Starting With Real Madrid

Times have changed!

These four words carried profound and complex meaning.

Valdano was someone who enjoyed pondering such ideas. He often revisited conversations he had with Gao Shen, and many of Gao Shen's words left a deep impression on him. Among them, "times have changed" was the one he reflected on the most.

After countless speculations, Valdano believed he understood the essence of what Gao Shen meant.

But now, hearing these same words again, he realized he hadn't fully grasped it after all.

Or perhaps, he had only touched the surface.

…

Gao Shen didn't immediately elaborate. He waited patiently, watching as Valdano contemplated his words. Only when Valdano raised his head to meet his gaze did Gao Shen smile and speak.

"Let me guess your plan."

Zidane, sitting nearby, was taken aback.

Gao Shen's calm statement caught him off guard.

In his previous life, Zidane had lived in Madrid, deeply involved in Florentino's Galacticos project. He was well aware of all the details of the second phase. But now, as Gao Shen's assistant, his life revolved around Napoli, with only the occasional trip back to Madrid during holidays. He was no longer privy to Florentino's inner circle.

At best, Zidane was being groomed as a future part of the Galacticos project.

Valdano, on the other hand, was genuinely shocked. He was certain Gao Shen had no direct knowledge of their plan.

Could he really guess it?

"The media claims you're planning to bring in the top stars from the four major leagues: Cristiano Ronaldo from the Premier League, Benzema from Ligue 1, Kaka from Serie A, and Ribery from the Bundesliga. These players have different styles, but it's not impossible for them to coexist."

From a purely technical perspective, Kaka thrived in counterattacks. His strengths lay in exploiting open spaces with his high-speed dribbling. In a slower, more structured game like positional play, Kaka wasn't ineffective, but he couldn't perform at the level of a true superstar.

In the 2006-2007 season, Ancelotti's Christmas Tree formation maximized Kaka's strengths. The entire AC Milan offense revolved around him, and Kaka delivered by single-handedly leading the team to Champions League glory.

That was Kaka's god-like season.

Cristiano Ronaldo, similarly, was most dangerous during quick counterattacks. He was also a threat in positional play, but his impact was less pronounced compared to counterattacks. However, Ronaldo was far more versatile than Kaka.

To maximize both Ronaldo's and Kaka's strengths, a team would need to adopt a reactive, counterattacking style of play to create space.

In such a setup, Benzema would act as the center forward, Ronaldo as the left winger, Kaka as the central playmaker, and Ribery as the right winger. Depending on their adaptability, Ronaldo and Ribery could even switch flanks.

But the problem was obvious.

"I want to ask," Gao Shen continued, "if you bring in all four superstars, how do you ensure defensive stability in midfield? Ronaldo, Ribery, and Kaka are not known for their defensive contributions. Do you plan to rely on just two defensive midfielders to cover for them?"

The pointed question caused both Valdano and Zidane to fall into deep thought.

Valdano had to admit that Gao Shen's analysis was alarmingly accurate, it was almost exactly as they had planned.

And the issue Gao Shen raised was a problem Real Madrid would inevitably face in the future.

"Why did the first Galacticos collapse? Everyone blames Makelele's departure for the lack of balance between attack and defense, but that's only the surface issue. The real problem was that the superstars didn't contribute to defending."

Gao Shen's tone was measured, especially with Zidane sitting right next to him.

The truth was harsher: not only did the superstars neglect defense, but they were often unwilling to run. Some of them seemed to think they could win matches by just standing around waiting for the ball.

Can you score goals by lying down?

Why? Because you're a superstar?

What's the point of being a superstar if your team is still being outclassed by mid-table sides and even lower-league teams?

The Galacticos experiment proved that simply piling up superstars doesn't work.

It's fine to have superstars, every position can have one but there must be a cohesive plan.

"I'll be blunt," Gao Shen said. "In modern football tactics, whether it's offense or defense, the emphasis is on cohesion. From the front line to midfield to the back line, even including the goalkeeper, every player must be integrated. Look at Napoli, we attack and defend as a unit. Look at Barcelona, they do the same."

If Real Madrid signed all four superstars, Benzema might work out, but the other three would barely contribute defensively. That would be a fatal flaw.

One non-defending player is manageable. Two is risky. Three?

"Tell me how you want to die," Gao Shen said flatly.

Valdano was left speechless. Gao Shen's analysis was painfully accurate.

In recent years, defensive tactics in football had evolved significantly.

Years ago, Ronaldo (Brazilian) could dribble past multiple defenders during his time at Barcelona. But now? Even Messi, with his unparalleled dribbling, could only weave through defenses when the opposition's positioning faltered.

Getafe's then-coach Schuster had famously berated his players for their defensive lapses after Messi scored his iconic solo goal against them.

That moment wasn't proof of Messi's invincibility but rather an indictment of Getafe's poor positioning. Against a disciplined defense, even Messi couldn't dribble past multiple players.

Defensive precision had become the hallmark of modern football.

"And there's more," Gao Shen continued after a pause, waiting for Valdano to process everything.

"For years, Real Madrid has been obsessed with the number ten role—Zidane, Guti, Sneijder, Van der Vaart. And now, you want to add Kaka to that list?"

Gao Shen leaned forward slightly.

"Have you ever wondered why Real Madrid has struggled for defensive stability since the Galacticos era? Even when Makelele was still there, the defense was fragile. The most stable periods came under Capello and me. At all other times—2002 included—the defense was a constant concern."

"Why?" Valdano didn't ask, but Zidane did.

"Sacchi described it best: you're treating team-building like solving a puzzle. You slot one superstar here, another there. This one doesn't defend? Fine, let's assign someone else to cover for him."

"But what you've overlooked is that this approach doesn't yield synergy. One plus one doesn't equal two, it's often less than two. The mismatched pieces create hidden weaknesses that undermine the entire structure."

Gao Shen pointed to recent trends. "Look at modern football—Biglia and Rakitic at Napoli, Iniesta and Xavi at Barcelona. Even our more attack-minded players like Hamsik are actively involved in defense."

"But players like Sneijder, Van der Vaart, and Kaka? They don't defend. Their focus is on organizing, passing, and creating chances."

"And yet, the area in front of the penalty box is the most crowded and difficult to break through. If you build your team around a number ten who doesn't defend, I guarantee failure."

Gao Shen cited examples from his past life. When did Real Madrid finally succeed?

Under Ancelotti.

But how?

In the summer of 2013, Real Madrid sold Özil to Arsenal and allowed Kaka to return to AC Milan.

Was this a coincidence?

Absolutely not.

That summer, the two primary number ten players left Real Madrid. Their departure marked the beginning of a tactical transformation.

Ancelotti implemented a three-midfielder system, a configuration that served Real Madrid for years.

…

The number ten role wasn't entirely obsolete. It could still thrive in smaller teams or under specific circumstances.

But if Real Madrid wanted to dominate the Champions League, they couldn't afford the defensive liabilities that came with such a role.

Gao Shen admired Kaka, even believing he was a more perfect idol than Beckham.

But as a coach, Gao Shen had to prioritize team success.

"Signing Kaka at a sky-high price might satisfy the fans, management, and locker room, but when the results don't come, who takes the blame?"

This, Gao Shen concluded, was why signing Kaka was destined to fail.

It wasn't about Kaka himself but about the flawed philosophy underpinning his recruitment.