SWR: Chapter 621/625

Chapter 621: Manchester City Is Finished

On the evening of January 27th, at Old Trafford, Manchester.

In the second leg of the League Cup semi-final, Manchester City were the away challengers against Manchester United.

When referee Howard Webb blew the final whistle, Gao Shen stood in front of the visiting team's technical area, his face grim.

He had every reason to feel disappointed by the outcome of this match.

2-1. Manchester United beat Manchester City at home, thanks to Carrick's assist and a clinical finish.

In the first leg, Manchester United had drawn 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium, so with an aggregate score of 3-2, the Red Devils advanced to the League Cup final.

Manchester City were eliminated in the semi-finals!

Even with a thick black coat, the cold still seeped through. Gao Shen exhaled softly, and a wisp of white mist slowly drifted in front of him, giving the moment a strangely ethereal feel.

Just like the weight of this moment.

The entire past month had felt surreal to him.

Since their 0-2 defeat to Everton, which ended their winning streak, it seemed like Manchester City had begun to lose their momentum.

Robben got injured, then Hazard, followed by Suarez, David Luiz, Robinho, David Silva, and just two days ago, Javi Martínez also went down.

Team doctor Dr. Marcos Sala gave Gao Shen a detailed injury report, attributing the string of injuries to several factors: the intense Premier League schedule, the bitter cold, and the players' psychological state.

Hit by a wave of injuries, Manchester City's form became inconsistent.

After losing to Everton, the team bounced back in the FA Cup on January 2nd with a 4-0 away win over Championship side Middlesbrough, even with a rotated squad—a clear demonstration of their depth.

Then, in the 21st round of the Premier League, they defeated Blackburn 4-1 at home.

Although they were held to a 1-1 draw by Manchester United at home in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final in midweek, they quickly recovered with a 3-0 away win over Wolves in the 22nd round of the Premier League.

Despite the growing injury list, Manchester City's winning streak in the league continued.

But soon, the situation spiraled in a direction neither Gao Shen nor his coaching staff could halt.

In Round 23, Manchester City were held 1-1 away at Stoke City.

Gao Shen admitted after the match that David Silva's absence had significantly impacted the team, though deep down he knew their overall performance had dropped.

The Premier League teams were no pushovers. When in form, Manchester City were unbeatable, but once they faltered, even Stoke could give them problems.

In the FA Cup fourth round that weekend, they faced Stoke again.

This time, Manchester City lost 0-1 away and were knocked out of the FA Cup.

Worse still, just three days later, they lost again—this time 1-2 at Old Trafford to local rivals Manchester United, ending their League Cup campaign as well.

Two games in four days. Knocked out of two competitions.

Gao Shen found it hard to believe.

Just a month ago, his team had been unstoppable in the Premier League.

Who could have imagined that, just four weeks later, they'd lose the chance to compete for two trophies?

Though Manchester City were still top of the Premier League, their lead had clearly been shaken.

In the past month, City had dropped five points, while Manchester United and Liverpool maintained perfect records.

Arsenal drew twice, Chelsea also dropped points in two games, and even Ancelotti's team drew in Round 18 on December 19 and again on Boxing Day in Round 19.

But Ferguson's Manchester United had been on fire since mid-December.

Seven straight wins in the league, 23 goals scored, and just one conceded.

Benítez's Liverpool also maintained solid form—not as explosive as United, but consistently strong.

This made Gao Shen wonder: did having more domestic players really help teams navigate the brutal Christmas and winter fixture list?

…

After the match, Ferguson invited Gao Shen for a drink in a conference room at Old Trafford.

The Scotsman was in high spirits after the win. Gao Shen had recently gifted him a box of good Chilean wine, which Ferguson now praised enthusiastically.

Gao Shen smiled bitterly to himself, wasn't this the same wine he'd given last time?

Back then, Ferguson had called it astringent, and now he was praising it as top quality. Clearly, his opinion depended on his mood.

"Want to know my secret for handling the brutal Christmas and winter schedule?" Ferguson asked with a hint of mystery.

Gao Shen shot him a sideways glance and scoffed, "Isn't it just tradition, background, and local players?"

He had learned this from Ferguson's own tactical book.

In it, Ferguson wrote that to survive the demanding holiday schedule, a squad not only needed depth for rotation but also the mental strength to withstand the grind. He even suggested that psychology was the most critical factor.

"You see? That's just the surface," Ferguson replied, clearly in a very good mood.

Gao Shen snorted in mock disdain. He could tell the old man was showing off.

"I told you already. Your team's full of foreign players. Most of them are playing in the Premier League for the first time. They've got no experience. No matter how much you explain or how well you prepare them, it won't work."

Ferguson laughed proudly. "It's like telling a kid not to drink boiling water because it's hot. But until he burns his mouth, he won't understand what 'hot' really means."

Outwardly, Gao Shen kept up his disdainful act, but inwardly, he had to admit the old man had a point.

"You know, some people are naturally good at adapting. They recognize patterns, they understand the essence of things. But some, like Wenger, always drop points over Christmas and the winter period. Just wait—you'll see. Arsenal will start losing points soon."

In the next round, Round 24 of the Premier League, Manchester United were set to play away at Arsenal.

Gao Shen suspected Ferguson was already hyping himself up for that game.

"So what kind of person do you think I am?" Gao Shen asked jokingly.

Ferguson chuckled but didn't answer. Instead, he changed the subject.

