When Ronaldo scored the third goal—or rather, when Raul scored the sed goal—Gao Shen couldn't help but wonder, what would he do after winning the championship? How would he celebrate?
He tried repeatedly to suppress these thoughts, to stay calm and focused on the game. But it was like a little imp, teasing him, popping up every time he had a moment to think, making Gao Shen's mind wander involuntarily.
He imagined many things, but when the final whistle blew, he realized that he didn't have a pn at all.
All around him, the pyers on the bench, the coag staff, the medical team, and other support personnel surged onto the field as soon as the whistle sounded, running and shouting in celebration.
Gao Shen, however, stood motionless, as if his legs had turo lead, rooted to the ground.
He couldn't accurately describe his emotions at that moment—it was too plex, too overwhelming for him to process anything clearly.
His mi bnk, leaving him uo move.
While everyone else rushed onto the field, celebrating wildly, cheering with abandon, Gao Shen just stood there on the sidelines.
If the live television cameras had zoomed in on him, they would have captured him trembling with excitement, gritting his teeth, and g his fists, doing his best to hold back his emotions.
He eve paralyzed, on the verge of tears from the overwhelming joy, yet uo release them.
The scoreline: 3-1!
Real Madrid had pleted the eback!
...
"Let's gratute Real Madrid!!!!"
"After a 50-year absehey have once again bee Champions League champions. This marks a half-tury of separation, and now we see the brilliant light of Real Madrid, the greatest football club of the 20th tury."
"This season's Real Madrid faumerous trials. Coach Luxemburgo was dismissed for poor performance, and the team's locker room was in turmoil. Teical director Sacchi and chairman Florentino both stepped down, and even interim head coach Caro was dismissed after the winter break. Real Madrid was in chaos."
"But at this critical moment, Gao Shen, only 25 years old, took over as head coach. Despite being doubted by everyoep by step, he wohe pyers, the fans, the media, and most importantly, the opposition och."
"Tonight, Real Madrid has secured their tenth Champions League title, and Gao Shen deserves immense credit for this achievement!"
Out och, the pyers had finally e to their senses. Uhe leadership of captain Raul and the other superstars, they all ran towards the sidelines.
As soon as Gao Shen snapped out of his daze, he was surrounded by the pyers before he could even move.
In no time, he was hoisted into the air and tossed repeatedly, making him panic.
He was genuinely afraid of heights and even more terrified that they might suddenly let go after throwing him up, leaving him to crash down…
Fortunately, they caught him every siime.
"We see that Gao Shen has truly earhe resped affe of this group of Real Madrid pyers. Even superstars like Ronaldo, Zidane, and Beckham are all willing to follow his lead."
"This is the key to Real Madrid's resurgehis season, reversing Bara to win La Liga and noturing the Champions League!"
"We also have every reason to believe that under Gao Shen's leadership, Real Madrid tiheir outstanding performan the future!"
...
"It turns out he really won the championship!"
Ptini smiled as he watched the Real Madrid pyers repeatedly toss Gao Shen into the air he home team's teical area, his eyes full of admiration.
Leading a troubled Real Madrid out of turmoil at the age of 25 was no easy feat. Winning La Liga and then triumphing in the Champions League final made it a legendary achievement.
Debuting with such a remarkable recao Shen's future in football coag looked incredibly promising.
"It's really not easy!" Bebauer agreed with a ugh. "Real Madrid's ability to e bad win in both La Liga and the Champions League is partly due to their i strength and partly due to Bara's internal flicts, but Gao Shen's coag has been a huge factor. He's far better than Rijkaard, at least in terms of managing the internal dynamics."
"Fiant clubs like Real Madrid and Bara, internal flicts are always the biggest threat."
Ptini, who had pyed fiant club, khat the biggest enemy for such teams often wasn't the oppo och but internal strife.
A simple example was the 2003-2004 season. Why did Porto and Monaco, two clubs outside the traditional Big Four leagues, reach the Champions League final?
In addition to ges iour structure—from two group stages to a single group stage followed by a Round of 16 knoany teams struggled to adapt, increasing the ces of upsets. But more importantly, the major clubs had their own internal issues that season.
This season's Real Madrid was the perfect example.
When properly ied, Real Madrid's performance immediately improved. Even if their overall strength wasn't as great as Bara's, they remained highly petitive in European football.
Of course, Real Madrid's ability to ie so well also reflected Gao Shen's coag ability.
Not to mention that he led the team to both La Liga and Champions League titles.
