Despite some unexpected moments, Real Madrid still managed to secure a steady victory in the Champions League match.
Real Madrid once again demonstrated their superb ability to adapt in this match.
For a team to go far in the Champions League, in addition to their inherent strength, they also need this kind of on-the-spot adaptability and adjustment capability.
After all, anything can happen during a long season.
Player injuries, red card suspensions, falling behind in the score, and even more serious problems can arise, so how to maintain one's combat effectiveness is what top clubs care about most.
For Ancelotti, he has endowed this Real Madrid team with different tactical systems.
Although relying on the defense built by Mourinho, he has added his own elements to the attacking aspect. The current Real Madrid has not yet fully reached the level Ancelotti expects, but the season has just begun, and they still have plenty of time to fine-tune.
The Steaua Bucuresti players lost the match, and their spirits were naturally a bit low.
Of course, they had anticipated this before the match; miracles are not that easy to come by.
Especially when trying to create their own miracle against this Real Madrid team, it becomes even more difficult.
Suker was ready and walking towards the stands.
But very quickly, he was stopped.
"Can I exchange jerseys with you?"
A young Steaua Bucuresti player walked over.
Suker had some impression of him; this was Popa, Steaua Bucuresti's right winger.
Looking at the other player's expectant gaze, Suker also took off his jersey and handed it over.
But very quickly, he heard a frustrated sound from behind him.
"Popa! We agreed, I'm exchanging jerseys with Suker."
Stanciu couldn't help but say angrily, watching his much-desired match-worn jersey being exchanged like that.
Popa immediately grabbed Suker's jersey and grinned, "First come, first served!"
With that, he turned and ran.
Although he couldn't win the match, getting his idol's jersey was already enough.
On the other side, Stanciu was full of disappointment; he could only come over with his phone.
"Can we take a picture together?"
Suker smiled.
He generally doesn't refuse these requests.
What's more, as Steaua Bucuresti's only goal scorer, Stanciu's performance was indeed very good.
Stanciu stood next to Suker and took a picture with his phone.
Immediately, he looked at Suker's bare body with reluctance, thinking that he was the one who should have exchanged jerseys.
Suker also smiled at this, then walked towards the press area.
Seeing Suker approaching, a large number of reporters began to surge, surrounding Suker in moments.
"How would you evaluate your performance in this match?"
"Did your 60-minute appearance come with any special instructions?"
"Was the pre-match injury rumor false news?"
"As a partner, how do you evaluate Bale's performance?"
Many reporters kept asking these kinds of questions.
Suker answered them one by one.
However, Suker only touched on the points and did not elaborate much.
A German reporter suddenly asked, "What are your expectations for this year's Ballon d'Or?"
Hearing this, the scene suddenly quieted down.
Suker has already won five Ballons d'Or.
But this year, Suker's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or are not high.
This is mainly because Bayern Munich won the treble last season, and Cristiano Ronaldo won the Champions League and the Bundesliga golden boot twice.
In the absence of international competitions, Cristiano Ronaldo's performance was already enough to lift the Ballon d'Or.
"I am full of expectations for the Ballon d'Or every year, but whether it is given or not is up to the organizers and FIFA. For me, every Ballon d'Or candidate is a great player, and they are all qualified to lift the Ballon d'Or. Personally, of course, I hope it's me, but even if it's not me, I will gladly accept it and send my blessings!"
Suker replied with a smile, while glancing at the German reporter.
The German reporter continued, "Then will you attend this Ballon d'Or ceremony?"
Suker turned his head to look at the player tunnel; "I have to go!"
With that, Suker left without looking back.
Going to the ceremony to watch others receive awards, is that masochistic?
Although that's what he said, it's a public occasion, so what could he do, curse them?
He acknowledged the performances of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich last season, but asking him to send blessings? Sorry, he couldn't do it!
He has never been a broad-minded person!
"Those German reporters are annoying enough!"
Suker couldn't help but complain as he walked into the locker room.
These German reporters love to talk about Cristiano Ronaldo in front of him, as if they want to find a sense of presence from him.
Suker finds this kind of thing very annoying, and Cristiano Ronaldo probably finds it annoying too.
But the German reporters and fans are very happy!
No way!
Suker had beaten Bayern Munich too badly before.
Two consecutive massacres were enough to make these Bayern fans fear him.
Because of this, when Suker praised a Bayern player, they would also feel smug.
Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo's performance is not a problem, and he doesn't even need Suker's approval; it's just that these fans feel very good about it.
"Alright, gentlemen, you played a wonderful match. Although there were some minor flaws, they cannot obscure the overall performance." Ancelotti finished the post-match press conference and walked into the locker room.
He applauded and praised loudly, giving these stars plenty of emotional value.
With Ancelotti's praise, smiles appeared on everyone's faces.
"Of course, I believe you will be satisfied with this. You are excellent, but you need to be even more excellent." Ancelotti said with a smile; "After we go back, we will review the match, for a better us!"
