The Most Elegant Assassin
"Wow!"
From the adjacent box, Martin shouted with excitement.
Even amidst the euphoric cheers of the Bernabeu faithful, Martin's jubilation resonated clearly.
Florentino's expression became somewhat conflicted. As a devoted Real Madrid supporter, he delighted in seeing his team score, yet witnessing Real Madrid netting goals in Martin's inaugural match after assuming office left him feeling uneasy, almost resistant.
This used to be his Real Madrid!
Meanwhile, the Carlos sat quietly in the neglected corner of the box. They nearly leaped up in excitement when Raul scored, but wisely reined in their inner impulses. Celebrating in front of Florentino—what were they thinking?
Carlo's emotions were particularly intricate. Watching Raul score, kiss his ring, and rush to the sidelines to interact with fans, with teammates swarming around him, stirred deep emotions within Carlo.
Raul hadn't scored in a long while! Carlo had once stated upon his appointment as Real Madrid's head coach his desire to help Raul rediscover his scoring touch, considering Raul the club's spiritual leader and emblematic figure.
Ironically, all of Raul's goals this season came under Carlo's predecessor, Lusenberg. During Carlo's tenure, Raul hadn't found the net once.
Why?
Carlo knew—it was because he often compromised when devising tactics.
It was usually Raul who made concessions for the greater good.
Now, on this night, Raul scored again.
But in Carlo's first match post-dismissal, Raul scored again.
Carlo's emotions were beyond complexity; they verged on collapse.
What's more, after Raul's goal, Zidane, Beckham, Graveson, Woodgate... Every starter, even those on the bench, rushed over to celebrate with Raul. The spectacle stunned not only Carlo but also Florentino and the entire cadre of Real Madrid executives in the box.
Why was Carlo sacked?
Ultimately, it was due to poor performances and the superstar strategy's failure. But the final straw for Florentino had been the locker room strife and pressure from the Brazilian clique led by Ronaldo. Florentino perceived them as spoiled.
Why was there locker room strife? Why did Ronaldo and company feel compelled to pressure the chairman?
Long-standing tensions between Brazilians and locals had erupted recently. Ronaldo had criticized Real Madrid fans, and Raul had defended them, chastising Ronaldo's selfish play and goal-scoring obsession. Baptista and others quickly sided with Ronaldo, opening a deep rift.
And then, Ramos exacerbated the conflict by publicly criticizing teammates after his goal against Real Mallorca, feeling his teammates hadn't supported him adequately. Ramos's outburst had ignited infighting in the locker room.
The grudges between Brazilians and locals were old and deep. Now, the old grievances had spiraled out of control.
Carlo, Florentino, Butragueno, Valdano—all watched silently as Raul's long-absent smile lit up the pitch. Their emotions were profoundly mixed.
In their hearts, they all must have wondered: why?
---
Pepe Murcia felt a twinge of panic.
He had been promoted from the reserves to douse fires temporarily and was eager to restore normalcy.
But facing Real Madrid was always Atletico Madrid's most crucial match. If they wanted to turn things around positively, they had to win this game.
Everyone at Atletico Madrid understood this.
Real Madrid's internal discord, the sudden change in coaches—especially the spectacle of replacing Carlo with a 25-year-old rookie—seemed like a godsend. Atletico Madrid rallied together, determined to shame Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
However, the game's trajectory had veered completely off expectations.
What to do?
Murcia hesitated.
He yearned to seize the opportunity, to press on for a goal and possibly overturn the game in the second half. But he sensed something different about Real Madrid's defense tonight, and their attack was gaining momentum.
It wasn't just Coach Murcia on the sidelines who hesitated; the Atletico players on the field were also torn.
This discord among the Atletico players manifested as confusion on the pitch, with conflicting ideas pulling them in different directions.
---
Woodgate was astute.
All top central defenders possess this instinct.
Tonight, the Englishman felt particularly sharp. He understood perfectly what the manager wanted and how the team intended to play. This clarity fueled his exceptional performance on the pitch; he was in his element. Even in his excitement, he keenly sensed Atletico Madrid's players torn between their choices, particularly evident in their less cohesive counterattacks after winning possession.
Some were no longer willing to charge forward blindly.
Was this a good thing?
No, quite the opposite!
It disrupted their formation.
For instance, when Torres dropped back to receive Kežman's pass, the Atletico captain surged forward like a Ferrari, accelerating into space.
