SWR: Chapter 918/920

Chapter 918: The Best Barcelona in History

Real Madrid beat Deportivo La Coruña 7-1!

Gao Shen's team achieved yet another stunning victory at home!

As the final whistle blew at the Bernabéu, the news spread rapidly throughout Spain.

Naturally, this included the coaching staff of Barcelona, located at Ciutadella de España in Barcelona.

Tito Vilanova, accompanied by assistant coach Jordi Roura, watched the match together with several core members of the coaching team. It left a deep impression on all of them.

Especially the first half.

…

Barcelona's away match against Sevilla had taken place the day before Real Madrid's. The final score was 3-2. Barcelona only managed to score two late goals to complete a comeback against Sevilla.

But despite the result, Barcelona came away with both setbacks and ridicule.

The setback came in the form of an injury to young midfielder Thiago, which would have a significant impact on their already thin midfield.

Fortunately, players like Puyol and Iniesta were close to returning.

The ridicule, however, came from a red card incident.

Playing at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, referee Mateu adopted a lenient approach. Sevilla took advantage of this by increasing their physicality, putting Barcelona on the back foot.

Without Iniesta, Xavi and Fàbregas partnered in midfield. The result was a steady but uninspired rhythm, and Barcelona struggled to pose any real threat. Once again, they had to rely heavily on Messi.

Sevilla opened the scoring with a quick counterattack finished by Trochowski.

Although Barcelona had more than 70 percent possession, they still failed to create real danger in front of goal.

Early in the second half, Busquets misplayed a pass that was intercepted by Medel. Negredo then escaped from Barcelona center-back Alex Song and scored Sevilla's second.

Five minutes later, Messi delivered a through ball and Pedro cut it back, allowing Fàbregas to pull one back.

But after that, Barcelona created little else.

Then came the game's most controversial moment. In the 72nd minute, Sevilla midfielder Medel got into an altercation with Fàbregas. The Chilean moved forward and lightly butted Fàbregas on the chin with his head.

Fàbregas immediately reacted in dramatic fashion, holding his face and staggering away as if he had suffered a major blow.

Referee Mateu stepped in and showed Medel a straight red card.

But it soon became clear that Fàbregas was completely fine, which triggered a wave of backlash after the match.

Retired La Liga referee Andújar accused Fàbregas of overreacting in post-match media coverage.

The incident occurred after play was stopped. Fàbregas had been hugging Medel from behind to demand the ball. Medel tossed the ball to a teammate, tried to shake off Fàbregas, and the two exchanged words. Medel stepped forward to push, but not with much force. Fàbregas didn't fall but acted as though he had been seriously hurt.

Later, fans flooded social media with mockery:
"No team can beat a side that plays three sports at once: football, handball, and water polo."

The "water polo" jab referred to Fàbregas' theatrics and Medel's red card.

The "handball" happened shortly after the red card.

By the 89th minute, Barcelona still trailed 2-1.

Even with a one-man advantage, they struggled to break Sevilla down. At the crucial moment, Thiago handled the ball while intercepting a Sevilla pass. The Sevilla players immediately protested, and the referee, standing next to Thiago, chose not to penalize it.

Barcelona launched a counterattack from that moment, and Fàbregas scored the equalizer.

In stoppage time, David Villa netted the winner to complete the comeback.

After the match, Real Madrid-aligned media, led by Marca and AS, along with pro-Barcelona outlets like Sport and Mundo Deportivo, ignited a fierce war of words.

The Madrid media claimed Barcelona's comeback was a disgrace to La Liga.

A handball, a red card—could it get more absurd?

Even the more neutral El Mundo suggested that Barcelona's win was tainted by controversy.

The implication: the victory lacked credibility.

Even after the red card, Barcelona couldn't immediately equalize, let alone dominate. In the end, they needed a controversial handball to draw level and rode Sevilla's drop in morale to win it.

Many European media outlets also argued that referee Mateu had become the true protagonist of the match.

…

Precisely because the match against Sevilla had stirred up such massive controversy, Vilanova understood that Real Madrid's demolition of Deportivo La Coruña would only boost their momentum.

In fact, Real Madrid had won their last two games by large margins.

It was clear that the enemy's morale was sky-high.

