The purpose of a warm-up match is to identify problems and solve them.
This is the last chance for a pre-season adjustment without counting points.
Although many teams will make further adjustments at the beginning of the season, they cannot be as relaxed as in warm-up matches, as these games count for points.
At Juventus Stadium, both teams' players were ready.
Both coaching staffs were fully assembled.
They stood in a line on their respective halves.
Apart from both Head Coaches, the other coaches each held a pen and paper, collecting information and recording data.
Players have their work, and coaches have theirs.
Soon, at the whistle of the invited Referee, the match began.
Real Madrid attacked first.
After Suker and Benzema kicked off, they immediately moved into the opponent's half.
Bale also quickly advanced his position, and once Benzema and Bale moved up to a certain point, Suker, instead of continuing his forward run, ran a few steps horizontally and positioned himself in the central area.
This move surprised the Juventus players.
If Suker intended to pull defenders, then moving to the wing would have been the best choice.
Standing in the middle like this would instead cause Juventus's defensive strength to converge in the center, or even retreat.
"Is he trying to advance?"
Pirlo was also watching Suker's position; his uncharacteristic play style indeed surprised him.
However, they only needed to hold their positions, and they could form a encirclement at any time.
Therefore, there was no need to worry too much.
On the sideline, Ancelotti raised an eyebrow slightly and turned to his son, saying, "Davide, start recording carefully now."
Davide immediately nodded, then continuously looked at the field, meticulously recording various data.
On the field, Suker made no unexpected movements, running back and forth, playing with a touch-and-go style.
He neither advanced nor dribbled past opponents.
He was merely helping the midfield stabilize possession.
It was as if he was just a tool for the midfield.
The Juventus players, with most of their attention drawn to Suker, consequently overlooked players like Kroos and Kaka.
Suker stood between Benzema and the midfield, with his back to the attacking side, patiently passing the ball.
And with repeated passing, Juventus was playing extremely passively.
"What are they doing?"
Pogba couldn't help but exclaim.
"Let's go press them!"
Hearing Pogba's shout, Pirlo said sternly, "Don't act rashly, calm down."
Whether it was Suker or Kaka, these two guys had been difficult opponents since their Milan days.
Although Kaka's current physical condition was indeed not good, his awareness and overall vision were still excellent.
Pirlo kept turning his head, his eyes looking to both sides.
At the same time, he was also watching Real Madrid's two full-backs.
He felt that Real Madrid would launch an attack down the flanks.
At this moment, Suker had run to the left flank area.
It was still an ordinary backward pass, but this time, a sudden change occurred.
When Suker was in the left flank area, three players had unknowingly surrounded him.
The full-back, center-back, and defensive midfielder formed a triangle, completely encircling Suker.
At the same time, the distance between the two defensive midfielders was widened.
In the defensive line, Chiellini also failed to retreat to the central position.
A huge gap appeared out of nowhere.
Although it was fleeting, Kroos, with his ability, still delivered a deadly through ball.
"Here it comes!"
Ancelotti clenched his fist tightly.
The effect was achieved!
Using Suker and Kaka's continuous movement to draw the midfield's attention.
The midfield, in essence, is a position that integrates control and organization.
Numerical advantage is the most crucial factor in this position.
An extra person means an extra passing channel.
And for professional teams, even such a small passing space can be fully utilized to launch an attacking advance.
Ancelotti currently couldn't implement major tactical or personnel changes, so he made some modifications based on the existing foundation.
Of course, Real Madrid's foundation is solid; no matter what kind of Head Coach Mourinho was, or why he had such unpleasant conflicts with these players, it cannot deny his coaching ability.
He even saw some tactical characteristics unique to Serie A teams in this Real Madrid squad.
This should also be something Mourinho learned during his time coaching Inter Milan.
Overall, Mourinho did a really good job.
Therefore, Ancelotti didn't need to make too many changes.
He only needed to guide and correct based on this foundation.
Kroos's through ball accurately found Benzema, but the latter subconsciously looked at Suker, causing him to lose the best shooting opportunity.
"Karim! Don't always think about passing," Ancelotti shouted, "Shoot! You can do it!"
Benzema was stunned.
Since joining Real Madrid, Ancelotti was the first Head Coach to encourage him to shoot.
Previously, Mourinho required him to provide cover for Suker, deliver the final pass, and even sacrifice himself to act as a wall for Suker.
Although these were all dirty and tiring jobs, Benzema endured them for the sake of victory.
But as a striker, who doesn't want to shoot?
However, with the tactics as they were, he had no choice!
He thought he would always be used up like this, but he didn't expect Ancelotti to encourage him to shoot.
When Benzema turned to look at Suker again, the latter also nodded slightly.
So-called forward combinations, although there is a primary and secondary distinction.
But more often, they require coordinated cooperation, using tacit understanding to interfere with the opponent's defensive combination.
If everyone knew that Real Madrid would pass to Suker, then the opponent's defensive pressure would be greatly reduced.
For this reason, developing Benzema and Bale's shooting efficiency would indirectly re-ignite Suker.
