It was already three in the morning when they returned to Valdebebas from the Calderon Stadium.
After dismissing the squad, the coaching staff had to stay behind for another meeting.
This was standard whenever there were two games in one week.
Gao Shen and his assistants had to quickly finalize plans for the morning recovery session and the afternoon training.
There was no time to waste. They were racing against the clock.
After playing Atletico Madrid, they would immediately face Paris Saint-Germain at the Bernabeu.
That old fox Ancelotti was never simple. Give him a bit of space and he would find a way to shine.
Both Gao Shen and Real Madrid had to go all out.
While Real Madrid overturned Atletico away, Barcelona also won, beating Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on the road, keeping their one-point lead intact.
This was exactly what Gao Shen and the staff had said before the season when looking at the fixture list. Barcelona's schedule was favorable.
Compared to Real Madrid, Barcelona's run-in was much better.
Several of Real Madrid's toughest matches were placed in between Champions League fixtures, which was brutal.
This season, the squad had already shown its weaknesses, especially the lack of bench depth.
Kaka was leaving, and signing a strong midfielder was now essential.
Verratti was progressing well, but he could not yet challenge players like Toni Kroos or Modric. Still, his overall development was very promising. With time, he would definitely become an important part of the squad.
But Isco could only be used as an impact option and could not yet be relied on consistently.
At least for now.
Even if Real Madrid signed Illarramendi, he would only be a backup defensive midfielder and eventual successor to Xabi Alonso.
What Gao Shen really needed was a central midfielder.
De Bruyne was excellent, but Manchester City were relying on him too much.
The same applied to David Silva.
"Florentino said these rich clubs must not be offended," Gao Shen smiled bitterly and waved.
If the squad were stronger, he would have fewer concerns.
Rotations would also be easier.
Not like now, when they were always stretched thin.
Florentino never said it outright, but the meaning was clear: clubs like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain could not be provoked. Even when buying players, Real Madrid had to negotiate first.
Of course, that had always been Real Madrid's way of doing transfers.
"The technical team provided a shortlist," Zidane said.
He always handled communication between the coaching staff and the management, so he knew the details best.
"They named four players: Gundogan from Dortmund, Eriksen from Ajax, Pjanic from Roma, and..." Zidane paused and looked at Gao Shen.
"Paul Pogba from Leeds United in the Premier League."
Hearing that last name, Hierro looked at Gao Shen in surprise.
Everyone knew how strong Leeds were.
But Gao Shen remained calm, without any visible reaction.
"It's not easy to sign players from top clubs. We don't need to target their core players anyway. Buying someone like David Silva, De Bruyne, or Rakitic is impossible."
…
When Zidane said this, he smiled. "I think Paul Pogba is very good."
He was Zidane's compatriot and a player he admired a lot.
In fact, Zidane had recommended Pogba to Real Madrid's technical team several times.
There was reason for it.
At Leeds United, Pogba's official position was left central midfielder. But in reality?
He often linked with left attacking midfielder Coutinho and left-back Kurzawa, frequently rotating. While listed as a left central midfielder, Pogba often played as an inside forward, a left winger, or even dropped as a defensive midfielder.
A versatile, complete role.
He was also Leeds' best player this season.
More importantly, Pogba was tall, skillful, and in many ways similar to Zidane when he played.
Their roles, positions, and technical style were alike, so it was no surprise Zidane liked him.
"Paris Saint-Germain are also interested, as are Manchester United," Gao Shen reminded.
Pogba came from United, so naturally they wanted him back.
With Moyes arriving in the summer, rebuilding was inevitable, and buying Pogba back was logical.
PSG's midfield issues were also clear.
In Gao Shen's view, Pogba was not an organizing midfielder. He could play there, but it was not his best role.
Still, PSG's interest made sense. Ligue 1 lacked reliable midfielders. Only Matuidi could be counted on, and Pastore was more attack-minded.
"Ancelotti has specifically asked for him and Gundogan," Zidane added.
In other words, if Real Madrid wanted one of them, they would have to fight PSG.
The staff knew Gao Shen was always impartial.
In private, he might chat about Leeds, but when it came to work, he never mixed things up.
After all, this was directly tied to Real Madrid's plans for next season.
Compared to midfield, the flanks were less urgent. Morata, Jese, and Vazquez were solid backups.
The priority this summer was clear: a center forward, a central midfielder, and perhaps a full-back.
But full-back was not urgent. The key was the striker and central midfielder.
…
Beyond transfers, contract renewals were also on the agenda.
Fortunately, Gao Shen had pushed for extensions since the end of last year. Progress was smooth, morale was high, and players like Xabi Alonso had already renewed.
The goalkeeper battle between Casillas and Courtois was fierce, but manageable.
Gao Shen had spoken with both, believing it was best to keep the status quo for now, which suited the team and the two keepers.
Both Casillas and Courtois said they were willing to continue competing next season.
At center-back, Ramos, Pepe, and Varane rotated. Albiol, however, barely played and was becoming restless. Gao Shen kept a close eye on the situation.
If Albiol wanted to leave, Gao Shen could not stop him.
With three starters fit, there was no room for him.
It was impossible to ask someone to sit on the bench forever.
Fortunately, Nacho's versatility meant he could cover at center-back when needed.
Transfers and renewals could wait. The immediate schedule was what left Gao Shen drained.
The Champions League and Copa del Rey were clear. La Liga, however, was troublesome.
Barcelona now had one match a week, with plenty of time to rest and prepare.
The return of Vilanova and Abidal had lifted morale, making them steady and consistent.
With five rounds left, the only real challenge Barcelona faced was away at Atletico.
But everyone knew Barcelona were Atletico's nemesis. Could the Colchoneros really stop them?
If given the choice, Atletico might even rather hand Barcelona the win, denying Real Madrid the title.
That was why Gao Shen feared La Liga was slipping away.
It was also why he was determined to fight for the Champions League and Copa del Rey.
Barcelona were too consistent in the league. Especially after their Champions League exit, they could focus everything on La Liga.
It was all Ramos' fault.
One mistake, and their hopes of the La Liga title were gone.
Gao Shen had no solution now. All he could do was lead the team to win every match and wait for Barcelona to slip.
Otherwise, what else could he do?
It was not as if he could call Vilanova and say: "Buddy, we want the treble, do us a favor and drop some points."
(To be continued.)