On the other hand, no matter how much Fàbregas defended himself in the media, no matter how hard the Catalan press tried to explain it, controversy was still controversy. And the Barcelona players knew that too.

If they really were strong enough to beat Sevilla, why did they have to wait until the dying minutes?

That match exposed not just offensive issues but defensive vulnerabilities too.

Barcelona's next opponent was none other than Real Madrid.

And this version of Real Madrid looked dangerous.

"Next weekend's match is at home. We must win it," Vilanova said, turning to Roura and the rest of his staff.

"If we win, we'll extend the lead to seven points. That gives us a cushion and reduces the pressure."

"But Gao Shen has never lost at the Camp Nou. He's never lost to Barcelona," Roura said cautiously.

Barcelona still carried some psychological baggage when it came to facing Gao Shen.

"That was the past, Jordi," Vilanova said confidently.

"We all know the relationship between Pep and Gao Shen. Gao Shen knew Pep very well, but he doesn't know me."

Vilanova's tactical approach mirrored Guardiola's in many ways, but there were also major differences.

More importantly, as Pep's former assistant, he knew all of Guardiola's shortcomings and mistakes.

And he had no intention of repeating them.

"Real Madrid rebuilt their squad over the summer and made many changes. I've watched their past games—against Sevilla, Getafe, and others. When pressed high, they made frequent passing errors and struggled with ball control. That's our opportunity."

"You all saw the game just now. Deportivo's defense was awful. They gave Real Madrid way too much space. But we won't."

Everyone, including Roura, could feel Vilanova's ambition.

Since before officially taking over the team, he had already been shaping Barcelona's future. If he didn't want to live in Guardiola's shadow, he had to prove he could achieve what Guardiola couldn't.

For example, winning the Treble.
For example, defeating Gao Shen!

No one doubted Vilanova's talent or ambition. Not only had he played a key role in Guardiola's success as an assistant, but since becoming head coach, he had remained unbeaten.

He had won all matches in the Spanish Super Cup, La Liga, and the Champions League.

Before him, four legendary Barcelona managers, including Cruyff and Guardiola, had managed six straight league wins to start the season. But Vilanova was the only one to have won every match across all competitions to start the season.

That was Vilanova's greatest confidence.

It was also the purpose behind his desire to lead Barcelona.

"Jordi."
Vilanova looked at his assistant.

A product of Barcelona's youth academy, Roura had once coached the youth teams before moving to other clubs, where he failed to succeed. In 2009, he returned to Barcelona as a scout and grew close to Vilanova.

"Our Champions League match is one day earlier than Real Madrid's. After we play Benfica away, make arrangements. I want to go to the Bernabéu and watch Real Madrid vs Porto in person."

Match footage was detailed enough, but it still couldn't compare to watching live.

Though Vilanova was confident, he still wanted to study Real Madrid up close and personally examine their tactics.

"I'll take care of it," Roura nodded. Then, after a pause, he glanced at analyst Carles Planchart and looked back at Vilanova. "Tito, about the Bernabéu trip..."

Vilanova also noticed Planchart, who looked eager to volunteer.

Normally, when a head coach went to scout an opponent, it made sense to bring along assistants and analysts. The more eyes, the better, and discussions could happen in real time.

But Vilanova smiled and said, "Carles, I have a task for you."

Planchart looked at Roura, then at Vilanova, and suddenly understood. He nodded. "Go ahead."

"I need you to analyze Real Madrid's defensive weaknesses, especially the coordination between Xabi Alonso, Ramos, and Pepe. Those three haven't quite gelled yet. That will be our chance."

Xabi Alonso isn't a natural defensive midfielder or a traditional No. 4. He's better suited as a double pivot alongside someone like Mascherano or Khedira.

But since Gao Shen took charge, he converted Xabi Alonso into a lone holding midfielder. It was something worth paying close attention to.

Letting a deep-lying playmaker play the No. 4 role? Xabi Alonso had defensive qualities, but could he really handle that job?

"Got it. I'll get started right away."
Planchart was slightly disappointed but still accepted the assignment.

He had been one of Guardiola's most trusted analysts.

After Vilanova took over, he tried to bring in his own people. But the analyst position was hard to fill at short notice. Since Guardiola was unemployed at the time, Vilanova had temporarily kept Planchart on.

