SWR: Chapter 664/665

Chapter 664: I Am Right

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

"In the 16th minute, Robben scores the first goal for Manchester City!"

"One–nil!"

"It was a brilliant attacking move. Manchester City's fluid passing, especially the link-up on the right, tore through Real Madrid's defense. Robben timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and calmly slotted it in."

"Things aren't looking great for Real Madrid right now."

…

Seeing Robben find the net, Gao Shen clenched his fists with excitement.

He had anticipated this goal, but seeing it actually happen still fired him up.

One–nil, Manchester City takes the lead!

If they can keep playing like this, more goals are on the cards.

The key issue is that Real Madrid's midfield can't contain City's midfield.

As Gao Shen had said before, Özil's defensive contribution was negligible, and Ronaldo was more focused on attacking. This made Real Madrid's high press look threatening on the surface, but in reality, it wasn't putting enough pressure on Manchester City.

After all, every player in City's defense and midfield had excellent passing ability. With their tactical cohesion, Real Madrid found it hard to gain an upper hand.

Khedira was working hard, but he had to help out in defending Xabi Alonso. With Özil not committing defensively, Javi Martínez often found himself unmarked. Meanwhile, David Silva and Rakitic were constantly running into space, meaning Khedira and Xabi Alonso couldn't afford to leave their zones. This gave City a clear midfield advantage.

"Come on! Keep it up and try to get another one to widen the gap!"

As the players wrapped up their celebration and walked back to their positions, Gao Shen shouted out his encouragement.

The players were visibly fired up, and Robben even ran over to hug the head coach in celebration.

Anyone could see how pumped Robben was tonight.

He was facing Real Madrid.

The club that kicked him out, threw him on the transfer list, and saw no takers. That's humiliating for any top-level player. But Gao Shen signed him, gave him another shot, and he seized it.

Tonight, against Real Madrid, Robben wanted to prove to the world that he was still among the best.

This wasn't just for himself, or even just for Manchester City. It was something deeper.

…

The goal shifted the rhythm of the match.

After the restart, Real Madrid looked slightly panicked.

Mourinho had stepped out from the visiting dugout and was now on the sideline, barking orders.

He urged the team to stay calm, not rush things, and wait for chances.

But Manchester City didn't give them that luxury.

Every time Real Madrid had the ball, City pressed hard and aggressively.

Madrid simply couldn't keep possession.

Outside of Di María, Ronaldo, and Marcelo, most of Real Madrid's players struggled under City's press, and the passing errors started piling up. Mourinho was visibly frustrated.

Especially with Özil. He wasn't putting any pressure on Javi Martínez at all.

"What a joke. He promised he'd give his all before the game. This is his all?" Mourinho was furious.

Özil's biggest strength was that final pass—but that was all he offered.

Most of the time, his contribution was minimal.

His defensive effort was poor, his movement wasn't active, and if it weren't for his occasional link-up with Ronaldo, Mourinho wouldn't have even considered using him.

But tonight, there was hardly any connection between Özil and Ronaldo, partly because Ronaldo was playing on the right.

That left Özil underperforming.

Should Ronaldo be moved back to the left?

But if Ronaldo returned to the left, Marcelo would be exposed.

Just a moment ago, City's attack came down Madrid's left. Di María had already tracked back, but still couldn't stop it.

If Ronaldo switched sides, Marcelo would be under even more pressure.

Mourinho hesitated briefly but quickly made a decision.

…

Di María had just fired a shot from the left side of the penalty area, but it sailed just over and didn't threaten the goal.

Soon after, he received instructions.

Mourinho ordered Di María and Ronaldo to swap positions.

Neuer took the goal kick, but Real Madrid regained possession and headed the ball back in.

After a few passes, it landed at Ronaldo's feet on the left flank.

The Portuguese winger tried to cut inside, used his body to shield the ball from Lichtsteiner, and slid a through ball forward.

Adebayo made a run from deep, but Kompany got in his way.

The Belgian center back cleared the ball to Neuer. Adebayo couldn't find a way past Kompany.

Still, Real Madrid quickly carved out another chance. Ronaldo and Özil linked up with Marcelo supporting from behind, and won a corner kick.

