Some say that football matches are just like life.
"A great deal of life's lessons are compressed into just 90 minutes."
"Just like tonight. The closer they get to the crucial moment, the more likely they are to make mistakes or get caught in awkward situations."
On the night of the Champions League final, Gao Shen sat in the presidential stand at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. He did not sit with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez or Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
Instead, he chose to sit alone and invited several old friends — Ferguson, Wenger, Valdano, and Sacchi — to join him.
Oh, right, also Simeone and Pochettino.
Simeone, of course, was representing the host city, while Pochettino was on vacation and had come to Madrid to watch the final.
The stands for the Champions League final were packed with guests, but the section where Gao Shen and his group were seated was undoubtedly the most eye-catching.
They were all world-class coaches.
When they heard Gao Shen's comment, everyone showed a wry smile.
As managers, they deeply understood how hard it was to stay calm in critical moments.
Zidane's starting lineup tonight featured an unexpected yet clever adjustment.
He actually switched the positions of Di María and Mbappé.
This season, Real Madrid had used Mbappé on the left and Di María on the right, forming a mature attacking trio with Benzema in the center. This was arguably their most dangerous frontline.
But Zidane chose to alter it for this most crucial Champions League final.
Did he have a reason?
Definitely.
PSG's right-sided center-back Varane was very familiar with Di María, and Zidane expected Tuchel to make corresponding adjustments to counter Real Madrid's offensive patterns. So he decided to make a bold change himself.
The personnel stayed the same, but their positions were switched.
Additionally, there was a change in midfield. Zidane started Verratti instead of Modric.
Mainly because Modric had just recovered from injury, and Bernardo Silva was still relatively new. Comparatively, Verratti had better chemistry with Toni Kroos and Casemiro.
None of these adjustments were particularly problematic.
If it were a La Liga match or even a fixture before the Champions League quarterfinals, it would not have been a big issue.
But this was the Champions League final!
Tuchel also made some questionable moves.
Clearly worried that Mazraoui wouldn't be able to handle Mbappé, he used German center-back Kehrer as a right-back to stop him.
There were no major issues in midfield. The combination of Pogba, Kanté, and Jorginho gave PSG a relatively stable core.
The attack featured Neymar, Cavani, and Dembélé.
From the starting lineup, it seemed Tuchel intended to defend strongly on the right and focus the attack on the left — the side with Bernat and Neymar.
From the start, PSG attacked heavily down the left. Neymar went all in offensively.
Pogba also shifted closer to the left side, forming a triangle with Bernat and Neymar. This created an aggressive trio that made Real Madrid's right flank extremely uncomfortable and vulnerable.
PSG's midfield applied immense pressure, and Verratti struggled to cope.
As Gao Shen had said before, if Real Madrid's midfield was centered only around Kroos, it would be steady but lack creativity. If it relied on Modric, it might lose control of stability.
This is what was happening: Real Madrid's attack was stalling, their midfield was under pressure, and the situation was unfolding just as predicted.
In the 17th minute, PSG launched a quick counterattack down the right. Dembélé dribbled forward, combined with Cavani, broke into the right side of the box, and cut the ball back toward the center.
Neymar arrived and smashed in a powerful shot. Ramos and Van Dijk failed to close him down in time. PSG scored.
1-0, PSG took the lead.
But was Paris safe?
Too early to say.
Just five minutes later, Real Madrid launched a fierce counterattack. Benzema and Mbappé combined brilliantly on the right. Mbappé cut diagonally into the box and fired from just outside the six-yard area.
The shot struck the left post and bounced out.
Mbappé's shots were still a little too focused on angle rather than power.
...
"In recent years, players' technical ability under high pressure has been tested like never before," Valdano said emotionally as he watched the intense pace and back-and-forth exchanges between the two sides.
"That's inevitable. Even we top-level managers are ridiculously overwhelmed in such situations," Gao Shen chuckled.
Many believe that being a world-class coach means life is easy. That's far from the truth.
Even managers like Simeone and Pochettino face constant pressure and endless challenges.
As Gao Shen said, modern football focuses heavily on overall tactics.
