SWR: Chapter 952/954

Chapter 952: Ronaldo is Missing!

Klopp has never concealed his admiration for this team, whether in public or in private.

He has even mentioned many times that he went to Italy to attend advanced coaching courses.

Although he is older than Gao Shen, that does not stop him from admiring Gao Shen's football philosophy.

He once joked that he was the most senior and experienced tactical analyst.

But no matter how much experience he has, when it comes to a real battle on the pitch, he still feels uneasy.

The more he understands Gao Shen, the more he realizes that Gao Shen's deployment of tactics has always been mysterious and unpredictable.

Before the fifth round of the Champions League group stage, Dortmund faced Fürth at home in the twelfth round of the Bundesliga.

After winning the Bundesliga title two seasons in a row, the Hornets' form has started to decline this season.

Especially after key players such as Sahin and Shinji Kagawa left the team one after another, the impact on Dortmund has been significant.

What makes Klopp feel it is a waste of talent is that after Sahin joined Real Madrid, he was barely used by Mourinho, and after Shinji Kagawa went to Manchester United, his progress was also far from smooth. This made Klopp feel angry and frustrated.

Those were treasures he had worked hard to discover!

After eleven Bundesliga matches, Dortmund was only in fourth place, 11 points behind leaders Bayern. Catching up was no longer realistic, so Dortmund could only focus all their energy on the Champions League.

The match against Real Madrid was a hurdle that the Hornets had to cross, and Klopp dared not be careless at all.

The match against Fürth was scheduled at noon.

Lewandowski scored after just three minutes, but Dortmund conceded a goal two minutes later.

In the 15th minute, Lewandowski scored a penalty, extending Dortmund's lead.

Before the end of the first half, Götze scored again, securing the win for the team.

After that, Dortmund played conservatively, preserving their energy and saving their strength for the Champions League on Wednesday.

After the game, Klopp handed the team over to the assistant coaches. He then took his two assistant coaches, Peter Kravitz and Zeljko Buvac, along with analyst Zeljko Ljaljic, and the four of them drove to Düsseldorf International Airport, dozens of kilometers away.

After hurrying to the airport and checking in, they soon boarded a flight to Madrid, the capital of Spain.

Three hours later, they finally arrived in Madrid.

Without even having time for dinner, they rushed straight to the Bernabéu Stadium in the center of Madrid.

After all that rushing, they just managed to arrive before the match began.

It had been a long, exhausting journey!

…

In the twelfth round of La Liga, Real Madrid hosted Athletic Bilbao at the Bernabéu.

As usual, the stadium was packed with Real Madrid fans.

When Klopp appeared with his three assistants, they were greeted by a deafening roar.

Especially with the unified chants organized by the fans, the atmosphere in the stadium was filled with energy and passion.

The whole world knows that the atmosphere at Dortmund's home ground is intense, but the Bernabéu is no less so.

Although the atmosphere was just as heated, there was a difference.

The Bernabéu has only seats, with a capacity of 76,000. Dortmund's home stadium, on the other hand, has many standing tickets, resulting in a larger number of spectators, and due to the steep stands, there is also a greater sense of pressure from above.

"By then, the twelfth man will also be our opponent." Klopp said in German to his assistants.

Everyone nodded.

The atmosphere at Real Madrid's home ground has always been strong, and since Gao Shen took over as coach, it has become even more intense.

When they found their seats, the starting lineups of the two teams were being introduced.

Real Madrid's starting lineup was packed with their main players.

Goalkeeper: Courtois.

Defense: Marcos Alonso, Ramos, Pepe, and Carvajal.

Midfield: Xabi Alonso holding, Toni Kroos and Modric playing ahead.

Attack: Ronaldo, Benzema, and Di Maria.

Since Gao Shen took charge of Real Madrid this season, he has made many changes, some of which caused huge controversy.

For example, trading Toni Kroos with Bayern Munich for Khedira.

