Capítulo 21: Florentino is Here!
Overlooking Madrid under the dark night sky, the Bernabeu Stadium shines brightly on matchdays.
Thousands of fans poured into Madrid from all directions, converging towards the Bernabeu.
The streets in every direction were blocked early, leaving only paths for fans headed to the game.
They moved in groups through the streets and alleys of Madrid, like arteries pulsing with life, finally merging towards the beating heart of the Bernabeu Stadium.
At this moment, both inside and outside the stadium, the lights blazed brightly, illuminating the area like daylight.
Though the game was still half an hour away, queues had already formed at the entrances; no one wanted to miss this annual intra-city derby spectacle.
While Barcelona remains Real Madrid's archrival, and though Atletico Madrid currently trails Real Madrid in stature, the intra-city derby holds a unique significance.
...
The new chairman, Martin, just called Gao Shen.
On the phone, Martin instructed him that tonight's derby must be won at all costs.
However, in private, he and his team were fully prepared.
"Based on current public opinion polls, the odds from major gaming companies, and expert predictions, our situation isn't optimistic, even..."
The personal assistant hesitated, but Martin understood his implication.
No one is optimistic about Real Madrid tonight.
This wasn't entirely unexpected.
It's simply a coaching change, but replacing a 25-year-old rookie was a bold move. More importantly, this rookie dared to challenge the team's core force, the Brazilian Gang, by sidelining their top scorer and several key players. There have even been claims that the Real Madrid dressing room is in disarray.
Carlos' criticism is the best evidence, and Raul's response is seen as damage control.
The captain of Real Madrid has always been like this, always checking for weaknesses.
Atletico Madrid's morale is sky-high, while Real Madrid's is almost shattered. To many, it's not a matter of winning or losing but rather how badly Real Madrid will lose.
"Get ready and initiate the PR plan immediately," Martin decided decisively.
"As soon as tonight's game ends, if we don't win, announce the coaching change immediately."
"Have Bosque and Hierro been consulted?" the assistant asked eagerly.
Martin shook his head with a sigh, "They both still have reservations."
After all, Bosque and Hierro are concerned about Real Madrid's current state and are waiting to see Florentino's next move.
Friends are friends, but Martin must firmly establish himself as Real Madrid president before they'll publicly support him.
If Martin were just Florentino's puppet, they wouldn't show their faces at all.
"Then change the coach..." the assistant began to ask, who should they change to?
"Anyone would be better than him, right?" Martin rhetorically questioned.
He couldn't understand why, at Valdebebas at the time, he had a brain cramp and picked this Chinese guy directly. Wouldn't anyone else be more suitable?
Maqueda, a former player for the club, the head coach of the second team, Portugal, was competent. Even the sporting director, Floro, could have done it. So why did he choose this high-profile player?
Whenever Martin thinks about this, he wants to slap himself.
He was too impulsive!
At that moment, the phone in Martin's office suddenly rang.
When he picked up the phone and heard the report from the reception desk, Martin nearly dropped the microphone in his hand.
"Florentino is here!"
...
...
Florentino is here!
This was beyond everyone's expectations.
Not only did he arrive, but he also came with a grand entourage.
First Vice-Chairman of the Board Tapias, former Real Madrid star Valdano, personal assistant Manuel Redondo, Honorary Chairman of Real Madrid Di Stefano, Vice-Chairman and PR lead Butragueno—all of them personally welcomed him outside the stadium.
The scene was bustling.
The media seemed well-prepared too; they swarmed as soon as they spotted Florentino.
Spain's most powerful figure in football had been on vacation in Miami, USA since stepping down. Unexpectedly, he cut short his vacation and returned to Madrid, showing up at the Bernabeu Stadium. It was big news.
The media were curious. Why did Florentino return to Real Madrid at this sensitive time?
Florentino smiled and said, "Although I'm no longer Real Madrid's president, don't forget, I'm one of the club's most senior members. I have a VIP box at the Bernabeu and remain the most loyal fan of Real Madrid."
He'd ended his vacation early because there were matters at the company he needed to handle personally, and he came to the Bernabeu because, like every Real Madrid fan, he wanted to witness the derby live.
Florentino expressed confidence in the team's victory tonight.
"This isn't the first time we've faced Atletico Madrid. I just checked, and in the last three years, we've never lost to them—four-nil, three-nil, two-nil, and all at our home ground. I don't believe tonight will be any different."
"If we lose... well, you know."
Naturally, the media asked about Gao Shen and the Brazilian Gang, and Florentino smiled and acknowledged he'd heard about it.
"Martin has been my partner for many years. I know him well. He's a thoughtful person. If he supports this young man nearing 25 years old, there must be something unique about him. We should give young people more opportunities to experiment and learn from mistakes."
