The Bernabéu Stadium, a closed-door friendly match.

Real Madrid welcomed their first pre-season match against Arsenal.

In the locker room, everyone was preparing for the match.

At that moment, Mourinho walked into the locker room and announced the starting lineup:

Goalkeeper: Casillas.

Defenders: Carvajal, Carvalho, Pepe, Marcelo.

Midfielders: Granero, Kaká, Di María.

Forwards: Bale, Benzema, Callejón.

Seeing this starting lineup, everyone was quite surprised.

Generally, in friendly matches, the main starters would play first to adjust and test themselves, followed by substitutes getting their chance.

But Mourinho had placed some key players on the bench, opting for a mixed lineup.

However, Mourinho didn't offer any explanation.

On the other side, Arsenal's starting lineup featured their full-strength squad.

Goalkeeper: Szczęsny.

Defenders: Koscielny, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Sagna.

Midfielders: Chamberlain, Alex Song, Rosický.

Forwards: Walcott, van Persie, Gervinho.

Suker sat on the bench, looking left and right at the lineups of both Arsenal and Real Madrid, then lowered his head in thought.

Mourinho's unusual pre-match arrangements puzzled him, but he couldn't quite figure it out.

In front of him, Faria also turned to Mourinho and asked:

"Why arrange the lineup like this?"

Faced with his assistant's question, Mourinho sighed. "It's Wenger's request."

"Professor's request?" Faria was surprised.

Mourinho nodded. "He asked us not to field our full-strength lineup from the start…"

Mourinho didn't elaborate, but Faria quickly understood.

Currently, Arsenal was in a state of turmoil due to Fàbregas's betrayal.

They needed some external stimulation to unite the team.

And Real Madrid could be that external stimulus.

Wenger knew that with Arsenal's current squad, they stood no chance against Real Madrid.

So, he requested that Real Madrid not field their full-strength lineup in the first half, at least to allow the Arsenal players to build some confidence.

In other words, it was about going easy on them so they could find their form.

Additionally, Wenger wanted to use this match to show the players that Arsenal hadn't lost its competitiveness.

So, while they might not win, they needed to play their own game.

Thinking this, Faria shook his head and sighed.

He had always felt sorry for Wenger—a man with talent, stuck managing Arsenal, having to calculate every penny even for a €10 million signing.

Now, this Arsenal team was wearing him down even more.

On the field, the match soon began.

Suker sat on the bench, eating a banana while watching the game.

Real Madrid's lineup wasn't really problematic. Although it couldn't compare to the full-strength squad, the offense and defense were still solid.

As for Arsenal, their attacks seemed rushed.

After Fàbregas's departure, Rosický became the commander of this Arsenal team.

Currently, Arteta hadn't yet transferred in, so the midfield could only rely on Rosický.

But Rosický played anxiously, even shaky.

When advancing the attack, his handling wasn't smooth enough.

Sometimes, he should have passed sideways or back to a teammate, but he insisted on pushing forward with passes and dribbles.

This resulted in Arsenal pushing forward, seemingly full of attacking threat but actually playing in complete chaos.

However, this chaos wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

After all, once the rhythm was disrupted, Real Madrid also fell into disarray!

Kaká was still in a transition period. His ability to control the rhythm in a organizational role was a weakness.

This was also why he was suppressed by Modrić's rhythm in the Champions League final.

But since he had just started playing as a defensive midfielder, it was natural for him to need time to adapt.

In a way, this chaotic situation actually benefited Arsenal.

Bang!

Rosický made a diagonal through pass.

Van Persie suddenly broke through the defensive line, charging into the right acute angle of the small penalty area.

Van Persie turned and shot.

The ball hit Casillas and bounced out.

Chamberlain, following up, took a powerful shot without controlling the ball first, but it went wide.

Suker looked at Chamberlain and grinned.

What kind of player is this?

In the past, even Arsenal's young substitutes were of high quality.

Wenger wouldn't have even looked at a player like Chamberlain.

But now, Wenger wasn't picky anymore—he was going for whatever was cheap.

When it was Real Madrid's turn to attack, it was still Bale speeding down the wing with the ball.

With Suker not on the field, Bale's right wing became Real Madrid's main attacking route.

However, Bale didn't have the same gravitational pull as Suker.

When Suker played, everyone would create space for him on the wing.

After all, this was Suker!

They trusted Suker's ability, so as long as they created chances, Suker could score.

But Bale was different!

He hadn't proven himself yet.

The most obvious manifestation was that Benzema wasn't very willing to engage with Bale.

Benzema was positioned as a target forward.

He did more of the dirty work and heavy lifting.

But he was willing to work for Suker.

He just wasn't willing to work for Bale.

As a result, Benzema directly acted as a lone striker, shooting as soon as he got the ball, without any regard for Bale's positioning.

And Bale wasn't the type of player good at making runs into threatening spaces. Since he couldn't create dangerous openings, Benzema was even less willing to pass to him.

