After finishing their barbecue, Gao Shen and Zidahe restaurant, visibly satisfied.

  Men are simple creatures—give them good food, and they'll walk away tent.

  Ihe private dining room, Florentino Pérez leaned ba his chair, legs stretched out and eyes closed. His hands were csped in front of his chest, thumbs absentmindedly moving bad forth. He appeared to be deep in thought.

  "Does he have any s?" Valdano asked, breaking the silence.

  It was clear Florentino had been giving Gao Shen a ce during their meal. He had subtly tested the young coach to see what he was thinking, yet Gao Shen had revealed absolutely nothing. Not even the fai hint of i.

  Was Gao Shen truly ued iurning to Real Madrid?

  That didn't seem likely.

  After all, just yesterday, in his pre-match press feren Naples, Gao Shen had openly said that Real Madrid would always hold a special p his heart.

  What clearer signal could there be?

  Those words had left many Real Madrid fans brimming with hope.

  Without opening his eyes, Florentino smiled faintly. "He's worried about me."

  "You?" Valdano and Redondo exged puzzled gnces.

  Instead of answering directly, Florentino asked, "Why did he reject Juventus and choose Napoli?"

  Anyone familiar with Gao Shehe ao this: Juventus' sp director, Alessio Secco, had refused to give him full trol over transfers and other petitive decisions. In frustration, Gao Shen had turo Napoli, where he was givehority he wanted.

  If Gao Sheo sider returning to Real Madrid, trol over transfers and team affairs would be a major factor.

  Could Florentino offer that?

  The more ambitious and hands-on Florentino appeared, the more s Gao Shen would have.

  Valdano finally uood.

  Gao Shen was no lohe 25-year-old who had first taken charge of Real Madrid. At 28, he was the hottest coa European football, perhaps even the world. He had achieved extraordinary success at a record-setting age.

  This put Gao Shen in a unique position. If most managers began their careers around the age of 40, Gao Shen essentially had a 15-year head start. He had already ted his p football history as the you mao win both a domestic league and the Champions League.

  Fame, wealth, and status—Gao Shen had it all. So why would he risk that by stepping into the chaos of Real Madrid?

  In other words, what was in it for him?

  When Gao She Real Madrid after winning the double, he departed at the top. As things stood, even if he never returned, Real Madrid fans would always remember him fondly, yearning for his eback.

  But if he returned and things didn't work out, that idyllic memory would shatter.

  More importantly, Gao Shen cked fiden the club's structure. What if Florentino tio impose pyers on him, flooding the team with superstars, as he had done during the first Galáctico era?

  Few people uood the inner ws of the inal Galáctico project better than Gao Shen.

  The real question was whether Florentino would relinquish that kind of trol.

  For now, the answer seemed to be no.

  Florentino nning a grand eback, aiming to rebuild Real Madrid by signing the biggest stars in world football. He wao assemble a sed Galáctico era in record time. Delegating trol over transfers was simply not part of his pn.

  "He's an incredibly smart man," Florentino said with a wry smile. "Sometimes, I think he's less of a coad more like one of my senior executives, always calg, always careful in how he speaks to me."

  It was clear that Florentino admired Gao Shen deeply. His respect for the young coach had only grown sihe double-winning season, and he narded Gao Shen as one of football's sharpest minds.

  But admiration alone wasn't enough te the gap between them.

  her Florentinao Shen seemed willing to promise, at least not in the short term.

  ---

  On the way back to the hotel, Zidane couldn't help but voice his curiosity.

  "Why didn't you just tihe versation with Florentino?" he asked.

  It was obvious to everyo the table that Florentino had beeending an olive branch. If Gao Shen had shown i, the path forward was clear: Florentino would secure his return as Real Madrid's president, and Gao Shen would bee the head coach.

  This was . Valdano was already sted to return as teical director, Redondo was expected to join the board, and other key figures like vice president Tapias were in lio support Florentino.

  All they were missing was a coach to lead the team.

  Gao Shen turo Zidane and gave him a knowing look.

  "Do you think I'm short on coag opportunities?" he asked in response.

  Zidane shook his head. "Of course not."

  "I've already decided to leave Napoli at the end of this season. That news isn't public yet, but when it gets out, do you know how many clubs will e calling? Do you think I o worry about finding a job?"

  Zidahought about it and realized he had no answer.

  "If Real Madrid wants me to e back, it has to be on my terms," Gao Shen tinued. "When I coached Real Madrid the first time, Valdano, Sacchi, and Ai all taught me the same lesson: if you want to succeed as a coach, you he full bag of the club's ma. You have to be the team's one and only leader."

  Zidane listened ily, his expression serious.

  "Ieams I coach, there only be one core, and that core is me. Not a pyer. Not the president. Me."

  Zidane nodded as he thought back to Gao Shen's time at Real Madrid. Back then, the team had improved not only because Gao She with the problematic Brazilian clique, but because he became the team's bae.

  It was Gao Shen's leadership that uhe locker room and gave the team a clear sense of dire.

  This was even more apparent at Napoli, where every decision ran through Gao Shen. It was his team in every sense of the word.

  "So, what happened with Florentino tonight wasn't just a discussion about transfers," Zidane said thoughtfully.

  "Exactly," Gao Shen replied. "It was about trol. If I ever return to Real Madrid, I want to be the undisputed boss. Even if Florentino signs Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, or Messi, I o have the power to sell them if I think it's best for the team."

  Zidane's eyes widened in realization.

  "You want to be Real Madrid's Ferguson."

  Gao Shen smiled. "That's right."

  But Florentino wasn't ready to give up that kind of trol, at least, not yet.

  And Gao Shen didn't feel a about missing the ce to coach the sed Galáctico era. In fact, he saw it as a blessing.

  "You don't value things that fall into your p," Gao Shen said with a shrug. "If Florentino really wants me, he'll e to me. Until then, I'll wait."

  While Gao Shen and Zidane were heading back to their hotel, just a few blocks away at the Bernabéu, Real Madrid president Ramón Calderón and sp director Predrag Mijatovi? were holding an urgeing.

  Florentino's dinner with Gao Shen had shaken them both.

  "Are you sure Florenti with Gao Shen?" Mijatovi? asked, his tone anxious.

  "It's firmed," Calderón replied grimly. "He brought Zidane, and Valdano and Redondo were there too."

  Mijatovi? scoffed. He didn't o be told what that meeting was about.

  "Florentino wants Gao Shen to coach Real Madrid," he muttered.

  Calderón nodded. "Exactly. And with the mess we've made these past few seasons, the fans will wele him with open arms."

  The mere thought of Florentino and Gao Shen joining forces was enough to send a chill down their spines. If Florentiurned as president with Gao Shen as coach, it would spell the end for them.

  "This isn't just about tonight's match," Calderón said firmly. "This is the first real battle between us and Florentino. We 't lose."

  "If we beat Gao Shen tonight or better yet, humiliate him—his influence will take a massive hit," Mijatovi? added, his tourning ruthless. "And without him, Florentino won't be nearly as threatening."

  The two men exged a grim nod.

  "I'll talk to Schuster," Mijatovi? said, rising from his chair. "No matter what happens, we 't let Gao Shen walk away from this unscathed."

  Calderón didn't say anything as he watched Mijatovi? leave. But the worry on his face remained.

  Gao Shen's reputation loomed rge.