"Benítez has done well this year, but in his first season at Liverpool, he hit the Christmas and winter schedule and dropped three games out of six after Boxing Day—including back-to-back losses."

He paused and gave Gao Shen a deep look. "Your current record is the same as Benítez's second season. You've dropped five points this month."

Gao Shen smiled, thinking Ferguson might be giving him a compliment.

In fact, Gao Shen believed the problem wasn't about it being his first season in the Premier League, it was the players.

That same year, it was also Mourinho's first season, but Chelsea kept winning through the festive period.

That was because Chelsea kept their core intact.

Manchester City, however, had been completely rebuilt under Gao Shen. Many of the new players were experiencing the Premier League—and its brutal winter schedule—for the first time.

That, he believed, was the real reason for their struggles.

"Just wait and see. Next season, I'll definitely crack the code for Christmas and the winter schedule!" Gao Shen declared with firm confidence.

Ferguson stared at him for a moment. He'd been planning to offer some advice, but realizing Gao Shen wouldn't be swayed, he let it go.

"I'll be watching!" Ferguson replied calmly.

"And you'd better watch out, now that you're out of the League Cup and FA Cup, I'm going to chase you all the way!"

Gao Shen laughed, "Old Sir, did you forget that even after your win streak, you're still only in fourth?"

"Just two points behind," Ferguson said confidently.

He had always been a second-half-of-the-season master, experienced and full of belief.

…

Manchester City is finished!

After crashing out of both the League Cup and FA Cup, the news exploded across British and European football circles.

Everyone knew how brutal the Premier League's Christmas and winter schedule was, but no one expected Manchester City's form to nosedive like this. It was as if they were a completely different team from the one that had just racked up 19 consecutive wins.

The British media were already used to it.

In fact, they took pride in this devilish schedule—after all, even someone like Gao Shen was brought to his knees by it.

It wasn't just a unique trait of the Premier League; it was something they were proud of.

In an interview, Gao Shen publicly shouldered full responsibility.

"My players did everything they could. I know they gave it their all. The responsibility lies with me—I wasn't fully prepared for this brutal schedule."

However, in an interview with the Manchester Evening News, City captain Kompany had a different take.

The Belgian center-back said that Gao Shen and his coaching staff had done extensive preparation for the festive schedule. The players had also tried their best to deliver, but their form simply wasn't at its best, leading to a drop in team performance.

"This isn't on any one person—it's on all of us."

Kompany also praised Gao Shen as a top-class coach, something evident from the team's previous 19-match winning streak.

"We're going through a rough patch, but I don't believe these setbacks will stop us."

When asked how the team would bounce back, Kompany revealed that Gao Shen had reassured the dressing room of his full trust and confidence in every player, and he believed they would adjust with time.

"We can feel the manager's support, and we believe Manchester City will come out of this slump soon."

In his own interview, Gao Shen once again stated that these challenges wouldn't defeat Manchester City.

"It's a pity to miss out on the League Cup and FA Cup this season, but it allows us to focus more on the league. It will also drive us to achieve better results and more trophies next season!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 622: This Is Not Real Madrid at All

After the League Cup weekend, Manchester City hosted Portsmouth at home.

Thanks to a goal from Giroud in the 40th minute of the first half and a late header from Kompany off a corner, Manchester City defeated Pompey 2-0, temporarily pulling themselves out of the shadow of their recent cup exits.

At the post-match press conference, Gao Shen reiterated that he remained patient with the players. He believed that with time and adjustments, they would overcome their difficulties and the team would naturally recover from this slump.

In another marquee match that same day, Ferguson made good on the promise he made to Gao Shen.

Manchester United and Arsenal were deadlocked for over 30 minutes, but then Nani and Rooney scored two goals in a span of four minutes.

In the second half, Antonio Valencia added a third to seal the victory.

Although Vermaelen pulled one back for Arsenal later, they still suffered a 1-3 home defeat to Manchester United.

Currently, Manchester United sit fourth in the Premier League. For Arsenal to break into the top four, they must dislodge the Red Devils.

But in such a crucial match, Wenger's team were soundly beaten by a direct rival on home soil.

Clearly, Arsenal's nickname of "Fourth Place Fanatics" may no longer hold up.

On the other hand, Manchester United have been in red-hot form since December, racking up consecutive wins with impressive momentum.

…

A week later, in the 25th round of the Premier League:

Liverpool beat Everton 1-0 at Anfield.

Chelsea defeated Arsenal 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, with Drogba scoring a brace.

Wenger's unfortunate streak continued with two straight defeats.

As he once joked to Gao Shen, he felt like a bus—frequently run over.

The Gunners' performance in big matches this season had been especially poor.

Manchester United thrashed Portsmouth 5-0 at home, another dominant display.

Meanwhile, after a decent win in the previous round, Manchester City faltered again with a 1-2 away defeat to Hull City.

This marked Manchester City's second league defeat of the season.

Although the Blue Moon's overall momentum remained solid, their post-winter break form had raised concerns about their title prospects. Compared to their earlier 19-game winning streak, recent performances had clearly dipped.

But Gao Shen defended his team, insisting everything was still under control.

"Every team experiences highs and lows, and we are no exception."

"Right now, we may be at a low point, but I believe we'll reach our peak again very soon."

…

As expected, in Round 26 of the Premier League, Manchester City bounced back with a 2-0 home win over Bolton, courtesy of goals from Suarez and Robben, who had just returned from injury.

