🎊🎊SWR: Chapter 974/979

Chapter 974: Promise to Real Madrid Fans
After returning to Madrid from the UK, Gao Shen began preparations for intensive winter training.

It was called intensive training, but in reality, it only lasted for a week.

The Christmas holiday, combined with the winter training break, was a rare chance for players who had been battling for months to catch their breath.

Pochettino did not return to Barcelona but continued to stay in Madrid.

He even brought his family over from Barcelona, rented a house in the same community where Gao Shen and Zidane lived, and became their neighbor.

By the way, after following Gao Shen back to Real Madrid, Carlo had also moved out of his original small courtyard and bought a house in the same community as Gao Shen. This was the result of the wealth he had accumulated over the years.

He had once thought of arranging for his son to join the Real Madrid coaching staff, to learn under Gao Shen and follow in his father's footsteps to become a football coach. However, there was no chance of that, as his son liked basketball.

So Gao Shen used his connections to arrange for him to join Real Madrid's basketball team.

Real Madrid's basketball team is also one of Europe's giants.

After Pochettino was brought in on loan, he basically became Gao Shen's assistant. Although he was not officially a Real Madrid coach, he could still go to work at the training ground every day.

This was not unusual at all. On the contrary, it was common, but generally speaking, the media would not report it.

Many head coaches go through this process before taking up a job, and even after they take over, they sometimes still do it. Real Madrid even has many coaches who come to the team simply because of its reputation.

Compared to them, Pochettino was just the most famous, and also the one closest to Gao Shen.

…

As usual, the first day of winter break training was open to the media and fans.

Gao Shen arranged the open session in the afternoon at the Di Stefano Stadium in Valdebebas, home of Castilla. At that time, fans and media would be allowed in to watch Real Madrid train.

In the morning, however, Real Madrid had plenty to deal with.

First on the agenda were the team's injuries.

Marcelo's injury was what Gao Shen was most concerned about.

The Brazilian had spent Christmas in Madrid this time because he did not want to aggravate his injury by traveling back and forth. Judging by his current recovery, the overall situation was still optimistic. He should have no problem returning before the Champions League round of 16.

By the way, Real Madrid's opponent in the Champions League round of 16 was Manchester United.

The unlucky Red Devils fought hard to win their group, only to end up facing Gao Shen in the round of 16.

So, when Gao Shen and Pochettino invited Ferguson to dinner in Cheshire, the old man was so angry he cursed UEFA.

Who would want to face a strong opponent like Gao Shen and Real Madrid in the round of 16?

In addition to Marcelo, Higuain was also injured, with a strained muscle in his right foot, but it was not serious now.

There was also Albiol, the central defender, who was injured and also on the coaching staff's watchlist.

Among the injured players, Marcelo was both the one Gao Shen was most concerned about and the one giving him the biggest headache.

After his injury, the Brazilian had gained a lot of weight and was badly out of shape. This meant that even if he recovered, he would still need physical training and conditioning, and time was running out.

Therefore, after receiving Marcelo's medical report, Gao Shen gave strict orders to Buenaventura and Pintus, telling them to do everything possible to help Marcelo recover as quickly as possible, preferably in time for the Manchester United game.

"In the first half of the season, we played very frustratingly, but in the second half we must be proud of ourselves!" Gao Shen said sharply.

In all his years of coaching, he had never encountered such a frustrating situation as in the first half of the season, especially in the Champions League group stage, which had been really tough.

Buenaventura and Pintus exchanged a look and accepted Gao Shen's order.

The situation for the other players was relatively good. Even during Christmas, they had been self-disciplined, with no major problems or trouble.

This Christmas had gone quite smoothly, which was a good thing.

…

The morning was mostly spent on physical check-ups and adjustments for the players.

In the afternoon, the whole team headed to the Di Stefano Stadium for the first training session after the winter break.

By then, the 8,000-seat stadium was already packed.

Eight thousand Real Madrid fans had come to cheer for the team, and the players were relaxed in training.

The session was also recovery-oriented.

The real winter training would start tomorrow, when they would truly experience the devilish methods of Buenaventura and Pintus.

They called this the winter break charging station.

After training, the team had many interactive activities with the fans on site.

For example, they threw signed boots into the stands, tossed signed footballs, and took part in other events.

The atmosphere was lively, with constant cheering.

Afterwards, Gao Shen led the entire team to thank the Real Madrid fans in attendance.

Once training ended, Gao Shen took the team back to the first-team facility, gave some instructions, and then dismissed them. He himself had to attend a press conference.

This was also routine.

At a club like Real Madrid, the head coach's job is never just leading training and matches. Dealing with the media is also a crucial part.

And every time they faced the media, the journalists would try to set traps.

This time, for example, someone asked Gao Shen to confirm a rumor.

The rumor was that Gao Shen planned to replace Casillas with Courtois.

Gao Shen flatly denied it in a firm tone.

"You should know that what I hate most is people maliciously speculating about what goes on inside our locker room."

"Take Casillas, for example. There is no doubt he is the captain of Real Madrid and a vital member of the team."

"If someone tells you that the captain of Real Madrid is dispensable, then I can only say you know nothing about Real Madrid."

Gao Shen once again clarified that both Casillas and Courtois are part of the team, both are in good form and performing well, but they have different roles.

Courtois was doing well in the league, and Casillas was doing well in the cup, so what was the problem?

"I don't know how everyone else sees Real Madrid, but to me, coaching Real Madrid is the hardest job because Real Madrid is the most special team. It must always be Real Madrid first, and then the players, the coach, and everything else."

"Real Madrid has its own values, and here, the most important thing is not the coach, not the players, not even the president, but the Bernabéu."

What Gao Shen was referring to was obviously the fans at the Bernabéu.

"At Real Madrid, no matter how big a person's profile or prestigious their status, they can never surpass the name of Real Madrid or the Bernabéu."

"So, I tell my players that if you want to succeed here, you must first learn self-discipline."

This analysis clearly showed his familiarity with and understanding of Real Madrid.

Maybe it was not completely profound, maybe not entirely correct, but it was convincing.