But everyone knew that once Guardiola returned, Planchart would follow.

Vilanova clearly held a grudge about that.

After all, deep down, he also wanted to surpass Guardiola.

There is no number one in literature and no number two in martial arts. That's always been true.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 919: Is This Match-Fixing?

Gao Shen didn't know that Vilanova was "plotting" to scout at the Bernabéu, but he was already prepared for the "spies" from Barcelona—because he did the same thing himself.

For clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona, with huge budgets and a deep rivalry, they naturally keep a close eye on each other. Sending scouts to monitor the opponent's every move is a routine part of preparation.

As the saying goes: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

Gao Shen had a clear understanding of the current Barcelona.

Many things appeared to have changed, but in essence, much remained the same.

He had also heard about the story between Vilanova and Guardiola. Situations like this are common across all professions, but it became newsworthy only because of Guardiola's fame. If it had involved someone else, it likely would have gone unnoticed.

That said, Vilanova's approach in this matter was still questionable.

Guardiola saw him as a trusted confidant. But Vilanova had reached an agreement with the club management behind Guardiola's back, which was ethically problematic. Especially since Rosell publicly announced Vilanova as the new head coach on the same day Guardiola stepped down—it was too awkward.

Similar things had happened around Gao Shen.

For instance, Guardiola once discussed returning to Barcelona with Gao Shen before it happened. Zidane had always been open with Gao Shen about his intention to return to Real Madrid. Gao Shen had even told Leeds United manager Sarri that if he performed well and received an offer from a big club, he could speak honestly, and Gao Shen would not make things difficult.

In Gao Shen's view, if Vilanova had spoken to Guardiola directly, Guardiola would not have opposed it. But he chose to conceal it.

That was what made Guardiola feel betrayed.

Vilanova had always wanted to prove he was not inferior to Guardiola and did not want to live in his shadow. This desire to prove himself gave him an even greater hunger for victory, especially when facing Real Madrid and Gao Shen.

Recently, Gao Shen had also been sending scouts to track Barcelona and had received internal updates, including injury reports and details of the Sevilla match.

That match caused quite a stir in the media. In Gao Shen's opinion, the referee was clearly biased, and Fàbregas' acting was downright disgusting. He truly deserved an Oscar.

But Medel also had issues.

The Chilean midfielder lost his temper. Otherwise, he never would have made that move.

It gave Fàbregas the opening he needed to go down easily.

As for Thiago's handball, it all depended on how the referee interpreted it.

"I need to give the players a proper talk and focus on improving their emotional control during matches. I don't want to see us go down the same path as Sevilla. Our players are quite prone to losing their composure," Gao Shen reminded.

The coaching staff, led by Carlo, all nodded.

Real Madrid had a full-time psychologist embedded with the squad, responsible for counseling players. This was a setup that Gao Shen had maintained since his days at Napoli, through Manchester City, and now at Real Madrid.

Over the past few years, Real Madrid's overall performance had been far inferior to Barcelona's, especially in head-to-head clashes. This left Madrid at a psychological disadvantage.

Barcelona's patient, possession-based style and their years of mental resilience had made them more composed and confident.

In contrast, Real Madrid often lacked that mental stability in big matches against Barcelona.

On one side, there was the desire to prove oneself. On the other, the immense pressure of the fixture.

This was particularly evident during Mourinho's tenure, since Mourinho himself was notoriously impatient.

And that kind of impatience could easily lead to mistakes—like Medel's.

"Toni Kroos and Modrić are both facing Barcelona for the first time and lack experience. Schedule a training session. I want a simulated drill where Isco and Verratti take turns imitating Barcelona, dribbling and attacking our three midfielders."

As soon as Gao Shen said it, Carlo understood.

"You want to train their positioning and shape?"

"Exactly," Gao Shen nodded. "We can't go head-to-head with Barcelona in terms of possession, at least not right now. That's why they often hold the ball in front of our players. The goal is simple—they want us to press."

Gao Shen was well aware of Barcelona's trademark tactics.

Once the opponent goes in for the ball, Barcelona immediately executes a small-area two-on-one, then uses that numerical advantage to break down the entire defensive shape.

Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta were all masters of this.

