Starting With Real Madrid

In fact, Gao Shen is a huge fan of Ronaldo, a very dedicated fan.

Given his age, it's no exaggeration to say that he grew up watching Ronaldo play football.

But sometimes, life has its peculiar twists.

Who would have thought that he would accidentally travel through time and become Ronaldo's head coach?

What's even more outrageous is that after becoming the head coach of Real Madrid, instead of using his status as a fan to make good use of Ronaldo, he ended up sidelining him. So far, it has been a month, and he has not included Ronaldo in the squad.

As he poured water in front of the water dispenser, Gao Shen thought for a while, feeling genuinely ashamed of his status as a Ronaldo fan.

At the very least, he was embarrassed to even mention it.

...

The hardware and software facilities of the Real Madrid head coach's office are excellent.

The decor is high-end, with sofas, desks, and other furniture that are clearly top-notch. Even the computers seem to be highly configured. Playing Football Manager on them would surely allow access to the largest database without any issues.

Gao Shen had several thoughts in his mind, some of which even made him laugh.

After pouring the water, he turned around and walked back to the sofa, finding Ronaldo sitting opposite him, his hands clasped in front of him, fingers interlaced, looking a bit nervous or rather uneasy.

Gao Shen found this puzzling, but after thinking it over, he understood.

What kind of person is Ronaldo?

Many people see him as a simple, honest, and cheerful individual, always smiling with his signature rabbit teeth and thoroughly enjoying football.

That's certainly true, but it's only a part of Ronaldo's personality.

To put it more strictly, it's the part of him that comes out after having fun on the football field.

Ordinary people can't imagine what Ronaldo has endured throughout his career. For many, every serious injury he suffered would be unimaginable and potentially career-ending.

But he overcame each one, making a triumphant return every time.

Football has given him a lot, but it has also taken a lot from him.

From a young age, he has been a prodigy, recognized globally as a transcendent genius, held in high regard, and cared for by everyone. Thus, he has grown willful, needing others to coax, care for, and accommodate him.

He once stood at the pinnacle of world football, compared with Pele and Maradona, yet he was so fragile. From the eve of the World Cup final in France to the serious injuries after joining Inter Milan, he experienced rapid falls from his peak.

Many believe that the World Cup in Korea and Japan brought him to the pinnacle of his career. This is true, but his career at the club level was bleak. All his honors were won with the Brazilian national team.

When he joined Real Madrid, he wanted to prove himself wholeheartedly, but who would have thought that after a league championship, Real Madrid's superstar strategy would fall into a bottomless abyss, far from meeting his expectations.

Initially, the external world started questioning him more and more. Gradually, his teammates began to question him, and eventually, he started doubting himself. Was he not as strong or as good as he thought?

The more he tried to prove himself, the worse things got.

Eventually, he became sensitive, complicated, and anxious.

His willfulness prevented him from cooperating amicably with powerful coaches like Cooper and Luxemburgo; his sensitivity and anxiety led him to doubt himself and lose confidence; age and injuries continued to wear down his body...

All of this combined to create the Ronaldo we see today.

...

The office door was closed.

There were only two people inside.

What Gao Shen saw was an anxious, unconfident Ronaldo.

Ronaldo has never been like Carlos. Even if he sometimes says things to the media, it's often more like self-protection or a helpless struggle against reality, or an escape.

For instance, his indulgence in nightclubs and women is akin to how some students, disinterested in classes, immerse themselves in computers and online games.

Gao Shen was really surprised. He had imagined many scenarios for meeting Ronaldo and how their conversation would go. He thought Ronaldo would be very proud and willful or even threaten and intimidate him, but he never expected Ronaldo to show such a vulnerable side.

He is a genius!

But genius is always fragile!

Gao Shen gently placed the water glass in front of Ronaldo and sat down beside him. Seeing Ronaldo with his head lowered, seemingly not ready to speak, Gao Shen decided to start the conversation.

"I've wanted to talk to you for a long time, but I haven't found the right opportunity," Gao Shen began.

This sounded a bit perfunctory.

Ronaldo raised his head and glanced at Gao Shen, "Really?"

Gao Shen nodded. "I've always thought you should be the most important person on the team."