At the start of the season, everyone criticized Gao Shen, thinking this was a very stupid decision.

But no one expected that Toni Kroos would perform steadily after joining Real Madrid, playing as a left central midfielder, a role completely different from his time at Bayern. His position was similar to his Leverkusen days but slightly deeper, which suited his strengths perfectly.

On the other hand, Khedira's form had clearly declined since joining Bayern, compared to his performance at the European Championship.

By now, no one could question Gao Shen's decision.

He also sold Özil, brought in Modric, promoted Courtois, and trusted Benzema.

Especially Benzema.

Klopp knows better than anyone why Gao Shen prefers Benzema.

Because Klopp himself prefers using Lewandowski.

Compared to Higuain, Benzema is far more versatile.

Real Madrid's biggest weakness now lies in their full-backs. Marcos Alonso and Carvajal are both promoted players, and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

"He really doesn't intend to hide anything, revealing his main lineup directly." Zeljko Buvac said with a wry smile.

Gao Shen's frankness made them feel a bit uneasy.

Is he really that straightforward?

Isn't the whole world saying that this guy is as cunning as a fox?

"Could this be a declaration?" Peter Kravitz asked cautiously.

Gao Shen's strength is known to everyone.

By revealing his main lineup now, he is basically saying: if we play like this today, we will play the same way in the Champions League midweek. Dortmund, do what you will!

Isn't this also a kind of psychological warfare?

…

As soon as the match started, Real Madrid launched a wave of attacks, not waiting for Athletic Bilbao to settle.

Gao Shen's attacking plan was extremely specific.

Less than two minutes in, Benzema received a through ball from Toni Kroos and took a shot inside the box, but it was blocked by the center-back.

In the third minute, Ramos sent a diagonal long pass, and Ronaldo's header was blocked.

In the fifth minute, Modric played a pass, Di Maria cut in from the right and curled a left-footed shot, but it went just wide.

In the seventh minute, Ronaldo cut in from the left and played a square pass. Di Maria's curler was easily collected by the goalkeeper.

Real Madrid opened with a fierce attacking tempo, giving Athletic Bilbao no room to breathe and making Klopp and his staff in the stands tense.

"When it comes to attacking, this really is a unique skill!" Klopp praised sincerely.

The assistants looked at each other and nodded.

Who could deny it?

The Basque Lions are never easy opponents, but from the very first minute, they were completely suppressed by Real Madrid, forced back into their own box.

After enduring Real Madrid's initial wave, Athletic Bilbao tried to launch a counterattack. In the ninth minute, Real Madrid intercepted the ball in their own half. Modric sent a long pass. Benzema controlled the ball and broke forward, sending it into the right channel.

Di Maria sprinted forward, went one-on-one, and chipped over the goalkeeper to score. 1-0!

The entire Bernabéu exploded like a boiling pressure cooker!

After taking the lead, Real Madrid didn't slow down but pressed on even harder.

In the 13th minute, Toni Kroos delivered a corner. Ramos found space and headed the ball into the net without any interference, making it 2-0!

In the 22nd minute, Real Madrid made another quick counterattack after an interception near the halfway line. Di Maria played the ball down the right side. Carvajal burst forward, caught up with it, and crossed into the box.

Benzema, without taking a touch, swept the ball into Athletic Bilbao's goal from near the penalty spot.

3-0!

…

Klopp and his assistants sat in the stands, feeling increasingly uneasy.

The Bernabéu was full of Real Madrid fans cheering, but Klopp and his staff were nervous.

Real Madrid's attack was too strong!

More importantly, Athletic Bilbao's midfield was completely overwhelmed.

Toni Kroos, Modric, and Xabi Alonso dominated possession, the ball, and the rhythm of the game. Athletic Bilbao could only defend and defend again.

But how could they stop Real Madrid's relentless attack?

"Honestly, if Real Madrid had played like this earlier, they would probably be leading their group." Kravitz said with a bitter smile.

