Ramos walked back to the dugout with a calm expression.
There was neither disappointment nor joy on his face.
This left his Real Madrid teammates, who had been paying close attention, feeling puzzled.
"How did your talk with the boss go?"
As soon as Ramos entered, Casillas asked the question.
The others in the dressing room also stopped what they were doing and looked over.
"Nothing serious, just chatting."
"We talked for nearly an hour, and you say it's nothing?" Casillas clearly didn't believe him.
He even suspected that Ramos had secretly reached some kind of deal with the boss and was keeping it hidden.
"Really, nothing much. Just talked about my own problems and the team's problems."
Casillas wore a look of disbelief. The others were the same.
Could Ramos really have such foresight and insight?
"Seriously, the boss told me I need to change my mindset and accept change. He also talked about the changes and trends in European football over the next few years, and how we central defenders should adapt."
Ramos paused, then smacked his lips. "I think what the boss said makes sense. That vision… is massive!"
Everyone looked at one another. They thought Ramos must have taken the wrong medicine.
"Seriously, Sergio, did the boss drug you?" Pepe teased with a laugh.
Ramos was instantly displeased.
Drugged?
Am I the kind of guy who's easily fooled?
Do I look like that?
"Really, you just don't get it. Your vision is too narrow."
"What situation? Tell us." Modric leaned forward with interest.
The others also nodded and urged Ramos, "Go on, tell us."
Ramos couldn't hide it anymore. With everyone staring at him, he felt itchy inside. He cleared his throat twice. "So, what should I say first?"
Everyone rolled their eyes, signaling him to stop wasting time and speak.
"The boss said he wants to build a team that will be highly competitive in European football within the next three years, or even five years. So he's been constantly adjusting the team's tactics, and we have to keep up with him. If we can't…"
Ramos shrugged helplessly.
Needless to say, those who couldn't keep up would be eliminated and shipped out of Real Madrid.
"In the next five years? Competing for the Champions League?" Even the calm Xabi Alonso looked surprised.
People often ignored the "three years" and were stunned by the mention of "five."
"That's what the boss said," Ramos nodded.
There were many sharp minds in the dressing room. Their first reaction was disbelief.
Nonsense.
It was hard enough for most teams to win the Champions League once. How could you compete for it five years in a row?
In the modern era, where were the teams that stayed at the top forever?
Real Madrid's five consecutive European Cups were in the old days. Since the modern Champions League was reformed, it had become nearly impossible to even defend the title, let alone win three or five in a row. Only Manchester City had done it.
But that team was backed by enormous investment, so it was an exception.
Still, after scoffing, many fell into thought.
Manchester City had defended their Champions League title with a team led by Gao Shen.
More importantly, in recent years Gao Shen had already won four Champions League titles, the most of any manager in history.
If he said it, maybe it wasn't impossible.
The players huddled together and analyzed carefully. Soon, they saw the pattern.
For example, since Gao Shen took over, why had he strongly backed Real Madrid's academy?
Carvajal, Nacho, Marcos Alonso, Jesé, Morata, Vázquez and Isco had all been given plenty of playing time and had performed well.
Carvajal was already a first-choice starter.
In addition to the homegrown players, there were also young foreign signings like Courtois, Varane and Casemiro.
It was clear that Gao Shen was making use of the established first-team core while also promoting a younger generation for the future. This wasn't just about bench depth, but about long-term development.
In five years, how old would those players be?
Looking at the current starting lineup, in five years most of them would still be able to compete.
From that perspective, what Ramos said about Gao Shen's plan to build a Champions League-contending squad within five years was entirely credible.
The more they thought about it, the more excited the players became.
They had to admit that the bigger vision truly stood higher.
For example, his promotion of young players was something no recent Real Madrid coach had done.
In fact, wasn't the last coach who dared to do this Gao Shen himself?
And history had proven that the players he promoted the first time around became important contributors.
Now, could it happen again?
…
"Oh, by the way, Sergio, did the boss agree to let you play against Manchester United?" Casillas suddenly asked, hitting the heart of the matter.
