SWR: Chapter 716/717

Chapter 716: Spending Money Requires Respect for the Basic Law

Robben quickly rushed to the right side of the penalty spot. Facing Gareth Bale's long pass, he straightened his chest, controlled the ball steadily, and brought it under control at his feet.

As soon as he took control, Badstuber turned and faced him directly.

The Dutchman's footwork was sharp and relentless. He feinted to cut inside, which immediately caused Badstuber to react.

Everyone knows that under the guidance of a senior coach at Manchester City, Robben developed a trademark move—cutting in from the right.

This has been a nightmare for defenders worldwide, and there is hardly a way to stop it.

Badstuber naturally didn't dare let his guard down. He took the initiative to close him down, knowing full well that if Robben dictated the play, he'd stand no chance.

The Dutchman is so quick.

What's more, his ability to cut inside and shoot with his left foot makes it tough for a left-footed defender like Badstuber to defend.

But just as Badstuber committed, he saw Robben twist his body and, instead of cutting inside, he shifted and took a light step forward with his right foot.

Damn it!

He didn't cut in!

Going down the line?

With that weak right foot?

Robben's sudden move caught goalkeeper Kraft by surprise as well. He had already anticipated Robben cutting inside and aiming for the far corner, so his position was slightly outside. When Robben instead went wide and reversed direction, Kraft was caught off guard.

The Dutchman then dribbled toward the goal line, took a few quick steps to adjust, and fired a shot with his right foot.

It was a powerful shot aimed at the near post.

Kraft reacted and dove forward.

The goalkeeper's response was quick, but Robben's shot was quicker and more powerful.

Kraft got a hand on it, but only managed to slightly deflect the trajectory. The ball curled slightly and still slammed into the right side of Bayern's goal.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"Robben!! Robben!!!"

"Manchester City scores again! Two goals in under three minutes!"

"My God, Robben's strike has pushed Bayern into an even more passive position."

"A rapid counterattack by Manchester City. Bayern's line was too high and left too many defensive gaps."

"Van Gaal's teams have shown this flaw several times this season."

Amidst boos echoing throughout the Allianz Arena, Robben sprinted away roaring in celebration.

As one of Manchester City's top performers this season, Robben had remained in excellent form since returning from injury.

In fact, after joining Manchester City, Robben frequently picked up minor injuries, but fortunately avoided anything serious.

That allowed him to maintain a consistently high level of performance.

More importantly, he had been focusing heavily on training his right foot.

After celebrating with his teammates, Robben ran to the visiting team's bench to give head coach Gao Shen a high five and a hug.

"Two to zero!"

"This is a terrible situation for Bayern."

"Two away goals. Even more importantly, Bayern now faces the daunting task of coming back from a two-goal deficit, or possibly more."

"But with their current defense, can they really cope with Manchester City's attacking and counterattacking strength?"

…

After conceding twice in quick succession, Bayern didn't switch to a conservative approach. Van Gaal continued urging the team to press forward.

Ribery was in fantastic form. He continuously took on two defenders on the left flank, managing to get past them and deliver a pass to Thomas Müller at the edge of the box. But Müller's shot was just off target.

Only a minute later, Manchester City countered, again down their right flank.

Robben cut into the penalty area, performed a clever behind-the-leg knock-on to bypass Pulisic and Badstuber, then laid the ball off to the right side of the arc. Rakitic arrived and fired directly.

The ball brushed just wide of the goal.

The two teams were going back and forth in a fierce, tit-for-tat exchange.

The match was thrilling to watch, but also intense and nerve-wracking.

Not just for the fans—even Bayern's top brass watching in the stands were on edge.

"Manchester City is really strong!" Rummenigge couldn't help but praise.

"If we had brought Robben back back then, forming a double-wing setup with Ribery, I believe our team would've been much stronger than it is now," Hoeness said with a helpless sigh.

But it was too late.

With Manchester City's financial clout, prying away a star from them is virtually impossible now.

Rummenigge also felt great regret. Robben had chosen to go to Manchester City precisely because of Gao Shen.

"And Gareth Bale is incredibly dangerous," Rummenigge added. "In today's European football, no one comes close to Gao Shen in team-building ability."

Hoeness agreed.

Many people think Manchester City's strength comes from spending money.

