SWR: Chapter 838/839

Chapter 838: The Camp Nou That Will Never Fall

Gao Shen knew his own personality very well. As a Virgo, he had a strong desire for control and was a perfectionist who wanted to do everything perfectly. This was undoubtedly the foundation of his success in both his past and present lives, but it had also caused him some trouble.

For instance, after acquiring Leeds United, he had already drawn up a development blueprint for the White Rose in his mind.

From signings, to the training ground, to a new stadium, he had a very clear vision of the entire structure.

This was Leeds United's century-old foundation.

Time was like a whip, constantly lashing Gao Shen, urging him forward.

He genuinely felt a sense of urgency because he knew exactly where history was heading.

After transmigrating, he had lived through the subprime mortgage crisis, and now the European debt crisis. The global economy was in recession, and money from all sectors was flowing into European football.

As many football industry researchers had said, the worse the economy got, the more popular football became.

It was true back then, and it remained true now.

So, what would happen next?

The skyrocketing cost of players and salaries would place immense financial pressure on clubs.

Moreover, there was one thing Gao Shen had to keep in mind. If he really wanted to build a training complex and a new stadium, he had to act quickly. As soon as possible.

Take Tottenham Hotspur as an example.

In 2009, Spurs launched plans to build a new stadium, but the project was repeatedly delayed. Construction didn't begin until 2016, a full seven years later. At the time, the projected cost was £500 million.

But everyone knew what happened after that.

The rapid rise in the prices of raw materials, labor, and other expenses caused Tottenham's stadium budget to skyrocket, from £450 million to £700 million, then to £900 million, and finally to £1 billion.

From 2016 to 2019, in just three years, construction costs more than doubled.

More importantly, Gao Shen understood that once prices surged, it would be very difficult to bring them back down in the short term.

Unfortunately, Tottenham's new stadium opened in 2019, only for the pandemic to hit a year later.

No need to elaborate. Football fans already knew how devastating the pandemic had been for European football.

In 2021, the year Gao Shen transmigrated, the world remained unstable. In fact, there were already rumors that Russia was preparing to attack Ukraine.

Gao Shen wasn't an expert in international politics, but he could guess that if such a conflict broke out, the costs of raw materials and labor would rise even more. Add that to the pandemic and sluggish European economies, and by then, it wouldn't just be new stadiums that were impossible. Many clubs might not even be able to continue operating.

Therefore, the window for using his advanced knowledge was actually very short.

He had to accomplish in the next few years what others might need ten or even twenty years to achieve.

This was a shocking notion. Gao Shen didn't even dare to tell his wife. If he did, Su Qing would probably think he had lost his mind.

And who could blame her?

If not for his advantage as a transmigrator, who would believe that a stadium project initially budgeted at £450 million would eventually cost £1 billion in just three years?

More importantly, once such a project began, it couldn't be stopped halfway.

Because stopping would bring even more devastating losses.

Just like Valencia's new stadium. Once construction was halted, there was no way to restart it. Valencia's path to becoming a top club was completely severed and could never be resumed.

Gao Shen did have another option: keep quiet and make money.

Do nothing, collect stable revenue every year, and relax. When the club turned a profit, he could withdraw funds through rent and other means. Then, when the time was right, sell the club and walk away.

After all, owning a football club didn't make much money. Better to make a little fortune and ensure several generations lived comfortably.

But that just wasn't who Gao Shen was.

Some say character determines destiny.

That's why Mourinho would rather go to war with Casillas and even the Real Madrid fanbase at the Bernabéu.

And that's why Gao Shen could never accept living a mediocre life.

If he was going to do it, he would do it big.

He didn't just want to be the best and most successful head coach in the world. He also wanted to become a club owner who was praised and respected globally.

…

This was what Gao Shen had been thinking about while sitting alone in the hotel café after seeing off Pochettino and his assistants.

He had done a lot of homework. For instance, he believed that if a Chinese company, known for its obsession with infrastructure, could be brought in to manage the construction, both cost control and project speed would improve.

But that would raise issues at the governmental level, requiring communication and coordination.

He clearly remembered that when Inter Milan was exploring plans for a new stadium, Moratti had personally visited China to talk to China Railway Construction Corporation. Rumor had it that letting a Chinese infrastructure company handle the build could significantly reduce costs.

This was an option worth considering.

The bottom line was this: cut back on spending, tighten the belt, and focus on building the training base and the stadium first.

Once that century-old foundation was set, building a strong football team would be much easier.

