"Real Madrid make a successful interception at the edge of the penalty area."
"Pepe plays it forward."
"Modrić finds Benzema."
"Out to the wing, Carvajal overlaps, then clips it diagonally in behind for Ronaldo."
"Ronaldo squares it left, and Di Maria is bursting through."
"Real Madrid have a chance!"
"It is in!"
"Di Maria!"
"Real Madrid score again!"
"A left-foot strike from Di Maria!"
"This slender Argentine was like an angel descending from the sky. He scored a wonderful goal to seal the win for Real Madrid!"
"5-0!"
…
Di Maria was so excited he lost himself. He made a heart with his hands and sprinted out of the pitch, running all the way.
The close-up on the broadcast clearly showed his emotions in that moment.
Especially when he ran a loop around the touchline and rushed to head coach Gao Shen, lifted him up, and roared, venting all his inner excitement.
Tonight, all five of Real Madrid's goals were connected to Di Maria, all born from the coordination and planning of him and his teammates.
The Argentine's excitement was understandable.
He was the brightest star at Camp Nou tonight, not inferior even to his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat trick.
All of this was down to the guidance and encouragement of head coach Gao Shen.
Since his time at Napoli, Di Maria has admired Gao Shen. After Gao Shen took over at Real Madrid, Di Maria reached a new peak in his career.
Previously, whether under Pellegrini or Mourinho, he had been lost and his performances were not what they once were. Especially as he got older, many felt he had not developed as expected.
But after Gao Shen arrived at Real Madrid, he was fully activated.
He is now not only part of Real Madrid's midfield engine, but also the team's spearhead when they surge forward.
The key is that Di Maria can switch between these roles, making him very hard to defend.
…
"Real Madrid's counter was superb, the fast break was a joy to watch."
"Everyone involved took it in one touch, without hesitation."
"It was thrilling. More importantly, every pass was precise, giving the receiver maximum comfort."
"This is the artistic football Real Madrid advocate."
"In this moment, on this night at Camp Nou, Real Madrid turned attacking play into an art form."
"Gao Shen and his staff were celebrating wildly on the touchline."
"After beating Barcelona 5-0 away, Real Madrid now have ten straight wins this season and look unstoppable."
"More importantly, under advanced training, these Real Madrid players are playing a brand of football completely different from before, full of the magnificent aesthetic of attacking football."
"Look at the Real Madrid players, full of respect for the coach, all gathered around him."
"With less than ten minutes left, it is destined to be a painful night for Barcelona."
"And Martino, he should reflect on his tactics tonight. From the start to the adjustments, he lacked adaptability."
"Barcelona were completely outplayed by Real Madrid tonight."
…
When the players returned to the pitch, Gao Shen raised his fists high and roared.
Camp Nou was filled with boos.
Barcelona fans do not like the sight of Gao Shen, especially Gao Shen like tonight.
They have not beaten him for years, and many times they have been routed, like tonight.
The repeated hope before the game and the repeated disappointment after it have become a thorn in their hearts.
But Gao Shen had no such awareness.
He turned and high-fived and hugged his assistants one by one, celebrating the win.
Finally, he stood upright on the touchline, watching the last few minutes, enduring the fury pouring down from the stands at Camp Nou.
As the TV commentator said, not without complaint, "You could have just sat back in the dugout and ignored the Barcelona fans. Why stand on the touchline?"
On the pitch, after conceding five in a row, Barcelona's confidence and fight were shattered.
The players were merely circulating the ball across midfield and the back line. No one dared to play it forward.
Only Messi would occasionally drop deep, try to carry it up, and attempt to attack, but his efforts were ineffective.
Two fists cannot beat four hands. No matter how strong Messi is, he is still one man.
Neither Neymar nor Fàbregas, who started, nor Agüero, who replaced Fàbregas, could offer much help now.
Real Madrid's defending cut off Barcelona's front trident, forcing them to fight alone.
And how can one player break through Real Madrid's layered defense?
When the referee blew for full time, Gao Shen pumped his fists and cheered again on the touchline.
Real Madrid's players rushed to hug and celebrate, and the substitutes even sprinted onto the pitch.
The scene resembled Real Madrid winning La Liga, everyone wildly excited.
