Starting With Real Madrid

The last time Gao Shen visited Barcelona, he was warmly hosted by Guardiola. This time, it was Guardiola, along with Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano, who traveled all the way to the capital to meet him.

The meeting place was a famous roast duck restaurant, one of the most well-known culinary brands in the city.

On Su Qing's recommendation, Gao Shen chose a branch reputed to have the best flavor.

For Guardiola, Begiristain, and Soriano, it was their first time in China, and everything felt unfamiliar to them.

Gao Shen reserved a private dining room and ordered a variety of signature dishes to let his guests experience authentic Chinese cuisine.

Although the three Barça representatives came with serious matters on their minds, the delicious food quickly lifted their spirits, and they couldn't help but relax and enjoy the meal.

It wasn't until they had nearly finished eating that Guardiola finally brought up the purpose of their visit.

---

"Gao, do you remember what I suggested to you last time?" Guardiola asked, breaking the ice.

"What suggestion?" Gao Shen asked, feigning ignorance.

Guardiola smiled knowingly. "I suggested that you come to Barcelona as the head coach, and I'd serve as your assistant. Remember now?"

Gao Shen nodded. "I remember, but I also told you back then that it wasn't something I was considering."

"Well, it's time to reconsider," Guardiola said earnestly.

Gao Shen remained silent.

Seeing an opening, Begiristain jumped in. "Pep mentioned that you once shared an idea with him about how to shape Barcelona's future."

Gao Shen turned to Guardiola with a mock look of reproach. His expression seemed to say, Why did you tell them what I told you in confidence?

Guardiola, grinning sheepishly, raised his hands in mock surrender.

"I've discussed it with our technical team," Begiristain continued, "and the idea you proposed is very intriguing. You suggested leveraging Barcelona's youth academy players to fully embrace our strengths in passing and possession football, correct? That concept aligns perfectly with Barça's philosophy."

Begiristain then shifted to a serious tone. "For years, we've faced one recurring issue: an imbalance between offense and defense. During Rijkaard's tenure, there were glimpses of effective high-pressing tactics, but the team couldn't sustain them. The reasons are complex, partly down to the players, partly down to the coaching, and other factors as well."

"But after watching Napoli, we've been wondering: what if we could transplant your high-pressing and positional play to Barcelona, combining it with our traditional strengths in passing and possession? What would that look like?"

Begiristain's question cut straight to the heart of the matter.

"It would usher in a new era," Gao Shen answered confidently.

The bold statement lit up the faces of Begiristain, Guardiola, and Soriano.

"Do you think it's really achievable?" Begiristain pressed.

"Absolutely," Gao Shen replied without hesitation.

He then began elaborating, tracing the history and evolution of football tactics from Vic Buckingham to Rinus Michels, Johan Cruyff, Louis van Gaal, and Rijkaard.

Gao Shen laid out the progression of Dutch football and Barcelona's tactical systems with astonishing clarity, leaving Begiristain and Soriano stunned. Guardiola, who was already familiar with much of this history, nodded along with a knowing smile.

It wasn't just the depth of Gao Shen's understanding, it was the way he connected the dots, presenting the lineage of ideas and their tactical implications in such a coherent manner.

Even someone like Johan Cruyff might not have been able to articulate Barcelona's tactical DNA as comprehensively as Gao Shen just had.

Gao Shen's point was simple: every period of success for Barcelona or Dutch football, for that matter had coincided with an improvement in defensive organization, particularly through high pressing and intense off-the-ball work.

Now, with modern football evolving further due to changes in offside rules and officiating, technical players were gaining even more freedom and space to operate.

"In the past, defensive midfielders like Makelele, Essien, Gattuso, or Mascherano were critical. But now, players like Biglia and Rakitic two technically gifted midfielders, can thrive in modern systems, as long as there's a well-organized team press to support them."

"Systematic high pressing," Gao Shen continued, "is the most advanced tactical approach in football today. If Barcelona establishes such a system and ensures the players can sustain the required physical effort, then defensively, they won't be inferior to anyone. And when you combine that with your traditional strengths in passing and possession, the results will be extraordinary."

Gao Shen's explanation was concise yet deeply compelling.

Begiristain, while still processing everything, was visibly excited. He glanced at Guardiola and Soriano, and it was clear they felt the same.

This was why Guardiola had been so insistent on recommending Gao Shen.

Here was someone who understood Barcelona better than most people within the club itself. Someone with a bold, forward-thinking vision for the future.

"Gao," Begiristain said, unable to contain his enthusiasm, "we want you to become Barcelona's next head coach!"

Guardiola and Soriano both smiled expectantly, waiting for Gao Shen's response.

Having listened to Gao Shen's thoughts, it seemed obvious to them that he was deeply interested in the project.

But to their surprise, Gao Shen shook his head.

"I'm not the right person for Barcelona," he said.

"What?" Begiristain was stunned.

Guardiola and Soriano looked equally confused.

"No, you're the perfect fit," Begiristain insisted. "I promise you."

Gao Shen sighed and began explaining.

"There are three reasons. First, as you all know, I can't leave Napoli. This is a team I've spent two years building from the ground up. Every player was carefully selected and developed by me. I've poured my heart into this project, and I believe this team can go even further. I'm not ready to walk away from that."

"Second, I'm a former Real Madrid coach. Although I had my disagreements with the club's previous management, I still have deep ties to Madrid. I have many friends there, and who knows? One day, I might return to coach them again. It wouldn't feel right for me to take charge of Barcelona under those circumstances."

Gao Shen paused, his tone becoming even more sincere. "And third, this is the most important reason, I believe there's someone who's better suited for Barcelona than I am. In fact, I think he's the perfect coach for this club. When it comes to coaching Barcelona, I'm not as good as him."

The room fell silent.

"Who could possibly be a better fit than you?" Begiristain finally asked.

"Pep," Gao Shen said, looking directly at Guardiola.

Both Begiristain and Soriano turned to Guardiola in shock, while the man himself was completely dumbfounded.

"Me?" Guardiola stammered.

"Exactly," Gao Shen replied.

Guardiola shook his head in disbelief. "Gao, this isn't what we talked about. You were supposed to come to Barcelona, and I was supposed to assist you…"

"Do you want to be an assistant forever?" Gao Shen interrupted.

Guardiola was speechless.

Of course, he didn't want that.

"If you don't, then why delay the inevitable? This is your chance," Gao Shen continued.

"You once told me my eye for talent was excellent, both for players and coaches. Now, I'm telling you that you, Pep Guardiola, are the best candidate to coach Barcelona. I believe in you, and I'm confident the world will be amazed by what you achieve."

Begiristain and Soriano exchanged glances. Slowly, they began to understand Gao Shen's perspective.

He wasn't refusing Barcelona for himself. He was refusing because he truly believed Guardiola was the better choice.

"Gao, you're serious about this?" Begiristain asked.

"Absolutely," Gao Shen affirmed. "Pep is my best friend. I've worked closely with him, and I know his potential better than anyone. Trust me—he's the right man for Barcelona."

"Then you won't reconsider?" Begiristain pressed.

"I'm sorry," Gao Shen said with a small smile. "But I'm confident that Pep is the right person for the job."

Begiristain, Guardiola, and Soriano were left in awe.

Gao Shen had made his decision. He wasn't going to be Barcelona's king.

But he was more than willing to be the man who crowned Guardiola.

***

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