"To sum up, I have never felt, or had the impression, that there was any player at Real Madrid who was irreplaceable or could not be replaced."

"Everyone should work for Real Madrid, whether starting, on the bench, or even out of the squad. This is normal."

"So, back to the earlier question, I think both Casillas and Courtois are Real Madrid players, both are important, and there is no issue of one replacing the other."

"Our principle is very clear, whoever is in better form and can help the team more as a whole will play."

This was a sensitive topic, so Gao Shen handled it cautiously, choosing his words carefully to avoid saying anything wrong.

As captain, Casillas had a huge influence at Real Madrid, and as captain of the Spanish national team, his status was even more extraordinary.

If Gao Shen were to say now that he wanted to drop Casillas, the uproar would not be any smaller than when Aragones dropped Raul.

More importantly, Courtois himself was already walking a fine line.

The young Belgian had a strong ability to handle pressure. Under tremendous pressure, he had not made mistakes or given Casillas any openings.

In this situation, Gao Shen needed to relieve his pressure, not add to it.

Moreover, the Real Madrid dressing room also needed stability, and Casillas was essential to that.

After answering the Casillas question, Gao Shen fielded several more, including updates on injuries and transfers during the winter break.

Granero had transferred to Real Sociedad. Real Madrid had not made a fuss over the transfer fee, selling him for 5 million euros in hopes he could develop better there.

AS revealed that this move also had another meaning, which was to build a good relationship with Real Sociedad.

Their current midfielder, Illarramendi, had been performing excellently and was hailed as the new Xabi Alonso. Real Madrid had been watching the young Basque midfielder for some time.

AS claimed that Granero's transfer was a test move by Real Madrid, and they still aimed to sign Illarramendi in the summer transfer market.

Gao Shen did not reveal more about summer transfers, but reiterated that there would be no incoming or outgoing players during the winter break.

"I am satisfied with the current squad and believe we can fight on all three fronts."

He explained that this was mainly because there were no players in the market that Real Madrid needed.

Gao Shen again emphasized that the current squad had enough strength to compete for every trophy.

"I will say it again, we are confident we can win at least one prestigious championship trophy before the end of this season!"

This was Gao Shen's promise to Real Madrid fans.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 975: Unstoppable

On the evening of January 7, in the 18th round of La Liga, Real Madrid faced Real Sociedad at the Bernabéu Stadium.

Ramos was suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, Casillas sat on the bench, and Marcelo was still sidelined, so the captain's armband went to Pepe.

Who would have thought that Pepe, who joined Real Madrid in July 2007, would now be one of the longest-serving players in the squad.

Of course, this was also because for players like Arbeloa, who left and then returned to the club, their captaincy seniority was counted from the day they rejoined, not from their initial arrival.

Before the team took the pitch, Gao Shen personally fastened the captain's armband on Pepe's arm and encouraged the Portuguese centre-back, hoping he could put in a solid performance, maintain his form, and especially show the stability and responsibility expected of a captain.

After the winter break's physical training, Real Madrid's form was actually average, but their attack paid off quickly. Less than two minutes after kick-off, Modric carried the ball forward and played a through pass. Benzema broke into the gap and calmly slotted the ball into the net, unmarked, to open the scoring for Real Madrid.

After that, the match fell into a stalemate.

Real Sociedad's goalkeeper, Chilean Claudio Bravo, who would later join Barcelona and Manchester City, put in a brilliant performance, making saves high and low to repeatedly deny Real Madrid.

It was not until the 35th minute that Modric's strike from the right side of the penalty area extended Real Madrid's lead to 2-0.

In the second half, both sides fought fiercely. Real Madrid created several chances in succession but still could not beat Bravo again. Instead, in the 68th minute, Benzema lobbed a pass for Ronaldo, who scored with his left foot.

Two minutes later, Ronaldo won a free kick on the left side and converted it himself.

4-0!

Real Madrid could have created even more opportunities, but they failed to find the net again.

By the way, in this match Gao Shen played Isco on the right, while right-back Carvajal struggled against the constant threat of Real Sociedad's left winger Griezmann.

In the end, Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 4-0 at home.

Before the game, there were rumours that Real Madrid valued Illarramendi, Real Sociedad's best-performing midfielder this season. However, he had just returned from injury and sat on the bench instead of playing.

This also cost Real Sociedad their midfield advantage.

Had Real Madrid been in better form, the score could have been even larger.

…

While Real Madrid were beating Real Sociedad 4-0 at home, Barcelona hosted their city rivals Espanyol.

Thanks to two goals from Pedro, Barcelona also won 4-0.

It is worth noting that Barcelona head coach Vilanova returned to the dugout before this match after undergoing his second surgery to remove a parotid gland tumour late last year.

Many believe that Barcelona's strong performance this season has been inspired in part by Vilanova's battle against cancer, which cannot be underestimated.

The entire football world was behind Vilanova.

As a competitor, Gao Shen not only voiced his support for Vilanova's fight against cancer on Twitter and Weibo, but also tweeted specifically to congratulate him on his return and wish him all the best for the future.

After defeating Espanyol, Barcelona's players also dedicated the victory to Vilanova.

…

Midweek came the second leg of the Copa del Rey round of 16.

Real Madrid hosted Celta Vigo at the Bernabéu.

Just two minutes into the game, Ronaldo latched onto a pass from Marcos Alonso and scored the opener for Real Madrid.

Later, Modric and Higuain each provided assists for Ronaldo to score twice more.

Finally, Toni Kroos received a pass from Ronaldo and netted Real Madrid's fourth goal.

In the end, Real Madrid beat Celta Vigo 4-0 at home and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Ronaldo scored a hat-trick and provided an assist in this match, putting in an outstanding performance.

The day after the game, the draw for the Copa del Rey quarterfinals was held.

The eight teams advancing were Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Valencia, Zaragoza, Sevilla, Malaga, and Real Betis.

Real Madrid's luck was clearly lacking as they drew Valencia, a tough La Liga opponent.

Barcelona drew Malaga, and Atletico Madrid drew Real Betis.

…

That weekend, in the 19th round of La Liga, Real Madrid travelled to the Reyno de Navarra Stadium to face Osasuna.

