Real Madrid are incredible.
In the first match of the new season, Real Madrid defeated Real Betis 8-0 at the Bernabéu, a perfect start. This greatly boosted the team's morale and sent the fans into a frenzy.
AS published a commentary immediately after the game, saying this was not only a feast of goals, but also magnificent attacking football, the kind of artistic football Real Madrid fans dream of.
Looking back at Real Madrid's eight goals, they were all brilliantly taken, many of them the result of exquisite team play.
"Even thinking back on it after the game, it is still amazing."
AS said that Gao Shen's team played an astonishing attacking style that their opponents could only envy.
"They are trying to develop an attacking method that organically integrates the individual abilities of the players into the team's overall tactics."
This is a football philosophy unlike the past, different from Barcelona, and even different from the Spanish national team.
Gao Shen's team overwhelmed Real Betis with a suffocating, torrential attack.
"After the game, Betis coach Pepe Mel said that Real Madrid showed superb football from outer space."
The 8-0 victory allowed Real Madrid to overtake Barcelona after the first round and go top of La Liga. This was the first time since Gao Shen took charge.
Last season, Real Madrid were always chasing Barcelona. This time, Real Madrid led after the opening round.
"Barcelona only spent two hours at the top before being replaced by Real Madrid."
According to AS, both Real Madrid and Barcelona clearly understand the importance of the start of the new season.
The two Spanish Super Cup matches will stage a clásico that will have an immeasurable impact on the start for both sides, especially considering that Martino has just arrived.
If Barcelona were to lose to Real Madrid and Gao Shen in the Super Cup right after La Liga kicked off, it would be hard to accept for Martino, who has been winning consistently and riding a wave of momentum since the summer.
"You know, last season, Real Madrid completed a four-game sweep of Barcelona."
"This is a great humiliation for the champions, so Barcelona still have a very important task this season, which is to beat Real Madrid in the clásico."
To that end, after owning top stars such as Messi, Sánchez, Agüero, Pedro, and Fàbregas, Barcelona went on to sign Neymar for a sky-high fee and built an astonishing attacking lineup.
"The most important task for Martino and his team right now is to get out of the Bernabéu unscathed, but it will not be easy."
AS analyzed Gao Shen's post-match comments and believed he had been preparing early for the Super Cup and the match against Barcelona.
"Gao Shen has always said he is the coach in the world who is most familiar with, and best at, playing against Barcelona."
"That is certainly true, because his record against them is astounding."
"Barcelona are determined to reverse their embarrassing record against Gao Shen. From Rijkaard to Guardiola to Vilanova, Barcelona never managed to escape Gao Shen's shadow. Now all their hopes are pinned on Martino."
"The battle at the Bernabéu three days from now is destined to be not only the first leg of the Super Cup, but also a battle for a trophy."
…
If AS focused more on the big picture, then Marca focused more on individual Real Madrid players.
For example, Isco was selected as Man of the Match.
This Spanish player has dazzled since his debut, but has also stirred controversy.
Those who like him praise his technique, while those who do not say he holds onto the ball too long.
This controversy reached a new level after he joined Real Madrid last season.
But Gao Shen has always protected Isco. No matter how he performed, Gao Shen's stance on him was very clear.
Under team pressure and after disappointing attempts out wide, Isco did not get many chances last season. Even Kaká performed better than Isco.
But this summer, Isco worked extra hard and showed the right attitude in training, which earned him a start in the first round of the new season.
"In this match, Gao Shen only started three key players from last season, Courtois, Ramos, and Ronaldo. The rest, including Marcos Alonso, Nacho, Varane, Casemiro, and Isco, were all rotation or bench players last season."
"Not to mention the two new arrivals, Dzeko and Pogba."
Even with such heavy rotation, Real Madrid still won 8-0 at home, which surprised everyone.
Marca analyzed that Betis' tactical choices certainly played a part.
"Pepe Mel wanted to prove that his team could conquer the Bernabéu."
In the end, Real Betis suffered a humiliating defeat.