When coaches set up their teams, they concentrate their best resources on targeting a weak point in the opponent's defense and attack from there.
That's why both the media and fans often feel that "defending is terrible" in matches.
But is it really that bad?
While the individual defensive skills of center-backs may not be as dominant as before, their overall tactical awareness and system roles are much more advanced.
However, if the opponent throws all their resources at a single point, how can you defend that?
So the defense isn't bad — it's the modern tactical structure that overwhelms it.
In such systems, constant running and pressing are the only ways to cover defensive gaps and protect the backline.
That's why all modern teams place great importance on pressing, intensity, and proactive attacking.
The last one needs no explanation. Every fan knows the saying.
The best defense is a good offense!
In an era where pressing is so widespread, a player's technique and individual qualities become secondary. The real key is how they perform under pressure.
Back when Gao Shen coached Napoli, he had admired Modric. He had even wanted to bring him to Naples because Modric was one of the few players who could dribble forward under high pressure with consistency.
Even now, that ability remains rare in European football.
Pogba and Bernardo Silva can also do it, but they still don't match Modric's level.
Players who remain composed under pressure can better execute the team's tactical plans, whether it's long balls, short combinations, or individual actions. This neutralizes the effectiveness of the opponent's pressing game.
That's why Real Madrid had Kroos for long-range distribution and Modric for pressure-resistant dribbling. That midfield trio — the classic "ceremonial midfield" — was irreplaceable.
Bernardo Silva is excellent, but he's still a step behind Modric.
Verratti, for all his strengths, doesn't offer the same qualities.
That's why Real Madrid got pinned back right after kickoff.
"Tuchel's tactics are very physically demanding. If they keep this up, the second half will be uncertain," Simeone pointed out.
There's no perfect tactic. Every system has its trade-offs.
Tuchel was too aggressive early on, spending a lot of energy, which would definitely become a problem in the second half.
Zidane realized his mistake and began adjusting.
Di María moved back to the right wing, while Mbappé returned to the left.
"This guy went out, looked around the street, and realized his wife at home is still the best," Gao Shen joked.
Everyone burst into laughter.
That analogy was spot on.
"He's probably feeling torn. Neither team has any secrets from the other. They're both going after each other's weak points while also trying to surprise with tactical shifts."
At that moment, Sacchi shook his head and sighed. "Sometimes, even when you know you shouldn't, you still do it."
Unless you've been through it yourself, you can't understand the enormous psychological pressure involved.
Why do players celebrate so wildly after scoring?
Like Cristiano Ronaldo — he's scored countless goals. Why is he still so emotional every time?
The answer is pressure.
Every match carries the weight of global expectations. Every move is scrutinized. The pressure is unimaginable.
At that point, the opponent hardly matters.
The real opponent is yourself.
Every goal, every action, is a battle against yourself.
That's why no matter how many goals a player scores, they still feel the same excitement or even break into tears.
The same applies to coaches.
Gao Shen often joked that Guardiola is the "King of Overthinking," but in reality, everyone is.
Even Gao Shen had made poor decisions in major finals.
Especially when they don't feel confident about containing their opponent, they rack their brains trying to find solutions.
That's true across all industries.
"Real Madrid's biggest problem tonight was still in midfield. Without Modric, and with Di María moved to the left at the start, the entire attacking and midfield connection was cut off and PSG took full advantage," Pochettino analyzed.
"Now we need to stabilize, avoid conceding again, wait for the right moment, and look to turn things around."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
PSG were on top now. It was unrealistic to expect Real Madrid to turn things around immediately.
Especially with their issues in passing out from the back.
The more passing options a team has, the harder it is for pressing tactics to succeed.
But Real Madrid's starting tactics had made them lose the initiative. Now they had to endure PSG's attacks and wait for an opportunity.
If they conceded another, it would be very difficult to come back.
Zidane clearly understood this and had started playing it safe, which led to a deadlock on the pitch.
In a Champions League final, the gap between the two sides was never huge. Once Real Madrid found their rhythm, PSG wouldn't be able to dominate for long.
The match was turning into a fierce and prolonged battle.
(To be continued.)