August 2015 — La Liga Matchday 1
The season began at home, against Real Betis.
There were no grand ceremonies. No banners for Sae. No pre-match interviews focused on him. That was the difference this season. Last year, he was the mystery. Now, he was the constant.
Zidane's instructions were brief. "Control the tempo. Don't let them breathe."
Sae nodded. He knew the drill.
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Real Madrid 3 - 0 Real Betis
From the first whistle, Madrid dominated. Sae dictated everything — shifting into pockets between Betis's midfield, dragging markers out of shape.
In the 18th minute, he received the ball from Kroos on the half-turn and drove forward. One feint. Two defenders beaten. A perfectly timed pass to Ronaldo, who smashed it in off the far post. 1-0.
Sae didn't celebrate. He just pointed back at Kroos. It was a signal — we build this together.
Later in the 2nd half, he assisted Bale with a disguised backheel. And in the dying minutes, he nearly scored himself, curling a left-footed strike just over.
But more than the stats, what stood out was his control. The crowd noticed. So did the press. So did the board.
Florentino Pérez was seen speaking quietly with Zidane post-match. "He plays like someone ten years older," the president murmured.
Zidane only replied, "That's because he sees ten seconds ahead."
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Within the Squad
There were tensions.
James Rodríguez now found himself as a rotational player. Isco, despite his skill, was often the first name off the bench — rarely a starter. Sae, meanwhile, played every minute of preseason and Matchday 1.
Modrić didn't complain. He had found a partner in Sae — someone who respected the rhythm of the game.
But even Toni Kroos, ever the professional, had begun staying behind for extra passing drills.
> "I'm not letting a teenager outperform me for long," he told Luka jokingly.
> "He's not a teenager," Luka said, serious. "He's Sae."
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Off the Pitch
Sae's fame had begun to spread, but he remained elusive to the media. No Twitter. No TikTok. Only the occasional Instagram story — usually a training clip or a tactical clip from another game.
But sponsors were circling. Adidas had already approached his representatives. So had Audi, who wanted him featured in their "Next Generation" campaign.
Sae's only public comment was: "I don't play for ads. I play for results."
Still, his marketability rose — quietly but efficiently. And the fans adored him. Not because he was flashy, but because he made everything make sense on the pitch.
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August 2015 — La Liga Matchday 2: Espanyol Away
A tougher test. Espanyol sat deep and fouled often. Sae was clipped, shoved, elbowed.
In the 62nd minute, a crunching tackle sent him rolling. The crowd jeered. He got up slowly, not looking at the referee, not arguing.
Just playing.
And in the 78th minute, he split their backline with a low, skimming through ball. Benzema finished it. 1–0. Three points. No headlines. Just work.
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Zidane's Challenge
In training the next week, Zidane approached him.
> "You've mastered rhythm. Now show you can lead chaos."
He explained: controlling games was fine — but Madrid wouldn't always dominate. They'd face teams that disrupted rhythm, that dragged them into madness. And that's when leaders rose.
Zidane began throwing Sae into smaller-sided drills with uneven teams. 4v5s. 5v7s. Late starts. Unbalanced rules.
> "Adjust. Create structure inside of mess."
Sae started slowly. But soon, he began orchestrating overloads, drawing fouls, switching play faster, and instructing teammates.
Ramos said after one drill:
> "He's turning into a general."
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The Neymar Texts
After Barça's narrow win over Sevilla, Neymar messaged him again:
> "You guys looked clean. That pass to Benzema? Crazy. You sure you're not 30?"
> _"You'll find out when we face you again," Sae replied.
The friendship was odd — but grounded. Both admired each other's control, and their competitiveness only added to the respect.
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La Liga Matchday 3 — Real Madrid vs Athletic Club
Athletic were physical. Old-school. Pressing with raw energy and dragging Madrid into a brawl.
This was Zidane's test.
The first half was chaotic — Madrid lost shape, the tempo shattered. But Sae adjusted. He dropped deeper, pulled Casemiro wide, brought Modrić higher.
By the second half, the flow had returned.
In the 70th, he cut inside from the right, feinted a cross, then curled it back-post — Ronaldo scored.
Madrid won 2–1.
After the match, Zidane smiled at him.
> "You've passed."
Sae just nodded.
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The Growing Myth
Real Madrid were perfect after three games. Sae had 4 assists, 1 goal, and a 94% passing rate. More importantly, the midfield was his.
Fans in Madrid now wore #21 kits with his name.
A commentator remarked during the Athletic game:
> "He's not the engine. He's the compass."
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To Be Continued...