But the resulting corner was cleared by Manchester City. Ramos couldn't outjump David Luiz to win the first ball.

Javi Martínez reacted quickly and pounced on the second ball, launching a swift counter. He passed to Rakitic, who fed it to Robben, but Madrid's defenders retreated quickly and closed down the Dutchman before the halfway line, forcing him to play a horizontal pass to the deeper-lying Suarez.

To be fair, Mourinho had his own approach to organizing the defense.

Suarez collected the ball, kept dribbling backwards to find space, and then passed it to Javi Martínez to reset the play.

But Real Madrid didn't drop back—they pushed up, hoping to trap City near the halfway line.

That area is dangerous. If they won the ball there, they could launch a direct threat on goal.

Manchester City passed the ball around, but couldn't find a way forward and were forced to recycle back to the defense.

David Luiz received the ball, stepped forward, and noticing no immediate pressure, continued to dribble. Spotting a passing lane, he fed the ball to David Silva ahead.

The Spaniard had his back to goal, and as soon as he took possession, Khedira pounced like a wolf.

The German midfielder, with his height and strength, looked like a tiger leaping on a lamb compared to the smaller Silva.

But no one expected what came next—David Silva expertly turned to his left, feinting as if to dribble that way, but suddenly threaded a pass with his left foot.

It was slick and completely unexpected.

Khedira, who was pressing from behind, didn't see it coming. Neither did Arbeloa or Carvalho in front of Silva. They didn't anticipate him escaping the pressure and making such a pass.

But it was inch-perfect—like a surgeon's scalpel, it sliced between Arbeloa and Carvalho, slipping into the open space on the left side of Real Madrid's box.

Then Robinho, who had looked harmless just a moment ago out wide, suddenly exploded forward, cutting inside behind Arbeloa at full speed.

Real Madrid's right back reacted quickly and turned to chase, but Robinho had a head start and the momentum.

Carvalho also tracked back, but Robinho met David Silva's brilliant pass near the edge of the box, dribbled into the left side of the area, and found himself one-on-one with Casillas rushing out.

The Brazilian went for a direct strike.

Casillas dove sideways, but Robinho's shot had too much pace.

The ball hit the net!

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"In the 24th minute, just under eight minutes after the opening goal, Manchester City strike again!"

"Robinho! A goal from the Brazilian left winger!"

"Two–nil!"

"Unbelievable. In under ten minutes, Manchester City have scored twice!"

"As we said earlier, Real Madrid's back line was playing too high. That gave an advantage to Manchester City's players, who are very good at making those runs behind the defense. A single pass was often enough to break them open."

"Real Madrid's defense is under serious pressure. Suarez dropped so deep that when Ramos stepped up, Carvalho had to follow too. The whole line was pulled too far forward."

"In under half an hour, they've conceded twice. It's been a night of repeated defensive mistakes for Real Madrid!"

After scoring, Robinho completely lost himself in the moment.

The Brazilian sprinted to the sideline and roared at the camera in front of millions watching around the world.

Since leaving Real Madrid, most believed Robinho's best days were behind him. He even had a public falling-out with former manager Mark Hughes over vacation time.

But since Gao Shen took charge at Manchester City, Robinho found his form again.

Tonight's goal was the ultimate statement.

Screaming at the top of his lungs in front of the cameras and the fans, Robinho let all the frustration out.

Manchester City players soon gathered to celebrate the goal with him.

Two–nil!

City had extended their lead further!

…

Gao Shen was completely stunned the moment David Silva escaped Khedira and delivered that pass.

His first thought was—how did he even see that passing lane? How did he pull that off?

Even with Khedira tight on him, he managed to make a stunning pass. It was pure magic.

But David Silva was capable of this kind of magic.

When Robinho scored, Gao Shen couldn't help but clap and burst out laughing.

He hadn't expected things to go this smoothly tonight. And for that, he felt like thanking Mourinho.

If he hadn't gone with such an aggressive, head-on approach, this match wouldn't have opened up like this.

Once again, Gao Shen's judgment was proven right.

Real Madrid's tactics were completely off the mark!

Thinking this, Gao Shen turned to look toward the visitors' bench.

