"Yeah!!!"

  Befao Sheered the locker room, you could hear the cheers of the Real Madrid pyers celebrating through the closed door.

  Och just now, they were somewhat ed about Arsenal's emotions, but when they ehe locker room, they pletely let themselves go.

  This filled Gao Shen with pride.

  The taste of victory is truly sweet!

  After the game, Wenger came over to chat with Gao Shen iadium. However, he couldn't hide his disappoi, which was evident. After a few polite words, Wenger left.

  Before leaving, he humorously mentiohat he had told assistant coach Pat Rice that he would try to poach Gao Shen to work at Arsenal once Gao Shen stepped down from his coag position at Real Madrid. But Gao Shen had put a stop to that pn.

  Gao Shen found this both amusing and humbling.

  Wenger wouldn't joke about something like that, but earning praise from Wenger and being sidered for a job at Arsenal was a signifit reition fao Shen.

  Of course, he had no iion of leaving now.

  Defeating Arsenal to achieve another historic Champions League ebad lead Real Madrid to the quarter-finals roof enough that Gao Shen belo the Bernabeu and had secured his pce firmly in Real Madrid's coag staff.

  The new chairman, Martin, resent at Highbury Stadium and withis major victory. How would he react? What kind nition would he provide?

  Gao Shen had no doubt that Martin would be immensely proud of his impulsive decision ten days ago to appoint Gao Shen.

  Especially after Real Madrid's impressive performances in two secutive games.

  With these achievements, Gao Shen had regained some trol, so he wasn't in a rush.

  ...

  Pushing open the locker room door, the noise of the pyers filled his ears as soon as he stepped in.

  Everyone was celebrating; Ramos was everipping naked and dang, a sight almost too hot to handle.

  But it was clear they were genuinely ecstatic.

  "Everyone!"

  Gao Shen approached the pyers with a smile.

  All the pyers looked back at him with smiles, their eyes now filled with more vi than before.

  "gratutions! Great warriors of Real Madrid! gratutions on achieving the seiracle in Champions League history! gratutions on taking the team to the quarter-finals! gratutions on upholding Real Madrid's proud history and tradition!"

  "I am proud of all of you!"

  As soon as Gao Shen finished speaking, warm appuse broke out in the locker room.

  "This honor isn't just ao, it's yours too!" Captain Raul stepped forward and excimed excitedly.

  "No oside may know it, but in this locker room, we all know what you do for this team. We all know how much you give, and we all uand your importance."

  Then, Raul suddenly ged his tone, looking directly at Gao Shen, and said early, word by word: "I owe you an apology, Gao."

  Everyoared at Raul in surprise, including Su Dong.

  Why was he apologizing?

  "Even after everything you told me, even after our win against Atletiadrid, I still had doubts. I was unsure whether the team should have a more experienced head coach to face Arsenal."

  "But now I see I was wrong. In a game like this, any other coach, even the best in the world, might not have done as well as you did. I'm sorry."

  Gao Shen was taken aback, but this rea was to be expected.

  Who would suddenly trust an inexperienced rookie?

  "Don't apologize, Raul. We're rades fighting side by side." Gao Sheended his hand.

  Raul firmly grasped Gao Shen's hand, took aep forward, and hugged him tightly.

  After stepping back, Zidaepped forward.

  "I had my doubts too, Gao, and I apologize."

  Gao Shen shook hands with Zidane as they embraced.

  "I was the same. I had s and questioned your ability. I apologize." Beckham also stepped forward, his hand and a hug to Gao Shen. It was clear he, like everyone else, nnized Gao Shen's capabilities.

  It was just a game, but it was more than just a game.

  As a match at the pinnacle of world football, leading a team to defeat Arsenal, managed by Wenger, in the Champions League knockout stages, especially after being in a tough spot in the first leg, Gao Shen had delivered a near-perfect performance.

  The pyers came forward one by oo express their apologies and support. Even Ramos, still in a state of undress, attempted to hug Gao Shen. Gao Shen politely deed, urging him to get dressed first, which drew ughter from the entire locker room.

