"Barcelona's problems are unsolvable!"
In a restaurant in Valdebebas at mealtime, Gao Shen, Zidane, Hierro, Carlo, and others sat together discussing Spain's hottest topic.
How to cure Barcelona's illness?
The most interesting thing about this world is that, as individuals, everyone is very smart, but when combined, they sometimes become very foolish.
This is what Barcelona are like now.
The problem is obvious, everyone can see it, yet it cannot be solved, and there is no way to stop the slide toward the abyss.
Perhaps this is the most fatal flaw of membership clubs.
Almost all non-Spanish Real Madrid fans underestimate Florentino's importance and contribution to Real Madrid.
Gao Shen was like this in his previous life, but now he does not think that way.
Because he knows very well how membership clubs work.
He also knows why all the membership clubs in Spain went bankrupt back then, and now only Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Athletic Bilbao remain.
Because it is inevitable.
Many Real Madrid fans have probably forgotten that before Florentino took office, Real Madrid won the Champions League twice in three years and were in the spotlight. But on the other hand, the club's debt was so high that UEFA almost stripped them of their Champions League qualification.
Many people think Florentino got where he is thanks to Figo, which is a huge misunderstanding.
Figo was just one card in his hand. His real trump card was the promise to improve Real Madrid's dire finances.
That was the card that convinced Real Madrid's members and the board.
Since Florentino took office, a series of groundbreaking reforms have brought tremendous change to world football, especially regarding players' image rights and global promotion. Jose Sanchez even used Hollywood-style marketing to promote Real Madrid.
This has been the key to Real Madrid's continued success over the past decade and into the next.
But Real Madrid's success is inseparable from its chairman, Florentino.
Even football giants such as FIFA president Blatter and UEFA president Platini praised Florentino many times in front of Gao Shen. Florentino's connections and relationships in European football are second to none.
Because everyone knows it was Florentino who built Real Madrid's business empire.
He even changed the football world.
The strong Florentino changed Real Madrid's management structure and introduced a modern management system.
For example, Jose Sanchez, whose official role is CEO, reports to the chairman and the board and is responsible for all business affairs of Real Madrid, including football.
Yes, Real Madrid are now managed by professional managers.
This can be called Florentino's biggest transformation of Real Madrid.
Many people should be familiar with this.
That is right, Bayern also has a dual-track model. The Bundesliga giant's mechanism includes a supervisory board and a board of directors that constrain each other.
This is why Barcelona's problems are unsolvable.
Because it is still a very traditional Spanish membership club.
…
"In fact, during Florentino's first term, the problems with the membership system were already very clear. Even Sanz before him, and President Mendoza, had similar issues while in office."
Hierro is one of those who know Real Madrid and Spanish clubs best.
"In a membership club, it is hard to limit the president's power, especially after he controls the board. Even a great president like Mendoza could make many bad mistakes and even stupid decisions, not to mention the corrupt Sanz."
Before Sanz became Real Madrid's president, he was a board member, then Mendoza's vice president, and then he succeeded Mendoza as president.
It is worth mentioning that former right back Salgado is Sanz's son-in-law.
Whether under Mendoza, Sanz, or further back, Real Madrid's management was long dominated by people with connections, especially in departments with big kickbacks, which were highly coveted. These connected people were like parasites, sucking Real Madrid's blood.
It was not just former stars involved.
Naturally, under this complex, intertwined network of interests, all kinds of conflicts and factions were normal. This is almost an inevitable result in all membership clubs.
If you meet a president like Mendoza who can control the situation, everything is calm. If you meet a mediocre president like Sanz, you can barely maintain it. But if you meet an incompetent one like former Barcelona president Gaspart, it falls apart immediately.
Rosell's resignation this time ultimately stems from this.
But Florentino's transformation of Real Madrid introduced a modern management system, further constrained and rectified the club's management, and fully empowered professional managers. This was a very drastic and powerful reform.
To a certain extent, the biggest conflict between Hierro, Del Bosque, and others with Florentino lay here.
But Barcelona is different from Real Madrid.
As a traditional membership club, the chairman has the final say, but is also constrained by the board.
Bartomeu will be unable to handle what Rosell could not stabilize, so they need to win more votes.
If you want more support from fans, you have to cater to more fans.