But Mourinho was no longer on the touchline. At some point, he had retreated to his seat. Gao Shen couldn't see his expression, but it had to be priceless.

Trying to go toe-to-toe with us at the Etihad?

That's like lighting a candle in a toilet!

Realizing this, Gao Shen suddenly felt a surge of confidence and pride.

Florentino, you're watching the broadcast, right?

Did you see that?

I was right!

(To be continued.)

Chapter 665: Only He Can Save Real Madrid

After Florentino returned to Real Madrid, he made many changes compared to his first term.

In the eyes of Real Madrid fans, this club doesn't just need to be competitive, it must also be beautiful.

On the pitch, that means not only winning, but winning with style.

The same applies to the club's internal operations.

Florentino carried out a major purge of the lingering figures from the Calderón and Mijatović era. But many still remained. He didn't send Calderón or Mijatović to prison, as many had speculated.

Because both he and Real Madrid believed that doing so would damage the club's image.

For every major away match, he would organize a gathering of the board of directors, key supporters, and club legends, whether in the administrative suites of the Bernabéu, private lounges of supporters' clubs, or other high-end venues...

Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

For Spain's political and business elite, especially in Madrid, Real Madrid has long been more than just a football club. It is a platform.

As Eduardo Fernández de Blas, Real Madrid's second vice president and one of the top ten lawyers in Spain, once said, "If the Real Madrid board of directors is to supervise Florentino, the only thing they should ensure is that he never gives up on his ideals and never chooses mediocrity."

Because Real Madrid does not accept mediocrity!

From the boardroom to the stands, from celebrities to fans, almost everyone agrees with Florentino's philosophy.

It was also one of the reasons he returned to the presidency of Real Madrid unopposed.

And it was why he chose to sack Pellegrini this summer.

But his replacement, Mourinho, didn't seem to be doing any better than Pellegrini.

…

In the executive suites of the Santiago Bernabéu, the distinguished guests had gathered to watch this world-renowned match—dubbed the most expensive football match in history.

But within just half an hour, Manchester City had scored twice.

Real Madrid were completely overmatched at the Etihad Stadium.

Faced with Manchester City's intricate tactical play, Real Madrid's midfield couldn't control the tempo. Their possession and rhythm were chaotic, and they could only react passively to City's constant attacks.

Especially after going 0–2 down, Real Madrid began to lose their composure.

Ronaldo tried hard to change the momentum, but the team's rhythm and structure had already unraveled.

Adebayor became agitated, committed a foul, and received a yellow card.

Everyone could see that Real Madrid had lost control and were now just taking the hits.

Gradually, the once cheerful and lively gathering turned tense and somber.

Then, in the 38th minute, Real Madrid attempted an attack down the right with Robben, but Rakitic played a long diagonal ball to the left, where David Silva quickly shifted it out wide.

Robinho drove into the left side of the box. Facing Arbeloa, he pulled off a flurry of stepovers, then suddenly accelerated down the line and crossed before the ball crossed the byline. Suarez arrived just in time, volleying past Ramos and sending the ball into the net from close range.

Although the Uruguayan striker was brought down by Ramos in the process, he quickly got up and sprinted around the pitch in celebration.

Three–nil!

No one could've predicted that Real Madrid would be three goals down before halftime.

"Tonight has been a tactical nightmare for Real Madrid."

"Mourinho's setup has been completely neutralized by Gao Shen. Especially in midfield, Real Madrid have been powerless to stop Manchester City's build-up and attacks. It's baffling. Why didn't Mourinho take the advice of so many experts and use three defensive midfielders?"

"From what we've seen so far, if Real Madrid continue without adjustments, it's very likely they'll concede even more goals. Manchester City will create more scoring chances."

…

Florentino sat nearby, listening to the live commentary. He couldn't make sense of what was happening.

"Why? We're not weaker than them, so why are we playing like this?"

As he spoke, his eyes shifted to honorary president Di Stéfano and director of public relations Butragueño, both Real Madrid legends.

"David Silva and Javi Martínez were both homegrown talents we wanted to sign. Robben and Robinho were both former players of ours…"

Butragueño gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "Gao Shen is still the same as he was back then. He takes overlooked players and molds them into a powerful team."