Liverpool also beat Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates, thanks to a goal from Torres.

Wenger, unfortunately, had to face three strong opponents in a row and suffered three consecutive defeats. The Gunners' form had clearly hit rock bottom. Even Wenger himself admitted that their hopes of finishing in the top four were fading.

The media also widely believed that, given Arsenal's current performances and squad condition, their chances of securing a top-four finish were increasingly slim.

In the same round, Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw away at Aston Villa, and Chelsea suffered a 1-2 defeat away at Everton.

Ferguson's side finally saw their winning streak come to an end, while Ancelotti's team slipped again.

This round brought a sigh of relief to Manchester City.

With twelve league matches remaining, they were still seen as the frontrunners for the title.

After the win over Bolton, Gao Shen publicly declared that Manchester City had returned to form.

"We are ready to say goodbye to the slump we experienced over the past month!"

The media also gave a positive response to City's win over Bolton. The return of key players like Robben and David Silva had undoubtedly strengthened the squad.

As for Arsenal, after three straight defeats, their top-four hopes looked increasingly bleak.

Following Round 26, Manchester City had no Premier League fixtures scheduled for the weekend.

Not due to an international break, but because of the FA Cup.

This is a long-standing feature of English football—the FA Cup is typically held on weekends. Unfortunately, having been eliminated, Manchester City had no matches and Gao Shen could only continue training with the team at Carrington.

…

After the last experience, Su Qing didn't notify Gao Shen in advance before coming to the UK this time.

Gao Shen always returned to China in secret to surprise her, so this time, she decided to do the same.

She had been quite worried, given how the media were claiming that Gao Shen's Manchester City were in serious crisis and might collapse at any moment. Even though Gao Shen sounded normal in video calls and on the phone, she still felt uneasy.

Until she saw him in person.

"I thought you'd be in really low spirits," Su Qing said.

She had traveled from London to Gao Shen's home in Cheshire on her own. After preparing his favorite dishes, she called to ask him to come home for dinner after training.

She knew that if she didn't call, he would likely stay at Carrington until late.

She was a little surprised to see him, but even more relieved.

Not just because of the long-awaited reunion, but because she could see the confidence and smile in his expression.

"There's no reason to be down. We just won, and several key players are back from injury and in good shape." Gao Shen explained with a smile. "Over the past two days, I've talked with everyone in the squad. Honestly, their condition and mood are both improving."

Gao Shen and the coaching staff agreed this was a very positive sign for the team's recovery.

"You flew over to spend the New Year with me just because you were worried?" Gao Shen teased.

"No way!" Su Qing shyly shook her head, avoiding his gaze. "It's just… my mom and dad have been really busy with business lately and couldn't take care of me, so…"

A clearly weak excuse.

But Gao Shen didn't call her out on it. He simply smiled and said, "I'm really glad you came."

Su Qing said nothing, but looked at him with eyes full of affection, far more sincere than words could ever be.

…

This season's Champions League wasn't quite as thrilling and had fewer headline-making moments, but it still attracted plenty of attention.

Especially Napoli, who had lost their star manager; Real Madrid, who had brought in a host of superstars; and Barcelona, who were seeking revenge, these clubs were under the spotlight.

But once the round of 16 began, the first-leg results were somewhat underwhelming.

Ancelotti's Chelsea faced Mourinho's Inter Milan, with the first leg held at the San Siro.

Chelsea took the lead through Kalou, but Inter quickly equalized via Cambiasso.

In the end, the match ended 1-1.

Mourinho failed to beat his former club at home and conceded a crucial away goal to Chelsea, an unfavorable result for Inter.

Gao Shen's former club Napoli had remained competitive after a major overhaul in the summer.

Under Allegri, they qualified as group leaders and faced Van Gaal's Bayern Munich away. Benatia scored an early goal, but Klose equalized late in the match.

The game ended 1-1.

Manchester United visited AC Milan.

Although Ronaldinho scored for Milan just three minutes in, Scholes equalized, and Rooney scored twice in the second half to turn the game around.

United ended up winning 3-2 at the San Siro.

After this result, the Red Devils held the advantage. As long as they performed normally in the return leg at home, they had a strong chance of progressing.

In another tie, Barcelona defeated Stuttgart 2-0 away, with Messi and Sánchez both getting on the scoresheet.

But the match that truly drew attention was Real Madrid's away trip to Lyon.

Pellegrini's job was under threat, and he desperately needed a Champions League knockout-stage victory to solidify his position.

Facing Lyon on the road, the Chilean coach fielded his strongest attacking lineup.

The front three consisted of Ronaldo, Higuaín, and Di María, with Kaká just behind them. This front four formed one of the most star-studded attacking units in world football.

Behind them, Mohamed Diarra and Xabi Alonso played as the double pivot, tasked with shielding the defense.

But in the end, Real Madrid lost 0-2 away to Lyon.

In the 41st minute of the first half, Delgado volleyed from the edge of the box past Diarra to score the opener for Lyon. Just 83 seconds into the second half, Makoun added another goal for the Ligue 1 side.

Had it just been a narrow defeat, it wouldn't have been a disaster. But the real issue was that despite having twice the possession of Lyon, Real Madrid had fewer shots on goal.

Worse still, their overall performance was poor.

Valdano, the club's technical director who had accompanied the team, didn't hold back in his post-match comments. He called it "a bad result and a bad performance!"

