Starting With Real Madrid

From the moment he took over coaching Real Madrid, Gao Shen had to face a common dilemma for any head coach.

When you decide to play a defensive counterattack, what should you do at the start?

This is a problem every manager inevitably has to consider.

Many choose to push forward in the opening minutes.

The benefit of doing this is that it can disrupt the opponent's rhythm and might even create an early scoring chance.

And attacking happens to be what Gao Shen is best at.

He has always been very familiar with Barcelona, and he knows well that their opening phase is rarely sharp. They often need time to settle in and take control of the tempo.

It's like a car. It takes a moment to accelerate from zero to one hundred.

This window gives the opponent a chance to strike.

In the first half, Gao Shen didn't instruct his team to press or attack. Considering they were playing at Camp Nou, and many Real Madrid players lacked match rhythm or were experiencing their first El Clásico, he opted for a cautious and stable defensive approach from the beginning.

But the second half was different.

Gao Shen clearly sensed the desire of his players to score again. At the same time, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to disrupt Barcelona's tempo and lift his team's morale.

At the very least, he wanted the players to know that Real Madrid still had the ability to fight back.

So he arranged for the team to launch a direct offensive right after the second half began.

But he also made it clear: regardless of the result of the first wave, they would immediately fall back afterward.

…

As expected, at the start of the second half, Barcelona tried to steady their rhythm and maintain control of possession.

But unlike the first half, Real Madrid launched an aggressive attack right away, especially down the left flank.

Marcelo and Ronaldo worked seamlessly together on that side, which had always been Real Madrid's primary attacking route. With Benzema and Toni Kroos involved as well, the left-side attack was particularly effective.

After just over a minute, they forced multiple throw-ins on the left wing.

Each time, the ball advanced closer to Barcelona's penalty area.

At 1 minute and 34 seconds, Real Madrid earned a throw-in in Barcelona's 30-meter zone.

This made Barcelona feel as if they were under siege.

Marcelo stood on the sideline, rubbed the ball with his already-dirty jersey, then waved to Benzema, signaling him to come over.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Toni Kroos were heavily marked, as was Xabi Alonso.

Only Gao Shen, his coaching staff, and the Real Madrid players truly knew that they were setting up a tactical routine on the left flank through this throw-in.

Barcelona's defense was also focused on that side, tightly marking several Real Madrid players.

Most of the players on the pitch were drawn to the left, leaving the center somewhat open and the right completely unguarded.

Gao Shen, though standing far from the throw-in area, kept his eyes glued to the ball.

Zidane, Hierro, Carlo, and the others also noticed something different about this setup.

This group of players had rehearsed this kind of routine in training, but no one knew exactly how it would play out.

As soon as the referee blew the whistle, Marcelo quickly threw the ball toward Benzema.

Just as expected!

Barcelona's defenders shifted, closing in as the Real Madrid players moved.

Benzema faced Piqué, but instead of battling the center-back, he broke forward.

Marcelo's throw landed just ahead of him, and Benzema took two quick steps to head it back toward the left.

Ronaldo, who had drifted back from the end line, turned sideways, chested down Benzema's header, then swung his right leg and lofted a cross.

From Marcelo's throw to Benzema's header to Ronaldo's chest control and pass, the entire sequence was fluid and seamless. The ball never touched the ground, giving Barcelona's defense no time to react.

Because it was rehearsed in advance, Ronaldo's lob was perfectly placed and dropped into the left arc of the penalty area. Modrić arrived just in time and headed the ball into the box, getting in front of Xavi near the left side of the penalty spot.

The ball bounced for the first time inside the penalty area.

Then, a white-shirted figure arrived, cutting across and striking it on the volley before it could rise again.

The shot redirected the ball at incredible speed toward the left corner of the goal.

Valdés reacted quickly and instinctively reached for the ball, but it just brushed past the post and flew into the left side of the net.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"

"Di María!!!"

"Real Madrid! Real Madrid scores again!"

"3-0!"

"That was a brilliantly executed throw-in routine from Real Madrid. The ball only hit the ground once before Di María's strike. The three players before him kept it in the air the whole time."

"What an absolutely stunning sequence!"

On the sidelines, Gao Shen clenched his fists and shouted in celebration, applauding the players for such a brilliant goal.

The rest of the coaching staff also leapt from their seats and applauded.

