After returning to Manchester from Porto, Gao Shen would soon lead the team in another away match.
But their opponent in the seventh round of the Premier League was Blackburn Rovers, located just over 30 kilometers north of Manchester, so they would travel there and back on the same day.
This allowed the team to train for one more day in Manchester, and the players and staff could spend more time with their families and girlfriends. After all, playing consecutive away games was never easy.
Su Qing had learned of Gao Shen's schedule early and carefully prepared a lavish candlelight dinner.
After sending off the housekeepers and staff, the two of them sat down across from each other as Gao Shen returned from training. It felt formal and intimate, though the dishes on the table weren't Western but traditional hometown meals from Gao Shen's region.
They were both their favorites.
Having grown up together, they liked the same food and shared countless interests. Whenever they were together, they always had endless things to talk about, never noticing the time pass.
Until Florentino's unexpected call.
That's the thing about the Spanish—they always liked to make calls in the dead of night.
Didn't they know it could seriously interfere with a couple's emotional bonding?
"Someday, when I inherit the Spanish throne, the first thing I'll do is get rid of Florentino!"
Gao Shen raised his phone and showed the screen to Su Qing, letting her see the caller ID before walking away to take the call.
He answered the phone as he stepped outside.
Su Qing sat at the table with a soft smile on her face, but her eyes never left Gao Shen.
She knew this call was no ordinary one.
Real Madrid was in trouble and urgently needed a manager who could steady the ship.
Moreover, Gao Shen had already received confirmation that Florentino's position as president was being questioned.
Florentino was a man of ambition and boldness. He wouldn't have called Gao Shen personally unless he had no other choice.
In the past, he had always reached out through Valdano, Zidane, Butragueño, and others.
The reason was simple. At his level, he didn't want to risk being rejected directly.
But now, things were clearly serious.
Otherwise, Florentino wouldn't have picked up the phone himself.
Su Qing remained seated, watching her husband on the phone outside. She didn't know what choice he would make.
Emotionally, she believed that if Florentino made a strong enough offer, Gao Shen would consider returning to Real Madrid. But Manchester City had treated him with great sincerity, and knowing Gao Shen's character, he wouldn't betray them so easily.
More importantly, Manchester City didn't want to let Gao Shen go.
Recently, Mubarak had been actively contacting other Premier League clubs, seeking their understanding.
If Leeds United were promoted to the Premier League next season, they hoped Gao Shen could continue coaching Manchester City.
Technically, as long as there were enough clubs in favor, the Premier League wouldn't object.
But this would be difficult, because Manchester United under Ferguson, as well as Chelsea and others, had already expressed firm opposition. They believed that as long as Gao Shen remained at Manchester City, they wouldn't stand a chance.
Given Leeds United's position, how could they refuse?
Some even speculated that Ferguson had sent Pogba to Leeds United as a roundabout way to get rid of Gao Shen.
Others claimed that Chelsea supported Leeds United's loans just to help them return to the Premier League sooner.
In short, it was a mess.
Gao Shen's phone call with Florentino lasted over an hour.
When he came back inside, his expression had become more serious.
"What's wrong?" Su Qing asked softly.
She had already reheated the food on the table.
"The situation is worse than we thought." Gao Shen sat back down.
There was a glass of water in front of him. He picked it up and drank it. It was a little cold, but it quenched his thirst.
With Gao Shen's connections in Real Madrid and Spanish football, it wasn't difficult for him to learn things, not to mention that he had players currently at the club.
Of course, Gao Shen didn't deliberately try to dig for information, but he knew a fair bit.
For example, doubts about Florentino had already emerged within the board.
For now, no one could shake his position, but the situation might continue to decline.
Gao Shen knew exactly how Calderón had come to power back then.
If the team's decline continued and the board failed to act, the fans would take to the streets with banners. At that point, the mounting pressure would leave Florentino with no choice but to resign.
Would his successor be another Martín? Or another Calderón?
"Is it really that bad?" Su Qing was surprised.
From the outside, Real Madrid was still second in La Liga. It didn't look like a disaster.
Gao Shen smiled at her. She was starting to understand the business of European football in depth, but she still didn't fully grasp the Real Madrid ecosystem.
