Starting With Real Madrid

The words Gao Shen had spoken weighed heavily on Valdano's mind.

In the end, Valdano had to admit that Gao Shen's arguments made a great deal of sense and demonstrated remarkable foresight.

But the truth was, Real Madrid's pursuit of Kaka was inevitable.

The recruitment of a superstar like Kaka wasn't just about football; it was a massive and intricate project involving player salaries, sponsorships, and commercial agreements. Just resolving the conflicts between Kaka's commercial deals at AC Milan and Real Madrid's sponsors would require extensive negotiation.

For example, what if Kaka's existing sponsorship contracts clashed with Real Madrid's partners? Would those contracts need to be terminated early? How would compensation be handled? Who would pay for the losses incurred?

Anyone with experience in business negotiations understood how complex these problems could be.

Now that it was March, it was clear that the decision to bring Kaka to Real Madrid had already been made. Once Florentino assumed office, the transfer would move forward immediately, and the related negotiations and contracts would begin without delay.

This left Gao Shen feeling disappointed.

In the past, he had believed that Kaka's struggles at Real Madrid were primarily due to his injuries during the World Cup and the arrival of Mesut Özil, whose exceptional performances had reduced Kaka's influence.

These two factors certainly played a role.

But now, Gao Shen was beginning to realize that even without those issues, Kaka might not have performed well at Real Madrid.

In Kaka's debut season at the club, Real Madrid had an exceptional La Liga campaign, scoring over 100 goals and becoming the most prolific runners-up in league history. Yet, they were eliminated in the Champions League Round of 16 by Lyon.

The intensity of the Champions League knockout rounds far surpassed that of the group stage or domestic league matches. That season, Real Madrid lost almost every major encounter: the group stage matches against AC Milan, the knockout round against Lyon, and the league fixtures against Barcelona.

Real Madrid excelled against weaker teams but consistently faltered against strong opposition. Wasn't that a clear sign of deeper issues?

Of course, these were observations Gao Shen had made in his previous life. He couldn't share them with Valdano.

But with Gao Shen's current status and credibility, the fact that he was speaking so decisively and with such thorough reasoning was already persuasive enough.

While Valdano trusted Gao Shen, Real Madrid's president was Florentino.

Florentino's motivation for signing superstars wasn't purely based on footballing considerations; commercial value always played a significant role.

This was true during the first Galacticos era, and it remained true now. Florentino might have learned from past mistakes and adjusted his approach slightly, but his perspective was still fundamentally different from that of a professional football coach.

Valdano was powerless to change this.

And deep down, the Argentine couldn't shake the feeling that Gao Shen was becoming increasingly distant from Real Madrid.

Ever since he had met Gao Shen, he had known him to be someone who didn't compromise easily.

It was true back when he was at Real Madrid, and it was even more true now.

…

The car ride back from the hotel was quiet at first.

Both Gao Shen and Zidane were lost in their own thoughts.

Gao Shen wasn't sure what Zidane was thinking, but his own mind was focused on the unavoidable truths he had just discussed.

The decline of the traditional number ten role was inevitable.

Even when Sneijder moved to Inter Milan, his role as a number ten was more of a tactical puzzle piece, one that required him to shoulder a considerable defensive workload.

Don't believe it?

Who was the best player in Serie A during the 2009-2010 season?

Who was named UEFA's Best Player in Europe that year?

Both awards went to the same person: Diego Milito.

Not Sneijder.

That season, Milito's contributions were deemed more critical than Sneijder's, as evidenced by the major accolades he won.

Even in a treble-winning Inter Milan side, Sneijder's importance paled in comparison to Milito's.

This further proved that the era of the number ten was fading.

But Real Madrid was determined to walk this path regardless.

And Gao Shen could do nothing to stop it.

…

"How about I arrange a meeting between you and Florentino?" Zidane suddenly asked.

Gao Shen was momentarily stunned but quickly understood Zidane's intention.