This is also a necessary process for perfecting a forward combination.
To build confidence in Benzema and Bale!
This was also one of the main goals of these three warm-up matches.
Previously, Ancelotti had spoken to Suker alone about this matter.
He hoped that Suker could play a supporting role in these three matches, complementing Benzema and Bale.
To let them experience the feeling of scoring more and to build their confidence.
Suker readily agreed to this.
Benzema and Bale had been playing around him for an entire season, so there was no problem with him being a supporting player for them for three matches.
Moreover, this wasn't an official match, just a warm-up game.
"Come on! Karim."
Suker forcefully waved his fist at Benzema, then immediately retreated.
Benzema looked at Suker's retreating figure, a hint of gratitude in his eyes.
In this warm-up match, Suker didn't encroach on his space, nor did he make him do any dirty work; he even encouraged him to attack.
In fact, Suker didn't need to do this at all, as Real Madrid was already playing around Suker.
But precisely because of this, Benzema was grateful for Suker's actions.
It wasn't easy to take away some tactical resources from Suker.
And now Benzema had done it!
"His advancement speed is so slow!"
Davide couldn't help but frown.
Watching Benzema constantly passing to the sides, but unable to form a forward pass, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
"Just watch patiently!"
Ancelotti was not anxious at all.
Many people underestimated Benzema.
Even with so many resources taken away by Suker, Benzema's season goals at Real Madrid remained between 15-20, which was already a very impressive achievement.
For Benzema, he had his specific shooting opportunities.
He and Suker were different types.
Suker was a fierce general who stormed the city and charged head-on.
Then Benzema was more like a stimulus, roving beside Suker.
Of course, this was very different from Inzaghi.
Ancelotti was also encountering this type of player for the first time.
But precisely because of this, Benzema's activation was crucial.
Many people believed that the key to activating a forward combination lay in the core player.
But Ancelotti didn't think so; activating a forward combination meant that, excluding Suker, Benzema or Bale adjusted their playing rhythm to be in sync with Suker.
Only then could a real threat be formed.
Of course, Ancelotti was not in a hurry; he would just take it slow, they still had plenty of time.
"Why is it so uncomfortable to play!"
Pogba started shouting again.
They had played against Real Madrid last season; at that time, Real Madrid's attacks were direct, and although the pressure was great, they could still withstand it.
But now?
Real Madrid's advancement made them very uncomfortable, seemingly attacking but not quite; once they formed an encirclement, they could immediately steal the ball and transfer it elsewhere.
At the same time, repeated probing put even greater pressure on them.
If last season's Real Madrid was a brute, swinging wild punches, every punch landing.
So this season, Real Madrid's offense was like a balloon.
It was drifting!
They would strike with force, and the opponent would float away, only for them to launch another attack from an inexplicable position.
But when they found their offensive focus, the balloon suddenly transformed into a cannonball!
Bang!
The ball zipped into the net.
The entire Juventus defense line looked at each other, utterly bewildered.
"How many passes did they make inside the penalty area just now?" Bonucci couldn't help but ask.
Chiellini replied with a grim expression, "Six!"
Immediately, the Juventus players grimaced.
Was their defense poor?
If the defense of a Serie A champion team was poor, then there would be no team with an excellent defense.
Real Madrid's attacks were a combination of speed and slowness, with strength hidden within softness.
They seemed to drift around, but once a target was identified, they became extremely decisive.
Fortunately, so far, Real Madrid was not very accustomed to this tactic, so they played with some unfamiliarity.
There were always some mistakes!
But Juventus couldn't be happy about it.
The reason was simple: this Real Madrid team had only taken one year to shake off their terrible situation and were now fully recovering.
And this recovery was extremely rapid.
How long had it been since the season ended?
Including vacation, they had only trained together for a little over a week, yet their overall condition was now incomparable.
Ancelotti did not give too many instructions from the sidelines, but rather let them fully experience the feeling the match brought them.
After the warm-up match, he would make a comprehensive summary.
Finally, the first half of the match ended.
Both sides made extensive substitutions, almost replacing all players; with the exception of a few individuals, everyone else was subbed off.
The second half of the match wasn't particularly exciting, as all the main players had already left the field.
However, the players still watched the match intently.
The substitute's match wasn't as intense or efficient, and Suker's gaze wasn't focused on Real Madrid's substitutes, but rather on Juventus's half.
To be precise, it was on Kovacic.
As a talented player who came out of Dinamo Zagreb, Kovacic was already 19 years old.
At 19, serving as a first substitute for a giant like Juventus and frequently appearing in League and Champions League matches was already a remarkable achievement.
However, Suker was still not very satisfied!
Although Kovacic's growth had accelerated significantly with the help of Suker and Zorancic.
But there was still no qualitative change.
Of course, Suker also knew he shouldn't rush, but at least there should be some change in his playing style, right?
But Kovacic still played with that flashy, technical style.
He relied on his agile body to maneuver in small spaces.
Although he had many successful dribbles, the problem was that he held onto the ball too much.
