July 11th, Real Madrid welcomed the first day of pre-season training.

Suker and the others gathered in the morning and took a bus to the training base.

This time, however, there was one more person.

Bale drove his own car and followed behind Suker and the others to the training base.

After arriving at the training base, Suker and the four others entered the locker room first. According to tradition, Bale would be led into the locker room by Casillas.

"Good morning!"

Suker pushed the door open and walked into the locker room.

Perhaps because the holiday had just ended and everyone was still adjusting, the atmosphere was somewhat sluggish.

Many were still yawning.

But the mood soon became lively.

Before long, Casillas led Bale into the locker room.

The Real Madrid players were no strangers to Bale. After all, he was another strong addition to the team, so they greeted him warmly.

During this process, Suker noticed that Casillas looked troubled.

It was understandable—Casillas had not been having a good time recently.

Mourinho had carried out a cleanup of the substitute squad.

For example, players like Higuain and Diarra were directly sold off, with Mourinho clearly stating that they were not part of his plans for the next season.

Higuain had always been a lone wolf, so he didn't care.

But Diarra being sold angered Casillas greatly.

He even approached Florentino for help.

This time, however, Florentino did not fulfill Casillas's request and instead sided with Mourinho.

There was no other way!

Mourinho had brought a treble to Real Madrid, and despite his achievements, he had not pressured Florentino.

If Florentino didn't help with this matter, he would risk alienating Mourinho.

After all, Mourinho had won a treble, and his contributions couldn't be ignored.

Mourinho's sale of Diarra was another blow to the Spanish local faction, further shaking Casillas's authority. After all, who would follow a leader who couldn't even protect his own people?

Of course, Mourinho's move once again intimidated the Spanish local faction, and with Florentino's support, he emerged unscathed.

Casillas was left fuming, and it was no surprise he felt uncomfortable!

As for the issues between the local faction and Mourinho, Suker had no intention of getting involved. He pretended not to see it.

As long as it didn't affect his small group, Suker wouldn't interfere.

On the first day of training, Mourinho only appeared for half an hour. After delivering his speech, he left the players to Pintus and walked away.

Everyone knew what was coming next.

"You didn't eat breakfast, right?" Suker turned and asked Bale.

Bale nodded. "I remember the reminder!"

"Good!" Suker nodded.

Srna, Kaká, and the others nearby also showed a hint of helplessness.

Pintus walked up to the players with a smile and pointed to the box beside him.

"I think you all know what's in here, right?"

Many players looked grim.

Pintus smiled. "Of course, not everyone will need to wear the oxygen-restriction masks."

At this point, Pintus put away his smile and narrowed his eyes. "According to the physical exams, some players had a very relaxing holiday, but your test results sadden me. To restore your health, the following players will step forward to receive oxygen-restriction masks for special training!"

"It's over!" Marcelo said with a grimace. "I didn't train at all during the holiday!"

Kaká, Benzema, Di María, and others looked indifferent.

They had indeed vacationed, but unlike Marcelo, they had maintained some level of training to keep their bodies in relatively good condition.

"Marcelo!"

"Carvajal!"

"Pepe!"

"And... Suker!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Everyone turned to look, their expressions shocked.

Suker himself was also stunned.

How could someone as disciplined as him be called out?

Marcelo and the other three were helped by other coaches to put on the oxygen-restriction masks and begin training.

But Pintus called Suker aside separately.

"I called you out not because your physical exam results were poor, but because they were too good." Pintus took out a pen and paper from his pocket. "How do you usually train? I think this could help our training."

Suker blinked.

Was Pintus seeking advice from him?

Under Pintus's expectant gaze, Suker grinned and explained his usual training routine.

Pintus looked at Suker in astonishment.

"You train like this normally? Can your body handle it?"

Suker shrugged. "The facts prove I'm very healthy!"

Pintus rubbed his chin. "Wearing an oxygen-restriction mask during normal training can indeed increase the rate of oxygen absorption in the muscles, thereby improving endurance, but..."

Suker's method was only suitable for himself.

Moreover, he couldn't expect other players to maintain that level of training during their breaks.

"Alright, I understand. You can go back now."

Suker returned to the normal team training.

On the other half of the field, the four punished players turned pale within just half an hour.

Soon, Marcelo started vomiting, causing a chain reaction where the others also began throwing up.

Bale was experiencing Real Madrid's physical training for the first time.

Watching them vomit repeatedly, only to get up and continue training, shook him to the core.

Was this hell training?

The morning training ended. After lunch, they had a short one-hour break.

In the afternoon, everyone started wearing oxygen-restriction masks.

Real Madrid's hellish fitness week had begun!

Bale was the first to collapse!

His explosiveness was good, but his endurance clearly wasn't up to par. Under Pintus's training, he quickly gave up and was pulled to the side to lie down.

Bale's face was pale, his lips were blue, and saliva dribbled from the corner of his mouth.