On paper, there was no suspense, as the gap in strength between the two teams was obvious. But a sudden downpour flooded the pitch, which greatly affected Real Madrid.

To make matters worse, Ronaldo, who had played two straight matches, was suspended for accumulated yellow cards.

Gao Shen opted to have young player Jesé replace Di Maria and link up with Carvajal on the right flank.

This also had some impact on Real Madrid's performance.

The most glaring moment came in the 24th minute. Di Maria drove the ball from the right half-space into the penalty area, rounded the onrushing goalkeeper Fernández, and squared it to the unmarked Higuain.

But with an empty net in front of him, Higuain somehow sent the ball wide, skidding across Osasuna's box.

On the touchline, Gao Shen was left speechless.

It was hard to blame Higuain completely. The rain was pouring down, the pitch was soaked and slippery, passes were sticking in the water, and every kick sent up a splash. The conditions were awful.

Real Madrid were struggling, but so were Osasuna.

The difference was that Osasuna did not play a technical game and relied mainly on long-ball counterattacks, so they were less affected.

The rain hardly hindered them.

The deadlock continued until the second half.

In the 78th minute, Higuain slipped a lovely pass to Di Maria, who scored, but the goal was ruled offside, much to Real Madrid's frustration.

From the sidelines, Gao Shen kept urging his players to stay focused and push on.

He remained on the touchline, letting the rain soak him through, never retreating, showing his willingness to stand with his players in the fight.

It was not until the 87th minute that Real Madrid won a corner.

Toni Kroos sent it in calmly, and Pepe, still wearing the captain's armband, rose to head it home from inside the box, breaking the deadlock.

After landing, the Portuguese centre-back punched the air and roared to release his emotions.

Inside the stadium, the boos and the sound of rain could not drown out the cheers of the Real Madrid players.

On the touchline, Gao Shen shouted his approval for Pepe.

He was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

This damn weather was awful.

…

Midweek, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, Real Madrid hosted Valencia at the Bernabéu.

From the start, Valverde's team played aggressively, especially against Ronaldo, committing frequent fouls.

Less than a minute in, Tino Costa fouled Ronaldo. Three minutes later, it was Joao Pereira.

Neither resulting free kick troubled the goal.

But Valencia's physical approach did not intimidate Real Madrid, and Gao Shen instructed his team to press forward.

In the fourth minute, Ronaldo drove down the left flank, beat his man to the byline, and crossed low into the box. Benzema could not shoot first-time, so he held the ball, turned, and laid it back to Modric, who slotted it into the net.

1-0!

In the 36th minute, the move was almost identical.

After winning the ball in midfield, Ronaldo carried it forward, this time cutting inside from the left channel towards the edge of the box before laying it across.

Benzema let it run at the top of the D, Di Maria collected it at the far post, beat his defender, and shot with his left foot.

The shot was blocked, rebounding to the edge of the area, where Toni Kroos arrived, controlled, and blasted a right-footed strike past the keeper.

2-0!

Before halftime, Real Madrid had another chance in a similar position. Ronaldo drew defenders and slipped it to Kroos, who controlled with his right foot, muscled past a challenge, and unleashed another powerful left-footed shot.

This time, the keeper saved it onto the crossbar, denying him a second goal.

In the second half, with a two-goal lead, Real Madrid played with more control, while Valencia's challenges became increasingly reckless.

In the 73rd minute, they finally paid for it.

Kroos sent a simple pass forward, Ronaldo ran onto it, and drove into the box. Rami, beaten, shoved him from behind.

The referee pulled out a straight red card and awarded a penalty.

Ronaldo converted it himself.

3-0!

The Bernabéu erupted.

Though it was only the quarterfinals, winning the first leg 3-0 meant Real Madrid already had one foot in the semifinals.

For a club that had gone years without silverware, this was big news.

In the end, amid roaring cheers, Real Madrid finished with a 3-0 home win over Valencia.

The fans' predictions had been spot on.

In the second leg a week later at Mestalla, Gao Shen rotated his squad, yet they still held Valencia to a 1-1 draw, advancing 4-1 on aggregate.

Some might ask why the rotation?

Because sandwiched between the two Copa del Rey quarterfinal legs, Real Madrid also had to visit Mestalla in La Liga's 20th round.

In other words, in the space of a week, Real Madrid faced Valencia three times, once at home and twice away.

In that league match, Real Madrid went wild, leading 6-0 by halftime. Ronaldo scored a hat-trick with both his head and his feet, Di Maria bagged a brace, and Benzema added one.

It was the highest halftime score in the history of either club.

The match ended 6-0.

Real Madrid had beaten Valencia three times in a week and were simply unstoppable.

The day after the Copa del Rey quarterfinal, the semifinal draw took place.

This time, Real Madrid's luck was terrible.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Luca August for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 976: Basak Star

Sometimes, Gao Shen felt as if there was an invisible hand guiding everything in the world.

Just like drawing Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, which happened to coincide with the 20th round of La Liga, when Real Madrid were set to face Valencia away. That meant three matches against Valencia in a row, one at home and two away.

Now, in the Copa del Rey semifinals, it was a similar situation.

This time, Real Madrid drew Barcelona.

Yes, the two teams with their sights set on the trophy would be meeting in the semifinals.

The other matchup was between Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.

No matter how you looked at it, once you reached the semifinals, whether the opponent was Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, or Sevilla, the challenge would be formidable. You had to be mentally prepared for a tough fight.

What made it more interesting was that the two legs of the Copa del Rey semifinals would be played on January 30 and February 26. Real Madrid would play at home first and away second. However, on February 13, Real Madrid would host Manchester United in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 at the Bernabéu, then visit Old Trafford on March 5 for the return leg.

The most daunting part was that on March 2, Real Madrid would face Barcelona at home in the 26th round of La Liga.

Before the first leg against Manchester United, Real Madrid would play Sevilla. Before the second leg of the Copa del Rey against Barcelona, they would travel to the Riazor to face Deportivo La Coruña in the league.

Such an intense run of high-stakes matches crammed into the same period would be a massive test for any team.

