Starting With Real Madrid

Gao Shen's coaching style has always been characterized by his desire for players to obey, but not follow blindly.

He prefers to explain to his players what he wants them to do and why.

This way, no matter how the situation on the field evolves, the players are able to adjust in time and adapt to the changing circumstances.

Many believe that under Gao Shen's leadership, several outstanding head coaches will emerge in the future.

Like many great coaches, he always encourages his players to think and explore for themselves.

Thus, he begins by deconstructing the opponent's tactical system, clearly explaining their strategies, and then gradually reveals his own tactics, showing the players what he expects from them during the game.

Just like this time.

"It will be difficult to visit the Camp Nou, but this is our general principle."

As soon as Gao Shen finished speaking, Carlos Vargas had already put the PowerPoint presentation he had prepared on the screen behind him.

"When Barcelona has the ball, we should not rush blindly to press them. We must let them have possession, especially when their center-backs have the ball. Do not rush to steal it. Let them play their game, let them do as they please."

"What should we do then?"

"Everyone, get back to your positions as quickly as possible. Our two wingers must return to the midfield. This will make our formation resemble a 4-5-1, with only one center-forward up front."

"Even our center-forward's task is not to press their central defenders, but to follow Busquets."

Gao Shen turned around and circled Busquets on the screen.

"Remember, this point is very, very important."

As Gao Shen spoke, he first looked at Benzema, then Higuaín and Morata.

At this point, he had yet to announce the starting lineup, and these were the three center-forwards available to him.

The three of them nodded seriously, sensing that the head coach was speaking directly to them.

"Barcelona will certainly try every means to draw us out, but our job is to maintain order. When defending, one of the five midfielders can push forward at any time, but remember to get back into position quickly after attacking."

"Our first priority is to keep our formation compact and flexible, rather than trying to steal the ball."

At this point, Gao Shen made it very clear to the Real Madrid players, "When facing Barcelona, ball possession is not important. That's their strength. If we try to compete with them for possession, we'll only play into their hands and rhythm."

"So, we shouldn't focus on stealing the ball, we shouldn't focus on controlling the ball. We should just concentrate on maintaining our overall formation."

"Once the wingers drop back, they are responsible for pressing Barcelona's full-backs, assisting the full-backs, and locking down the wings."

"If the opponent's center-back has possession, fine. But if they want to move the ball forward, they'll have to push it. The center-forward and the two central midfielders closest to the ball will press, while the others maintain the formation."

By now, many of the players were glancing at Ronaldo, knowing that the coach's tactical plan was likely going to downplay his offensive role. This wasn't just about asking him to defend more actively, but also about asking him to retreat and stay away from the goal.

No Real Madrid coach had ever dared to do this in recent years, not even Mourinho.

They had expected Ronaldo to be upset, or at least show some signs of frustration. After all, the Portuguese star was known for his strong-willed nature.

But surprisingly, he looked remarkably calm, even nodding in agreement.

Was he actually in agreement with the coach's approach?

Everyone was stunned.

Some players who were more perceptive or had a deeper understanding quickly guessed the reason.

The head coach must have already discussed this with Ronaldo before the meeting.

When they thought about it, the Real Madrid players felt reassured.

Outsiders might not understand, but after only a few months working with Gao Shen, the players had developed a deep trust in him. They noticed how their coach subtly managed to handle difficult situations that seemed impossible for outsiders to resolve.

…

"Defense in the mid- and low-post is just the first step of our game. It's just the beginning."

"Once we win the ball, we need to speed up the game immediately. We have to use all our strength to launch fast breaks, focusing on attacking the opponent's wings and central areas."

As he spoke, Gao Shen switched to another PowerPoint, which displayed a roadmap of Real Madrid players pressing forward to counter Barcelona.

Everyone could clearly see that Gao Shen had invested a lot of effort into planning the counterattacks. His plan involved players pressing forward in waves, forming a rotational attack to break down Barcelona's defense with quick transitions.

"Remember, our counterattacks won't be a one-off thing. We need to play fast, accurate, and ruthlessly to dismantle Barcelona's defensive system and threaten their goal."

Next, Gao Shen explained and analyzed the team's counterattack routes, focusing on Benzema's role as a center-forward and the wingers.

Though Real Madrid's wingers had dropped back into the midfield, Barcelona's full-backs still pushed forward boldly, leaving large gaps behind them. This was the opportunity Real Madrid planned to exploit.