But all of that was for the long term.

Gao Shen's top priority right now was still Barcelona.

Thinking of this, Gao Shen picked up the cold cup of coffee in front of him, downed it, stood up, and left.

…

95,877!

That was the official attendance announced by Barcelona for tonight's match at Camp Nou.

Aside from a small number of Manchester City supporters who had traveled for the away game, over 90,000 Barcelona fans filled the stadium to cheer for their team.

When Gao Shen and the Manchester City players stepped onto the Camp Nou pitch, the stadium erupted into boos.

Gao Shen was the most unwelcome person in the entire stadium.

Even though he hadn't set foot on this pitch in years.

Even though he was once the top choice among Barcelona fans to become their head coach.

Now, he was their nightmare.

Especially since both AS and Marca had reported with certainty that Gao Shen would be managing their archrivals, Real Madrid, this summer. There was no way the Barcelona supporters would have any goodwill toward him.

Gao Shen was mentally prepared for this.

He didn't mind at all.

After all, the fans had made noise outside the hotel the entire night before. That showed their passion and effort.

If their hatred weren't genuine, they wouldn't have gone that far.

Once the players arrived on the pitch, they began their pre-match warm-up as usual.

Everything was carried out according to UEFA's regulations and protocol, progressing in an orderly fashion.

Gao Shen didn't stay outside for long. After the players began training, he returned to the locker room early and didn't see Guardiola the entire time.

While he and his coaching staff made final preparations, Barcelona's starting lineup was announced.

Goalkeeper: Valdés
Defenders: Vargas, Puyol, Piqué, Alves
Midfielders: Iniesta, Busquets, Xavi
Forwards: Sánchez, Agüero, Messi

"Looks like you guessed wrong," Carlo said, teasing as he looked at the lineup.

Gao Shen clicked his tongue twice. He had expected Pep to switch to a three-man backline or at least tweak the attack.

Unexpectedly, Guardiola changed nothing.

So why had he been so conflicted before?

What?

He wasn't conflicted?

Impossible!

Gao Shen knew Guardiola all too well. There was no way he'd slept well last night.

"What do we do now?" Carlo asked.

The rest of the staff also looked toward Gao Shen.

Now that the opponent's lineup had been revealed, it was clear that Barcelona were sticking with a stable setup, with no major surprises.

Before matches of this magnitude, Gao Shen rarely made drastic changes unless he was absolutely sure.

"Stick to the original plan!" Gao Shen made the call immediately.

…

In truth, Gao Shen had been right.

Guardiola had wrestled with the decision for a long time. After weighing all the options, he eventually reverted to the original plan.

This was because Gao Shen had once told him, "When you're not completely sure, trust your first instinct. It's usually right."

Guardiola's first instinct had been to start Fàbregas and leave out Agüero.

That would've given the midfield better control.

What many didn't know was that Fàbregas had originally been a striker at Barcelona, and the false nine role suited him perfectly.

But starting Fàbregas over Agüero at home seemed too conservative.

So Guardiola went with his gut and stuck to the 4-3-3, using Agüero instead of Fàbregas. This made the attacking front line more dangerous.

As for the midfield, although it still featured Xavi, Iniesta, and even Messi dropping deep at times, their collective work rate had declined significantly.

Barcelona appeared to dominate possession, but Guardiola knew that much of it was possession for possession's sake, with little threat.

Why?

Because the players didn't want to run.

Less movement meant less disruption for the opponent, and naturally, fewer dangerous attacks.

Still, this lineup was the backbone of Barcelona.

Not even Guardiola, let alone Rosell, could change that.

This sense of helplessness left Guardiola frustrated.

Manchester City's starting lineup remained a 4-3-3:

Goalkeeper: Neuer
Defenders: Felipe, David Luiz, Kompany, Lichtsteiner
Midfielders: Javi Martínez in the holding role, with Yaya Touré and Rakitić ahead
Forwards: Bale, Suárez, Robben

There was one noticeable change in Gao Shen's lineup—Yaya Touré started in place of David Silva.

At first glance, this was to strengthen the midfield's defensive and interception capabilities. But Yaya Touré's attacking prowess, especially his ability to make late runs into the box, made him a real threat.

Moreover, the midfield trio of Javi Martínez, Yaya Touré, and Rakitić provided solid defensive cover.

"We must be careful about Manchester City's opening attack. We need to settle into the game quickly, control possession and the tempo, and not give them a chance to score an away goal!"

