In the 35th round of La Liga, Real Madrid played one day earlier than Atlético Madrid.
But Real Madrid were away.
Gao Shen made rotations to save energy for the upcoming Copa del Rey final, but they still managed a narrow 1-0 victory over Espanyol thanks to Higuaín's goal.
After returning from Barcelona, the squad immediately began preparations for the Copa final.
The following night, Gao Shen arrived at the Vicente Calderón with Carlo, Zidane, and Hierro.
They were not only there to see how the title race unfolded, but also to scout Atlético Madrid and get familiar with the Calderón ahead of the final.
…
Although Atlético no longer had much to play for in the league, the Calderón was still packed.
54,000 fans filled every seat.
Thanks to contacts, Gao Shen and his staff watched from a box.
There were surprises in both starting lineups, but no real suspense.
Barcelona named their strongest side, with Messi partnered by Sánchez, Agüero, and Xavi. Iniesta and Busquets were in midfield.
The back line was unchanged: Alba, Puyol, Piqué, and Alves, with Valdés in goal.
It was clear Vilanova valued this game highly. Barcelona only had the league left to fight for.
Atlético made changes.
On paper, Simeone set them up in a 4-3-3:
Goalkeeper: Asenjo.
Defenders: Insúa, Miranda, Godín, Juanfran.
Midfielders: Koke, Gabi, Thiago.
Forwards: Turan, Falcao, Adrián.
But when the game kicked off, Gao Shen quickly noticed it was still a 4-4-2. Adrián partnered Falcao up front, Turan played left midfield, Koke right, with Gabi and Thiago sitting deep.
In other words, Simeone had left out Diego Costa and Mario Suárez, as well as Raúl García, who had featured heavily this season.
"He's holding something back," Gao Shen shook his head.
Carlo and the others nodded.
You couldn't really blame Simeone. Atlético had nothing at stake in this match. The Copa del Rey final was a genuine final, their only realistic chance at a trophy.
Anyone else in his shoes would make the same call.
…
From the opening whistle, Atlético pressed aggressively.
At home, they applied their trademark high press, pressing and harrying across the pitch.
Barcelona, as usual, relied on possession and control, trying to dictate tempo and gradually work their way forward.
But Atlético didn't give them time. They attacked fiercely right from the start.
Gao Shen approved of Simeone's approach.
"Barcelona's opening rhythm is always slow. They want to use quick passing to overwhelm you later. If you strike them early, there's a chance." He felt reassured watching.
If Atlético played like this, Real Madrid would also have a chance in the final.
But Gao Shen soon noticed something else.
"Have you seen Atlético's tactics tonight?" he asked.
Zidane was first to respond, frowning. "They're forcing Barcelona to the wings."
"Exactly. Look at how they defend the flanks."
Barcelona's 4-3-3 created three-man combinations on the wings. On the left, Alba, Sánchez, and Iniesta combined repeatedly.
Atlético's solution was to overload the flank. Juanfran, Thiago, Koke, and Adrián all shifted across, forming four-vs-three on the wing.
On the touchline, space was tight. Passing lanes were limited.
With these traps, Barcelona struggled to move the ball. Messi had to drop deeper and drift wide to help. That left the middle exposed.
It wasn't just a one-off. When the play switched to the right, Atlético did the same. Four players shifted across, cutting passing options and waiting for mistakes.
They didn't rush into tackles. They closed lanes, forcing Barcelona into errors.
"Barcelona don't look sharp tonight," Carlo observed.
If Barça were in top form, their rapid passing might have overwhelmed Atlético. But their rhythm was off, their touches loose. It could have been fatigue after a long season.
Either way, they weren't solving Atlético's system.
In the 11th minute, Alba pushed forward with the ball. Koke tucked inside, combining with Godín and Juanfran to cut his options.
Alba tried to find Messi, but the ball never reached him.
"He knew they wouldn't go wide," Gao Shen said firmly.
This was clearly Simeone's targeted tactic. He had planned every detail to stifle Barcelona.
"But we attack differently," Carlo reminded.
Real Madrid's wingers cut inside, while the full-backs overlapped wide. Atlético wouldn't be able to defend them in the same way.
"Still, the wings are the problem," Hierro admitted.
If even Barcelona were losing the ball constantly, the pressure on Madrid's wide players would be intense.
"But if we can switch play quickly and reach the weak side, we'll have chances," Zidane pointed out.
"Easier said than done. Barcelona haven't managed it yet," Carlo cautioned.
"But their performance isn't sharp enough," Zidane insisted.
Gao Shen listened. They were all right.
They couldn't underestimate Atlético.
Real Madrid weren't as precise in tight passing as Barcelona, so Simeone's tactics would apply to them too. He was clearly preparing for the final.
"Pull the center-backs wider, have them stay deeper and offer themselves for the return pass," Gao Shen suggested.
The others' eyes lit up.
"That could work. It prevents quick counters and gives us another reliable outlet," Zidane said.
"But we'll need practice, especially with two strikers pressing," Carlo reminded.
Gao Shen nodded. Carlo was always cautious, but that was useful.
"Then let's schedule two sessions for targeted drills," Gao Shen decided.
Real Madrid had an advantage: they played a day earlier than Atlético. That gave them one more day to prepare.
Atlético would have no such luxury.
If Gao Shen didn't exploit that, he'd be failing as coach.
"And remember, they'll try to funnel us wide. If we can escape that pressure, we'll win," Gao Shen said confidently.
The staff nodded.
It was good they came in person. On TV, the camera angles would never reveal these details.
…
In the 21st minute, Atlético's plan paid off. They intercepted high, broke quickly, and Gabi slipped a pass into the box.
Falcao finished clinically.
The Calderón erupted.
Gao Shen and his staff couldn't help but cheer too.
Was this an Atlético goal?
No, this was for Real Madrid.
1-0!
Atlético were leading Barcelona.
"Hold on! Hold on! Hold on!" Gao Shen shouted, urging Simeone on.
Carlo, Zidane, and Hierro were all tense.
For the first time in their lives, they were cheering for Atlético.
Atlético held strong until halftime, leading 1-0.
After the restart, little changed.
Vilanova wasn't a master of in-game adjustments, and Barcelona stuck to their rhythm. Atlético's compact defense kept them out.
But around the 60th minute, Simeone started substituting.
Turan came off, then even Falcao within five minutes.
Gao Shen grew anxious.
He wanted to run down to the touchline and tell Simeone: Brother, forget the Copa del Rey. Just beat Barcelona!
Take the cup, I'll hand it to you myself.
But of course, he couldn't.
If such a deal ever came out, Gao Shen would be finished.
Besides, Simeone wasn't foolish. He wouldn't agree.
Even if he did beat Barcelona, and then Real Madrid didn't keep their end of the bargain, what then? Who would Simeone hold responsible?
It was a deal doomed from the start.
(To be continued.)
***
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