"The problems Real Madrid is facing now come from Luxemburgo's tactical mistakes."
"Real Madrid has the best forwards and midfielders in the world. But if Zidane, Figo, and Beckham aren't on the pitch, who's going to create chances for Ronaldo?"
"Ronaldo hasn't had such a poor run of form in any of the past few seasons. Is there something wrong with his ability? I don't think so. The phenomenon has always understood goals better than anyone else—always!"
"Baptista is a great player, but he's not a playmaking attacking midfielder. Robinho's dribbling is dazzling, but he's a spearhead, not a commander."
"I don't know what issues Luxemburgo has with Zidane and Figo. But I do know that without them last season, we never would've won La Liga."
"Remember our performances in the final stretch last year?"
"Figo and Zidane can do everything. To leave players like them on the bench is the biggest waste!"
"And just the same—choosing to push Baptista into a makeshift striker role rather than giving Raúl proper minutes is another massive waste."
"Wasting talent is a crime! As captain of Real Madrid, I can't stand by and watch the club's assets be squandered like this."
"So here, as Real Madrid's captain, wearing this armband, I solemnly demand Luxemburgo put the best players in the positions where they belong."
"This season, we're going all out for the Champions League. We won't let anyone stand in the way of this team!"
"For the glory of Real Madrid!"
Su Hang raised his hand high, holding up the captain's armband.
A moment later, Zidane and the others followed in unison: "For the glory of Real Madrid!"
...
The press conference shook all of European football.
Real Madrid stars had spoken out together, interfering with the head coach's lineup decisions.
For any team, that's taboo!
That's outright insubordination!
Su Hang had broken the ultimate rule!
But… normally, when one player breaks the rules, he's punished. What happens when all the biggest stars break them together? What can you do then?
Even a giant like Real Madrid couldn't afford to fall out with so many superstars at once.
And this time, the players' rebellion was not without reason.
"Such a Captain? Su Hang Defies Authority, Challenges Luxemburgo's Power Directly!"
"For Real Madrid's Glory! Su Hang Speaks Out Boldly—This is the Spirit of Real Madrid!"
"Luxemburgo's signings are fine, but we already have the strongest players!"
"Zidane and Figo may be older, but they're still starters! Doubting these legends will bring punishment!"
"Florentino unhappy with Real Madrid's internal discord! How will this drama end?"
Real Madrid's board stepped in.
Luxemburgo, furious, demanded Su Hang be punished—stripped of the armband and sent to the reserves.
Zidane, Figo, and the others didn't pressure the club, but the majority of fans sided with Su Hang. They stood firmly behind him.
They would never forget last season, when Su Hang descended like a god!
At least this time, their support was unwavering.
In the end, Real Madrid's management forced Luxemburgo to respect the players' wishes.
Luxemburgo refused at first.
But when the club told him it was either comply or leave, he had no choice but to give in.
September 21st.
At training, Luxemburgo gave a short apology.
He admitted he had misjudged both his team and their opponents.
From now on, the team would get back on track.
The starting lineup for tomorrow's La Liga match:
Su Hang, Raúl
Zidane, Figo, Beckham
García
Roberto Carlos, Helguera, Sergio Ramos, Salgado
Casillas
=
But for the first time, Luxemburgo began to curse his own team to lose.
Because if this lineup won, it would prove that all his previous tactics had been wrong.
And if that happened, he'd never have any authority left.
He had quiet talks with Roberto Carlos, Baptista, Robinho, García, and others.
He hinted they should "perform" in a certain way.
The players left, conflicted and unsure.
...
September 22nd, La Liga Round Four.
The Bernabéu was sold out.
Today was a big day—Real Madrid against Athletic Bilbao.
Bilbao was a tough side, known for their rugged style.
And no, calling it a "big day" wasn't looking down on them.
It was because Real Madrid had finally fielded a lineup that satisfied everyone.
The Galácticos were back in full force!
As the announcer read out each name, the crowd roared with joy.
Even before kickoff, they were already savoring football at its finest.
This was a joy fans of teams without superstars could never imagine.
Forty-five minutes later.
Luxemburgo walked into the locker room smiling.
Was Real Madrid leading?
No—0–0, and the game was tense.
Bilbao's bruising tactics worked. Real Madrid barely had any clear chances in the first half.
It wasn't much different from their earlier matches.
Luxemburgo even sighed in regret for Bilbao—earlier, they had one brilliant counterattack, but Casillas pulled off a miracle save.
That damned guy!
Inside the locker room, many players sat quietly.
The situation was tougher than they expected.
"It's fine, we're doing well." Su Hang clapped his hands. "Keep your heads up—this is just how Bilbao plays."
"Scoring the first goal is always the hardest."
"Figo, in the second half we'll get you more of the ball. Drive straight through the middle."
"They press too aggressively—that's your chance. Beat them! You can do it!"
"Beckham, be ready to fire from the right wing. Don't worry if I'll be there—I'll fight to the death to be there!"
"Zidane, take it easy—you can handle this! You pulled France back from the brink. There's nothing you can't do!"
The tension on the players' faces eased.
This summer, France had been fourth in their World Cup qualifying group, their hopes of advancing almost gone.
At the critical moment, Zidane announced on social media that he would return to the national team!
The squad's morale soared instantly.
Soon after, veterans like Makélélé answered the call, saying they'd return whenever France needed them.
Old soldiers never die, and they don't fade away!
With their help, France secured a spot in next year's World Cup finals.
Zidane would lead them, playing his final masterpiece on the world stage.
With Zidane like this, who wouldn't trust him—other than Luxemburgo?