Starting With Real Madrid

Ever since Real Madrid fans learned that their team had been drawn against Napoli in the Champions League group stage, they've been feeling conflicted and uneasy.

No head coach since Vicente del Bosque has earned as much respect and affection from Real Madrid fans as Gao Shen.

He delivered the league and Champions League double for Real Madrid, an extraordinary achievement.

But during his time as head coach, many fans and pundits failed to give him the recognition he deserved. This lack of respect remains a sore spot for many Real Madrid supporters, who now look back on that period with regret.

Some fans even believe that Gao Shen was forced out by the very same people who now miss him the most.

It's a strange truth about Real Madrid: over the years, most coaches who left the club found their careers diminished afterward.

From Radomir Antić to Leo Beenhakker in the early 1990s, or later Jupp Heynckes, who led Real Madrid to a Champions League victory, most faded into obscurity. Few can even recall where Heynckes went after his time at Madrid.

Even Guus Hiddink, who reached the Champions League semi-finals with PSV Eindhoven, became more associated with coaching national teams, such as South Korea in the 2002 World Cup, a run that many viewed with skepticism.

Then there were others: Toshack, Del Bosque, Queiroz, Camacho, Luxemburgo...

Fabio Capello was one of the few exceptions, finding some success with Roma and Juventus after leaving Madrid. Still, his career never hit the same heights as during his time at the Bernabéu.

Over the years, Real Madrid fans have developed a peculiar mindset:

For players, their peak is at Real Madrid. For coaches, their career pinnacle is also at Real Madrid.

This unique aura around the club has bred a sense of entitlement among the fans. They demand not just victories but beautiful football, something no other club demands with such intensity.

Real Madrid prides itself on being the most distinctive club in world football, with the most discerning and demanding fans.

But Gao Shen broke that mold.

Historically, coaches are either fired or step down when their time at Real Madrid ends. Few, if any, voluntarily walk away from the club, because for most coaches, it's the pinnacle of their careers.

Gao Shen became the first exception.

At just 25, he won the league and Champions League double with Real Madrid, cementing his place as one of the most talented young coaches in football. He not only earned the respect of his players and opponents but also, perhaps most remarkably, won over the notoriously hard-to-please Madrid fans.

And yet, instead of staying to bask in his success, Gao Shen made the shocking decision to leave.

His parting words after the Champions League final still resonate with many fans and have left a lasting impact on the club. Former general manager Martín, who was heavily criticized by fans for mishandling the situation, left the club in disgrace.

If Gao Shen had followed the typical trajectory of former Real Madrid coaches, seeing his career decline after leaving, then perhaps the fans could have made peace with his departure.

But Gao Shen's career trajectory defied expectations.

Instead of fading into obscurity, he chose an audacious path: leaving the pinnacle of European football to coach a newly promoted Serie B team, Napoli.

At the time, many viewed his move as a joke. Some laughed at his decision, others accused him of chasing money, and plenty predicted his career was over.

But now, he has led Napoli to back-to-back Serie A titles as a newly promoted team, an unprecedented achievement. And now, he has brought Napoli to the Champions League, where they will face Real Madrid.

It's as though Gao Shen is using his remarkable achievements to send a clear message to the world: he didn't rely on Real Madrid to win the double; rather, Real Madrid relied on him.

For the first time, Real Madrid fans regret losing a former coach.

For the first time, they fear facing an ex-coach.

And for the first time, they hope their former coach will one day return.

Fabio Capello once compared Real Madrid to a scornful lover, discarding coaches after using them, yet always able to lure them back with the faintest gesture.

But now, as Capello might say, the tables have turned. Real Madrid, the "scornful lover," has met the one coach it cannot seduce so easily.

Real Madrid is trapped.

Gao Shen has become the dream figure, the unattainable ideal, for both the fans and the club itself.

Real Madrid fans are worried.

Those who witnessed the magic of Gao Shen's brief reign in 2006 have not forgotten it. The road to that historic double is still the stuff of legends, recounted time and time again.

But the question remains: can Real Madrid withstand the tactical brilliance of the very man who once brought them glory?

---

Before leaving for Madrid, Gao Shen held a pre-match press conference at Castel Volturno.

In addition to announcing the 18-man squad for the match, he also addressed the media's questions.

This was the first time he would face his old club since leaving, and both fans and reporters were eager to hear his thoughts.

"This is a strange feeling," Gao Shen admitted. "But I'm a professional coach."

Though he had avoided publicly commenting on Real Madrid's performances under Capello and Schuster, the upcoming match compelled him to discuss his former players.

He identified three players Napoli needed to watch closely: Raul, Guti, and Ramos.

"Raul is the spiritual leader and the face of Real Madrid. He's also the active player with the most goals in Champions League history. His experience in this competition is unmatched, so we'll need to defend him carefully."

"Guti is one of the most creative players I've ever seen. He always has the ability to pull off something unexpected. Players like him are dangerous at any moment."

As for Ramos, who had faced heavy criticism this season, Gao Shen offered his defense.

"All the criticism directed at Ramos is unfair. I know him well, he was one of Real Madrid's best players during my time there. I think he's an exceptional center-back. I don't understand why some people think he should play on the right."

Gao Shen also expressed disbelief at how Real Madrid had used some of its younger players.

"It's hard to understand why players like De la Red, Arbeloa, and Juan Mata haven't been given more opportunities. These players are good enough to start for any team in the world. So, is it them who aren't good enough, or is it this Real Madrid team?"

It was a pointed question that left reporters buzzing.

Regarding Napoli's approach to the match, Gao Shen was clear:

"We won't play conservatively. That's not our style. Even against Real Madrid, we'll stick to our philosophy and play our football."

"To the fans of Real Madrid, I want to say that the club will always hold a special place in my heart. But as a professional coach, my job is to lead Napoli to victory, even at the Bernabéu."

"I hope this will be a match that showcases the highest level of European football."

---

Gao Shen's words quickly made headlines.

When Napoli arrived in Madrid the night before the match, hundreds of Real Madrid fans showed up at the airport to greet him.

Some held up photos of Gao Shen celebrating the double with Real Madrid, while others held banners that read:

"Gao, welcome home!"

"We'll always wait for you!"

"Please come back, Gao!"

"Real Madrid needs you! We need you!"

The sight left Gao Shen deeply moved. He hadn't expected such a warm reception.

Napoli's squad included two former Real Madrid players, Parejo and Callejon, who had flourished under Gao Shen's guidance. They were both part of the 18-man squad for the match.

As the team bus left Madrid Capital Airport, Gao Shen stared out the window, lost in thought.

The city's skyline shimmered in the night, particularly the four-tower commercial district that had transformed the old Real Madrid training grounds into one of Madrid's busiest hubs.

Sitting beside him, Zidane noticed Gao Shen's pensive mood.

Everyone has a time and place they cherish most in life. For Zidane, his best years had been at Real Madrid. He suspected Gao Shen felt the same.

"Have you ever thought about coming back?" Zidane asked suddenly.

Over the past two years, Real Madrid's president had reached out to Gao Shen several times, hoping to lure him back. Each time, Gao Shen had declined.

"It's not time yet," Gao Shen said with a faint smile.

Zidane was momentarily taken aback but chose not to press further. Timing, he understood, was something you couldn't control.

"Florentino invited me to lunch tomorrow," Gao Shen added, turning to Zidane with a slight smile.

"You should come too."

"Alright," Zidane replied without hesitation.

***

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