Gao Shen clearly told the Real Madrid players that Barcelona's form had been declining this season, particularly Xavi's.

As Gao Shen had explained, in Barcelona's tactical system, Xavi and Iniesta were key to controlling the ball and maintaining rhythm, but they also acted as protective barriers for Busquets in defense.

Without Xavi and Iniesta, Busquets' weaknesses would be exposed, and Barcelona's defense would become paper-thin.

Right now, Iniesta was still fine, but Xavi was nearing thirty-three and was no longer able to maintain the work rate and form of his peak years.

After winning almost all the honors he could, it was difficult for him to maintain the physicality required.

In this situation, the best move for Barcelona would be to change their style of play. But if they did, they would no longer be the Barcelona everyone knew.

The once proud passing and controlling system had now become a shackle for Barcelona.

From management to coaching, there was a severe lack of flexibility and a determination to reform.

This was a deep problem within Barcelona's overall strategy.

Looking at it from this perspective, Gao Shen felt that the five titles won under Enrique in his previous life were more like a final hurrah before the inevitable collapse.

…

At the end of the meeting, Gao Shen pulled up a quote from NBA legend Michael Jordan on the screen.

"Talent may win games, but teamwork wins championships!"

Gao Shen pointed to the words and looked at the Real Madrid players in front of him, speaking earnestly.

"All of you here at Real Madrid are the best players in the world. You're all geniuses, recognized by everyone. But I want everyone to truly understand the meaning of this quote."

Everyone gazed at the screen, lost in thought.

Gao Shen paused before continuing, "Yesterday, I had a conversation with Ronnie."

As he said this, Gao Shen smiled and pointed to Ronaldo, who awkwardly smiled back.

Everyone turned to look at Ronaldo. Many of them wore expressions of "as expected," while others seemed to suddenly understand.

The head coach must have discussed the tactic with Ronaldo beforehand.

"I asked Ronaldo one question: if he had to choose between a good individual performance and beating Barcelona, what would he choose?"

Gao Shen said it in a relaxed tone.

The room was immediately filled with murmurs. That was a tough question to answer.

If he chose the latter, did that mean sacrificing his personal performance?

"His answer was simple. He said, 'I want both!'"

The room burst into laughter, and some players clapped and cheered.

Ronaldo is just like that. While ordinary people can make a choice, he wants both!

"I agree with him. Team and individual are not mutually exclusive. It's just a multiple-choice question where you can choose one or the other. As Jordan said, genius also needs a team."

Everyone nodded.

"Barcelona is undoubtedly a very team-oriented side. Sometimes, I feel that in this team, other than Messi, the players suppress their own personalities and talents, molding themselves into mere components in the passing and control system. I wonder if that makes Barcelona less and less creative."

"Or is it that their so-called creativity is simply the result of their passing and control system?"

So the question becomes: can creativity that is created truly be called creativity?

Remember, destruction is always easier than creation.

What can be created can also be destroyed.

"I can tell you this: at Real Madrid, we won't play the same football as Barcelona. Not only because we don't have the passing and controlling gene, but because we won't let ourselves become complacent. We will be more open, more inclusive, and at the same time, more creative."

"A solid defense in the middle and low positions, the fastest transition between attack and defense, and a storming high-position attack will be the direction we pursue and work hard for in the future."

With this, Gao Shen had thoroughly laid out his tactical ideas for Real Madrid and shared his vision for the future. This wasn't just about what they were playing now—it was the direction they would strive for in the years ahead.

"Finally, I want to say one last thing to everyone."

Gao Shen stood tall, looking confidently at the players before him.

"In my coaching career, I've faced Barcelona several times, but I've never lost to them. I can proudly say that I have the best record against Barcelona among all current coaches."

"Now, I can also tell you that if you want to beat Barcelona in the upcoming Clásico, you only have one choice: listen to me and do as I say. I will lead you to a victory at Camp Nou and bring us back to Madrid in triumph!"

The players were all fired up, cheering loudly.

Even Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his willingness to cooperate fully with Gao Shen.

Gao Shen had another meeting ahead to discuss the Barcelona game plan with Butragueno, so this session concluded...

"Oh, by the way, everyone should prepare a pair of earplugs for the trip to Barcelona."

With that, Gao Shen left.

The room was left confused.

Why earplugs for Barcelona?

(To be continued.)

***

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