Chapter 80: The most classic reversal in history
Gao Shen could feel the change in Real Madrid fans' attitude towards him from some details.
For example, last night at the Capital Airport, many people were shouting his name.
Also, like this morning, his name began to appear and there were even reports specifically written about him, and all of them were positive.
Even when he went out in the morning to buy breakfast, newspapers, and ride his bike to Valdebebas, he met Real Madrid fans. Many of them recognized him, and many even took the initiative to greet him.
When he arrived at Valdebebas, the fans who had come early to watch the team's open training recognized him from afar, blocked him outside the small door next to him, took photos with him, and asked him for autographs, treating him like a star.
All of these make Gao Shen feel happier.
As a human being, who can truly remain calm in the face of praise or criticism?
Many times, the calmness in front of others is all pretended, but in fact, one is very happy in the heart, and no one is immune to this.
After finally getting rid of the enthusiastic fans and entering Valdebebas, Gao Shen saw the smiling security captain head-on. He had witnessed the entire process of Gao Shen's transformation from a street rat to the Real Madrid hero he is today.
"Being a star is not fun at all." Gao Shen pretended to be something like that. He complained to the security captain and walked away pushing his bicycle.
The security captain was left behind, muttering to himself: "Isn't it fun? Look at how happy you are!"
He took another look at the fans outside the gate, including many young and beautiful female fans who had just chased Gao Shen for photos and autographs. The security captain turned his head and looked at the back of Gao Shen who was walking away, and couldn't help shaking his head and sighing.
It’s good to be young!
Back then, when I was young, I was also very handsome and there were so many girls who liked me. At that time, I...
…
Gao Shen came to the coach's office in the training building.
As usual, at this moment, on his desk were three documents prepared for him by the team doctor, Buenaventura and Lucas , namely the player's physical report, physical fitness report and game analysis report.
After the players arrive at the training base, the team doctor and Buenaventura will follow up on the players.
These are the basis for Gao Shen and the coaching staff to formulate training plans and game arrangements, especially for injured players.
Therefore, it is a common practice for injured players to report to the team one hour in advance.
Gao Shen flipped through several reports. Real Madrid's current situation is pretty good and injuries are under good control.
Woodgate is a chronic patient, and Gao Shen has not dared to use him excessively, giving him a lot of rest time. Although the game pressure is very high, the internal competition pressure is not that great. In addition, with the care of the team doctor and good communication between Gao Shen and him, Woodgate has not suffered any serious injuries.
But Gao Shen cannot be careless about this.
Real Madrid now has only three central defenders. If Woodgate falls, there will be no point in playing.
And De La Red.
The young Real Madrid player has completely established himself under Gao Shen's leadership, but everyone finds it strange that Gao Shen asks De La Red to have a heart check-up every week.
You are not sick, so why do you still do it?
Delared also asked Gao Shen privately, but Gao Shen really couldn't find a suitable reason, so he could only put on the aura of a domineering president and answered him with three words, "I'm happy!"
Fortunately, the inspection did not waste much time, and Delared had more and more respect for Gao Shen, so of course he had no choice but to obey.
The team will play Juventus next Wednesday night, and this game is also crucial.
All in all, Real Madrid only has three days of rest. Gao Shen does not plan to take a holiday this time. He must seize the time and organize a targeted offensive drill, focusing on how to break Juventus' goal at the Bernabeu.
Buenaventura's report pointed out that the players were exhausted and needed to rest well in the next three days.
Even so, he couldn't guarantee that the team could face Juventus in the best condition, he could only try his best.
Gao Shen also understood this.
Lucas has been traveling between the UK and Spain recently, studying data analysis while working at Real Madrid. Writing a data report every day has become his extracurricular homework.
But today's report, in addition to some data analysis of last night's game and player turnover statistics, also includes a judgment on the future situation and a description of the team's current situation.
This morning, Gao Shen read in the newspaper that Cruyff said in his column that no team in the history of La Liga had ever been able to successfully reverse the situation after falling behind by ten points, so he concluded that Real Madrid would not succeed.
This is not without basis.
According to Lucas' report, the most drastic comeback in La Liga history was in the 1998-1999 season, when Nunez was still the president of Barcelona, Gaspart was still the greatest vice president of Barcelona, Laporta was still his lawyer, and the head coach was Van Gaal, whom Cruyff was reluctant to mention.
Fourteen rounds into La Liga, Barcelona was nine points behind the leader Real Mallorca, but in the following twenty-four rounds, Barcelona kept catching up, creating an impressive record of seventeen wins, three draws and one loss in twenty-one rounds, and reversed the situation to win the championship, creating the most drastic comeback case in La Liga history.
But in fact, this case is also quite watery.
why?
