Lost!
That was Gao Shen's evaluation of Guardiola's Bayern when he was interviewed by reporters at the post-match press conference. He believed both Bayern and their fans should give Guardiola more time and trust.
"The score doesn't reflect the true strength of the two teams. Bayern are one of the strongest clubs in world football today."
Why did they lose?
Gao Shen thought it was a perfectly normal result.
This was Guardiola's first time coaching a team other than Barcelona. Many of his tactical concepts and philosophies were built upon the Barcelona system. To succeed at Bayern, he not only needed to reshape the team but also adjust himself.
"Winning the Bundesliga and the German Cup, reaching the Champions League semi-finals, I don't think this is a failed season."
Clearly, Gao Shen was defending Guardiola.
Real Madrid's 5-0 away victory sealed an aggregate 8-0 win, sending them comfortably into the final.
It was hailed as one of the most dominant Champions League semi-finals in recent years.
Before the tie, countless fans had high hopes for Guardiola, but his Bayern side failed to threaten Real Madrid in either leg, at the Bernabéu or the Allianz Arena, and didn't even score a goal.
Gao Shen believed this criticism of Guardiola was unfair.
"I've been coaching Real Madrid for two years now, and we've become a very mature team. Guardiola, on the other hand, has just begun transforming Bayern, and he needs more time."
Everyone knew Guardiola once worked as Gao Shen's assistant, and the two shared a close relationship. Many people even claimed Guardiola's football philosophy was similar to Gao Shen's, but Gao Shen had always denied that.
At the Allianz Arena, he once again rejected the notion that their football was alike.
"Yes, I used to use a high-pressing strategy like his. We both emphasized counter-pressing. We shared many similarities before, but now, we're quite different," Gao Shen said.
"It's even fundamentally different."
He believed that the core of Guardiola's philosophy was ball control. Guardiola emphasized possession above all else, and all his tactical ideas revolved around maintaining it.
That's why, when his teams at Bayern or Barcelona lost the ball, they immediately launched counter-pressing. They simply couldn't tolerate being without the ball for long.
But once they regained possession, their tempo slowed down because they focused on control.
In that sense, Barcelona's attacks often advanced slowly.
Gao Shen's teams, however, were different in depth and structure.
Whether it was Real Madrid, Manchester City, or Leeds United, all of them carried his tactical imprint.
These teams did not press as high as Barcelona or Bayern. Instead, when they lost possession, the midfield and defense would immediately drop back, reorganize, and leave ample space in front for counterattacks.
Even when counter-pressing, the purpose was not necessarily to win the ball immediately, but to delay and disrupt the opponent's transition.
The most distinct difference was that Barcelona players liked close, tight pressing and one-touch combinations in small areas, while Gao Shen emphasized physical and positional pressure.
Barcelona's system relied heavily on creating local numerical superiority in small spaces, which required players with extraordinary technical ability.
That, Gao Shen pointed out, was Bayern's biggest problem right now.
Their players, especially those in midfield and attack, could not fully meet the demands of Guardiola's tactics.
Still, Gao Shen believed Guardiola's ideas were highly advanced, but succeeding at Bayern would not be easy.
"The integration of different countries, different cultures, and different football styles is a huge challenge," he said.
As for his own players, Gao Shen once again offered high praise.
In addition to Ronaldo and Ramos, who both scored twice, he also singled out Toni Kroos.
"He was a key player in our victories in both legs."
Speaking to the German media, Gao Shen called Toni Kroos a world-class midfielder.
"More importantly, he still has tremendous potential, and he will only get better."
There's a saying that fits well here: if you don't return home in glory, it's like wearing fine clothes in the dark.
Gao Shen believed Kroos was also eager to prove himself in front of the German fans and media.
So he didn't hesitate to praise him, satisfying the midfielder's pride and ambition.
…
Real Madrid's 5-0 win over Bayern was a disaster for the German media.
After the match, every major German outlet blasted the result, using sensational headlines to describe the defeat. Some even harshly criticized Guardiola, claiming his Bayern side didn't deserve to reach the semi-finals.
"This is the most humiliating defeat in Bayern's Champions League knockout history!"
Losing 0-3 away and 0-5 at home, with no goals scored over two legs, many questioned whether such a team still had hope.
