Even now, many Real Madrid fans still miss Gao Shen and the team he once managed.
Everyone believes that Gao Shen instilled resilience and an iron will into Real Madrid.
The most iconic example was his final season in charge, when they staged a breathtaking mid-season comeback, hailed as a classic among classics.
After several years of development, the legacy Gao Shen left behind still lingers. The foundation he built remains intact. In fact, Real Madrid's current head coach is Zinedine Zidane, who was Gao Shen's assistant at the time.
And Gao Shen currently serves as Real Madrid's technical director.
This continuity has allowed Real Madrid's fighting spirit to endure, constantly reflected on the pitch.
Some say that today's Real Madrid is no longer the elegant aristocrat of old, but an unyielding warrior.
"As long as you don't knock me down, I will find a way to defeat you!"
Even more impressive is that Real Madrid's players have grown accustomed to various situations and scenarios. They are well-versed in comebacks and know how to manage adversity.
They know exactly what to do, and when.
These things no longer require the coach's guidance. The players handle them instinctively.
Just like tonight at the Bernabéu.
Conceding two goals in the opening ten minutes—if it were any other team, their mentality might have collapsed long ago.
Without timely adjustments, they could have been crushed by a heavy scoreline.
But Real Madrid?
They continued to control the game at their own pace, calm and composed. They were experienced, having faced these kinds of scenarios countless times.
They knew what needed to be done.
And so, the situation gradually stabilized.
With the wing-backs dropping deeper, a five-man defense paired with a midfield trio solidified the team's shape.
Gradually, the sharpness Leeds United displayed early on began to dull.
It wasn't until the 33rd minute that Real Madrid finally bared their fangs.
It was their first shot of the entire match.
Benzema dropped back to receive a pass from midfield, laid it off to Modric, and then made a quick forward run.
Modric passed to Mbappé, who pushed the ball forward to the surging Benzema before immediately sprinting ahead at full speed.
Benzema, reading the play perfectly, delivered a through ball behind the defense. Mbappé timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap, went one-on-one with the keeper, and calmly scored.
1-2.
And after the goal?
Real Madrid still played at their own tempo, unhurried and composed.
As the first half neared its end, another surge down the left by Mbappé earned Real Madrid a corner.
Toni Kroos took the corner, but it was cleared by Leeds United.
Marcelo recovered the ball outside the box.
The Brazilian full-back sent a diagonal cross toward the far post.
De Ligt rose and nodded it back across goal, and Benzema, after controlling it with his chest, struck a volleyed hook shot that found the back of the net once again.
2-2.
It was level.
...
"Real Madrid's experience is just too rich!"
In the stands, Gao Shen shook his head with a wry smile after Benzema scored.
Real Madrid's players were incredibly experienced. They knew exactly how to react when facing problems. They handled everything with composure, unlike Leeds United's players, who charged forward on pure passion.
Sometimes, experience is truly irreplaceable.
Like Modric, for instance. His control of the tempo on the pitch was entirely different from Bernardo Silva's.
Is Bernardo Silva lacking in ability?
Their styles differ slightly, but the real difference lies in experience and game intelligence.
"This is all thanks to you," Florentino said with a chuckle.
From the time Gao Shen returned for his second spell in charge until now, his fingerprints had been on almost every Real Madrid trophy.
It's no exaggeration to say that Gao Shen created the glory of Real Madrid's second Galácticos era.
Gao Shen smiled but didn't respond.
He was confident in Florentino's praise.
Real Madrid's consecutive semi-final appearances owed much to Zidane's excellent coaching, but Gao Shen and his staff also played a vital role.
Not to mention the several years before that, when Gao Shen managed the team himself.
"Now, Zidane's adjustments have made the team's passing and possession smoother, and their defense more organized. But it still doesn't solve the fundamental issue," Gao Shen analyzed calmly.
"There's no width in attack. Mbappé and Benzema have to drift wide, leaving only one player in the center, and the other side becomes exposed. If Marcelo and Carvajal don't push up, there's little attacking threat."
"And in midfield, Real Madrid can't match Leeds United."
By that, Gao Shen didn't mean Real Madrid's midfielders lacked skill. Rather, they were older, couldn't keep up with the tempo, struggled to cover ground, and lost direct physical battles. The loss of control in midfield was obvious.
