"If, and I mean if, we actually draw Real Madrid, I'm not going to attend the UEFA Elite Summit this season!"
Before the draw ceremony, Gao Shen sat on the sofa and made this dramatic declaration, as if Platini and the others in Monaco could hear him all the way from Manchester.
In reality, it was just Gao Shen venting to himself.
He was simply frustrated.
He truly didn't want to face Real Madrid.
On one hand, he still had deep feelings for the club. On the other hand, Real Madrid was genuinely strong.
They were already guaranteed to face a first-tier powerhouse, and if Real Madrid came out of the second tier, that would be a nightmare.
Gao Shen wasn't afraid of strong opponents. After all, in the Champions League, you always have to go up against the best.
But did it have to be so soon? Did it have to be Real Madrid?
Another key reason was that Gao Shen still hoped Real Madrid could go further in the competition.
If they got knocked out in the Round of 16 again this season, their European coefficient would drop even further.
Right now, they had 84 points. If they lost the points from the 2005–2006 season, they'd lose nearly 30 points.
Currently, third-tier teams have 56 points in European competitions.
If they don't make a breakthrough in the next two seasons, Real Madrid might actually fall into the third tier.
"We don't have a choice!" Lucas said with a wry smile.
The rules are what they are, and Manchester City is in the fourth tier.
Unless the draw is canceled, there's a high chance Real Madrid will be drawn against them. That's just how it is.
…
While Gao Shen was watching the draw in Manchester, at the Bernabéu in Madrid, Florentino, Zidane, Manuel Redondo, and others were also nervously glued to the TV screen in the president's office.
For some reason, Florentino had a bad feeling.
He wasn't alone. That kind of hunch had existed for years, to the point where people often suspected UEFA's draws were rigged.
But Florentino could swear tonight's draw was fair. Valdano was there in person to oversee it.
If Real Madrid ended up drawing the mighty Manchester City, then it was just bad luck.
"Tell me honestly, Zinedine. If we do face Manchester City, what are our chances of winning?" Florentino asked solemnly.
He sincerely hoped Mourinho could lead Real Madrid to victory over the powerful City.
Only then could he prove that his decision not to hire Gao Shen had been right.
"I don't know," Zidane said, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"You don't know?" Florentino was a little surprised. Was Zidane just reluctant to tell him the truth?
Zidane noticed Florentino's puzzled look and immediately explained, "Since Gao Shen arrived in the Premier League, he's upgraded his tactical system. Compared to his time in Serie A, it's more refined, especially in the details. I'm not the only one who thinks so. Even Valdano said the same."
"Plus, this Manchester City squad was built by Gao Shen. Combine that with the tactical system he's implemented, and considering the depth of the squad, no one knows how far he can take them."
Florentino nodded slightly, agreeing with Zidane's assessment.
"But Zinedine," Manuel Redondo interjected, "This is Manchester City's first time in the Champions League."
Zidane looked at the general manager. "Yes, but this is Gao Shen's second season coaching City."
Manchester City won the Premier League last season. Their strength was on par with the traditional top four, yet they were placed in the fourth tier. That was perhaps the most absurd aspect of the Champions League draw system.
No one could predict how much fighting power Manchester City would unleash after a full year of top-level training.
But one thing was clear—City were strong.
Because they had depth.
"Back then, Napoli also made their Champions League debut. And what happened?" Zidane asked with a smile.
The legend that Gao Shen created in Naples was still widely celebrated. Even the double titles he won at Real Madrid were missed by many fans.
This was why Florentino didn't want to face Gao Shen.
Even now, countless Real Madrid fans continued to follow Gao Shen and urged the club to bring him back.
Especially during the years when Real Madrid struggled, while Gao Shen thrived in Serie A and the Premier League. To fans, Gao Shen had become almost legendary.
When Florentino changed coaches this summer, he didn't approach Gao Shen. Even though he brought in Mourinho, he still faced questions from the media and fans.
If Real Madrid really drew the powerful Manchester City, they'd have only one option, face it head-on.
…
At Real Madrid's Valdebebas training base on the outskirts of Madrid.
Mourinho and his coaching staff sat in the office, watching the draw live.
After assistant coach Villas-Boas went solo, Mourinho brought in Faria as his right-hand man. With the addition of Karanka, assigned by the club, he had someone familiar with Real Madrid to guide the way.
Still, Mourinho felt uneasy about the draw.
