In fact, Gao Shen is a huge fan of Ronaldo, a very dedicated fan.

  Given his age, it's no exaggeration to say that he grew up watg Ronaldo py football.

  But sometimes, life has its peculiar twists.

  Who would have thought that he would actally travel through time and bee Ronaldo's head coach?

  What's even more eous is that after being the head coach of Real Madrid, instead of using his status as a fan to make good use of Ronaldo, he ended up sidelining him. So far, it has been a month, and he has not included Ronaldo in the squad.

  As he poured water in front of the water dispenser, Gao Shen thought for a while, feeling genuinely ashamed of his status as a Ronaldo fan.

  At the very least, he was embarrassed to eveion it.

  ...

  The hardware and software facilities of the Real Madrid head coach's office are excellent.

  The decor is high-end, with sofas, desks, and other furniture that are clearly top-notch. Even the puters seem to be highly figured. Pying Football Manager on them would surely allow access to the rgest database without any issues.

  Gao Shen had several thoughts in his mind, some of which even made him ugh.

  After p the water, he turned around and walked back to the sofa, finding Ronaldo sitting opposite him, his hands csped in front of him, fingers interced, looking a bit nervous or rather uneasy.

  Gao Shen found this puzzling, but after thinking it over, he uood.

  What kind of person is Ronaldo?

  Many people see him as a simple, ho, and cheerful individual, always smiling with his signature rabbit teeth and thhly enjoying football.

  That's certainly true, but it's only a part of Ronaldo's personality.

  To put it more strictly, it's the part of him that es out after having fun on the football field.

  Ordinary people 't imagine what Ronaldo has ehroughout his career. For many, every serious injury he suffered would be unimaginable and potentially career-ending.

  But he overcame eae, making a triumphaurime.

  Football has given him a lot, but it has also taken a lot from him.

  From a young age, he has been a prodigy, reized globally as a transdent genius, held in high regard, and cared for by everyohus, he has grown willful, needing others to coax, care for, and aodate him.

  He oood at the pinnacle of world football, pared with Pele and Maradona, yet he was sile. From the eve of the World Cup final in Frao the serious injuries after joining Inter Min, he experienced rapid falls from his peak.

  Many believe that the World Cup in Korea and Japan brought him to the pinnacle of his career. This is true, but his career at the club level was bleak. All his honors were won with the Brazilian national team.

  When he joined Real Madrid, he wao prove himself wholeheartedly, but who would have thought that after a league championship, Real Madrid's superstar strategy would fall into a bottomless abyss, far from meeting his expectations.

  Initially, the external world started questioning him more and mradually, his teammates began to question him, aually, he started doubting himself. Was he not as strong or as good as he thought?

  The more he tried to prove himself, the worse things got.

  Eventually, he became sensitive, plicated, and anxious.

  His willfulness prevented him from cooperating amicably with powerful coaches like Cooper and Luxemburgo; his sensitivity and ay led him to doubt himself and lose fidence; age and injuries tio wear down his body...

  All of this bio create the Ronaldo we see today.

  ...

  The office door was closed.

  There were only two people inside.

  What Gao Shen saw was an anxious, unfident Ronaldo.

  Ronaldo has never been like Carlos. Even if he sometimes says things to the media, it's often more like self-prote or a helpless struggle against reality, or an escape.

  For instance, his indulgen nightclubs and women is akin to how some students, disied in csses, immerse themselves in puters and online games.

  Gao Shen was really surprised. He had imagined many sarios for meeting Ronaldo and how their versation would go. He thought Ronaldo would be very proud and willful or even threaten and intimidate him, but he never expected Ronaldo to show such a vulnerable side.

  He is a genius!

  But genius is always fragile!

  Gao Shely pced the water gss in front of Ronaldo and sat down beside him. Seeing Ronaldo with his head lowered, seemingly not ready to speak, Gao Shen decided to start the versation.

  "I've wao talk to you for a long time, but I haven't found the right opportunity," Gao Shen began.

  This sounded a bit perfunctory.

  Ronaldo raised his head and g Gao Shen, "Really?"

  Gao Shen nodded. "I've always thought you should be the most important person oeam."

