Starting With Real Madrid

"To be honest, your plan surprised us."

Inside the head coach's office at Valdebebas, Butragueño was visibly taken aback as he read through Gao Shen's plan.

He had rushed over from the Santiago Bernabéu after receiving a call from Gao Shen.

As the club's vice president and current head of public relations, Butragueño was responsible for coordinating any strategy that involved the media or required shaping public perception.

"Are you trying to force Barcelona into a fight to the death?" Butragueño asked curiously.

Gao Shen sat on the sofa, looked up at the ceiling, and laughed. "I hope Vilanova follows the path I've carefully laid out for him. That'll give me a better chance of winning."

His plan was actually nothing too complicated—it was about building pressure.

By using Real Madrid-friendly media to stir the pot, Gao Shen aimed to create a situation where Barcelona had no choice but to go all-in.

The most direct approach was to hype up his own undefeated record against Barcelona, stirring resentment among their fans, players, and even coaching staff—forcing them into a state where they felt they had to win at Camp Nou.

Normally, Barcelona would be expected to have the upper hand at Camp Nou. But due to Gao Shen's consistent dominance over them in recent years, if Vilanova opted for a more cautious approach, the effectiveness of Gao Shen's tactical trap would be significantly reduced.

So, he wanted Barcelona to take the initiative.

"Are you confident that Vilanova will take the bait?" Butragueño asked, glancing at the printed plan in his hand.

"Absolutely. He's taken over Guardiola's position and certainly doesn't want to remain in his shadow. He'll want to prove that he's better than Guardiola. And the fastest way to do that right now is to beat me."

"If he wins, they go seven points clear in the league. That's a massive advantage. At the same time, he'll be able to proudly declare to the world that he's not Guardiola's successor—he's Tito Vilanova!"

Butragueño had to admit, Gao Shen's analysis made a lot of sense.

Looking across the football world, the only person capable of making everyone at Barcelona both hate and fear him was indeed Gao Shen.

"Alright, I understand. I'll handle it," Butragueño nodded.

As Real Madrid's PR head for many years, executing a maneuver like this was a routine task.

"Be subtle about it. Don't make it too obvious. Also, I'll make a few remarks at the press conference this afternoon."

With Gao Shen's status and the massive spotlight on the upcoming Clásico, anything he said would be headline news across major outlets. If he dropped a provocative quote, it was guaranteed to lead the front pages.

This was all part of his psychological game plan.

Gao Shen was no stranger to this.

"Be honest with me. How confident are you about this match?" Butragueño asked with a serious look.

Right now, the situation wasn't ideal for Real Madrid—they were four points behind.

If they lost this match, the gap would stretch to seven points, a margin that could very well decide the title.

Miracles like the comeback of 2006 don't happen every season.

A legend is a legend precisely because it can't be repeated.

"Relax. The team is running smoothly now. No one can stop us!" Gao Shen said confidently.

He wasn't just saying this to reassure Butragueño. He truly believed in his squad.

Especially after the last few matches, the team was performing better and better, and the players were reaching peak form. Gao Shen firmly believed the team was only going to improve further.

"Alright, I'll get started on the arrangements." Butragueño stood up, reassured.

He trusted Gao Shen. Deeply.

"One more thing."

Before leaving, Butragueño suddenly remembered something and turned back.

"For this trip to Barcelona, the president said he wants to lead the team personally."

Gao Shen looked surprised. Butragueño nodded solemnly, "He didn't want us to tell you, but I think you should know. This will be his first time at Camp Nou since 2009."

As Gao Shen had once said, a big figure like Florentino rarely makes personal appearances unless victory is almost certain.

He avoids exposing himself to unnecessary risk or embarrassment.

Going to Camp Nou to oversee an away game wasn't something Florentino usually did. He didn't like putting himself in situations where there was a chance of losing—especially not in public.

Just like the centenary loss, a defeat witnessed by the world, it had been deeply humiliating.

This time, his trip had been kept under wraps, clearly to avoid placing extra pressure on Gao Shen.

This was a public show of support.

Even if they lost, Florentino would stand behind him.

In success or in failure, they stood together.

"I understand. Thank you," Gao Shen said with a smile.

He could feel Florentino's support and trust.