If the attack couldn't stretch the field, Real Madrid would have to rely on defending.
This was a situation they couldn't change without substitutions to bolster the midfield.
If Zidane brought on Marcos Llorente and Bernardo Silva, they would add energy and mobility. But they lacked the experience of the current starters.
It was entirely possible that without Modric and Kroos, Real Madrid might have crumbled under Leeds United's early pressure.
That's the dilemma. A choice has to be made.
Leeds United faced the same problem.
If they pushed up to attack, they would be vulnerable to counter-attacks from Benzema and especially Mbappé.
That kid is just too fast.
So what should they do?
Press high in the midfield and final third, disrupt Real Madrid's build-up, and try to create chances from there.
"Our two first-half goals came from individual brilliance," Butragueño said, somewhat helplessly.
It wasn't that Real Madrid were weak. Leeds United were simply too strong.
Pochettino was a master of high-pressing tactics. Coupled with the youth, athleticism, and tactical discipline of this Leeds United side, they almost suffocated Real Madrid.
If it weren't for the top-level finishing of Benzema and Mbappé, those two goals wouldn't have happened.
Just think of Barcelona—look at how they were dismantled.
"We also have to keep an eye on Casemiro. His running and coverage in this match have been excellent. Once he starts slowing down, the match could shift again," Gao Shen pointed out.
Kroos and Modric had seen a decline in their mobility and defensive ability, but Casemiro hadn't. The Brazilian was in his prime, arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world, and the anchor of Real Madrid's midfield.
If Casemiro started fading, things would become far more dangerous for Real Madrid.
After hearing Gao Shen's assessment, the expressions of Florentino and the others turned solemn.
If that happened, Real Madrid's position would become extremely precarious.
Just then, a stir erupted on the pitch.
Everyone turned their attention to the field.
It had started to rain.
And it was a sudden, heavy downpour.
By the start of the second half, the Bernabéu pitch had become a muddy battleground.
Several Real Madrid players' movement visibly declined.
Especially Modric, Kroos, and even Benzema. Under the soaking rain, their age started to show in the second half.
The downpour had dampened their rhythm and shaken their composure.
Everyone watching let out a sigh, especially Gao Shen.
These were players he had once nurtured.
Then, in the 58th minute, Modric, while carrying the ball forward, was dispossessed just outside Leeds United's penalty area by Camavinga.
The young Frenchman, with his signature dreadlocks, quickly passed the ball to Declan Rice after the tackle. Rice immediately lofted a long ball to the right wing, where Reece James surged forward across the soaked pitch.
The entire Leeds United team pressed forward together.
Especially the front three, who sprinted immediately.
Once Reece James crossed the halfway line, he released a through ball for Sancho ahead of him.
The ball, heavy with water, didn't travel far. It landed near the right corner of the box, forcing Sancho to adjust and chase it down. He slowed, then drove directly at Nacho.
The English winger, confident and skillful, kept pushing forward. Near the edge of the box, he suddenly cut inside. Nacho stepped in to block, but Sancho feinted again and slipped into the box, shaping to shoot.
Nacho lunged to stop him, but Sancho pulled the ball back at the last second. Nacho lost balance and nearly slipped on the wet turf. Sancho then angled toward goal.
Van Dijk rushed over to help and tried to block Sancho's shooting lane.
But Sancho had anticipated this. He passed across goal with his right foot.
Haaland charged into the center but couldn't reach it. De Ligt also missed it.
Rashford arrived at the far post just in time.
With the ball wet and slippery, Rashford didn't take any risks. He stopped it with his left foot, set himself, and struck low with his right.
Water splashed up as the ball left his foot and zipped into the left corner of the goal.
Courtois dove but couldn't reach it.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"
"3-2!"
"Leeds United scores again!"
"A goal from Rashford."
"My word, that's a crucial goal!"
"The heavy rain during halftime disrupted Real Madrid's rhythm and tactics, giving Leeds United the opening. Just 13 minutes into the second half, Rashford scores Leeds United's third goal."
"The momentum has swung again."
"Zidane is preparing a substitution."
"João Félix is warming up."
"Looks like Real Madrid are switching back to a traditional 4-3-3."
"This is a clear signal to increase attacking power."
(To be continued.)