I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 111: Chapter 26: Transfer Requests and Internal Explosions

”Has he arrived?”

Schuster’s face still held a trace of anger; he hadn’t expected such a thing to happen just as everything was about to be settled.

”He’s already here. Hopefully, he can improve the team’s condition!” Francisco said, ”We really overlooked this aspect before.”

”This season, we’ve brought in too many young players.”

”And at a club like Real Madrid, there’s no doubt the pressure is immense.”

La Liga has entered the 12th round. After a series of distressing events, Schuster organized an internal training match, which was originally just an ordinary day.

But during corner defense, when the players cleared the ball from the box, Pepe suddenly gave Balboa a vicious elbow strike, knocking Balboa to the ground directly.

”What the hell are you doing?”

”Are you crazy?”

”You son of a bitch.” Balboa angrily climbed up from the ground, his small dreadlocks made him look a bit like the Predator from the movies. This wasn’t Pepe’s first time pulling a stunt on him, and in this training match, Pepe seemed to vent all his recent frustrations on Balboa.

”What am I doing?”

”If you weren’t lying on the ground like a woman, I wouldn’t have done anything!”

Pepe showed his white teeth as he looked at the fallen Balboa, his smile carried three parts malice and seven parts sarcasm. This scene also ignited Balboa’s fury, he quickly got up from the ground and delivered a fierce punch to Pepe’s nose.

Pepe obviously didn’t expect Balboa to directly strike back. After receiving the heavy punch, he saw stars, a hot stream gushed from his nose, the blood dripping on his palm was so glaring. He let out a low growl and swiftly pounced forward, the two were grappling on the ground, capturing the attention of all the players.

Schuster was originally discussing the lineup for the next match with Francisco on the sidelines, but upon seeing the altercation on the field, he quickly rushed over.

However, on his way to the scene, Chen Zhong, leading Torres, Marcelo, Higuain, Soldado, Baptista, had already restrained Pepe and Balboa. The two were now glaring at each other with mutual hatred; blood still dripped from Pepe’s nose, the coagulated blood made him look quite haggard.

Balboa didn’t look any better; one of his eyes was already black and blue.

The Equatorial Guinean international was glaring at Chen Zhong, as if asking, why did you do this? I used to play for Castilla too, shouldn’t you be on my side?

Balboa was brought to Castilla by Real Madrid on July 1, 2006, but stayed for less than a month before being loaned out to Santander Athletic, he never actually played a formal match for Castilla, and most Real Madrid academy players had little impression of Balboa.

This season, due to his outstanding performance while out on loan, and with stars like Beckham leaving, Real Madrid re-signed the Equatorial Guinean international.

As a player from Equatorial Guinea, being able to play for Real Madrid.

He undoubtedly was the ”hope of the village.”

At this moment, Raul, Ramos, Casillas, and others also hurried over, and Schuster arrived at the scene too, his blond hair flew in the wind, his eyes were filled with fury, he roared as he expelled the two players from the training ground, then instructed the other coaches to resume training with the players and left with Francisco.

This fight on the pitch seemingly triggered the internal conflicts within the Real Madrid dressing room, quickly, Drenthe, who hadn’t gotten many opportunities recently, pressured the club through his agent hoping for more chances, and he expressed a desire to leave if they didn’t arise.

Meanwhile, Saviola, who transferred from Barcelona this season, also submitted a transfer request to the club.

As another high-profile ”traitor” following Luis Figo, Saviola came to Real Madrid with the expectation to revive his career, hoping for more playing time, but his situation at Real Madrid was even worse than at Barcelona, sometimes Schuster preferred to play Soldado instead of him.

According to relevant data, Saviola averaged 25 days between chances to play at Real Madrid, which was clearly not what he wanted.

Shortly after Drenthe and Saviola’s requests to leave, Metzelder also started pressing the club, hoping for more playing time.

Especially since Chen Zhong shifted to midfield, and with Pepe causing so much trouble recently, he seemed to see hope for success at Real Madrid.

