Atletico Madrid played a long ball, trying to launch a quick counterattack.
After the ball was sent forward, Pepe got in front of Diego Costa and headed it back into midfield.
Pogba tracked back, controlled the ball near the halfway line, turned, and drove forward along the left channel.
Atletico's two midfielders, Koke and Thiago, closed in at the same time, attempting to trap Pogba.
The Frenchman skillfully carried the ball, then suddenly stopped, shielded Raul Garcia and Koke with his body while dribbling with his right foot, and flicked a clever pass behind him.
At that moment, Pogba's strong physique gave him an advantage in the battle with Atletico's midfielders.
Isco dropped back from the front, with Gabi right behind him.
Pogba's pass rolled precisely into Isco's path. The Spanish midfielder had his back to goal, with Thiago closing in. He controlled the ball with his heel, nudging it behind him, then spun to get rid of Thiago.
The stadium erupted again.
No one could clearly see what had just happened. All they saw was Isco, with his back to goal, cushioning the ball behind him before turning and continuing forward.
Gabi caught up, ready to stop him, but Isco skipped past with a nimble dribble.
On the touchline, Gao Shen grew animated.
Isco carried the ball toward the right side of the penalty area. He shifted right to draw Miranda's attention, then suddenly stopped, cut back toward the edge of the box, evading Miranda and carving out a shooting angle.
Godin reacted quickly, sprinting over to cover Miranda's position and block Isco's shot. But the Spaniard, with his low center of gravity, stopped sharply again, leaving Godin off balance, and slipped a through pass.
The ball whizzed past Godin and landed perfectly at the feet of Benzema, unmarked near the left side of the penalty spot.
The French striker hesitated little. Fixing his eyes on goalkeeper Asenjo, he controlled Isco's pass, steadied himself, and struck.
The ball arrowed into the bottom left corner of Atletico's net.
"Goalllllllllllllll!"
"Karim Benzema!"
"Real Madrid finally break through Atletico Madrid's defense!"
"A composed finish from Benzema. 1-0!"
"This goal belongs to the two Real Madrid midfielders, Paul Pogba and Isco, the young players brought on in the second half!"
"It was their brilliance that allowed Real Madrid to escape the chaos and create this golden chance, especially Isco."
The Bernabéu exploded into a sea of celebration.
Real Madrid fans were on their feet, cheering wildly.
The slow-motion replay showed every moment, from Pogba's forward drive to Isco's heel control. It looked like a magic trick.
Especially Isco, weaving through Atletico's tight defense like an elf, constantly shifting speed and direction, toying with the defenders.
And his final decisive pass was perfect. Benzema calmly seized the moment.
1-0.
…
Gao Shen raised his fists and roared with joy.
This kid Isco has a magical feel for the ball, a true genius.
But his flaws are just as obvious.
How should one put it?
He is the kind of player whose strengths and weaknesses stand out clearly. In some ways, he is like the early Iniesta at Barcelona.
Older fans will remember how Iniesta initially struggled to find his place at Barça and almost joined Real Madrid. Back then, his qualities drew both praise and criticism.
On one hand, his technique and ball control were outstanding. On the other hand, he was slight and lacked pace.
That made his early career at Barcelona difficult.
So how did Iniesta eventually grow into a generational maestro?
It was thanks to Barcelona's stable tactical system. Within it, he refined himself, minimized his weaknesses, and maximized his strengths.
Step by step, he blossomed, eventually becoming a master under Guardiola.
In truth, all players follow a similar path. They are nurtured and polished over time.
In Gao Shen's previous life, Isco shone at Malaga because Pellegrini gave him the role of orchestrating the attack, the team's free man.
But such a tactical setup, revolving around Isco, was impossible at Real Madrid.
When he joined Real, he had a dazzling start, but later, for various reasons, he became a fringe player. Only when Zidane took charge did he reclaim a starting role and enjoy his best form.
Yet, soon after, he lost that place again.
Ultimately, it was because he didn't fit Real Madrid.
