"Heh! Morientes isn't as good as Su? That kind of take makes you a fake fan. Besides, with Owen coming in, both Su and Morientes will have to step aside."
"Owen's always injured, Ronaldo's dealing with injuries too, and Su Hang's eating habits are terrible. He's bound to become a glass man as well. If the three of them form a 'glass trident,' that would be the best-case scenario!"
...
Amid the chatter, Real Madrid's pre-season training officially kicked off.
Every player had to undergo a physical evaluation before joining the squad.
Most had gained weight over the summer—which was expected.
But when Su Hang's test results came out, the whole team was stunned.
Ronaldo: "Su, didn't you say you were living on junk food?"
Beckham: "Eight percent body fat? That's the best I've been in years! Didn't you gain weight?"
Zidane: "Hang, those 15 pounds you gained… don't tell me it's all muscle?"
Figo: "Weren't you supposed to be traveling around? You…"
Raúl: "Don't tell me you trained all summer?"
Those loudmouths weren't too far off.
Su Hang nodded.
"You can't trust the media. I do eat Chinese food—anyone who's had it knows how hard it is to resist."
"But Chinese cuisine is incredibly diverse. With all its styles and nutritional balance, it's just as good as red wine, salad, and steak—if not better."
"I did gain weight, but it's muscle, not fat. Fifteen pounds is the max I allowed myself. I'm still growing, so I can't bulk up too fast—it'd just add extra strain."
"My body fat is currently at 8%, but that's still not where I want it. Once my training plan is fully underway, I'm aiming to maintain it around 6%."
"And yes, I trained all summer. Because even with all that, I still have a long way to go compared to you guys."
"I traveled to several countries, but only to invite elite trainers—experts in sports medicine, program design, football training, strength training, visual training... in total, around ten professionals."
"If anyone needs help, I can have my training team support you too."
At this point, having a personal support team—the standard for future superstars—was still uncommon.
Many players thought it was a waste of money.
But time would prove otherwise.
Investing is the best way to earn better returns.
When it comes to personal teams, cutting corners is a mistake.
Thanks to scientific training, Su Hang's strength jumped from 76 to 82 this summer, and his vertical leap went from 70 to 74.
Su Hang spoke confidently, joking and laughing with the group of superstars.
Not far away, players like Bravo, Pavon, Borja, Fran, Soldado, and Lopez looked on with envy.
Even though they were a few years older than Su Hang, they were extremely nervous around the top players.
If they were that nervous in private, how could they possibly play naturally on the field?
How could they perform well?
Soon, Camacho arrived.
The team officially started their first day of training.
Though the drills were basic, the physical data spoke for itself.
Fitness tests, 30-meter sprint times, explosive power, agility, strength—everything was recorded.
There was no hiding who was strong and who wasn't.
The superstars, unsurprisingly, posted strong numbers.
Beckham's endurance was outstanding.
Ronaldo, Owen, and Roberto Carlos were lightning-fast.
Zidane, Figo, and Owen topped agility.
Samuel, Woodgate, and Morientes showed raw power.
Su Hang could barely keep up with the top group in strength. In everything else, he ranked near the bottom.
Even after a month of intensive training, his foundation was still weak.
These numbers wouldn't cut it for Camacho, a coach known for his high standards.
The next day, the team moved on to ball training.
And that's when the gap between the stars and regulars became even clearer.
Among the stars, Ronaldo and Zidane were in a league of their own—shining even brighter.
As for Su Hang... he was even worse.
His ball control wasn't just bad—it was horrible.
He was hands down the worst on the team.
Camacho was floored.
He turned to his assistant coaches: "Was Su Hang this bad last season?"
Real Madrid's goalkeeping coach, Simon, shook his head.
"No, he's actually a lot better than he was during training last season. He's improving really fast."
Camacho nearly spat blood.
This was an improvement?
Do Real Madrid fans even realize their "Crown Prince" can't trap a ball without it bouncing ten meters away?
Absurd!
How did a player like this even make it into Real Madrid?
Even the worst starters on Camacho's second-division squad were miles better than Su Hang!
Camacho started racking his brain for a solution.
He now faced the same dilemma Queiroz had once faced.
...
The pre-season camp wrapped up quickly.
Real Madrid also played two friendlies—but the results weren't promising.
Camacho had one major task: transition Real Madrid's formation from a lone striker to a two-striker setup.
Otherwise, the star-studded midfield would go to waste.
This was a direct order from Florentino.
But trouble came fast.
Camacho didn't use Su Hang in either friendly, and Real Madrid fans weren't happy.
"Why isn't Su Hang playing?"
"If this is Camacho's attitude, he should just resign!"
"Su Hang isn't getting any playing time. Is he going to be benched again this season?"
"Owen is sharp, and Morientes fits the team well—but not even giving Su Hang a chance? That's going too far!"
"Is it just because Su Hang is young? Does Camacho have a bias against younger players?"
A wave of public backlash hit Camacho.
He was furious.
August 7.
Internal training match.
Su Hang, playing as a forward for the reserves, was completely shut down by Woodgate and Helguera.
Camacho could only shake his head in disbelief.
This is what he's working with.
How could anyone justify putting him in a match?
You must have something against winning!
After the match, an argument broke out in Real Madrid's locker room.
It started with Woodgate and fellow Englishman Owen, who were complaining about Su Hang.
Woodgate believed Su Hang was so bad that he didn't deserve to compete with Owen for the starting role.
Owen didn't say much. He just told Woodgate they were new to the team and should be careful with their words to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
As luck would have it, Borja overheard them.
Borja wasn't a standout player, but he was the one in the team most grateful to Su Hang.
He would never let anyone badmouth him.
Borja immediately demanded that Woodgate apologize to Su Hang.
But Woodgate, who saw himself as one of England's top center backs, wasn't about to apologize to some average youth product from Real Madrid's academy.
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