When he woke up, Carlo was in a very cheerful mood.

  Madrid was enjoying an unusual sunny and warm weather today.

  After Carlo finished breakfast, he spent some time with his wife and asked her to go to the vegetable market to buy groceries for preparing a hearty lunch at nooeo host a special guest and then moved out to the courtyard, sitting in his chair, basking in the sun while reading the neer.

  Carlo was somewhat dissatisfied with the reports in the Spanish media. He felt they were unfair to Gao Shen.

  Not to mention the game against Atletiadrid, just st night's match at Highbury, Gao Shen deserved more praise. However, media reports focused more on the superstars and youth pyers, overlooking the crucial role of head coach Gao Shen.

  This situation wasn't hard to uand.

  On one hand, it was in lih Real Madrid's tradition, and oher hand, the media, which had previously criticized him, now couldn't keep up with their own promises, right?

  Mrs. Carlo was also in a good mood. She had prepared some delicious dishes and, upourning home, immediately got busy i. Later, she even called Carlo in to help.

  The couple busied themselves i until noon, when the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of their guest, prompting Carlo to step out.

  ...

  After the m training session, Gao Shen specially drove to a nearby mall with Raul to buy a gift.

  Knowing Carlo's habit of enjoying two gsses of wine every evening, he had prepared a bottle of fine wine just for him.

  "Why bring a gift when you've brought yourself?" Carlo joked with a smile upon accepting the gift. Despite being half-hearted, he did not hesitate to receive it. After accepting it, he opehe gift bag and gnced inside, "Wow, you went for an expensive wihis time. Pnning to dine here ?"

  As Gao Shen's former boss, Carlo knew well how modest Gao Shen's sary was.

  The annual saries of Real Madrid's stars were high, and the head coach's sary was also siderable, but others might not be as fortunate, particurly interns like Gao Shen, who was akin to free bor at Real Madrid.

  To put it bluntly, I could allow you to e to Real Madrid to enhance your reputation without charge.

  "I was thinking ing this bottle of wine and making it a daily occurrence," Gao Shen quipped.

  "Yes, we'd wele that," Mrs. Carlo's voice floated in from the kit.

  Gao Shen and Carlo chuckled in unison.

  "In fact, I pn to sign a formal tract."

  Carlo's expression froze, his outstretched hand pausing mid-air. He was evidently taken aback by the news but quickly masked it with a wave, motioning fao Shen to sit and talk.

  "It's about time, don't you think? You 't keep renewing your intern tract forever."

  That was easier said than dohough Carlo was genuinely pleased fao Shen, believing he deserved it. Yet, deep down, he felt a tinge of sadness because just ten days earlier, he had been the head coach of Real Madrid, whereas now, with Gao Shen signing this tract, he felt ainess inside.

  Gao Shen had noticed Carlo's expression and uood his feelings, but some things were bound to be revealed sooner or ter.

  "Sir, I have a proposal."

  Carlo poured a cup of hot water fao Shen. "What is it?"

  "I want you to e back."

  Carlo was taken aback again, not fully prehending the depth of the suggestion.

  "I could put in a request above to create an additional role in the coag staff, like Head of Coag or Special Advisor to the Head Coach, whatever fits. I truly need your assistance, and Real Madrid values you greatly." Gao Shen's siy was evident.

  This was his genuiiment.

  Maqueda wasn't bad, but there was always a gap between him and Gao Shen, and he couldn't fully submit to Gao Shen's authority.

  When Carlo was head coach, Gao Shen didn't always agree with him. However, as an assistant, Gao Shen could fidently haeam training and other matters, and even tribute to tactical discussions during lineup decisions.

  The snag was that Maqueda was already the chief assistant coad couldn't be dispced. Gao Shen therefore proposed creating a positioween head coad assistant coach. He believed this wouldn't pose a signifit issue.

  The crux of the matter y in Carlo's willingness.