The best proof was the 2006 season, when Gao Shen led Real Madrid to a domestic double.

Then again at Napoli.

Now, at Manchester City, it was the same story.

Technically, City's biggest star is Robben, a "superstar" Real Madrid discarded.

"Gao Shen's greatest strength is his advanced tactical philosophy," Di Stéfano said. "His players can all pass, they run hard, and they defend willingly. Even Robinho and Robben press with intensity. If I'm not mistaken, City's first-half possession will be over 70 percent."

"His playing style is actually different from Barcelona's. He dares to take risks, so he plays more vertical and at a faster tempo. Yet even with that, he still manages over 70 percent possession. That tells you how badly we've lost control of the midfield."

Butragueño nodded in agreement.

On paper, both sides had three midfielders. But the actual situations were completely different.

City only seemed to have three. In reality, their full-backs pushed high, both wingers and even Suarez dropped back, so their midfield was always crowded.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, looked like they had three. But with Özil contributing little defensively, it was really just Xabi Alonso and Khedira pressing and covering ground. It was a difficult task.

This exposed a very serious issue—Real Madrid had no midfield control.

It wasn't obvious at first, but as the match went on, the problem became glaring.

"It feels like Özil's been sent off," Di Stéfano remarked dryly.

Attacking midfielder!

Florentino recalled Gao Shen's words back then.

He had argued that relying on a traditional attacking midfielder was outdated.

But hadn't Gao Shen also said that the 4-2-3-1 could still work?

Last season, both Lass Diarra and Mahamadou Diarra were inconsistent. But Real Madrid signed Khedira this summer. Isn't that enough?

Why can't we hold the midfield?

What exactly is wrong with this team?

…

Halftime arrived.

Manchester City went into the break with a commanding 3–0 lead.

All the global broadcasters were stunned by the scoreline and impressed by City's performance.

There was no doubt that by tomorrow morning—or even right after the match—Gao Shen would dominate headlines across the football world after this clash of titans.

First-half stats showed that City's possession wasn't quite 70 percent—it was 67 percent. But that was still very high.

What was truly shocking was Manchester City's pass success rate: 89 percent. Real Madrid's was only 74 percent.

The issue clearly lay in midfield!

Besides the midfield, Real Madrid's defense and attack also had problems.

Simply put, under City's pressing, Madrid's pass success rate was too low.

But why?

With the quality of Real Madrid's players, that shouldn't be the case.

There could only be one explanation—too few passing outlets.

"Mourinho can't play this style," Di Stéfano said bluntly. "He's more suited to defensive counterattacks."

"He treats Real Madrid like a machine and the players as interchangeable parts. Assemble the parts and the machine runs, but the output is poor."

"Before the match, everyone knew that City would attack at home. Real Madrid had to disrupt their smooth coordination. But when the game started, we just couldn't do it."

Di Stéfano's tone turned pessimistic.

"If we use this same approach against Barcelona, we won't win. In fact, we might lose even more badly."

Florentino didn't speak at all, but his darkened expression made his feelings clear—he was angry and deeply dissatisfied.

A team built at a cost of over 400 million euros was being torn apart at the Etihad. What else was there to say?

Worse still, it was a refined, cohesive Manchester City that had delivered the blow.

This wasn't just a loss. It was a humiliation.

Di Stéfano, as Real Madrid's honorary president, was the most senior figure present. He was also the only one who dared speak so frankly.

"The current trend in European football is all about strengthening midfield control and passing. That's why Ferguson signed Sneijder. That's why Ancelotti is working on building a more possession-oriented midfield at Chelsea. Even someone like Essien is being pushed to improve his passing."

"This trend is obvious. Whether attacking or defending, precise passing and solid midfield control are essential."

But Real Madrid lacks that control now.

Xabi Alonso alone can't handle it.

And Özil?

He looks more like an attacker—one who can only pass.

Under those circumstances, it's no surprise that Real Madrid's midfield collapsed.

Redondo, who had followed Florentino for years, understood his mood best. He gave a discreet signal to Butragueño, who quickly caught on and changed the subject.

"There's still a second half. We still have a chance to turn things around," Butragueño said to Di Stéfano.

