Starting With Real Madrid

News from the post-match press conference quickly reached Raul's ears and spread throughout the Real Madrid locker room.

In fact, within Real Madrid, whether at Valdebebas or the Bernabéu, few things remained hidden from Raul.

As captain and the face of the club for so many years, Raul's influence extended into every corner of the organization.

Sometimes, without him even needing to ask, people would voluntarily bring him information.

This time was no different. Someone had already told him what Schuster had said at the press conference and, more importantly, how Gao Shen had defended the players.

Beyond Raul, the rest of the locker room quickly caught wind of the comments as well, especially the Spanish players like Casillas and Ramos.

"Damn it!" Ramos cursed angrily, throwing his sweat-soaked jersey to the ground. The wet fabric landed with a loud thud, punctuating his fury.

"What do you think you're doing?" Raul's stern voice rang out as Ramos stormed toward the exit.

"I'm going to ask him what he's playing at!" Ramos barked, his frustration boiling over.

"Ask him what?" Raul shot back sharply before Ramos could reach the door. "Don't you think we've been humiliated enough for one night?"

The question froze Ramos in his tracks. His anger ebbed as Raul's words sank in. With a defeated sigh, he turned around, trudged back to his seat, and sat down heavily, brooding in silence.

The locker room descended into an uneasy quiet.

It was clear to everyone that Raul was furious.

From a team perspective, they all understood why they had to endure this. Confronting Schuster now would only worsen their predicament.

There were over two hundred reporters waiting outside. Any hint of internal strife would spread like wildfire, turning a humiliating defeat into a full-blown scandal. Losing a game could be chalked up to poor performance, but public infighting would damage the club's image irreparably.

Raul knew this all too well. He had experienced the chaos firsthand during the turmoil years ago.

Back then, clashes in the locker room had led to Luxemburgo's sacking as head coach, Sacchi's resignation as technical director, and Florentino stepping down as president. Real Madrid became a laughingstock.

It was only after Gao Shen emerged to stabilize the team, bridge the divides, and lead them to a historic league and Champions League double that the club regained some semblance of order.

Raul understood better than anyone: waiting for another talent like Gao Shen to rescue the team was wishful thinking.

Ramos, too, remembered those dark days. That was why, despite his temper, he held his tongue.

"The boss has already defended us," Casillas said calmly, breaking the silence.

By "boss," he was referring to Gao Shen.

Even though Gao Shen had been gone for over two years, many players still instinctively referred to him as "the boss."

They missed those days, playing under a coach who shielded them from everything. Back then, they could focus solely on football, knowing Gao Shen would handle any problems and take full responsibility for the team.

There was no way Gao Shen would have made excuses or shifted blame like Schuster had.

Hearing Casillas mention Gao Shen, Ramos' anger softened further.

Though Napoli had just dismantled Real Madrid, it had been a fair contest. Ramos accepted the loss because he respected Gao Shen's team and tactics.

"The boss probably couldn't stand Schuster's nonsense anymore," Ramos muttered, shaking his head. "Damn it, I've never seen someone so shameless."

Indeed, Gao Shen's words at the press conference had acknowledged the efforts of players like Raul, Casillas, and Ramos while also condemning those who had underperformed.

While Gao Shen hadn't named names, everyone in the locker room understood who he was referring to, players like Gago and Diarra.

Given Gao Shen's reputation within Real Madrid and European football, no one dared challenge his assessment. To argue against him would only invite further humiliation.

For the rest of the squad, including the Dutch players, Schuster's remarks had only deepened their dissatisfaction. In contrast, Gao Shen's comments resonated with them.

Many agreed that some players didn't deserve to wear the Real Madrid jersey, though it was a sentiment rarely voiced aloud.

---

Raul left the locker room and headed straight for the mixed interview area, where reporters were still gathered.

As soon as he appeared, a swarm of journalists surrounded him. They knew Raul wouldn't stay silent after such a defeat.

