"If the three of us are going through special training, then that means you're planning to use the 4-2-3-1 formation," said Ho-young.
"In that case, I'd prefer to take on the role of an inside forward on the left," added Cristiano Ronaldo.
Douglas, lacking both experience and confidence, remained silent as the two spoke in turn.
Scolari then opened his mouth.
"I'll explain your specific roles later. For now, let me briefly describe the training you'll begin today."
"Is it a link-up training session?" Ho-young asked.
"No, there's a stage before that. It's called the 'Chaser Drill'."
In truth, attacking drills tend to be much more repetitive and monotonous than defensive ones.
Even when teams try unique offensive training methods, the impact in real matches is often minimal.
Because of that, attackers usually focus on the basics: dribbling and shooting. Then they move on to more advanced training, like breaking free from pressure or working on set pieces.
Essentially, these are core sessions aimed at maintaining match sharpness.
Some teams go further by grouping players together for positional or combination training, and if they're facing an opponent with a particularly strong defensive structure, they'll even tailor their drills to specific scenarios.
Even this much already consumes a great deal of time.
So for Scolari to add another layer of training indicated one thing: he had conviction.
"Chaser Drill, huh..."
It was a term Ho-young had never heard before.
In his eight years of playing football, not once had he encountered it.
They say top managers all have their own unique methods. This had to be one of Scolari's.
"Is it a tactic where the three of us rotate in a triangle, chasing each other's movements?"
Having absorbed Bernd Schuster's talent and elevated his tactical understanding to S-rank, Ho-young's perspective on football had deepened considerably.
And right on cue, Scolari addressed exactly what had been on Ho-young's mind.
"Barcelona's pressing and counter-pressing last season were excellent. In response, Bernd Schuster employed a passive style, letting them press before punishing them in return. That was your idea, wasn't it, Ho-young?"
"Yes, I suggested it."
"That was a brilliant counter-tactic. But they're more solid and compact now. Just like Lionel Messi said in his interview, they've surely patched up their previous weaknesses. If I were Guardiola, I'd have done exactly that."
All three nodded.
Any football expert would agree.
"Which is why this time, we won't be playing like runners or bystanders. And if we do, it'll only be in response to Barcelona's tactical shift."
"Then what's the main tactic?"
"We'll stick to our existing structure. But alongside it, we'll train to escape heavily pressured zones quickly, creating space through complex and organic movement. That's the purpose of the Chaser Drill."
In short, a training method to simultaneously sharpen pressing and press-resistance.
The training began immediately.
It would run for the next two weeks.
Ahead of El Clásico, several changes occurred within the team.
Pedro Mosquera, who had impressed last season in Castilla, was promoted to the first team. The rest of the squad focused on building chemistry with Marcos Alonso, Douglas Costa, and others.
Issues around wages were set aside to protect the team's morale.
With three key players sidelined for the upcoming El Clásico, boosting the squad's momentum in any way was critical.
Fortunately, there was some good news.
"Barcelona has their share of injuries too. From what I can tell, Henry, Busquets, and Abidal are all doubtful. So there's no need to be intimidated. Football is 50 percent momentum."
After finishing the morning briefing, Scolari transitioned into training focused on El Clásico in the afternoon.
While a match against Racing Santander was scheduled the following week, Scolari wasn't too concerned.
In fact, he viewed it as a dry run for El Clásico.
He planned to experiment with bold tactics in that match.
Meanwhile, the Chaser Drill continued smoothly.
For the first four days, Ronaldo, Ho-young, and Douglas formed a group. Over the next three days, Raúl, Benzema, and Higuaín took turns joining, creating four-man rotations.
Van Nistelrooy, whose mobility had declined, was excluded from the starting lineup altogether.
Ho-young, who was appointed training lead for the drill, passed on his knowledge to the others whenever he could, boosting their confidence.
Among the trio playing in the second line, Ho-young was the only one with El Clásico experience.
While Ronaldo might have felt his pride was wounded, he focused on training without issue.
After all, he had scored 16 goals in 15 matches since the season began—seven of which were assisted by Ho-young.
It was hard to hold a grudge against someone who helped you thrive.
More than anything, Ronaldo liked Ho-young's personality.
He appreciated how he always considered his teammates' opinions and led training with a collaborative mindset.
He saw glimpses of Michael Carrick and Park Ji-sung's model professionalism, along with Wayne Rooney's boldness.
But what impressed him the most was something else.
"Cris, what if we try switching like this in an actual match?"