Guardiola gave the warning seriously, fully aware of Gao Shen's tactics.

Vilanova nodded and said, "I'll remind the players."

But his tone suggested he didn't take it too seriously.

After all, this was Camp Nou.

Barcelona had absolute confidence at home.

This was a fortress that would never fall.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 839: "2 o'clock! 2 o'clock!"

Right after kickoff, a telling sequence played out on the pitch, showcasing Manchester City's well-prepared tactical adjustments for the night.

Vargas launched an attack down the left and attempted to pass to Sánchez, but his ball was blocked out of play by Lichtsteiner, giving Barcelona a throw-in in the attacking third.

This was Barcelona's first offensive move of the match.

Vargas quickly threw the ball to Iniesta, who had come over to receive it. As soon as the Barcelona midfielder got the ball, Robben, who had tracked back into his own half, pressed him immediately. But Iniesta still tried to cut inside with the ball.

At that moment, Rakitic moved in—not to tackle or make a challenge, but simply to stand tall, raise his chest, and use his body to block Iniesta's path. The Barcelona midfielder bumped into him.

The contact wasn't hard enough to bring him down, but it disrupted his rhythm. He lost control of the ball, and Robben immediately intercepted it and played it forward to Yaya Touré.

The Ivorian was already ready. The moment he saw Robben's pass, he stopped the ball and drove forward.

Charge!

Manchester City sounded the trumpet for a lightning counterattack.

The entire front line surged ahead—Gareth Bale on the left, Yaya Touré and Suárez through the middle, Robben and Rakitic on the right. The sheer momentum of the counterattack shocked even Barcelona.

On the sidelines, Guardiola was shouting to his players, especially the defenders.

Exclamations rippled through the stadium.

…

Yaya Touré's dribbling wasn't especially fast, but his physical presence was immense, his control solid. With his powerful frame and technical footwork, he was a force on the pitch.

Busquets was the first to step in and confront Yaya Touré.

It was a poetic moment. Back at Barcelona, Yaya Touré's starting position had been overtaken by the young Busquets. Now, they were face-to-face again—rivals with history.

Yaya Touré pushed the ball into Busquets' zone, pulled it back slightly, then leaned his entire weight into the Spanish midfielder, who found himself unable to move.

The Ivorian was slower, but he still kept the ball under control. With a quick step forward, he shrugged off Busquets, pushed into Barcelona's half, and slipped the ball forward to Suárez.

The Uruguayan forward took possession between Piqué and Puyol. But sensing Puyol's movement, he hesitated.

The Barcelona captain was quick. Suárez didn't think he could force his way through.

He wasn't Gareth Bale.

If it had been Bale, he would have simply knocked the ball past and burst forward with a sudden acceleration.

But Suárez couldn't do that.

So when he reached the 30-yard area, he stopped, controlled the pass from Yaya Touré, turned, and looked to the left for Gareth Bale.

This was the moment for the Welshman's pace to shine.

But as Suárez was thinking that, so were Barcelona's defenders.

Their last attack had come down the left, so Alves, the right back, hadn't pushed too far forward. He had already returned to position and was tracking Bale, while Piqué had sealed off the passing lane behind Suárez.

There was a chance to switch play, but the odds of success weren't high.

Suárez decided instantly to keep the ball and return it to Yaya Touré.

As the Ivorian stopped the ball and prepared to push forward again, he heard a shout from behind.

"Two o'clock! Two o'clock!"

Yaya Touré instinctively turned his head to the right.

There, a large pocket of space had opened up.

Before Vargas could get back, Robben had already surged into that zone.

"Don't hold the ball too long. Pass it when it's time. These chances don't come often, don't waste them!"

"If you want to win, do what I say!"

Gao Shen's pre-match instructions flashed through Yaya Touré's mind. Without hesitation, he played a diagonal pass to the right.

The ball traveled diagonally from the center of the 30-yard area to the right wing.

Barcelona's defense immediately shifted, especially Puyol, who quickly stepped up to close down Robben.

The Dutchman took the ball into the right edge of the penalty area. As Puyol closed him down, Robben stopped suddenly. Without giving the defender a chance to adjust his balance, he nudged the ball inward with the outside of his foot and darted inside.

Puyol had followed Robben into the box and reacted as soon as he saw the stop, but he was caught off guard. He couldn't adjust quickly enough. By the time he had regained his footing, Busquets had arrived to help.

Just as the two Barcelona players prepared to double up, Robben struck with his left foot.