When the draw results were announced, the commentator on Spanish national television listed Real Madrid's schedule, saying it would be a devilishly demanding stretch, especially from mid-February to March.

In particular, playing Barcelona twice and Manchester United once in the span of a week, with two of those matches away, was a nightmare scenario for any team.

De La Morena, the star host on SER Radio, tweeted right after the draw,

"Gao Shen said this season's La Liga schedule is not favorable to Real Madrid, and now we see why."

Alfredo, the editor-in-chief of AS, also posted online, "Real Madrid, having just regained form, now face another brutal run. Gao Shen's coaching career is truly full of thorns."

…

In Valdebebas, northeast Madrid.

Gao Shen and his assistants watched the draw live and learned the results immediately, updating the schedule right away.

The room fell silent.

Some might think the Real Madrid-friendly media was exaggerating.

Real Madrid want to play in the Champions League? So do Barcelona.

As for drawing Manchester United, wasn't it Real Madrid's own fault for ending up in the group of death and qualifying only as runners-up, which led to meeting a stronger opponent? Barcelona drew AC Milan, and no one was making a fuss about that.

That was true enough.

In the Copa del Rey semifinals and the Champions League round of 16, strong opponents were to be expected.

But in terms of scheduling, Barcelona clearly had an advantage.

The simplest example was that Barcelona's tie with AC Milan was a week later than Real Madrid's tie with Manchester United.

In other words, Barcelona did not have to face the kind of condensed nightmare that Real Madrid would endure, playing high-intensity matches against top opponents within a single week.

The first leg against AC Milan would be on February 20, neatly avoiding the second leg of the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid. The second leg would be on March 12, again avoiding both the Copa del Rey and La Liga clashes with Real Madrid.

With such a schedule, Barcelona had the luxury of time to prepare for big matches.

But Real Madrid?

A string of consecutive high-profile matches in such a short span put enormous pressure on both coaches and players.

Of course, it would be unfair to claim that UEFA or the Spanish Football Federation deliberately set out to sabotage Real Madrid.

The truth was simply that Real Madrid's luck was rotten.

…

Pochettino sat at the far end.

As a La Liga coach, he knew well that this kind of schedule was a huge challenge for any team, with the biggest problem being preparation.

Playing twice a week already meant there was very little time for preparation. Most of the days would be devoted to recovery and adjustment. It would be fortunate to squeeze in one targeted training session, let alone more.

Against teams like Manchester United and Barcelona, one session was far from enough.

This was the ultimate test for a head coach.

If he were in that position himself, Pochettino admitted he might not know where to begin.

If he were coaching Espanyol, it would be simpler. He could just sacrifice one or two competitions.

But Real Madrid could not do that.

They were 4 points behind Barcelona in La Liga and still had to fight for both the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

In this situation, all the pressure was on Gao Shen.

With the squad as it was, what else could be done?

Pochettino even wondered what he would do if he took over this team.

It wasn't just him. Everyone in the room, from senior coaching staff to junior coaches and those observing to learn, were looking to Gao Shen, unsure of what to do.

There were countless factors to consider, but the core issue was squad depth.

…

"Let Carlos Vargas draw up the full schedule in a chart, in order from top to bottom, with the number of days between each game. That way we'll see the situation clearly," Gao Shen instructed.

"For now, Manchester United is still far off. Let's focus on the most urgent matter, the home game against Barcelona in a week's time."

After pausing, he corrected himself, "No, strictly speaking, it's only six days away, and we have a league match in between."

That match was against Getafe in La Liga's 21st round.

After Getafe, there would be no time for recovery or adjustment.

"As usual, Lorenzo and Antonio, you two will handle the players' fitness and condition. I'm going to rotate the squad, and quite aggressively. Otherwise, we won't survive this stretch."

Buenaventura and Pintus both nodded.

They had worked together for many years and understood exactly what Gao Shen wanted and how to execute it.

"Before Barcelona, I want two targeted training sessions," Gao Shen said to Carlo.

Everyone knew Gao Shen did not personally run the training sessions. That was always Carlo's job. But Gao Shen decided what the sessions would be and how they were arranged. Carlo was his executor.

Carlo huddled with several coaches, clearly working out the schedule. In such a packed period, every training session mattered.

"We can't put the two sessions back-to-back. Let's have one before the Getafe match and one after," Carlo proposed.

Gao Shen thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright, that's decided," he said firmly.

"Everyone, the schedule ahead will be very tight, and the pressure will be huge. We all need to work together."

"I'll say it again. We are Real Madrid. In our dictionary, there is no such word as fear. We will never be afraid of any opponent or any challenge."

"We survived the Champions League's group of death. Why should we fear a schedule like this?"

His words inspired the entire room.

"Whether it's Barcelona or Manchester United, we have nothing to fear. As long as we prepare properly and manage the squad's condition, there's no challenge we can't overcome and no opponent we can't beat."

"The schedule is tough, but I'm full of confidence!"

The room broke into applause.

Everyone present admired him.

Because he had depth.

…

After the staff meeting, Gao Shen returned to his office to prepare.

Before the afternoon training session, he arrived early in the players' locker room.

Captain Casillas had already called everyone together, including the injured Marcelo, who had not yet returned to training.

"Carlos has posted the latest schedule on the wall. I'm sure you've all seen it and know the challenge ahead," Gao Shen said.

The players nodded, looking a little uneasy.

It was going to be a brutal run.

Gao Shen chuckled. "Honestly, I think this draw is actually pretty good."

That surprised everyone.

Barcelona in the semis? Good?

"If it were Simeone's Atletico Madrid, I might have a headache. But Barcelona? I don't know if you've heard, I have a nickname…"

The players looked puzzled. What nickname?

"Basak Planet!"

That drew a burst of laughter.

"Seriously, I've never lost to Barcelona, and this time will be no different. Same with Manchester United. I gave them their worst-ever defeat at Old Trafford."

He spoke lightly and with humour, but everyone knew the battles against those teams had been dangerous and demanding.

If Barcelona and Manchester United were easy to beat, they wouldn't be who they are today.

Still, Gao Shen's words gave the players confidence.