  Carlo's ging tenance, Gao Shen dised his thoughts. Before Carlo could respond, Gao Shen smiled and said, "I uand it might be difficult and inappropriate for you to agree right away. I'm not f it. I just hope you'll give it some thought."

  He hadn't given Carlo a ce to refuse, using the art of postpo instead.

  erely nodded in response.

  The two sat down, and versation naturally drifted to Real Madrid and the ret match.

  Carlo expressed keen i in the defeactics Gao Shen employed iwo games. He had experimented with the 4-2-3 formation previously, but without success. Gao Shen's attempt, however, had been effective. Why was that?

  Over the past ten days or so, Gao Shen had been p over the tactical library every night, studyiez's formations and drawing insights from Ferguson's tactical ideas. He had a wealth of knowledge at his disposal.

  Gao Shen didn't ceal the fact that his 4-2-3 formation was inspired by Benitez, but if oraced it further back, it inated in Italy, particurly Sacchi's cept of zonal marking.

  Sihe iion of Inter Min's accio, Italian football had been deeply influenced. Sacchi further refihis into zonal marking.

  Initially, Sacchi's football philosophy faced skepticism. Despite its exceptional performance, doubts persisted. Even powerful teams like Juventus didn't favor Sacchi's ideas. Lippi, for instance, had opined on several occasions that Sacchi's cepts weren't groundbreaking; they merely altered trainihods without effeg revolutionary ges.

  Looking back from 2021, Sacchi's introdu of spatial marking, building upon the foundations of man and ball, was indeed revolutionary.

  However, revolution often demanded prolonged aed validation befaining acceptance.

  What many people didn't realize was that Benitez had spent a year studying in Italy and had been influenced by Sacchi's philosophy. His predecessor at Valencia, Cuper, had left to coaternaziohe stars' bck hole, further f a tactical pilgrimage.

  So, what differentiated man marking from zonal marking?

  In essence, man markiailed defenders adopting a man-to-man approach, marking offensive pyers entering their defensive zohis, however, required that offensive pyers entered one's defensive zone.

  For several decades, this defensive cept had been deeply ingrained. Yet, regardless of its potency, time had subjected it to relentless scrutiny. Seasoned coaches had e ts i fws.

  Suppose Helguera and Ramos formed a defensive pairing; each guarded his designated zone. Initially, they prioritized their defeies.

  If Henry dribbled the ball toward Elgr, passing through Elgr in record time, Ramos would be obliged to shift from his zoo aid in the defense, but there would be a time pse in this process. Ramos wasn't expected to respond.

  Sacchi's deferategy does not emphasize man-marking but instead focuses on active pressing. From the defensive lio the midfield and onward to the frontline, pyers maintain careful positioning, keeping close distances and cooperating closely. If one moves, several pyers move together, ensuring coordinated as at all times.

  Many people may be surprised why Thierry Henry struggled in Serie A but excelled in the Premier League.

  The reason lies here.

  In Serie A, when Henry had the ball, he often faot just one defender but two or even three simultaneously. This made it challenging for him to utilize his speed advantage or maintain possession under pressure.

  In the Premier League, he found more space to receive the ball and initiate attacks swiftly. He exploited gaps between defenders, dribbling past oppos or sg directly.

  In 2021, many fans ask why goalscorers have bee increasingly sidelined over the years.

  The reason is simple: defenses have beore meticulous, and even weaker oppos leave minimal space to exploit.

  Gao Shen told Carlo that with Elguera and Ramos ier form and uanding each other, Henry wouldn't have earhat penalty, and Real Madrid could have tained Arsenal at Highbury.

  "I fidently say that zonal defense is the future trend, and proactive pressing tactics will domiure defenses. tral defenders like Ramos represent our future!"

  Ramos, Pepe, David Luiz, Chiellini, and other future tral defenders—none of them are exempt from bels like rash or error-prone.

  Yet, over time, teams discover their defenses suffer unbelievably when these pyers are absent.

  This distin between proactive pressing and passive defense is crucial.

  Real Madrid, with its legacy of offensive football, is unsuited to passive defense.