Bab 339: Chapter 339: He Really Isn't Just a Big Flop!
"Hey Gao, welcome home!"
About half an hour before the game started, Florentino's private car delivered Gao Shen and his party directly to the VIP entrance of the Bernabeu Stadium. Real Madrid's vice president, Emilio Butragueño, and Florentino's personal assistant, Redondo, were waiting to greet him personally.
This entrance, reserved exclusively for VIPs with private box access, included a dedicated parking lot, allowing direct access to the box without the risk of being seen or photographed.
Gao Shen smiled as he shook hands and hugged Butragueño and Redondo, feeling the warmth of reuniting with old friends after so long.
This was the place where his dream began. He felt a special connection to the stadium and these people.
"Come on, let's head inside," Butragueño led the way.
Initially, Gao Shen had only called to request three tickets to the game, intending to scout Roma's current form. Lately, Spalletti had grown increasingly adept at fine-tuning Roma's 4-2-3-1 system, and their recent results were impressive, including a commanding 4-0 victory over Parma in their last match.
While Roma's current momentum didn't surpass Gao Shen's own recent successes, it was still notable.
Having defeated Real Madrid 2-1 at home, Roma now faced them at the Bernabeu, and Gao Shen was keen to assess their performance firsthand.
When Butragueño received Gao Shen's call, he immediately informed Florentino, who decided without hesitation to offer Gao Shen his private box for the match. He even arranged for his personal driver to pick Gao Shen up at the airport.
And so, here they were.
---
When Gao Shen arrived at Florentino's private box, however, the first person he encountered wasn't Florentino.
It was none other than King Juan Carlos I of Spain.
The door to the king's box was open, and upon seeing Gao Shen approach, the king immediately stopped him.
"Gao, welcome back to the Bernabeu!" The king greeted him warmly, shaking his hand and pulling him into a hug.
"I, along with all Real Madrid fans, miss you deeply. You know, after being away for so long, it's time to come home. We're all waiting for your return!"
Gao Shen smiled but didn't reply immediately.
From Butragueño to King Juan Carlos, everyone seemed intent on framing his return to the Bernabeu as a kind of homecoming. This only highlighted their dissatisfaction with Real Madrid's current state and their recognition of Gao Shen's achievements since leaving.
It also confirmed to Gao Shen that his decision to leave Real Madrid back then had been the right one.
If he had failed elsewhere, these same people would still have welcomed him warmly but definitely not like this.
"It's easy for me to come back," Gao Shen joked. "All you need to do is fulfill your original promise."
Back then, Juan Carlos I had jokingly promised Gao Shen the throne.
The king chuckled at Gao Shen's response. "You still remember that?"
"I wouldn't dare forget something so important."
With that, the topic was left there. The king quickly changed the subject, asking about Gao Shen's personal life, such as whether he had a girlfriend.
Known for his romantic escapades, the King of Spain even urged Gao Shen to find a girlfriend soon. "Our Spanish women are wonderful you should seriously consider it."
Gao Shen could only laugh helplessly.
A king who could double as a matchmaker, what a missed calling.
---
Florentino's private box was not lacking in company either.
Zidane and Valdano, who had just met Gao Shen in Naples two days earlier, were there, along with several of Florentino's vice presidents from his time as Real Madrid's president. Except for Martin, the entire old team was present.
Clearly, these were Florentino's closest allies.
The atmosphere was friendly and familiar, with everyone greeting Gao Shen warmly. Even Real Madrid's current president, Ramón Calderón, and general manager, Predrag Mijatović, made an appearance clearly due to Gao Shen's presence.
Such was the weight of Gao Shen's reputation as the architect of the historic double crown!
From the moment Gao Shen secured the La Liga and Champions League double for Real Madrid, he had earned a permanent place in the club's history.
Though his time at Real Madrid was brief, his two championships, combined with his impressive coaching record since leaving, made him an influential figure one the current Real Madrid management couldn't afford to ignore.
If Gao Shen were to criticize Real Madrid in the media, it would create a storm of trouble for the club.
However, Gao Shen had maintained a tactful distance from Real Madrid's internal politics since his departure.
Despite rumors that Florentino was working to oust Calderón, the two men acted like old friends during their encounter hugging warmly and exchanging pleasantries. To an outsider, it might have seemed like they were the best of allies.
Gao Shen, however, was used to this kind of political theater.
Calderón wasn't as incompetent as the media often portrayed him, but he lacked the authority to truly control Real Madrid. As a result, he relied heavily on various factions within the club, which forced him to delegate power excessively, leading to the current state of disarray.
After all, no one could rise to the presidency of Real Madrid without some degree of capability. The club's elections weren't exactly a haven for the weak or naive just look at certain "colorful" characters from its history.
---
The same could be said for the players.
As someone who came from 2021, Gao Shen knew that Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani would eventually be regarded as a flop a "big parallel import" in football terms. Liverpool, under Benítez, even sacrificed Xabi Alonso to bring in Aquilani, a decision that later proved disastrous.
Aquilani failed to adapt to the Premier League and struggled in Serie A thereafter. If that wasn't the definition of a flop, what was?
Yet in this match at the Bernabeu, Aquilani delivered a shockingly strong performance.
From midfield organization to passing, advancing, and defending, he excelled in every aspect.
Paired with De Rossi, Aquilani formed a double-pivot midfield that completely dominated Real Madrid.
In the 18th minute, he even unleashed a stunning 30-yard long shot that struck the post, nearly scoring.
Roma's control of the game in the first half owed much to Aquilani's efforts.
At this moment, Aquilani looked like he had the potential to become one of the world's best midfielders. At just 23 years old, he had Spalletti's trust and was replacing Pizarro as Roma's mainstay.
"This kid is really good!" Gao Shen couldn't help but praise.
"You can tell right away," Valdano agreed. "He has strong offensive capabilities, great coverage, and can attack, defend, pass, and shoot. Most importantly, he can control the tempo and serve as the brain of the team. That's exactly what Real Madrid lacks right now."
Real Madrid's coach, Schuster, had fielded Guti and Gago as midfield organizers, but together they couldn't hold a candle to Aquilani's performance. This spoke volumes about the quality of Roma's midfield.
---
In the end, Real Madrid lost 1-2 at home to Roma.
Raúl scored a consolation goal after Real Madrid fell 0-2 behind, but it wasn't enough to prevent elimination.
Roma advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals with a 4-2 aggregate victory, while Real Madrid exited in the Round of 16 for the second consecutive year.
The gap between the double crown days and the current state of Real Madrid was glaring.
As Gao Shen listened to the Bernabeu fans chant his name and saw them raise banners bearing his image, he was momentarily surprised. At first, he thought it was merely recognition of his presence. But then he realized it wasn't.
"This happens almost every game now," Butragueño sighed.
The more Real Madrid fans missed Gao Shen, the more it reflected the club's struggles.
In response, Gao Shen remained silent.
***
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Status Power Mingguan
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Power 
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