"I'll say it again. Trust me, follow my lead, and I'll take you past these opponents."

"Whether it's Barcelona, Manchester United, or anyone else, there's nothing to fear. We are stronger than any of them."

"I said this before the Champions League group stage. You might have had doubts then, but we qualified. Now I'm saying it again — you, the players of Real Madrid, are the strongest in Europe."

"You have the ability to beat anyone, no matter who they are."

"So now, don't think too much, don't say too much. Eat when it's time to eat, sleep when it's time to sleep, train when it's time to train, play when it's time to play. Give your best in every match, and leave the rest to me."

"And by mid-March, when you look back…"

Gao Shen raised his right hand dramatically. "…Devilish schedule? Tsk!"

The players applauded, looking far more confident.

Against such a brutal run of fixtures, confidence was worth more than gold.

That was the deeper lesson Pochettino had learned from working with Gao Shen.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Luca August for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 977: Pepe, Are You Planning to Usurp the Throne?

January 27, noon.

In the 21st round of La Liga, Real Madrid hosted Getafe at the Bernabéu.

With Barcelona coming up this weekend, Gao Shen rotated heavily for this match.

Goalkeeper: Casillas.

Defence: Marcos Alonso, Pepe, Ramos, and Nacho.

Midfield: Casemiro in the holding role, with Kaka and Verratti ahead.

Forwards: Ronaldo, Higuain, and Isco.

A noon kick-off was rare in La Liga, and it left the Real Madrid players feeling a bit uncomfortable.

From the start, Real Madrid dominated possession, controlled the tempo, and pressed Getafe hard.

Getafe, however, were well-prepared and defended with great tenacity.

The first chance of the match fell to former Real Madrid player Sarabia, who would later join Paris Saint-Germain. His long-range effort threatened Casillas but sailed over the bar.

It wasn't until the eighth minute that Real Madrid carved out a flurry of chances.

Ronaldo crossed from the left, Kaka's fierce shot was saved by goalkeeper Moyá, and Marcos Alonso followed up on the left side of the penalty area to slot home the opening goal.

Real Madrid kept pushing.

Six minutes later, Verratti threaded a pass through, and Higuain's header was tipped over by Moyá.

From the resulting corner, Ramos rose high and headed in, doubling the lead to 2-0.

And that was only the start.

From the 20th minute onwards, Real Madrid took full control.

First, after intercepting the ball in midfield, Kaka played a through pass, and Ronaldo finished from the left side of the box to make it 3-0.

Three minutes later, Verratti switched play with a long ball to the left, Marcos Alonso crossed with his left foot, and Ronaldo powered in a header from the edge of the six-yard box for 4-0.

That was the halftime score.

During the break, with the game essentially won, Gao Shen substituted Ronaldo for Morata.

The formation switched to 4-3-1-2.

Morata and Higuain led the line, Isco played just behind them, and Kaka, Casemiro, and Verratti formed the midfield three.

In this setup, Gao Shen gave Isco maximum freedom.

From the start of the second half, Isco shook off his first-half sluggishness and became far more involved, dribbling constantly and running at Getafe's defence.

One telling stat reflected his influence: in the first ten minutes of the half alone, Getafe received three yellow cards, all for fouling Isco. The cautions went to holding midfielder Xavi Torres, former Real Madrid player Borja, and centre-back Lopo.

But much to Gao Shen's frustration, while Isco's skilful dribbling looked dangerous, it rarely led to real threat.

Real Madrid failed to produce any truly dangerous attacks in that period.

The key problem was that Isco held onto the ball too long and often missed the best passing option.

It was Gao Shen's biggest headache with him.

"Do you have any ideas on how to wake him up?" Gao Shen asked, exasperated.

Carlo, Zidane, and Hierro exchanged glances, equally helpless.

This was simply Isco's style: heavily influenced by street football, and exactly how he enjoyed playing.

It was hard to come down on him too harshly, but in the context of modern football tactics, his approach was more flashy than effective.

"I'm thinking, why don't we take a page from Ferguson with Ronaldo?" Gao Shen said with a wicked smile, looking eager to try.

For some reason, Zidane and Hierro both shivered.

That smile was full of malice.

Everyone knew how Ferguson dealt with Ronaldo — in training, he instructed defenders to go in hard on him to force him to stop over-dribbling and play more directly.

But that was Cristiano Ronaldo, with his physique, his frame, and his muscle.

Isco, on the other hand, had a slighter build and lean muscle...

Still, Gao Shen was serious. He turned to Carlo and said, "When we're back in training, get someone to stick to him. Casemiro, Ramos, Pepe — don't go easy on him. I refuse to believe this won't work."

It sounded like Gao Shen was ready for a showdown with Isco.

…

Although Real Madrid had led 4-0 at halftime, they failed to score in the second half despite controlling the game.

Gao Shen was disappointed.

He could already picture the headlines suggesting Real Madrid were over-reliant on Ronaldo.

But the core issue was that the attack was disjointed, and that came down to Isco.

There was also another problem: Ramos picked up a yellow card in the second half.

That meant another suspension.

Gao Shen couldn't be blamed for not resting him — Pepe was already on four yellow cards and one away from a ban.

The real problem was the Spanish Football Federation's strange suspension rules.

Five yellow cards in combined league and cup play brought a one-match suspension.

So Ramos, now on five, would miss the first leg of the Copa del Rey against Barcelona.

The odd thing was that red cards were counted separately for league and cup. A red in La Liga wouldn't affect the Copa del Rey, and vice versa.

This left Gao Shen very frustrated. He almost wished Ramos would get another yellow, or even a red, just to serve the suspension in La Liga instead.

But he couldn't do something that dishonourable. When Mourinho had done something similar, it had caused a storm of controversy. Gao Shen wouldn't risk his reputation.

Still, when Ramos came off, Gao Shen was furious.

"Didn't I tell you to hold back?" he snapped, pointing at Ramos.

The captain looked guilty. "I got carried away and couldn't help myself."

Everyone groaned.

Now, they had beaten Getafe but lost Ramos for Barcelona.

"Remember this, kid! Every yellow card from now on, you're getting punished!"

Ramos fell silent. He feared no one except his boss.

