"I've decided to leave Barcelona."
After the match, Gao Shen invited Guardiola into a private room at the Etihad Stadium.
The aggregate score across both legs was 7-0. That wasn't a true reflection of the strength of the two teams, but rather a product of their performances across both matches and the difference in tactical decisions made by the managers.
This left both men silent, unsure of what to say.
After a long pause, Guardiola finally broke the silence.
But what he said caught Gao Shen off guard.
He had originally thought that his arrival might change history. Guardiola had once vowed to compete with him in La Liga. At the time, the Barcelona manager had been full of confidence, but now…
Now, Guardiola looked dispirited, clearly lacking the energy and passion he once had.
"When did you make the decision?" Gao Shen asked.
He didn't ask for the reason. That would be unprofessional. If Guardiola chose not to answer, it would be awkward. If he did, it might breach confidentiality.
But Gao Shen had his own guesses.
There's no such thing as an airtight secret in this world.
Guardiola turned around, looked deeply at his mentor and friend, and smiled. "You think I made this decision because I lost these two games?"
Gao Shen smiled. He knew that wasn't the reason, but he couldn't say so.
"In fact, I had this idea a long time ago."
Guardiola spoke calmly. Spotting a bottle of red wine on the table beside him, he picked it up without hesitation, grabbed the corkscrew, and got to work—without even asking.
We just beat them 7-0, and you can't even offer me a bottle of wine?
Gao Shen thought to himself that he couldn't afford to lose face like that.
There was a pop, and the aroma of the wine quickly filled the room.
Even though Gao Shen didn't usually drink, the smell of the wine made him swallow unconsciously.
It was a premium Chilean wine produced by his company. Its domestic sales were rising steadily and the future looked promising.
Ferguson had tasted it before and had been very impressed.
The company had also expanded its wine operations in Australia and Spain, though those branches were currently managed by professionals.
"This is a good wine." Guardiola took a big gulp, smacked his lips, and praised it.
"If you like it, I'll have someone send a case over." Gao Shen responded generously.
Of course, the wine wasn't going to be free.
Guardiola didn't hesitate to accept the offer.
"Have you ever thought about how someone can go from being passionate to becoming numb, bored, or even burned out?"
Gao Shen thought for a moment and shook his head. It was indeed a philosophical question.
He normally didn't dwell on things like that.
"You know, I'm an emotional person. I chose to return to Barcelona because of the friends I had there, like Begiristain and Soriano. I also had a good relationship with Laporta."
Gao Shen nodded. He was very familiar with Guardiola's return to Barcelona.
"But after Laporta stepped down, everything changed. Friends left one by one. Some of them were forced out in ways that even I couldn't accept."
"But unfortunately, I couldn't do anything. Do you understand that feeling?"
Gao Shen certainly did. He had experienced similar situations in his business career in his previous life.
It was a helpless, suffocating feeling.
A bit like being sidelined, step by step, and powerless to stop it.
"You've seen the problems within our Barcelona squad, haven't you?" Guardiola asked.
Gao Shen nodded. "Some are old, some are lazy, some are worn out."
"Right. We maintained our peak for three years, and this season we've started to decline. Logically speaking, it's not bad. We've made the Champions League final three years in a row. But honestly, I think we could've done better."
"Just like these two games. It's not that we lacked the ability to fight back, but we still got crushed."
Guardiola didn't say the rest, but the grievance was clear.
A 7-0 scoreline was not a fair representation of Barcelona's strength.
So how did it happen?
If you want to be conspiratorial, you might think someone in the locker room was trying to push Guardiola out.
But that was unlikely.
The problem was with the players.
With the quality of Barcelona's squad, even if Guardiola had tactical issues, they shouldn't have lost this badly.
And yet, they did. That alone was worth reflecting on.
There were many things Guardiola couldn't say.
That's just how it works in European football.
What goes on in the dressing room, what's said by the board, and internal club conflicts—none of it can be made public.
Whoever breaks that code of silence won't survive in this profession.
That's the unspoken confidentiality agreement in football.
If it were broken, it would throw European football into chaos.
Which club doesn't have internal conflicts?
Which club doesn't deal with player management headaches?
To survive in football, you have to follow the rules.