"Gao Shen not only has excellent coaching skills but also an even stronger ability to adjust and correct mistakes. He can spot problems, fix them, and his improvement is remarkable." Buvac added, troubled. "The key is, how does he see these things?"

Marcelo and Arbeloa were injured, meaning both first-choice full-backs were out. This would be a disaster for any coach, but for Gao Shen?

He not only survived, but Carvajal's performance is improving rapidly, and he is becoming an important factor in Real Madrid's wing attack.

Isn't this exactly what Marcelo used to do on the left?

Before, everyone said that the combination of Ronaldo and Marcelo on the left, built by Gao Shen, was a nightmare for every team's right flank. Now it seems that Di Maria and Carvajal on the right could be just as dangerous.

In fact, they may not be any weaker.

"This guy really should be dissected!" Kravitz joked.

This was something Klopp often said when mentioning Gao Shen. It had become an inside joke among the coaching staff.

Klopp's expression remained serious, because he had noticed a very critical issue.

"Ronaldo is missing!"

Everyone froze for a moment, thinking back to the three goals. None of them involved Ronaldo.

This was completely unreasonable!

This is Real Madrid's top scorer and biggest star!

Near the end of the first half, Ronaldo finally made his mark.

He received the ball on the left, drew the defense's attention, and made a diagonal pass.

Benzema, in the middle of the box, held off the defender, controlled the ball, and laid it back to the edge of the box.

Toni Kroos followed up, took a touch, and powered a long-range strike with his right foot.

The ball flew like a cannonball into Athletic Bilbao's net.

4-0!

Clean and decisive!

(To be continued.)

Chapter 953: The Supreme Glory of a Professional Head Coach

From the Bernabéu Stadium back to Madrid Barajas Airport.

While waiting for their flight, Klopp and his assistants grabbed some food at the airport.

The whole time, he was frowning, lost in thought.

Anyone looking at his expression would immediately know that he had run into a difficult problem.

The three assistants were no exception, all looking troubled.

It had been the same way when they walked out of the Bernabéu.

Real Madrid had just beaten Athletic Bilbao 5-0 at home, another big win for Gao Shen's team.

But this emphatic victory left behind a lot to think about.

For example, Real Madrid scored four goals in the first half, but only one in the second, and even that goal seemed somewhat accidental.

Throughout the match, Real Madrid controlled nearly 70% of the possession and had more than 20 shots on goal.

Whether in terms of process or result, Real Madrid played a very convincing game.

More importantly, it was clear that Real Madrid played more conservatively in the second half, saving energy.

Gao Shen had presented Klopp with a big problem!

He did not hide anything or try to cover up his plans. He simply put everything on the table, showing Klopp how he intended to play.

But even if Klopp knew, what could he do?

Against a team like Real Madrid, especially at the Bernabéu, it is extremely difficult for Dortmund to gain the upper hand.

"I don't know if you noticed, but Ronaldo was very relaxed throughout the game," Klopp suddenly said.

"Adjusting?" Kravitz asked.

Klopp shook his head. "I think he was holding back. He had a lot of chances, and with his personality, he would have gone for them in the past. But today he played cautiously, mainly distracting the defense and drawing their attention."

Not long after the start of the second half, Gao Shen substituted Ronaldo once the result was already secure.

"It's clear he didn't give everything," Buvac concluded.

Klopp agreed with that judgment.

If Ronaldo didn't go all out against Athletic Bilbao, the reason was obvious. He was saving himself for the Champions League next Wednesday. That was the match Real Madrid cared about the most, the one where Ronaldo had to give his all.

"When we go back, we need to focus on studying ways to restrain Ronaldo," Klopp instructed.

"There's another thing that struck me as odd." Buvac also frowned. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that everything Gao Shen did in this game seemed to have a deeper meaning.

"In the second half, Bielsa made a substitution, bringing on Toquero, a player very good on the right flank. This was clearly to strengthen Athletic Bilbao's attack down that side. In response, Gao Shen also made a substitution."