Everyone laughed and agreed, showing no impatience.
Even at this moment, if Ancelotti criticized them slightly, they wouldn't feel there was a problem.
That evening, Real Madrid flew back to Spain.
By the time Suker got home, it was already past midnight.
Because there was still a match on the weekend and he returned home late, the morning training session was canceled and changed to an afternoon session.
The Real Madrid players had a good night's sleep, and after resting, they arrived at the training ground in high spirits.
Currently, Real Madrid's training is divided into three parts.
One is daily fitness training, including ball control, cone drills, passing and receiving, etc.
Another is an hour of simulated match training.
During this time, they try to simulate the match environment as much as possible, putting their physical fitness and condition into a match mode.
The last part is extra training.
Of course, Ancelotti did not explicitly require extra training; this is voluntary training, mainly done by young players.
The starting regulars also do extra training from time to time, but it's more goal-oriented training.
For these stars, in a long season, 'reasonable' training is key.
After all, they need to play on multiple fronts, and maintaining their condition and physical fitness is the most important thing.
The second round of the Champions League will be held on October 2nd, two weeks later.
Real Madrid will host Chelsea.
Mourinho returns to the Bernabéu again, but this time as an opponent.
Mourinho's second stint at Chelsea doesn't show specific changes yet, but his playing style is still according to the old routine.
However, Mourinho is also increasing the cultivation of young players, these new forces.
After all, Terry, Lampard, and others are already veterans.
In terms of the League, for the October World Cup European qualifiers, various rounds of the League need to be brought forward.
Especially the fifth round on September 21st.
The sixth round on September 25th.
The seventh round on September 28th.
Plus a Copa del Rey, Real Madrid will be playing three matches a week even without the Champions League.
However, Ancelotti is not worried about these.
Real Madrid's current squad depth is sufficient, and they can rotate even with three matches a week.
Of these three matches, apart from Atlético Madrid on September 28th, the rest are not considered strong opponents.
Currently in La Liga, Atlético Madrid is at the top of the standings with a perfect record.
This season, Atlético Madrid has not only suppressed Barcelona.
They have also suppressed Real Madrid in the standings!
Especially in the 7th round, Real Madrid will play away against Atlético Madrid, and this match will be crucial.
"Hiss~~~~"
In the tactics room, the Real Madrid players looked at the big screen.
On the screen, when the Atlético Madrid players in their 'bedsheet army' jerseys encountered a counter-attack, as many as 7 players sprinted back with all their might.
The scene was like a steel torrent crushing everything, stifling the opponent's counter-attack at the last moment.
"They can really run!"
Srna couldn't help but exclaim, then looked at his own team with a hint of resentment.
If Real Madrid also had such enthusiasm, that would be great.
This will greatly reduce the pressure on their defense.
"Atlético Madrid's characteristics are their team structure and aggressiveness!"
Ancelotti spoke eloquently: "Aggressiveness is more reflected on a spiritual level, like hungry wolves. They will bare their fangs, ready to bite off their opponent's throat at any time. The Argentinian did not bestow special techniques, but he instilled wildness into this team!"
"A solid team structure is even more crucial for Atlético Madrid's success this season!"
"If we watch Atlético Madrid's match against Barcelona, we can clearly see how Simeone's team uses a solid structure to strangle the pass-and-control-oriented Barcelona!"
"Extreme compactness, mutually supportive midfield and defense, combined with subjective wildness and discipline on this basis, then this team is an iron legion!"
Ancelotti's tone was very serious.
"Simeone elevated the concept of modern football's zonal marking to a holistic pitch area concept, understanding it in terms of the entire field."
"Simply put, he re-integrates the pitch, which is divided into areas. When attacking, they are a whole, and when defending, they cut up the areas again, making it difficult for opponents to play through balls!"
Suker, Kaka, Srna and others tilted their heads slightly, as if enlightened.
Ancelotti smiled faintly: "Does it feel a bit familiar?"
"That's right, this is derived from Italy's chain defense, but with a lot of added proactivity. It can be said that it enriches the tactical essence even further, building upon the Milan tactics from the 'Sacchi' era!"
"It's not easy to break through these segmented areas. It requires patient passing and ensuring not to lose possession."
Ancelotti emphasized; "Atlético Madrid's counterattacks can be launched from anywhere. You must remember that when attacking, Atlético Madrid is a whole, and when defending, they will perform zonal cutting, making it difficult for us to penetrate. They will continuously interfere, one after another, and they will divide you, just like a drowning person facing continuous waves until suffocation!"
Ancelotti explained Atlético Madrid's tactics thoroughly, and at the same time, he began to outline some counter-tactics.
It was divided into three parts.
First: Use speed and flexibility to counter high pressing!
When dealing with Atlético Madrid's high pressing, speed and flexibility are key to solving problems before a encirclement is formed.
