Some news outlets featured images of Robinho lifting the trophy.
As if he had made some monumental contribution.
Robinho became the player Real Madrid heavily promoted during this phase.
His nickname, "The Next Pelé," mirrored Messi's label, "The Next Maradona."
With hype like that, stardom was easy to manufacture.
On August 28th, Real Madrid played their first La Liga match—an away game against Cádiz.
But Luxemburgo seemed to have forgotten his earlier promises.
He didn't start Zidane, Figo, or Su Hang, leaving them on the bench.
For over seventy minutes, the score stayed locked at 1-1.
In the 75th minute, Su Hang, Figo, and Zidane were all brought on.
In the 83rd, Su Hang brought down a high ball and laid it off to Figo.
Figo beat two defenders at the edge of the box with brilliant footwork before unleashing a strike that tore into the net.
2-1.
Real Madrid eked out a narrow victory.
...
On September 10th, in the second round of La Liga, Real Madrid hosted Celta Vigo.
Once again, Luxemburgo benched stars like Zidane and Figo, claiming the veterans needed rest ahead of the Champions League group stage match three days later.
This time, the team suffered a 2-3 defeat in their first home game of the season.
In the closing stages, Luxemburgo brought on Su Hang, Figo, and Zidane, but it made no difference.
...
September 13th: the first round of the Champions League.
Real Madrid flew to France to face Lyon away.
This match would go down as a classic.
Luxemburgo's starting lineup:
Ronaldo, Su Hang
Zidane, Figo, Beckham
García
Roberto Carlos, Woodgate, Sergio Ramos, Salgado
Casillas
A proper, balanced eleven.
The first half ended 0-0.
Then, at halftime, Luxemburgo completely lost the plot.
He tried to copy Real Madrid's approach from the first leg of the Supercopa de España.
Robinho came on for Figo to play left midfield.
Baptista replaced Su Hang, partnering Ronaldo up front.
Cicinho came on for Zidane as right midfield.
Beckham dropped back to form a double pivot with García.
It became a 4-4-2.
The result? Without their top players, Madrid lost all control. Lyon erupted.
In just fifteen minutes, they scored three goals, leaving Madrid in total disarray.
This Lyon side was no pushover—they had already won four straight Ligue 1 titles and were chasing a fifth.
To beat them, you needed your very best on the pitch for the full ninety minutes.
But Luxemburgo's gamble—using his stars to grind the first half, then letting the new signings try to reap the rewards—was doomed from the start.
In the 81st minute, Lyon brought on a 17-year-old from the bench: Karim Benzema.
It was his Champions League debut.
He was ecstatic.
For him, this was a historic day.
His opponent was none other than Real Madrid.
The Galácticos!
And the best part—Lyon won.
Final score: Real Madrid 0-3 Lyon.
Even though it was only the first group stage match, Real Madrid fans erupted in fury.
"What the hell is happening to Real Madrid? We're the Galácticos!"
"Why aren't we playing our best? Why are Zidane, Figo, Su Hang, Beckham, and Raúl barely seeing the pitch?"
"Are we really spending a whole season just training those new signings from the South American clique?"
"When has Real Madrid ever been this patient with newcomers?"
"What can Robinho do besides stepovers?"
"Baptista can't play striker—he should drop back and let Su Hang and Raúl lead the line!"
"Cicinho is fine as a right back, but as a winger he's hopeless. Forget Beckham—he shouldn't even be ahead of Guti in the pecking order."
"I've had enough of Luxemburgo's ridiculous substitutions! The best players should always be on the field."
...
Under fire from all sides, Luxemburgo claimed he was thinking long-term.
"It's only been a few matches. Why can't people show more patience with the players?"
...
September 17th, La Liga Matchday 3.
Real Madrid visited Espanyol.
To prove his point, Luxemburgo once again started the South American clique.
But this time, to spread the pressure, he included Su Hang in the starting lineup.
The result? A 0-1 defeat to Barcelona's little brother, Espanyol.
That made it three losses in a row.
Real Madrid sat 15th in La Liga.
Worse, Ronaldo got injured again.
Clearly, this wasn't going to be another peak year for him.
That was the final straw for Luxemburgo.
Marca led the charge, with Clara blasting him:
"Real Madrid have now gone two straight matches without a goal. In their first four La Liga games, they've scored just three times."
"And yet before this, they scored four goals in a single match."
"Luxemburgo's substitutions have clearly disrupted the attack. Both Ronaldo and Su Hang's finishing has dropped."
"His intentions are obvious now. He wants the South American clique to perform, so he can lock down their starting spots."
"If he doesn't, then Su Hang, Zidane, Figo, Beckham, and others will keep their places, and his South American clique will be stuck as substitutes."
"That's nothing like the dominance Luxemburgo is chasing."
"But his waiting game comes at the cost of Real Madrid's results!"
Clara hit the nail on the head.
Luxemburgo fought back. In AS, he said:
"You all wanted Su Hang. I gave you Su Hang. But you saw the results."
"The team does have problems. Certain players need to take a hard look at themselves."
"I know this team better than anyone. I firmly believe we can win plenty of honors this season—as long as everything goes according to my plan."
Wow.
Luxemburgo's blame-shifting couldn't have been clearer.
And he wasn't worried either.
After all, Zidane, Figo, and Su Hang had already accepted being benched before.
So what if he threw blame now?
They were already intimidated, already backing down.
Or so he thought.
...
The next day, Su Hang, as Real Madrid captain, called a press conference.
Over thirty media outlets attended.
Su Hang sat at the center table.
Zidane, Figo, Beckham, Raúl, Guti, Helguera, and others joined him.
It was a united stand between Real Madrid's local core and the international stars.
"It's regrettable that Mr. Luxemburgo chose to deceive the public in this manner," Su Hang said firmly into the microphone, wearing the captain's armband.
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
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