He later added, "Very bad."

"Our team was so inconsistent, I couldn't believe it. This didn't look like Real Madrid at all."

"For the first hour, we did nothing. We couldn't get the ball to our attackers, and in the final half hour, we barely moved the ball through midfield."

Valdano said he found this incomprehensible.

With world-class midfielders like Diarra, Xabi Alonso, and Kaká, there was no excuse for such a display.

Pellegrini said in the post-match press conference that Lyon's intense running and pressing disrupted Real Madrid's build-up play and made it hard to control the game.

But no matter how it's explained, losing 0-2 away to Lyon in the Champions League knockout stage is an unacceptable result for a team that spent over €300 million in the summer.

Since Gao Shen led Real Madrid to the treble in 2006, the club had failed to reach the Champions League quarterfinals in the four seasons since.

Expectations were high this year. But who could have imagined a 0-2 defeat in the first leg?

After the loss, nostalgic voices once again echoed across Madrid and the Spanish football scene.

Zidane, acting as the president's special envoy, immediately flew from Madrid to meet Valdano in London.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 623: The Bottom Line of the Overbearing President

"You're right, Gao!"

Gao Shen warmly entertained Zidane and Valdano at a high-end restaurant in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

Also present was Gao Shen's fiancée, Su Qing.

When the three men sat together, the topic naturally turned to football.

That was the purpose of their visit.

"When we decided to bring in Kaka, you said it wouldn't work. Now it seems you were right, and we were all wrong!" Valdano sighed with a mixture of regret and frustration.

Both Florentino and Valdano had returned to Real Madrid for a second time with ambitions to restore the club's glory. They were deeply attached to the club and hoped to prove their worth with this second tenure.

Florentino's goal in returning was to clear his name and firmly establish himself as Real Madrid's president.

But this season, Real Madrid's performance had been underwhelming.

So far, after 22 rounds of La Liga, Real Madrid trailed Barcelona by two points. In their first head-to-head clash, they lost 0-1 at Camp Nou.

On the surface, the result wasn't bad, and the overall performance was acceptable—but no one at Real Madrid was satisfied.

What truly ignited Pellegrini's coaching crisis was the Copa del Rey, where Real Madrid suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to an amateur team. It was an unprecedented embarrassment. There were even rumors that Florentino wanted to fire Pellegrini on the spot.

Over €300 million had been spent assembling four superstar players from the top three leagues, only to be humiliated by a team of part-timers. It was almost laughable.

But it happened.

Florentino kept his composure and didn't sack Pellegrini, hoping he could turn things around—especially in the Champions League.

Pellegrini had done well in the Champions League while managing Villarreal.

But who would have thought Real Madrid would lose 0-2 to Lyon in the first leg of the Round of 16?

Judging by the scoreline, it would be difficult to stage a comeback in the return leg.

That was why Zidane and Valdano had come to Manchester.

More than six months ago, Gao Shen had predicted this outcome.

At the time, he had warned Valdano that signing Kaka would damage Real Madrid's tactical structure.

But who listened then?

Even Zidane had likely been skeptical, as he himself was a former attacking midfielder.

Now, the result was clear.

No matter how many superstars a team has, if the midfield is unbalanced, it's all meaningless.

…

"There's no absolute right or wrong in this. Different people have different views and ideas. That's normal."

Gao Shen smiled, trying to ease the tension. Since his team couldn't compete in the Champions League this season, he didn't think it was his place to evaluate those who had qualified, even if they had already lost the first leg.

Zidane and Valdano found themselves at a loss for how to respond.

According to their plan, they were supposed to appeal to Gao Shen's emotions and reason.

They firmly believed that with his abilities, he could solve Real Madrid's current crisis and lead them out of their slump.

Florentino believed the same, which was why he had sent the two of them to Manchester.

It was simple: since Gao Shen had been able to see through Real Madrid's problems six months ago, he could surely fix them now.

As they watched Gao Shen and Su Qing sitting together affectionately and acting like no one else was around, Zidane and Valdano exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness in the other's eyes.

In the end, Zidane couldn't hold back.

"Gao, please come back!" Zidane said sincerely.

"Come back? To where?"

"To Real Madrid. We're all waiting for you."

"Don't joke around, Zinedine. What would I go back for?" Gao Shen asked with a smile.

"To pull the club out of this mess—just like you did four years ago. We all believe you can do it, and even better than before," Zidane said earnestly.

He had worked as Gao Shen's assistant and knew his ability better than anyone.

Real Madrid's current predicament wasn't beyond Gao Shen's capabilities.

The real question was whether he was willing to return.

Gao Shen was silent for a few seconds before smiling and shaking his head. "Zinedine, today's Real Madrid isn't the same as it was before. And I'm not the same either. Manchester City has its own problems right now, and I need to solve them. You know me—I wouldn't just walk away at a time like this."

"We can wait until the end of the season," Valdano quickly added.

Real Madrid was showing real sincerity in their approach to Gao Shen.

Aside from the superstar policy, they were willing to negotiate on everything else.

But Gao Shen still shook his head, smiling.

This left Zidane and Valdano deeply frustrated.

"Zinedine, Jorge, we've been friends for many years. I'm really happy you came to see me. You're welcome to stay in Manchester for a while—everything will be on me. But as for returning to Real Madrid, let's not talk about that anymore."