"They're playing a bit messy!" Alonso frowned.

Suker shrugged; "Messy? It's more like there's no rhythm at all."

Three players in the frontline.

Callejón, Benzema, and Bale.

None of them were willing to yield to the others. None wanted to create space or chances for the others.

After all, they were competitors. Letting them score meant deducting points from oneself.

Moreover, since this wasn't an official match, this competition was even more obvious.

By the 30th minute of the match, Arsenal seized a very precious opportunity. Taking advantage of Real Madrid's counterattack, Rosický stole the ball at the center circle and passed it to Gervinho on the wing.

Gervinho crossed from the wing.

Walcott appeared in the center, competing for the header and causing interference. At the far post, Arsenal's real threat, van Persie, met the dropping ball directly with a volley.

Bang!

The ball drilled into the net near the post.

Arsenal led Real Madrid 1-0.

But that wasn't all. In the 41st minute, from an Arsenal corner kick, Arsenal defender Koscielny scored with a header, extending the lead.

With two goals, Arsenal led Real Madrid 2-0.

This made the Arsenal players extremely excited.

Their morale was adjusting.

My God!

They were leading Real Madrid!

At halftime, the Arsenal players chattered incessantly.

They became immensely enthusiastic about the match, and all the previous troubles were thrown aside.

The effect Wenger wanted had appeared.

However, when the Arsenal players stood up, morale high, ready to face the second half, they saw Real Madrid's lineup and their hearts sank.

Suker jogged onto the pitch, having taken off his substitute vest.

This meant Suker would play in the second half.

The Arsenal players felt a chill.

Although they knew this moment would come, they still felt incredibly nervous.

Just then, Wenger's voice rang out.

"Substitution!"

Van Persie, Walcott, Koscielny, and Alex Song were all substituted off.

Seeing Wenger's move, both Mourinho and Suker were dumbfounded.

Damn!

Hit and run?

This was about letting the starters vent their emotions, then having the substitutes take the beating!

Mourinho also stared blankly at this scene.

"When did this French old man learn to play mind games?"

Swish!!!

Suker swiftly dashed past Wenger. With his powerful explosiveness, he instantly closed the gap with Sagna.

Sagna was experienced, but against sheer speed, there was nothing he could do.

Suker controlled the ball and charged into the penalty area.

Facing Arsenal's chaotic defense, Suker shifted the ball slightly, twisted his waist, and took a shot.

The ball went through Gibbs's legs and into the near corner of the goal.

Just three minutes into the second half, Suker scored.

This goal highlighted individual ability more than overall teamwork.

Wenger rubbed his temple, shaking his head continuously.

Throughout his coaching career, he had encountered many outstanding forwards.

For instance, Henry, Pirès, Bergkamp, etc., were among the best.

But none of them peaked as fiercely as Suker.

Most importantly, Suker's ability to maintain his form.

Many players' peak periods ended after 3-4 years, which was considered long-lasting.

But looking at Suker, Wenger had no idea when this guy's peak started or when it would end.

At the very least, Suker was still as terrifying as ever.

"Pat, I regret it!" Wenger said softly.

Upon hearing this, Pat Rice also shook his head without speaking.

It wasn't just Wenger who regretted it; the entire Arsenal felt the same.

But there was no cure for regret in this world. They had to bear the consequences of their choices.

However, if they could go back to the moment of decision, Wenger would have scraped together every penny to come up with that damned €30 million!

On the sidelines, Mourinho looked displeased.

He hadn't expected Wenger to do this. But since it was a friendly match, he couldn't very well stop Wenger from making substitutions, could he?

Mourinho sighed. "No more solo runs. Practice our tactics!"

Hearing this, Suker and Bale dropped back slightly, and Real Madrid's defensive line also retreated further.

The Arsenal players, seeing the offensive pressure ease, didn't dare to attack immediately. But after a few minutes, realizing Real Madrid wasn't pressing them, their desire to attack began to stir.

Soon, Rosický started frequently dropping back to receive the ball.

He looked at Real Madrid's formation, still somewhat wary.

"They want to use the wings for counterattacks!"

Rosický clearly realized this, and the other Arsenal players knew it too.

Just as Rosický was about to pass the ball, Kaká suddenly charged at him from the side.

Rosický immediately pulled the ball back, but his balance didn't allow him to change direction again.

Seizing this opportunity, Alonso rushed forward and poked the ball away.

The ball was poked to the center circle, where Benzema happened to drop back, receive it, and pass it back.

Kaká quickly surged forward and, meeting Benzema's return pass, slotted the ball behind the right fullback.

At the same time, the wingers Suker and Bale burst into action.

Their rapid speed and explosiveness instantly disrupted Arsenal's defense.

"So fast!"

"Too fast!"

"Can they catch up?"

Exclamations arose from Arsenal's substitute bench.

Bale alone was already fast enough, giving them a strong sense of impact from his sprints.

