exactly where Morata had signaled. The striker charged through and, beating Thiago Motta and Piqué, powered a header toward goal.

The ball flew straight into the right corner.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

"In the 37th minute, Álvaro Morata, the young Morata, scores the opener for Real Madrid!"

"That was only Real Madrid's fourth shot of the match!"

The Bernabéu erupted as fans leapt to their feet, roaring in celebration.

Morata sprinted off the pitch, arms outstretched in wild celebration. His teammates surged toward him, engulfing him in joy.

"Real Madrid's young players are leaving a deep impression tonight."

"We saw it just now, Verratti's burst from midfield suddenly broke Barcelona's shape."

"Barcelona's weakness was exposed. Once Iniesta was bypassed by Verratti, no one stepped up quickly enough to close him down, and that lapse proved costly."

"This is a serious problem for Barcelona."

…

On the sidelines, Gao Shen raised his arms and applauded Morata's brilliant goal.

After more than 30 minutes of defending, they finally struck.

But Gao Shen quickly strode to the touchline, reminding his players to stay calm and focused on defense.

Barcelona had just been stung. That wouldn't kill their spirit, it would enrage them.

The more impatient they became, the greater Real Madrid's chances.

Especially with halftime approaching, Barcelona would almost certainly launch a furious response.

All Real Madrid needed was to hold firm, exploit that impatience, and counter decisively.

Gao Shen barked out instructions, calling each name from Verratti to Casemiro, from Varane to Pepe, and even Kaká.

As play restarted, Barcelona, just as Gao Shen predicted, stormed forward desperately.

Roura, sensing the danger, shouted from the sidelines, urging his players to calm down and not rush.

But Barcelona's men on the pitch were like wild horses off the reins, uncontrollable.

Just four minutes after conceding, Real Madrid struck again, starting with a steal at the edge of their box.

Messi had dropped deep to receive, but Casemiro clamped onto him from behind.

The Brazilian didn't foul, he simply pressed Messi as he tried to control it, causing the Argentine to stumble and fall.

Barcelona players appealed, but the referee waved play on.

Casemiro reacted instantly, passing forward to Kaká.

The Brazilian midfielder stopped the ball and immediately threaded a through pass behind Barcelona's high line, into the gap vacated by Alves.

Morata drifted wide, chased it down, drove forward, drew Thiago Motta, and just before being closed down, cut the ball diagonally into the middle.

Jesé arrived in full sprint, shaking off his marker with raw pace. He reached Morata's pass, burst into the top of the box, and fired before Piqué could close him down.

The ball ripped into the net, flying into the right corner.

Valdés was helpless.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

"Real Madrid score again!"

"Jesé!"

"The 20-year-old Jesé has scored another for Real Madrid!"

"Another lightning counterattack!"

"As Gao Shen has long pointed out, Barcelona's defense is disorganized."

"Two goals in less than five minutes, both from counterattacks!"

"One has to admit, Gao Shen's analysis of Barcelona is spot on."

"But even more remarkable is this young Real Madrid side."

"First it was Verratti assisting Morata, now Morata setting up Jesé. The kids are stepping up!"

"Just look at Jesé's explosive run and finish. That carried a touch of Ronaldo about it!"

On the touchline, Gao Shen burst into laughter at Jesé's strike.

Turning, he saw Zidane approaching. Gao Shen embraced the bald Frenchman warmly.

"Well done, Zinedine. Your special training really worked."

Zidane had been coaching Real Madrid's young attackers—Jesé, Morata, and Benzema—in a specialized program.

Gao Shen had long felt Benzema's finishing needed polishing. Zidane had worked tirelessly on their composure and efficiency.

Now, Morata and Jesé had seized their moments.

For young players to finish so calmly in such pressure situations spoke volumes about their potential.

"You have a great eye. These boys are something special," Zidane admitted in surprise.

Who would have thought, with nine rotations, that Real Madrid would be 2-0 up in the first half?

And with kids leading the charge?

But Gao Shen always found ways to shock the world.

That was exactly why Real Madrid fans adored him. Watching a young generation of Madridistas humiliate Barcelona at the Bernabéu—what could be more thrilling?

They were the future of Real Madrid.

"I told you, we have plenty of stamina," Gao Shen said with a smile.

When he said it before the season, people laughed.

When he said it at the start, people mocked him.

When he repeated it midway, people began to understand.

And now, Gao Shen wanted to ask one thing.

Are you convinced?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1004: Four Kills Against Barcelona

When referee Pérez blew the final whistle, the 78,000 Real Madrid fans at the Bernabéu went wild. They rose from their seats, roared at the top of their lungs, and applauded their team.

3-0. That was what the scoreboard showed. The final result of the match.

A result that shocked everyone.

No one expected that after rotating nine players, Real Madrid could still beat Barcelona 3-0 at home.