Gao Shen's tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

…

After the meal, Zidane and Valdano watched as Gao Shen walked off hand-in-hand with Su Qing.

As friends, they were happy for him.

But as Real Madrid staff, they were disappointed.

Both professionally and personally, they hoped to work with Gao Shen again.

But they knew him well and once he made a decision, he wouldn't change it easily.

"Maybe this is for the best," Valdano muttered.

Zidane nodded and gave a bitter smile.

The current Real Madrid dressing room wasn't easy to manage, and the problems were serious.

Raúl, Guti, and others were aging and should be phased out. At the same time, the forward line was packed with superstars—how should ball possession and roles be distributed?

As Gao Shen said, to secure midfield stability, adjustments had to be made to the superstar setup. But who would be sacrificed?

Every superstar had been signed for a massive fee. They weren't brought in to sit on the bench or warm up by the water cooler.

Back then, Gao Shen had been able to take control of the Real Madrid dressing room because the team had been in decline for years and desperate for change.

But now...

Thinking this over, Zidane pulled out his phone and called Florentino, who was waiting in Madrid, and gave him a brief summary of their conversation with Gao Shen.

On the other end, Florentino remained silent for a long time.

Back when Gao Shen first managed Real Madrid, Florentino had been very optimistic about him.

Even when preparing to return to the presidency, Florentino had envisioned Gao Shen as the club's next head coach.

But because of disagreements over transfer policy and because Florentino made unilateral decisions, Gao Shen had angrily walked away and joined Manchester City.

Despite the recent criticism Gao Shen had received, Manchester City was still leading the Premier League. A 19-match winning streak and a title-contending campaign were more than enough to shake up the football world.

Gao Shen was still the magical Gao Shen.

But Real Madrid was no longer the same club it was at the start of the season, and Florentino was no longer as confident as before.

At the very least, the Florentino of last summer would never have believed that his €300 million superstar squad could lose to an amateur team.

But judging from what Zidane and Valdano had said, Gao Shen had made up his mind. Who could possibly change it?

…

After leaving the restaurant, Gao Shen and Su Qing walked home hand-in-hand along a tree-lined path, enjoying the rare peace and quiet.

"You still care about Real Madrid," Su Qing said.

She knew him well. Gao Shen was sentimental by nature.

Gao Shen smiled but said nothing.

"So why didn't you say yes?" Su Qing asked curiously.

Gao Shen let go of her hand, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her closer. She leaned fully into him, their intimacy deepening.

Even though they had been together for a while, Su Qing still blushed at Gao Shen's sudden closeness.

But as always, Gao Shen's firm gesture left her no room to resist, and she surrendered with a smile.

"Now isn't the right time."

"Why not?"

Gao Shen smiled again. "Real Madrid isn't like other clubs. Since Florentino's first Galácticos era, they've put huge emphasis on commercial value. Superstars are a vital part of that."

"So whether it's the first or second Galácticos project, those big-name players hold enormous influence. They can go straight to the top, sometimes even directly to the president."

Su Qing immediately understood what he meant.

If you think of Real Madrid as a company, then having people bypassing the chain of command, going straight to upper management and interfering in daily operations would be a total disaster.

"Right now, too many people still believe that once you buy a bunch of superstars, success will follow automatically. They overlook the importance of the manager. They underestimate the role of the head coach."

Real Madrid had never had a tradition of respecting their managers.

It was that way before, it's that way now, and it may always be that way.

But as a manager, Gao Shen couldn't operate in such an environment. He needed the club's full and genuine support or he'd rather not be there at all.

And that was something Real Madrid couldn't offer at the moment.

To put it simply, Gao Shen only needed to ask Florentino one question: "Can I bench Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka?"

If the answer wasn't a clear "yes," Gao Shen wouldn't even consider taking the job.

Because if he didn't have the authority to discipline players, how could he control the dressing room? How could he earn respect? How could he make everyone follow his commands?

Some might argue that the coach can persuade Ronaldo to cooperate.

But such cooperation is inherently fragile and with Gao Shen's current status and reputation, why would he take that risk?

In truth, whether it was Florentino, Valdano, or Zidane, they all clearly understood where Gao Shen's bottom line lay.

But Real Madrid wasn't ready to compromise.

And in that case, Gao Shen wouldn't return.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 624: Dribbling Past the Opponent

In professional football, no one likes to lose.

But sometimes, a defeat isn't necessarily a bad thing.

In fact, losing can expose more underlying issues.

Gao Shen came from a small town and had always been a strong problem solver. He had a natural talent for identifying and resolving problems.

More importantly, once those issues are exposed, they receive attention and are less likely to resurface.

That's exactly what happened with Manchester City this time.

After entering the Christmas period and winter break, Manchester City was hit by a string of injuries.

This was unacceptable to Gao Shen, so he set out to find the root of the problem.

Dr. Marcos Sala, brought in from the Milan Lab at a high price, along with coaching staff members Buenaventura and Pintus, were the primary parties responsible, and all had to provide a reasonable explanation for the injury wave.

Their reasoning was largely consistent: the Christmas and winter period was to blame.

From a purely physical standpoint, Manchester City's players were actually in good condition.

The coaching staff placed great emphasis on monitoring the players' physical states during this phase, with an early warning system in place. The analysis teams led by Buenaventura, Pintus, Sala, and Lucas had been tracking every detail closely.

But some problems are simply unavoidable.