True to form, Raul began by apologizing to the fans.

"I want to express my deepest apologies to all Real Madrid supporters. We're just as heartbroken as you are," he said.

He continued, "We gave everything we had, but Napoli's defense was exceptional, and we struggled to create chances. Their attack was outstanding. This version of Napoli is almost unbeatable."

Raul's comments reflected his class and grace—hallmarks of his captaincy.

You could lose a game, but you couldn't lose your dignity.

He went on to emphasize that this match had revealed a harsh truth: Real Madrid was not yet capable of competing with Europe's elite.

"We need to take a hard look at ourselves. This defeat was a wake-up call. It's one of the most painful losses I've ever experienced."

When asked about the possibility of a coaching change, Raul tactfully avoided the question. "That's not for me to decide," he said. "But after a loss like this, we must reevaluate everything. We need to rethink our approach and find a clear path forward for the season."

Raul made sure to defend his teammates, repeating four times that Real Madrid's players had fought hard on the pitch.

It was a clear rebuke to Schuster's post-match comments. As captain, Raul refused to throw his teammates under the bus.

"It wasn't a lack of effort," Raul said firmly. "It was simply that Napoli was the better team."

Finally, when asked about Gao Shen, Raul didn't hesitate:

"Gao is already the best coach in Europe, perhaps in the world."

The statement left many reporters pondering its deeper meaning.

If Real Madrid prided itself on having the best players and the best coaches, why not bring Gao Shen back?

---

The fallout from the 7-0 defeat wasn't confined to the Bernabéu or even Madrid. The result sent shockwaves across Spain, Italy, and the entire European football world.

The next morning, newspapers worldwide carried headlines about the match.

Nobody could believe that the most storied club in football history, with ten Champions League titles, had suffered such a humiliating defeat at home against a relatively young Napoli side.

Spanish tabloids even floated conspiracy theories, suggesting the match had been fixed.

But respected outlets unanimously agreed: this was a historic humiliation. Real Madrid, once the standard of excellence, had been reduced to rubble by a superior team.

---

Sacchi, in his column, described the game as a contest between two teams from different universes.

"Napoli looked like a team from another galaxy," he wrote. "Their tactical sophistication was a complete mismatch for Real Madrid's disorganized approach."

Sacchi reserved harsh criticism for Schuster, calling his lineup and tactical decisions the root of Real Madrid's failure.

He also warned Napoli not to become complacent.

"Not every opponent will be as accommodating as Real Madrid, especially in the first ten minutes. Napoli needs to address their occasional disorganization."

---

AS, a Madrid-based outlet, dubbed the game the "Night of Shame."

While acknowledging Napoli's brilliance, AS lambasted Schuster's post-match comments as irresponsible. It praised Gao Shen's tactical genius and suggested that Real Madrid's management should seriously consider bringing him back.

Marca echoed the sentiment, declaring that Gao Shen was the ideal candidate to lead Real Madrid out of its crisis.

"Real Madrid is like a terminally ill patient," Marca wrote. "Gao Shen is the only doctor who can save them."

---

Reuters highlighted Gao Shen's cutting post-match remarks, particularly his assertion that some players were unworthy of wearing the Real Madrid jersey.

The article also questioned why talented players like Parejo and Callejon thrived under Gao Shen at Napoli but couldn't get opportunities at Real Madrid.

"Players like De La Red, Arbeloa, Juan Mata, Negredo, and Soldado who once shone under Gao Shen are now being overlooked. Real Madrid must reflect on their decisions."

Reuters concluded with a powerful statement:

"With a 7-0 victory, Gao Shen has not only dismantled Real Madrid but also won over the Bernabéu crowd. His return now feels inevitable."

For Real Madrid fans, the memory of Gao Shen leading the club to a historic double was bittersweet.

Now, after enduring the worst defeat in their history, they couldn't help but dream of his return.

***

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