…

While press conferences at Valdebebas were usually more low-key than those at the Bernabéu, this time—because of the Clásico—it drew over a hundred media outlets from around the world.

That included Chinese media.

The match would be broadcast live in China, drawing massive attention from fans back home.

Everyone was asking: could Gao Shen's Real Madrid defeat Barcelona?

As with all pre-match press conferences, Gao Shen began by announcing the 18-man squad for the trip to Camp Nou.

The biggest surprise was the inclusion of Kaká once again.

Gao Shen explained that Kaká was an experienced player who could still help the team in many situations. He didn't reveal whether the Brazilian would start.

Although Toni Kroos and Modric had performed well since the beginning of the season, Kaká still had unique strengths as a former Ballon d'Or winner—particularly compared to Toni Kroos.

After revealing the squad, Gao Shen answered a number of media questions.

Naturally, many focused on Barcelona.

Asked about Vilanova replacing Guardiola, Gao Shen said he didn't think Barcelona had changed much.

This aligned with the general opinion of fans and pundits.

Gao Shen stated that Vilanova had largely continued Guardiola's system, without introducing any major tactical changes. Therefore, Barcelona remained one of the strongest teams in world football and were still Real Madrid's biggest rival.

The implication: Vilanova's success so far was thanks to the foundation laid by Guardiola.

But then Gao Shen shifted gears and emphasized his own undefeated record against Barcelona.

"For me, beating Barcelona is as easy as breathing!"

The room erupted.

Seriously? That arrogant?

But it was electrifying.

The media lit up instantly.

Who else on Earth dared to say something like that about Barcelona?

And was it even false?

Not really. It had been more than six years since Gao Shen's debut, and he had never lost to Barcelona.

Champions League finals, La Liga, knockout rounds—on every stage, Barcelona had suffered defeat at his hands.

But still, to say it was "as easy as breathing" was a bold stretch.

Not that the media cared.

This was exactly what they wanted.

Clickbait quotes!

The more outrageous and arrogant Gao Shen was, the more the press loved him.

Reporters continued asking questions, but they all received the same answer.

Mention that Barcelona is still undefeated and currently leading La Liga?

Gao Shen: "I remain undefeated against Barcelona."

Mention that Barcelona's lineup is more mature and stable, and their team is stronger?

Gao Shen: "I remain undefeated against Barcelona."

On and on it went…

Eventually, even the Catalan media couldn't take it and bluntly asked Gao Shen if he could stop flaunting his record.

Gao Shen simply smiled and replied, "Why should I? I am, after all, still unbeaten against Barcelona!"

Infuriating!

To Barcelona's fans, and the Catalan media, this guy was unbearable.

God, how could someone be so smug and insufferable?

…

Just how much did Barcelona fans hate Gao Shen?

Once the media spread his press conference remarks, the internet exploded. Countless Barcelona fans were so enraged they joked about hiring someone to keep him from ever stepping foot in Camp Nou.

That evening, when Real Madrid arrived in Barcelona, nearly a hundred radical fans swarmed the airport and blocked the team bus. Some even hurled stones, smashing one of the windows.

Fortunately, the Barcelona police quickly arrived and restored order, safely escorting Real Madrid to their hotel.

But even then, Barcelona fans weren't done.

They gathered in even greater numbers outside the hotel, forming a relentless rotation to harass Real Madrid's players all night long—hurling insults, jeers, and all kinds of abuse, especially aimed at Gao Shen.

Only then did the players finally understand why their coach had told them to bring earplugs.

Boss… you really know Barcelona well!

And Gao Shen?

He didn't get angry at all. Instead, he pulled out his phone, filmed the scene, and posted it directly on Twitter, mocking the Barcelona fans.

Naturally, this only further enraged them.

Unbelievable arrogance!

Even some Barcelona players expressed outrage in media interviews.

Piqué spoke up, reassuring fans that the team would avenge them at Camp Nou.

"We're going to crush Real Madrid at Camp Nou!"

"5-0! We'll make them pay the ultimate price!"

The score he mentioned carried special significance in the history of El Clásico.

Puyol and others echoed the sentiment, saying they were confident of winning.

"I can't wait to see Gao Shen walk off the Camp Nou pitch in humiliation," Vilanova publicly declared to the media.

Clearly, Gao Shen had successfully ignited the rage of all of Barcelona.

(To be continued.)