Because after the end of the season, the then leader Real Mallorca only ranked third in La Liga, while Real Madrid, which ranked second and had some competitiveness with Barcelona, was only six points ahead of Barcelona at most.
Everyone can see that a team like Real Mallorca is definitely not as strong as Barcelona and Real Madrid in terms of stamina.
In comparison, another case given in the Lucas report is more recent and more severe.
That is Valencia under Benítez.
In the 2003-2004 season, Valencia lagged behind Real Madrid at the top by eight points after the 26th round, but then Valencia won six games in a row, drew two games in a row, and then won two games in a row, eventually securing the league title two rounds in advance.
But in that season, Valencia was actually one of the most competitive teams in La Liga.
In the fifth round, the Bats beat Super Laco and Real Madrid to the top. Although they were kicked down in the eighth round, Valencia reached the top twice in the tenth and thirteenth rounds, and then became the banker again in the nineteenth and twentieth rounds.
It can be said that the Bat Corps that season was still very strong.
But the situation at Real Madrid this season is clearly different.
Although Real Madrid was once tied with Osasuna for the top spot in the ninth and tenth rounds, its results have been unsatisfactory, especially in the eighteenth round, when it fell to sixth in the league, lagging behind Barcelona by as many as thirteen points.
By the time Gao Shen took over, the team was already ten points behind Barcelona.
In terms of league environment, Real Madrid is far inferior to Van Gaal's Barcelona , and in terms of overall competitiveness, Real Madrid is not as good as Benítez's Valencia.
It can be said that if we really talk about how bad it is, Gao Shen's Real Madrid is worse than Van Gaal's Barcelona and Benítez's Valencia.
If we also count that Gao Shen is the third head coach of Real Madrid this season, the team has experienced internal conflicts among superstars, gang fights in the locker room, changes in presidents and turmoil in the top management, as well as Gao Shen's bizarre appointment at the age of 25...
It can definitely be said that Real Madrid's experience so far this season has been classic.
But it is far from enough to make a big comeback against Barcelona in the standings.
…
"How is it? Do you feel that the pressure on your shoulders has become heavier?"
While Gao Shen was looking at the report and thinking, Lucas walked in quietly.
Buenaventura followed behind him.
"It's really difficult." Gao Shen let out a long breath, "However, having reached this point, I must try my best and keep moving forward. Otherwise, all the efforts and hard work over the past period of time will be in vain."
Lucas and Buenaventura looked at each other and saw admiration in each other's eyes.
Especially Buenaventura .
Although it was their first collaboration, he saw many shining points in Gao Shen, which left a deep impression on him.
"To be honest, Fernando, I think the examples you cited are not good enough." Gao Shen clicked his tongue critically and handed the analysis report to Lucas.
"Why?"
"I missed out on the most classic and infectious one."
Lucas frowned, unable to remember.
Buenaventura suddenly had an idea and blurted out, "Manchester United in the 1995-1996 season!"
"That's right!" Gao Shen clapped his hands vigorously, and his eyes changed when he looked at Buenaventura. Great minds think alike.
"Many people have misinformed us that Manchester United are not 12 points behind Newcastle."
Now not only Lucas was surprised, but even Buenaventura was a little surprised.
"After halfway through the Premier League that year, Newcastle had 45 points and Manchester United was in second place with 35 points, ten points behind. But in the 20th round, Manchester United beat Newcastle 2-0 at home with goals from Cole and Keane, successfully catching up to seven points. In the 21st round, because Newcastle's game was delayed until February, Manchester United played one more game and successfully caught up to four points."
"But unfortunately, just when they were about to make a breakthrough, Manchester United lost 1-4 to Tottenham Hotspur away from home, and then drew 0-0 with Aston Villa at home. The league ranking suddenly dropped to third, nine points behind Newcastle, and they had played one more game than the Magpies."
The twelve points that many people mistakenly reported were actually because Newcastle played one less game.
Gao Shen was in the tactical library last night, carefully studying Ferguson's thrilling past. He felt what Ferguson had encountered during this experience and his various coping strategies.
Finally, a conclusion was reached.
That is the real story of Manchester United's reversal of Newcastle, which was far more difficult and legendary than the rumors of chasing 12 points.
Why?
Because Ferguson's team once closed the gap to just four points, but suffered a heavy blow at the last minute and the gap was widened again. If it were other people or other teams, they would have collapsed long ago.
But Ferguson and Manchester United didn't.
Instead, the team regrouped, learned from previous experiences and lessons, and in the second chase against Newcastle , they reversed the opponent and won the championship.
When Gao Shen saw this passage, he wondered in his heart, does Real Madrid at this moment look like Manchester United when they first caught up with Newcastle?
They also defeated their opponents in direct confrontation, they also closed the score in one go, they were also full of morale and had a sure win...
This moment is just like that moment.
