March 4th, m, Odalesa district.

  Carlo rose early as usual, stepping outside to retrieve the fresh Aspen neer from the mailbox, as well as two tickets discreetly pced ihey were for tonight's highly anticipated derby match between Real Madrid and Atletiadrid at the Beradium.

  What differed from routine was the presence of a note amidst the tickets, scrawled in twisted Spanish.

  "I hope you e to watch the game, Gao."

  Even without a signature, Carlo instantly reized the handwriting as Gao Shen's, unmistakably messy.

  Baside, seated at the dining table, Carlo stared bnkly at the two football tickets.

  Four days had passed since his dismissal from the position of Real Madrid's head coach.

  "Who sent the tickets? Is it Gao?" his wife emerged from the kit, ed, spotting the tickets in Carlo's hand.

  ained silent, simply nodding.

  "Why didn't you invite him in?" Mrs. Carroll pined.

  Knowing his wife harbored a favorable view of Gao Shen, Carlo uood her misuanding. Yet, his departure from the Real Madrid helm had nothing to do with Gao Shen; it urely due to the antics of the new chairman Martin, a sore spot he couldn't shake.

  His thoughts were in turmoil.

  Did he want to attend?

  Absolutely, he truly desired to.

  Did he not want to go?

  Equally so, he felt a stroance. Just four days ago, he anded Real Madrid as head coaow, attending a game with tickets sent by Gao She unfortable, whichever way he tur in his mind.

  "Why didn't I see anyone?" Mrs. Carroll sed the courtyard, puzzled by the absence of a tall figure.

  "The tickets were probably delivered st night. Let's leave it be. He didn't wake us to deliver them, just left them in the mailbox," Carlo expined.

  Mrs. Carroll dised her husband's internal struggle and joined him at the table. After a few minutes of silence, she couldn't resist asking, "So, are you going to the game tonight?"

  ained silent once more.

  He clearly didn't want to provide an answer.

  "He mentioned he really wanted you to attend," Mrs. Carroll gently nudged.

  Carlarded Gao Shen as his pupil, often visiting their home. Mrs. Carroll held a favorable opinion of Gao Shen and didn't want this matter to cause fri.

  Having been with Carlo for 20 or 30 years, she uood her husband's character better than anyone else ahized with his current predit.

  Don't say Carlo had ged; this situation was testing him.

  After some hesitation, Carlo pushed the tickets gently towards his wife. "I won't go. If you want to, take a friend along. If not, maybe give them to our neighbors at the bar."

  With that said, Carlo opened up today's neer.

  Mrs. Carrarded her husband ily, saying nothing more, and collected the tickets.

  ---

  Predictably, the headlines in Aspen were dominated by tonight's derby game.

  For weeks now, the ey had been buzzing with anticipation for this pivotal showdown.

  Outsiders often failed to grasp Atletiadrid's deep-seated animosity towards Real Madrid. Only those residing iy uood this longstanding rivalry that had only grown more inteh time.

  Long before Atletiadrid's relegation, their chairman, Old Hill, had famously stated that Atletiadrid's sole mission was to dismantle Real Madrid. Their satisfa would only e through triumph over their arch-rivals.

  Uedly, Atletiadrid had indeed achieved their ambition.

  For Atletiadrid, this marked a catastrophe, shattering their aspirations of being a dominant force. However, it further fueled their reseowards Real Madrid.

  During Atletiadrid's stint in the sed division, Florentino took charge of Real Madrid, ched two Champions League titles in three years, and assembled a squad of global superstars, creating a formidable gactic battleship.

  Atletiadrid nguished in the sed division, gazing upwards at their former nemesis. In La Liga, the Champions League, and globally, Real Madrid shone brightly.

  It sychological blow that could have crippled them, but Atletiadrid dispyed remarkable resilience.

  Returning to La Liga, the Rojibncos squared off against Real Madrid once more.

  Every enter betweewo sides was fiercely tested, characterized by unwaveriermination from Atletiadrid. Though Real Madrid had secured 4-0 and 3-0 victories, each csh was fraught with tension and closely fought battles.

  Atletiadrid's return to La Liga also meant their return to the Bernabeu, where Real Madrid boasted one win and two draws. versely, at the Calderon Stadium, Real Madrid had emerged victorious in four secutive enters.

  What did this pattern signify?

  At the Bernabeu, Atletiadrid sistently challenged Real Madrid!

