Starting With Real Madrid

The live TV broadcast cut to a close-up of Gao Shen standing on the sidelines.

"This is Napoli's head coach, Gao Shen, only 28 years old this year!"

"But every coach who has underestimated him in the past has ended up paying the price."

"After making a name for himself at Real Madrid in 2006 and winning the double, he chose to move to Serie A, taking charge of Napoli."

"For two consecutive seasons, he led this newly promoted team to back-to-back championships—first in Serie B, then in Serie A. This season, in Napoli's first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign, he guided them to the final and came within touching distance of the title!"

"Three straight years, three underdog triumphs!"

"He is now the most sought-after coach in European football. No one can ignore his ability anymore, not after he defeated the equally young Guardiola."

"Gao Shen showed no mercy to his former assistant, he was ruthless!"

...

As the live broadcast continued, the stadium's giant screen displayed a high-definition close-up of Gao Shen.

This moment filled Su Qing, Gao Shen's parents, and Su Zhijun and his wife, seated among the Napoli supporters with immense pride.

They didn't understand Italian, but they could hear the countless fans in the stadium chanting Gao Shen's name in unison.

Gao!

The word also meant "goal" in Italian.

Were the Napoli fans calling for more goals, or were they cheering for their head coach?

Either way, the family felt nothing but pride for Gao Shen.

This was the pinnacle of European football, the Champions League final!

Guardiola's Barcelona had been unstoppable in La Liga and dominant in the Champions League, yet they had been met with fierce resistance from Napoli.

The roaring crowd was the greatest recognition of Gao Shen's achievements.

Gao Shen's mother, Zhang Wenying, clutched Su Qing's hands tightly, her grip alternating between firm and anxious as sweat formed on her palms.

Although their relationship wasn't officially confirmed yet, in Zhang Wenying's heart, Su Qing was already her daughter-in-law.

She had adored this girl since childhood and had always considered this possibility. Now that it was becoming a reality, she couldn't be happier.

"My heart can't take this kind of match," Zhang Wenying said with a smile, shaking her head.

She wasn't exaggerating, the tension was unbearable. The game's back-and-forth swings, combined with the deafening noise in the stadium, were almost too much for her.

"Tell me about it! My heart's pounding so fast it feels like it might stop at any moment," Su Qing's mother, Lin Xiuhui, agreed, shaking her head as well. She never understood why men enjoyed such nerve-wracking games.

Of course, the real reason for their stress was the stakes.

Gao Shen had once said that being a football fan meant having a team to support, that was what made the game exciting.

They didn't understand the sport, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were supporting the sky-blue jerseys.

Whenever Napoli lost possession, they tensed up. When the team regained the ball, they felt a rush of excitement. And when a goal was scored, they erupted with joy.

They weren't pretending, football had a way of drawing them in.

"If I had to watch a match like this every week, I'd probably die early," Zhang Wenying joked bitterly.

At their age, with slightly high blood pressure, the emotional rollercoaster of a football match was exhausting.

"That may be true, but the next time there's a match like this, you'll be here again, won't you?" Lin Xiuhui teased.

She and Zhang Wenying were close friends and often joked with each other like this.

Hearing them, Su Qing chuckled. "Next time, let's tell Gao Shen to win the match faster, no more dramatic twists and turns. Wouldn't that solve everything?"

Both Zhang Wenying and Lin Xiuhui nodded in agreement.

Winning the title straight away, without all this suspense, would be ideal.

"What are you guys even saying? This is the Champions League!" Su Zhijun, a die-hard football fan, couldn't take it anymore.

Watching a match with this group of "football amateurs" was torture for him.

"This is the most prestigious competition in world football!" he said, giving a thumbs-up. "Do you know? Since the Champions League was founded, only two active managers have won two titles. One is Ancelotti, the head coach of AC Milan, and the other is Ferguson, a legendary figure in the game. And now…"

"Why are you telling us this? We don't understand," Lin Xiuhui interrupted before he could finish.

Su Zhijun was speechless.

Seriously?

Trying to explain football to them was like trying to describe ice to a summer insect, it was pointless.

"All you need to know is that it's an incredible achievement! Gao Shen is only 28, and he already has two Champions League medals!"

Su Zhijun nearly lost his mind.

He just wanted to emphasize how prestigious and influential this title was, how much it meant in the football world…

But looking at the blank expressions around him, he sighed in defeat.

Forget it.

There was no explaining it to a bunch of football novices.

"Hey, Xiuhui, there's something wrong with what you just said. Gao Shen is from our family, so why are you claiming him?"

Of course, as a man, Gao Jianguo had to stand up for his friend, so he immediately spoke up.

