Raúl and Cassano were good, but Raúl lacked Su Hang's hold-up play, and Cassano didn't have Ronaldo's sheer dominance.
Not to say they were useless—but at best, they were cut-rate versions of Su Hang and Ronaldo.
So Real Madrid's 1–2 loss was understandable.
And with that, their league winning streak came to an end.
When it rains, it pours.
March 5th, La Liga Matchday 26.
Real Madrid hosted Atlético de Madrid at the Bernabéu.
Torres found the net for Atlético, but Real still came away with a 3–1 win in a dull city derby.
With that, they officially overtook Valencia to climb into second place in the standings, just behind Barcelona.
So why say misfortune struck again?
Because in the first half of that match, Zidane was fouled and injured by Atlético midfielder Gabi.
The injury wasn't serious, but he was expected to miss two to three weeks.
Ronaldo was still sidelined.
Now Zidane had joined him.
Of Real Madrid's three former world-best players, two were out injured.
Marca: "Real Madrid are in real trouble. Since switching to the 4-3-1-2, that crucial '1' is the most important piece of this system!"
"Sixty minutes of Zidane plus thirty minutes of Figo—that was the winning formula behind their eleven straight victories!"
"And now, they're missing those first sixty minutes."
Bild: "Figo's performances in the No.10 role over the past year have been absolutely world-class, no worse than Zidane. But they're two different kinds of playmakers—Zidane is about orchestration, Figo is about individual attacking bursts."
"Figo might be deadlier, but Zidane is the one who can truly drive all of Real Madrid, commanding the entire Galácticos."
AS: "Real Madrid actually has many players who can play attacking midfielder. For example, Raúl—but Raúl's so-called attacking midfielder role is really more like a shadow striker, even weaker than Figo in terms of organization."
"Guti could also play there, which might maximize his attacking talent. But Guti is far too inconsistent. He can't deliver the passing reliability this role demands, and he makes the team's defensive workload heavier."
"Baptista is also a top-class attacking midfielder, but he already proved in the first half of the season that he doesn't fit in Real Madrid's system. Apart from being a grafter, he doesn't offer much to their organization."
"He needs a team built entirely around him. At a giant club, it's hard for him to truly unleash his talent."
The media had summed up Real Madrid's situation with clarity.
That was the Galácticos.
On paper, they looked unstoppable.
In practice… not quite.
And it wasn't just Zidane.
By March, the entire European game had entered its decisive stretch of the season.
It was also the time when injuries piled up for every club.
Zidane's injury wasn't really a surprise.
Better to get hurt now than in May.
Because in May, you'd actually miss the World Cup.
...
March 7th. The Galácticos crossed the English Channel, arriving at Liverpool Port.
Real Madrid had landed!
The European stage resumed!
The moment they got off the plane, the English press swarmed them.
A few teammates were grabbed for interviews, but staff quickly pulled them away.
Only Su Hang stayed to face the reporters.
Reporter: "Su Hang, how much will Zidane's absence affect you? Does it mean you'll lose this match?"
Su Hang: "Of course Zidane's absence affects us, but it only drives us to fight harder. I believe Real Madrid will still get a good result."
Reporter: "So you think Real Madrid will advance?"
Su Hang: "Of course. No matter what, I believe my team will advance. That's the unshakable conviction every player should have!"
Reporter: "But last season, you were eliminated by Liverpool."
Su Hang: "That's because I wasn't there last season."
Reporter: ???
The reporters froze.
Was this young Real Madrid captain… a bit too cocky?
How could he deliver such arrogant words in such a calm tone?
Reporter: "Are you saying that as long as you're here—even without Ronaldo and Zidane—Real Madrid can still eliminate Liverpool?"
Su Hang nodded. "I'm absolutely certain. To me, Liverpool's defense is no stronger than a sheet of paper."
"If this is the level of Premier League defending, then I can confidently say: no team in the Premier League can stop me."
This…
Insane!
Had this kid lost his mind?
What was he saying?
Who did he think he was?
The Ballon d'Or winner? The FIFA World Player of the Year?
Even Ronaldo wouldn't dare say such things!
Reporter: "Su, you're showing a lack of basic respect for England!"
Su Hang waved his hands. "I don't give out respect for no reason. Unless Liverpool can give me a real Premier League shock, I honestly can't respect their defense."
"After all… I scored a hat trick!"
The Liverpool reporter looked ready to explode.
Right.
Su Hang had scored a hat trick in their last match!
Damn it!
So what if it's a hat trick?
Last year, Adriano and Wiltord both scored hat tricks in the Champions League knockouts—did they boast like this?
Finally, Su Hang just shrugged and walked off, leaving to the sound of reporters' jeers.
Inside, teammates like Figo, Raúl, Cassano, and Robinho all stared at him.
"Su, what you said might cause you some trouble," Robinho said, puzzled.
Once hailed as the next Pelé, Robinho had arrived with dazzling brilliance. But after half a season of battles in La Liga, he realized he wasn't truly at the top level.
His arrogance had been tamed.
He held back his pride, trained relentlessly, waiting for the day he could break through.
"I wish I'd said that too, if I had the right to speak," Cassano muttered with envy. But in this team, only captain Su Hang had pre-match interview privileges.
Any other player risked a fine—it was a rule meant to keep the squad focused.
Cassano was exactly the type who could talk big in front of the press, so his confidence never wavered.
But Raúl and Figo saw what Su Hang was really doing.
Without Zidane, the brain of the team, Real Madrid's organization would inevitably suffer.
Liverpool would focus their defense on Figo, the playmaker in Zidane's absence.
That meant Real Madrid would likely be pinned deep in their own half.
When a team gets pinned back like that, unable to push forward, it's often because they lack a midfielder who can withstand pressure—marked, closed down, surrounded—yet still hold the ball, keep possession, and direct the attack.
Su Hang's pre-match arrogance was designed to pull Liverpool's defenders' attention onto himself.
To take the pressure off Figo.
Figo: Su… you're killing me here!