Winning one championship might not be enough to fully assess a coach's level, but winning two, especially a Champions League, certainly reflects their standard.
Now, Gao Shen had established himself as a Champions League-level coach.
"The most important thing for him now is to stay away from the media spotlight, solidate his coag foundation, accumute the gains and experience from this season, and build his own team from the ground up to find his own football philosophy."
Bebauer's tone was filled with expectation but also some .
Real Madrid was the number one club in the world, and with Gao Shen holding the double , a tract renewal was a certainty. But tinuing with Real Madrid might n the brightest future.
This sario had pyed out many times before.
Real Madrid's success this season couldn't be easily replicated. And at a giant club like Real Madrid, failing to win trophies meant failure, which usually led to dismissal.
It was foreseeable that season, once everything was reset, Gao Shen would face eveer pressure, especially as the sharp internal aernal flicts withieam reemerged after this season's double .
Many of Real Madrid's problems couldn't be solved by the coach alone.
At that time, could Gao Shen remain posed?
If things spiraled out of trol, he might end up like Queiroz or Luxemburgo, who both struggled as Real Madrid managers.
But after achieving suormous success this season, who would be willing to give up everything they had worked so hard to gain?
Especially when coag a top giant like Real Madrid.
This was Bebauer's worry.
In shao Shen's foundation was still too thin.
sider someone like Queiroz.
He had developed Pal's golden geion, his tributions to youth training were well-reized, and he spent a long time as an assistant coach tuson at Maer United. Coag Real Madrid was supposed to be his breakthrough opportunity, but it ended in plete failure.
After that, he returo Maer Uo tinue as Ferguson's assistant because there were no suitable offers for him to coach elsewhere.
This is a very real problem.
Gao Shen's current double success is somewhat simir to a winner of a TV talent show. The question is: will he solidate his foundation and accumute his strength, or will he capitalize on his fame quickly?
This too was a test!
As the two discussed, a UEFA staff member approached them.
Chairman Johansson ihem to the podium.
...
Rehe tract!
We must rehe tract!
When the final whistle blew, Real Madrid President Martin immediately made his decision.
Double !
This was the double !
When was the st time Real Madrid won a double?
In the 1988-1989 season, during the era of Real Madrid's Quinta del Buitre, led by Butrague?o and others. Back then, Real Madrid's two titles were La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Going further back, in 1985-1986, Real Madrid also achieved a double, winning La Liga and the UEFA Cup.
But what about the most prestigious double—La Liga and the Champions League?
That hadn't happened sihe 1957-1958 season, during the legendary era of Di Stefano and Puskas.
Fifty years!
Martin was fired up.
That was the peak and most glorious period in Real Madrid's history, the reason Florentino was so determio lead Real Madrid.
After a 50-year gap, winning the La Liga and Champions League double again was a historic achievement.
What Florentino couldn't aplish, I, Martin, have done!
At this moment, Marti an overwhelming sense of pride.
He was determio renew Gao Shen's traatter what.
Why did Sanz lose to Florentino back then?
Three Champions League titles in five years, yet it wasn't enough to pete with Florentino's Figo signing. But that was just on the surface.
The real reason was that Real Madrid was on the verge of bankruptcy.
But now, Martin was leading the Galácticos, one of the most profitable football clubs in the world. As long as Gao Shen stayed, with the double card to py, plus Martin's leadership after taking over Real Madrid…
Martin could feel that the chairman's seat was his for the taking.
"Emilio, let's go down," Martin suddenly stood up.
Butrague?o was a little surprised but quickly followed.
"We'll finalize the renewal of Gao Shen's tract tonight!" Martin smiled fidently.
"Tonight's double , tomorrow's parade, and the day after tomorrow the club annouhe renewal of head coach Gao Shen's tract, solidifying his position as chairman.
What is Calderon, that jumping , arguing about?
...
Iadium, Gao Shen did not know that Chairman Martin reparing to e down to the field to find him.
While waiting for the award, he was invited by the staff to the preheerview area on the sidelines, where tless media reporters from all over the world had gathered, all eager to ask questions a ih answers.
But uedly, as soon as Gao Shen arrived at the preheerview area, he immediately started looking around.
Everyone was w, what was he looking for?
There were too maers on the se, with cameras and microphones densely packed, and he couldn't find anyone.
Gao Shen had no choice but to raise his hand with a smile and ask, 'Excuse me, is the reporter from the *Daily Sports* here? I answer your question now.'
All the reporters who had attehe pre-match press ference immediately burst into ughter.
Real Madrid's head coach sure knows how to hold a grudge!"