In such scenarios, the best decision for the defending side is to hold position, maintain shape, and not bite.

In short, let them pass all they want.

"Isn't that too passive?" Hierro frowned.

As a Real Madrid legend, he didn't care much for Barcelona's style of football.

If this was still the Mourinho era, there would be no debate. But under Gao Shen, Real Madrid had been playing well and were in excellent form. Was there really a need to sit back?

Gao Shen looked at Hierro and shook his head.

"You've made the same mistake the media and fans often make."

Hierro was stunned. "What mistake?"

"In a professional league, every match is independent."

After a short pause, Gao Shen explained further.

"Many people think that since we just beat Deportivo 7-1 and are in great form, even if we can't beat Barcelona, we can at least go toe-to-toe with them, right?"

"But the truth? If we really go head-to-head with Barcelona at Camp Nou, we might score a goal, I'm quite confident in that. But the real question is, can we actually win like that?"

In football, it's common to see a team win big one week and get crushed the next.

There are even cases where a team beats a top club one round, only to lose to a relegation-threatened side in the next.

Is that match-fixing?

Of course not.

More likely, the team lost focus after a big win. They relaxed, lost tension, and got punished for it.

There are a thousand possible reasons, but the bottom line is this: every opponent and every match is different.

Assuming you'll play the same just because you won the last round is completely wrong.

If football really worked like that, it wouldn't be any fun.

"We beat Deportivo 7-1, but if we get overconfident, Barcelona might just beat us 7-1. As head coach, my job is to choose the best tactical plan for every single match. That's my responsibility."

Hierro nodded. "Understood."

"When facing Barcelona, the most important thing is to keep the shape compact and disciplined. Attacking and scoring are secondary. As I've said before, Barcelona's defense is weak. As long as we can withstand their attack, scoring against them won't be difficult."

In Gao Shen's eyes, Barcelona's back line was indeed vulnerable—but only if you lived long enough in the match to exploit it.

Just like their game against Sevilla.

Vilanova didn't pair Thiago Motta with Piqué, but used Alexandre Song instead.

Gao Shen guessed that Vilanova was worried about Motta and Piqué not complementing each other.

But Song had been a midfielder at Arsenal and was only recently converted into a center-back at Barcelona. There were clear adaptation issues.

Barcelona's back line plays extremely high. Their defenders have to cover huge spaces both in front and behind, often more than 40 meters from their own goal.

This contributes to their defensive weaknesses.

Song struggled and got exposed by Sevilla.

Even though Barcelona had over 70 percent possession in the first half, their attacking threat was less than Sevilla's.

But in the upcoming game, Puyol would return.

"Assign someone to monitor Puyol's recovery, especially his condition," Gao Shen reminded.

"And I'm setting up a special training session just for Messi. I want to build him a brand-new cage."

In every match against Barcelona, Messi is the hurdle that cannot be ignored.

Barcelona is unlike any other team. Their passing and control are world-class. No matter the opponent, they stick to their system, and the opponent must come up with targeted tactics to stop them.

This season, Messi was playing more centrally, but his role was different from when Guardiola was in charge.

With Sánchez and Agüero pushing higher up, Messi now dropped deeper, operating more like a No. 10.

That was due to Xavi and Iniesta's reduced mobility. Messi had to drop to link midfield and attack.

As a result, he was doing better as a playmaker this season, but scoring less than Ronaldo.

The Argentine had only six goals so far, while Ronaldo had already scored eleven.

The good news for Gao Shen and Real Madrid was that Ronaldo was now laser-focused on beating Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Between the two Spanish giants, Barcelona had more momentum. Vilanova had made the best start in club history.

Real Madrid had experienced some turbulence, but the overall trend was upward. Recently, the squad had started to settle, and individual players were performing well.

Whether against Rayo Vallecano or Deportivo, Real Madrid had finished the job early in the first half.

That was why the world was looking forward to the upcoming El Clásico.

Everyone believed this would be the most exciting and most anticipated clash between the two sides in recent memory.

Could Real Madrid, under Gao Shen, finally challenge Barcelona's dominance?

Or would Barcelona, under Vilanova, continue their supremacy?

No one doubted Gao Shen's ability to beat Barcelona. The question was: could this Real Madrid squad meet his demands and execute his tactics?

