Starting With Real Madrid

Spaniards have a peculiar schedule.

Lunchtime is at three in the afternoon, and dinner isn't until nine in the evening, or even later, sometimes past midnight.

The end of the derby match coincided with the busiest time in the streets and alleys of Madrid. The entire city was filled with vibrant and bustling scenes. Who would have thought that behind such prosperity, a severe economic crisis was lurking?

The subprime mortgage crisis was looming, followed by the European debt crisis, and Spain would become one of the five "PIGS" countries in Europe.

At that time, would these people still be as carefree and indulgent as they were now?

Gao Shen didn't have time to delve into all this. After leading the team back to Valdebebas, he rode his bicycle back to the Odalysa area.

Along the way, he encountered many fans. Some were singing and dancing in joy. It was obvious they were Real Madrid fans. Some were sitting by the roadside drinking...

In truth, Gao Shen couldn't fully grasp the local fans' emotions about the derby. He only knew that this game was crucial to him, but it had already passed, and every upcoming game would be more important than the previous one.

That's enough!

...

Walking through the familiar streets and alleys, he soon arrived at Carlo's house.

It was easy to spot because there was a badly worn basketball hoop on the fence in front of their house.

Who would have thought that the son of a football coach would be a basketball fan?

Fortunately, Real Madrid also had a basketball team, so father and son had some common ground.

Gao Shen rang the doorbell, and Mrs. Carroll came out to help him open the door.

"Good evening, Mrs. Carroll," Gao Shen greeted politely.

Mrs. Carroll was also in a good mood. She smiled and nodded at him, pointing to the small yard behind her. "He's waiting for you over there."

Entering the yard, Gao Shen spotted Carlo waving to him not far away. In front of him was a small square table with several dishes, a few bottles of wine, and a thermos.

"I know you don't drink, so I made a pot of water for you," Carlo said, standing up and motioning for Gao Shen to sit across from him.

Gao Shen thanked him quickly and poured himself a glass of cool water.

"You're quite interesting. You don't drink, smoke, gamble, or have any bad habits at all. What's the fun in living such a life?" Carlo asked jokingly, looking at Gao Shen with a playful expression.

Gao Shen recalled an impression that this wasn't the first time Carlo had teased him like this.

Previously, he would explain solemnly that his parents had been strict with him since childhood, banning all bad habits at home and school. But now...

"A man should always be strict with himself," Gao Shen replied with a smile, choosing not to elaborate further.

Carlo chuckled and clapped his hands. "Exactly, that's the way!"

Their banter lightened the mood and opened up the conversation.

"Sir, I'm really glad you could make it to the Bernabeu to watch the game tonight," Gao Shen said gratefully.

Carlo waved it off. "I was going to use the ticket you gave me to get in, but I bumped into Florentino."

"Florentino?" Gao Shen was surprised. "He's back?"

Carlo nodded. "I'm not privy to much, you know. Even though Florentino has only been in charge of Real Madrid for just over five years, his influence on this club runs deep. There isn't a department here that doesn't have his people, and even Martin wouldn't dare to openly oppose him."

High and profound understanding.

It was often said that Florentino resigned in order to reposition himself.

Combining this with his deep understanding of the present situation, Florentino, Martin, and even first vice-chairman Tapias and others seemed aligned on the surface, but in reality, internal conflicts existed, giving Calderon an opportunity to exploit.

Florentino probably didn't anticipate that his original 90% certainty would benefit Calderon the opportunist.

Only then did he have a profound experience. In the 2006 Real Madrid presidential election, Calderon ascended to the throne with Mijatovic.

The relationships were too intricate, entangled in countless vested interests.

Carlo wasn't here to inform Gao Shen about these things; he simply relayed what he had heard in the inner circles, such as Di Stefano, Valdano, and Butragueno's assessments of Gao Shen, along with his own observations on the matter.

Overall, Gao Shen had delivered a flawless performance in the derby.

But even so, Martin was still reluctant to offer Gao Shen a formal coaching contract.

"You must understand, Martin doesn't support you or trust you. On the contrary, he's been waiting for you to slip up," Carlo cautioned.