Guardiola wasn't a heavy drinker, but today he downed three glasses in a row.
Three full glasses.
It made him a bit tipsy, and also more talkative.
He even admitted to feeling envious.
Although he and Gao Shen were both teacher and friend, it was impossible not to compare themselves.
Who doesn't want to win when you're competing on the same stage?
Looking at the landscape of European football, who doesn't want to bring down Gao Shen?
In the Premier League alone, how many coaches had beaten a top side and treated it like a national holiday?
Guardiola was no different. He wanted to win too.
As the old cliché goes: the best way to pay tribute to Gao Shen is to beat him.
Gao Shen was already used to it.
Guardiola wasn't the first, and he wouldn't be the last.
"Have you decided where to go next?" Gao Shen suddenly asked.
Guardiola raised his head, looked deeply at Gao Shen, and asked, "Who's replacing you?"
Gao Shen didn't answer. That was as good as confirmation.
If Guardiola wanted the job, Gao Shen could recommend him.
He believed Manchester City were already considering it, but hadn't made a move yet.
Because Gao Shen was still in charge, and it was a matter of respect.
"Don't be ridiculous. If you really win the quadruple this season, do you think it would be wise for me to take over now?"
Guardiola wasn't stupid. In fact, he was sharper than most.
If Manchester City did win the quadruple, and he took over, he'd be compared to Gao Shen no matter what.
If the team did well, credit would go to Gao Shen for laying the foundation. The whole tactical system and squad were his work. Guardiola would just be reaping the benefits.
If the team did poorly, then it would be all Guardiola's fault.
Gao Shen won four trophies. Why can't you?
No matter what, he would be on the losing end.
Taking over Manchester City at this point would be the most thankless job in the world.
Gao Shen smiled. If it were him, he wouldn't touch that hot potato either.
"So, what are your plans?"
Guardiola thought for a moment and shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't thought that far. I've been too busy lately and haven't had time. Right now, I really don't know what to do."
Gao Shen understood.
When someone has been working non-stop, deciding to take a break can leave them feeling lost.
"Take your time, but don't take too long. You know, if you're out of the game for too long, it's easy to fall behind," Gao Shen reminded him.
Guardiola knew Gao Shen meant well.
The pace of European football meant coaches had to evolve year by year. Tactics, training methods—they all change constantly.
A coach who steps away for too long will struggle to catch up.
There was also the matter of his coaching team.
Head coaches don't need to worry about their next meal. They can work when they want and rest when they please. But assistants don't have that luxury. They need jobs.
If a coach is gone too long, his team will scatter, and rebuilding it won't be easy.
That's why Ranieri ended up using a fitness coach without proper certification when he took over at Juventus.
Because his team had already disbanded.
"Alright, I need to go."
Guardiola stood up, suddenly turned back, grabbed the half-finished bottle of red wine on the table, and said, "Don't forget to send me that case."
Gao Shen nodded.
He definitely wouldn't forget something like that.
"And one more thing. Keep going. Don't lose!"
If Manchester City kept winning, it would be easier for Guardiola to accept the defeat.
After all, they would've lost to the eventual champions—the first team to successfully defend the Champions League title in the modern era.
It would still sting, but it wouldn't feel so bad.
But if City lost too, then it would be a different story.
After sending Guardiola off, Gao Shen didn't leave right away. He sat down and began thinking.
He had already been mentally prepared for Guardiola to leave Barcelona.
He suspected it when he saw the starting lineup.
The way Guardiola set up the team looked more like he was venting frustration, like he was saying, "Fine, I'll do it your way. But look at the result. We lost!"
After that, there was no way he could stay at Barcelona.
Whether they won or lost, the outcome would be the same.
He'd have to leave.
At that moment, Gao Shen remembered a saying.
The outcome of a game is often decided the moment both teams walk onto the pitch.
With a wry smile, he pulled out his phone and called Mubarak, informing him that Guardiola was planning to leave Barcelona.
"I can say with certainty, he's the most suitable coach for Manchester City!"
As for whether the management could convince Guardiola, and how, that was beyond Gao Shen's control.
What he also couldn't control was the news that suddenly broke after the Champions League quarter-finals.
Manchester United had knocked out Benfica, but Ferguson was now in big trouble!
(To be continued.)
***
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