You suppress them in one area, and they'll inevitably resurface somewhere else.

In the end, they all agreed that the main issue was psychological.

The cold winter weather, combined with the intense fixture congestion, increased the risk of injury. When paired with psychological stress, it led directly to the series of injuries Manchester City experienced.

Interestingly, none of the injuries were particularly serious.

The longest layoff was one month.

That further supported the coaching staff's diagnosis and analysis.

As Dr. Sala put it: the human body is incredibly sensitive and complex—even minor changes can provoke significant physical feedback.

He gave Gao Shen an example.

In professional football, there have been many cases where players who suffer long or repeated injuries develop psychological issues. It's not just fear of physical contact or high-intensity movement—sometimes it triggers deeper mental blocks.

"Not long ago, something interesting happened at Liverpool. Benítez's team doctor believed Torres had fully recovered—physically, there was nothing wrong—but Torres went to Benítez himself and said he didn't feel right and couldn't play."

"In the end, both were telling the truth. The doctor focused on the physical, while Torres was describing a psychological issue. From that, we can conclude Torres had a significant problem."

Gao Shen was quite surprised. He knew that Torres had been in decline for some time. Even after moving to Chelsea, AC Milan, and Atlético Madrid, he never returned to his peak form.

In fact, this season was likely Torres's final flash of brilliance.

Dr. Sala explained that psychological issues are not only real but often harder to resolve than physical ones. In the past, when sports medicine wasn't as advanced, many coaches and clubs would even suspect players of faking injuries.

Of course, Manchester City's players didn't have major psychological problems. They were just overly tense, which increased the risk of injury.

"There were too many consecutive wins. The players were playing under pressure in every match. The mental burden kept growing. Combined with the brutal Christmas and winter fixture list—and the fact that many players were new to the league—it eventually led to this wave of injuries."

That was the joint conclusion drawn by Dr. Sala's medical team and the coaching staff.

During this period, Gao Shen also spoke with every player, trying to understand their mental state. His findings were basically in line with Dr. Sala's analysis.

Psychologist Ferrucci also believed that long winning streaks were psychologically harmful for players.

"So if we win a few games in the future, should I intentionally lose one to relieve pressure?" Gao Shen joked.

Of course, he was only kidding.

In a fiercely competitive league, once a winning streak reaches a certain length, psychological pressure naturally builds. Performance declines follow, making draws and losses inevitable.

So, to some extent, Manchester City's current slump and string of injuries was a natural drop after a sustained peak.

If you look closely at their schedule, it's clear Manchester City hasn't performed poorly, they just haven't matched Manchester United's consistency. Given their recent form, losing to United in the League Cup semi-final wasn't particularly surprising.

In the league, City still held a solid lead.

And it wasn't just Manchester City.

In Round 26, after drawing 1-1 with Aston Villa, Manchester United then lost 1-3 to Everton in Round 27. The Red Devils were flat throughout the match.

Ferguson attributed it to the challenges of competing on two fronts.

But Everton were also fighting on multiple fronts—and they were missing key players like Fellaini and Cahill.

Clearly, after a series of wins, United was starting to experience their own dip.

In contrast, Manchester City turned in an excellent performance in their home match against Liverpool.

From the opening whistle, Robben was highly active down the right flank, repeatedly threatening Liverpool's defense. Reina made several key saves to keep the score level.

Liverpool just barely held on through the first half.

After the break, City launched another wave of attacks.

In the first fifteen minutes, City earned eight corner kicks, evidence of how aggressively their wingers were pressing and how much trouble Liverpool was having coping.

One clear improvement from Benítez was in defending set-pieces.

City had double-digit corner kicks during the match but failed to convert any. Benítez's side had clearly worked hard on set-piece defense, denying City clear opportunities.

Gao Shen made substitutions in the 65th and 75th minutes, both aimed at boosting the attack.

Liverpool also made their second change in the 75th minute, bringing on Benayoun for Maxi Rodríguez.

Neither side was willing to back down.

…

Gao Shen, still wearing his black coat, stood at the edge of the technical area.

The match was nearing the 80th minute, and the score remained 0-0.

So far, aside from the lack of goals, Gao Shen was satisfied with City's performance.

The team's overall condition had clearly improved.

That was a good sign.

Only after enduring a dip could Manchester City become truly mature.

All teams grow through setbacks, especially a newly built squad like Manchester City.

But now, in such a critical moment, the team needed to show confidence.

"Tell Gareth to warm up," Gao Shen called out.

Carlo immediately took the instruction and rushed to the bench to send Gareth Bale to warm up.

This would be City's final substitution, once again aimed at adding firepower.

Liverpool quickly took note of City's move and responded.

Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva began warming up—likely preparing to replace Mascherano.

Just moments earlier, Mascherano had committed a clear foul while defending David Silva, but the referee refrained from showing a card. Mascherano was already on a yellow, and a second would've meant a red.

That wasn't fair to City.

Benítez likely intended to substitute Mascherano with Lucas to avoid further risk.

While both teams were preparing their changes, an unexpected sequence unfolded on the pitch.

Robinho, who had just replaced Robben, cut inside from the right and delivered a diagonal cross into the penalty area for Suarez.

The Uruguayan striker darted to the right side of the box and controlled the ball with his chest, but under pressure from Škrtel, he lost his balance. Insúa arrived in time and cleared the ball from danger.

