Chapter 6: Facing the Future
Real Betis hadn't given up on bringing Li Ang back. Before the season officially kicked off, they made one final attempt at negotiation.
As expected, Real Madrid—or rather, José Mourinho—flatly refused.
Maybe that wasn't the worst possible outcome for Li Ang, but it definitely wasn't a great one either. After all, Lassana Diarra and Sami Khedira were only temporarily injured—they weren't gone for good. Once they recovered, Li Ang's place in the squad would naturally drop further down the pecking order.
But Li Ang didn't have the leverage to act spoiled or entitled. He couldn't just reject the club that had developed him.
Fortunately, Mourinho was upfront with him. He carved out time for another one-on-one talk and told Li Ang plainly: he needed him to hold the line as Real Madrid's defensive midfielder for the first half of the season.
In return, once the winter transfer window opened—and if by that time both Diarra and Khedira were fully fit and ready to contribute—Mourinho promised that the club would support a loan move to a team more suited to Li Ang's development.
Li Ang didn't really have a choice, but Mourinho's verbal assurance at least made it easier to swallow.
On August 27th, after what was essentially their final training session before the season opener, Real Madrid's first-team players gathered on the pitch to await their fate—Mourinho's "verdict" for the season's opening match.
The players selected for the starting eleven in the upcoming August 29th match against Mallorca would be the ones who had earned Mourinho's initial trust.
Being a favorite under Pellegrini last season didn't guarantee anything under Mourinho.
For some players, a shift in the tactical hierarchy meant a fall from grace. For others, it was a golden opportunity.
Of course, Real Madrid's biggest stars—Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, and Xabi Alonso—had nothing to worry about. No matter who the coach was, as long as he had half a brain, he wouldn't bench them.
And sure enough, those names were the first ones announced by assistant coach and former club legend Aitor Karanka.
Gonzalo Higuaín visibly relaxed when his name was called as a starter. Karim Benzema, on the other hand, looked a little disappointed.
Marcelo, Álvaro Arbeloa, and Sergio Canales all beamed as they heard their names included in the starting lineup.
When Iker Casillas's name was announced, the entire squad's attention turned to the last remaining question—who would claim the final spot in the starting eleven?
Xabi Alonso and Sergio Canales had already locked down two of the three midfield positions. The last slot was clearly reserved for a more defensive player.
If Granero were selected, Alonso would be forced to play as a lone pivot—tasked with both organizing the offense and protecting the backline. It would be too much responsibility.
After a brief pause, Karanka didn't leave them hanging for long.
"Li Ang."
Gago clenched his fists. In that instant, it felt like his heart had been seized by an invisible force.
Mourinho, standing beside Karanka, remained expressionless as the assistant moved on to read out the rest of the eighteen-man squad list.
Li Ang pressed his lips together, maintaining a calm expression—at least on the surface.
Alonso, standing nearby, was satisfied with how composed he appeared. After more than ten days working with the young midfielder, Alonso felt he'd come to understand his personality.
Beneath that calm exterior was a bright, sunny optimism. Of course Li Ang was thrilled, but his maturity allowed him to choose the most appropriate reaction.
Getting overly excited would be understandable—but showing too much emotion might provoke resentment from certain teammates.
Locker rooms—especially in Europe's top five leagues—were full of unspoken rules and invisible "factions."
Real Madrid, as one of the world's most elite clubs, had a locker room dynamic even more intricate than most.
That was part of the reason Alonso kept his distance from internal cliques. By remaining neutral, he avoided getting dragged into the chaos.
Li Ang, on the other hand, got along with everyone. He was naturally friendly and easy to talk to.
He'd struck up conversations with Ronaldo and Marcelo early on. Lately, he'd been seen talking to Ramos regularly about defensive positioning.
At one point, Alonso had even worried that Li Ang's friendliness toward various high-profile players might cause him to lose his self-restraint.
But now, seeing Li Ang remain composed in the face of such a significant announcement, Alonso felt reassured.
He hadn't misjudged the kid.
After the squad announcement, Mourinho addressed the players.
First, he offered some words of encouragement to those who didn't make the cut.
Then, he delivered a motivational speech aimed at the starting eleven.
Injuries had decimated Real Madrid's backline leading into the season. That wasn't just a tactical headache for Mourinho—it had affected the squad's morale as well. There was a general sense of unease about their chances at the start of the season.
Mourinho didn't want that anxiety infecting their performance on the pitch.
So this speech wasn't just encouragement—it was a veiled warning.
Yes, injuries were real. But as far as Mourinho was concerned, that discussion ended today.
From this point forward, any player chosen for the matchday squad—starting or bench—had to banish distractions from their mind and be prepared to give everything for a Real Madrid victory.
This wasn't about chasing success. It was about demanding it.
Because when you put on a Real Madrid shirt, success was not a goal—it was a requirement.
Mourinho had no patience for mentally weak players. Injuries were one thing, but a lack of competitive spirit? That was unforgivable.
And if someone slacked off during a match, even with all the injuries and roster issues, Mourinho wouldn't hesitate to pull them from the squad entirely.
August 29th, late evening.
While the media buzzed with concerns about Real Madrid's defensive situation, the players had already boarded the team bus and were en route to the Iberostar Stadium.
The natural scenery of Mallorca was gorgeous—but no one on the bus was looking out the window.
Mourinho and Karanka were still deep in tactical discussion.
Li Ang? He was sitting beside Xabi Alonso, fast asleep.
Xabi Alonso, who had led Real Sociedad at under twenty, battled in the Premier League with Liverpool, fought epic Champions League duels—including the legendary comeback against Milan in 2005—and won the World Cup that summer… was stunned again.
This kid just kept breaking his expectations of what a nineteen-year-old could be.
"You're calm, I get it… but you don't have to be this calm," Alonso muttered in his head, shaking his head with a chuckle.
Somehow, that lingering thread of concern that had tugged at him was finally starting to fade.
At least he no longer had to worry about Li Ang freezing up in his La Liga debut for Real Madrid.
…
After warm-ups, the players returned to the away dressing room.
Cristiano Ronaldo adjusted his hair in the mirror one last time.
Mourinho stepped into the middle of the room and launched into his signature pre-match speech—fire and fury in every word.
Li Ang didn't catch every detail of Mourinho's motivational barrage.
He just kept one thing in mind: his tactical responsibilities.
He remembered the overall game plan. He remembered his role.
As the locker room roared with shouts and chants, Li Ang joined in with a couple symbolic cries.
Then it was time to line up in the players' tunnel.
"Relax, Little Lion. Don't stress—just keep communicating with your teammates out there," Casillas said with a warm smile, giving him a playful pat on the head.
Other players passed by, smacking him on the back or whispering a quick word of encouragement.
To them, he was still a nineteen-year-old kid. Of course he'd be nervous for his debut. It was normal.
Li Ang accepted their kindness with a smile and a nod, gesturing that he was fine. Then he took his place behind Xabi Alonso.
At around 9 PM, the match officials led the way out of the tunnel.
Li Ang took a deep breath, then followed Alonso step by step onto the pitch.
As the stadium lights shone on his face, he lifted his head—meeting both the thunderous cheers and the scattered boos with unwavering eyes.
And in that moment, he stepped not only onto the pitch—
But also into his own uncertain future.
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