He didn't want to face Manchester City.
Everyone knew about the drama between Gao Shen and Real Madrid, and that Mourinho only got the coaching job after Gao Shen turned it down.
The pressure Mourinho would face if drawn against Gao Shen was unimaginable.
The Portuguese coach might be bold, but he was well aware of both his strengths and limitations, as well as the current state of Real Madrid.
Did Real Madrid truly have what it took to beat Manchester City?
Even if he played it safe and managed to win, he might still get criticized.
From the moment he took the job, even before that, the media and fans had constantly compared him to Gao Shen.
He didn't want to go up against Gao Shen.
Not because he was afraid, but because he wasn't sure he could beat Gao Shen in a way that would satisfy the fans.
"It's okay. We're not going to be that unlucky," Karanka said with a comforting smile.
Mourinho looked at his assistant, then at the TV, and smiled bitterly to himself.
Luck was something that couldn't be explained.
And with Real Madrid in the second tier, they had a 50 percent chance of drawing a Premier League side.
No matter which one it was, none of them would be easy.
…
"The top seeds have all been drawn. Now we move on to the awards. After that, we'll begin the draw for the second pot."
José Ramón de la Morena, the veteran host of Spain's Cadena SER, was updating listeners on the draw's progress, focusing in particular on Real Madrid's situation in Pot 2.
Everyone knew that the group Real Madrid landed in was likely to be a group of death.
What could you expect, with the Galacticos' poor European performances over the last four years?
"The most eye-catching team in Pot 2 is definitely Real Madrid."
"We saw the first team drawn was Benfica. They got Lyon. That's a good draw. Lyon is probably the weakest of the eight top-seeded teams."
"But this puts Real Madrid in a tough spot. They avoided Barcelona and didn't get Lyon. So they're bound to face a stronger opponent."
Soon, Napoli, Shakhtar Donetsk, Valencia, and Marseille were also drawn.
With the three Premier League giants all out of the picture, Real Madrid's draw became more awkward.
"Here we go. Real Madrid has been drawn with Inter Milan!"
"Real Madrid will face Inter Milan!"
"How should we evaluate this draw? It's not terrible, but not ideal either. After all, Mourinho knows this Inter team inside and out. Their current coach, Leonardo, succeeded Mourinho and inherited much of his tactical approach."
"I believe Real Madrid will feel more confident against Inter Milan. So all things considered, it's actually a pretty decent draw."
De la Morena sounded noticeably more upbeat.
"Who says UEFA draws aren't rigged? Mourinho facing his old club—this is classic UEFA storytelling."
"I wouldn't be surprised if Schalke 04 gets drawn next."
"You have to remember, Schalke 04 has four former Real Madrid players—Raúl, Huntelaar, Metzelder, and Jurado. UEFA loves these kinds of storylines, pitting players against their old clubs. There's no more fitting third-tier team than Schalke 04."
De la Morena joked on air.
In general, Bundesliga teams were looked down upon by Premier League and La Liga clubs.
Aside from Bayern Munich, most German teams lacked competitiveness. Schalke 04 had finished second in the Bundesliga last season, behind Bayern, but they still weren't taken seriously.
If Schalke 04 were really that good, why were they stockpiling Real Madrid castoffs?
Especially players like Raúl, Huntelaar, and Metzelder, who couldn't even make the squad in Madrid.
De la Morena even quipped, "It's like an Avengers team assembled to take revenge on Real Madrid!"
But sometimes, reality really is stranger than fiction.
Because, sure enough, Schalke 04 was drawn into the same group as Real Madrid.
Serie A champions. La Liga runners-up. Bundesliga runners-up...
Who would believe this wasn't a group of death?
Even De la Morena was a little shocked.
He had been joking, but his prediction actually came true.
What's more...
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Premier League champions are in Pot 4!"
That's right. After the Pot 3 draw, all eyes turned to Manchester City in Pot 4.
Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan—whichever group City joined would instantly become a group of death.
If they got lucky and landed in the group with Bayern and Lyon, that would be considered a major break.
But if their bad luck continued and they were drawn into Inter's group… that would be unbelievable.
"I still remember Gao Shen once said he doesn't believe in luck, because his luck has always been terrible. Now, I think if that's true, we'll likely see Gao Shen at the Bernabéu this season."
"I believe it'll be a match to remember for all Real Madrid fans. But for the club—and for Mourinho—it might be a very different story."
(To be continued.)