SWR: Chapter 950/951

Chapter 950: The Biggest Surprise

On the evening of November 11, at Valencia Municipal Stadium.

In the eleventh round of La Liga, Real Madrid played away against Levante.

As soon as Ronaldo passed the ball to Benzema, and the French center quickly returned it to defensive midfielder Xabi Alonso, Levante immediately launched a fierce press on Real Madrid's midfield and backline.

How fierce was it?

Just three seconds after the whistle, Xabi Alonso was knocked to the ground by former Inter Milan striker Martins, who came charging in.

The Nigerian striker's move drew loud applause from the Levante fans.

Clearly, the home supporters were hoping their team could be more "fearless" when facing the mighty Real Madrid.

Gao Shen had already anticipated this situation and signaled from the touchline for his players to remain calm.

He came here with the intention of using this match to train his team.

More importantly, he wanted to see whether the team could still pass the ball and control the tempo under such high-intensity, fast-paced pressing.

This was also a test of the players' off-the-ball movement and ability to find space.

In theory, Real Madrid players had the technical skills for it, but their understanding and teamwork were not yet strong enough.

Once the game resumed, Real Madrid began to hold the ball more in their own half.

Gao Shen stood in the technical area of the visiting team, closely watching the passing, movement, and positioning of his midfielders and defenders.

The three midfielders, Modric, Xabi Alonso, and Toni Kroos, stayed deeper, keeping close contact with the defensive line, while the two full-backs, Carvajal and Marcos Alonso, pushed higher up the pitch.

This made Real Madrid's formation appear layered and flexible. Especially after losing possession to Levante, Real Madrid could quickly reorganize their shape and plug gaps.

Defending is never about scoring goals, but about plugging gaps.

As long as all the gaps are plugged, the defense becomes solid.

At the moment, Real Madrid's ball control and passing were not very smooth, but Gao Shen was in no hurry. He didn't even make any adjustments, just stood silently on the touchline and observed.

He believed that Real Madrid players had the intelligence and ability to adjust on their own during the game.

As time went on, that belief proved correct. Real Madrid gradually adapted to Levante's pressing, and the home side slowed down after their initial wave of attacks failed to work.

But at that moment, Modric suddenly carried the ball forward and passed backward. Ronaldo made a direct run behind him, controlled the ball, and took a long shot, which was saved by Levante goalkeeper Munua.

On the sidelines, Gao Shen applauded and loudly encouraged the players for their effort.

…

Gradually taking control of the game, Real Madrid began to press forward, giving Levante no breathing room.

There were still mistakes in their passing and receiving, and Levante created a good chance, but Courtois made a steady save to deny them.

Gao Shen noticed something positive on the sidelines: communication between Xabi Alonso, Toni Kroos, and Modric had clearly increased, and they were working together more closely.

As the game went on, it became obvious that the coordination between Real Madrid's midfield and defense was getting smoother and more fluid.

This was reflected in the fact that Levante's early pressing was very effective, forcing Real Madrid into frequent passing mistakes, but as the match continued, their pressing became less and less effective.

However, in the 22nd minute, just as Real Madrid started to settle into the game, a sudden passing error occurred. Levante midfielder Barquero seized the chance with a direct through ball. Martins, nicknamed the "Black Lightning," burst forward at high speed, passed across to the right side of the penalty area, where Rodriguez controlled the ball, evaded Pepe, and finished into the Real Madrid net.

The goal completely ignited the Levante fans.

On the touchline, Gao Shen shook his head and smiled wryly.

Football can be strange sometimes.

When you think you're in control, that's often the most dangerous moment.

Even Levante probably didn't expect to suddenly get such a counterattack chance and score.

"Stay calm! Keep it up, don't panic. Hold your ground, keep the ball, control the tempo!"

Gao Shen walked to the sideline and shouted loudly, reminding the players to keep their composure.

"Xabi!" Gao Shen called out to Xabi Alonso, signaling him to stabilize the midfield.

He also mentioned Toni Kroos and Modric, then called out Pepe's name.

This time, the Portuguese center-back's mistake came from overconfidence. He had a habit of taking risks, much like Ramos.

But Gao Shen reminded him to stay focused and keep playing as he had been before.

Before conceding, Real Madrid had been maintaining the right rhythm, passing and moving well even under pressure.

…

Once the defense and ball control were stabilized again, Real Madrid started to attack more freely.

Gao Shen instructed Carvajal to push forward more actively in attack, and the right-wing combination he had carefully built began to show results.

On the right side, Di Maria, Modric, and Carvajal started to pose a serious threat.

