That summer two years ago, Tang En brought Shania, whom he had met for the first time, to Spain to begin his tour of European football's powerhouses. His first stop was the Spanish capital, Madrid.
There were many big and small clubs in and around Madrid, but there was only one that could be called a "powerhouse" — the symbol of Spanish football, Real Madrid.
At that time, Tang En only circled around Real Madrid's home ground, Bernabéu. He did not go in for a tour like other tourists. That was because he was no longer an ordinary tourist. He was the manager of another team. How could a team's manager go to another team's home ground to buy tickets for a tour and take a photo as a memento?
Tang En did not want this kind of naked worship to happen to him.
If I go in, there are only two possibilities. One, I've become the owner of this team. Two, I've brought my team here to play.
He did not know if the first possibility would come true in this lifetime, but the second possibility was right before his eyes.
The white Santiago Bernabéu Stadium stood quietly in front of them. Tang En sat in the bus provided by the Real Madrid Football Club, tilting his head from the window to look at the letters on the huge white wall outside.
He was no longer as excited as when he first came into close contact with this holy shrine of football. Of course, he would not point to the buildings outside like a tour guide and say to the players in the bus, "Look! This is the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium! "
That would be too embarrassing.
However, there were still some players who took out their phones and digital cameras to take photos of the Bernabéu Stadium outside. For some of them, coming to this stadium to play football was like a dream. There was not a stadium as big as the Bernabéu Stadium in all of England. Compared to the Forest team's home ground, the Bernabéu Stadium's colossus could indeed subdue some people.
Tang En looked back at those people and coughed.
Hearing the manager's cough, some of them hurriedly put away the camera equipment in their hands. They did not expect to hear Tang En say, "Don't put them away. If you want to take photos, take a few more now. When you get off the bus later, you won't have the chance. "
Everyone in the bus looked at Tang En.
"We weren't invited as guests, and this match isn't a friendly match or a warm-up match. So, when you get off the bus later, act like an opponent. Don't let the people in Madrid look down on you. "
The players put their phones and digital cameras into their bags, only turning their heads to look at the white stadium that was getting closer and closer.
※ ※ ※
Today was not a match day. Other than the busy stadium staff at the Bernabéu, there was only the visiting team, Nottingham Forest, who had come to adapt to the venue and do warm-up training.
Tang En sat on the leather chair in the visiting team's technical area at the Bernabéu Stadium, watching the players going through simple training on the field. His mind was thinking about the pre-match press conference that had just ended. Both managers attended at the same time, but the media only paid attention to the Real Madrid manager, the Brazilian Luxemburg.
Because before this Champions League group stage match, the first leg of the season's game of the century had just been played. Real Madrid had lost 0: 3 to their arch-rival, Barcelona at home. In that game, Ronaldinho became the protagonist of the Bernabéu. His second goal even made the picky Real Madrid fans give him a standing ovation. Of course, from this aspect, it also reflected how disappointed the fans were with Real Madrid …
It was precisely because they had just lost such an important game that the media threw all their questions to Luxemburg, who had been badly battered recently.
The media was concerned about whether Ronaldo, who had suffered a minor injury in the game of the century, would be able to play, whether Zidane, who had returned to the French national team, would be affected by the recent national team matches, Raúl's continued poor performance, Beckham, Robinho, Casillas, Elguerra … but no one cared about the Nottingham Forest players.
Tang En thought this was a form of discrimination. As Real Madrid's opponent, his team and Real Madrid were equal. But all eyes were still focused on Real Madrid. No one paid attention to him, the "villain." It was as if Real Madrid's internal problems were more difficult to deal with than him, the opponent, and more attractive to people's attention — although that might be the case …
Can I take this as a slight?
He wanted to ask this question, but he held it back in the end. Since you don't take us seriously, then we'll tell you what is important on the field.
While Tang En was still brooding over the encounter at the press conference, the assistant manager in charge of specific training affairs, David Kerslake, came over and muttered, "Is this the turf of a La Liga powerhouse team?"
Tang En looked up at him.
"It's terrible! It's slippery and floaty. I suspect that the turf is glued … "
When he was a fan, Tang En paid attention to La Liga and stayed up late to watch the games many times. He knew that the quality of the turf at the Bernabéu Stadium was very, very bad for a period of time. Even their own players complained. Then, during the winter break of a certain season, Real Madrid replaced the turf at the Bernabéu Stadium, and the criticism of the home turf gradually disappeared. Perhaps the Forest team just happened to encounter that period.
But he still answered Kerslake, "It could also be Real Madrid's little tricks? They deliberately made us think that the turf was of poor quality, and then they changed their shoes. Then they beat us on the normal turf. "
When Kerslake heard Tang En say so, he froze for a moment, thinking about how likely it was.
Tang En chuckled. "Don't think about it. I'm just talking nonsense. With the arrogant character of a powerhouse team like Real Madrid, it's unlikely that they would do such a thing. The quality of their turf is really bad. We have to be prepared. "
"They have the money to pay the salaries of the big names, but they don't have the money to replace the turf?" Kerslake snorted.
"Who knows? Maybe they think that the turf can create more trouble for the away team. "Tang En shrugged." If that's the case, they didn't do it thoroughly enough. "
When Kerslake heard this, the first thing that popped up in his mind was Tang En instructing the maintenance workers at the training base to overwater the youth team's field, and then dragging Arsenal, who played with techniques, into the mud to face off against the Forest youth team. He laughed out loud.
"Not everyone is as much of a b * stard as you, Tony."
Hoarse laughter rang out from the side of the Bernabéu Stadium.
The players cast a glance in that direction and then turned back. They were all used to it.
※ ※ ※
Tang En did not know much about Rosenberg, and it was mostly limited to his failed coaching experience. For example, when he coached the Brazilian national team in the World Cup qualifiers in Korea and Japan and was almost eliminated. For example, when he coached Real Madrid, his ugly defensive counterattack football … Although, to be fair, Rosenberg was not as incompetent as Tang En thought. For example, he was the manager who led the team to the most championships in Brazil, and had once led the Brazilian national team to win the Copa América in 1999. During his time as coach of Real Madrid, his results were not bad, but he lost a game that he should not have lost …
Four days ago, Real Madrid was beaten 0: 3 by the invading Barcelona in their own home ground in this white palace, unable to fight back. This game caused the slogan "Go away, Rosenberg" to ring through the night sky of the Bernabéu Stadium. Until now, the dark clouds of the dismissal still hung over the Brazilians' heads.
Looking at Rosenberg's battered and exhausted appearance from the media at the pre-match press conference, Tang En should be thankful for this. Of course, he had never been afraid of facing the tricky media.
Tang En knew that Rosenberg would definitely be dismissed. This was something he could be certain would happen. Because Real Madrid had lost to Barcelona.
So, he did not mind lighting another fire on the head of this Brazilian who had his eyebrows on fire.
This period of time was the concentrated outbreak of all Real Madrid's problems in recent years. It was the lowest of the lows. What Tang En needed to do was not to pull Real Madrid up at the crucial moment, but to push it further into the abyss.
Take advantage of your illness and take your life!
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