Nacho replaced Marcos Alonso.

Marcos Alonso, a youth player from Real Madrid, is an interesting player. He is tall and skillful, but lacks flexibility.

According to Dortmund's original plan, Reus attacking that side was supposed to be a big advantage.

Reus, as his nickname "Little Rocket" suggests, is exceptionally fast and explosive.

But Gao Shen replaced Marcos Alonso with Nacho, who has good speed and flexibility.

"Is it because Nacho is right-footed and Marcos Alonso is left-footed?" Kravitz speculated.

A right-footed full-back playing on the left has an advantage when defending against inside cuts.

Back then, when Arbeloa neutralized Messi, wasn't he playing as a left-back?

No one could guess Gao Shen's exact plan, but Kravitz's explanation seemed the most plausible.

Judging from the flow of the game, Gao Shen insisted on starting with a strong attack, and once Real Madrid scored, he took complete control of the match.

Bielsa's team played aggressively, with their players working very hard throughout the game.

To strengthen their pressing in midfield, Bielsa even removed the center forward Llorente in this match, instead using the 1.8-meter-tall Aduriz, which made the entire midfield very aggressive.

But it was useless. After an early wave of attacks, Real Madrid simply took control of the ball and dictated the tempo.

This served as a warning to Dortmund. The tactics they are good at may not work against Real Madrid.

However, playing away at the Bernabéu also comes with advantages for Dortmund.

Real Madrid must win, while Dortmund only need a draw.

From this perspective, Klopp's team will face much less pressure during the game.

Especially given Dortmund's recent record against Real Madrid.

Last season, also in the Champions League group stage, Dortmund eliminated Real Madrid.

Even though Real Madrid's coach is now Gao Shen, they have failed to advance from the group stage for several consecutive years. The question remains whether Real Madrid's players can handle another high-stakes game.

At crucial moments, confidence is more valuable than goals!

"Real Madrid's biggest asset right now is Gao Shen, but I don't believe he can turn things around every single time!" Klopp gritted his teeth.

He has a very good relationship with Gao Shen and respects him deeply, but on the pitch, he still wants to fight Gao Shen to the end.

Or rather, there is no head coach in the world who wouldn't want to defeat Gao Shen.

This is the ultimate honor for a professional coach, comparable to a player winning the Ballon d'Or!

…

While Klopp and his assistants were at Madrid Barajas Airport eating hamburgers, Gao Shen and his team had already returned to Valdebebas.

The players were dismissed soon after, but the coaching staff remained.

"Are you sure Klopp came to watch this game?" Hierro asked Gao Shen in surprise.

"Whether he came personally, I'm not sure. But he definitely watched, and Dortmund's people would certainly have been in the stands. He would never miss an opportunity like this."

Gao Shen has always been confident in his judgment.

The battle between head coaches is often a psychological game.

And when it comes to psychological warfare, it depends a lot on the personality of the opponent.

Klopp may appear rough, but in reality, he is meticulous.

Only someone meticulous can be a good head coach. A careless person cannot do this job.

"This match still revealed some problems. We need to fix them quickly in the next few days."

Even in a 5-0 victory, a game is never perfect, and there will always be issues.

A head coach's job is always to solve problems as they appear in the team, and then wait for new ones to arise.

"Focus on training Nacho's defending on the left. Use him to mark Reus." Gao Shen said, looking at Carlo.

Carlo nodded.

It had already been decided that Nacho would start, and in this match, Nacho performed well after coming on.

Gao Shen was very confident in Nacho.

Whether now or in his previous life, even many long-time Real Madrid fans often have the mistaken impression that Nacho is mediocre. In fact, he is not.

Nacho is anything but mediocre.

Considering the diabetes he has had since childhood and his inspiring career, there is nothing mediocre about him.