As the right side grew more dangerous, Levante's defense shifted toward that flank. This gave Ronaldo on the left more space, allowing him to become more active.

In the 41st minute, Modric crossed from the right. Carvajal charged in on the right, received the pass, and drove to the byline, but was tripped by Levante left-back Juanfran just outside the penalty area.

The referee saw it clearly, immediately awarded a free kick, and gave Juanfran a yellow card.

This was Levante's fourth yellow card of the first half.

Xabi Alonso stepped up to take the free kick and delivered a precise curling ball.

A scramble ensued in the penalty area. Ronaldo shook off Navarro, leaped the highest, and headed the ball into the far corner.

Goalkeeper Munua dove but could not reach it.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

The Portuguese star scored again, equalizing for Real Madrid.

Gao Shen cheered loudly on the sideline, and the Real Madrid players rushed out to celebrate with him.

1-1, back to square one.

The first half ended with this score.

…

During halftime, Gao Shen addressed the problems from the first half and proposed solutions. He encouraged Carvajal on the right to be even more aggressive going forward.

Modric and Di Maria also gave their young teammate words of encouragement.

Gao Shen wanted the team to ensure ball control while also counterattacking quickly after winning possession, creating threats to Levante.

The second half began after switching sides.

Di Maria started to shine on the right flank, especially with the support of Modric and Carvajal. The Argentine looked completely at ease. First, he cut inside from the right, dribbled past two defenders, and crossed.

Benzema's header was slightly off target, missing a good chance.

But soon, Di Maria struck again.

After Carvajal made an overlapping run down the right, he pulled the ball back to Di Maria on the edge of the penalty area.

Di Maria controlled the ball, dribbled past a defender, and took a left-footed shot toward the far corner.

Goalkeeper Munua dived to save and managed to tip it out for a corner.

Corner!

While Levante fans were still cheering for Munua's brilliant save, Toni Kroos delivered the corner precisely into the penalty area. At the back post, an unmarked Pepe headed the ball in from close range, scoring for Real Madrid.

2-1!

A comeback!

The Portuguese center-back clenched his fists and roared with excitement.

He had been at fault for the earlier goal, but now he redeemed himself with a crucial header to put Real Madrid ahead.

On the sidelines, Gao Shen celebrated Pepe's goal.

…

After taking the lead, Real Madrid controlled both possession and tempo. Levante lost their edge, and although they attempted several counterattacks, they failed to get any clear chances.

The match was now completely in Real Madrid's hands.

Gao Shen began making substitutions. Kaka came on for Toni Kroos to strengthen the attack.

Eight minutes later, Kaka dribbled through the middle and made a sudden pass. Benzema made a diagonal run into the left side of the penalty area but was brought down by Navarro as he received the ball. The referee immediately awarded a penalty.

Xabi Alonso, outstanding at both ends of the pitch in this game, stepped up and calmly scored the penalty, extending the lead to 3-1!

The Spanish midfielder was thrilled.

Even more surprisingly, in the 87th minute, before the end of the second half, Real Madrid won another free kick in the attacking third. Xabi Alonso took it again, and Morata, who had come on for Benzema, headed in from the edge of the six-yard box, sealing the victory for Real Madrid.

4-1!

Morata was so excited he ran wildly in celebration, unstoppable.

On the sideline, Gao Shen applauded. He turned to look at Carlo and the others and saw that they were all smiling happily.

"Tonight, our midfield was very smooth. Levante pressed hard, but we handled it well. The players' movement was much more reasonable, and their passing and support were well-organized."

There was no need to ask. Just by looking at Carlo's face, you could tell he was very pleased with how the game had gone.

Gao Shen was just as satisfied.

Although there were still many problems exposed in the match, overall, there were more positives.

The biggest surprise came from the right flank.

After stabilizing their passing and ball control in the midfield and backline, and once Real Madrid seized control of the game, Carvajal's performance became a pleasant surprise for Gao Shen and the staff.

This young player had truly been buried in the reserves before.

Now, Gao Shen and his team were more certain than ever that Carvajal could be relied on at right-back.

Zidane, Hierro, and the others looked at Gao Shen with even more respect.

From the very beginning, Gao Shen had chosen Carvajal, saying he wanted to build an attacking duo with Carvajal on the right and Marcelo on the left. But for various reasons, Arbeloa had been playing better, and now with Marcelo injured again, Real Madrid's full-back pairing had yet to be realized.

Judging by Carvajal's performance, however, there was still plenty to look forward to.

Even from the opening stages, Carvajal's defensive work was solid.

