Perez adjusted his square glasses and continued speaking.
"Barcelona won't be a threat anymore. Laporta made the mistake of hiring Guardiola, a rookie coach. It's still too early to say, but they're already five points behind us in the league. This season is going smoothly for us."
"Haha. That's the kind of thing old men like to hear. But in times like these, we must remain cautious. Perhaps hiring Guardiola will turn out to be a stroke of genius."
"If you think so, I can't argue with you, but I'm not so sure."
Despite Perez usually taking Di Stefano's words to heart, he couldn't fully agree this time.
Currently, Real Madrid was stronger than any other team in the league, while Barcelona, who were struggling with their big-club status, had been disappointing.
Although they managed to beat Sporting Gijón in the third round, losing to Numancia, a newly-promoted team from the second division, was inexcusable.
Guardiola would likely carry that label of failure throughout this season.
'Of course, the likelihood of Guardiola being sacked before then is high...'
For that reason, Perez was looking at Real Madrid's season very optimistically.
He was eagerly anticipating the upcoming El Clásico for the same reason.
Of course, Di Stefano was also eagerly awaiting the El Clásico this season.
However, Di Stefano didn't think it would be an easy game for Real Madrid.
It wasn't just a gut feeling.
"Guardiola is trying to implement a new style of play, just like he did when he was a player."
"He wasn't a traditional defensive midfielder, was he?"
"No, he was the origin of Barcelona's 'traditional' style. He's a Catalan through and through, and has a strong affection for Barcelona."
"But affection alone won't bring success."
"He won't step down easily, though. Barcelona is going through a period of turmoil. Didn't something big happen last year?"
Last year, Barcelona had a major conflict between Ronaldinho and Messi.
In the end, they chose Messi's future over Ronaldinho's, sending the Brazilian to AC Milan.
Additionally, the coach was replaced with Guardiola, marking a period of crisis for Barcelona.
"But sometimes, a crisis becomes an opportunity."
"Yes. I'll take that as a reminder not to let my guard down."
At 61, Perez knew to step aside when speaking with the 82-year-old Di Stefano.
After all, Di Stefano was someone whose place in Real Madrid's history could never be surpassed.
Simply put, he was the embodiment of Real Madrid.
His words were absolute, and Perez knew to follow them.
If Real Madrid were ever crushed in an El Clásico, Di Stefano would be the one to publicly criticize Perez first.
"That's how it should be. Football is unpredictable."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Tweet!
The match resumed.
[Ho-young's free kick goal puts Real Madrid ahead. What a powerful shot!]
[This is called a spin kick, a method where the ball's lower sides are struck with an inside or outside foot, creating a bend depending on the power. It's more about feel and experience than theory. David Beckham reportedly practiced spin kicks over 300 times a day.]
[So just knowing how to do it doesn't mean anyone can pull it off.]
[Exactly. It's not just power; concentration, calmness, and precision are key to mastering the shot.]
Though it didn't have the same level of spin as Carlos's UFO shot, Ho-young's free kick was certainly worthy of applause.
[Ho-young's new weapon is on full display again today. His ability to learn from others is remarkable. He surely received some tutoring from Roberto Carlos. Now, we'll have to see how Sporting Gijón handles this pressure.]
With the match underway, Sporting Gijón had to play with ten men after Roberto Canella's red card.
Preciado switched to a 3-4-2 formation and instructed his team to attack aggressively, but the goddess of victory had already turned her back on them.
From that point on, the match was almost entirely one-sided.
Real Madrid began dominating with overwhelming play, taking control of possession and dictating the flow of the game.
Chances for Sporting Gijón were few and far between.
Though it was only the 30th minute of the first half, Sporting could have easily given up without raising any eyebrows.
Their possession was nonexistent, and they spent the first half in constant agony.
But they embraced that pain.
It was in such suffering that their true strength emerged, and they attacked desperately with burning passion.
Whether 11 men or 10, their players were always on the attack.
They poured all their energy into the first half, determined to leave everything on the field.
The result was a chaotic, intense battle that eventually bore fruit.
One goal.
Just before halftime, Sporting Gijón managed to pull one back with a valuable goal.
