Starting With Real Madrid

Standing at the entrance of Juan's House BBQ Restaurant once again, Gao Shen paused, pulled out his phone, and snapped a photo. He posted it on Twitter with the caption:

"I missed the smell of barbecue here so much!"

Zidane stood nearby, silently watching Gao Shen's social media ritual. He couldn't help but admire him.

At this point, everyone around Gao Shen had grown accustomed to his eccentric and unconventional behavior.

Take the infamous card game, for example. When Gao Shen played cards all night with Ancelotti, Spalletti, and Mourinho, he cleaned them out. Then, in true Gao Shen fashion, he posted a triumphant photo on Twitter with the caption: "The Serie A title is already in our hands!"

The media went wild.

Speculation ran rampant, with journalists convinced something major had happened. But upon investigation, it turned out four of Serie A's most prominent coaches had simply been playing cards together.

The story caused a frenzy. Fans jumped into the conversation, and it became a hot topic across Europe. Juventus fans, in particular, were furious. Many aimed their ire at head coach Claudio Ranieri, who had been absent.

"Ranieri wasn't even invited? This just proves he's not respected in the coaching world!"

"Even Roma's Spalletti was there! Ranieri must be completely irrelevant."

Even after it was revealed that Ranieri hadn't attended the UEFA Elite Coaches Summit, making him ineligible for the post-meeting card game—Juventus fans refused to let it go.

"If we'd hired Gao Shen back then, this wouldn't have happened."

"This is all Secco's fault!"

Eventually, the blame shifted to Juventus' sporting director, Alessio Secco, who was so infuriated he publicly lashed out in the media, accusing Gao Shen and the others of disrespecting UEFA.

But Gao Shen, unfazed, responded on Twitter with his usual bluntness:

"It's none of your business!"

And really, how could someone who wasn't even invited to participate have a say in what those who attended were doing?

The incident spiraled further into chaos and stayed in the headlines for over a week.

It wasn't just Italy, media outlets across Europe had a field day. It was pure traffic gold.

For Gao Shen, it only boosted his popularity. His Twitter following grew significantly, with fans and haters alike hanging on his every post. Many of his detractors obsessively monitored his account just to leave angry comments, as though their outrage could somehow bring him down.

Today, Gao Shen is arguably one of the biggest figures on Twitter.

Zidane, who also browses Twitter occasionally, couldn't help but marvel at Gao Shen's knack for building a following. In his eyes, Gao Shen's ability to grow his audience rivaled his talent as a coach.

"This guy could write a book on how to gain followers," Zidane thought.

---

Once inside the barbecue restaurant, Gao Shen and Zidane were quickly recognized and led to Florentino Pérez's private box.

This time, Gao Shen didn't "coincidentally" run into the King of Spain, probably because they didn't want to risk Gao Shen joking about forcing an abdication.

Joining Florentino were his assistant Manuel Redondo and former Real Madrid star Jorge Valdano, an old friend of Gao Shen.

When Gao Shen saw Valdano, he greeted him warmly, giving him a firm hug.

"It's been too long, Jorge. I've missed you!" Gao Shen said with a grin.

It hadn't actually been that long, just a few months but the sentiment was genuine.

Valdano, who had witnessed Gao Shen's meteoric rise from obscurity to one of Europe's most talked-about coaches, felt a deep connection to him. He had always believed in Gao Shen's potential.

Valdano's good friend Arrigo Sacchi once said half-jokingly that he owed much of his modern reputation to Gao Shen's success. Sacchi now wrote columns and shared his opinions on Twitter daily, enjoying a relaxed and fulfilled life.

"If I weren't so busy, I'd probably follow Sacchi's example and start my own column," Valdano joked.

Since stepping down as Real Madrid president, Florentino had focused on his business ventures. Still, he remained closely tied to the club, frequently attending matches from his private box at the Bernabéu.