Gerrard was just outside the 30-yard zone, looking to pick up the clearance, but Zabaleta pressed forward with a sliding tackle and redirected the ball to Rakitic in midfield.

At that moment, Suarez, still frustrated from the earlier chance, drifted outside the box. When he saw Rakitic take possession, he quickly glanced left and right, then raised his left hand, gesturing behind himself.

Rakitic saw the signal and launched a perfectly weighted lofted pass toward the box.

Suarez, who had begun tracking back, suddenly stopped and turned—then burst forward as the ball descended.

Škrtel was alert and stayed tight, trying to shield him from the goal.

But no one expected what came next.

As the ball dropped, Suarez met it mid-air with a subtle flick of his right foot, lofting it gently over the onrushing Škrtel, sending it to his left.

He collected the ball, quickly adjusted his stance, planted his right foot, and struck it with his left on the bounce.

The ball flew low and fast toward the left side of the goal.

Reina, stationed on the right, had no chance.

He could only watch as the shot struck the inside of the left post and deflected into the net.

"Goallllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!"

"What a sensational lobbed flick!"

"Manchester City's Uruguayan striker, Luis Suárez!"

"After gliding past the defense, he finished with a beautiful left-footed strike—breaking the deadlock for Manchester City!"

"1-0!"

"Eighty-one minutes gone! After a tightly contested game, it's Suárez's moment of brilliance that finally opens the scoring for Manchester City!"

On the sideline, Gao Shen leapt into the air in celebration when he saw the goal.

Though he had been satisfied with the team's performance, he still wanted the win.

Now, with Suárez's goal, he saw the goddess of victory smiling at him.

Liverpool's defense was strong but if they dared to press, Manchester City wouldn't shy away from going toe-to-toe.

Besides, Gao Shen didn't believe Benítez would have the guts to go all-out against City.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 625: The Championship Belongs to Manchester City

The match against Liverpool was tough, but Manchester City withstood the pressure and defeated the Reds 1-0 thanks to a goal from Suárez. Not only did they claim three valuable points, but the victory also restored the team's morale.

After the match, Gao Shen told the media in an interview that the best version of Manchester City was back.

The media were also very satisfied with City's overall performance in this match.

A week later, Manchester City traveled south to London to visit Stamford Bridge.

This was Wayne Bridge's first encounter with John Terry since the infamous "Friend's Wife Gate" scandal broke.

Before heading south, Gao Shen had a private conversation with Bridge to gauge his state of mind, and the defender expressed a strong desire to play.

This season, Felipe Luís had been City's first-choice left-back, and with Gareth Bale's emergence, Bridge had basically lost his place in the squad.

But just before the game, Bridge approached Gao Shen and expressed his intention to withdraw from the England national team. He even held a press conference the day before the match to announce his decision.

The reason was simple: he could no longer be teammates with Terry.

After consulting with several players, Gao Shen decided to start Bridge.

It would be his first Premier League start of the season.

Chelsea made some changes as well. Goalkeeper Petr Čech was injured, so Hilário started in goal.

Left-back Ashley Cole was also out, and Malouda filled in on the left side of defense.

From the opening whistle, Manchester City came out firing, pressing high and launching aggressive attacks against Chelsea.

Robben, on the right, was especially active.

In the 17th minute, during a quick counterattack, the Dutch winger easily beat Malouda, broke into the right side of the box, and fired a low cross.

Suárez timed his run perfectly and tapped the ball home from close range to open the scoring.

1-0!

Just four minutes later, Robben picked up the ball on the right again, took on Malouda one-on-one, forced his way into the area, and scored with a low left-footed shot—doubling City's lead. 2-0!

The goal that truly crushed Chelsea's morale came in the 42nd minute.

Mikel attempted to clear the ball with a header, but it was too high and lacked distance. Suárez pounced, bulldozed past Terry, and surged into the box. Facing Carvalho, the Uruguayan striker used quick footwork to skip past him before slotting the ball into the net from the right side.

The ball flew past Hilário into the Chelsea goal. 3-0!

Three defenders and four including the goalkeeper still couldn't stop an in-form Suárez!

In the second half, Robben struck again. After receiving the ball on the right, he dribbled past Mikel, cut inside from the right corner of the penalty area to the edge of the arc, and curled a brilliant left-footed shot into the net.

4-0!

Both of City's attackers—Suárez and Robben—scored twice, delivering standout performances.

Manchester City continued to create chances afterward but failed to add to the scoreline.

In the end, the Blue Moon crushed Chelsea 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.

…

If the narrow win over Liverpool showed that Manchester City had recovered their form, then the 4-0 demolition of Chelsea made the world realize that City was back at its peak.

Suárez and Robben each bagged a brace, two of City's standout attackers this season led the charge, tearing apart Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Blues' offense and defense were in complete disarray, their tactical discipline left in tatters.

That wasn't just media commentary—those were Ancelotti's own words in the post-match press conference.

At the press conference, Ancelotti openly admitted, "This season's Premier League title belongs to Manchester City!"

Effectively, he had already declared the title race over.

In fact, after Manchester City's 19-match winning streak, there hadn't been much suspense around the title anyway.

…

In Round 29 of the Premier League, Manchester City hosted Tottenham and edged out a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from David Silva.

Despite Redknapp's men defending tightly at the Etihad, they couldn't stop City's persistent pressure.

Chelsea took out their frustrations from the previous round with a 5-0 away win over Portsmouth.

