Starting With Real Madrid

On the evening of March 19, at Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium, Real Madrid faced Real Betis in the twenty-eighth round of La Liga.

As the first half neared its end in stoppage time, the score remained 0-0. In the stands of the Bernabeu, the Real Madrid fans were growing restless. Some radical fans in the south stand even started booing the team, especially targeting head coach Gao Shen. Many fans displayed banners and shouted slogans, venting their dissatisfaction.

Just as the fans' patience was about to run out, Real Madrid's midfield suddenly made a crucial steal. After Gravessen intercepted the ball, he quickly passed it to Guti upfield. The Golden Wolf, replacing Zidane as the starter, took two steps forward and sent a sharp through ball to the left side of Real Betis' penalty area.

Negredo had pulled the defender away, allowing Raul to make a cunning run. Before the defender could react, Raul poked the ball with his foot, and it skimmed the inside of the left post, rolling into Real Betis' goal.

The Bernabeu Stadium erupted in an instant!

Raul turned and sprinted around the field, celebrating amidst the deafening cheers of the Real Madrid fans. Since Gao Shen took over, Raul had been given a pivotal role. With Negredo sharing the defensive workload, Raul was completely liberated, scoring repeatedly and overtaking Ronaldo to become Real Madrid's leading scorer of the season.

Tonight, Raul's decisive goal in the crucial moment gave Real Madrid the lead at halftime.

Gao Shen, standing on the sidelines, jumped in excitement upon seeing Raul score. After landing, he turned around and high-fived Lucas, Maqueda, and others, then reached out to Buenaventura. As the fitness coach grabbed his hand, Gao Shen pulled him in for a warm hug. Amid the deafening cheers, Buenaventura could hear Gao Shen's laughter.

Raul's goal hadn't come easily. Every goal for Real Madrid at this stage was hard-won. Letting go of Buenaventura, Gao Shen exhaled heavily and roared, releasing all his tension and pressure.

"Tonight's Fourteenth Master, I love it!" Gao Shen exclaimed joyfully.

Everyone knew that Guti was unpredictable, often inconsistent. But Gao Shen had started him in two consecutive games, letting him play Zidane's attacking midfielder role, controlling the game without needing to defend, to maximize Guti's offensive creativity.

In the last game against Valencia, Guti's diagonal pass set up Callejon's assist. This time, his through ball was surgical, enabling Raul to score. How could one not love such a Guti?

In the end, Real Madrid beat Real Betis 1-0 at the Bernabeu, thanks to Guti's assist and Raul's goal.

Despite the victory, boos still echoed at the final whistle. Real Madrid fans were dissatisfied with the dull and unattractive performance. Real Madrid hadn't dominated offensively, even taking six fewer shots than Real Betis, with Real Madrid shooting 13 times to Betis' 19. Although Real Madrid had 60% possession compared to Betis' 40%, they failed to convert that into attacking opportunities, frustrating the fans. 

A home game against a team in the relegation zone shouldn't be this difficult, they argued. How could Real Madrid hope to challenge Barcelona?

Moreover, questions arose about the absence of Zidane and Beckham. Ronaldo and Carlos watched from the stands, unable to contribute.

After the match, the Spanish media also expressed their dissatisfaction with Real Madrid's performance. Gao Shen's refusal to attend pre- and post-match press conferences was criticized as unprofessional. However, Alfredo, the editor-in-chief of *As*, defended Gao Shen in his column, arguing that Real Madrid was improving, especially defensively.

"Real Betis may have had 19 shots, but only one was on target, meaning Casillas faced only one real threat. This would have been unthinkable in the past," Alfredo wrote.

He noted that the improvement in Real Madrid's defense came at the cost of their attacking prowess.

"According to our sources within Real Madrid, Gao Shen had a thorough discussion with Chairman Martin and Technical Director Butragueno before the game. He anticipated a possible draw because the team has been focusing on fitness training."

Real Madrid's upcoming schedule was grueling: Real Betis at home, Zaragoza away in midweek, Deportivo at home next weekend, the Champions League quarterfinals against Juventus, and the following weekend, the El Clasico against Barcelona.

"If Barcelona's tough schedule was in February, Real Madrid's is in March and early April," Alfredo wrote.

But despite Alfredo's rational perspective, it was drowned out by the overwhelming boos and criticism.

Meanwhile, Barcelona's 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad only added to the panic among Real Madrid fans as the season's end approached.

Amid all this doubt, Gao Shen's attention was caught by a piece of news in *As*: Ronaldo stated in an interview that he had no plans to move to Serie A and wanted to stay at Real Madrid, clarifying that neither he nor his agent had contacted any Serie A clubs or received any invitations.

This was Ronaldo's first public response since rumors of a transfer emerged. Gao Shen saw this as a signal of Ronaldo's change in attitude.

After all, Ronaldo hadn't made the squad for four consecutive games and was feeling the pressure. Raul was now outscoring him, and Real Madrid had won four games in a row without him. Ronaldo had to choose: continue to be marginalized or soften his stance.

If he continued to resist, his place in Brazil's national team for the World Cup in Germany could be at risk.

Despite external criticism, Gao Shen remained focused. On March 22, Real Madrid faced Zaragoza away at La Romareda Stadium. Their last visit had ended in a humiliating 1-6 defeat in the Copa del Rey. This time, Gao Shen made significant rotations, resting Raul, Gravessen, and Negredo, with Beckham starting and Zidane on the bench.

Both teams played cautiously, resulting in a dull match. Gao Shen emphasized pressing and containment, preventing Zaragoza from mounting effective attacks. 

The most threatening moment came in stoppage time. In the first half, former Real Madrid midfielder Celades made a through ball, Everton crossed, and Diego Milito's shot was blocked by Woodgate, allowing Casillas to save comfortably. 

In second-half stoppage time, Real Madrid created their best chance. Beckham's diagonal pass found Zidane, whose collision with Zaragoza's goalkeeper César left the ball loose. Soldado reacted quickly, sweeping it into the net.

Real Madrid won 1-0 with Soldado's stoppage-time goal. The game was still lackluster, and fans and media remained critical. Barcelona's concurrent 3-1 victory over Getafe, with Eto'o scoring twice, kept them ahead and highlighted the contrast: Barcelona played spectacularly, while Real Madrid played conservatively.

While media and neutral fans favored Barcelona, many Real Madrid supporters criticized their team's conservative play.

Gao Shen remained silent, knowing it wasn't the right time to speak out.