Bild mocked Bayern chairman Rummenigge, who had claimed the Allianz Arena would become hell for Real Madrid.
"In the end, it was Bayern that sank into hell. Gao Shen was absolutely right. Since he left, victorious, the Allianz Arena truly became a hell!"
Kicker magazine wrote that Bayern's players simply couldn't match Real Madrid in terms of intensity, pace, or rhythm.
"It looked like they could do nothing but pass the ball."
Le Monde commented that Bayern never looked capable of changing the match.
"Bayern Munich could only count how many times they entered Real Madrid's box. This was one of the darkest nights in the club's history."
While German media were mourning, Spanish outlets were celebrating.
El País published a headline that read, "Long Live Gao Shen!", expressing their joy and admiration for Real Madrid's dominant victory.
Alfredo, editor-in-chief of AS, wrote an emotional column, celebrating Real Madrid's second consecutive trip to the Champions League final and expressing his gratitude to Gao Shen.
"Thank you to this great Real Madrid! Thank you to the great Gao Shen!"
He wrote that in the two years since Gao Shen took charge, Real Madrid had returned to stability and glory.
"He has brought back the pride and honor that belong to Real Madrid fans around the world."
"He has made the world look up to the Bernabéu once again."
…
In the other semi-final, Simeone's Atletico Madrid defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at home after drawing 1-1 in Paris.
Interestingly, Ancelotti's team had dominated possession in both legs, yet failed to break down Atletico's defense. They were caught on the counter in the first leg and completely shut out in the second.
Even Ibrahimovic and Cavani, two world-class forwards, couldn't find a way past Atletico's defense.
In the end, Simeone's side advanced 2-1 on aggregate, setting up an all-Madrid final in Lisbon.
The all-Spanish final thrilled fans across the country.
The last time two La Liga clubs met in the Champions League final was in the 1999/2000 season, when Real Madrid faced Valencia under Héctor Cúper.
Back then, Real Madrid won 3-0 without any suspense.
This upcoming city derby reignited massive anticipation throughout Spain.
Based on league and cup performances, Real Madrid had the advantage. However, Simeone's Atletico were known for their incredible resilience and defensive strength.
According to Atletico fan and SER Radio host De la Morena, Real Madrid's defensive counterattack tactics that worked against Barcelona and Bayern would be ineffective against Atletico.
"Atletico are the masters of defending and countering. They can even defend more resolutely than Real Madrid."
"This final will be the ultimate test of Real Madrid's attack."
Many experts agreed that predicting the outcome of the final was impossible.
Gao Shen's tactical approach against Barcelona and Bayern would not apply against Atletico Madrid.
"We are all waiting to see what tactics Gao Shen will come up with when Real Madrid are forced to play the role of Barcelona and Bayern."
That became the biggest question heading into the final and the key factor that would decide everything.
If Real Madrid failed to break through Atletico's defense, they could miss the chance to win a historic treble, just like Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Bayern in previous years.
Fortunately, there was still time.
The Champions League final would take place on May 24th, giving Gao Shen nearly a month to prepare.
Real Madrid had enough time, and so did Atletico.
Who would win in the end would depend on their preparations.
…
The day after the Bayern match, Real Madrid quietly returned to their Valdebebas training base in Madrid for recovery training.
As usual, the team opened training to fans and media for half a day.
Thanks to their stunning performance, more than a thousand fans showed up, creating a lively atmosphere.
Reporters interviewed Gao Shen and several players, and everyone expressed strong confidence ahead of the Champions League final.
Gao Shen even addressed the fans directly, calling on them to travel to Lisbon to support the team.
"When the time comes, we will bring the treble trophies back to the Bernabéu together!"
His words were met with thunderous applause and cheers.
The players were just as fired up.
It wasn't only about the generous bonuses from the club, but also the chance to make history.
Although Manchester City had previously defended their Champions League title, Real Madrid were now aiming to become the first La Liga club to win both the treble and the Grand Slam, which would cement their place in history.
Ronaldo, in particular, was already envisioning surpassing Messi and retaining the Ballon d'Or.
The Real Madrid squad was full of confidence and hunger heading into the final.
Of course, the same could be said for Atletico.
For the Colchoneros, reaching a Champions League final was a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. For many players, it might be their only chance, and they would fight with everything they had.
But Gao Shen was determined to win this Champions League title.
(To be continued.)