This misconception comes from his versatility. But in truth, Nacho has strong defensive ability, good work rate, excellent stamina, and most importantly, incredible speed.

Surprised?

Nacho is one of the fastest players in Real Madrid!

Shocking, right?

When people think of fast players, the first names that come to mind are Ronaldo, Di Maria, Marcelo, Carvajal, etc.

But Nacho's speed is faster than Di Maria, Marcelo, and Carvajal, and is comparable to Ronaldo.

Real Madrid has tested it. Nacho's top speed reached 34.62 km/h.

That is already very fast.

Leeds United's Salah is known for his pace, but even his speed is only 35 km/h.

Gao Shen also remembers a statistic from 2020 showing Mbappé's speed at 36 km/h.

In that same ranking, Nacho was listed as the tenth fastest player in the world.

It was only after seeing that statistic that Gao Shen realized how quick Nacho really was.

Real Madrid's coaching staff decided to use Nacho as left-back to specifically deal with Reus after thorough consideration.

Marcos Alonso's speed and flexibility are indeed lacking, and it would be very hard for him to stop the Rocket.

Especially given that Real Madrid is likely to adopt more aggressive tactics.

"After watching tonight's game, do you think Klopp will adopt a more conservative approach?" Zidane asked with concern.

Gao Shen shook his head. "No. Klopp has his own tactical philosophy and ideas. Look at the past few years. No matter how the squad changes or how many core players are sold, Dortmund's style of play remains the same."

"This is Klopp's biggest strength, and Dortmund's players are well adapted to it. But in many games, Klopp's weakness has also been exposed: he lacks flexibility during matches and alternative solutions. His tactics lack variety."

To put it simply, Dortmund is only good at that one style of play.

A sudden change in tactics?

Haha. Gao Shen would be happier than Klopp if that happened!

Why?

Because that would mean Dortmund is very likely to fall apart without Real Madrid having to do anything.

This is why many coaches say Dortmund are a "60-minute team."

This nickname means Dortmund can only play well for 60 minutes.

After that?

Klopp lacks flexibility.

This applies to individual matches, to entire seasons, and even to the club itself.

From Mainz to Dortmund to Liverpool, Klopp has been repeating the same cycle, unable to break it.

If one day Klopp can truly break through, it will mean his coaching level has reached a new height.

But for now, he has not reached that point.

If Gao Shen were to evaluate Klopp's coaching at Dortmund, he would definitely give him a thumbs up and the highest praise.

But unfortunately, they are opponents now.

As the head coach of Real Madrid, if he wants to qualify from the group stage, he has no choice but to bring Dortmund down.

Because they are rivals.

As for whether it will be the Hornets or Manchester City who come after Dortmund, that is not something Gao Shen needs to think about.

He only knows one thing.

He cannot lose this match against Dortmund, no matter what!

He must win!

(To be continued.)

Chapter 954: Hala Real Madrid!

Real Madrid defeated Athletic Bilbao 5-0 at home, continuing to put pressure on Barcelona.

In this round, Barcelona also won 3-1 at home against Zaragoza and maintained their one-point lead at the top of La Liga.

But this season's La Liga is no longer a two-team race. Atletico Madrid currently sit third in the standings with 31 points, only 1 point behind Real Madrid and 2 behind Barcelona.

Since Atletico Madrid have not yet faced Real Madrid or Barcelona, many people are not fully convinced by Atletico's position. After all, whether they are as strong as their points suggest will be proven in head-to-head matches against La Liga's two giants.

After the twelfth round of La Liga, the focus for both Real Madrid and Barcelona began to shift toward the Champions League group stage.

Especially for Real Madrid.

Their chances of qualifying from the group stage are very uncertain. After recent media analysis, everyone clearly understands the crisis and pressure facing Real Madrid.

Alfredo, the editor-in-chief of AS, said in his column that if Real Madrid fail to advance from the Champions League group stage again, the Galácticos could collapse entirely, as the players would completely lose confidence and fighting spirit.