Football emphasizes passing and progression, but that was not seen in Kovacic's play.
Putting this guy on the frontline would be Sterling!
He would never pass the ball!
"He lost it again!"
Watching Kovacic misplace a pass, Suker couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.
Srna, standing nearby, also turned to look at Suker when he saw Kovacic, and when he saw Suker shaking his head, he looked somewhat dejected.
Srna raised an eyebrow slightly, and he observed for a little longer.
He noticed that every time Kovacic lost the ball or performed well, he would turn his head to look at Suker.
"That guy wants to impress you, doesn't he?" Srna said.
He knew Kovacic was a fan of Suker, or rather, the entire new generation of Croatia were fans of Suker.
Young Croatians looked up to Suker as an idol and a goal.
It was understandable that Kovacic wanted to perform well in front of Suker.
Srna also felt strange, as Kovacic's previous form wasn't too bad, and he was indeed playing a bit too poorly in this warm-up match.
The rhythm was incredibly chaotic!
Juventus also noticed the problem; the coaching staff was very concerned about Kovacic and immediately sent Pirlo onto the field to stabilize the rhythm, just in case Kovacic played himself out of form.
Soon, the entire warm-up match ended.
"What's wrong with you? The rhythm is so messy, it's unwatchable."
Suker called Kovacic aside to a corner and directly reprimanded him.
These youngsters were all about their future National Team performance, and he was investing in their development, preparing in advance.
But Kovacic's performance was truly disappointing to him.
Under Suker's prestige in Croatia and the National Team, Kovacic dared not refute him at all.
He lowered his head, hands behind his back, as if he had returned to his youth academy days when he was scolded by a coach.
However, back then it was inconsequential.
But now, his heart was filled with grievance and self-reproach.
"Think carefully about it. What kind of game do you want to play? What kind of player do you want to become? Your goal should be a midfield master like Pirlo, not that frivolous style of play."
With that, Suker turned and left.
Kovacic pursed his lips, his face full of bitterness.
He had intended to take this opportunity to perform well, but instead of praise, he got a scolding.
"That was pathetic!"
Kovacic mumbled softly.
"It certainly was pathetic!"
A voice suddenly came from beside him, startling Kovacic.
Srna stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking at him with a half-smile.
"Want to impress Suker? Want to get his praise?" Srna's single sentence exposed Kovacic's little secret.
His entire face immediately flushed, quickly turning a deep purple.
"Alright! Alright!" Srna smiled and waved his hand, he wasn't going to tease this young lad anymore, he was too easily teased.
"I know what you're thinking, but Suker is right, you need to think clearly about what kind of game you should play; even if it's a warm-up match, you have to give it your all." Srna sighed, "I'm not lecturing you, but conveying our experience to you!"
"Keep it up." Srna patted Kovacic's shoulder, "After 2014, it'll be up to you guys to push Suker forward!"
Kovacic was stunned for a moment, and by the time he wanted to ask what he meant, the other person had already walked away.
That evening, the entire Real Madrid team boarded a plane for their return journey.
For the next six days, they would conduct a detailed review and targeted training.
They would address each problem from this match, and then play their next warm-up match.
This process would repeat for a total of three matches.
Before the season began, Ancelotti had his own standards for success.
Time passed, and it quickly entered August.
Florentino knelt in front of the grape arbor, meticulously pruning it with a sharp knife, while his secretary stood beside him.
Florentino clipped off a bunch of grapes, then suddenly smiled and said, "Usually at this time, Suker would be waiting beside me to eat grapes!"
The secretary beside him also couldn't help but laugh.
Florentino looked up and said, "What's the situation with the first team now?"
"They played three warm-up matches plus one exhibition match in three weeks. The results were mixed, but according to Mr. Ancelotti's report, the team has gotten on track and is recovering its competitiveness!"
Florentino slowly nodded, "Ancelotti has strong coaching abilities, which I'm confident about, but... I'm curious, what does he want to build Real Madrid into?"
The secretary paused, "The report didn't elaborate on these details. If you're curious, you can go to the stadium to watch when the Spanish Super Cup begins!"
Florentino nodded, and continued, "Any news from Portugal?"
Secretary: "Yes! Porto agreed to our request but hopes to sign the letter of intent as soon as possible."
Florentino couldn't help but smile, "They're really impatient!"
However, he also understood; Porto was not a top European giant, and if they had the chance to sign Casillas, they would naturally spare no effort.
However, Casillas couldn't leave this season.
Florentino's idea was to have Casillas transfer out directly in the summer window.
But the Spanish National Team had made a request to him, hoping Casillas would stay for another year.
This was also in preparation for the 2014 World Cup.
Before the World Cup, if Casillas left a mainstream League, his form would be unpredictable.
Therefore, they specifically approached Florentino with a request.
The Spanish sports department's face still had to be given, so Florentino could only postpone it for another season. Only Porto seemed a bit anxious, hoping to sign a letter of intent.
For them, this season was full of surprises; what if Real Madrid decided not to sell him?