Bank of America Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
In front of more than 70,000 spectators, Leeds United and AC Milan faced off in their second International Champions Cup match.
Compared to their 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich, Leeds United made significant adjustments to their starting lineup. The most notable change was the pairing of the underperforming young center-back Saliba with veteran José Fonte.
In attack, Pochettino fielded a front three of Vinicius, Haaland, and Sancho.
From the opening whistle, Leeds United took control. Vinicius made an early diagonal run into the box from the left, forcing a difficult save from AC Milan's goalkeeper.
Leeds United quickly settled into rhythm, launching waves of attacks.
In the 13th minute, Saliba mistimed a tackle that almost gifted Milan a one-on-one opportunity, but José Fonte's crucial interception prevented danger.
Throughout the match, the Portuguese veteran continuously offered Saliba guidance and instructions, mentoring him on positioning and awareness.
Just three minutes later, Leeds United's pressing paid off. They won the ball high up the pitch, Hakimi whipped in a cross, and Sancho sent the ball into the box. Haaland controlled it, turned past his marker, and blasted the ball into the net to give Leeds United a 1-0 lead.
After that, the match fully tilted toward Leeds United's tempo, with AC Milan pinned back in their own half.
However, Leeds failed to extend their lead before halftime.
In the second half, Saliba made another costly error, losing his mark and allowing Milan a one-on-one chance.
Having just returned from Copa America, Alisson was exceptional between the posts, producing a series of reflex saves to keep the clean sheet intact.
In the 62nd minute, Leeds struck again. Valverde, Sancho, and Hakimi combined neatly on the right, with Sancho reaching the byline and sending a cutback to the edge of the six-yard box. Haaland controlled the ball before squaring it to Vinicius, who calmly slotted it home unmarked.
2-0.
Then, in the 88th minute, Bruno Fernandes played a superb through ball behind the defense. Substitute Rashford burst forward on the left and finished clinically past the keeper to seal a 3-0 victory.
Leeds United triumphed over AC Milan 3-0, with goals from Haaland, Vinicius, and Rashford.
...
While Leeds United were in imperious form in their U.S. tour, Real Madrid faced some early struggles in their initial friendlies but quickly regained momentum once the International Champions Cup began.
Real Madrid comfortably defeated Benfica 3-0 in their first match, a convincing performance against a team that had previously beaten AC Milan 1-0.
When Leeds United met AC Milan, Real Madrid simultaneously played their city rivals Atlético Madrid, winning 3-1 through goals from Mbappé, Marcos Llorente, and Benzema.
Gao Shen attended the match and was particularly impressed by Marcos Llorente's performance.
As a Real Madrid fan, he knew Llorente's story well.
In his previous life, Real Madrid and Zidane had chosen Valverde over Llorente. Though Valverde's performances justified the decision, it led to Llorente's move across the city to Atlético, where his development stagnated under Simeone.
Now, things were different. With Valverde at Leeds United, Marcos Llorente had become Real Madrid's new "crown prince," receiving trust and consistent minutes. His form was improving rapidly.
Real Madrid's midfield for the upcoming season still revolved around their traditional trio, but players like Bernardo Silva and Verratti added new depth and flexibility.
Zidane had experimented with a Toni Kroos–Bernardo Silva pairing in pre-season, and it proved very effective, validating the predictive power of the team's data models.
After both clubs recorded two wins each, Real Madrid and Leeds United met at FedExField for a decisive clash.
...
Leeds United vs. Real Madrid. Mbappé vs. his former club. Every storyline surrounding the game drew massive attention.
Both sides had won their opening two matches, meaning the winner of this match would claim the North American title of the International Champions Cup.
While the trophy itself was not the most prestigious, the prize money and pride at stake made it a serious contest.
From kickoff, both teams went on the offensive.
Leeds United struck first. Calvin Phillips split the defense with a precise pass, Vardy flicked it behind the backline, and Rashford beat the offside trap before finishing calmly to make it 1-0.