Other heavyweights like Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool also secured three points.

But in the Champions League Round of 16 second leg in midweek, Chelsea lost 0-1 at home to Mourinho's Inter Milan. This marked the Special One's first return to the Premier League since leaving Stamford Bridge and he handed the Blues a brutal parting gift by knocking them out.

Real Madrid also failed to avoid elimination. They drew 1-1 at home with Lyon and crashed out 1-3 on aggregate. This result led to another wave of criticism for manager Pellegrini.

The superstar squad that cost over €300 million still couldn't break the Round of 16 curse.

Since Gao Shen led Real Madrid to a double in 2006, the team had failed to make it past the Round of 16 for four straight seasons.

Marca reported that many Real Madrid fans were increasingly dissatisfied with the club's leadership under Florentino, especially since they wanted Gao Shen as head coach—not Pellegrini.

Before the presidential election, Florentino had repeatedly said he would bring Gao Shen back to the Bernabéu. What was the result?

Gao Shen didn't return, and Real Madrid were knocked out in the Round of 16 once again. Who should be held responsible?

Looking at the Premier League, aside from Chelsea, the other three major clubs—Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool—all advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals.

In other words, of the eight teams in the quarterfinals, nearly half came from the Premier League.

With a bit of luck in the draw, it was even possible for all four English teams to reach the semi-finals—just like before.

But even so, none of these four teams could handle Manchester City in the Premier League.

As some British media cheekily put it, "All European clubs eyeing the Champions League trophy should thank Mark Hughes. It was his poor coaching that caused Manchester City to miss out on the Champions League and Europa League this season—so Gao Shen couldn't participate."

"Otherwise, based on the form and strength Manchester City has shown in the Premier League, they would undoubtedly be a top contender for the title!"

What was even more surprising was that Gao Shen personally issued a statement on Twitter:

"Congratulations to the teams that reached the quarterfinals. Do your best this season—I'll be back next season!"

In an instant, the media and fans around the world erupted.

What a bold and domineering declaration!

As The Times put it: "If anyone else said this, they'd be torn apart. But coming from Gao Shen, it feels profound."

Countless fans flooded Gao Shen's Twitter, all looking forward to his return to the Champions League next season.

But some fans left more thoughtful messages, reminding him that City's current squad was still thin.

"The dip in January was partly due to a lack of squad depth. Next season, we'll be competing on two or even four fronts. Without sufficient squad depth, it'll be hard to sustain a challenge. Either way, we look forward to Coach Gao's return to the Champions League!"

This comment received the most interaction and Gao Shen even replied:

"Wait for it! Everything's already arranged!"

Fans went wild.

The Premier League—and even all of European football—was about to be shaken.

Manchester City was rich and ambitious, and with Gao Shen at the helm—a coach who had won the Champions League twice in three seasons—the next edition of the tournament already looked like a bloodbath in the making.

…

Night fell.

In Cheshire, in the courtyard of Gao Shen's home, the core coaching team—Carlo, Lucas, Sarri, Buenaventura, Pintus, and others—gathered together.

There was no special occasion. The team was on break, so Gao Shen took the opportunity to bring everyone together.

This was common practice.

But tonight felt a little different.

Last night, Real Madrid had been eliminated from the Champions League once again.

Gao Shen had come from Real Madrid, and many of the members of his staff had ties to the club.

It was no secret, many people believed that Gao Shen would one day return to Real Madrid.

Yet to this day, Gao Shen had shown no sign of changing his mind.

Earlier that day, The Daily Mail had published a story.

Real Madrid, having failed to reach the quarterfinals for a fourth straight year, had once again begun searching for a new head coach.

According to the article, Real Madrid technical director Valdano and presidential advisor Zidane had secretly visited Manchester to try and convince Gao Shen to return—but he had refused.

"This angered Florentino. The Real Madrid president has lost his patience and decided not to wait any longer. He now views José Mourinho as the club's top candidate for next season's manager."

Where there's smoke, there's fire.

This report had caused a bit of a stir within Gao Shen's team. Part of the reason he gathered everyone tonight was to reassure them.

It takes a strong team to succeed.

If Gao Shen wanted to keep pushing forward, he needed these trusted lieutenants at his side.

Of course, if worst came to worst, he could replace people.

But Gao Shen preferred to keep the team intact.

He brought out a few bottles of expensive wine that had been gifted to him and ordered a full spread from a nearby restaurant to entertain everyone.

Everyone present knew he had met with Valdano and Zidane and that he had turned down a return to Real Madrid. In fact, on this point, they all supported his decision.

Manchester City was just getting started, and the team's strength was clear for all to see.

Whether it was the media, the fans, or the club staff, everyone was excited about what City was building.

This was a team capable of competing for the Champions League title.

And most importantly, Manchester City had the money.

To many, Gao Shen's decision to reject Real Madrid mid-season was not only justified but wise.

Still, there were concerns had he angered Florentino?

Would this mean the door back to Real Madrid was closed forever?

"I can tell you all with confidence—Zidane told me personally that the Daily Mail article was false. Florentino was disappointed, yes, but he still said the door at Real Madrid is always open for me."

When Gao Shen said this, his face was filled with confidence and pride.

He was no longer the rookie who had to flatter and please others three years ago.

Now, he was a gold-standard head coach with two Champions League titles.

And if next season went well, a third title was entirely possible.

That would make him the first among active managers.

(To be continued.)