He hadn't expected his first day of training to be so miserable.

At the same time, he finally understood why Real Madrid grew stronger as matches progressed.

With this kind of training, trying to compete with Real Madrid in endurance was suicidal.

And there was also...

"What is he doing?"

Bale stared blankly at the middle of the field, where Suker was sprinting back and forth in 50-meter bursts.

With the oxygen-restriction mask on, Bale felt out of breath even while jogging, as if his lungs were compressed.

But Suker was doing intense explosiveness training under these conditions.

Was this even human?

"Ignore him!" Marcelo said earnestly. "If you pay attention to him, you won't last at Real Madrid!"

Bale pursed his lips. "How long will it take to become like him?"

Marcelo turned his head. "Do you know what talent is? Just like how you run fast—no matter how much we train, we can't be as fast as you. Similarly, no matter how much you train, you can't be like him! This isn't something training can make up for!"

On the field, Suker was getting more and more excited.

The stats that had dropped a few days ago were starting to rise again.

This meant his body was still in an upward or peak phase, with room for improvement.

When the day came that no matter how much Suker trained, his stats wouldn't rise anymore, it would be time to use attribute cards to maintain his peak.

Until then, he would train as much as possible to save some attribute cards, which was the best approach.

The first day of training ended. Except for a few players, the rest were escorted home by Real Madrid's dedicated vehicles.

However, this kind of physical training would continue for another six days.

Bale was too exhausted to move, but he was still carried into the car by Suker and the others and taken to his villa.

Bale's villa was very minimalist.

Perhaps because he had just moved in, there weren't many things inside, and it lacked a lived-in feel.

Bale collapsed on the sofa. He looked at Suker and asked bitterly, "This kind of training will last for another six days?"

Suker nodded.

Srna smiled. "This is just the beginning. As time goes on, the training intensity will increase!"

"Even more intensity?" Bale widened his eyes. "I feel like I can't hold on anymore!"

Suker smiled. "By the third day, you'll feel the changes in your body, and then you won't be complaining anymore!"

"Another question!" Bale raised his hand.

Suker said succinctly, "Speak!"

Bale blinked. "Earlier, I vomited all the food in my stomach..."

Suker tilted his head.

Bale said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm a little hungry!"

Suker's face instantly darkened.

Who did this guy learn this from?

Srna, who was nearby, burst into laughter.

"I'm starting to like you!"

Srna turned to Suker. "Aren't you going to make dinner?"

Suker glared. "Make it yourself!"

Bale looked at Srna, who blinked and smiled. "Don't worry, this guy is soft-hearted but hard-edged. Let me wear him down!"

Bale watched as Srna followed behind Suker, begging relentlessly!

The humble posture, the comical expression, and the skilled persuasion—it was like he was about to kneel before Suker.

Suker's expression visibly softened, and he walked toward the kitchen, grumbling.

Srna gave Bale a thumbs-up:

"Done!"

Bale didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

These people seemed really strange!

Three days of hellish physical training made Bale feel like his body was falling apart.

But after three days, he clearly felt the changes in his body. The most crucial was the improvement in his extreme performance, which delighted him.

This was the first time since his transformation that he felt such a significant physical change.

As a result, Bale's enthusiasm for training grew even stronger.

The others were also training step by step. Pintus's physical training had greatly helped them last season, so no one slacked off.

A week of physical training ended.

When Pintus told them they had graduated, Bale and the Real Madrid players felt relieved but also a faint sense of reluctance.

This made them feel strange. Clearly, they could escape the hellish, so why did they feel this way?

Were they masochists?

But this was just a matter of habit. It would pass with time.

"Transfers have started to go through this past week!"

In a corner of the training field, Benzema scrolled through the information on his phone.

"Gago went to Roma, and Pjanić too. Roma's midfield has been somewhat reinforced."

"Higuain went to Napoli!"

"Diarra was sold to a Russian Premier League team!"

"Oh~~ Agüero joined Manchester City. Manchester City has spent so much on transfers these years~~ And Nasri also joined Manchester City. The Premier League is going to be a free-for-all this season."

Bale looked up curiously. "Do you follow other leagues too? Don't you usually focus on transfers in the domestic league?"

Benzema shrugged. "Of course we have to follow them. After all, we still have the Champions League to play! We need to keep an eye on these potential opponents."

Hearing this, Bale suddenly fell silent.

His mindset hadn't shifted yet. At Tottenham, they didn't need to think about European competitions—they just had to focus on the league.

So, they only paid attention to transfers within the league.

But Real Madrid was different. Besides the league, as a top-tier team, they also had to keep an eye on developments in other European leagues.

"Let me check La Liga. Barcelona released a transfer news today—Cesc Fabregas?"

Benzema's voice suddenly rose.

The others were also startled and turned to look.

