Work hours in Spain are typically quite late.
But today, the atmosphere at Real Madrid's headquarters in Valdebebas was very different.
Department heads not only arrived on time, but some even showed up early to prepare materials.
When the time came, everyone headed to the conference room.
Florentino also appeared, accompanied by José Sánchez, Butragueño, and De Blas. To everyone's surprise, the first vice president, Fernando Fernández, was also present.
This Spanish tycoon, known more for his womanizing ways, rarely shows up except for Real Madrid matches.
Even he was alarmed. It seemed this was a very big operation.
Those who had made it to department head level at Real Madrid were all sharp individuals. The moment they sensed the atmosphere, they all sat up straight.
"Last night, I received news from the UK that Gao Shen's company has also signed a cooperation agreement with Paris Saint-Germain."
As soon as Florentino sat down, he delivered news that everyone had already expected.
Since Real Madrid's delegation returned from England, they had held two meetings. The managers present were all aware of what had happened.
It was unprecedented in football history for a single team to manage the first teams of two clubs simultaneously.
There had been part-time head coaches before, but that was mostly for clubs and national teams.
But when had anyone ever seen a team managing two clubs at the same time?
What if Real Madrid faced Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League?
Florentino had already explained these concerns and potential risks in detail, both in executive and board meetings.
Gao Shen only operated from behind the scenes. He did not directly participate in matches. He was not the head coach. If the two teams met, it would be the coaches and players competing, and the better-performing side would win on the day.
As for whether FIFA and UEFA would have any objections, Florentino did not even bother asking.
There was no need.
This involved the hiring of club employees. Real Madrid was still Real Madrid, and PSG was still PSG. They were just both working with the same professional company.
If this was illegal, then was it also illegal for Real Madrid, PSG, AC Milan, Arsenal, and others to all work with Emirates Airlines and receive sponsorships?
Many clubs partnered with Nike and Adidas, and those companies even encouraged teams to poach players from competitors. Was that illegal?
UEFA and FIFA had never interfered in such matters, nor would they, because doing so would overstep their authority.
If they tried to control everything, who would want to continue cooperating with them?
The real problem lay within the matches and the fans.
On the pitch, it was not an issue. Once the match began, everything would be decided by ability and performance. It would be football as usual.
As long as there was no match-fixing involved, FIFA and UEFA would not intervene.
But fans might feel differently.
This was a new element in football. Many fans could become frustrated after a loss and might take it out on Gao Shen.
"This is a major trend, and I can say that very clearly."
Florentino tapped the conference table with his index finger to emphasize the point.
"The public relations department must take immediate action. We need to create momentum before Paris Saint-Germain does, and not let them take the lead. At the same time, we must guide the fans, explain the pros and cons, and tell them this is a new model of cooperation that represents the future, with various benefits and advantages."
"Also, arrange for me to be interviewed by AS, Marca, and Cadena SER. It would be even better if these outlets could also visit the UK for on-site reporting."
"At this stage, fans will definitely be unfamiliar with this cooperation model and may even resist it. The public relations department should immediately begin discussions with the third-party company, and maintain close communication with both Gao Shen and PSG. We must win this public relations battle and make no mistakes."
Florentino issued these instructions personally, and Butragueño knew exactly how serious it was. He dared not be careless.
Real Madrid had its own long-standing public relations firm, a European powerhouse. But this was an unprecedented shift in the football industry, and the sport was known for its conservatism.
Therefore, the key was shaping public opinion through media.
"We also need to maintain close contact with our sponsors and partners," Florentino said, turning to José Sánchez.
Real Madrid's CEO nodded. "I had preliminary discussions with several major sponsors, including Adidas and Emirates, yesterday. This new cooperation model will indeed create some complications, such as overlapping sponsors between us and PSG, or even direct conflicts."
"One advantage is that Gao Shen's image rights belong to him. Previously, he authorized us to manage them. Now he will authorize PSG as well. We will continue to maintain cooperation and communication with them."
Modern professional football is no longer just about training and matches, especially for top-level figures like Gao Shen, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Messi, where the business operations are extremely complex.
This is also why superstar transfers are often highly complicated.