What do fans want?
More stars. Better results.
"The biggest confidence of membership clubs is that they never worry about bankruptcy, so they will do anything, even without considering the future, overdrawing potential to meet immediate needs."
Hierro has deep experience with this.
Around the turn of the century, Real Madrid won the Champions League twice in three years, and even the rivalry between Mendoza and Barcelona's Dream Team left Real Madrid with a huge debt of 63 billion pesetas.
Maybe many people have no sense of this number, but as a reference.
Back then, with that money, you could sign six Zidanes.
UEFA even issued a ban that year, requiring Real Madrid to resolve the debt crisis as soon as possible, otherwise they would not be allowed to participate in the Champions League.
That was the defending champion.
Today, what is happening to Barcelona is a replay of what happened to Real Madrid back then.
…
"It is different. Barcelona's situation is more difficult now." Gao Shen agreed with Hierro's analysis, but he felt Barcelona's problems were more serious, even more deadly than what he had seen in his previous life.
So bad that Luis Enrique's Dream Team 4 might not even appear.
In Gao Shen's previous life, many said Barcelona's financial collapse began with the outrageous operations after Neymar's transfer. This is true, and it shows how poor the overall level of Barcelona's management was then.
But it should be noted that before this, Barcelona had several very successful signings, including Suarez, Rakitic, Mascherano, and Ter Stegen.
Especially Rakitic. After Xavi aged, he was key to supporting Barcelona's midfield.
But where is Rakitic now?
Manchester City.
Can Barcelona sign Rakitic from Manchester City?
Apart from Rakitic, who can replace Xavi?
Toni Kroos, Modric, and Verratti are at Real Madrid. De Bruyne, David Silva, and Rakitic are at Manchester City. Who else?
The answer is obvious. Barcelona can no longer find a suitable candidate for this role.
Up front, Neymar and Messi both have natural weaknesses. After their possession style was figured out and restrained by the world, it was difficult for Barcelona to find a center forward like Suarez to knit the front line together.
In this case, what options does Barcelona have?
"Who can replace Xavi?" Gao Shen asked the ultimate question with a smile.
If they cannot replace Xavi, Barcelona's midfield weakness cannot be filled. If the midfield cannot be strong, then Barcelona can forget about results.
With poor results, the management will be under heavy pressure and will recruit again, which means increased transfer spending. At the same time, Barcelona will do everything possible to retain existing core players, offering higher salaries.
Poor results reduce revenue, while transfer and wage costs continue to rise. This further increases debt and eventually forms a vicious cycle.
Zidane, Carlo, Hierro, and the others looked at each other, clearly shocked by Gao Shen's words and question.
They had thought about this issue, but not as deeply or thoroughly as Gao Shen, and would not have linked it to Barcelona's debt.
"All of this is because Barcelona are trapped in this possession system and cannot extricate themselves." Gao Shen shook his head and sighed.
But how easy is it to find players who fit this system?
"Did you think about this problem when you signed Verratti and Pogba?" Zidane was stunned.
If so, that would be outrageous.
"No, I just wanted to strengthen the squad." Gao Shen denied it. "At most, I wanted to prevent Barcelona from snapping up talented players, that is all."
Is this not also a war waged by Gao Shen, Real Madrid's head coach, against Barcelona?
But Zidane, Hierro, and the others all looked skeptical.
"I do not believe it. You always surprise me."
"Yes, just like Leeds United's recent move. I do not believe there was no advice from you behind the scenes." Hierro kept shaking his head.
Gao Shen said helplessly that he was being wronged.
"Wait, the Leeds United move is clearly an innovation, okay? Even Florentino and Jose Sanchez praised it and said that if Leeds United succeed, Real Madrid should consider doing the same. How can that be called a fancy move?" Gao Shen protested.
Zidane and Hierro could not help but laugh.
But it has to be admitted that the picture of Barcelona's future outlined by Gao Shen does make people see the rapid fall of a dynasty.
With Barcelona in decline and Atletico Madrid's financial resources limited, who can compete with Real Madrid in La Liga in the future?
This is probably what Gao Shen meant. It is not just about winning a treble, but about creating the source of confidence for an era.
Zidane and the others would never believe Gao Shen had never thought about competing with Barcelona for talent.
(To be continued.)