The Real Madrid supporters were in ecstasy.

If the match had lasted any longer, they would still have been celebrating in the stands.

Another 3-0.

This was the fourth time Real Madrid had beaten Barcelona this season.

Even more thrilling was that Real Madrid's lineup tonight had been made up mainly of young players.

On the Barcelona side, their midfield trio was intact, with stars like Messi, Villa, and Pedro also starting. They rotated a little, but not much.

Real Madrid, however, rotated nine players, keeping only Pepe and Varane in defense.

Before this match, almost every bookmaker had written off Real Madrid.

But who could have imagined the result would be 3-0?

In the 72nd minute, Verratti showcased his superb ball control and dribbling in midfield. Surrounded by two Barcelona players, the Italian wriggled out of a tight space and then delivered a precise long pass over the defense.

Jesé timed his run perfectly, darting between Alves and Thiago Motta. He controlled the ball with his chest and smashed it past Valdés with his right foot to score again.

In fact, Real Madrid had another great chance. Morata, however, wasn't composed enough in front of goal. His shot went straight at Valdés and was saved.

Had he converted, it would have been 4-0.

…

It had been almost a one-sided game.

But not with Real Madrid suffocating Barcelona. Rather, it was Barcelona controlling Real Madrid.

Their 78 percent possession showed the enormous passing and control advantage they had.

But with only four shots, that advantage became meaningless.

As Sky Sports summed it up after the match:

"Barcelona have fallen into a vicious cycle."

"They chase possession relentlessly, setting up everything to dominate the ball. But once they have it, there is no clear plan, only individual improvisation."

"This is a serious problem."

And Barcelona's problems didn't stop there.

Looking at the running stats, this Barcelona side under Vilanova showed a sharp decline compared to Guardiola's team.

In this match at the Bernabéu, their physical drop-off was obvious.

Partly because they had played at Camp Nou just three days earlier and were fatigued. But it also highlighted another issue: the players were unwilling to run.

Marca had previously published an analysis of Barcelona's problems.

The article noted that when Vilanova took over, he quickly won the locker room's support by accommodating the players' demands, always giving in to their preferences.

The upside was clear: the players liked him, some even happy to "betray" Guardiola, the father of the Dream Team.

But the downside was just as clear: the team's training intensity had dropped.

And a decline in training inevitably leads to a decline in performance on the pitch.

This was no coincidence.

Wasn't this the same mistake the first generation of Galácticos made? After achieving glory, their stars aged, grew complacent, and started coasting through matches.

Barcelona were now repeating Real Madrid's mistakes.

Sky Sports argued that all three of Barcelona's conceded goals looked similar.

Failure to counter-press allowed Real Madrid to spring forward in transition.

And with Barcelona's fragile defense, they could not stop them.

It didn't matter if they were facing Ronaldo, Di María, and Benzema, or young players like Jesé and Morata. They couldn't hold them back.

"This is a Real Madrid team full of energy and passion."

"From the broadcast, you could see the entire Bernabéu applauding Gao Shen and his men."

"They deserve it."

"At the start of the season, Gao Shen claimed Real Madrid had great potential. Nobody believed him, most thought he was just making excuses."

"But now, neither the brutal Champions League group of death nor February's grueling fixture list could stop Real Madrid."

"This is a team worth looking forward to."

…

After the game, Gao Shen walked to the visiting dugout and shook hands with Barcelona's acting coach, Jordi Roura.

They exchanged little more than a handshake. Gao Shen asked him to pass on his regards to Vilanova, then turned away.

He knew Roura and the Barcelona players had no desire to see him now.

On his way back to the bench, Hierro rushed over and threw his arms around him.

"Four wins against Barcelona in a single season!"

"When have we ever seen such a fierce Real Madrid?"

"When have we ever seen a Real Madrid this full of hope and fire?"

"Listen to the Bernabéu. Every clap is for you!" Hierro shouted.

Gao Shen looked around. Sure enough, every Madrid fan was standing, clapping, and cheering.

It was their recognition of this team.

But Gao Shen stayed grounded, exhaling heavily. "It's still early."

There were 12 rounds left in the league, with Barcelona still one point ahead. The title race was far from decided.

Most importantly, Real Madrid were still competing on three fronts.

The Copa del Rey final in May was manageable.

But in the Champions League, danger lurked at every stage.

"You know what? Barcelona are actually easier to play."

If those words leaked out, they would be ridiculed as arrogance or disrespect.

But Gao Shen meant them.

Why easier?

"Because we know their routine. They'll press high, dominate the ball, and push forward. Their tactics are predictable. We just need to defend well and wait to counter."

It wasn't glamorous.

If Gao Shen wanted to be ambitious, he could challenge them head-on. But that would be far riskier.