But with Suker also there, this sensation was even more intense.

Even though Arsenal knew Real Madrid would attack from the wings, they simply couldn't stop it.

Against such pure speed, they had no way to intercept.

Bale easily outpaced Jenkinson on the wing, quickly caught up to the ball, and immediately swept a cross toward the center.

The pass was powerful and fast. Vermaelen couldn't block it in time, and the ball went past him.

At the far post, Suker slid in and knocked the ball into the net.

Swish!

The ball went in.

Real Madrid equalized.

"Once they get past the fullbacks, only Suker can keep up with Bale's speed!" Mourinho smiled slightly.

This wasn't about technical or tactical coordination—it was purely the combination of two super-fast players.

In other words, if the opponent didn't have equally fast players on the wings, they would continuously suffer from Suker and Bale's speed-based, overpowering attacks.

This kind of attack was the most unreasonable, especially when executed on the counter.

Unless the opponent could outrun Real Madrid, there was simply no way to stop it.

Wenger also frowned at this scene.

"Real Madrid's dominance will continue throughout this season!"

Pat Rice: "But I feel like last season's Real Madrid was more threatening?"

"A team's performance isn't just about tactics. It also depends on form, mentality, and various subjective factors. Last season, Real Madrid reached the peak in these aspects. After all, many players here hadn't won the Champions League, so that possible mentality was also part of their motivation. Although they haven't lost their determination for titles, they won't be as urgent as last season!"

"Plus, issues like insufficient recovery after intense exertion have led to some decline in Real Madrid's form. But they are still one of the strongest teams on the planet!"

As Wenger spoke, his eyes were on Suker.

As he said, every player performs differently in different seasons.

This is fluctuation in form—everyone experiences it to some extent.

But Suker was like a machine, with no fluctuations in form at all. He remained consistently threatening.

Wenger shook his head slightly. This wasn't something he should be thinking about.

Suker had never belonged to him. Perhaps there were still many things he didn't understand about Suker.

In the following time, Real Madrid used frequent counterattacks to extend their lead.

In the 78th minute, Marcelo scored from a corner kick.

In the 88th minute, Benzema linked up with Suker. Taking advantage of Suker's run, Benzema immediately made a forward run. Suker seized the opportunity to pass, and Benzema scored one-on-one.

In the end, the match concluded with Real Madrid defeating Arsenal 4-2.

Both sides got what they wanted from this friendly.

Wenger slightly revived the players' fighting spirit, while Mourinho tested his tactics.

However, due to Fàbregas's departure, Arsenal's midfield wasn't strong enough. Rosický alone could hardly support the midfield, so Real Madrid's high pressing couldn't be properly tested.

After the friendly match, Arsenal prepared to return to London.

Wenger turned to look at the gradually disappearing Real Madrid team bus and sighed. "After we return, we'll go to Everton again. It's time to finalize Arteta's transfer!"

This season, they would sign Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta from Everton to fill the void left by Fàbregas's departure.

At 6 p.m., Mourinho completed the post-match analysis and dismissed the team.

Suker suggested, "How about a pre-season team dinner?"

After Suker spoke, Ramos and others looked at Casillas.

Suker's question was primarily directed at Casillas.

Casillas turned and said, "I have something to do later…"

Casillas declined politely. Suker nodded. "Alright, 7 p.m. at Bale's villa."

Bale was stunned. "Why my place?"

Suker: "My place isn't available. Ángel has a family, so it's not convenient. You're a bachelor—if you don't provide the venue, what are you waiting for?"

Bale said helplessly, "Okay, I get it."

Suker and the others drove back to the villa.

Suker had already prepared the ingredients and directed everyone to move the food and barbecue equipment to Bale's place.

When everyone arrived at Bale's villa, they started preparing for the barbecue.

But before they could begin, Ramos and Arbeloa walked in.

"Good evening!" Ramos went straight to Suker's grill, looking left and right. "Not ready yet!"

Suker looked at Ramos. "I thought you wouldn't come."

"Iker has something to do, but that doesn't mean we all do." Ramos smiled. "Need my help?"

Suker handed him the barbecue tongs.

"Perfect, the meat you grill tastes better."

Since someone else could handle it, Suker was happy to be lazy.

As he grilled, Ramos said, "Iker hasn't been having an easy time lately!"

Suker crouched to the side without responding.

Ramos glanced at Suker. "Has Mourinho done anything to you?"

"Done what?" Suker shrugged. "We're all on the same team. Why would he target us?"

That's because you haven't been targeted.

Ramos grinned.

Mourinho was now almost entirely focused on suppressing the Spanish contingent.

Among the 11 starting players, only Casillas, Ramos, and Alonso were Spanish nationals.

There used to be more, but now there were fewer and fewer.

This also meant their influence in the locker room was gradually diminishing.

Ramos brought this up to gauge Suker's attitude.

But this guy was playing dumb and didn't engage at all!