Benzema said in surprise, "Cesc Fabregas has joined Barcelona! The one from Arsenal!"

The others were briefly stunned before nodding. "So what? There's no problem with that. Even though selling the captain doesn't sound good, as long as the price is right, it's fine!"

"The problem is that it's not enough!" Benzema said with a gossipy tone. "Look! This guy paid out of his own pocket to leave!"

Huh??

Everyone was shocked.

They all crowded around.

"Angry Arsenal fans burning Fabregas's jersey! The former captain has become a traitor!"

"According to news released today, Arsenal's midfield core and captain, Cesc Fabregas, has confirmed his transfer to Barcelona!"

"Fabregas's transfer fee is £34 million, but Barcelona only paid £29 million. The remaining £5 million was deducted from Fabregas's salary!"

"This has sparked widespread anger among Arsenal fans!"

Reading this news, everyone's faces were filled with astonishment.

Could things be done this way?

Fabregas had completely disregarded Arsenal's feelings!

This was outright betrayal!

Leaving was one thing, and if the price was agreed upon, it would be fine.

No one would stop Fabregas from seeking more honors.

Just like when they let Henry go.

But he couldn't leave like this!

Even Bale, who had previously played for Tottenham, was shocked. "Arsenal fans are probably going crazy with anger!"

"More than just crazy!"

Suker glanced at Fabregas's photo on the phone and couldn't help but snort.

This was such a humiliating way to leave!

Although he already knew the details, reading this report still made him angry.

He wasn't angry about other things.

He felt sorry for Wenger.

Although the old man was limited by funds, his abilities were genuine, and he had nurtured Fabregas into a top-tier midfielder.

Back then, to make room for Fabregas, he even pushed out Vieira and gave the No. 4 jersey to Fabregas.

At a young age, Fabregas was given sufficient tactical resources. It could be said that Wenger gave him everything he could.

Wanting Champions League honors was fine!

But he couldn't leave like this!

Humiliating himself and disrespecting his old club—what kind of behavior was this?

If it were Suker, when Barcelona offered only £29 million, they would have lost any right to respect. publicly cursing them would be the least of it—who did they think they were?

But this guy actually accepted it!

And he even paid out of his own pocket.

And then there was Barcelona's approach!

Although these guys wanted to emulate AC Milan's vice president Galliani's zero-cost transfers to show off their transfer operational skills, Galliani would trick others, not his own youth players, and he would never use 'youth sentiment' to carry out various disgusting operations.

But Barcelona was different. During negotiations between the two clubs, they一on one hand pressured Arsenal, and on the other hand pressured the player.

The final result was: Barcelona paid £29 million, Fabregas paid £5 million out of his own pocket, totaling £34 million, completing this farcical transfer.

When Galliani pulled off a zero-cost transfer, people would thumbs up and say 'amazing'.

But Barcelona's move could only be described as... 'really fucking dirty'!

Suker didn't know what old man Wenger was thinking.

How could he tolerate such disrespect and even sign this contract?

If it were Suker, he would have flipped the table.

No one would get to play!

He would rather let Fabregas rot on the bench than agree to this transfer!

Want to take Fabregas away?

Fine!

Activate the release clause!

If you want to play dirty, I'll play along to the end.

"Ah~~~~~"

Suker sighed and looked up. "In the end, the old man is too soft-hearted."

"Alright, let's not talk about this. Tomorrow, we start training with the ball."

Suker stood up, supporting his knees. "Let's go back, wash up, and rest."

That night, the Fabregas transfer incident began to ferment.

European media discussed this 'disgraceful transfer event.

The only victim was Arsenal.

Not only did they sign a humiliating transfer contract, but they were also mocked for 'selling their captain'.

And not only did Fabregas leave, but Nasri also left with him.

Van Persie became Arsenal's new captain.

But probably, Wenger never expected that after Fabregas left, Arsenal would begin to fall apart, and Van Persie would also leave soon after.

To ask, did Manchester United, who still had Ronaldo at the time, need Van Persie?

To be honest, Suker understood that those who wanted to leave couldn't be kept.

Even if it wasn't Manchester United, any other club would do. Leaving was just an excuse.

Back at AC Milan, Maldini had repeatedly tried to tie Suko down at Milan.

To this end, he even actively pushed for Suker to join the Knights' Table and wanted to hand the captain's armband to Suker.

It could be said that if Suker had agreed back then, everyone at Milan would have supported it.

After Ambrosini left, Suker would have become Milan's new captain.

But Suker didn't want to do such a shady thing.

He himself wanted to leave, so he stubbornly refused to become captain.

A transfer should be a transfer!

It shouldn't involve other things!

Suker had brought Milan three Champions League titles and a €100 million transfer fee.

This was his way of repaying their nurturing, so he left unburdened. Even when he returned to the San Siro, Milan fans warmly welcomed him.

Unlike Fabregas, who would probably be beaten to death if he ever went back!