Su Qing was instantly embarrassed.

Aren't we supposed to be talking about football?

How did the conversation go off track?

Lin Xiuhui was left speechless. How was she supposed to respond to that?

Zhang Wenying coughed twice, shot her husband a sharp look, then took Su Qing's hand in her left and Lin Xiuhui's in her right, smiling as she said, "We're all family, we've been family for a long time."

Gao Jianguo didn't dare say another word.

…

"There are reports that Gao Shen will leave Napoli this summer and return to Spain to coach Real Madrid."

"If he can defeat Guardiola's Barcelona in this final, it will undoubtedly set the stage for his move to La Liga."

The commentator's voice echoed from the television.

At the headquarters of the Madrid Attack fan club, Florentino Pérez was watching the Champions League final with his campaign team.

Outside, the fan club was hosting a Champions League Night event.

Membership in the fan club was exclusive, only prominent figures from Madrid and across Spain were allowed in. All of them were Real Madrid members, and their sole purpose was to help Florentino reclaim the Real Madrid presidency.

Watching the match live on TV, they were all in high spirits as they witnessed Napoli storm to a 3-0 lead against Barcelona.

In the eyes of nearly all Real Madrid fans, Gao Shen was the manager they wanted most.

Rumors had already spread that his appointment was a done deal, with supposed "insider information" and "credible reports" backing it up. Some even claimed that as soon as Florentino won the election, Gao Shen would immediately take over.

But only Florentino himself knew the truth, he had never once spoken to Gao Shen about it.

And that left him feeling uneasy.

All around him, Real Madrid fans were ecstatic over Gao Shen's success, convinced he would soon take charge at the Bernabéu.

Only Florentino's inner circle understood how awkward the situation really was.

Six months ago, even when Napoli had qualified from the group of death, no one would have predicted that they'd make it to the Champions League final, let alone lead Barcelona 3-0.

The reason Florentino had rushed to sign so many superstars was simple: Barcelona had been too dominant this season.

They were running away with La Liga, had already won the Copa del Rey, and were favorites for the Champions League, on course for a historic treble.

If Barcelona completed the treble, Real Madrid's only response would have been to assemble a team of Galácticos to counter them, creating a new era of El Clásico dominance in La Liga.

But now, it seemed like all of that might not be necessary.

Had they foreseen this outcome, would they have gone on that spending spree?

If Gao Shen were to take charge, Real Madrid could challenge Barcelona head-on.

La Liga? Copa del Rey?

Would either of those titles outweigh the humiliation of a 3-0 loss in the Champions League final?

"Do we still have a chance?" Florentino muttered, his expression grim.

Because he knew, he had miscalculated. He had made a mistake.

Sitting beside him, Jorge Valdano and Emilio Butragueño exchanged looks, both recognizing the uncomfortable reality of the situation.

They had known Gao Shen since his time at Real Madrid, had worked closely with him, and shared a strong personal relationship.

And they understood his personality.

When Florentino signed all those superstars, he didn't consult Gao Shen.

He never asked for his opinion.

He never even considered discussing it with him.

He hadn't shown the slightest respect for Gao Shen's authority as a coach.

So now… why would Gao Shen even consider coming back?

"Maybe… there's still a chance," Valdano said hesitantly.

Florentino's eyes flickered with hope as he turned to Valdano. "What do you mean?"

"As far as I know, Gao Shen hasn't spoken to any club yet. He's been entirely focused on preparing for the Champions League final. If you meet with him in person, there might still be a way to turn this around."

For a brief moment, Florentino felt a surge of optimism.

But just as quickly, he suppressed it.

Who was he?

Not just the president of Real Madrid, but the head of a vast business empire.

People came to him, not the other way around.

He had never had to lower himself before anyone.

And now, he was being told to meet with Gao Shen personally?

And even then, there was only a chance?

Could he really accept that?

What if he personally reached out, and Gao Shen still rejected him?

That would be humiliating.

And more importantly, if he conceded this much now, wouldn't that mean ceding control in the future?

Would Real Madrid still be Florentino's club?

Or would it become Gao Shen's Real Madrid?

If Florentino had the certainty that Gao Shen would align with his vision and work with him, he wouldn't hesitate.

But he couldn't bring himself to bow his head.

Unaware of Florentino's inner conflict, Valdano continued, "After tonight, Gao Shen will be the most sought-after manager in world football. If we're serious, we need to act fast."

Florentino remained silent for nearly a full minute.

Then, finally, he said, "Let me think about it."

Valdano studied Florentino's expression, sighed, and nodded helplessly.

There was nothing more he could do.

…

And just then, Napoli scored again!