"Tired!

  Really tired!"

  The locker room was so silent that only the heavy breathing of the pyers filled the air.

  Everyone was drenched i, their jerseys ging to them as if just pulled from a washing mae.

  With sweat dripping down their faces, they sat there, catg their breath.

  It was clear to everyohat they had given their all.

  But the game hadn't gone as pnned.

  Despite taking the lead, Real Madrid had beeurned by Arsenal i minutes of the first half, g a penalty.

  It was a fair call, no doubt.

  Gao Shen didn't rush to speak. He allowed the pyers time to catch their breath and formuted his thoughts.

  Real Madrid couldn't afford to sit ba the sed half. They had to keep pushing forward.

  The question was how to attack? When to unch their assault?

  In the midst of the silence, Ramos suddenly sprang up from his seat.

  Everyone was startled by his sudden movement, including Gao Shen, who feared Ramos might say something inappropriate at such a critical juncture. He was about to intervene when Ramos spoke first.

  "I'm sorry!" The Sevil youth lowered his usually proud head and publicly apologized.

  "It's my fault. I couldn't stop Henry. His acceleration was too quick. I couldn't keep up, so I instinctively made the challenge. And..."

  Elgra also stood up. "Henry started with the ball, trying to draenalty, and we fell for it."

  It was hard to say exactly what Henry had intended. Perhaps he aimed to score directly, or perhaps he had pnned for a penalty from the start.

  Everyone, including Gao Shen, was surprised.

  Since joining Real Madrid, Ramos had been known for his fearless attitude, unafraid to challenge even the most seasoned oppos. Now, here he was, admitting his mistake.

  Gao Shehed a sigh of relief secretly, but also felt a surge of fidence.

  If even Ramos could admit fault, theeam's morale tonight was certainly not lost!

  Gao Shen walked over, pced a reassuring hand on Elgra's shoulder, gestured for him to sit down, then approached Ramos, pg a hand on his shoulder. They were almost eye to eye.

  "It's nobody's fault. If there's bme, it's mine and the team's."

  Ramos looked at Gao Shen, surprised.

  "You and Ivan have both given your best. I know that. Every one of you here tonight did your utmost. I'm proud of your performan the first half, and I'm sure the Real Madrid fans are too."

  The objective reality was clear: age, ck of loraining, pyers not at their peak due to various reasons—these were facts that couldn't be ged ht.

  It was a testament to the pyers' dedication that they were perf as they were.

  "But I also know that each of you feels the same frustration aermination as I dht now, don't you?"

  Ramos, De Red, Felipe, Arbeloa... Many nodded, including Raul, Zidane, and Beckham—none were satisfied.

  After giving their all to score a goal, they had been equalized just before halftime. Who wouldn't feel aggrieved?

  "It's simple: if you're not satisfied, then in the sed half, let's seize victory once more!" Gao Shen ched his fists, his voice firm.

  At this point in the game, Real Madrid had no choice but to fight to the end.

  After a brief pause, Gao Shen tinued, "Before we departed for London, I visited Carlo in the Odaleza district."

  "Believe it or not, I truly sider him my mentor. But I didn't go to learn from him—I went to bid him farewell. I told him that if we lose tonight at Highbury, I won't be ing back."

  Everyone in the locker room raised their heads in disbelief, staring at Gao Shen.

  Gao Sherieved a letter from his pocket. "Ba Madrid, I had already penned my resignatioer. If we fail to advao the quarterfinals tonight, I'll hand in my resignation."

  All eyes in the room, pyers, coag staff, and support personnel alike, fixed oter in Gao Shen's hand. Even his closest fidant, Lucas, hadn't known about this letter, let alone anyone else.

  The world might specute that Gao Shen would be sacked if they lost this game, but until now, it had only been jecture.

  Now, Gao Shen was showing his resolve.

  Rather than wait for Real Madrid to dismiss him, he would resign on his own terms.