"The other league teams aren't like that. Against us, they sit deep. Breaking them down is harder, even dangerous."

Everyone understood.

Pros and cons. Gains and losses. That was normal.

…

After the 3-0 win, the Bernabéu erupted in applause.

In the locker room, the players were ecstatic, especially the young ones.

Florentino entered with Valdano, Butragueño, and others, followed by King Juan Carlos.

Everyone congratulated Real Madrid.

With this win, Real Madrid sat just one point behind Barcelona, filling the club with belief.

Gao Shen was no exception.

In his post-match speech, he singled out his standout players.

Jesé, who scored twice, earned high praise. But Gao Shen reminded him to move on quickly.

"Don't let this game weigh on you."

Jesé understood. He didn't submit to anyone, but Gao Shen had his respect.

After all, Gao Shen had promoted him from the youth team.

And every youth player at Real Madrid had grown up hearing Gao Shen's legend.

Morata, with one goal and one assist, was also praised, though Gao Shen pointed out flaws.

Jesé's problem was lack of power in his shots, though his angles were sharp. Morata's issues were more obvious.

Gao Shen had made it clear to him: as a center forward, he needed more physical strength. But Morata still lacked in that department.

Morata liked to think of himself as Cristiano Ronaldo.

Don't laugh, their height and build were indeed similar.

But Gao Shen had already told him bluntly: "You're not Ronaldo. You'll never be Ronaldo. You need to be Morata."

A center forward named Morata.

And unlike Ronaldo, he lacked that obsession with the gym.

Verratti, with two assists, and Varane, flawless in defense, also shone.

So did Casemiro, with his interceptions and tight marking of Messi.

Gao Shen was generous with praise for these three.

Real Madrid now had not just a strong starting XI, but also a capable bench.

The only issue was their youth and inexperience.

But Gao Shen believed that by next season, this group of youngsters would be even better.

"I want to say, I'm proud of your performance tonight."

"Out there, the applause and cheers from our fans are the best recognition of what you've done."

"But I also want you to forget this game quickly. Focus on what's ahead."

"Believe me, we will win the championship this season!"

The locker room erupted in cheers and clapping.

Florentino, King Juan Carlos, and the others listened to Gao Shen's words, heard the players' response, and were stirred with excitement.

Real Madrid hadn't been this full of passion and energy in years.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1005: The End of La Liga's King

The older Ferguson grew, the more he believed there was such a thing as "fate" in this world.

Not feudal superstition, but a law.

Just like how, the older a person becomes, the weaker their ability to learn and adapt.

As a company expands, its internal problems multiply, until eventually, those very problems become its downfall.

The same is true for a club, or for a team.

Ferguson had been young once too.

When he was young, he thought he could do anything. Looking at his aging predecessors, he was full of energy and determination, and swore, "If I ever reach your age, I would rather die than end up like you."

But when he finally reached that age, and looked back, he realized how naive and ridiculous those thoughts were.

It was like someone born in the 1980s, looking back at his old social media posts in 2021. He would cringe with embarrassment and ask himself: "Why was I so childish back then?"

This is fate.

No one can escape it.

The same applies to Barcelona.

…

As an old rival of Barcelona, Ferguson both respected and feared them.

On one hand, he had learned a lot from them. On the other, he had been repeatedly beaten by them.

But this season, Barcelona left him puzzled.

He never expected their overall strength to drop so drastically in such a short time.

Under Guardiola, no matter how poorly they played, Barcelona would never have lost 0-3 to Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. And this was a Real Madrid side that had rotated nine players.

That was very un-Barcelona.

Yet it happened.

The Catalan media gave excuses. The absence of head coach Vilanova. A congested schedule. Even blaming the referee for controversial decisions.

But they never admitted that Barcelona had been doing just fine in the league despite Vilanova's absence.

When it came to bullying weaker sides, Barcelona were ruthless.

That was why, even after losing at the Bernabéu, they still sat top of La Liga.

So what was this?

When they won, it was thanks to Vilanova's motivation. But when they lost, it was because he wasn't there?

As for the "congested schedule."

Against Real Madrid, what right did Barcelona have to complain?

Real Madrid also played those matches. And how did they perform?

How did Barcelona perform?

If you lose, you lose. There are no excuses.

…

"Before, Barcelona dared to hold the ball, dared to pass, dared to counter-press. The players stayed focused. But now…"

Ferguson shook his head with a sigh.

"The biggest meaning of this game is that we witnessed the end of a La Liga champion."

"This Barcelona team lacks the toughness to face strong opponents, especially the intricate passing triangles in the final third. That was their deadliest weapon under Guardiola."

"Why has it disappeared?" Mike Phelan asked, baffled.

On paper, there was no reason for them to lose this ability.

"Mindset."

Neither assistant quite understood.