If issues related to sponsorship contracts are not handled properly, a transfer can collapse.
Of course, most companies that sponsor football are aware of this reality.
Florentino's biggest concern now was fan reaction.
It was already 2019. The world had changed. Everyone could access global news from their phones. There were almost no secrets anymore. Something as significant as Gao Shen simultaneously taking over two clubs was practically impossible to keep quiet.
This made it necessary to guide public opinion through the media.
"In a few days, the negotiation team from Gao Shen's company will arrive: Jose, Emilio, Eduardo..."
Florentino assigned José Sánchez, Butragueño, and vice president de Blas, who was also a prominent Spanish lawyer.
"You three will represent the club in negotiations with them. There shouldn't be any major issues."
The three nodded.
The meeting lasted more than an hour, and all tasks were assigned.
Just as Florentino was about to wrap up, his phone suddenly rang.
Caller ID: Gao Shen.
...
"Gentlemen, I have an announcement to make."
That afternoon, in the Real Madrid first-team locker room at Valdebebas.
Before training, captain Ramos strode in, stood in front of the players, and shouted.
Everyone immediately looked up at their captain.
Everyone admired Ramos. He was a natural leader.
"I just received a call. This weekend, during our match against Athletic Bilbao, we will be welcoming a very, very special person."
The players exchanged confused looks.
A special person?
How special?
The King of Spain? The Prime Minister?
Those two were regulars at the Bernabéu. Could anyone be more special than them?
"Who is it?" Marcelo asked with a laugh.
Ramos scanned the room and calmly replied, "The boss."
The locker room fell completely silent.
Only a few players, such as the newly signed Van Dijk, looked puzzled about the sudden silence.
But they quickly understood.
"The boss... he's coming back to see us?" Marcelo, usually carefree, spoke with a tremble in his voice.
"Yeah, Sergio, is the boss coming back to watch the game?"
"He hasn't returned since he left last year."
"He's been busy taking Gao Ming to school every day. He's enjoying his break so much, he's probably forgotten about us."
"Right? It's outrageous!"
"This cannot go unpunished."
"You owe us a big dinner."
"Yeah, a proper feast!"
As everyone began speaking, the locker room became lively again.
But even the new signings like Van Dijk could clearly feel that the veterans were suppressing their emotions, pretending to be relaxed.
Even Toni Kroos, usually the most composed, was visibly affected.
If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, it would be hard to believe that Gao Shen had this kind of influence in the Real Madrid locker room.
Before he had even arrived, these world-class stars were already so worked up.
"My message is that the boss is likely coming back next season. But he's very, very disappointed with the team's current state. We're not even in the top four," Ramos said bitterly.
The locker room fell silent once more.
Everyone had heard the rumors.
A few days ago, multiple European media outlets reported that Real Madrid's board of directors had flown to Leeds, and speculation was rampant.
Recently, the news of Gao Shen's return to Real Madrid had been all over the front pages, with countless analyses debating whether he could save the team in his third spell.
Inside the locker room, the players lowered their heads in shame.
They weren't even in the top four. Where was the pride?
How could they face such an important visitor this weekend?
...
After afternoon training began, interim head coach Solari immediately noticed a change in the players.
Everyone was training intensely, with full focus on every drill and movement.
Even their usual joking and lighthearted behavior had disappeared.
In fact, Solari and his assistants barely needed to give instructions. Everyone was completing the training tasks on their own.
This dramatic shift left Solari and his assistant coaches shocked. Even Raúl, who had come from the youth academy to check in, was amazed.
They had all heard the news and naturally understood the reason for this change.
Logically, since Real Madrid had not yet signed a formal contract with Gao Shen, it would be inappropriate for him to appear publicly. But he still chose to come because he knew very well that if Real Madrid failed to qualify for the Champions League, it would be catastrophic.
In fact, if things went badly, Florentino could even be forced to resign.
So his visit was to boost morale and rally the squad.
He was clearly confident that his presence would pressure the players, while also motivating them.
"It's been almost a year, and Real Madrid is still his team," Solari said enviously.
Raúl nodded deeply.
Gao Shen was not only the standard he and Solari aspired to reach, but also the goal of countless coaches around the world.
(To be continued.)