Arbeloa is stronger defensively, Carvajal excels in attack, and Real Madrid's right side now has a unique identity.

This also made everyone look forward to the future. Once Marcelo returns and regains his form, how spectacular will it be to see Real Madrid's two wings flying together?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 951: Vow to Enter the Knockout Round

"Cheers!"

In a newly opened Chinese restaurant near the Four Towers business district in Madrid, Real Madrid's players, coaching staff, and key staff members gathered together, each holding up a glass of water.

Strong arms were raised high, looking like a dense forest.

Gao Shen was the king of this forest!

The team had earned great recognition after overturning Levante 4-1 away.

But Gao Shen was still not satisfied with the team's performance because there were still many details that were not handled well.

However, he was generous in praising the midfield and the right flank.

After the recovery training session in the morning, there was another review meeting.

Since there was a week's break between the eleventh and twelfth rounds of the league, Gao Shen gave everyone a day off.

But that evening, Gao Shen treated the entire team to dinner.

The reason was: "I heard there's a new Chinese restaurant in Madrid that's really good. Let's go and try it together."

Although it was voluntary, everyone showed up.

This also reflected Gao Shen's current status in the Real Madrid dressing room.

After everyone clinked their glasses, they sat back down, but Gao Shen remained standing, holding his glass of water.

"Originally, I shouldn't be saying anything at a time like this, but..."

Gao Shen grinned, "It just feels incomplete if I don't say a few words."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"I just want to say one thing: eat well and rest well. Next week is a decisive battle. I hope every one of you gives your all and beats Dortmund!"

"I am very confident and I firmly believe that we will make it to the Champions League knockout stage next year!"

Gao Shen's words were full of strength and confidence, and everyone could feel his ambition and determination.

Then, they all stood up and raised their glasses again.

"Cheers, boss!" Ramos shouted.

"Cheers to reaching the Champions League knockout stage!"

"Cheers!"

"We vow to make it to the knockout stage!"

"Well said!"

Everyone shouted out their determination.

This was not said to Gao Shen, but more like a way to fire themselves up.

Every player who could join Real Madrid was not ordinary. They were all proud. For several years in a row, they had been knocked out in the group stage. This had been a huge humiliation for them.

If they fail to advance again this year, won't they become a laughingstock again?

That is something they cannot tolerate!

Gao Shen went back to the table where the coaching staff sat and found that Carlo, Zidane, and the others were all in high spirits as well. He raised his glass to them and drank again.

Who says it's just water? But at this moment, it felt stronger than alcohol.

"Thank you all for your hard work in the coming period. When the team qualifies for the knockout stage, I will make sure you get the credit!" Gao Shen said loudly.

Everyone cheered and joined in noisily.

Needless to say, the core coaching staff were Gao Shen's right-hand men and his trusted people. As for the other staff, they were Real Madrid employees who genuinely needed Gao Shen's praise.

Christmas was coming soon, and at the very least, it was good to earn a little extra holiday bonus.

Next, although Real Madrid would play two consecutive home games, Athletic Bilbao and Dortmund would not be easy opponents.

Both matches would be very tough.

More importantly, over the next few days, Real Madrid's coaching staff needed to quickly solve the problems exposed in recent matches.

Only by doing that could the team face Dortmund in the best possible condition.

In this home game against the Yellow Wall, Real Madrid had to win by at least two goals.

This was no small challenge.

…

It was not yet the final moment, so the media could not pronounce a death sentence on Gao Shen and Real Madrid.

Although their outlook was unanimously pessimistic, even AS editor-in-chief Alfredo and others did not dare to guarantee whether the team could qualify, which left the voices supporting Gao Shen very weak.

But they still had no real way to deal with Gao Shen.

At best, they could only hype up various stories.

For example, some media accused Gao Shen of being distracted by Leeds United while coaching Real Madrid.

The reason was that in September and October, during Real Madrid's break, Gao Shen had gone to the UK to inspect Leeds United.

As a result, this Premier League team had been performing very well this season, while Real Madrid was struggling badly.

"If he had put the same energy he spent on Leeds United into Real Madrid, then Real Madrid wouldn't be in such a poor state now, not even able to qualify from the group stage!"

"Gao Shen must take full responsibility for this!"

Various media outlets began to stir up this topic.

There was no other reason. They just wanted attention.

Gao Shen, Real Madrid, and Leeds United. These three names were very popular right now.

Needless to say, Leeds United was the biggest dark horse in the Premier League this season.

How surprising was it?

After eleven rounds of the league, they were still fourth in the Premier League table.

This young team was determined to break into the top four.

