CHAPTER 424: THE FAMOUS I COULDN’T WORK WITH ’SONS OF B*TCHES’ REMARK

In the league, Real Madrid struggled for consistency, especially against mid-table teams. Defensive issues arose intermittently, despite strong performances from Hierro and goalkeeper Bodo Illgner.

Raúl, Mijatović, and Seedorf were critical in attack, but Real often lacked midfield depth to dominate possession in tight matches. Key victories included wins against Atlético Madrid and Valencia, but losses to Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao derailed their title challenge. By the end of the season, Real finished fourth, missing out on the league title for the third consecutive year, which fueled speculation about Jupp Heynckes’ future at the club.

Real Madrid set up in a 4-4-2 formation:

Goalkeeper: Illgner

Defenders: Salgado, Hierro, Sanchís, Roberto Carlos

Midfielders: Seedorf, Redondo, Karembeu, Raúl

Forwards: Mijatović, Šuker

It was a compact 4-4-2, with Hierro dropping into midfield as needed and Redondo acting as the pivot. Seedorf played on the left or right, creative and dynamic, providing key passes and driving the attack, while Karembeu took a box-to-box role, linking defense and offense. Redondo, as always, orchestrated play and protected the backline.

The use of two forwards up front wasn’t surprising, but their four-defender and four-midfielder setup differed from the usual parallel positioning. They relied on fast transitions, utilizing the wings—especially Roberto Carlos and Seedorf—and exploiting Mijatović’s movement.

Sure enough, Real Madrid burst onto the scene with a lightning-fast attack, their players revving like fully charged engines. In the offensive zone, Raúl received the ball and cleverly deceived Capdevilla with his footwork, slipping past him. But as he tried to move past another midfielder, the suddenly appearing Makélélé executed a precise tackle and won the ball.

This made Capdevilla glance warily at Raúl—he had been easily outmaneuvered.

Richard observed this. As long as no goal had been conceded, he didn’t mind that Capdevilla had been beaten. In fact, during the previous days, they had already run defensive drills to prepare him for situations like this. The training, tailored by the Department of High Performance and coaching staff, was no joke.

Manchester City’s season could be described as nearly invincible in the Premier League, but now they faced a radically different style on the European stage. Some players needed to adapt quickly and open their eyes.

La Liga has historically been dominated by technically gifted teams such as Real Madrid and Barcelona. Athletic Bilbao, Valencia, and Sevilla have also contributed to the tactical richness of Spanish football. Like France, Spain combines flair and artistry, but Spanish football adds rigorous tactical organization—players must balance creativity with team shape.

Like many teams City had encountered, Madrid’s formation was very structured during their attacks, but attacking players often got into position too early, causing them to become stationary. By the time the ball reached their feet, defenders were tightly marking them, leading to a reliance on individual skill to create openings.

City’s defensive structure was equally well-organized. Larsson dropped back to disrupt Madrid’s Redondo, while Neil Lennon and Zidane fell back to break up wide play. Makélélé roamed, working with Pirlo to outnumber Raúl in midfield. If Raúl tried to take on Capdevilla, Makélélé would certainly not give him a second chance.

After ten minutes, Madrid’s pressure eased as they began to slow the tempo, attempting to wear down their opponents’ patience through passing and movement.

It was precisely this shift in rhythm that caused City’s players to instinctively push forward, leaving gaps in the backline.

Karembeu cleared the ball from the back, sending it to Seedorf’s feet. He made a forward pass to Raúl, who received it with his back to goal and subtly redirected the ball away from Makélélé, allowing it to roll past him. Mijatović, who had dropped back, took possession, made a lateral step, and rapidly changed direction. Thuram stayed calm, lowering his center of gravity to pressure the opponent’s space.

Suddenly stopping with the ball, Mijatović found an opening and sent a pass through Thuram’s legs, reaching Šuker.

Šuker made a rapid stop, accelerated past Cannavaro, and received Mijatović’s pass. With barely a turn, he shot at goal with a clean strike.

The shot was taken suddenly—without stopping the ball or facing it directly. Buffon guarded the near post but soon realized the ball was headed for the far corner. He dove to intercept but couldn’t reach it, watching helplessly as the ball struck the inner side of the far post and bounced into the goal.

"Sixteen minutes in, Real Madrid has scored! The goal comes from Šuker, who combined splendidly with Mijatović. Raúl’s exquisite pass and Mijatović’s through-ball set up Šuker’s deft finish at the far post. What a delightful combination! Real Madrid has taken a crucial step toward their European triumph!"

After conceding, O’Neill called Capdevilla over and calmly said, "Don’t put pressure on yourself; just play your game. Today, you need to drop back a bit deeper to cover our penalty area, then relay that to Makélélé—he knows what to do."

Capdevilla nodded and returned to the pitch to relay the plan to Makélélé, who immediately understood.

In the VIP suite of the Amsterdam Arena, Richard frowned, standing up and straightening himself before searching for a quiet spot to call Mourinho.

Mourinho, lost in deep thought, was sketching tactical ideas, his hand trembling slightly on the bench. When his phone rang, he glanced at it and saw Richard calling—he was momentarily taken aback.

"Hey, boss," he answered, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"José, listen to me," Richard said immediately.

PHWEEE~

Finally, the first half ended, and the score remained the same: Real Madrid 1 – 0 Manchester City.