  ---

  Atletiadrid coach, Murcia, expressed in a pre-match press ferehat this was the optimal moment for Atletiadrid to defeat Real Madrid. With the Bernabeu in turmoil, they saportunity to aveheir Caldero.

  "While it's unfortuo see Real Madrid in disarray, as petitors, this presents a signifit opportunity for us. We're eager to exact reve the Bernabeu," Murcia decred.

  Murcia also questiohe appoi of Gao Shen, Real Madrid's interim coach at just 25 years old, deeming it an absurd decision giveeam's average age of over 25 years.

  "They will pay the price for their folly!"

  Joining in the criticism was Atletiadrid's top scorer, Fernando Torres, who expressed delight upon hearing that Real Madrid had excluded their Brazilian stars from the squad.

  "This decision baffles me. One might even suspect our ag coach at Real Madrid of being a spy at the Bernabeu," Torres quipped, tongue-in-cheek.

  While it was meant i, Torres highlighted the absence of key Brazilian pyers, including Ronaldo, Robinho, Baptista, Carlos, and ho, all pivotal figures for Real Madrid.

  Torres fidently stated, "It's going to be a tough match, especially at the Bernabeu."

  Spanish iional defender, Pablo Ibanez, echoed Torres's ses, dismissing Real Madrid's threat without Ronaldo as a toothless tiger.

  "A Real Madrid without Ronaldo isn't a side to fear," Ibanez asserted. "We're prepared to demonstrate our strength at the Bernabeu."

  Antonio Lopez, an Atletiadrid youth academy product, also reflected on their previous enter in the seventh round, where he received a red card in the sixth minute.

  "At that moment, I didn't even make tact with Raul," Lopez cimed. "Yet, the referee showed me a red card after pressure from Real Madrid pyers. Tonight at the Berhey'll pay for that."

  ---

  The rivalry betweewo city rivals had always been intense aed.

  At the Calderon, they set a record with one red card and seven yellow cards. It was widely expected that tonight's match at the Bernabeu would be no different.

  Carlo anxiously perused the pre-matalysis in the neer, keenly aware of Atletiadrid's determination.

  Real Madrid was grappling with internal turmoil and division, while Atletiadrid sought to capitalize on their vulnerabilities.

  They possessed the strength to do so.

  The question remained: could Gao Shen ha?

  Tonight, at the Bernabeu, he would not only front the challenge posed by their arch-rivals, Atletiadrid, but also tend with internal pressures, managerial threats, and the skepticism of 75,000 Real Madrid supporters.

  He stood at a precipice, isoted and under scrutiny.

  With these thoughts weighing heavily, Carlo gnced once more at the note left by Gao Shen.

  "I hope you e to watch the game."

  ---

  Match days were always hectic.

  Every pyer listed ich squad arrived punctually at Valdebebas, assembling precisely as required.

  Gao Shen initiated a tactical briefing, fog intensely on fiuning the team's formations and strategies.

  Addressing recurrent issues highlighted duri training sessions, Gao Shen stressed certain tactical adjustments.

  He regretted the team's rushed preparatioo time straints.

  Yet, he found so one piece of news: Woodgate's fitness was intact.

  This was indeed wele news.

  Upon spotting Woodgate in the feren, Gao Shen couldn't tain his smile. "Jonathan, it's great to see you here!"

  The crux of Gao Shen's emphasis y in positional py and defensive anization.

  Previously employing man-marking, Gao Shen now opted for zonal defense—a strategic evolution.

  Simply put, zonal defense represented a departure from individual marking.

  Valencia and Liverpool's successes under Benitez highlighted the efficacy of this defensive approach.

  Additionally, set-piece defense was a critical focus.

  Over the past few days, Gao Shen had drilled these tactito the pyers repeatedly. Their execution on the field would ultimately determiheir success.

  Later that afternoon, Gao Shen ducted targeted tactical sessions, pg particur emphasis on pressing Atletiadrid's defensive line.

  With Pablo Ibaanding at 1.92 meters, and Pereira, Varasco, and Antonio Lopez all under 1.8 meters, Negredo held a distinct advahat could be capitalized upon.

  On the defensive front, Torres remaihe primary .

  As a dual threat, Ke?man also warranted close attention.

  "Finally," Gao Shen addressed the assembled pyers, taking a deep breath.

  Each of the 18 pyers had beeed by him. The oute—victory or defeat—rested squarely on his shoulders.

  "I hope that each of you, as you step into the Beradium tonight, deliver your best performand honor the jersey you wear!"

  Having said that, Gao Shen gazed deeply at those present before turning to depart.