Gao Shen trusted Carlo completely. If Carlo said this, it meant he truly heard such sentiments.

Of course, Martin need not fear being exposed to this; his position was too lofty.

"In that case, he's mistaken. I won't let him down!" Gao Shen asserted firmly.

Carlo furrowed his brows. He noticed that Gao Shen was unexpectedly stubborn and assertive, a stark contrast to his previous impression of him—it was as though he were a different person.

"Haven't you seen it yet? Beating Atletico at home wasn't a true challenge. Now you'll face Arsenal under Wenger. Do you realize? Arsenal have kept six clean sheets so far this season in the Champions League. If you manage to keep a clean sheet at Highbury Stadium, you could equal or even surpass AC Milan's record for the longest clean sheet streak in Champions League history."

"And at Highbury Stadium, Arsenal have gone unbeaten in eight consecutive Champions League matches. The last time they lost was in the quarter-finals in 2004, a 1-2 defeat at home to Ranieri's Chelsea after a 1-1 draw. The Gunners have only conceded three goals in those eight unbeaten matches."

Carlo's statistics were meticulous and accurate, highlighting Arsenal's formidable strength.

In his deep recollection, Arsenal had even reached the Champions League final that season, narrowly losing to Rijkaard's Barcelona.

Gao Shen remained silent as Carlo continued. He shook his head and sighed, his tone tinged with concern.

"Do you know why everyone places such importance on finishing first in the Champions League group stage?" Carlo asked.

Gao Shen pondered for a moment before replying cautiously, "To avoid facing the group leaders from other groups?"

He wasn't entirely certain if this was the answer Carlo sought; it was common knowledge.

"That's part of it, but more importantly, finishing first in the group means you play the second leg of the round of 16 away first. Many think this means a favorable schedule, but that's only one side of it. The crucial reason is that, historically in the Champions League knockout stages, almost no team has managed to come back and overturn a deficit after losing at home."

Gao Shen suddenly grasped what Carlo was trying to convey; indeed, nothing in football happens without reason.

Football was the world's most intricate and captivating sport, as well as the most thought-provoking and challenging.

"Now you understand that beating Arsenal away, statistically speaking, means the chances of a comeback are close to zero. Unless you can create a miracle!"

Carlo's intention wasn't to undermine Gao Shen's confidence, but to counsel caution.

Even if Gao Shen did manage a miracle and defeat Arsenal, what then?

After Arsenal, they would face crucial league matches against second and third-placed teams, culminating in a decisive clash at Mestalla Stadium against Valencia.

From Atletico Madrid to Arsenal to Valencia—three consecutive games of critical importance. Could Real Madrid handle it? Could Gao Shen manage?

Not to mention the looming Champions League quarter-finals and the formidable Barcelona.

With Real Madrid's current squad, how could they sustain such morale?

Gao Shen remained mostly silent, sensing Carlo's concern and kindness. Ultimately, one misstep could tarnish his reputation and jeopardize his future. The risks were immense.

But for him, this was a rare opportunity.

"Mr. Carroll," Gao Shen exhaled softly, his voice calm yet resolute. "I remember you once told me that the basketball hoop outside belonged to your son, correct?"

Carlo was uncertain where Gao Shen was going with this, but he nodded nonetheless.

"You wanted your son to play football, and you've trained him in football since he was young. Yet, he prefers basketball. You were frustrated for a while, and it caused conflict between you until one day he stood before you, looked up, and boldly declared he wanted to try out for the basketball team."

Carlo stared at Gao Shen blankly, unsure of his point.

"Today, I thank you for sharing that story with me. But I still say this: I want to try!"

Gao Shen locked eyes with Carlo, his gaze unwavering and determined, devoid of any hesitation.

"I understand from every angle—environment, strength, probability, and various data analyses—that our chances of overturning Arsenal away are minimal. I don't deny that. However, I also believe that football matches are never decided by probabilities alone. Even bookmakers can only provide rough estimates; unexpected outcomes do happen."

"I'm still young. I may not know how to calculate risks and rewards, but I do know that if I don't try today, I'll have regrets. I'll regret it in the future, and I don't want that!"