From the signings of stars like Ronaldo, Kaka, and Gareth Bale, it was clear Real Madrid favored pace, emphasizing speed and efficiency.
When people look back at the BBC era, the counterattack is what stands out most.
There was nothing wrong with this.
In fact, Real Madrid dominated the Champions League with this approach.
But why did it not always work in La Liga?
Because against defensive powerhouses like Atletico, Real Madrid were denied space to sprint. In those moments, Barcelona's intricate passing was more effective.
That explained why Real Madrid's league form was inconsistent, despite their European dominance, and why they often struggled against Atletico and Barcelona.
In a system built on speed and efficiency, Isco's difficulties were inevitable.
Even if it were Iniesta, he would not thrive in such an environment.
Valdano once described Riquelme, the classic playmaker admired by fans, as a "toll booth on the highway."
In other words, once the ball reached his feet, the play slowed down.
The same applied to Isco.
But that did not mean he was useless.
It all depended on how he was deployed.
Gao Shen never relied solely on brute speed. He valued technique, which was why he always admired Isco and continued to cultivate him.
At just 21, Isco had a bright future.
Gao Shen's current approach was rotation, using him at the right moments.
Like tonight, against a tiring Atletico, bringing on Isco to break through with his dribbling.
Atletico, outside their box, were wary of fouling. After all, Real Madrid had Ronaldo, Kroos, Di Maria, and Modric, all free-kick specialists.
In this environment, Isco could fully express himself.
Especially after Pogba came on.
Together with Modric, Pogba and Isco formed a midfield triangle, allowing Real Madrid to seize possession and push Atletico back.
After taking the lead, Gao Shen adjusted tactics again. The team pressed higher, squeezing Atletico in the final third, particularly the zone from the halfway line to their box.
It was clear Gao Shen wanted not just a goal but more.
…
Real Madrid's next attack broke down, and Asenjo collected the ball inside the penalty area.
The Atletico keeper quickly threw it left to Siqueira.
Benzema pressed from the right, Ronaldo shifted centrally, forcing Siqueira to send it back to Asenjo.
Asenjo played it out to Godin, who moved it on to Juanfran.
But Pogba came charging in.
The French midfielder, fresh off the bench, was full of energy and pressing aggressively.
Juanfran passed to Thiago. As soon as the Portuguese midfielder controlled it, he saw Pogba closing fast, so he passed to Gabi.
But as Gabi arrived, Isco had already crept up.
Meanwhile, Benzema and Ronaldo had cut off the passing lanes ahead, leaving Gabi with no easy options. He had come across from the right to the left to receive the ball, but couldn't go backward, and the routes forward and left were blocked. With Isco closing in, he looked to turn and pass.
But just as he stopped the ball, Isco, shorter yet quicker, nipped in and poked it away.
Gabi stumbled but stayed on his feet, though he lost balance.
Isco used his hands lightly on Gabi's back to steady himself, accelerated forward, and regained the ball.
Gabi, ever experienced, threw himself down to the grass, appealing for a foul.
But the referee let play continue.
Isco gathered the ball and drove forward, heading for the left edge of the penalty arc. As Godin stepped up to close, Isco slipped a through pass into the left side of the area.
Ronaldo, sprinting in at full pace, shielded Miranda, and as the ball dropped, struck it first-time with his left foot before Juanfran could intervene.
The ball rocketed into Atletico's net like a cannonball.
"Goallllllllllllll!"
"Cristiano Ronaldo!"
"Real Madrid score again!"
"2-0!"
"Incredible!"
"After Gao Shen's substitutions, Real Madrid have completely transformed and unleashed a thrilling attack."
"Especially the young Isco, pressing aggressively in the final third to create the chance for this counterattack."
"Ronaldo's strike was textbook, absolutely clinical!"
"2-0! Real Madrid's victory is sealed!"
The Bernabéu was in a frenzy.
All the Madrid fans leapt from their seats, screaming Ronaldo's name.
(To be continued.)
***
For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on P/treon to read 30+ advanced chapters: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves
(Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)