Before the international break in October, they were ranked fourth. Everyone thought it was just luck, since Leeds United had not faced many strong opponents at that time.

Of course, their win over Liverpool in the first round was attributed to the Reds performing poorly this season.

In round eight of the Premier League, Leeds United lost 1-2 at home to Manchester City. Everyone thought Leeds United's good fortune was about to run out.

Although some media called it an honorable defeat, losing at home to Manchester City was still not a good sign.

A week later, Leeds United lost 1-2 away at Newcastle's St. James' Park, suffering back-to-back defeats, which made things look even worse.

Their league position dropped quickly, falling directly to seventh. The situation looked dangerous, and some media began to hype that Leeds United was about to collapse.

But right after that, Leeds United beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 at home and then won 2-1 away at Wigan Athletic. Although the matches were tense, they still secured six points.

After two consecutive losses, they bounced back with two consecutive wins. After all the ups and downs, they climbed back to fourth in the league.

Manchester City and Manchester United were tied for first, Chelsea was third, and Leeds United was fourth.

Behind them were Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Arsenal...

People began to realize that these two newly promoted teams this season were extraordinary.

One was in fourth place, the other in seventh. It was incredible.

It was precisely because of Leeds United's impressive performance that this young Premier League team became a sensation, and many of its players attracted attention.

Players like their top scorer Icardi, midfield core Pogba, main center-back Koulibaly, and others had all drawn interest from major clubs.

Real Madrid's poor Champions League results, contrasted with Leeds United's excellent form, naturally gave the media something to hype.

Gao Shen understood exactly what was going on, but he made no effort to clarify anything publicly.

As he had said to Butragueño, whatever he said now would be meaningless. Before Real Madrid qualified from the group stage, no one needed his explanations.

What Real Madrid fans wanted was for the team to advance from the group stage!

…

Leeds United's performance this season was indeed unexpected.

Not just for the media and fans, but even for Gao Shen himself.

He was the one who designed Leeds United's tactical system, but he truly did not expect this group of young White Rose players to perform so well this season.

The most impressive aspect was the left-wing attack carefully crafted by Gao Shen, Borrell, and Sarri, which became Leeds United's main weapon for scoring and winning.

Coutinho, Pogba, and Kurzawa were Leeds United's best performers. Along with Koulibaly and Icardi, they had been the team's standouts this season.

Since he only had one day off, Gao Shen could not travel to the UK, but he still made video calls with Lucas, Borrell, and Sarri to get the latest updates.

The team was in excellent condition and seemed to be improving steadily.

Gao Shen told them this was a very positive sign and proved that Leeds United's success was well-deserved.

The next step was to stabilize their style of play and continue to improve and strengthen it.

Even if some players were sold in the future, as long as the tactical system was complete, the team only needed to recruit the right replacements, and their results would not be greatly affected.

Lucas reported on the progress of negotiations with a Chinese construction contractor, saying things were going very smoothly and both sides were in complete agreement.

If the training base project was contracted to a Chinese construction company, the budget could be controlled within 70 million pounds, which was a significant amount for Leeds United.

Since Leeds United had previously promised certain commitments to the Leeds City Council, including the charitable foundation, the council had now given them the green light to choose a Chinese contractor, though there were still details to finalize.

For example, the Leeds City Council would require them to hire a certain number of local employees and set a minimum wage for all project workers, among other terms.

Currently, Leeds United was working with the Chinese construction company. Both sides planned to draft a detailed plan before negotiating with the council.

Su Qing had been managing this project remotely for a while. She had previously been responsible for negotiations with the Leeds City Council and was very familiar with such matters, which was also her specialty.

Based on current progress, construction was expected to begin in the middle of next year, leaving more than half a year for preparation and an estimated one-year construction period.

In other words, Leeds United should be able to move into their new training base in 2014.

Both Lucas and Borrell assured Gao Shen that everything at Leeds United was going smoothly and that there was no need for him to worry.

"On the contrary, things have been noisy for you lately in the media. Are you doing alright?" Lucas asked with concern.

Borrell was equally worried.

In the past, they had been a team fighting side by side with Gao Shen, but now, they could only watch from afar.

"What could possibly happen? You all know that as long as we win on the pitch, my words become law, and even my farts smell good. Those who curse the most now are the first to change their tone."

Gao Shen sneered. He had long seen through the nature of these paparazzi.

Or rather, do they even have any morals?

"Dortmund is not easy to handle. Klopp has studied you very thoroughly," Lucas reminded him.

Gao Shen's smile was calm and confident.

"I have always been imitated but never surpassed!"

"Just wait and see!"

(To be continued.)