  Ronaldo looked at Gao Shen silently, perhaps unsure whether to believe him.

  Siaking ao Shen had never included him in the squad.

  "You know, football is a team game of 11 pyers. To win a game, we often don't choose the best and most important 11 pyers but select the 11 most suitable ohrough tactid overall colboration, we maximize overall strength. you uand what I mean?"

  Ronaldo uood. Gao She that the stro and most important pyers are not always the most suitable.

  "Have you watched the games siook ao Shen asked suddenly.

  Ronaldo was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "Every home game I attend, and I watch the away games live."

  "How do you feel?" Gao Shen smiled and asked again.

  "The team looks strohan before."

  "Have you thought about why?"

  Ronaldo nodded silently but didn't speak.

  He had thought about it, which was why he was sitting here.

  "Actually, I think the team's potential hasn't been fully realized. We still have siderable untapped potential, like you, Carlos, Robinho, Baptista, and ho. You are all excellent pyers with great individual abilities that signifitly help the team."

  Gao Shen's tone shifted. "Maybe you think what I said is a bit insincere, but sider this: if you had been on the front line in Turin when Juventus pressed heavily and attacked frantically, do you think Capello would have dared to do that?"

  "If at Highbury, whearted suppressing Arsenal's onsught, Robinho could have pyed and utilized his dribbling and breakthrough skills, how much of a threat would that have posed to Arsenal's defense?"

  Ronaldo stared at Gao Shen and suddenly realized that Gao Shen did uand them. He didn't use them, but it wasn't out of ignorance.

  He had also thought about these issues. If he repegredo, he might seize some opportunities and score some goals, but he couldn't run and press as widely as Negredage in many physical frontations with the oppo's tral defenders, ing their energy.

  The same applied to Robinho. It was impossible for him to retreat to the front of his owy area during defense like Raul and Beckham or actively participate in the ter-press when losing the ball. This wasn't the style of Brazilian pyers.

  But this was what Gao Shen wanted.

  In other words, this was the rend in European football in the past two or three years.

  Even in Bara, ??known as the stro in Europe, aside from Ronaldinho, pyers like Eto'o, Messi, Giuly, Deco, Xavi, and Ia provided extensive running ce and pressing.

  Real Madrid's superstars were getting old.

  In the past, they wao rely on their reputations, py leisurely, earn high saries, and win championships. But now, those days were gone.

  Zidane, Raul, and Beckham fought hard in every game. Ronaldo could see it.

  ...

  Gao Shen didn't say more, silently waiting for Ronaldo to speak again.

  He had expressed his attitude clearly. He believed Ronaldo would uand his meaning.

  The key was whether Ronaldo was willing.

  After nearly two minutes of silence, Ronaldo raised his head again, looked directly at Gao Shen, and asked, "Do you think we win the championship? La Liga, or the Champions League, either one."

  Gao Shen sighed, shook his head, and smiled. "Who knows?"

  After a pause, he added, "In La Liga, we were ten points behind Bara, but now, the gap is down to five points. If we beat them at Camp Nou, we arrow it to two points. But you know how difficult that is. If we lose, we'll be eight points behind."

  "And in the Champions League, our oppo is Juventus, one of the stro, most banced, and preheeams in European football. Capello is one of the best coaches in the world. Who dares to guarantee a win against such a team?"

  "The quarter-finals are so challenging. What about the semi-finals? What about the finals?"

  The Champions League has never been an easy task.

  Every step is a huge test for the team's overall strength and everyone involved.

  Even if they drew 0-0 away at Juventus auro the Bernabeu, would Real Madrid surely win?

  Gao Shen had indeed identified a crucial weakness in Juventus, but could Real Madrid capitalize on it? Even if they could, would they be able to score?

  Let's not fet, Juventus had the greatest goalkeeper in football history, Buffon!

  The football field has never had a sure thing.

  "Ronnie," Gao Shen said, breaking the silence again. "As your fan, I look forward to seeing your performan the pitch. As the team's head coach, I assure you that Real Madrid needs you, but..."

  Gao Shen's tone became firm, his eyes fixed on Ronaldo.

  "Real Madrid needs more cohesion and more unity"