Rumors had been swirling about Florentino returning to Real Madrid's presidency. Current president Ramón Calderón had even accused Florentino in the media of stirring up trouble behind the scenes.

"How could I have that much free time?" Florentino said with a wry smile when the topic came up. "I'm busy running my businesses. Why would I waste my time on him? If I really wanted to come back, do you think he could stop me?"

There was a quiet confidence in his tone, not arrogance, but certainty.

To outsiders, Florentino's words might seem exaggerated, but those familiar with Real Madrid knew better. At the end of the day, the club president's authority depended on the loyalty of key personnel within the organization.

Gao Shen, who had experience managing power dynamics in business before transitioning to football, understood this well. True authority didn't simply come from the title; it came from the loyalty and cooperation of those below you.

For example, if a CEO parachutes into a company but department heads refuse to support him, what can he accomplish? True power is earned through respect and trust, not just a job title.

Florentino still had significant influence at Real Madrid because many of the club's top decision-makers were loyal to him. Calderón and sporting director Predrag Mijatović had spent years trying to consolidate control but had repeatedly faced internal resistance.

This was why Florentino could confidently say he didn't need to wrestle for power. Despite not holding the title of president, he effectively still wielded control.

Gao Shen found this dynamic fascinating. Florentino's ability to maintain his influence even after stepping down was a masterclass in leadership.

---

"Lately, more and more people have been urging me to come back," Florentino said after taking a bite of barbecue. He wiped his hands and continued, "They say the current administration has made a mess of Real Madrid, and the calls for my return are growing louder."

He glanced at Gao Shen and added, "Calderón and Mijatović even had a falling out over this summer's transfers."

"A falling out?" Gao Shen raised an eyebrow.

Florentino nodded. "They couldn't agree on how to divide the spoils."

Gao Shen didn't press for details. He was curious, of course, but he knew better than to dig too deep.

"In the past two or three years, I've done a lot of reflecting," Florentino continued. "If I were to come back, what could I bring to Real Madrid? How could I avoid repeating the mistakes I made before? How could I build a stronger team and a better club?"

His gaze lingered on Gao Shen as he spoke, his words heavy with implication.

Zidane, sitting beside Gao Shen, picked up on the unspoken question. He shot a sideways glance at Gao Shen, waiting to see how he would respond.

But Gao Shen simply kept eating, focusing on the barbecue in front of him.

"I'm no expert on running a club," Gao Shen finally said, casually deflecting the question. "But I do know this barbecue is fantastic. You have no idea how much I've missed it. In Naples, it's all pizza, pizza, pizza."

His quip drew laughter from Valdano, Zidane, and Redondo. Even Florentino chuckled, though a flash of disappointment flickered in his eyes.

Florentino had hoped to test Gao Shen's thoughts on returning to Real Madrid, but Gao Shen had sidestepped the question entirely.

It wasn't that Gao Shen didn't understand how to build a team—Napoli's success was proof that he did. He simply wasn't ready to take on the challenge Florentino was hinting at.

"By the way, Gao, are you confident about tonight's game?" Florentino asked, steering the conversation in a different direction.

Gao Shen looked up with a grin. "What, you want me to go easy on them?"

Florentino laughed. "Do I look like someone who would ask for that? If there are problems at Real Madrid, the only way to solve them is by facing them. If you beat us tonight, it just proves we have a lot of work to do. In fact, it might even be a good thing."

Gao Shen studied Florentino carefully, wondering if this was his way of encouraging him to deliver a blow to Real Madrid, a subtle move to expose the current administration's shortcomings.

"Don't worry," Gao Shen said confidently. "I won't hold back."

Florentino's admiration for Gao Shen deepened. He had always believed that Gao Shen was sharp and thoughtful, capable of understanding not just football but the intricate dynamics of leadership.

Still, he could sense Gao Shen's hesitation about taking on Real Madrid again.

But Florentino wasn't one to push. He knew that sometimes, the timing simply wasn't right.

A forced decision, after all, would never lead to the best results.