As for the Brazilian Gang, Florentino believed every coach had their preferences for rotations, and those should be respected.
"For Real Madrid, what matters most is winning games and playing football that delights our fans. How players are utilized should be left to the coach's discretion. That's respect."
The media at the scene were taken aback.
Did Florentino just say that?
Previously, he often interfered with coaching decisions for star player appearances.
Now, he's advocating respect for the head coach's autonomy?
This was definitely a surprise!
...
Entering the Bernabeu and heading to the VIP box, Florentino took the time to greet King Juan and members of the royal family.
They were all die-hard Real Madrid fans. Whenever there was a game at the Bernabeu, they made time to attend.
During their meeting, King Juan voiced concerns about the game and specifically about Martin's leadership of Real Madrid, especially appointing a 25-year-old Chinese as head coach—an unprecedented move in Real Madrid's history, considered absurd by many.
Florentino continued to smile and expressed confidence that Martin could handle the current challenges facing the team.
He visited several old friends in succession, each expressing concerns about Real Madrid—some explicitly, others more subtly. Some even suggested Florentino return to the club.
But Florentino brushed off their suggestions with a laugh.
...
Upon hearing the news, Martin hurried to Florentino's box.
He couldn't afford to be careless with his old friend. He knew better than anyone what Florentino's presence could mean.
Along the way, he couldn't help but overhear the buzz surrounding Florentino and the discussions of King Juan and Madrid's political and business elite.
In this circle, there were no secrets. Whatever was said here quickly spread.
Martin's expression darkened, but before entering Florentino's box, he took a deep breath and managed to muster a welcoming smile.
However, as soon as he opened the door, his expression couldn't help but fall.
Tapias, Valdano, Butragueno—they were all expected. These were people who didn't see eye to eye with Florentino. While Tapias had supported Martin over Florentino in the past, it wasn't without criticism. But Martin was still angry, not Florentino.
It was the other men in the box that really annoyed Martin.
Ronaldo and Carlos, the two prominent Brazilians, weren't included in the squad. Upon hearing that Florentino was coming, they rushed over immediately, which was normal. It was understandable that Ramos, being close to Florentino, also joined to support the young local rookie introduced to the box.
The puzzling part was why the Carrolls were there.
These were the head coach that Martin had fired himself. Florentino had invited them to the Bernabeu at this time. What did it signify?
"Haha, Martin, my friend, surprised, right?" Florentino greeted him with a smile.
Martin turned his head and smiled slightly, "It's indeed surprising, Florentino. Didn't you go on vacation?"
"Well, I was still concerned, so I had to come back and take a look."
Florentino wore a smile as if chatting at home. Noticing Martin's gaze on Carlo, he chuckled again, "When I came in just now, I happened to see Carlo in line to enter. You know, he's someone who has contributed a lot to the team, so I brought him along."
Carlo felt a bit downcast but didn't dare show it.
"Don't be modest, Juan, I've heard it all. Our new head coach visits your place every day to learn. You must have contributed a lot to tonight's game, right?" Florentino teased.
Since Gao Shen took charge, he had been visiting Carlo's home nearly every day, a fact exposed by the media.
Some even speculated that Real Madrid were now acting on behalf of agents. But in reality, the tactics were still Carlo's.
Carlo felt somewhat embarrassed being caught between the two bosses but firmly shook his head.
"Actually, those are all rumors from the outside. I haven't even seen Gao Shen once since leaving my post, so how could I help him make plans?"
Carlo's words surprised everyone present, including Florentino and Martin.
Florentino had invited Carlo to subtly mock Martin, even going so far as to suggest that everything Gao Shen had achieved was thanks to Carlo.
Did Martin not know?
Well, he had his suspicions before. Even in the unlikely event that he believed Gao Shen could lead the team to victory against Atletico Madrid, Carlo was still a major factor to consider.
But now it was different. Carlo hadn't even met Gao Shen. In the past few days, the drastic reforms at Real Madrid, the suppression of the Brazilian gang, and the monumental changes in team tactics—all credited to Gao Shen—were actually Carlo's ideas?
Was this young man overly ambitious?
It was over! Completely over!
Martin's heart sank into despair.
Ronaldo, Ramos, and others were also shocked. The locker room had always believed Gao Shen was learning from Carlo, but apparently not. This revelation was too shocking.
It was unimaginable for a 25-year-old rookie to accomplish so much at Real Madrid.
Moreover, without Carlo's support and without the Brazilian gang, what could Gao Shen possibly achieve against Atletico Madrid tonight?
As he gazed at Martin, whose spirit had been crushed, Florentino couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and sympathy.
My friend was just too impulsive.
People, once they stir up the waters too much, are prone to accidents.
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