That's the view of outsiders.

Everyone in the football world knows, if spending money alone could build a team like Manchester City, why didn't Mark Hughes do it?

If money was enough, Manchester United and Chelsea are both rich—why haven't they built teams like this?

To put it bluntly, even spending money has to follow the basic laws.

Reckless spending is just blind waste!

But Gao Shen's brilliance lies in his ability to spend wisely.

That's truly remarkable!

Yet, the more outstanding he is, the more uneasy Bayern's top management becomes.

At this moment, Bayern launched another attack on the pitch. Ribery drove the ball from the left, broke past Lichtsteiner, and cut inside diagonally. Despite Kompany's close marking, he forced a cross into the box, but David Luiz got in front of Gomez and cleared it out for a corner.

Ribery went over to take the corner himself. Chaos erupted in Manchester City's penalty area.

In the confusion, the ball was cleared to the edge of the box. Schweinsteiger, who had previously miscontrolled a ball, quickly ran onto it and took a first-time shot that threaded through a crowd of players and flew into Manchester City's net.

Neuer's view was blocked and he had no chance to react.

Two to one!

…

Two to one, Bayern pulled one back!

This reignited the crowd at the Allianz Arena and gave Bayern's players a much-needed morale boost.

But Manchester City responded quickly.

Less than five minutes after conceding, Javi Martinez intercepted a pass in midfield and played a through ball to Suarez up front.

The Uruguayan striker took the ball, turned, and shook off Tymoshchuk's challenge. He suddenly accelerated with the ball, charged forward, then stopped just outside the box and slipped a pass to Robben sprinting down the right.

But Robben had already gone too far forward.

The Dutchman reacted fast, stopped abruptly, turned around, used his body to shield off Pulisic, and passed the ball back toward the arc.

David Silva arrived, controlled it with his left foot, then immediately curled a left-footed pass toward the left edge of the box.

The ball floated over the defenders and flew toward the left side of the goal.

"Three to one!"

"Brilliant! Manchester City scores again!"

"Four goals in just about twenty minutes between the two teams!"

"My God, tonight's game has been truly spectacular. Neither side is holding anything back!"

"But this end-to-end game puts Bayern at a disadvantage, especially since they're playing at home!"

…

With the match blown wide open, players on both sides started finding their rhythm.

Even after going down 3-1, Bayern stuck to their aggressive attack. Manchester City, in turn, responded each time with swift counterattacks. The game was wide open.

But in terms of attacking quality, Manchester City had the edge.

In the 32nd minute, Bayern tried to build an attack through Altintop on the right, but the ball was intercepted by Felipe.

The Brazilian left-back quickly launched a counterattack. Gareth Bale carried the ball and combined with David Silva for a one-two, slicing into the left side of Bayern's box at full speed.

Outside the penalty area, Bale saw Tymoshchuk rushing in and slipped a through ball behind him. Suarez darted past Badstuber, got in behind Tymoshchuk, and before Kraft could react, calmly slotted it in with his left foot.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

"Four to one!"

"Suarez scores again!"

"Manchester City's attack has been relentless tonight. Bayern has shown plenty of fight, but Van Gaal's team is clearly outclassed in positional play. Gomez and Altintop are making too many passing errors."

"Manchester City manager Gao Shen looks absolutely fired up and hasn't stopped cheering."

"Yes, 32 minutes in, it's 4-1. Five goals already. This is easily the most exciting half hour in this season's Champions League so far."

"Both teams are going all out in attack."

"But like we said earlier, this kind of game hurts Bayern more, especially at home."

"But now, it's a bit too late to change anything."

…

Yes, it's too late!

After Suarez's second goal, the Uruguayan clearly set his sights on a hat trick.

Just three minutes later, he stormed into Bayern's penalty area again, creating havoc and nearly bagging another goal.

The entire Bayern defense was rattled. There was danger everywhere in their box.

Even so, Van Gaal refused to retreat and continued to push his team forward.

In the 45th minute, Ribery won a corner on the left and once again caused chaos in the box. Schweinsteiger got a header off, but Neuer made a save.

The subsequent corner failed to pose any threat.

After Manchester City restarted with a goal kick, the referee made a small time adjustment and then blew the whistle to signal halftime.

Four to one!

Manchester City went into the break with a three-goal lead and four away goals.