More importantly, even after thrashing Deportivo, Real Madrid still had to face Porto at home in the second round of the Champions League group stage before visiting Camp Nou.

After losing the first round away to Dortmund, Real Madrid could not afford to drop more points against Porto.

But before the match began, Gao Shen made a decision that shocked the entire football world.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 920: I Don’t Believe Your Sophistication

On the evening of October 3rd, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.

In the second round of the Champions League group stage, Real Madrid hosted Portuguese side Porto.

As always, the Bernabéu was packed.

Since Gao Shen took over as Real Madrid's head coach, every home match had drawn a full house—not just in the regular stands, but also in the VIP boxes and executive suites.

Although Real Madrid's away form under Gao Shen hadn't been particularly ideal, their home performances had been excellent.

Just last round, they demolished Deportivo La Coruña 7-1 at home.

Their strong home form had won the approval of fans, and made every home match at the Bernabéu an unmissable event.

Besides, Gao Shen had become the prince charming Real Madrid fans had long awaited.

When Vilanova and Jordi Roura arrived at the stadium, blending in among the crowd, they witnessed a massive display from the fans in the South Stand—a giant mosaic that stretched across most of the entire section.

It was a giant photo of Gao Shen.

The entire display was made up of paper cards held aloft by the fans. It looked spectacular and was clearly the highest tribute they could offer their coach.

As they held up the mosaic, the fans shouted Gao Shen's name in unison.

This had become a tradition before every match at the Bernabéu.

"He's really beloved here," Jordi Roura said with genuine envy.

As a professional coach, receiving such respect and affection from a top-tier club's fans was a dream come true.

Especially at a club like Real Madrid. It was the lifelong aspiration of many in the profession.

Vilanova felt somewhat unconvinced in his heart, but he couldn't deny the envy in his eyes.

If only Barcelona fans would treat him like that one day...

…

The two coaches were very familiar with the Bernabéu and quickly found their seats.

By the time they arrived, the Real Madrid and Porto players had already completed their pre-match warmups and returned to the dressing rooms for final preparations. The fans' atmosphere in the stadium had reached a fever pitch.

Real Madrid fans are excellent at creating a raucous atmosphere, especially the ultras in the South Stand. When they go all out, their energy can rival that of any supporters group in the world.

At this moment, the starting lineups for both sides were announced.

Porto made no real changes, sticking with the same starting XI that had defeated Manchester City in the previous round.

Jackson Martínez led the line, with James Rodríguez and Varela on the wings.

In midfield were Fernando, Defour, and González. The center-back pairing remained Maicon and Otamendi.

Of note, Maicon shared a name with Inter Milan's famous right-back, but he was actually a tall central defender standing 1.91 meters.

Clearly, manager Vítor Pereira wanted to build on the success from their upset victory over Manchester City.

"Jackson Martínez will be a big threat to Real Madrid's back line, and James Rodríguez has excellent passing vision," Roura analyzed.

Jackson Martínez had been outstanding in the Portuguese league ever since joining, effectively stepping into Hulk's shoes.

Porto, as always, had a golden touch when it came to developing and selling strikers.

In 2009, they sold Lisandro López to Lyon for €22 million, then immediately signed Colombian striker Falcao from River Plate for €4.5 million—and sold him two years later for €40 million.

Then came Hulk, who after Falcao's departure, quickly rose to stardom before moving to Zenit for a staggering €50 million just this past summer.

Following Hulk's sale, Porto spent just €8 million to bring in Jackson Martínez.

One had to admire Porto's scouting and recruitment system.

From strikers alone, Porto had earned over €100 million in the last few seasons. Their business acumen was top-tier.

La Liga had its own versions too. Atlético Madrid had become known for their forward sales, and although Sevilla had fallen off in recent years, their scouting network—led by Monchi—was still legendary.

Monchi reportedly had more than 500 part-time scouts spread across the globe. It was said that as soon as a young talent emerged, even from a small youth side, the report would land on Monchi's desk.

Sevilla's consistent competitiveness in La Liga owed much to this vast network.

Porto worked similarly.

It was even possible that the two clubs' networks overlapped.

It wasn't unusual for scouts to work with multiple clubs.