During the halftime break, the atmosphere in the Manchester City locker room was heavy. The players slumped into their seats, sweat and frustration mixing on their faces.

Mourinho paced in front of them, his tactical notes stacked like a small fortress in his hands. His voice cut through the room, sharp and precise, as he dissected every mistake the team had made in the first half. Every misplaced pass, slow reaction, and lapse in positioning was scrutinized.

The room was tense, silent except for Mourinho’s voice, as the players listened, absorbed, and tried to reconcile their pride with the harsh reality of the first half. By the end of it, they knew: the second half would be a test of character as much as skill.

During official matches, only authorized personnel—coaching staff, medical staff, and team captains—are allowed in the technical area and locker room. For high-profile matches, stadium security and UEFA protocols strictly controlled access to the locker rooms. No matter how much Richard wanted to give his talk to the City players, halftime access was off-limits—unless it was a private, club-controlled friendly, which UEFA or league matches were not.

Suddenly, as Mourinho finished his tactical briefing, Zanetti sprang to his feet. His face had hardened with determination. "We will win this match today! Let’s take revenge, lads!" he proclaimed, voice ringing through the locker room.

Silence met him at first — a stunned, heavy hush. Then one by one the players erupted.

"Right! Let’s topple Madrid!"

"Take down Real — show them who’s boss!"

The room surged with noise, fists pounding lockers and boots scuffing the floor.

Mourinho watched the outburst without speaking. He turned to O’Neill; the manager nodded. Then he reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and clicked on the loudspeaker.

Ricahrd remained silent, yet the atmosphere in the locker room was charged with excitement. The players spent a whole minutes chanting slogans and expressing their determination before suddenly quieting down. They noticed the staff standing there calmly, unfazed by their enthusiasm.

"Boss, we—"

"I’m pleased to see such strong fighting spirit in you. However, I don’t think this state of mind is a good omen."

The players exchanged bewildered glances. The sudden amplification cut through the clamor, making a few glance around, puzzled.

Richard’s voice from the phone continued, "Sit down. I don’t believe that the angrier or more pumped-up a team is on the pitch, the more likely they are to win. Remember this: this is the final of the UEFA Champions League..."

Mindset is a crucial factor in how a team performs. If you charge onto the field with the same emotion as a moment ago, you might just end up getting torn apart by your opponents.

"Now is not the time for self-blame or contemplation. This is an experience for you to digest after the match. A strong mindset won’t be swayed by outside factors, especially not by the opponent. The more distractions you face from the other side, the less you should let them succeed. Everyone knows how to play today’s match; I only want to ask you one question: Do you have the confidence to win?"

A team must not develop complacency just because they have a lead; it’s a dangerous mindset. If it becomes a habit, it can turn a comedy into a tragedy at critical moments. Now the heavier burden lies with the Real Madrid side—how can they defend their 1-0 lead?

Based on what Richard knows about them, even if Real Madrid bolstered their central defense, he did not fear—or believe in—the idea of them using a "parking the bus" strategy.

Real Madrid parking the bus? What a joke!

This is why, While Los Blancos made it to final of the continent’s most prestigious club competition, they drastically underperformed domestically by finishing fourth in La Liga and crashing out of the Copa del Rey early on.

Even though they were ahead of Barcelona, they were eventually overtaken. Basically, it was due to their inability—or unwillingness—to protect their lead with solid defense when they were ahead. Their failure to stay deep or continue seeking goals was their main problem.

Is this not also why Jupp Heynckes told Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz that he could no longer work with the "sons of b*tches" in the team—just a week before they won the Champions League final in 1998?

It was, at the time, a very famous headline. Heynckes had become so infuriated with his squad that he had practically given up even before his side lined up against Juventus in the European decider, which they went on to win 1-0, lifting the crown for the first time in 32 years.

The German coach had complained to his president in the buildup to the big game, putting the club in an awkward position. That was the pressure he faced, managing a team consisting of Raúl, Fernando Morientes, Roberto Carlos, Redondo, Clarence Seedorf, and others.

"A week before playing Juventus, I called Jupp and asked him how he was doing. He told me he was deflated and that he wouldn’t work with the team," Sanz told Idolos.

Later, Sanz had to gather seven or eight of the more important players and tell them that Jupp felt he couldn’t work with them. Very funny, isn’t it? They were European champions, yet logically, someone who says they can’t work with the team shouldn’t continue. Explaining that the coach who had made them European champions was stepping down was complicated—but that’s the real trajectory of what was supposed to happen, right?

Real Madrid versus Juventus... though currently it’s not Juventus, but Manchester City. Could he expect some kind of butterfly effect here? Could it delay Real Madrid’s La Décima? Could they pull it off?

Richard continued, "Why have Italian teams consistently reached the Champions League finals in recent years? Because they are low-key and pragmatic. Their tactics may be criticized as conservative, but no one can dispute the excellent results Italian teams consistently achieve."

He paused, letting the weight of his statement sink in. "Now, back to us. The so-called favorites aren’t guaranteed victory. The pressure, the expectations, the legacy—all of that can be a double-edged sword. One small mistake, one lapse in focus, and everything can unravel."

"Do you want to rely on luck? Or do you want to control the game, control your mindset, and dictate your destiny?" Richard’s voice sharpened. "Because that’s the difference between being remembered as champions... and being forgotten as a team that had it all but threw it away."

He let the silence linger a moment longer before leaning forward. "Now, tell me—do you have the confidence to win?"