Starting With Real Madrid

Sometimes, Gao Shen genuinely felt that the most interesting part of being a transmigrator was taking things that happened to others in the future and testing them on himself.

The reason he wanted to make a documentary was because, before he transmigrated, he had seen a film called Sunderland 'Til I Die.

The intriguing part of that documentary was that Sunderland had already been relegated from the Premier League to the Championship. Its owner at the time wanted to make a documentary showcasing the club's revival and return to the Premier League, hoping to enhance the club's image and attract investors.

But what made it fascinating was that the documentary didn't depict a glorious return to the top flight. Instead, it chronicled the painful downfall of Sunderland as it spiraled into the depths of despair, eventually being relegated again—this time from the Championship to League One.

This led to a second season, covering their battle in League One.

That time, things went a bit better. Sunderland didn't suffer another relegation and finished fifth in League One, earning a spot in the promotion playoffs. In the first round, they beat Portsmouth 1-0 over two legs.

But in the final, they lost 2-1 to Charlton and missed out on promotion.

The most remarkable aspect of the documentary was its first season, which used a subtle lens to capture many emotionally powerful moments. Its original purpose had been to document a triumphant comeback.

In the end, it became a story about failure.

That was rare even for documentaries.

But the aftermath was even more unexpected.

Humphrey Ker, a playwright and actor who was also a Liverpool fan, had moved to Hollywood in 2013. In 2018, he joined the production company of director Rob McElhenney.

In 2020, during the pandemic lockdown, they were stuck at home and wanted something to watch. Ker recommended Sunderland 'Til I Die to McElhenney, who became obsessed with it after the first episode.

After watching it, McElhenney made a bold decision—he wanted to buy a British football club.

His budget was just a few million pounds.

As a longtime Football Manager player, Ker opened his game, and using its extensive database, along with resources like Wikipedia, he compiled a shortlist of clubs that could be acquired, ranging from the sixth to third tiers of English football.

McElhenney then brought in his good friend Ryan Reynolds—yes, the same Ryan Reynolds known as a box-office charmer.

Their requirements were simple. First, the club had to have a long and rich history, full of stories worth telling. Second, there had to be genuine ambition to get promoted. Third, there needed to be a solid fanbase.

After weighing several options, they ultimately chose Wrexham in the fifth tier.

After the acquisition, the two Hollywood stars kicked off a massive publicity campaign. They promoted Wrexham on talk shows in both the UK and the US. As a result, the club's shirt sponsorship value skyrocketed by ten times.

TikTok became Wrexham's front-of-shirt sponsor. Big international brands came flocking in, and with collaborations and traffic from celebrity exposure, they turned themselves into internet sports sensations by 2021.

And all of this happened in just a few months.

Gao Shen wasn't sure whether Wrexham would get promoted to League Two in 2022, but they were definitely popular.

At the time, even back in China, he often came across news about them—which showed just how viral they had become.

Now, Gao Shen was doing something very similar.

The difference was, he was more grounded and less impulsive than those two.

On December 26, Boxing Day afternoon, Round 18 of the Premier League.

Gao Shen left his wife early in the morning and led the team to an away match against West Bromwich Albion.

Just as he had said before, Boxing Day fixtures were particularly difficult. On one hand, they were away games, and on the other, players were still caught up in the festive mood. To play away on Boxing Day—even for the head coach—wasn't something anyone looked forward to.

Honestly, who wouldn't rather be cuddled up with their wife during the holidays?

With experience from the past two years, Gao Shen and his coaching staff had put in a lot of effort. Team psychologists also provided mental support, and players returned in good physical condition after the Christmas break.

In the end, Manchester City managed a narrow 1-0 win away at West Brom, thanks to a goal from David Silva.

It wasn't that City played poorly.

Chelsea drew 1-1 with Fulham at home.

Liverpool drew 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers at Anfield.

Arsenal also drew 1-1 with Wolves at home.

By comparison, City's 1-0 away win was a solid result.

But the bad luck was that Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 5-0 at home.

That made City's narrow win look slightly underwhelming.

After returning to Manchester, Gao Shen immediately gave the players a day off.

That evening, Channel 4 officially aired the first episode of Elland Road, the documentary directed by Louise Osmond: The Rose Derby.

