Starting With Real Madrid

"GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"C Ronaldo scored again!"

"That's a brace for him!"

"In the 15th minute, Ronaldo found the net once more for Real Madrid. It's 2-0!"

"My god, Real Madrid has had an explosive start tonight."

"It's not just their rock-solid defense, but also their lightning-fast counterattacks that have left a lasting impression."

"Especially this goal. From Marcelo to Benzema, then to Ronaldo — the entire move was executed with incredible speed, leaving Barcelona's defense with no time to react. They were completely broken through and exposed."

The live broadcast repeatedly showed replays of Ronaldo's goal, switching between different angles to highlight every detail.

Benzema's assist was smart and precise, and Ronaldo's speed was absolutely astonishing.

This burst sprint is the Portuguese superstar's trademark. Back at Manchester United, Ferguson always designed the team's tactics around this strength. After moving to Real Madrid, the entire system has continued to play to this advantage.

And just now, that speed was on full display.

When the camera switched to the sidelines, it showed Ronaldo celebrating the goal surrounded by Real Madrid players. As he walked back, he turned toward the technical area and high-fived Gao Shen in front of the visiting team's dugout. Then he took the initiative to walk over and hugged the Real Madrid head coach.

This moment earned thunderous cheers from the Real Madrid fans in attendance.

"There had been rumors before that Ronaldo and coach Gao Shen didn't get along."

"But now, with a hug after scoring, the Portuguese forward has silenced all those doubters, proving there's no issue between him and Gao Shen."

"This is already his 13th goal in La Liga this season."

"Thirteen goals in just seven league matches — that's a record-breaking start in La Liga history."

"This could be the best version of Cristiano Ronaldo we've ever seen!"

"Gao Shen has also lived up to his preseason promise. He said he'd bring the best football and the best players to Real Madrid. And right now, the Real Madrid under his leadership is doing exactly that."

"Tonight, at Camp Nou, Real Madrid's possession rate is less than 30%, but anyone watching wouldn't call their performance dull. Quite the opposite — the match has been fluid and exciting."

"This season, Real Madrid's defensive system is completely different from the one under Mourinho."

"Gao Shen has turned Real Madrid's defense into a true art form, especially when it comes to defending against Barcelona. It's breathtaking to watch. I believe this will definitely draw worldwide attention from media and fans after the game."

"2-0, Real Madrid is currently in the lead."

"And we have every reason to believe that tonight's clash will be an unforgettable showdown!"

…

But things are rarely that simple.

Just when everyone expected Real Madrid and Barcelona to go head-to-head in an all-out offensive battle, the match instead slipped into a deadlock.

After the restart, Barcelona continued their patient control of possession, while Real Madrid stuck to their defensive counterattacking strategy.

Both teams played with caution.

Barcelona attempted several attacks but failed to break through Real Madrid's defensive wall.

A very obvious signal was that every time Messi got on the ball, he was instantly surrounded by at least two defenders.

Real Madrid's defensive formation remained tight and compact, always ensuring Messi had no space.

Every time Messi got the ball, he was harassed by multiple defenders.

As a result, Barcelona kept passing the ball back, repeatedly recycling it in their own half, moving it between the two center-backs and midfielders.

Real Madrid maintained their shape without even attempting aggressive pressing. Instead, they focused on intercepting and disrupting Barcelona's passing lanes. The players adjusted their positions accordingly.

Barcelona fans at Camp Nou were clearly unhappy with Real Madrid's "passive" style, believing that this kind of football shouldn't be seen in a so-called derby of the century. How could Real Madrid not push forward in a clash between Spain's two giants?

But the Real Madrid fans in the stadium were equally frustrated.

Why should we press high?

The ball's already in your hands. Why are you asking us to come forward?

As a result, two contrasting atmospheres emerged at Camp Nou.

Barcelona calmly kept possession in their midfield and defensive third, as if constantly tempting Real Madrid, saying: "If you've got what it takes, come get it!"

Real Madrid held firm at the back: "We're not stupid. If you really want to play, come into our half!"

If the first 15 or 16 minutes were exciting, the rest of the first half fell into a stalemate.

The match still flowed smoothly, but neither side managed to create many clear chances.

On one hand, Barcelona's attacks were contained. They couldn't find a viable attacking route and didn't want to commit too many players forward.