"Many people say Barcelona keep possession for the sake of possession. That's true, but it misses the point. Another reason is fear of mistakes. If they make an error, they must counter-press. If they don't, the opponent launches a dangerous counter. And with Barcelona's fragile defense, they can't cope."

"I see." Phelan nodded. "You mean they're unwilling to invest in counter-pressing."

Ferguson gave him a look that said, "Finally, you get it."

"Counter-pressing demands energy, especially running. Barcelona players don't want to run anymore. That's the vicious cycle."

"The less they run, the fewer passing options they create. Their passing becomes predictable. The threatening combinations in the final third vanish. With fewer penetrating passes, all they can do is circulate the ball harmlessly outside."

"That's why Barcelona appear dominant in possession, but can't create danger. Like at the Bernabéu, 78 percent possession, yet only four shots."

"All of this stems from mentality."

"They don't want to run. They don't want to fight the way they used to. They want to win in comfort. That mentality destroys their edge, the grit to push through difficulties."

"Especially when fatigue sets in, the problem is magnified."

"Without that tenacity, once stamina dips, they lose concentration. That leads to sloppy errors, especially in 50-50s."

"More mistakes lead to more conservatism. They take fewer risks, prefer to recycle the ball safely in midfield and defense."

Ferguson outlined the vicious cycle Barcelona were trapped in.

Then suddenly, a thought struck him, almost like enlightenment.

"Guardiola saw this coming last season."

"What?" Phelan was stunned. "Impossible!"

Could Guardiola predict the future?

"Why not?" Ferguson looked at his assistant.

He had never been satisfied with Phelan, but after Queiroz left, there was no suitable replacement available.

"Guardiola built Dream Team III. These players became stars under him. Who knows them better than him?"

It wasn't prophecy. It was deduction.

Ferguson himself had done the same, like when he sold Jaap Stam, though that had been a poor call.

"I even suspect Gao Shen saw this long ago. He knows Barcelona too well."

Ferguson's words stunned Phelan and Meulensteen.

So this was the vision of elite managers.

"If we faced this Barcelona now, we could beat them," Ferguson said with some envy.

Unfortunately, Manchester United hadn't drawn Barcelona. They had drawn Real Madrid.

The team coached by that brat was far tougher to handle than Barcelona without Guardiola.

What's worse, Real Madrid had just rotated nine players against Barcelona, still won convincingly, and their morale was sky-high. That only made them more dangerous at Old Trafford.

Ferguson felt a headache coming on.

He was increasingly struggling to keep up with this new generation.

…

Before the Champions League tie, Manchester United had beaten newly-promoted Norwich 4-0 at home in Round 28 of the Premier League.

Ferguson hadn't gone all out, saving energy for Real Madrid in midweek.

Now, after 28 rounds, United still topped the table, but Manchester City trailed by just one point and were determined to defend their title.

That left United under pressure.

But Ferguson also knew the home game against Real Madrid would be no easy task.

Since Gao Shen dared to rotate nine players in El Clásico, he would certainly go full force at Old Trafford.

To contain Real Madrid, they had to contain Ronaldo.

Ferguson had learned plenty from the first leg at the Bernabéu.

For example, when Giggs came on, combining with Rafael, they effectively contained Ronaldo and stabilized United's rhythm.

So in this leg, Ferguson planned to use Giggs.

Sneijder, however, had been exposed badly in the first leg, especially defensively.

Now Ferguson was torn. Should he play Sneijder or not?

The Dutchman's strength lay in passing and creativity, but his presence disrupted United's midfield balance.

"Schedule a training session. We'll focus on the 4-4-2 with a double pivot," Ferguson instructed with a sigh.

Having lost 0-1 at the Bernabéu, United needed to score at Old Trafford. That meant taking the initiative.

But after watching Real Madrid at the weekend, Ferguson had his doubts.

Gao Shen had shown he was willing to drop deep, play conservatively, and counter.

What if he did the same at Old Trafford?

United already had attacking issues. Against a Real Madrid side sitting back with Ronaldo and Di María ready to counter, plus Kroos, Xabi Alonso, and others capable of launching precise long passes, United would be in trouble.

And then there was Ramos.

Here, Ferguson had to admire Gao Shen.

Who could have imagined Varane would develop so fast? Gao Shen had even suspended Ramos for three games, yet Real Madrid's defense held firm.

Ferguson had no choice but to respect that.

Just like Leeds United, who now sat sixth in the Premier League, above Everton and Liverpool.

Moyes, Ferguson's chosen successor, was in charge there. And Ferguson knew how capable he was.

For a newly-promoted side to rank ahead of Everton was impressive.

Ferguson knew Gao Shen's hand was behind that too. He never doubted Gao Shen's ability to develop players.

So, would Ramos return at Old Trafford?

And what tactics would Real Madrid use?

(To be continued.)