"This kind of training is tough to apply in real games. It's just to develop pressing and counter-pressing. Using this as a tactic would be too idealistic."
"You're right. But if we keep thinking about it, maybe we'll find a way. That's how Guardiola's tiki-taka came into existence. No reason we can't do the same."
That determination to find a method, that focused mindset, and that raw talent.
It was clear Ho-young genuinely loved football.
"Been a long time since I've met someone who loves the game as much as I do."
It felt strangely familiar.
Almost like seeing a young Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson, known for pouring his entire life into football, was universally regarded as obsessed with the sport.
And watching Ho-young, Ronaldo couldn't help but imagine that Ferguson might have been just like this as a young man.
"Yeah. If there are parts that don't fit reality, we'll adjust them ourselves."
"Yes."
Ho-young and Ronaldo exchanged a look of mutual understanding.
The goosebumps rising on their arms weren't from embarrassment, but from that powerful sense of connection.
Footballers grow close in two ways.
One is physically, by sweating together.
The other is mentally, by aligning thoughts and understanding.
Ho-young and Ronaldo were going through the latter.
Still a bit awkward, but they respected and understood each other mentally.
And watching the two with wide-eyed admiration was Douglas Costa.
He swallowed hard, overwhelmed by the feeling that he had stepped into a completely different world.
November 21. Santiago Bernabéu.
With the stands packed to capacity, both teams entered the pitch.
It was a clash between Real Madrid, aiming for their ninth league win, and Racing Santander, chasing their second.
Racing had recorded 1 win, 6 draws, and 3 losses this season.
Only one win was a concern, but they had managed enough draws to hover around mid-table.
"Racing Santander, who are on a four-match draw streak, have come out in a 5-4-1 formation today. Five defenders at the back, with Pape Diop and Marc Torrejón in front of them as holding midfielders. Ahead of them, Raúl García is positioned in the second line."
Pape Diop and Marc Torrejón, signed for €3 million, and Raúl García, picked up for free from Atlético Madrid, were the foundation of Racing's "draw king" strategy.
They would pour out their energy in the first half with tight pressing in midfield, then be subbed out once their stamina ran dry.
That was their game plan.
"In contrast, Real Madrid have gone with a bold and experimental approach. A 4-3-3 setup with Ronaldo, Raúl, and Ho-young as the front three."
"It might be a smokescreen ahead of next week's El Clásico, but depending on today's results, it could actually be used. Barcelona's analysts must be scrambling right now."
The match unfolded dramatically from the start.
Racing adopted an extremely defensive posture, while Real poured on the pressure with aggressive attacking play.
Every move began in midfield.
Defensive midfielder Lassana Diarra anchored the back, while Xabi Alonso and Yoann Gourcuff distributed the ball and built up play.
"The chemistry between the two is better than expected. Xabi Alonso, of course, is solid, and Gourcuff is also performing well. After a dreadful season with AC Milan, he's showing he's still got something left."
"Absolutely. He's only 23. Still plenty of room to grow. There's a reason he was once called the second Zidane."
Gourcuff used his excellent vision to spray precise passes across the pitch.
When Pape Diop charged in with aggressive pressure, he calmly escaped using his refined footwork.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso continued linking up with the front three.
"Ronaldo, Raúl, and Ho-young are constantly switching positions up front, disrupting Racing's defensive line."
"It's fluid and organic movement. It could be chaotic without proper support, but with Alonso orchestrating things from behind, they have the freedom to move as they like."
The first big chance came from Alonso's feet.
"A diagonal ball is played out wide. Cristiano Ronaldo chases it down. He goes for the dribble."
"José Crespo rushes in to mark him."
But things unfolded in an instant.
Tap.
Boom!
A fake step sent José Crespo the wrong way. Ronaldo powered a shot from his favorite angle.
It was perfectly struck, but the goalkeeper managed to get a fingertip to it and deflect it wide.
The follow-up?
Thud!
Ho-young was waiting at the perfect spot.
"Goal! It's a goal! Ho-young scores his ninth league goal! He might actually win the Golden Boot this year!"
Oooooooooh!
The roar from the stands echoed behind him.
But Ho-young kept his celebration short.
His face showed a mix of emotions.
Tweet—
The match ended in a 2-0 victory for Real Madrid.
And before even changing out of his kit, Ho-young went straight to the manager's office.
Scolari looked up and asked why he had come.
Ho-young wore a troubled expression as he answered.
"I have something I need to say regarding the tactics."
At that, even the expression on Scolari's face began to grow complicated as he took a sip from his water bottle.
(To be continued.)
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