Pepe, standing nearby, turned away to hide a smirk.

When had he ever seen Ramos so meek?

"What are you laughing at? You too!" Gao Shen said sharply, catching Pepe's expression.

Everyone else stared at the ceiling, pretending to admire the Madrid sky.

Yes, the weather was beautiful.

"I've never seen players so keen on collecting cards!" Gao Shen muttered before walking off.

Ramos and Pepe were left with bitter expressions, knowing they'd been caught in a tight spot.

The others passed by, clearly enjoying their discomfort.

Carlo, however, sighed as he walked past Ramos. "You've made life very hard for him."

That made Ramos and Pepe freeze.

What trouble?

Of course, the Copa del Rey against Barcelona.

Sometimes young players only think about the moment and forget the consequences.

Ramos suddenly realised his suspension was for the Barcelona match.

He wanted to slap himself. The boss had warned him before the game and reminded him again at halftime. How could he have forgotten?

Ramos turned to look at Pepe.

The Portuguese defender, grinning, said, "Don't worry. I'll give everything against Barcelona."

Ramos was touched. "Yeah. If I lose my head again, slap me. Don't hold back."

Pepe nodded eagerly. "Okay, I'll remember that."

Finally, an excuse to hit him.

"Oh, and Sergio, wash the captain's armband. It smells," Pepe added.

Ramos froze. What did that have to do with him?

Wait… this guy was going to be captain for the next game!

Was he trying to usurp the throne?

Sensing trouble, Pepe ran off. "Make sure it's clean," he called back.

Ramos was left fuming.

…

Real Madrid beat Getafe 4-0 at home, but Ramos' suspension for accumulated yellows left fans with mixed feelings.

That was Ramos — reckless and card-prone, yet indispensable.

Without him, Real Madrid's defence lacked authority.

Albiol and Varane weren't at his level yet.

Ramos had everything: skill, passing, pace, and one-on-one defending. Alongside Pepe, they were a formidable duo.

Apart from their recklessness, they had no weaknesses.

The irony was that Real Madrid also had Varane, whose defensive play was clean and precise — almost like he had a phobia of fouling.

His tackling was immaculate, with minimal contact, as if one foul would stain years of work.

Varane's mild temperament lacked Ramos and Pepe's edge, which made him seem less dominant despite his quality.

As Zidane and Hierro said, if Varane had more bite, he'd already be challenging them.

But for now, with Ramos suspended, Varane was the only option.

(To be continued.)

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Chapter 978: Roll Up, Young Man!

Every time Gao Shen saw Raphael Varane, he always had a strange feeling.

Although only nineteen years old, Varane gave off an air of maturity far beyond his age.

No matter when you saw him, his expression was calm, as if nothing in the world could faze him. His temperament was completely out of sync with his youth.

This made Gao Shen want to stir things up for him, just to see if the kid could stay composed when the sky was falling.

Varane's nickname was "the academic," and in truth, he really was.

In high school, his academic performance was excellent, always ranking near the top of his class. He spoke several languages, took the French college entrance exam, and went on to major in economics with a minor in German sociology at university.

His original plan was to play football while continuing his studies, but later he realised it was impossible. His girlfriend was now studying law at the University of Paris.

The well-known story of him hanging up on Zidane happened when he was preparing for his college entrance exams.

With such academic credentials, he was easily among the most educated players in professional football.

This also gave Varane a different temperament from most professional players. He was graceful and composed, and his defending carried a certain neatness, almost a clean freak's approach. He rarely made unnecessary contact and avoided committing fouls whenever possible.

In the Real Madrid dressing room, he was always the quietest, rarely taking part in discussions or arguments.

While that might seem like good temperament and character, on the pitch it was not enough.

The pitch is a battlefield where you fight to the last breath. If you treat your opponents with courtesy and insist on "clean" defending, you are only fooling yourself.

Incidentally, Manchester City's Giroud had also taken the college entrance exam and was considered a top student.

And Leeds United's Kondogbia had played alongside Varane in the Lens youth team, so they knew each other.

Because of these connections, coupled with Zidane's strong recommendation and Gao Shen's impression from his previous life, Gao Shen had high hopes for Varane. But he knew he could not allow Varane to develop as slowly as he had in that previous life.

Especially now, with Ramos and Pepe being unreliable, Real Madrid needed a brave young defender to step up, put pressure on those two troublemakers, and force them to restrain themselves.

So Gao Shen set his sights on Varane.

What? He didn't like to fight?

That was fine. There were plenty of ways to make him fight.

Painting big dreams, stirring up ambition, and fostering internal competition were all skills Gao Shen knew well.

…

Varane sat opposite Gao Shen, looking at his head coach with confusion.

Why wasn't he saying anything?

But a scholar remains calm.

If Gao Shen didn't speak, Varane wouldn't either. They sat in silence.

Finally, Gao Shen spoke.

"Valdano's technical team is studying the formation plan for this summer."

Varane was surprised. That was top-secret information.

Why was he being told this now?

Gao Shen watched his eyes carefully, amused.

This was the advantage of being in a position of authority. Parents, teachers, and leaders all knew how to wield it over children, students, and subordinates.

"Our defence isn't great. The starting lineup is fine, but the bench lacks depth. There could be major changes this summer."

Lack of depth? Possible? Major changes?

As a top student, Varane immediately caught the key points. His attention locked on the first and last, and the middle "possible" was automatically ignored.

People's first instinct is always to think of the worst outcome.

"Zidane rates you highly. He recommended you to me and asked me to give you more chances. But Albiol is a local international with status, so the technical team has a headache."

"In addition, they are seriously considering bringing in another strong defender to replace Carvalho."

When Mourinho was in charge, he was unhappy with the defence, mainly because he felt Ramos and Pepe were too reckless. So he signed the steadier veteran Carvalho.

That meant fewer opportunities for Varane and Albiol.

After Gao Shen arrived, he sold Carvalho and gave them more game time.

If Real Madrid were looking to sign another centre-back now, that would be returning to Mourinho's approach — and perfectly normal.

Varane said nothing. He knew he was still young.