This was Ramos's true reason for speaking to Gao Shen.
Everyone looked at him, especially Varane and Pepe.
If Ramos returned to the starting XI, they would be the ones affected.
Ramos gave an awkward smile and scratched his head. "The boss flatly refused."
"Why? Aren't you part of his five-year plan?" Xabi Alonso teased.
Ramos glanced at him and shook his head. "No chance. The boss said I deserve my punishment, and he won't change it!"
From his tone, everyone could tell he had hit a wall.
"But it's okay. The boss also said that after the suspension, I'll still have my chances."
As he said this, Ramos turned toward Varane.
"Kid, you'd better fight hard these next two games. Whether it's Barcelona or Manchester United, you can't lose!"
Varane nodded firmly.
Pepe laughed out loud. "Relax, Sergio. As long as you don't play, we won't lose."
The room erupted in laughter.
Ramos was dejected.
Was his reputation really that bad?
Wasn't it just one red card?
Did they really have to mock him like this?
Still, after today's talk with Gao Shen and after seeing the Nou Camp performance, he realized he had to work harder to keep up with the coach.
If he didn't change, who knew when Varane might take his place.
Florentino, Valdano and Butragueño had all said that Gao Shen had the final word on all football matters at Real Madrid.
If it came to that, even Florentino couldn't save him.
So Ramos could only prepare himself for the future and find a way to save his own career.
…
As March began, Spain heated up for the 26th-round Clásico.
Though it was the fourth Clásico of the season, it still captured worldwide attention.
The league table was clear. Barcelona and Real Madrid were the only real title contenders, with Barcelona holding a 4-point lead.
If Madrid wanted to stay in the race, they had to win at the Bernabéu and close the gap.
But Madrid's real problem was the schedule.
After playing Barcelona, they would immediately fly to Manchester to face United away.
With only two days in between, preparation time was brutally short.
First the Nou Camp, then the Bernabéu, and straight to Old Trafford. It was a nightmare schedule.
Gao Shen had already been considering rotation. After the evaluations of Buenaventura and Pintus, he was convinced. Without rotation, Madrid couldn't keep up with Barcelona's tempo.
They could even lose both games if not careful.
Between the two matches, Old Trafford was more important.
A 1-0 home advantage wasn't enough to guarantee progression.
Even if they lost at the Bernabéu, they could still catch Barcelona later. But if they lost at Old Trafford, it was over.
After much thought, Gao Shen decided on heavy rotation.
When the 18-man squad was announced, public opinion exploded.
Everyone understood the decision. No team could play three massive games in such a short span without rotating.
Barcelona, meanwhile, were preparing at full strength, eager to take revenge at the Bernabéu.
According to the Catalan media, this would be the decisive battle for the La Liga title.
They even whispered of sealing the championship early at the Bernabéu.
The biggest advantage, they said, was Madrid's punishing schedule.
But Madrid weren't backing down. The media war was fierce.
Marca ran a lengthy article on Barcelona's decline after Guardiola: poor discipline, weak preparation, lack of authority, no leadership, poor rotation.
All arrows pointed at Barcelona.
Marca concluded that it was no accident they had already lost three Clásicos this season, and they would lose the fourth too.
"Even with a heavily rotated lineup, Real Madrid can still beat Barcelona at the Bernabéu."
Barcelona coach Jordi Roura, at his press conference, admitted the importance of the match.
"I don't know what kind of Real Madrid we'll face, it depends on their manager's choices. But whoever they field, it will be difficult for us to win."
"This game is about three crucial points, it will decide the league outcome. And a victory against Real Madrid would restore our self-esteem and morale."
So far this season, Barcelona had lost three straight to Madrid. The players were insecure.
Especially after being held to a draw by AC Milan away in the Champions League, doubts were rising.
Was their possession football outdated?
Compared with Barcelona, Gao Shen's press conference at the Bernabéu was short and simple.
He gave only one line.
"We're ready!"
(To be continued.)