The Frenchman still hoped that Gao Shen would take over as Real Madrid's head coach.

Or perhaps Zidane misunderstood, thinking that Gao Shen was eager to return to Real Madrid.

To be fair, Gao Shen had considered the idea. But the thought wasn't strong enough to make him act on it.

Truthfully, Gao Shen already had a thriving career and a respected reputation. Why would he risk it all?

Besides, if he were to coach Real Madrid now, would Florentino grant him the authority to manage the superstars as he saw fit?

If not, what would be the point?

"Thank you, Zinedine, but Florentino and I won't see eye to eye on this matter," Gao Shen replied with a bitter smile.

"Why not?" Zidane asked, clearly puzzled.

"It's a difference in philosophy. Plus, neither of us is the type to back down easily. Unless one of us gets hurt enough to realize we're on the wrong path, neither of us will yield."

Gao Shen shrugged. "And I'm not about to yield."

Neither, he was sure, would Florentino.

Zidane fell silent, unsure of what to say.

It was much the same reaction Valdano had earlier.

Gao Shen glanced at Zidane's expression and, after a moment of silence, asked, "Do you want to go back?"

"What?" Zidane seemed caught off guard, unsure if he had heard correctly.

Gao Shen smiled faintly. "Do you want to return to Real Madrid?"

"Of course," Zidane admitted. "It's a unique club, and my wife and children are in Madrid."

Hearing this, Gao Shen felt a pang of disappointment.

He had hoped Zidane would stay, much like Guardiola.

Although there had been some selfishness in his decision to bring Zidane and Guardiola on as assistants, their working relationship had been rewarding, and they had formed a genuine camaraderie.

But just as Gao Shen was reflecting, Zidane suddenly added, "But I haven't decided yet."

Gao Shen turned to him in surprise.

"To be honest," Zidane continued, "I've learned so much this season in Naples. I've realized how far I still have to go to match the top coaches. I want to learn more before I take that step."

Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh.

This bald man truly had a way with words.

In fact, Zidane wasn't the only one like this.

Take Sarri, for example. He had initially come to Naples to observe and learn. Gao Shen had welcomed him in, but Sarri had ended up staying. Now, Sarri had rented a place near Castel Volturno and worked tirelessly without pay, putting in the same effort as any official staff member.

Sometimes Gao Shen wondered: if he hired more "volunteers" like Sarri, how much money could he save in a season?

"Just wait," Gao Shen said confidently. "I'll definitely go back someday!"

Whether the statement was meant for Zidane or himself was unclear.

But deep down, Gao Shen truly believed he would return to Real Madrid one day.

…

Three days after the Chelsea match, the 28th round of Serie A commenced.

Inter Milan secured a 2-0 home victory over Fiorentina, thanks to a brace from Ibrahimović.

It was frustratingly ironic.

Inter, who had failed to score against Manchester United in the Champions League, suddenly looked rejuvenated in Serie A, full of confidence and arrogance.

Football can be strange that way.

Napoli, meanwhile, faced Reggina away in a simultaneous match.

Despite a heavily rotated lineup, Napoli struggled against a determined Reggina side that sat deep in a defensive block. In the 27th minute, Corradi scored for Reggina on a counterattack.

Napoli pushed forward relentlessly and equalized in the 64th minute through Valencia, but the match ended 1-1.

With this draw, Napoli's lead in Serie A shrank from seven points to five, giving Inter Milan a glimmer of hope.

Mourinho wasted no time capitalizing, using the media to put pressure on Napoli.

"They'll make mistakes," he said confidently. "And they'll keep making them!"

The Italian media, naturally, joined in, portraying Napoli as a team on the brink of collapse.

But the truth was, with ten rounds remaining, a five-point lead was still significant.

Gao Shen ignored Mourinho's provocations and focused on using the upcoming week to rest and prepare for the 29th round against AC Milan.

Meanwhile, on March 20th, the Champions League quarterfinal draw was held in Nyon, Switzerland.

***

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