At Real Madrid, even finishing second in the league—let alone first—might not be enough to keep your job.
"Florentino calling me is the clearest proof."
Actions speak louder than words.
"What did he say?" Su Qing asked, concerned.
She had blocked Florentino for Gao Shen once at the Grimaldi Forum during the Champions League draw.
But this time, there was nothing she could do.
"There wasn't much to say. He knew my demands and was clearly willing to meet them. His call alone showed that. Things like salary and bonuses—I don't even care about those."
Gao Shen wasn't short of money anymore.
If he cared about money, he wouldn't have bought Leeds United.
Florentino making the call himself was a complete concession, a surrender. If he had tried to bargain with Gao Shen over transfer authority, salary, or perks, he wouldn't have been Florentino.
And Gao Shen would never return to a Real Madrid under such a man.
"What he wanted from me was a promise."
"What kind of promise?" Su Qing was even more curious.
"A promise to return to Real Madrid next summer!"
Su Qing frowned. "You agreed?"
"No, I refused." Gao Shen smiled bitterly.
He might have just become the first person in history to turn down Real Madrid.
And turning down Real Madrid wasn't easy.
Especially since he had always wanted to go back.
"Why?" Su Qing asked.
According to Florentino, Real Madrid's situation was far worse than expected. They could be eliminated in the group stage at any moment.
No one expected Real Madrid to be drawn into a group of death two years in a row.
If they failed to qualify this year, they could drop to Pot 3. That would be an embarrassment for the club and a disaster for Florentino, Mourinho, and everyone involved.
Even Florentino himself was hesitant.
If a new coach was needed, Ancelotti would be the best option. But the Italian might not be able to manage the fractured dressing room, and the board would have to step in.
Also, Ancelotti couldn't just be a temporary fix.
In other words, if Ancelotti took over, he wouldn't be replaced easily.
But the world knew that Leeds United was the favorite for promotion this season. If they did get promoted, Gao Shen's status at Manchester City would become awkward, and he'd likely leave.
That created a dilemma.
If Real Madrid wanted to wait, they'd have to turn down Ancelotti and keep Mourinho, risking a collapse in performance.
No one could predict what would happen.
More importantly, if Manchester City managed to convince the Premier League, would Gao Shen still leave for Real Madrid?
On the other hand, if they picked Ancelotti and Gao Shen left Manchester City, then PSG or Bayern could swoop in.
Real Madrid would miss out again.
So Florentino and the club were in a tough spot, and all he wanted was Gao Shen's commitment.
Real Madrid would retain Mourinho until the end of the season. Even if he was fired, they wouldn't hire a big-name coach, just promote someone from the youth ranks temporarily. Then next summer, regardless of what happened with Manchester City, Gao Shen would take over.
That was their insurance.
Even if results were poor, Florentino could still use that promise to placate the fans.
But Gao Shen turned it down.
He made it clear: if Manchester City could resolve their Premier League issues, he would stay.
On the phone, he explained his conversations with Mansour and the trust Manchester City had shown him. He said he couldn't do anything to hurt the club.
So he couldn't promise to coach Real Madrid next summer.
"If—and this is a big if—I really leave Manchester City because of Leeds United, then I'll consider Real Madrid. But until then, I won't make any decisions or promises."
That was as far as Gao Shen could go.
What Florentino and Real Madrid did next wasn't something he could control.
When he left Naples, it was Manchester City who opened their doors to him.
Over the past two to three years, Manchester City had treated him with complete trust. If he betrayed them now, Gao Shen wouldn't be able to live with himself.
Of course, he also believed he had done right by them.
Not only him, but Carlo and the others fully supported his decision.
To Gao Shen now, Manchester City was a team he had built to perfection. But in a way, that made it less of a challenge. Their tactics were advanced, their strength was elite.
And with Manchester United, Chelsea, and others faltering, Manchester City were clearly dominant. Staying here would be comfortable, but less exciting.
Coaching Real Madrid would be far more intense and challenging. The thought was thrilling.
But even so, Gao Shen still chose Manchester City as his first option!
(To be continued.)
***
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