Therefore, Suker and Bale, these two points must play a role, breaking through before the encirclement forms.
Second: Strengthen midfield control!
Strengthening midfield control means deploying more midfielders, which is to counter Atlético Madrid's fast breaks, using sufficient numbers to suppress and delay the opponent.
At the same time, strong midfield control can also create more opportunities for one's own side.
Third, psychological warfare!
Atlético Madrid is full of wildness and discipline, especially when they gain an advantage or perform well. Under these psychological factors, their combat power will skyrocket.
When facing Atlético Madrid, you cannot give them any sense of accomplishment.
This is a team that thrives on momentum!
Once they get fired up, they truly become like madmen.
Of course, it's not easy to completely implement these factors, but it must be done as well as possible.
Moreover, it's the beginning of the season, and the team's form is still in the adjustment phase.
Even if they cannot fully execute the tactical essence, they still need to go head-to-head with Atlético Madrid.
Real Madrid cannot back down when playing Atlético Madrid.
Once they back down, these guys will only become more arrogant!
September 21st and September 25th, two League rounds.
Real Madrid faced Getafe and Elche at home and away respectively.
In the fifth round, Suker came on as a substitute in the 60th minute and created a goal.
In the sixth round away match, Suker played the full game but did not score, instead getting three assists.
Especially in the sixth round, Elche focused all their tactical points on Suker.
But who would have thought that Suker was not a game-ending character, but rather played a decoy role.
At this point, Elche's tactics completely failed, and they began to fall into disarray from the very beginning of the match.
This also led to Real Madrid scoring five goals away from home, with Benzema and Bale both completing braces, and Srna scoring one goal.
Finally, there was a Copa del Rey match.
In this match, Real Madrid used a lineup combining starters and substitutes, but even so, their combat effectiveness was still guaranteed, and they easily won the match.
In this match, Pato contributed two assists and two goals, becoming the most outstanding player.
In fact, his performance at Real Madrid was even better than during his time at Milan; once he shed the pressure, his performance naturally increased significantly.
After three matches, Real Madrid will face their most important match in the new week.
They will face Atlético Madrid away from home.
La Liga has long been dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona, forming a bipolar model.
These two teams have shown extreme dominance both in the League and in European competitions.
And now, another team has suddenly risen, breaking the bipolar model.
Of course, it's only the beginning of the season, so such talk isn't particularly prevalent yet, but the combat power displayed by Atlético Madrid has already been enough to turn heads.
Especially after they defeated Barcelona, even more so.
And now, besides El Clásico, the Madrid Derby has also become a topic.
Can Atlético Madrid overcome their fear of Real Madrid?
Can Simeone bring a different start to this Atlético Madrid team?
If, at the beginning of the season, they first defeat Barcelona, and then Real Madrid, the excitement would truly be immense.
In the city of Madrid, the most famous stadium is undoubtedly the Bernabéu.
But at the same time, the Calderón, located on the banks of the Manzanares River, is also one of its landmarks.
This is a stadium located in the southwest of Madrid, and it is also Atlético Madrid's home ground.
The entire stadium is designed according to Atlético Madrid's characteristics, with the stands formed in red and white stripes, looking like a giant Atlético Madrid jersey from a distance.
As one of Madrid's famous teams, Atlético Madrid has always lived in the shadow of Real Madrid.
This neighbor, less than 10 kilometers away, is the opponent they most want to defeat.
Every die-hard Atlético Madrid fan aims to trample Real Madrid underfoot, but they have yet to achieve this feat.
They know this is not easy, requiring the efforts of several generations, even a dozen generations.
But they don't dislike this feeling!
They are confident that one day, they will tear open the oppression hanging over Madrid, letting Atlético Madrid's voice reach the pinnacle of Europe and all corners of the world.
And it all starts here!
Simeone, this passionate Argentinian, brought a whole new way of playing to Atlético Madrid.
Although he is rough, although he is concise.
But as fans, they don't dislike these things.
They are not as finicky as Real Madrid fans, who not only want to win but also want to play beautifully.
For them, just winning is enough!
The process is not important; what matters is trampling Real Madrid underfoot.
Therefore, whether it's fouls or ugly play, victory alone is enough to satisfy them.
They crave honor, they crave championships!
But at the same time, they crave even more to defeat Real Madrid and shut up those bastards next door.
This season's Atlético Madrid is known for its iron-blooded fighting stance and steel-like discipline.
They showed the fans a glimmer of victory.
They believe that with their excellent defense, no matter how sharp Real Madrid's attack is, no matter how strong Suker's individual ability is, they can defeat them!
And in this atmosphere, the Atlético Madrid fans gathered around the stadium numbered well over one hundred thousand.
However, the stadium can only accommodate 60,000 people, and the remaining fans can only wait outside.
But even so, they were reluctant to leave, wanting to wait here with the team for victory to arrive.