Real Madrid quickly responded. Toni Kroos delivered a cross from the left, and Benzema rose above Militao to head it home.
1-1.
Watching from the stands, Gao Shen sighed helplessly.
Leeds United's weakness in defending aerial balls was clearly an issue that would need fixing before the new season.
The match continued at a blistering pace.
Leeds United retook the lead just before halftime through Bruno Fernandes, whose strike from outside the box restored their advantage.
But Real Madrid came alive after the break.
In the 52nd minute, Asensio cut inside from the right and unleashed a curling left-footed strike into the top corner to level the score again.
Four minutes later, Marcelo surged down the left flank, dribbled past Hakimi, and sent in a low cross. Isco darted into the box and laid it back for Asensio, who flicked it past substitute Saliba with a clever backheel finish.
Real Madrid completed the comeback. 3-2.
However, in the 86th minute, Tchouaméni played a long pass over the top for Vinicius, who timed his run perfectly to beat the offside line. Controlling the ball at the corner of the box, Vinicius cut inside and drew Courtois out. Instead of shooting, he slipped a square pass across goal.
Haaland shielded Ramos and let the ball roll through.
Sancho arrived at the far post and blasted it into the net.
3-3!
The thrilling encounter ended in a draw after 90 minutes.
According to the International Champions Cup rules, there was no extra time, so the match went straight to penalties.
That was where Leeds United's inexperience showed.
While Real Madrid's veterans stayed composed, the young Leeds players crumbled under pressure.
Haaland scored confidently with the first kick, but Tchouaméni, Calvin Phillips, and others missed theirs. Vinicius converted his penalty, but Leeds eventually lost the shootout 4-2.
Although Real Madrid did not win outright in the standings, the result gave them a slight edge to claim the tournament title.
...
"Still too young."
Gao Shen watched from the stands as Leeds United's youngsters fell short in the shootout.
It was only a friendly, but both sides had played with intensity and desire to win.
Mbappé had been quiet, tightly marked throughout, but Asensio stole the show with a brilliant performance.
That's the beauty of football. Stop one threat, and another will rise.
Given Leeds United's youth and inexperience, losing on penalties wasn't unexpected.
Real Madrid's composure and experience were unmatched.
"This Real Madrid side is really solid," Lucas said with admiration. "The defense is strong, the midfield balanced, and the attack dangerous. They have a real shot at silverware this season."
José Sánchez smiled. "True, but Leeds United played incredibly well in pre-season. Those young players are full of promise. Give them two or three years, and they'll achieve something special."
Lucas laughed. "Just don't start thinking about signing them already."
The group erupted in laughter.
After all, poaching talent from Leeds United had become a common ambition among Europe's elite.
"To be fair," Butragueño added, "even though they're young, you can tell they're top-level players. Their technique, control, and composure are far beyond their age."
As experts often say, you can tell genius from just one match.
Many young players shine because of their physical attributes, but Leeds United's youngsters displayed exceptional technical ability and football intelligence.
Even with Saliba's mistakes, any professional could see his potential. His tackling, pace, and ball control were impressive. His current struggles were mostly physical.
At 18, his body was still developing, and those weaknesses would fade as he grew stronger.
If he continued to learn and improve, the sky was the limit.
Many doubted whether a young squad like Leeds United could compete for major honors.
But with this level of talent, anything was possible.
It might be too early for titles, but in two or three years, this group could make Leeds United the strongest team in Europe again.
Gao Shen wasn't overly concerned about this match's outcome. He knew exactly where Leeds United stood.
For the new season, his focus was clear: Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
Real Madrid would be targeting both La Liga and the Champions League, while PSG's dominance in Ligue 1 was almost guaranteed.
With PSG's current squad and Gao Shen's strategic backing, failure was not an option for Tuchel.
If he still managed to mess things up, Gao Shen thought with a smirk, he wouldn't even bother criticizing him. Tuchel would already be buried by his own results.
If Gao Shen could guide both Real Madrid and PSG to success, everything that followed would be far easier.
(To be continued.)
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◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)