  "I'm n to evoke sympathy or stage a melodrama. I just want you all to know that my determination to win this game is as strong as any of yours, because I've staked my future on it!"

  The weight of his words hung heavily in the locker room.

  For their efforts in the first half, even if they were to lose the game, everyone would uand and five. But Gao Shen resigning from his position as head coach—there would be sequences.

  "I also uand that many of you still doubt me, and feel I'm not fit to lead Real Madrid. I won't deny that myself. But fate has brought us to this moment. Since we have no choice, let's set aside past grievances and fight together!"

  ...

  Gao Shen's impassioned speech reighe team's morale aermination. But now, they faced the challenge of how to approach the sed half.

  The reality of Real Madrid's physical dition was undeniable. They couldn't sustaiime. Even by the 70th miheir stamina would be questionable.

  To score anoal, they had to bet everything on the opening moments of the sed half.

  "We'll py the sed half as we did the first. Start strong, maintain pressure, trol the rhythm, and keep Arsenal pinned in their half. Negredo, your job is to mark Senderos. Focus passes to Zidane—he'll lead our attacks."

  "On the right fnk, watch Reyes and Henry. Don't press too high. Felipe, you venture forward on the left and joia the final third."

  "In addition, I noticed in the first half that when Zidane moved filberto Silva would drop back, leaving gaps in front of Arsenal's penalty area. We exploit that."

  Gao Shen indicated oactical board the specific area in front of Arsenal's penalty area where they could capitalize.

  Arsenal had thwarted most of Real Madrid's set-piece strategies in the first half. Wenger would undoubtedly caution his pyers to minimize fouls and avoid giving away advantageous free kicks.

  Thus, Real Madrid o discover new avenues for attack.

  Upon hearing Gao Shen's instrus, all eyes turo Gravesen.

  Gravesen wasn't the typical holding midfielder. Despite his average height, he possessed tenacity and ce, with solid anization, passing skills, and a knack for le shooting.

  Naturally, everyone assumed Gao She Gravesen would take those long shots.

  But Gao Shen shook his head. "Thomas is well-known to Wenger from his time at Everton. He'll have pns to ralize Thomas."

  Gravesen nodded knowingly. No one uood Wenger's strategies against him better than himself.

  If not Gravesen, then who?

  "Ruben!" Gao Shen poi De Red. "It's time for us to see your ability te forward and unleash le shots!"

  The entire locker room was stunned. Gao Shen was entrusting this crucial role to De Red?

  Since joining the first team, this young pyer from the reserves had only featured sparingly, mainly in a derby against Atletiadrid. Diligent and stious, he was cautious to a fault.

  Gao Shen, however, saw something more in him.

  "Don't doubt yourself, Ruben. I believe in you!"

  Gao Shen stepped up to De Red, patting his shoulder with fidend encement.

  Then, with a resounding appuse, Gao Shen rallied the team.

  "Alright, let's approach the sed half as pnned. Remember, we have only one goal tonight: victory!"

  In unison, the pyers rose to their feet, shouting, "Let's do it!"

  ...

  ...

  As the sed half enced, a visibly fatigued Real Madrid initiated a high-pressing game against Arsenal.

  Wenger had anticipated Real Madrid's adjustment and made tactical tweaks at halftime.

  This allowed Real Madrid tain possession smoothly and resume their dominance, but the game seemed to reach a stalemate.

  After two training sessions, especially after the first half, Real Madrid had implemented Gao Shen's high-pressing tactics more effectively. Despite their physical exhaustion, it roving effective.

  Gao Shen made minor adjustments early in the sed half, waiting patiently for a breakthrough.

  As a coach, he couldn't step onto the field to substitute pyers, nor could he match their skill level. All he could do was wait.

  The game reached a deadlock, but everyone knew Real Madrid's physical endurance wouldn't st.

  If they couldn't break through early in the sed half, their ces of winning were slim.