Ronaldo looked at Gao Shen silently, perhaps unsure whether to believe him.

Since taking over, Gao Shen had never included him in the squad.

"You know, football is a team game of 11 players. To win a game, we often don't choose the best and most important 11 players but select the 11 most suitable ones. Through tactics and overall collaboration, we maximize overall strength. Can you understand what I mean?"

Ronaldo understood. Gao Shen meant that the strongest and most important players are not always the most suitable.

"Have you watched the games since I took over?" Gao Shen asked suddenly.

Ronaldo was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "Every home game I attend, and I watch the away games live."

"How do you feel?" Gao Shen smiled and asked again.

"The team looks stronger than before."

"Have you thought about why?"

Ronaldo nodded silently but didn't speak.

He had thought about it, which was why he was sitting here.

"Actually, I think the team's potential hasn't been fully realized. We still have considerable untapped potential, like you, Carlos, Robinho, Baptista, and Cicinho. You are all excellent players with great individual abilities that can significantly help the team."

Gao Shen's tone shifted. "Maybe you think what I said is a bit insincere, but consider this: if you had been on the front line in Turin when Juventus pressed heavily and attacked frantically, do you think Capello would have dared to do that?"

"If at Highbury, when we started suppressing Arsenal's onslaught, Robinho could have played and utilized his dribbling and breakthrough skills, how much of a threat would that have posed to Arsenal's defense?"

Ronaldo stared at Gao Shen and suddenly realized that Gao Shen did understand them. He didn't use them, but it wasn't out of ignorance.

He had also thought about these issues. If he replaced Negredo, he might seize some opportunities and score some goals, but he couldn't run and press as widely as Negredo or engage in many physical confrontations with the opponent's central defenders, consuming their energy.

The same applied to Robinho. It was impossible for him to retreat to the front of his own penalty area during defense like Raul and Beckham or actively participate in the counter-press when losing the ball. This wasn't the style of Brazilian players.

But this was what Gao Shen wanted.

In other words, this was the new trend in European football in the past two or three years.

Even in Barcelona, ​​known as the strongest in Europe, aside from Ronaldinho, players like Eto'o, Messi, Giuly, Deco, Xavi, and Iniesta provided extensive running coverage and pressing.

Real Madrid's superstars were getting old.

In the past, they wanted to rely on their reputations, play leisurely, earn high salaries, and win championships. But now, those days were gone.

Zidane, Raul, and Beckham fought hard in every game. Ronaldo could see it.

...

Gao Shen didn't say more, silently waiting for Ronaldo to speak again.

He had expressed his attitude clearly. He believed Ronaldo would understand his meaning.

The key was whether Ronaldo was willing.

After nearly two minutes of silence, Ronaldo raised his head again, looked directly at Gao Shen, and asked, "Do you think we can win the championship? La Liga, or the Champions League, either one."

Gao Shen sighed, shook his head, and smiled. "Who knows?"

After a pause, he added, "In La Liga, we were ten points behind Barcelona, but now, the gap is down to five points. If we can beat them at Camp Nou, we can narrow it to two points. But you know how difficult that is. If we lose, we'll be eight points behind."

"And in the Champions League, our opponent is Juventus, one of the strongest, most balanced, and comprehensive teams in European football. Capello is one of the best coaches in the world. Who dares to guarantee a win against such a team?"

"The quarter-finals are so challenging. What about the semi-finals? What about the finals?"

The Champions League has never been an easy task.

Every step is a huge test for the team's overall strength and everyone involved.

Even if they drew 0-0 away at Juventus and returned to the Bernabeu, would Real Madrid surely win?

Gao Shen had indeed identified a crucial weakness in Juventus, but could Real Madrid capitalize on it? Even if they could, would they be able to score?

Let's not forget, Juventus had the greatest goalkeeper in football history, Buffon!

The football field has never had a sure thing.

"Ronnie," Gao Shen said, breaking the silence again. "As your fan, I look forward to seeing your performance on the pitch. As the team's head coach, I can assure you that Real Madrid needs you, but..."

Gao Shen's tone became firm, his eyes fixed on Ronaldo.

"Real Madrid needs more cohesion and more unity"