The episode centered on the League Cup knockout match between Leeds United and Manchester United.

As expected from a renowned director, the production quality was top-tier. The storytelling and atmosphere drew viewers in from the very beginning. The fervor of Leeds United fans, the anxiety, bravery, and passion of the players—everything was captured vividly and realistically.

In particular, when Pogba opened the scoring for Manchester United and celebrated with a roar, the immediate response and fiery determination from the Leeds United players were portrayed powerfully. The entire scene was incredibly immersive. Even seasoned players and coaches watching would feel as if they were right there at Elland Road.

And when Leeds United eventually beat Manchester United, emotions peaked. It was exhilarating.

It made people want to stand up and cheer.

That's what a great director can do—make even a documentary feel passionate.

But it wasn't just about passion. The episode also delved deep into human emotions. It showed Leeds fans' loyalty to the club, their intense hatred of rivals Manchester United, and even captured heated discussions and arguments between players in the dressing room.

Everything was presented so naturally that viewers could truly feel the essence of football.

Gao Shen watched the premiere on Channel 4 and then immediately reposted it when it went online, calling it the best football documentary he had ever seen.

The next day, major British and European media picked up the story of the Elland Road documentary's release.

Telling a club's story through a documentary wasn't new, but Leeds United chronicling its push for Premier League promotion—and doing it so well—was a first.

Not to mention, it was directed by an Emmy-winning filmmaker.

Thanks to Lucas' media savvy, Leeds United had built a strong relationship with the press. With the media spotlight and positive reception, the documentary quickly became a trending hit.

While the buzz around Elland Road continued to build, Gao Shen led the team to another away trip, this time to face Sunderland.

At the moment, Sunderland were still a solid Premier League side and hadn't filmed any documentaries. In fact, some media outlets even mocked Leeds United's efforts, calling it a distraction.

"You're a football club. Why are you making documentaries and spending so much on social and video platforms? Wouldn't it be better to spend that money on two or three players?"

But Su Qing and Lucas had full confidence in Gao Shen. They firmly believed in his judgment.

If Leeds United kept building like this, it would eventually explode into something huge.

And by then, it would be a completely different club.

Although the documentary was still airing, Sunderland were a tough opponent.

At home, facing a travel-weary Manchester City, the Black Cats didn't pull any punches.

To be fair, City had terrible luck with the schedule—two straight away matches after Christmas. Who could Gao Shen even complain to?

Suárez scored to put City ahead, but in the 93rd minute, Sunderland snatched a goal back.

There were clear defensive errors, especially from Jerome Boateng and Cahill, who were both caught napping. But what could anyone do? This kind of holiday schedule was brutal.

The 1-1 draw wasn't a bad result.

Tottenham Hotspur also drew 1-1 away at Swansea.

Chelsea were in disarray, losing 3-1 at home to Aston Villa.

Manchester United conceded two goals at home. Although Berbatov scored twice to equalize, Blackburn scored again to win 3-2 at Old Trafford.

Liverpool and Arsenal both won their home games.

On the evening of January 3, in Round 20 of the Premier League, Manchester City hosted Liverpool.

Liverpool, already stretched thin, were under serious pressure with such a packed schedule, especially having to play away again.

Two matches in three days—one on the 31st, the other on the 3rd—was incredibly taxing.

But Manchester City were different. Their squad depth was unmatched.

Van Persie opened the scoring ten minutes into the game, and Yaya Touré added another in the 33rd minute.

After that, the match settled into a stalemate until the 75th minute, when Gareth Bale's goal sealed the win.

Manchester City defeated Liverpool 3-0.

The biggest upset of the round was Manchester United.

Ferguson's team traveled north to face Newcastle and were thoroughly defeated at St James' Park.

0-3. The Red Devils suffered a crushing loss.

French midfielder Cabaye put in a brilliant performance, and United's center-back Phil Jones scored an own goal.

Ferguson was left fuming with the team's display.

Arsenal lost 2-1 to Fulham away in a London derby.

Their Christmas run had also been rough.

In the end, Manchester City once again emerged from the grueling festive schedule with their heads held high—two wins and one draw.

(To be continued.)