"After the start of the second half, Granada pressed very aggressively."
"Real Madrid is finding it a bit difficult to move the ball around now."
"Look at this, Toni Kroos passes to the left and Ronaldo drops back to receive it."
"Nyom is tightly marking him from behind."
"Ronaldo signals that he was kicked, but the referee doesn't blow the whistle."
"A quick counterattack by Granada. The ball is pushed to the right and played to Ortiz."
"Ramos is defending on the wing. Ortiz cuts inside, and Xabi Alonso comes over to double-team..."
"Great defending!"
"Two Real Madrid players work together to win the ball back."
"Xabi Alonso plays it forward straight to Modrić."
"Modrić turns and evades pressure, then switches it right to Di María."
"Real Madrid's counterattack is on!"
"Look at this now, three Real Madrid players are in position."
"Benzema is dropping to meet Di María at the top..."
"But Di María doesn't pass to Benzema. He slips it behind him..."
"There's an opportunity!"
"Ronaldo makes a diagonal run into the right side of the box!"
"One-on-one!"
"It's in!"
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!"
"Ronaldo scores again!"
"Oh my God, that's his fifth league goal of the season."
"4-0!"
"Real Madrid are playing explosive, attacking football at home!"
"You can clearly see that Gao Shen's team is improving fast. The positioning and coordination between Real Madrid's players are really impressive."
"Take that last sequence. Xabi Alonso dropped into the center-back position to block the middle and double up with Ramos. Modrić turned under pressure to break free, all in one smooth motion."
"Then Di María charged forward from behind. Benzema dropped deep and dragged the defender with him, creating space for Ronaldo to break through. The Portuguese's pace was fully unleashed."
"4-0!"
"And it's only the 52nd minute. We can absolutely expect more goals from Real Madrid tonight!"
…
The entire Santiago Bernabéu erupted in wild cheers.
When Ronaldo ran to the sideline to celebrate his goal, he was met with deafening roars from the Madrid fans.
This scene didn't escape the attention of Florentino Pérez and the others in the presidential box.
"At halftime, I was in the royal box, and the King said, 'Sexy Real Madrid is back!'"
After Florentino said this, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Who could disagree?
This wasn't just the sentiment of King Juan Carlos, but one shared by many people, especially the majority of Real Madrid fans.
When it came to scoring goals, Mourinho's Real Madrid was never lacking. They had won many matches by huge margins. But to say Mourinho's Madrid played beautiful football? That would be a stretch.
Gao Shen's team is still far from fully polished, but the style of play is already highly entertaining.
There are plenty of lightning-quick counterattacks following turnovers. This remains one of the most dangerous attacking methods in European football today.
But the biggest difference is the fluid passing, sharp movement, and creativity on display — it's simply captivating.
They really are a joy to watch!
More importantly, the entire Real Madrid squad has been putting in excellent performances on the pitch.
Just moments ago, Ronaldo was actively tracking back to support in midfield.
Scenes like this have become common across Real Madrid's first three league matches this season.
Tonight, the attack is even more open and aggressive than before.
This is partly due to Granada's tactical setup, but also down to Real Madrid's own execution.
"It's still a bit early to say too much," Valdano said calmly and rationally.
As a close friend of Gao Shen, he knew that what they were seeing now was only the beginning.
The real challenges were still to come — La Liga and the Champions League.
Real Madrid is improving and their football is more appealing, but the team is still not fully cohesive.
They will face tough tests against stronger opponents in both La Liga and the Champions League.
Especially with the Group of Death.
The intensity of every group-stage match in this group is essentially at the level of a Champions League quarterfinal or even a semifinal.
Porto and Dortmund are both very capable teams. And then there's Manchester City.
The Blue Moon is operating at a level worthy of a Champions League final.
While most teams use the group stage to find their rhythm, Real Madrid is thrown into full-blown battles from the first whistle.
Just imagine the amount of pressure these matches will bring.
"I still think Gao Shen's slogan about winning the title was a bit over the top," Valdano said with a sigh.
Butragueño chuckled, "Jorge, you forgot what Gao said. He said you're getting old. This is an era for adventurers. The world is as big as your heart."
It was clearly a joke.
Not just Florentino, even Valdano laughed along.
…
With his second goal, Ronaldo now had five league goals, surpassing Messi on the top scorer chart.