[The Santiago Bernabéu is alive with celebration. Sporting Gijón fans are dancing after David Barral's goal.]
[Haha. They're enjoying football for the sake of enjoying it, regardless of the score.]
Sporting Gijón's lone goal couldn't alter the flow of the match, which had long been tilted in Real Madrid's favor.
4-1.
Sporting's attacking power remained strong, but their defense was falling apart, while Real Madrid's attack grew more potent.
After Ho-young's opening goal, Raúl added two goals, and Saviola chipped in with one, resulting in the 4-1 scoreline.
Sporting Gijón's luck had run out.
The first half ended.
At halftime, Ho-young, who had contributed a goal and an assist, was substituted.
As the lone striker, he had been the focus of heavy marking from the opposition's defenders, and the physicality of the challenges meant it was better to take him off for protection.
Young players, still developing, carried a higher risk of injury, which made Schuster's decision understandable.
Additionally, Ho-young had been focusing on weight training recently to improve his lower body balance, so it was especially important for him to be cautious.
The second half continued in a similar manner to the first.
Real Madrid held their lead comfortably, and thanks to a strong performance from the substituted Higuaín, they claimed a 6-1 victory.
Perez, pleased with the result, left his seat and went to the locker room to encourage the players before heading out of the stadium. But the reporters wouldn't leave him alone.
Normally, he would have brushed them off, but today he was in such a good mood that he accepted an interview request from Marca.
"Many fans are ecstatic about Real Madrid's current form. Some even predict this will be the best season. Do you agree?"
"We've experienced some remarkable things over the past two weeks. We've won every match since the start of the season, and a 15-year-old boy has been lighting up the Bernabéu. I can't help but agree that this could be the best season."
"I agree. The trust fans have in Ho-young seems stronger than with any other young player. I hear his jerseys are sold out. Is that true?"
"He's only been here for a month, but the Adidas store at the Bernabéu is constantly packed with fans looking for his jerseys. His section is restocked every day."
The jersey sell-out.
It was clear how much fans adored Ho-young.
Just like Wayne Rooney at Manchester United or Michael Owen at Liverpool, Real Madrid now had a Ho-young phenomenon.
The last question from the reporter came.
"Looking at Ho-young's appearances so far, he seems to be getting quite a bit of playing time for a substitute. Will he get more opportunities in the future?"
"That's something Coach Schuster has to decide. But if he hadn't thought about Ho-young's future, he would have thrown him into every game and overworked him. I agree that Ho-young needs to rest and manage his condition. To show his best when it matters."
"Are you saying his talent hasn't reached its peak yet?"
"If there is a limit, I'd like to know where it is."
As Perez finished speaking, the reporter thanked him.
There could hardly be a better headline than that.
The next morning, Perez's full interview was featured in Marca's tabloid and online articles, sparking widespread attention.
[Marca Exclusive: Perez hints that Ho-young will be given more opportunities, saying "Ho-young still has more to show."]
Meanwhile, in Milan, Italy.
At AC Milan's Casa Milan boardroom.
Carlo Ancelotti, reading Perez's interview article, stood up as the bald man entered the room.
It was Adriano Galliani, the vice-president of AC Milan.
"Welcome."
"Please, take a seat."
The meeting between the two was about the current situation of the club.
After the Calciopoli scandal two years ago, AC Milan had been struggling in the league, and this year was no different. With 1 draw and 2 losses already, they were having their worst season.
For this reason, Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister and owner of AC Milan, was putting pressure on Ancelotti.
If it hadn't been for last year's Champions League win, Ancelotti would have been fired long ago.
As it stood, Ancelotti needed to show improvement, and on top of that, he needed to address the aging team's ongoing issues.
Currently, the club's key player, Ronaldo, was playing a significant role as a super-sub, but no one knew when he might retire.
He had decided to play until the end of this season, but if he were to get injured, it would be a major problem for AC Milan.
Thus, Ancelotti needed to find a solution.
He got to the point.
"I want to bring Ho-young from Real Madrid."
This was the reason Galliani had set up the meeting.
"Do we have a way to make it happen?"
"If there's no way, we'll have to create one."
Adriano Galliani, known as a shrewd businessman in football, decided to send a capable person to Madrid to test the waters.
(To be continued.)