Vallecano was slaughtered, and Real Madrid's offensive power once again shocked Europe.
In particular, the performance of the frontline combination that has gradually emerged this season has caused headaches for many teams.
In the past, just one Suker was enough to make them uncomfortable, but now Benzema and Bell are gradually showing even better performances, and Suker's swinging attribute has been completely developed.
This makes them even more disoriented when defending against Real Madrid.
Any slight error in judgment will allow Real Madrid to find a loophole in their attack and penetrate deep into their penalty area, which is too dangerous.
The tactical analysis departments of these coaching teams are now almost entirely focused on studying Real Madrid's tactical system.
They are looking for the weaknesses and problems of this tactic and trying to restrict it.
Although for most Champions League teams, they will only play against Real Madrid in the second half of the season, it is already too late if they don't start preparing now.
At the same time, Real Madrid is also making great strides in matches across all fronts.
Suker has started to gradually show his form, perhaps in preparation for the second half of the season, or perhaps to cope with the El Clasico before Christmas.
Suker's overall performance has become more active, and he has also received more playing time in the League.
Ancelotti no longer emphasized resting Suker; after three physical examinations, with Suker's condition consistently full, he felt relieved.
Of course, he also didn't know how Suker maintained his condition, but this was good news for him and Real Madrid.
After all, a star player who can explode at any time is their biggest trump card!
The weather began to cool down, and Madrid, which was like a furnace, also began to feel a bit cool.
Even under the scorching sun, it still felt cool, rather than stuffy.
Florentino was wearing his farm clothes and a sun hat, squatting on the grape arbor picking grapes.
The ripe grapes were plump and full, looking very good under careful cultivation.
"It's still a bit sour!"
Suker still squatted beside him, ate one, and shook his head, saying.
Florentino: "I've already changed the seeds, is it still very sour?"
"Sour! Didn't I tell you, it only gets sweet with a large temperature difference between day and night? You can't grow that kind of sweet grape here."
Florentino smiled; "I'm just interested. When the wine is made, I'll send you a bottle!"
Suker grinned; "Just give me the wine from your cellar!"
To this, Florentino turned a deaf ear and continued to himself: "Cultivating grapes is like managing a club; it requires careful care, fertilizing them, driving away pests..."
Suker; "Just spray some pesticide."
"Then would you still dare to eat them?"
Suker shrugged: "Anyway, they're not sweet!"
Florentino took a deep breath and snatched the grapes from Suker's hand.
"Stop eating them!"
Suker couldn't help but laugh out loud; "Don't be so stingy, they're still good, at least healthy."
Florentino then handed the grapes back and asked: "Bale's matter has been resolved, and media opinion has also started to shift."
"I know." Suker nodded: "That's also why I've been playing so hard lately."
Although Suker didn't care much, no one wanted to keep hearing such bad things; no matter what, it still felt unpleasant.
"Iker will leave after this season ends," Florentino said.
Suker looked at Florentino: "Already decided?"
"Decided! The board of directors has also approved the resolution, and Iker himself has also expressed his stance."
Suker then exhaled; "Finally, it's all over."
Florentino turned to look at Suker; "And then there's the issue with Srna."
Suker blinked: "I don't know anything."
Florentino stared at Suker; "He has consistently refused to renew his contract with the club. We extended his contract to three years, and there was also a partial increase in salary, but he still refused."
"Three years? A pay raise? He refused all that?"
Suker was stunned.
He didn't expect Real Madrid to offer such good terms.
For a veteran player in his 30s, a three-year contract is already a sign of great importance, and they even offered a pay raise.
This indicates that Real Madrid genuinely values Srna.
After all, for some teams, once a player enters their 30s, they almost always sign one-year contracts!
If they're in good form, they continue; if not, they're directly let go.
Therefore, this contract was already very rare.
But Srna still didn't accept it.
"Chelsea has made him an offer. Has Mourinho contacted Srna?" Florentino asked, looking at Suker.
Suker blinked, remaining silent.
Florentino sighed; "So, he still prefers Chelsea? Or rather, Mourinho!"
Suker sighed; "Don't force it. I've tried to persuade him, but this guy is as stubborn as a mule; he just won't listen. I've never seen anyone as stubborn as him."
Florentino suddenly turned to look at Suker.
"What's wrong?" Suker asked.
Florentino cleared his throat, not taking the bait, but continued; "So, he's going to Chelsea, right?"
"Not necessarily!" Suker shook his head: "He might also go back to Croatia to play."
"Back to Croatia?" Florentino was stunned; he truly hadn't considered that option.
But now that he thought about it, it wasn't impossible.
If Srna wanted to go back to Croatia to play, then he would definitely need a free transfer.