But De La Morena of SER Radio believes that even if Real Madrid are eliminated in the group stage, Gao Shen's team is still worth looking forward to because they have played the most exciting attacking football in La Liga and even in all of European football this season.

Real Madrid are currently the highest-scoring team in La Liga, and even in Europe, they are among the best attacking teams.

Under advanced coaching methods, Ronaldo has produced the best scoring record of his career.

In addition, players such as Di Maria and Benzema have also reached their career-best form under Gao Shen's guidance.

"There is no doubt that Gao Shen has rejuvenated Real Madrid. Regardless of whether they manage to qualify from the group stage, this team is thrilling to watch. We all believe that Gao Shen will lead Real Madrid to success!"

Marca agrees. They even quoted Athletic Bilbao coach Bielsa's evaluation of Gao Shen after the 12th-round match: Genius!

Yes, the Argentine concluded that Gao Shen is a rare genius coach!

Because of Javi Martinez's early departure, Athletic Bilbao did not reach their previous peak under Bielsa, and his influence has been greatly reduced.

But Bielsa's influence in football has never relied on results.

After being crushed by Real Madrid, Bielsa said that the Bernabéu match did not show Real Madrid's full potential.

"I can feel that this team has not yet played to its highest level. There is a clear gap!"

Bielsa felt regret, but he also said he understood Gao Shen's need to be cautious due to the distraction of the Champions League.

"I think Real Madrid under Gao Shen is the most exciting team this season. I believe he can succeed here and bring more beautiful football."

However, many in the media believe that Real Madrid's qualification chances are only theoretical.

Turning the group stage around and qualifying under the strong pressure of Manchester City, Dortmund, and Porto is as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

Maria Casanovas, founder and editor-in-chief of Daily Sports, also formerly with Mundo Deportivo and Spanish National Television, and a well-known columnist, strongly supported Barcelona in her column and harshly criticized Gao Shen.

This fanatical Barcelona supporter, now in her sixties, wrote that Barcelona is the banner of Spanish football in the Champions League. Real Madrid's repeated failures in the group stage show that only by sticking to their own football philosophy can they have a bright future.

"Real Madrid's superstar-driven tactics are outdated!"

Casanovas even asserted that Real Madrid would be overwhelmed and crushed by Dortmund at the Bernabéu.

Just like last season.

Gao Shen, she claimed, would also suffer a crushing defeat at Real Madrid and eventually leave La Liga in disgrace.

"He has the ability to succeed in any league and with any team in the world, but in La Liga and at Real Madrid, he is doomed to fail.

Because there is Barcelona!"

But soon, Alfredo, editor-in-chief of AS, published a column to counter Casanovas's remarks.

The AS editor-in-chief supports Gao Shen and believes he will succeed at Real Madrid.

The two of them wielded their pens, sparring in the media and turning it into a huge hype war.

…

As the subject of all this, Gao Shen did not engage in any of the hype or respond to outside rumors.

After the match against Athletic Bilbao, Real Madrid closed training at Valdebebas and refused all outside visitors. Even reporters from AS and Marca were denied entry.

No one outside knows what Gao Shen did during those days at the training base.

During closed training, the players still went home every day, and so did Gao Shen.

Especially during this period, with his wife Su Qing's belly getting bigger, he made sure to return home on time every day to accompany her on walks.

Not only that, despite being busy, Gao Shen took time during breaks to personally choose the hospital and doctor, and whenever possible, he accompanied Su Qing to prenatal checkups. He was definitely a model husband.

But inside the training base, preparations were proceeding in an orderly manner.

Everyone basically knew what Gao Shen's starting lineup for this game would be, and they all understood the tactics he planned to use. In fact, Gao Shen held repeated meetings to emphasize the key points that needed attention for this game.

One key point he stressed was patience.

In fact, patience is confidence!

Gao Shen told Real Madrid players that the most important thing when facing Dortmund is to play patiently.

