A few days ago, Xabi Alonso gave an exclusive interview to Spanish National Television.
This was an event arranged for him by the club.
In the interview, much of the focus was actually on Real Madrid, especially Gao Shen.
One of the most popular questions was, what is the difference between Gao Shen and Mourinho?
The media and fans were clearly focused on different things than Xabi Alonso himself.
Ordinary people cared more about questions like: What are the differences between the two famous coaches? Who is stronger? Who is more popular with players?
In short, all the usual gossip.
But Xabi Alonso's response was much more technical.
He spoke at length, but a large portion was edited out by the station, leaving only the so-called "highlights."
Xabi Alonso later explained to Gao Shen that the broadcast had not reflected his full thoughts, nor even his main point.
But Gao Shen did not mind.
In the final version aired, Xabi Alonso was quoted as saying it was more comfortable playing under Gao Shen, while Mourinho's football was more tiring. The edited remarks gave the impression that Mourinho pushed players harder and improved them more.
Because of this, once the program aired, many people thought Xabi Alonso was missing Mourinho.
But what was the reality?
Xabi Alonso generally divided head coaches into two categories: restrictive and free.
He explained that throughout his career, he had experienced both, with Benítez and Del Bosque being the most representative.
Benítez demanded a lot from his players. His tactical ideas were strong but very rigid. He gave players no room for creativity, requiring absolute obedience to his tactical instructions.
"He almost wished the players were robots, programmed and carrying out commands without question."
Del Bosque, on the other hand, was the opposite. He advocated governing by doing nothing. In many cases, he would listen to the players' opinions and allow them to participate in tactical decisions, letting them play however they felt comfortable.
"Sometimes, he would even tell us to control a match the way some other team had done in a previous game."
Xabi Alonso admitted he did not like either extreme. He believed neither approach was ideal.
Benítez's methods were exhausting, going against human instinct, because players were not machines. Del Bosque's approach was too hands-off, to the point where many in football circles questioned whether he was even a proper head coach at all.
When playing for Benítez, Alonso felt forced to obey. When playing for Del Bosque, he often felt lost, unsure of what to do.
Mourinho, he said, leaned more toward Benítez's style, though less extreme. But Mourinho's cautious personality and conservative tactics made him dislike players taking risks.
In comparison, Alonso found playing under Gao Shen the most comfortable.
"He's very balanced, a kind of contradictory balance."
"On the one hand, he encourages players to use their imagination and even take risks. On the other, he insists players strictly follow the team's overall tactical framework."
Tactically, Gao Shen was not like Benítez, who demanded complete execution of his plan without compromise. Gao Shen gave players trust and support, allowing them freedom to make decisions on the pitch.
But before matches, he did thorough preparation, spending huge amounts of time communicating with players to ensure they understood his ideas and could execute them.
"If Del Bosque throws you on the pitch to play as you like, and Benítez draws boxes for you, telling you exactly when to go into each one and what to do, then Mourinho is slightly better, because he at least explains when you should enter each box."
"As for Gao Shen, he has fewer boxes, and each is larger. He won't give you detailed step-by-step instructions, but he will tell you what objectives he wants you to achieve."
Finally, Xabi Alonso said that playing under Gao Shen was the most comfortable because there was both a clear framework and freedom to showcase individual qualities.
That, he felt, was the best summary of the coaches he had worked with.
Unfortunately, the TV station cut it all, leaving only a few controversial lines.
…
When it came to the Copa del Rey final, Xabi Alonso felt the same way.
Gao Shen had done extensive preparation, creating detailed tactical plans and targeted measures, but once the match began, he gave the players considerable freedom.
Yet every Real Madrid player knew exactly what Gao Shen wanted and how to deal with Atletico Madrid.
Faced with Atletico's ferocious pressing, Real Madrid remained patient.
After 30 minutes, Atletico's intensity dropped and Real Madrid gradually took control.
Earlier, Real Madrid's play had been concentrated on the left. But once the situation stabilized, they began to switch focus to the right.