The ball bent beautifully between Puyol and Busquets, curling toward the far post.

Straight into the net.

"GOOOOOOOAL!!!!!!"

"Robben!!!"

The Dutchman spun around and charged toward the stands, roaring with joy and passion.

Camp Nou erupted in shocked gasps.

But it was too late.

The ball was already in.

"Arjen Robben!"

"Just over two minutes into the match, Manchester City have scored against Barcelona through Robben's trademark curling strike from the right."

"My God, that goal came so fast and so suddenly!"

"Look at the stands. Many fans still haven't even found their seats. And already, the net has bulged!"

"What a dream start for Manchester City!"

"There's nothing more to say. Manchester City have once again proven why they're one of the strongest teams in the world."

"Even at Camp Nou, it took them just over two minutes to break through Barcelona's defense."

"1-0!"

"Barcelona are behind straight out of the gate!"

…

Pochettino and his two assistants were seated in the presidential box at Camp Nou.

Gao Shen had personally arranged for them to get seats with an ideal view. They had arrived early and witnessed the entire goal unfold clearly.

It was stunning.

To the average fan, the first thought would be: WTF are Barcelona doing? How could they concede like that?

But anyone who understood professional football—and Barcelona—would know this wasn't about Barcelona doing poorly. It was Manchester City executing at an elite level. That counterattack was perfectly timed, swift, and deadly.

"Serie A managers know how to exploit the rules," D'Agostino remarked admiringly.

"That moment between Rakitic and Iniesta, if this were La Liga, the ref probably would've called it."

Pochettino nodded. His own team relied heavily on physicality, so D'Agostino's comment rang true.

La Liga refereeing tended to protect technical players.

But this was the Champions League.

Even though its standards were stricter than the Premier League, it would never lean entirely toward La Liga's style. That would be bias.

Many people overlooked the fact that UEFA's Referees Committee had long been headed by Italians. Even after the Calciopoli scandal, the committee was still chaired by the bald referee Collina.

Italian referees had their own philosophy and interpretation of the rules.

Gao Shen had learned plenty during his three years in Serie A.

Aside from the Rakitic-Iniesta moment, there was also Yaya Touré's use of his body against Busquets—more physical contact, another subtle advantage. Clearly, these were all tactical decisions handed down from the top.

These small but calculated details disrupted the balance of the match and created the opening that led to Manchester City's goal.

"Honestly, every time I watch one of Gao Shen's games, I can't help but admire him. Sometimes it makes me feel like the teams I coach are rubbish," Pochettino said with a wry smile.

D'Agostino and Jesús Pérez exchanged smiles.

They knew full well that Pochettino deeply admired Gao Shen, perhaps even revered him, just as he did Bielsa.

The gap in coaching ability was clear.

Of course, Espanyol as a platform couldn't compare to Manchester City.

But Gao Shen had also started at Napoli.

"I counted—Manchester City used five players in that counterattack. It was such a powerful move. Suárez and Yaya Touré's first thought was to go left."

Pochettino was analyzing the goal. Even though he had just seen it, his tactical mind was already dissecting every detail.

That's what a head coach does.

"Given the interception came on the right, it made sense to attack down the left, especially with Robben having dropped so far back. But Barcelona also anticipated this and clogged the left. Suárez wanted to find Bale but couldn't."

"Robben's late run from deep…"

Pochettino gestured as if slicing through air, signaling how dangerous Robben's delayed movement had been. Vargas simply couldn't track him.

"This kind of communication between Manchester City players is something worth learning. Someone shouted, and Yaya Touré turned immediately. Otherwise, I think he would've gone for it himself."

Had Yaya Touré driven into the box, he could've taken a shot. But it likely wouldn't have been that dangerous.

Even if he created a chance, it probably wouldn't result in a goal.

Valdés may have been criticized, but he was still a capable goalkeeper.

Instead, Yaya's switch to Robben opened up space, stretched Barcelona's defense, and created a clean look.

Even if Robben hadn't gone for goal himself, as long as he released the ball before the double team, City would have still had a high probability of scoring.

The attacking ability of this group of players meant that, given the opportunity, they could and would score.

In truth, this goal was almost inevitable.

Barcelona's defensive structure had been caught off guard. Iniesta's turnover triggered the counter, and no one reacted in time to contain it.

Perhaps the players weren't fully focused yet. Or maybe they were just a little complacent.

Either way, Gao Shen had spotted that tiny flaw—and exploited it.

(To be continued.)