Barcelona had edged Valencia 1-0 at home this round, with Messi failing to score.
Thanks to his braces in the first two matches, Messi stood at four goals, while Ronaldo had already reached five — and had scored in all three league matches so far.
It was getting interesting.
But the Portuguese wasn't satisfied. He kept looking for more chances to score.
In the 61st minute, Xabi Alonso delivered another pinpoint long diagonal pass into the final third.
Di María controlled it near the right touchline but was quickly closed down by two defenders.
Seeing Arbeloa didn't push forward in time, the Argentine decided to go it alone. He darted between the two defenders before they could close him down properly. After entering the penalty area, he suddenly pulled the ball back.
Modrić arrived from deep, stopping just outside the box, then curled a cross to the far post.
Ronaldo surged in at full speed, leaping high and powering a header from close range.
Granada goalkeeper Toño got a hand to it, but the ball still bounced into the net.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"
"Hat trick!!"
The Portuguese forward roared in celebration and sprinted toward the sideline.
The entire Bernabéu chanted his name in unison.
Hat trick!
"This is the first hat trick in La Liga this season!"
"And it belongs to Cristiano Ronaldo!"
"Real Madrid have been brilliant tonight. 5-0!"
"Ronaldo now has six goals in just three league games. Real Madrid are showing an incredible attacking threat."
"It's clear that after the initial adjustment period, the team is settling in and playing better and better."
…
Gao Shen immediately made a substitution, bringing on young talent Jesé in place of Ronaldo.
The superstar, having just completed a hat trick, walked off to a standing ovation from the Bernabéu.
Ronaldo beamed with joy, clapping non-stop to thank the fans for their support. Before leaving the pitch, he gave Jesé a pat of encouragement.
He also turned to applaud the crowd once more.
Gao Shen had been standing in front of the technical area. As Ronaldo approached, he extended his hand with a smile.
"Great job, Ronnie!"
"Thanks, Boss!"
Ronaldo shook hands and then leaned in for a polite hug.
Although he had only played three games so far, he was genuinely moved.
High-intensity training was painful. Preseason had been grueling. But once the official matches began, playing felt effortless.
In other words, he was getting more chances than ever.
The only part he didn't enjoy was having to actively join counter-pressing and track back to help on defense.
But nothing's perfect. You can't have it all.
At this stage of his career, Ronaldo knew full well that his many chances came thanks to Real Madrid's aggressive counter-pressing system. If he wanted to keep getting those chances, he had to help maintain that system.
"Get some rest. I won't risk letting you get hurt," Gao Shen said with a smile.
Ronaldo had an old thigh injury, and everyone knew it.
The Portuguese understood and headed to the bench, shaking hands and hugging his teammates before throwing on a long-sleeved training top and watching the rest of the match intently.
Soon after, Benzema was replaced by Higuaín.
Benzema's tactical contribution was obvious. His role in Real Madrid's attacking setup was crucial.
But after all, Granada wasn't a top-tier opponent. Whether this system would work against stronger sides remained to be seen.
That said, continuing Real Madrid's recent tradition of scoring after substitutions, Higuaín also got on the scoresheet.
The promising Jesé made an imaginative run. He initially moved sideways, throwing off Nyom's marking, then suddenly stopped and changed direction, accelerating forward at full speed.
Toni Kroos lofted a perfectly weighted pass into his path. The young Spaniard controlled it with his chest in the box, brought it down, and then squared the ball across the face of goal.
Higuaín arrived late and smashed it straight into the back of the net.
6-0!
It was such a stunning goal that even Gao Shen couldn't help but celebrate on the sidelines.
Jesé's talent was clearly overflowing.
What stood out even more was his composure and confidence. Some might see him as arrogant.
But don't forget, football is like a battlefield. Only the bold are unafraid of the spotlight.
If you step on the pitch too cautious or scared, then what's the point of playing?
Jesé's self-belief is exactly what a future star needs.
Of course, confidence without discipline is useless.
That's why he still needs guidance.
"Antonio."
Gao Shen turned to the bench and spoke to Pintus. "This kid's something special. Make sure to take good care of him. Don't let him get injured. And keep close tabs with the data team."
Both Pintus and Vargas nodded in agreement.
Everyone knew what a talented homegrown player like Jesé meant.
Even for a club like Real Madrid, he was a priceless asset.
(To be continued.)