Di Maria and Carvajal started to attack aggressively down Insua's side.
Everyone knew this was a weak point in Atletico's defense.
But since everyone knew, Simeone knew as well.
And Gao Shen knew that Simeone knew. He predicted Simeone would make special arrangements on that flank.
This was exactly what Sun Tzu's Art of War described.
Gao Shen had strongly recommended Xabi Alonso read the book, believing every head coach should study it.
So what should they do?
"Simeone has prepared for us to attack that side, so we'll do as he expects, keep going at their left, and see if they can hold."
"If we can break through, perfect. If not, we'll still drag their defense over there."
"When the moment comes, we'll strike."
It was a higher-level strategy, but execution depended on the players' judgment on the pitch.
Xabi Alonso, Kroos, Modric and others kept patient, battling Atletico while waiting for the right moment.
Until the 42nd minute...
…
Real Madrid launched another attack on the right, but it failed.
After Di Maria's inside run was cut off, he played the ball back.
Xabi Alonso collected it deeper, taking a step to the right as if to continue attacking down that flank.
Atletico's defensive focus remained locked on their left side.
But Alonso was waiting for Marcelo.
As soon as the Brazilian full-back arrived, Alonso struck a long diagonal ball.
It flew across to the left edge of the Atletico penalty area.
Marcelo, hugging the touchline, controlled it with his chest, cushioned with his left foot, and killed it at the edge of the box.
At that moment, Ronaldo arrived in support.
The ball reached him, but instead of driving inside, Ronaldo laid it back into the box.
Marcelo had already made his run, and before Koke could intervene, he squared Ronaldo's pass.
Kroos arrived quickly and struck it first time with his right foot.
The German's effort was met immediately by Godin, who threw himself sideways to block.
The ball cannoned off Godin's thigh, deflected back to the edge of the box, and dropped near the arc.
The chance was not gone.
Modric sprinted forward. As the ball bounced, he controlled it left with his right foot, just out of Gabi's reach, then swung his left boot.
He unleashed a half-height strike, hit with pace and at a wicked angle, heading toward the bottom right corner.
Asenjo reacted quickly, diving across to cover most of the goal.
But Modric's shot was too precise. Asenjo could not stop it.
The ball struck the inside of the right post, rebounded, and rolled over the line into the net.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"Modric!!!"
"The ball is in!!!"
"Real Madrid score!!!"
"In the 42nd minute of the first half, Real Madrid take the lead and break Atletico Madrid's resistance!"
"A long-range strike from Croatian midfielder Luka Modric!"
"A world wave!!!"
The roar of Real Madrid's fans echoed throughout the Calderon.
Modric, after firing, stood still, eyes fixed on the ball. The moment it crossed the line, he broke into a smile, turning and rushing toward the Real Madrid supporters.
He celebrated wildly beneath their stand, soon joined by his teammates.
On the touchline in front of the home dugout, Gao Shen pumped his fists in delight, then turned to high-five and hug Hierro, Zidane and the rest of his staff.
This goal was vital for Real Madrid.
With it, the initiative was theirs.
But caution remained necessary.
Atletico Madrid were no easy opponent.
Still, holding a one-goal lead gave Gao Shen the confidence to slow the game, to make Simeone waste time chasing.
After all, this was a final. Time was on Real Madrid's side.
"That long pass from Xabi Alonso was brilliant. The timing was perfect," Zidane said admiringly.
And it was.
A pass like that, one second earlier or later, would have failed. Timing was everything.
More importantly, Alonso's pass allowed Marcelo to control smoothly and create the next phase.
That precision was crucial.
A top-class passer had to provide exactly that.
If Alonso's pass had been slightly off, Marcelo could not have set it up so cleanly, and there would have been no shots for Kroos and Modric.
Of course, Ronaldo's link-up, Benzema's movement, and Di Maria's work drawing defenders all played their part.
Football had always been a team game.
(To be continued.)
***
For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on P/treon to read 30+ advanced chapters: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves
(Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)