  Following their victory, the team's atmosphere and morale were pletely transformed.

  Fernando Lucas stood silently behind Gao Shen, everything, his eyes fixed on Gao Shen, finding him increasingly remarkable and surprising.

  Especially witnessing ses like this, Lucas recalled what Gao Shen had once said: "Only the weak seek pity and sympathy, while the strong earn respect through their strength!"

  From the beginning, Gao Shen had lived up to those words. Now, he had finally proven them right!

  ...

  As the pyers gathered to celebrate, the new chairman, Martin, also arrived at Real Madrid's dressing room.

  He leasantly surprised to see the pyers aowledging Gao Shen's tribution.

  Martin gave the highest praise and affirmation for the team's performance. He believed their battle would go down in Real Madrid's history, embodying the spirit of Juanito, showg Real Madrid's resiliend unity, and sileng rumors of internal discord.

  At the same time, Martin enced the team to keep striving and aim for eveer results in uping La Liga and Champions League matches.

  Martin assured the team that reag the quarter-finals was a signifit achievement, promising to push for a new ren upon his return.

  The pyers' reas were somewhat subdued, as they had expected such a response.

  In the Real Madrid dressing room, however, it seemed the rookie coach Gao Shen held more sway than Chairman Martin.

  Later, Martin pulled Gao Shen aside in a er outside the locker room, praising his coag i two games but also addressing a .

  "I met a UEFA official iands who asked why you weren't pnning to attend the post-match press ference?"

  Gao Shen nodded, "I'm feeling a bit uhe weather. I've asked Maqueda to go in my pce."

  "Uhe weather?" Martin frowned slightly. To him, Gao Shen seemed full of vitality and energy, regardless of the circumstances.

  "Actually, Chairman, we currently don't have an official head coach. I'm just an interim coach, so whether I attend or Maqueda goes, it doesn't make much difference," Gao Shen expined with a smile.

  Martin uood.

  In fact, he was still hesitant.

  Acc to his pn, the ideal head coach for Real Madrid would be Bosque, with Hierro as assistant, a move that would win favor among local fans, particurly members.

  But truth be told, in matches against Atletiadrid and Arsenal, such fierce battles might not have been won with Bosque. Gao Shen, however, mao achieve it.

  From a practical standpoint, Gao Shen had won his gamble.

  In professional football, both the process and the result are valued. Gao Shen had not only won but had done so vingly.

  Martin weighed his options carefully, ultimately making a decision.

  "tinuing to keep you as ag head coach is impractical. Your current tract is still an internship, which isn't appropriate. I've been busy tely and hadn't gotten around to addressing this," Martin sighed. "Go back tonight, and I'll have a brand-new tract prepared by tomorrow at Valdebebas. If you have no objes, please sign it at your earliest venience."

  Formally hiring a head coach for Real Madrid would require a ceremony and media presence.

  "I do that," Gao Shen agreed without hesitation, smiling.

  Martin muttered to himself: What a clever little fox.

  "By the way, I heard you showed ynatioer to motivate the pyers at halftime?"

  Gao Sheated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, didn't I mention it before? If we lost tonight, I was going to hand in my resignation personally. That's why I always carry it with me."

  "Don't!" Martin waved his hand. "I've always had faith in you and never expected you tn. Even if you did submit it, I wouldn't accept it. Please don't bring up such matters iure; they could be taken out of text by the media and mislead some of our less informed fans."

  "Uood," Gao Shen nodded.

  Martin offered a few more words of encement, essentially expressing his fiden Gao Shen's future success.

  After seeing Martin off, Gao Sherieved an envelope from his pocket. Inside wasn't a resignatioer, as he had been too busy to write one.

  Moreover, why would he draft a resignatioer when his job was at risk?

  Gao Shen chuckled to himself. After tearing the envelope to pieces, he discarded it in the nearby bin.

  He had no use for such things now.