Everyone knew the match was essentially over.

Not just this leg, but the entire quarterfinal tie was likely decided.

If Bayern managed to overturn this result, Gao Shen might as well retire and head back to Spain to claim Juan Carlos's throne.

The only question now was whether Bayern would get another goal in the second half.

Or… would Manchester City keep pressing forward?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 717: I Have a Terminal Illness

The referee finally blew the whistle to end the game.

A wave of boos erupted around the Allianz Arena.

One to four. That was the final scoreline in tonight's Champions League quarter-final clash.

Most of the boos were aimed at Bayern head coach Van Gaal and his players.

The fans were clearly not satisfied with such a result.

It essentially meant Bayern was eliminated from the Champions League early. After missing out on the Bundesliga title and the German Cup, the team had now lost their last shot at silverware. Bayern was destined to finish the season empty-handed.

As the commentator put it: Van Gaal can finally step down with peace of mind!

Gao Shen was still somewhat surprised by the result.

What stood out most was Van Gaal's mentality throughout the match.

In the first half, he went toe-to-toe with Manchester City. But in the second half, his approach changed.

One clear sign was his decision to bring on Toni Kroos for Altintop at halftime.

Thomas Müller moved to the right wing, and Kroos played as the attacking midfielder.

But to be honest, it didn't work out well.

Toni Kroos is an interesting player. He's a strategic type.

When people watch him play, the first impression is often: "What's the big deal?"

He doesn't look technically dazzling. He's not quick on the ball, not fast in general, and doesn't seem particularly active in his running. His movements always appear a bit stiff.

For someone once hailed as a prodigy, his development has been underwhelming.

Or perhaps it's better to say he doesn't match people's ideal image of a footballing genius.

So what does a midfield genius look like in people's eyes?

Modric, Pogba, David Silva, even Rakitic.

Is Toni Kroos a genius?

Maybe he was once, but now... he doesn't fit the profile.

This reflects the awkward position Bayern and German football have placed Kroos in.

What is his role supposed to be?

Take Van Gaal for example. He played Kroos as a No. 10. But that put him directly up against Javi Martinez, and Kroos couldn't find his rhythm there. That's just not where he belongs.

In Gao Shen's previous life, many Real Madrid fans and neutrals often debated who was more important: Modric or Kroos?

Many leaned toward Modric, especially after he won the Ballon d'Or—and rightfully so.

Leading Croatia to the World Cup final secured his legendary status.

But does that mean Toni Kroos is less important?

Modric's style and qualities make him essential in vertical play.

His ability to escape pressure and drive the ball forward, combined with excellent passing and strong defensive awareness and work rate, make him incredibly valuable.

If Modric represents precision and control, then Kroos represents simplicity and ingenuity.

The German midfielder is more about horizontal play—his quick and accurate long balls stand out.

It's these differing traits that make both players so rare and valuable. Even now, not to mention in the future, few teams know how to use them properly.

At Tottenham, Modric carried too much responsibility. Van der Vaart's arrival helped ease that burden, but the Dutchman was already past his peak.

Kroos's situation at Bayern was even more awkward. No one knew quite how to use him.

In his past life, as a die-hard Real Madrid fan, Gao Shen deeply admired Kroos and Modric. He even tried many times to sign Modric, but failed.

Sometimes, Gao Shen wondered, times have changed. Could that legendary Kroos-Modric midfield ever reunite at Real Madrid?

…

Although such thoughts swirled in his mind, Gao Shen kept smiling as he walked over to greet his players coming off the pitch. He also shook hands with Bayern players—Ribery, Schweinsteiger, Lahm, and Thomas Müller—all players he admired deeply.

But the one he really wanted to meet was Toni Kroos.

"What a pity! I couldn't see you fully unleash your talent," Gao Shen said sincerely as he shook Kroos's hand.

Only Kroos could hear these words. To others, Gao Shen treated him no differently than anyone else.

In fact, he was more visibly enthusiastic when greeting Schweinsteiger and Ribery.

Kroos looked at Gao Shen in disbelief, stunned.

At Bayern, he had always felt stuck and awkward. He couldn't even explain why himself.

But Gao Shen's sudden comment hit a soft spot.