But the honorary president just shook his head and sighed.

He didn't say it outright, but the pessimism in his expression was obvious.

After a few moments of silence, he turned to Florentino and spoke words that made his stance unmistakably clear.

"Bring back Gao Shen! Only he can save Real Madrid!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 666: The Ball Goes In Again

"I was very pleased with your performance in the first half."

During the halftime break, Gao Shen gave the highest praise to his players in the locker room.

"A 3–0 scoreline made the entire first half, in both process and result, nearly perfect. I couldn't have asked for more from you."

"Especially a few of our players…"

Gao Shen didn't mention names, but everyone could see his eyes settle on Robben and Robinho.

Many players followed his gaze and focused on the two.

They had indeed been the best and most active performers of the first half.

Robinho, in particular, had delivered arguably his finest first-half performance since joining Manchester City.

It made one wonder—if he could maintain this form consistently, how could he not have a place in the team?

Gao Shen would certainly start him every game.

But whether Robinho could sustain that was another question.

"In the second half, I expect Mourinho to make substitutions. He'll likely try to strengthen the midfield, because their weakness there in the first half was too obvious. Once Mourinho realizes the problem, he'll make changes."

Gao Shen speculated that Mourinho might take off Özil and bring on Mahamadou Diarra to shore up the midfield.

That was what many had expected before the match, and what they had hoped Mourinho would do—deploy three defensive midfielders.

If Mourinho made that change now, it would be as good as admitting that his initial tactics had failed.

But he had no choice. If he didn't adjust, the second half could be even worse.

"So once the second half starts, we cannot give Real Madrid any breathing space. We need to raise the tempo and push the game into high gear. We must launch a wave of attacks to capitalize and try to widen the lead."

Gao Shen's opening attacks had always been his trademark.

But as his coaching matured, so did his tactics, and his squad rotations had become more diverse.

The same tactical move now produced better results than before.

Early in the second half, Real Madrid might come out fired up, and if they decided to go all out, Manchester City could be in danger.

The combination of Ronaldo, Adebayor, and Di María was still very threatening.

"In attack, we'll continue to focus on both wings, especially the right."

Gao Shen pulled over the tactical board, already marked with Real Madrid's formation and positions.

"At the start of the match, Ronaldo was on the right and Di María on the left. Later, Mourinho switched them—putting Ronaldo and Marcelo on the left. That made their attack sharper, but their defense weaker."

As Gao Shen said this, he pointed at Robben.

"Arjen, the second-half attack will go through your side. It must be fast, aggressive, and precise. Hit them where it hurts."

Robben nodded with confidence. He was indeed Gao Shen's main weapon tonight.

"Don't worry, Boss. Leave it to me!"

Gao Shen had full trust in Robben's abilities and performance.

"When we're in possession, we need to stretch the formation. David, Ivan, you two need to support the flanks more."

"Robinho, make sure you drag Arbeloa out of position."

"Also, watch the flanks when defending, especially our right. The Ronaldo-Marcelo link on that side is dangerous. Be extra careful."

That channel would become Real Madrid's trump card in the coming years, eventually leading them to four Champions League titles. It was clearly a major threat.

But it hadn't reached its full potential yet.

Mourinho had always been conservative with his full-backs. Reports said he preferred Portuguese left-back Coentrão, and had even been linked with Lazio's Kolarov, over Marcelo, who was stronger in attack but weaker defensively.

"Everyone!" Gao Shen clapped his hands loudly, drawing everyone's attention.

"We had a fantastic first half, but I still think it's not enough. We can do better. So in the second half, I want everyone to keep pushing!"

Gao Shen's words were forceful, and the players felt fired up.

The energy and atmosphere had all the Manchester City players buzzing with excitement.

"I want to see another goal in the second half!"

The players roared together in response.

…

Mourinho did make a substitution, and he did take off Özil.

This was expected. Anyone could see that Özil had been ineffective. Aside from a few good passes, he offered very little.

But Gao Shen didn't expect Mourinho to replace Özil with Pepe.

That surprised him on the touchline, but he quickly realized he'd misjudged it.

Of course.