This is the clásico.
An exclusive showdown between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
It is also a final between two super giants.
…
"Congratulations to Real Madrid."
"Tonight, at Camp Nou, Gao Shen's team gave us a wonderful, classic match."
"5-0, a number to remember."
"In the history of Real Madrid and Barcelona, almost every 5-0 represents the beginning or the end of an era."
"Tonight at Camp Nou, this 5-0 may mean the era of Real Madrid's elegance has arrived."
"Congratulations also to these Real Madrid stars. They have found a coach like Gao Shen at Real Madrid. We have every reason to believe that as long as they maintain this form and momentum, they will have the chance to win more trophies and honors."
"Especially since they already have the Spanish Super Cup and the European Super Cup. If they can win the Club World Cup, they will complete the 2013 Grand Slam."
"Let us wish Gao Shen and Real Madrid good luck."
…
"Good luck, my friend."
After the match, Martino graciously came to the away dugout and shook Gao Shen's hand firmly.
He looked more dejected than before the game, and more alone.
At Barcelona, he was like a lone soldier, trapped on a heavily surrounded battlefield, isolated and helpless.
But that was his own choice.
It began when he decided to take over Barcelona and accepted this gamble.
Returns always come with risk.
Martino has to bear the risk and the cost of this gamble.
"Will this get him sacked directly?"
After Martino left, Carlo asked with some reluctance.
He is about the same age as Martino.
Seeing Martino like this, he could not help recalling the predicament he faced when he coached Real Madrid.
But that is fate.
Back then, everyone felt it unfair that he was replaced by Gao Shen. Who would have thought he would now be Gao Shen's right-hand man, following him to such renown in the football world.
Sometimes, Carlo could not help but think that if he had continued as a head coach, it would have been hard to achieve what he has now.
Today, he is successful and makes good money. The only regret is that he is not a capable head coach.
But the world is realistic and cruel. It is impossible for everything to go your way. You always have to make choices.
After thinking about it, Carlo looked again at Gao Shen beside him.
He suddenly noticed that Gao Shen had white hair.
"Hey, Gao, when did you go gray?" Carlo blurted, as if he had discovered a new continent.
Gao Shen reached up to his temples. "Just two or three strands."
"Have you counted them?" Zidane was curious.
Gao Shen curled his lip and ignored them.
How would he count them?
Use a mirror?
The head coach's job is exhausting. He is only in his early thirties, yet already has gray hairs.
People like Ferguson and Wenger developed heart issues because of the strain. After Mourinho's two years at Real Madrid, his hair turned white.
And Ancelotti. That guy has been dyeing his hair for years, and he does it secretly, as if he is afraid of being found out.
Guardiola also has a lot of gray.
It is truly punishing, especially on the body.
"My wife says I overuse my brain and work too hard, so my gray hairs are coming fast. From now on, I am going to let you do as much as possible so I can worry less," Gao Shen said seriously.
Zidane, Carlo, Hierro, and the others looked at each other and nearly burst into laughter.
"Gao, how about you check mine?" Hierro suggested.
Carlo leaned over. He also had a lot of gray.
Only Zidane, looking at Hierro and Carlo, then at Gao Shen, was almost in tears.
"You... you are bullies."
Everyone burst out laughing.
After a 5-0 win over Barcelona, Real Madrid now sit alone at the top of La Liga.
More importantly, it is the meaning of this win and its ripple effects.
In a heavyweight clash like the clásico, the impact is never just 3 points.
For example, as Carlo speculated, will Martino be sacked?
From Gao Shen's perspective, they certainly do not want Martino to be fired.
The reason is simple. Changing a coach is like changing the blade. Who knows who will come in?
Luis Enrique is the favorite, and he is no pushover.
Rather than that, it would be better to keep Martino and let Barcelona continue wasting time in the dressing room.
As things stand, Martino cannot hope to control the dressing room. Avoiding infighting would already be good.
But it will be very hard for them to keep threatening Real Madrid, let alone challenge Atletico Madrid.
Of course, nothing is absolute.
Therefore, Real Madrid still need to stay focused, stay vigilant, and push together to win the title.
Until it is in hand, everything remains uncertain.
In football, no one knows what will happen next.
(To be continued.)
***
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