But the most important factor was Real Madrid's excellent overall performance.
"Isco being named Man of the Match speaks for itself. New signing Pogba's performance was no less impressive, especially in the first two goals where he played a crucial role."
"He proved his worth at the Bernabéu."
"And Dzeko, with a brace, received the best possible recognition. He has shaken off his slump at Tottenham Hotspur and rekindled the killer instinct he showed at Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga."
"Young players like Verratti, Marcos Alonso, Nacho, Casemiro, Varane, Morata, and Jesé were all outstanding. Real Madrid quietly assembled a group of impressive young talents."
Marca believes this group will definitely become valuable assets for Real Madrid.
"In fact, we all underestimated what Gao Shen did for Real Madrid last season."
"I still remember the summer of 2012, when Gao Shen had just taken over. He concluded that Real Madrid would be a team with great potential. At the time, no one expected that what he intended was to promote a group of young Real Madrid players."
Back then, everyone thought he said that to buy time to integrate the squad.
"It was not until the second half of the season that we were surprised to see these young players starting to establish themselves. They got more opportunities and continued to improve. We were all surprised."
"But this summer, on that night against Real Betis, we were shocked to discover that these Real Madrid players are now ready to stand on their own and take on the responsibility of being starters."
"We used to envy Barcelona because they had a group of outstanding youngsters playing beautiful attacking football. Now it is Barcelona's turn to envy us."
Marca believes that the epic win over Real Betis is more than just three points for Real Madrid.
"It is more like a declaration."
"It is telling all opponents and all fans that the strongest Real Madrid is here."
…
When Real Madrid thrashed Betis and overtook Barcelona to top the table, the Catalan media turned sour.
The scoreline was the same, but Barcelona scored one fewer goal than Real Madrid. Still, if the media want to find an angle to mock, they will.
For example, Daily Sports claimed that the reason Barcelona scored one fewer than Real Madrid was because Barcelona saved energy in the second half. Barcelona led 6-0 at halftime and clearly eased off after the break.
"If Barcelona had gone all out, they could have scored more in the second half."
But Daily Sports did not mention that Real Madrid only fielded three mainstays, while the rest were young rotation and bench players. In contrast, Barcelona used all their key starters.
Martino put in a lot to ensure a perfect debut at Camp Nou.
That is the Barcelona media. Sticking to the fine tradition of not telling the whole story, they harshly criticized Real Madrid.
Finally, Daily Sports even argued that, judging from the game, Barcelona performed better than Real Madrid, especially in attacking sequences, where Barcelona were smoother.
The interplay among Neymar, Messi, Agüero, Sánchez, and others was described as art.
"This is the most fantastic Barcelona ever."
Daily Sports also quoted Martino after the game, saying that Barcelona's attack has been honed and formed, and as the players gain more understanding, their offensive firepower will only grow.
"The biggest problem right now is the third forward."
"Who will form a front three with Messi and Neymar? This will be Martino's first problem."
But Daily Sports concluded that this was a happy headache, because whether it was Sánchez, Agüero, or Fàbregas, they all performed well under Martino.
Barcelona's mouthpiece even claimed that Martino is like a combination of Guardiola and Vilanova, inheriting the strengths of the previous two head coaches while addressing Barcelona's weaknesses.
"This gives us every reason to expect Martino and his team to bring unexpected surprises at the Bernabéu."
Not only Daily Sports, but Mundo Deportivo also gave high praise to Martino's Barcelona after the big win, while glossing over Real Madrid's victory and even nitpicking.
This is normal and consistent with the Barcelona media's stance toward Real Madrid.
Conversely, the Real Madrid media treat Barcelona the same way.
It is a propaganda war between two camps, fanning the emotions of both sets of fans, warming up for the upcoming battle at the Bernabéu, and building momentum for their respective teams.
Meanwhile, as the media and fans argued, Gao Shen, the central figure, focused on preparations at Valdebebas.
At Barcelona's Ciutat Gamper, Martino was also busy studying how to deal with Gao Shen.
(To be continued.)