After all, those teams in Croatia simply couldn't afford the transfer fee, which also explained why Srna had consistently refused to renew his contract.
This guy might just be waiting for his contract to end so he can return to Croatia as a free agent.
But...
"Why would he go back to Croatia to play?"
Although Srna's form had declined somewhat, he was still a key player in Real Madrid's defense, so they still very much hoped to retain him.
"Retire at his peak? Spend time with family?" Suker shrugged: "I can't say for sure, but if he wants to go back, I can't stop him."
Florentino nodded. Although it was a pity not to earn another transfer fee for Srna.
However, if they caused problems with Srna, forcing him to sign, it could ultimately lead to a falling out with Suker, which would be a net loss.
Moreover, if this matter was handled well, it still had a selling point and could generate some income in other areas, as well as gain more attention.
The most crucial thing was that as long as Srna did not remain in the Big Five Leagues, that was acceptable to Florentino.
"Kaka is leaving, and Srna's contract renewal didn't go smoothly. It seems we need to strengthen the team in the summer!"
"What?" Suker was stunned: "Kaka is leaving?"
Florentino turned his head; "You didn't know? Kaka didn't tell you?"
Suker shook his head directly; he had no idea and hadn't heard any rumors.
Although there were reports that Inter Milan was urgently trying to buy Kaka back.
However, this kind of talk happened almost every season, so he hadn't paid special attention.
"Milan made an offer, their price is suitable, and Kaka himself also has the desire to leave. The most crucial thing is that our midfield also needs to be rejuvenated. Ancelotti hopes that after Kaka leaves, Kroos will take Kaka's position and lead the midfield, and at the same time, we will buy another midfielder to strengthen the team!"
Florentino patted his back, stood up, stretched, and turned to say; "Next, I am confident I can make Real Madrid even stronger."
Suker barely heard any of this; his mind was mostly filled with the news of Kaka's departure.
No!
Why?
After finishing his conversation with Florentino and politely declining the invitation to stay for dinner, Suker went straight back to his villa and then directly to Kaka's house.
"You're leaving?"
Kaka was sunbathing in the yard when Suker entered and went straight to the point.
Kaka was also stunned for a moment, then grinned and said; "Did the president tell you?"
Suker nodded, then asked in confusion; "Why? Are you not getting enough playing time here, or is your salary not high enough?"
Although Kaka couldn't play like he used to after his injury and lost a lot of his forward-driving ability, thanks to a successful transition, his performance in midfield was also excellent.
This was also the reason Real Madrid continued to try and keep Kaka.
"Milan contacted me, they want me to go back," Kaka paused and continued; "And the boss, Gattuso, also contacted me."
"Boss? Maldini?" Suker was stunned for a moment. "Did the Boss tell you to come back?"
Kaka nodded. "You know the situation at Milan now. Forget about competing for the Champions League; they're even struggling in the League. They need some personnel reinforcements."
"It's not just that. The Boss might be returning to Milan to work, and this time he wants to initiate my transfer to be part of his credentials."
Kaka shrugged. "You know, for Milan fans, a player like me and also you, we are the players they most urgently want to buy back."
"As for playing for Real Madrid, I truly feel exhausted. I just can't keep up anymore. If it were before, it would be fine, but now that my physical condition has declined, it also makes many matches feel very tiring. After every match, I feel like I'm going to throw up. This is my body's reaction to me; I'm playing very hard."
"But I don't want to give up those tactical resources, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to return to Milan and play, which also makes room for Kroos."
"He is a very talented player, and I believe that even after I leave, he will still be able to help you compete for more championships."
Finally, Kaka looked at Suker and smiled. "The only regret is not being able to eat your food anymore."
Suker grinned. Still thinking about food at a time like this, this guy really is a foodie.
Listening to Kaka's explanation, Suker understood that he was determined to leave.
One Srna, one Kaka!
These guys who once fought alongside him were now leaving one by one.
Suker knew this day would come, but when it truly arrived, he still couldn't quite accept it.
Recently, Suker had been keeping to himself, and his expression wasn't particularly pleasant.
Suker had a 'don't come near me' look, and others didn't dare to get too close.
This created a 'Space zone' around Suker.
Many times, Suker could be seen practicing alone, and after practice, he would leave without even greeting his teammates.
This also left Ramos and others scratching their heads.
As for Srna and Kaka, they could only exchange bitter smiles.
They had already made up their minds and wouldn't change their decision just because Suker was sulking.
They also knew Suker was unhappy.
One was a good friend from the National Team.
The other was a close teammate who had joined the Big Five Leagues with him.
Both of them were special to Suker.
Of course, they didn't fully grasp the extent of Suker's displeasure.
Actually, Suker's gloomy expression was partly due to Srna and Kaka leaving, but a larger part was a manifestation of his 'stubbornness'.