If he were at Lens in Ligue 1, he would already be a first-team regular. But at Real Madrid, not yet twenty, breaking into the starting XI was difficult.

Because this was Real Madrid.

The most competitive team in the world.

"They've wanted to bring someone in since the winter break, but I've stopped them because I prefer to give chances to the players we already have. But honestly, I want you to perform better, to convince me and the technical team that you can be our reliable third centre-back."

Varane nodded.

"I understand, Boss. I'll do my best."

The tone was calm, without urgency.

Gao Shen knew he was smart and wouldn't be swayed so easily.

But he had a trump card ready.

"I heard you were teammates with Koulibaly from Leeds United?" Gao Shen asked casually.

Varane was momentarily stunned.

Koulibaly, who had dual French and Senegalese nationality, had always played for France's youth teams. He was older than Varane and joined the youth sides earlier. In the current French U20s preparing for the World Youth Championship in Turkey, Koulibaly, Kurzawa, Pogba, and Kondogbia were all starters.

Varane, two years younger, had only been selected once for the U20s and played a single match. After joining Real Madrid, he skipped the U20s and went straight to the U21s.

Among the most talked-about young French defenders now, Koulibaly and Varane topped the list.

With Deschamps promoting youth, players like PSG's Mamadou Sakho had already been called up. The current main pair were Koscielny of Arsenal and Rami of Valencia.

One centre-back spot was up for grabs, with competition from Koulibaly, Tottenham's Kaboul, AC Milan's Mexes, and others.

"Yes, I trained with him for a while in the French youth team."

After a pause, Varane asked, "Boss, why are you asking about him?"

Inside, Gao Shen laughed. He'd found the weakness.

"The technical team is monitoring him. You know I own Leeds United, so it's not easy for me to say much."

He sighed. "Leeds are finally having a good season, but now lots of clubs want to poach their players. Other teams are fine, but if Real Madrid really want Koulibaly, I can't refuse, can I?"

Varane froze.

Was Real Madrid after Koulibaly?

He'd heard the rumour before. Real Madrid had shown interest in several Leeds players. Zidane had even called Pogba the best of the young midfielders.

If Koulibaly came, wouldn't Varane lose his biggest advantage, his platform?

Sometimes, what drives people to work hardest isn't the carrot ahead, but the fear behind.

No matter how calm or rational someone is, they don't want to lose what they already have.

That fear makes them fight.

"Of course I believe in you, Raphael. I want you to perform better so I can speak for you to the technical team. But right now…" Gao Shen shrugged helplessly.

Varane understood his real message.

Yes, they had a shared interest in this.

"I understand, Boss. Don't worry. I know what to do."

"Keep working hard, I'm counting on you," Gao Shen encouraged.

Varane nodded, stood, and turned to leave.

"By the way, Raphael," Gao Shen called after him.

Varane turned back.

"Go to Carlos and get the info on Messi and Aguero. Study them carefully. Against Barcelona, don't embarrass me," Gao Shen said seriously, as if it took great resolve to say it.

Varane sensed the weight behind the words and nodded firmly.

He was a smart man. He knew exactly what Gao Shen meant and understood his own situation.

Only after the door closed did Gao Shen chuckle, smiling wryly and shaking his head.

It felt like being back in his past life, tricking new hires in the office. Back then, he'd been an utterly shameless boss.

He hadn't expected that as a head coach, he'd keep going back to those old tricks.

But Varane was truly talented — quick, skilful, and composed. If such a player didn't push himself to improve now, would they just watch him waste his potential?

Young players must grow under pressure.

Varane was too comfortable. He needed a push.

More importantly, if Varane played well, Ramos and Pepe would feel the heat, and those two rogues would have to rein themselves in.

At the very least, they'd control themselves better on the pitch.

Only then would Real Madrid's defence truly be stable.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Luca August for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 979: Uncle, Come Help You Brush Up Your Three Views

After talking with Varane, Gao Shen took time to call Pepe over.

If he had been gentle and courteous when speaking to Varane, like cultured men exchanging ideas, then his approach with Pepe was completely different. Gao Shen went straight to the point, bluntly expressing his dissatisfaction with the frequent fouls committed by him and Ramos lately.

He even threw his hands up and asked, "Tell me, what do you expect me to do now?"

"Well? Can you handle Messi all by yourself?"

Pepe was so "scolded" that he did not dare raise his head. After all, he knew they were in the wrong.

Before the crucial match, Gao Shen had warned them repeatedly, yet in the end, just as expected, the cards came.

Now, with Real Madrid in a critical phase of squad rotation, a suspension at this time was…

"I'm even starting to wonder if you have a problem with me," Gao Shen added.

Pepe was stunned and quickly stood up, waving his hands in denial.

Who was Gao Shen?

This was the head coach Real Madrid had pursued for years, personally supported by Florentino, with the full backing of the board and the fans. Anyone who crossed Gao Shen was only digging their own grave. Did he still want to stay at Real Madrid?

In the end, Pepe admitted he had been too reckless, that he got carried away after stepping onto the pitch.

"Boss, I swear, I promise I will try my best to control myself and avoid it. Please believe me!" Pepe pleaded bitterly.

Gao Shen glared at him for a long moment, making the Portuguese defender uneasy.

In Real Madrid, Gao Shen had the final say. Anyone who made him unhappy would soon find themselves out.

"I'll trust you one more time," Gao Shen finally said, his tone softening slightly.

"But I'm telling you, in this match against Barcelona, I'm pairing you with Varane. You take care of him for me. When he steps up to challenge for the ball, you stay back. And don't you dare cause me trouble!"

Pepe wanted to argue — that wasn't how he and Ramos usually divided responsibilities — but one look at Gao Shen's sharp gaze and the fat-faced Portuguese surrendered.

Fine, I give in. Is that enough?

After giving Pepe a stern lecture, Gao Shen patted his hand and spoke earnestly. "This game is crucial. It has extraordinary significance for me and for the team."

"I've said before, if we don't win the title, I'll be out. And if we want to win the title, we have to beat Barcelona."

Pepe now fully understood how much Gao Shen valued him.

"Whether I keep my job or not depends on you," Gao Shen said seriously.

