Amazon Stadium, Leeds, England.
In the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, Leeds United hosted Barcelona.
When the Dutch referee blew the final whistle, the entire Amazon Stadium erupted with jubilant cheers and celebrations from Leeds United fans.
More than 67,000 fans went wild in the stands.
The final score was displayed on the large circular screen above the stadium: 2-0.
Leeds United defeated Barcelona 2-0 with a goal and an assist from Sancho on two lightning-fast counterattacks in the first and second halves, winning the tie 11-0 on aggregate and advancing to the Champions League semi-finals.
This sent the entire Leeds fanbase into ecstasy.
At the start of the season, their expectations were modest, only hoping to make it past the group stage and perhaps reach the round of 16.
No one expected this group of talented young players to deliver such a stunning surprise.
As the match ended, Gao Shen remained seated in the stands, watching with a smile as the Leeds players walked shoulder to shoulder, side by side, around the pitch, thanking the supporters in each corner of the stadium.
This had become a tradition at Leeds United.
This kind of interaction between players and fans truly brings them closer.
Gao Shen then stood up and made his way toward the area where Barcelona's sporting director, Abidal, was seated.
"Thank you for coming, Eric." Gao Shen extended his hand.
Abidal shook it with a wry smile, clearly helpless.
Barcelona had traveled to England for the match, but none of the senior management, including Bartomeu, came along. They were well aware of the club's current situation. In truth, Barcelona posed no real threat to Leeds throughout the entire match.
The team's morale was extremely low.
Only Messi looked dangerous on a few occasions with the ball. Outside of that, Barcelona's performance was lackluster.
When morale is low, it's difficult to lead a team effectively.
Abidal had also been under enormous pressure this season. Real Madrid's strong resurgence brought more attention and scrutiny back to Barcelona. Meanwhile, their internal reforms had yet to yield results, leading to discontent from both the board and fans.
But what could he do?
"They gave it their all," Abidal sighed.
Gao Shen nodded, understanding Barcelona's situation.
Did the players truly give their best?
That likely meant they tried as hard as they could.
Once on the pitch, especially in a high-profile match like this, it's unrealistic to say that Barcelona's players weren't putting in effort.
So why did they perform so poorly despite having the ability and motivation?
This points to deeper issues with the team's management and tactics.
As Gao Shen had always said, a football match is the result of a club's overall operation.
If the players underperform, then something is wrong within the club.
"Keep your head up and keep going," Gao Shen offered as comfort.
There wasn't much else he could say.
Sometimes, too much consolation only adds to the pain.
Leeds had won the match. Gao Shen was content to leave it at that.
...
2-0 at home, 9-0 away, 11-0 on aggregate.
Leeds United delivered a jaw-dropping performance in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The 9-0 win at Camp Nou was especially historic, setting the record for the largest margin of victory in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
It was also the most humiliating defeat in Barcelona's Champions League history, setting a new low for the club.
After the match at Amazon Stadium, media outlets around the world launched a flurry of reports.
Barcelona's performance this season, in both La Liga and the Champions League, had been disappointing.
The signing of Griezmann for a hefty fee had not paid off, as the Frenchman failed to live up to expectations.
From Coutinho to Felipe Anderson and now Griezmann, Barcelona had spent large sums on various players, yet none had delivered the desired impact. Revenue had stagnated, and the club had become weighed down by massive debt.
After the match, Messi gave an interview to Catalan media, expressing his disappointment.
"I need to reconsider my contract before deciding whether to renew with the club."
Reports from the Catalan press stated that Messi was furious in the dressing room after the game.
Not just after the Amazon Stadium match, but also after the game at Camp Nou, Messi was visibly furious. This reflected his growing frustration with the state of the club and a loss of confidence in the management.
His remarks were interpreted as an ultimatum to the board.
If things don't improve, he might consider leaving.
Not only Messi, but veteran Pique also gave a post-match interview after the match in Leeds, stating that he was willing to take responsibility for the defeat, especially his failure to contain Haaland over both legs.
"I know words are useless now. In football, strength is everything. If we lose, we lose."
"The team is full of problems right now. The aging squad is a serious issue. If the club needs to bring in fresh blood, I'm willing to step aside."