Although Suker was a bit younger than both Srna and Kaka.
But they were players of the same era. He hadn't felt much before, but upon learning the news of Srna and Kaka leaving one after another, Suker suddenly felt a strange sense of urgency.
All of this was telling him that he, like everyone else, was gradually entering the twilight of his career!
Suker was already 27 years old!
In three more years, he would reach the watershed age of 30.
By then, his physical condition and various indicators would begin to decline.
The muscle stiffness that had appeared earlier was just the beginning, and as he aged, these issues would only become more rapid.
From 17 to 27, ten years had passed without him realizing it.
Although he now had the life and achievements he had dreamed of at 17, and he had achieved many honors.
But he still felt that many things hadn't been completed and that he could still push for more.
It was this intertwining of emotions that made him not so happy.
That evening, Srna and Kaka arrived at Suker's villa.
Without Suker's permission, they directly commandeered his kitchen and began cooking on their own.
Over the years, they had eaten Suker's food, and just by watching, they had learned quite a bit.
Of course, they weren't particularly good at mastering the details, such as the heat.
"Meat goes into cold water. Whose meat goes into boiling water?"
"The water hasn't even boiled, why are you putting in noodles?"
"The water hasn't even dried yet, and you're adding oil. Do you want to get splashed with hot oil?"
Suker kept nagging from the side, his tone not particularly pleasant, but he didn't go up to help.
With Suker's 'assistance', the two barely managed to complete a dinner.
Suker sat at the dining table, looking at a simple plate of Italian pasta, and grinned, "I never thought I'd eat food made by you two someday."
The meat?
The meat was burnt and inedible!
Kaka and Srna were a bit embarrassed. After all that effort, only the simplest Italian pasta was barely edible.
Suker didn't waste words and lowered his head to start eating.
Srna and Kaka also started eating; what they made still smelled quite good.
After eating and drinking their fill, the three faced each other awkwardly.
After a moment, Srna slowly said, "To be honest, I'm already very tired."
Suker looked up, and Srna sighed, "Every season, we have to compete for the championship. At Real Madrid, this is a very normal goal. But ever since Inter Milan, for several consecutive seasons, I've been playing desperately to keep up with you, to win matches. I also need to force myself to bring out my best and play my best games."
"And all of this comes with strict self-discipline and training, but these have made me lose myself and my life."
"I think it's time for me to take a breath, to rest. I told you about these things before, and after this season, I think it's time to say goodbye."
Kaka nodded from the side. "It's the same for me. Ever since my injury, every match has been a struggle, and I've been under a lot of pressure. I try not to attempt those dribbling moves, and if I have the ball, I pass it. It's not that I can't dribble, but I'm afraid of the look in the fans' and teammates' eyes if I fail a dribble!"
"It's a look of surprise and confusion, as if I shouldn't have lost the ball, but in reality, I've truly given my all."
"Every match is exhausting, and the psychological pressure I bear is immense, so like Srna, I've made the decision to leave."
At this point, Kaka waved his hand and said, "I'm not like you, this monster, who can always maintain his form. To be honest, playing with you is exhausting!"
Srna quickly nodded from the side, looking very much in agreement.
Suker looked at these two guys and couldn't help but grin.
"Forget it, I'm not angry with you, but for me, there's a sense of urgency."
"You're only 27, what the hell is urgent? You can play for at least three more years, and besides, you're still at your peak," Srna said with a laugh.
Suker rolled his eyes, "Prepare for danger in times of peace, what do you know?!"
Srna shrugged, "Anyway, that's how it is. We've already decided. No matter what you think, we're leaving."
Kaka, "There are more excellent players here, and I think they can also bring you a lot of help."
Suker looked at the two of them and finally sighed and waved his hand, "Alright, so be it."
Then he looked at Srna and said, "After this season, let's give it our all in the World Cup."
Srna immediately nodded solemnly, "Of course, I've been preparing for this for a long time."
Kaka from the side, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You're our opponent, why would I tell you anything?!" Suker said with a laugh.
After talking for a while, it seemed some of the knots in their hearts had been untied.
Their conversation also began to shift towards the matches.
After all, the next few matches were crucial.
Chelsea in the Champions League, Barcelona in the League, these were all matches they needed to win.
Especially the latter, as it concerned whether Real Madrid fans could have a happy Christmas.
As for Barcelona, they had been suffering for several years, so a few more years wouldn't matter!
On November 27th, Real Madrid welcomed the fourth round of the Champions League.
In the previous third round of the Champions League, they had once again defeated Schalke 04 away, and now they had to deal with Chelsea.
This time, Chelsea was also preparing to fight desperately.
They wanted to compete for the chance to qualify as group leaders in the Champions League, and only by defeating Real Madrid would this be possible!