This goal was truly a beauty!

More importantly, it caught Barcelona completely off guard!

Who would have expected Real Madrid to use a throw-in to produce such a fluid and lethal sequence?

All the Real Madrid players sprinted toward the corner flag to celebrate the goal.

Inside Camp Nou, a deafening wave of boos rang out from Barcelona fans.

A hundred thousand people booing at once — what a sight!

…

If Barcelona president Sandro Rosell still believed the first goal was a fluke or a stroke of luck, then the second goal and their long stretches of stagnation during the first half had already revealed Vilanova's helplessness.

He simply had no answer for this powerful Real Madrid side.

To concede from a throw-in right at the start of the second half completely shattered any remaining hope for Barcelona. The scoreline was practically out of reach.

Especially given that Barcelona had enjoyed a significant advantage in possession and passing in the first half but still couldn't break through Real Madrid's defense — the result of this match was already set.

The only remaining suspense was whether Barcelona could at least score a goal.

Last season at the Bernabéu, Barcelona had beaten Real Madrid 3-1.

But even then, Real Madrid managed to get on the scoreboard.

Now, that's all anyone expects from Barcelona.

At least save some face, right?

"These kinds of unusual goals are really a matter of luck," said Florentino, who was sitting next to Rosell. His smile was calm, like a serene Buddha. But to every Barcelona fan in the box, his words sounded sarcastic and biting.

It's 3-0, and you're calling it luck?

Is that a dig at Real Madrid?

Or just salt in Barcelona's wounds?

Yet looking at Florentino's face, there was no trace of malice. Rosell couldn't even find a reason to get angry.

"Tonight, the goddess of luck just wasn't with Barcelona," Florentino said with a nod and smile.

Rosell forced a bitter smile. What could he say?

Admit they were unlucky?

Even if he had the thickest skin, he couldn't say that right after conceding a third goal.

But to say their team wasn't good enough...

How could he accept that?

After all, this Barcelona team had played together for years. In terms of chemistry and strength, they were arguably stronger than Real Madrid.

Just take the midfield — can Toni Kroos and Modrić really compare with Xavi and Iniesta?

But in this moment, Rosell had nothing to say.

Florentino didn't rub salt in the wound.

Back on the pitch, the game restarted.

Real Madrid continued to attack for a few more minutes. But once they realized Barcelona had adjusted and closed the gaps, Gao Shen waved his hand and ordered the team to fall back and defend again.

So, after scoring, Real Madrid returned to their previous posture.

The 100,000 Barcelona fans inside Camp Nou booed in frustration.

Seriously? Can't you show some spirit of a strong team?

Why not press forward and go head-to-head?

But Real Madrid didn't say a word. Just two: No way!

Every time Real Madrid got on the ball, they were met with another round of boos. But Barcelona could do nothing to crack Real Madrid's defensive setup.

"It's already October. With the international break coming up, your technical department should sit down with Gao Shen and discuss whether we need any winter signings. Our bench still lacks depth," Florentino leaned over and said quietly in Valdano's ear.

Real Madrid's technical director nodded. "We're monitoring it. Right now, the thinner spots are in midfield and on the wings. We're drafting a shortlist. But at the moment, it doesn't look like Gao Shen is planning to make any moves in the winter window."

The team is in great shape. Especially after tonight's win over Barcelona, the points gap has narrowed to just one.

The only downside is that La Liga will now go on a break, followed by two weeks of international matches — always a nerve-wracking period.

Every head coach prays that the national teams will be careful with their players and not return them injured.

Florentino also knows that winter transfers are rarely ideal. It's hard to bring in top-quality players mid-season.

As the saying goes, winter signings are rarely successful. If there's no urgent need, most clubs avoid it. Gao Shen, too, doesn't seem inclined toward winter spending.

But Florentino wasn't bothered.

From a 1-3 loss at home last season to a 3-0 win away this season, he was already more than satisfied.

His greatest hope now was for the team to hold the scoreline — or better yet, extend it.

If they could maintain the 3-0 result, both he and Real Madrid would be immensely proud.

Years of frustration could finally be wiped away.

At that moment, Real Madrid would truly step out of Barcelona's shadow!

(To be continued.)

Power stones please?

***

For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on P/treon to read 30+ advanced chapters: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves

(Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)