"Keep working hard. Don't get discouraged. I hope we get a chance to work together in the future." Gao Shen smiled, shook his hand again, gave his shoulder a gentle pat, and turned away.

Kroos stood frozen, clearly still processing the words.

Did he… rate me?

The young German was confused.

That's Gao Shen—the world-renowned manager!

It's said that every player he liked ended up a superstar!

Does he really think I have that potential?

But Kroos quickly tucked away his excitement and regained his usual composure.

He always had that calm, expressionless face.

That was also his style on the pitch—steady, mechanical, consistent.

…

Gao Shen had no doubt—he was sick.

And not just mildly sick. It was a terminal illness.

Every time he saw a player he liked, especially the young and good-looking ones, he couldn't help himself, he just had to flirt.

I'm in my early thirties. Is this some middle-aged man's bad habit?

There were several times when he nearly marched from Manchester City's Carrington to United's youth academy, just to watch Pogba train with the Red Devils.

In this regard, Gao Shen was actually a lot like Van Gaal.

The whole world knows Van Gaal is known for developing young players.

But the unlucky Bayern boss might soon become Gao Shen's next casualty.

German media had already speculated—if Bayern crashed out of the Champions League, Van Gaal would likely be sacked early.

And now…

Strangely enough, when Van Gaal came over to greet Gao Shen after the game, his demeanor was noticeably better than before. He even chatted more about football—defensive positioning, players, tactics.

Gao Shen pointed out that Bayern had committed too many passing errors, especially in the final third.

Gomez and Altintop had major issues. When the ball reached the front line, there was rarely any threat. Ribery had to rely on individual effort to make anything happen.

Van Gaal agreed, but felt helpless.

At this point, Gomez was the only true center forward in the squad. Replacing him with Klose might've been even worse.

As for the right wing…

"Actually, back in 2009, the player I wanted was Robben."

Gao Shen thought to himself, I know.

But he feigned surprise. "Really? Then how come…"

No action was taken?

Van Gaal shrugged, shook his head, and sighed helplessly.

Sometimes, Bayern's management was just too calculative.

Not that it's a bad thing. Bayern is one of the healthiest clubs in Europe financially. That's also one of Gao Shen's goals with Leeds United.

From beginning to end, Van Gaal never mentioned the defeat. It was as if the result didn't bother him.

Or maybe, for Van Gaal, losing was just another opportunity for growth.

"He's a pure football coach," Gao Shen said after watching Van Gaal walk away.

Carlo and Sarri both nodded.

Van Gaal had a strong reputation in that area.

Gao Shen had been mentoring Sarri carefully. Often, he gave Sarri complete freedom to manage certain aspects. He even encouraged him to express his views on games and lineups, then offered corrections.

As someone who never played professionally, Sarri lacked experience in many areas.

One simple example—many of his tactical ideas weren't actually feasible for players to execute.

But over the last three years under Gao Shen, he had grown significantly in this regard.

Gao Shen never stuck to any rigid framework when managing. He had his own philosophy, but adapted tactics based on the opponent. Sarri had benefited tremendously from this.

Truth be told, entrusting Sarri with the task of getting Leeds United promoted to the Premier League was Gao Shen's greatest vote of confidence.

Watching Van Gaal's figure disappear, Gao Shen couldn't help but offer one final reminder.

"There's no universal method in coaching. Don't let yourself fall into rigid thinking."

In Gao Shen's past life, Sarri had been a stubborn coach who struggled to adapt. That wasn't acceptable.

Sarri wasn't young anymore, but he was beginning to understand these things more deeply.

He clearly understood what Gao Shen meant.

Just like Van Gaal tonight.

If he had played more cautiously not overly defensive, just a bit more stable the outcome might not have been so bad.

Of course, Van Gaal could argue that he was staying true to his footballing ideals.

But the outside world isn't obliged to sympathize. Professional football is a results-driven business. Success and failure define you.

No one will pay for someone else's ideas, especially in a commercially run sport.

This wasn't just a victory for Gao Shen over Van Gaal, it was a valuable lesson for Sarri.

He was about to take charge of Leeds United. Gao Shen was telling him clearly—without strength, a stubborn man won't survive.

Even a top coach like Van Gaal can't do whatever he wants at Bayern. He still faces all kinds of restrictions.

That's the reality.

(To be continued.)