On the other hand, Real Madrid stayed cautious, sticking to their plan, never overcommitting, and playing steadily.

Time ticked on, and the score remained 2-0.

According to international convention, the home team is listed first, so it's Barcelona 0, Real Madrid 2.

But the scoreline only tells part of the story. The real insights lie in the data.

In terms of possession and passing, Barcelona had a whopping 73% of the ball, meaning Real Madrid only had 27%. Essentially, Barcelona had control for the majority of the match.

Even more telling, Barcelona had a pass completion rate of 92%.

What does this mean?

It means that Real Madrid barely tried to win the ball back.

But the real issue is that despite such a high possession and passing accuracy, Barcelona only managed two shots.

That's unbelievable. Their efficiency was simply too low.

And what about Real Madrid?

They had six shots — three times that of Barcelona and four of them were on target. Highly efficient. It showed just how threatening Real Madrid's attacks were. And they scored twice.

So what does this all mean?

According to the real-time data from Gao Shen and the Real Madrid coaching staff, Barcelona's possession and passing were as impressive as ever. But the passing map and heatmap clearly showed that most of their passes happened in the midfield and defensive third.

Piqué and Puyol had the most passes in the match. Who would believe that?

Sánchez and Pedro up front barely saw the ball.

This exposed a major problem for Barcelona: they couldn't effectively move the ball into the final third.

…

At halftime, in the Real Madrid dressing room, Gao Shen was very satisfied with the team's first-half performance. But he still pointed out several problems, most of them in defense.

He didn't consider Real Madrid's tactics conservative or negative.

With the current strength of the squad, they could try to go head-to-head with Barcelona in terms of possession, but their chances of success wouldn't be high.

Barcelona's dominance might be declining, but they haven't dropped to the level where they can be easily beaten.

Real Madrid does have the potential to suppress Barcelona — but not yet.

The team is newly reorganized and hasn't built enough chemistry. Going into a direct confrontation with Barcelona at this stage would be unwise.

If given a choice, Gao Shen would love a proper duel with Barcelona. But reality demands pragmatism.

So during the break, he continued to reassure the players.

Before the match, he had already done the mental prep with the team. Now he emphasized again that the team must continue to defend steadily and counterattack in the second half.

"We did a great job in the first half. We only allowed Barcelona two shots. That's an achievement to be proud of. But there's still the second half to play, and we can't afford to lose focus."

Gao Shen broke down the team's first-half performance and analyzed what to expect in the second half. He was confident that Barcelona would go on the offensive.

"This is Camp Nou. No one in Barcelona will accept us leaving with a two-goal win. In the second half, they'll throw everything at us. It's going to be tough."

But Gao Shen didn't believe that Barcelona had any surprises left.

This has always been a problem with Barcelona: they lack a Plan B.

Simply put, they're too predictable.

They excel at one style of play — possession. One rhythm — slow and methodical. One attacking method — intricate passing...

That's why Barcelona matches always have the same rhythm and style.

Long balls? Wing crosses?

Not part of their game.

They don't even have the players for that, so how could they play that way?

So after shutting down Barcelona in the first half, Gao Shen repeatedly expressed his confidence in the team to keep them out in the second half.

The key was for everyone to maintain the same level of focus and discipline.

"Again, don't chase the ball. Don't lose concentration. Once we lose focus, there will be breakdowns in execution, and Barcelona's passing game will punish us."

"So I need every one of you to stay 200 percent locked in during the second half!"

Gao Shen was very confident that Barcelona would push forward. And as the clock ticked, they would grow more anxious.

When you're in a hurry, it's easy to make mistakes!

In fact, there's always been a paradox in Barcelona's style — scoring first is vital.

Many say Barcelona doesn't play well from behind. That's normal.

Their patience is built on strength and a lead. But how many teams stay patient when they're trailing?

So Barcelona often needs to score first.

Once they're ahead, the opponent has to push forward, which gives Barcelona more space and attacking chances.

But if they fall behind, they become passive.

Especially when time is against them, patience becomes harder to maintain. Once they lose composure, errors creep in. And when that happens, the opponent can strike on the counter or even score again.

Now, Real Madrid holds a two-goal lead. All they need to do is focus and wait for Barcelona to come at them.

"Trust me, we don't just want two goals tonight. We want more!"

Gao Shen roared at the Real Madrid players through gritted teeth.

(To be continued.)