In Gao Shen's previous life, Mourinho had often used Pepe as a defensive midfielder.

Still, Gao Shen didn't change his tactics. Instead, he signaled his players to stick to the original plan and keep attacking.

At the restart, Manchester City took advantage of their kick-off to control possession and quickly pushed forward.

Real Madrid's defense got organized quickly, and with the substitution, their protection in front of the penalty area had improved.

But City's counterattack came in strong.

Just one minute into the half, when their initial wave failed to threaten, Javi Martínez made a midfield interception and passed the ball forward to Robben on the right.

Robben dribbled past Marcelo, cut inside, and shot with his left foot from the right side of the box.

The shot struck Pepe's leg and didn't go toward goal directly. Instead, it deflected toward the penalty spot.

Suárez reacted first. He lunged and took a shot before anyone else could respond.

But Casillas had already come off his line, and Ramos and Carvalho were closing in fast to block the angle.

The Uruguayan's shot was deflected by Ramos toward the left side of the six-yard box.

Real Madrid's penalty area descended into chaos.

Casillas adjusted quickly and rushed left. Arbeloa also ran over to cover.

It all happened in a flash. When everyone realized what was happening, Robinho had appeared like a ghost on the left side of Real Madrid's box. He reached the ball at the most dangerous area and struck with his left foot.

Casillas dove, and Arbeloa threw himself in front, but both were too late.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"Robinho! It's Robinho again!!!"

"A brace!"

"My God, his off-the-ball movement is outstanding. He lurked near the edge of the area like a ghost and, in the critical moment, appeared in the most lethal position."

After scoring, Robinho turned and sprinted across the pitch, sliding on his knees in front of the Manchester City supporters, letting out a soul-stirring roar.

It was the ecstasy of revenge!

City players followed, surrounding Robinho and celebrating on the sideline.

"Unbelievable! Absolutely incredible!"

"Manchester City came out flying in the second half. Their aggression and commitment were obvious."

"Real Madrid's defense still hasn't solved their issues. Robben's cut-in and shot caused complete chaos in the box."

"Four–nil!"

"Even after Real Madrid made changes, they still couldn't stop Manchester City's attack!"

…

"Manchester City still have the ball."

"Six minutes into the second half, and Real Madrid haven't managed a single decent attack."

"Gao Shen's teams have always been sharp at the start of halves, and that's exactly what we've seen tonight. Even after scoring, they haven't let up."

"Let's look now. City have recycled possession to reorganize."

"Martínez receives the ball and turns. Pepe steps in and commits a foul."

"The referee says Pepe tripped Martínez from behind and deserves a yellow card."

"Just six minutes in, and Pepe is booked."

"Mourinho is furious on the sideline. He feels the yellow was unnecessary."

"In the first half, Adebayor committed a similar foul and also saw yellow."

"Real Madrid have targeted Javi Martínez all game, but Manchester City have prepared well for it."

"Watch now—City take a quick free kick and send it up to Suárez."

"Suárez chests it down, flicks it to Rakitic, who plays it to Robben on the right."

"Robben controls, plays it back to Lichtsteiner, who returns it to Rakitic."

"Rakitic doesn't hold the ball, but immediately passes back to Suárez."

"Suárez receives with his back to goal and lays it off to Robben, who cuts in and slips a reverse pass behind him…"

"Rakitic is bursting in!"

"Danger!"

"The ball goes in again!!!"

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"Five minutes! Less than seven minutes into the second half, and Manchester City have scored twice!"

"What a stunning sequence of attacking play!"

"From start to finish, City's players kept pulling away from their markers with fluid combination play. Rakitic's late run completely caught Real Madrid off guard."

"Five–nil!!!"

"My God, what a game this is!"

"But it's definitely not the game Real Madrid fans hoped for."

"Manchester City fans are on their feet, roaring in celebration."

"No one expected this kind of result. Gao Shen's Manchester City now lead 5–0 at home, and Real Madrid have barely mounted a threat."

"Even after Mourinho subbed off Özil for central defender Pepe at halftime, City launched back-to-back attacks and scored twice."

"Real Madrid have conceded two goals in five minutes. It's not just the midfield—they've lost control of their defense as well."

(To be continued.)