Just as Schuster was overwhelmed by a series of blows, with the increasing number of injuries within the team, particularly exceeding former muscular strains, an embattled Disalvo emerged.

”This season, the team underwent a large scale overhaul.”

”There are too many young players in the club now, they are under enormous psychological pressure in a giant club like Real Madrid, under the media magnifier.”

”Take Sneijder, for example, he was dazzling at the start of the season but now his performance has gradually declined due to media pressure, and other players in the club, such as Pepe, Robben, Higuain, their recurring muscle injuries are more because of psychological reasons.”

When Schuster heard Disalvo’s words, his eyes widened.

He had never seen someone so shameless. Disalvo’s job performance at Real Madrid was one thing, but primarily he was someone who never stuck to anything.

The key point is, after hearing Disalvo’s words, Calderon actually thought Disalvo made a lot of sense. He refocused on some youth players, and another little scheme of Calderon’s was ticking away.

He wants to sell some players, raise funds, and bring in superstars.

Don’t ask why, if the team’s revenue increases every year, there’s no money to invest in the market to buy world-class players like Florentino, and why the purchase premium for other players is so severe.

If you ask, they will just draw you a pie to eat for a while to calm down.

After receiving Calderon’s approval, Disalvo listed the players with psychological issues. Among them were Sneijder, Gago, Higuain, Robinho, Marcelo, Pepe, Robben, Drenthe, and a bunch of others.

Schuster gritted his teeth as he watched the scene. If it weren’t for a tight rope in his head, he really wanted to lash out at Disalvo. But obviously, he couldn’t prove the players that Disalvo mentioned didn’t have psychological issues.

Moreover, Schuster did feel that the internal pressure of the team was reaching a dangerous tipping point, and if not guided, it could lead to a larger-scale outbreak.

Once Schuster lost control of the dressing room, it would essentially be the end for him as a coach.

For a head coach and a team, once you lose control of the dressing room, dismissal is basically the only option.

Disalvo submitted a recommended candidate, Sparkman, the ”designated” psychological counselor for the F1 genius driver. The British driver Hamilton, who just entered the F1 world this season, overcame enormous psychological pressure under his guidance and became the runner-up in his debut season.

Later, Sports Director Mijatovic had a private meeting with Schuster, during which they talked about Drenthe. Schuster had lost patience with Drenthe.

At the beginning, Schuster was quite optimistic about Drenthe, but Drenthe’s poor performance on the field left Schuster disappointed. In the left-back position, Schuster now preferred Marcelo.

”I have already reassured Drenthe.”

”I promised him that he would gradually get some playing time.”

”I hope you can give Drenthe some playtime at some appropriate moments.”

Mijatovic’s words made Schuster furious. He looked at Mijatovic angrily and said, ”Do you know what you’re saying?”

”Didn’t I give him a chance at the beginning of the season?”

”Now the best option is to sell him. He has no place here with me!”

”Did you see the recent reports in the Catalonia media?” Mijatovic, looking at Schuster with his blond hair flying, said, ”We can’t just sell Drenthe in the winter window like they say. Drenthe’s potential is undeniable.”

”Most importantly...”

”We can’t allow a transfer we brokered to be overturned within as short as half a year.”

Mijatovic’s ”we” clearly didn’t include Schuster, but it obviously represented Calderon’s stance.

Drenthe’s transfer was also one of Calderon’s ”black spots.” A ”flash of inspiration” player—is he really fit to wear Real Madrid’s white jersey?

Schuster’s internal anger kept piling up, and he wanted to roar and say, damn it, I’m done.

But it’s not the time yet; he wants to make some achievements, gain some capital, then put forward his demands.

”These damned higher-ups.”

”What’s wrong with the internal management of Real Madrid?”

Schuster’s eyes were filled with fatigue, but soon, he picked himself up again. He came to Real Madrid to start a Chapter, to break all kinds of records.

The next match is another home game, again at the Bernabeu!

”How many wins do we have already?”

”I want to keep winning!”

”And then, one day, I will shout out my voice against these decayed higher-ups.”