Pepe immediately straightened up and promised solemnly, "I will never let you down!"

…

Ramos' suspension affected Real Madrid in more ways than simply missing a starting centre-back and replacing him with Varane.

It also impacted tactics and training arrangements.

Originally, Carlo had given Gao Shen two training sessions specifically to work on tactics for Barcelona. But now, Gao Shen had to use one of those sessions to focus on defensive organisation and sharpening the partnership between Varane and Pepe.

The difference lay in Varane and Ramos.

Gao Shen's Real Madrid played differently from other teams. They were not as aggressive as Barcelona in pressing high, but their defensive line still sat around the centre circle, generally between the 30-metre zone and the halfway line.

Compared to others — even Premier League sides like Manchester United, Arsenal, or Chelsea — Real Madrid's backline played further forward. This placed a heavy demand on the mobility of the centre-backs.

That was why Gao Shen had always liked defenders like David Luiz and Kompany, who had excellent mobility.

Another difference since Gao Shen took over was that both full-backs acted like wingers, pushing high when attacking. This meant that when Real Madrid transitioned from attack to defence and the counterpress was not timely, they could be left with only three players defending: the defensive midfielder and two centre-backs.

Sometimes, when Ramos and Pepe roamed forward too much, there were only two.

Because Xabi Alonso tended to hold his position, the centre-backs had to cover a lot of ground, often even shifting wide to pressure the opponent's ball carrier.

Ramos, Pepe, and Varane were all quick and mobile. Albiol, however, was slower, which was why Gao Shen valued him less.

Varane, though, had his own issues.

He was not aggressive enough after winning the ball, especially in close marking, and rarely committed fouls.

This was what Gao Shen had called his "defensive obsession".

But therein lay the problem.

Think about it: when a defender steps up to press but doesn't get tight and won't foul, what happens?

The opponent gets room to receive the ball.

Against weaker sides, that's fine. But against top teams like Barcelona, and top ball-players like Messi or Iniesta, it gives them more chances to play dangerous passes, even ones that cut straight into the defensive line.

That was dangerous.

Varane also had another trait — one common among polite, educated people — he didn't like troubling others or causing them inconvenience. He preferred to handle things himself.

In life, that was admirable. On the pitch, it was a problem.

Defending is a collective effort. If you try to solve everything alone without communicating, especially as a centre-back, you can leave big gaps.

Sometimes you need to instruct teammates to cover, but if you insist on doing it yourself, you may leave an even bigger hole behind.

Varane was reserved in this regard. He didn't like to trouble others, let alone give them orders.

These were the habits of a gentleman.

Gao Shen couldn't magically turn a gentleman into a brawler overnight, so the only way was to put him under pressure, to force out his inner wildness.

Setting those flaws aside, Varane was hugely talented — technically gifted, tactically aware, and physically outstanding. He had everything to become a top centre-back.

He just needed that final push.

And now, Gao Shen intended to light the fire under him.

During training, Gao Shen even had Hierro step in personally to coach Varane, giving him one-on-one sessions.

He taught him tricks, even little fouls disguised so well the referee wouldn't notice.

In particular, how to use his physical advantages against smaller players like Messi.

Hierro, an atypical Spanish centre-back who had started his career as a striker and midfielder, had endless experience. His defending was never entirely clean, and many of his tricks completely changed Varane's understanding of defending.

"I'm telling you, kid, you play too politely. That doesn't earn you respect from referees — they'll just think you're naïve. When something goes wrong, they'll make you the scapegoat."

"Is that smart? No. That's stupid."

"True elegance is hiding your fouls so no one can see them."

"Look at Nesta. He's not elegant at all, he's full of dirty tricks. If you want, I'll show you a video later. Watch it frame by frame, you'll see — it's all in the disguise."

"So don't believe those hollow words."

"The pitch is like a play. It's all about acting."

Hierro seemed determined to pass on all the dark arts of defending in one go. Gao Shen and Zidane, standing on the sidelines, began to worry.

"Are we… completely reshaping his worldview?" Gao Shen said with a wry smile.

Zidane nodded. "I think I'd better take over from now on. I do have some defensive experience. If Fernando keeps teaching like this, the kid will either turn bad or lose his game entirely."

Gao Shen could only sigh.

But there was no choice — Varane's defending was too "artistic".

It hurt the team on the pitch.

"Let him keep at it for a while. I think Varane needs to be more aggressive. You focus more on the forwards, especially Benzema. His finishing has been poor and needs improving."

Zidane looked at the well-behaved Varane, then at the flamboyant Hierro, and sighed inwardly.

He felt like he was watching a good kid being corrupted by a mischievous uncle.

In that moment, Zidane thought it might not be such a bad thing that his own child wasn't very good at football.

At least, they would remain good kids.

…

Once the squad was settled, Gao Shen made significant tactical adjustments, different from before.

The first time the two sides met in El Clásico, Gao Shen was still new, unfamiliar with Barcelona, and it was Real Madrid's first major clash under him. He was somewhat unsure.

But now it was different.

After a brutal schedule, especially the match against Manchester City, Gao Shen had a clear picture of Real Madrid's strengths in terms of players, formation, and tactics.

So he tweaked things based on the first Clásico and Barcelona's current state.

Against Barcelona's possession-heavy style, Gao Shen made targeted plans.

Since the late 1990s, La Liga had been at the forefront of tactical innovation. From Cooper's Mallorca to Valencia, to Celta Vigo and Deportivo La Coruña, many sides adopted double defensive midfielders.

The trend spread to Italy. When Gao Shen coached Napoli, he used a double pivot. But in recent years, with the rise of 4-3-3, the double pivot began to show its limitations.

The formation itself was dated, but some of its concepts, especially in certain details, remained valuable.

Gao Shen firmly believed that tactics were static, but players were dynamic.

The army has no constant formation, and water has no fixed shape.

Players move on the pitch. What matters is not just the formation, but how the team plays.

Especially, how well they play together.

That was the key.

And more importantly, Gao Shen had spotted a growing problem in Barcelona's game.

This time, he planned to expose it completely.

(To be continued.)