As physical energy is consumed, Real Madrid will gain more and more advantage.

Especially in the second half, after the 60th minute, that will be the decisive period for Real Madrid to exert their full strength.

Gao Shen also explained the difficulties that might arise during the match, including the possibility that Dortmund might score first. But that was not important. With Real Madrid's ability, equalizing and coming back is not difficult.

Of course, if possible, it would be better not to let Dortmund score.

This requires Real Madrid to reduce their mistakes.

Defense is about minimizing errors.

In the Champions League, against a team of Dortmund's level, avoiding mistakes is even more crucial.

In addition, Gao Shen took time each day to talk individually with different players, including Carvajal, Nacho, Kaka, Ronaldo, and others. He called them aside to chat, encourage them, and make some promises.

Most importantly, he made sure to keep track of the players' mindset and emotions.

Gao Shen took as much of the pressure on himself as possible, hoping that the players could play freely. The coaching staff also worked hard to create a relaxed environment.

In this tense group stage atmosphere, if Real Madrid carried such pressure into the game, they would already be at a disadvantage before the match even began.

Finally, on match day, Gao Shen even gave the team a full rest, canceled the morning tactical meeting, which was unusual, and made an exception to allow family members to visit Valdebebas in the afternoon.

Before leaving, Su Qing brought his Kiton suit from home. She watched as he put it on, carefully adjusted the collar and hem for him, and only after nodding with satisfaction did she smile.

Seeing this gentle moment, Gao Shen could not help but hold her in his arms and be tender with her for a while.

"I have confidence in you for tonight's game." Su Qing leaned against Gao Shen's chest, letting his big hands rest on her belly. At that moment, they both felt a deep connection to the baby inside.

It was a very special feeling that words cannot describe.

It was as if Gao Shen had truly put down roots in this world.

In the past, he always felt like a transmigrator, with a sense of detachment from this world. But now, he increasingly felt that he belonged here, with growing responsibilities and bonds.

For his wife, his unborn child, his parents, and his family, he had to work harder!

…

On the evening of November 21, in the home locker room of the Bernabéu Stadium.

"I hope you have faith in me!"

Gao Shen stood in front of the Real Madrid players for the final pre-match talk.

Everything that needed to be planned had been planned. Everything that needed to be explained had been explained.

Now, it was all up to the players on the pitch.

"This game against Dortmund is not as scary as people think."

"What we need to do is simple. Go out there and control the game in our way. Control the ball, control the tempo, and make the opponent chase the ball and chase our rhythm."

"It will be difficult because Dortmund are very tenacious and aggressive, so we must be mentally prepared for the toughest situations."

"We must minimize mistakes, and everyone has to run!"

Gao Shen clapped his hands firmly and said, "Run, and we will always have options. We will always have chances."

"Dortmund will definitely press forward. That is all they know. We have to adapt to their pressing tempo. As long as we keep the ball and make fewer mistakes, chances will come."

"When they press forward, we slip past them. When their defense opens up, we strike quickly from behind and take advantage of our speed!"

These were exactly the things Gao Shen had repeatedly emphasized in the days leading up to the game.

"Guys, believe this: the closer we get to the end of the game, the better it will be for us, because they are a 60-minute team. In the second half, in the late stages of the game, they will be like lambs waiting to be slaughtered!"

"I sincerely hope that all of us can work together to show our best form and our best spirit in this decisive match, showing the morale and fighting spirit of Real Madrid!"

"I hope we can use this game to tell the world and all those who doubt us:"

"We may have fallen and failed before, but we have stood up again and are charging forward toward victory and championships!"

"From now on, we will no longer be lambs to be slaughtered, weak and vulnerable. We are Real Madrid!"

"The invincible Real Madrid!"

"Hala Madrid!" Gao Shen clenched his fists and shouted.

All the players stood up and shouted with excitement.

"Hala Madrid!"

(To be continued.)