Pique also said that Barcelona had hit rock bottom, but it was precisely in moments like this that the team had to come together.
However, the Catalan media were extremely critical of the team's performance, especially some of the high-earning stars, who were heavily criticized for failing to live up to their salaries and transfer fees.
"They're taking Barcelona's money, yet humiliating the club!"
What hurt the Barcelona fans the most was that Real Madrid advanced smoothly to the semi-finals after a 4-1 aggregate win over RB Leipzig.
While their bitter rivals celebrated, Barcelona were humiliated with a historic defeat. The contrast deepened the fans' anger and sense of disgrace.
The other two semifinalists were Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
Bayern's 5-2 aggregate win over Guardiola's Manchester City was a huge shock.
Especially in Manchester, where they beat City 3-1, a result that completely dismantled Guardiola's team.
First it was Barcelona. Now it was Manchester City's turn. This made everyone realize once again that possession-based football had reached its limits.
The four semifinalists were Leeds United from the Premier League, Real Madrid from La Liga, Bayern Munich from the Bundesliga, and Paris Saint-Germain from Ligue 1.
Quite an interesting lineup.
Among Europe's top five leagues, every league had a team in the semifinals—except for Serie A.
Under Tuchel, PSG defeated Napoli 3-1 to reach the semis.
This team had shown a new level of quality this season.
In the semifinals, Leeds would face Real Madrid in a massive clash. PSG would take on Bayern Munich, setting up another blockbuster showdown. Both matches had the attention of fans around the world.
...
After the semi-final draw, while fans and media focused on the matchups, insiders in European football paid more attention to the depth and strategy of the four clubs.
Three of the four clubs had strong tactical and structural depth, which was remarkable.
It wasn't just PSG and Real Madrid advancing. It was a victory of careful planning and strategic execution.
Gao Shen's transformation of PSG and Real Madrid had yielded remarkable results this season.
PSG were far ahead in Ligue 1. While individual player form had fluctuated, their overall performance had been consistent.
In terms of signings, while players like Pogba, Dembele, and Varane had cost significant money, they greatly boosted the team's strength. Mazraoui had also performed well this season.
Choupo-Moting became PSG's biggest surprise and unexpected standout.
Young players like Nkunku and Lo Celso gradually emerged, while veterans like Cavani and Neymar had experienced a resurgence.
Most notably, injuries.
Both Cavani and Neymar, who were once plagued by injuries, had only missed three or four games this season. That alone was remarkable.
With extended periods of good health, their performances had visibly improved.
Neymar, in particular, had been outstanding. He could be considered one of the best-performing players in Ligue 1 this season.
As French newspaper L'Équipe noted, this is exactly the kind of performance you expect from the third-best player in the world.
While many believe PSG's success came from heavy investment, professionals point to the structural reforms led by Gao Shen.
Within PSG, the most frequently discussed topic this season wasn't just the big names or spending, but the changes in training and daily routines.
In an interview with a French football magazine, Neymar revealed that he had adjusted his diet, adopted healthier eating habits, and increased his training intensity, which improved his physical condition significantly.
"Our team's great form this season is mostly thanks to our professional coaching staff."
Neymar's words implied credit not just to Tuchel, but also to the team Gao Shen brought in and the additional staff he recruited in France.
Although such collaboration was rare, everyone at PSG—players, staff, and management—were happy working with Gao Shen's team due to their professionalism and mutual trust.
Of course, there were issues and disagreements during the process, but everything was handled professionally. If necessary, specialists would step in to mediate. There were no major disruptions.
This allowed PSG to make significant progress in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Now, they had reached the semi-finals.
In Ligue 1, PSG were already far ahead and had secured the title.
Real Madrid were in a similar position.
They dominated La Liga all season. Under Zidane, the team displayed rare dominance. With the attacking trio of Mbappe, Benzema, and Di Maria, Real Madrid continued their strong form across all competitions.
They reached the Copa del Rey final, won La Liga early, and made the Champions League semi-finals.
Real Madrid were now chasing the treble.
And everyone knew the man behind both PSG and Real Madrid was Gao Shen.
This made him even more sought-after in European football.
Just as the Champions League quarter-finals concluded, the Premier League's ownership saga reached a pivotal moment.
The British government had finally stepped in.
(To be continued.)