However, Atletico Madrid's midfielders, Kežman included, seemed inclined to slow down and retain possession.
Woodgate detected this shift instantly. He swiftly closed in on Torres and, with a decisive foul, brought down the Atletico captain just outside the 30-meter area.
He avoided a card but effectively halted Atletico's attack.
The Bernabeu erupted in applause for Woodgate's astuteness.
---
"Woodgate's performance tonight has been stellar. Perhaps having two midfielders, Graveson and De La Red, in front of him has eased his burden."
"Torres is remonstrating with the referee, insisting it was a foul that warranted at least a yellow card."
"He seems a bit impatient. Woodgate's choice of foul location was quite clever; it's difficult to create a direct threat from free kicks there."
---
Gao Shen also noticed this.
As Atletico Madrid prepared to take the ensuing free kick, Gao Shen strode to the sideline and beckoned Felipe Luis over.
"You're not under much defensive pressure on your side. Push forward and get involved in the attack more. Be bold—you can do it," Gao Shen encouraged.
Simultaneously, he signaled to Graveson to keep a watchful eye on protecting Felipe Luis's left flank.
The bald-headed Dane gave a thumbs-up, indicating his understanding.
On the opposite flank, Gao Shen instructed Arbeloa to curtail his forward runs.
Arbeloa faced Atletico Madrid's primary attacking thrust. The pairing of Antonio Lopez and Petrov posed a potent threat, especially Antonio Lopez, a seasoned Spain international whose prowess was beyond doubt.
Gao Shen's strategy for this match centered on shoring up their defense, especially now, with a one-goal lead. Priority one: avoid conceding.
This wasn't conservatism; it was a prudent choice.
Whether in the workplace or on the pitch, going all out and desperate measures often lead to regrettable outcomes.
Benitez's double midfield tactics were more about high pressing and aggressive play. Real Madrid might have capitalized on Atletico's disarray and pressed aggressively to harvest results.
But Gao Shen refrained from that approach. Real Madrid hadn't yet mastered this tactic proficiently, and the players' synergy wasn't seamless enough. Blindly pressing now could backfire, allowing Atletico Madrid to exploit the opportunity, counterattack, and equalize, nullifying their hard-earned lead.
This wasn't conservatism; it was astute judgment.
---
The game resumed.
Just three minutes later, Real Madrid found themselves in another promising position after a midfield interception.
This time, there was a difference. Upon advancing into the attacking third, Graveson fed the ball to Felipe Luis, who surged forward from the left. The Brazilian left-back was swift and resolute.
As Felipe Luis dribbled towards the edge of the penalty area, he attempted to cut inside but was fouled by Atletico Madrid's right-back Velasco, earning Real Madrid a left-sided free kick. Velasco received a yellow card for the foul.
Beckham stepped up to take the free kick, aiming for the box. Negredo cleverly found space and leapt to head towards goal, but it sailed just over.
The entire Bernabeu gasped collectively; hearts raced, followed by sighs of disappointment and applause.
It had been a promising attack indeed.
Real Madrid's foundation lay in midfield, particularly the double pivot, which now asserted greater control. Atletico Madrid struggled to bypass this compact midfield.
The main hindrance in the Sword Legion's offensive chain was their lack of creativity and forward passing ability.
In the 37th minute, after a successful interception by Graveson, he laid it off to Elgra, who then found De La Red.
De La Red controlled the ball in space, turned, surveyed his options, and advanced with purpose. He played the ball forward to Beckham on the right, just ahead of Lucin.
Beckham collected the ball near the touchline on the right, glanced up towards the penalty area, and spotted his three teammates—Raul, Zidane, and Negredo—making decisive runs forward, anticipating his delivery.
Atletico Madrid's defenders were retreating hurriedly, but their efforts seemed rushed, their shape fragmented.
With a quick assessment of the situation in the penalty area, Beckham wasted no time. Almost instinctively, he whipped in a cross from the right, adopting his trademark delivery stance with a precise right-footed strike.
Negredo and Raul led the charge, drawing the most defensive attention.
However, Beckham's cross pinpointed the vicinity of the penalty spot.
Zidane, trailing behind, adjusted his position subtly upon tracking the ball's trajectory. He cushioned the ball expertly on his chest and swiveled, releasing a right-footed shot.
The French superstar's forte lay in orchestrating the most graceful moves to execute the most lethal finishes!