Back when Kaka's agent was trying to promote him, he had sent the same resume and highlight videos to every major club in Europe—which was partly why Florentino had originally passed on him.

This season, a similar club had emerged in the Premier League: newly promoted Leeds United.

They had sold over €100 million worth of players in a single summer—yet still sat third in the Premier League standings.

It was unbelievable.

Even more incredible, the team played with an advanced tactical system.

And so, outside the pitch, people were murmuring: There's something strange about them. They must be using dark magic.

Hmph! I don't believe your sophistication! Vilanova thought to himself.

…

If Vítor Pereira's Porto had gone with a stable lineup, then Real Madrid's lineup announcement left both Vilanova and Roura stunned.

Even the Bernabéu itself reacted with audible surprise.

Di María wasn't even starting!

That was massive news.

Many would assume Real Madrid's primary scorer was Cristiano Ronaldo, with Benzema providing tactical support, Kroos, Modrić, and Xabi Alonso in midfield, and Di María as a supplementary option.

But in reality?

Within football circles, Di María was widely recognized as the most dangerous and impactful Real Madrid player this season.

Sacchi had even written in his column that Gao Shen's preference for Di María was obvious.

The Argentine didn't score many goals but racked up plenty of assists. In Gao Shen's advanced system, he had the most freedom—more than Modrić, more than Ronaldo.

He could play as a winger, an attacking midfielder, on the left, right, or centrally.

He changed positions multiple times during a match and excelled in all of them.

His flexibility had become a focal point of tactical studies across Europe.

Ronaldo's goals were vital, but Di María's importance was equal—and possibly greater in some matches.

But now, in such a key fixture, Gao Shen benched Di María and started Higuaín.

"Is he resting Di María?" Vilanova frowned.

Given his workload, Di María had indeed played a lot.

It was possible Gao Shen wanted him fresh for the Clásico.

"But isn't that a bit arrogant? This is Porto we're playing, the team that beat Manchester City," Roura questioned skeptically.

Real Madrid's best front three this season had been Ronaldo, Benzema, and Di María. Even when Higuaín replaced Benzema, Ronaldo and Di María remained constants.

Now Di María was out—it was strange.

There were no major changes in midfield: Kroos, Modrić, and Xabi Alonso all started.

Casemiro had done well against Deportivo, but Gao Shen clearly didn't trust the youngster in such a high-stakes match—which made sense. Young players were still raw and might not be reliable in crucial moments.

Vilanova, once a youth coach himself, understood this better than anyone.

He knew how to develop youth talent step by step.

And look—Arbeloa was starting at right-back again instead of Carvajal, who had starred last match.

At a club like Real Madrid or Barcelona, the pressure is immense. Throwing young players into major responsibilities too early could be disastrous, potentially pushing them off a cliff of expectation.

This was why so many youth stars failed to make the leap to first-team football.

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

Roura nodded. "Good enough for one competition. But when they're competing on multiple fronts, they look stretched—especially in midfield and on the wings."

In midfield, Verratti showed flashes but still looked inexperienced. Kaka had been a pleasant surprise.

Someone in Gao Shen's staff clearly knew what they were doing. After a summer of special training, Kaka had regained some form. He was usable, but still far from his peak.

Isco still needed more development.

As for the wingers, Jesé and Vázquez were promising but green.

In many ways, Real Madrid's current squad depth was even weaker than Barcelona's.

Gao Shen had said he would rather go without than settle for the wrong player.

But now, he had to pay the price. Di María was benched, and Higuaín was forced into a wide role because Gao Shen didn't fully trust Vázquez.

"What I don't understand is—why would he take off Di María ahead of the Clásico? It's like cutting off your own arm," Vilanova muttered, racking his brain.

Was it some kind of tactical misdirection?

But that didn't make sense. What if they lost to Porto? Why bluff?

If Di María was injured, he could still sit on the bench.

"I haven't heard of any injury," Roura replied.

Even as both teams walked onto the pitch, Vilanova and his assistants still couldn't figure out Gao Shen's plan.

In the end, they reached a unanimous conclusion.

If you can't figure it out, stop trying.

God only knows what that weirdo Gao Shen is thinking.

Whatever it is, it's definitely not something good.

Barcelona better stay on high alert.

(To be continued.)