Real Madrid

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Real Madrid (皇家马德里)
Alias(es)	Galactic Battleship
Affiliation	La Liga
Occupation/Role	Professional football club
Home Ground	Bernabeu
Manager	José Mourinho during the depicted era 419
Captaincy	Raúl (captain); Lin Feng and Iker Casillas (vice-captains, 2009–10) 640
First Appearance	93

History

Galactic Battleship decline and rebuilding

Real Madrid's earlier “Galactic Battleship” was built around stars including Ronaldo, Zidane, Raúl, Beckham, Michael Owen, Guti, Roberto Carlos, and Robinho. Despite the squad's immense value, a disastrous defeat to Lyon exposed a lack of tactical organization and balance; contemporary reports described the team as a sinking “Titanic.” 93

The club's need for a Zidane successor became urgent as the veteran midfielder's physical decline became unavoidable. Real Madrid identified the attacking-midfield position as its principal area for reinforcement. 157

A January rebuild brought three young arrivals:

Transfer Window	Player	Fee	Notes
January 2007	Gonzalo Higuaín	€12 million	Signed from River Plate. 301
January 2007	Marcelo	€6.5 million	Brazilian defender signed from Fluminense. 301
January 2007	Fernando Gago	€20.5 million	Boca Juniors midfielder, regarded at the time as the “Second Redondo.” 301

Under Fabio Capello, Real Madrid could appear formidable or fragile: they defeated Barcelona 2–0 in El Clásico but suffered two 0–2 defeats to Lyon in the Champions League group stage. 290 Capello was dismissed after the season, continuing the club's reputation for rapid managerial turnover; seven managers had reportedly been paid severance over four years. 414

Mourinho and Lin Feng era

Real Madrid appointed José Mourinho and signed Lin Feng from Inter Milan for €100 million, making him the first player in the novel's football world to command a nine-figure euro transfer fee. The move was presented as the launch of the second Galactic Battleship era and made Lin Feng the first Asian player to join the club. 416

Lin Feng's arrival immediately altered the dressing-room hierarchy, which had previously been dominated by national cliques led by Raúl's Spanish contingent. 417 419 Mourinho established authority by openly disciplining players, including using Robinho as an example before his departure and temporarily deploying Lin Feng as a defensive midfielder to demonstrate that no player was above the manager. 420 428

Real Madrid's attack became exceptionally productive. In the first ten league rounds of the 2007–08 season, the team scored 29 goals—nine more than Barcelona—although the absence of a settled defensive midfielder left the side more vulnerable than Mourinho preferred. 441

The club won La Liga with five rounds remaining, a league record, and celebrated its 31st league title after receiving a guard of honor from Athletic Bilbao. 468 472

European resurgence

After three consecutive Champions League Round of 16 eliminations, Real Madrid eliminated AS Roma 5–1 on aggregate to return to the quarterfinals. 458

In the Champions League final against Manchester United, Lin Feng scored directly from a corner and Real Madrid won 3–1, securing the club's tenth European crown. Mourinho used three defensive midfielders late in the match to protect the lead. 482

Real Madrid later won a second Champions League title in two seasons, becoming the first club since the competition's restructuring to successfully defend the trophy. 625 By the following campaign, the club reached a third consecutive Champions League final, scheduled against Barcelona at the Bernabeu, though UEFA converted the stadium into a neutral venue for the occasion. 680 683

Continued squad overhaul

Following an uneven first half of the next season, Real Madrid accelerated its generational transition through major winter spending.

Window	Player	Fee	Notes
Winter 2008	Javier Mascherano	€30 million	Joined from Liverpool and became part of Lin Feng's group within the squad. 455
Winter 2009	Karim Benzema	€40 million	Signed from Lyon amid concerns that the fee exceeded his proven level. 564
Winter 2009	Klaas-Jan Huntelaar	€27 million	Added to deepen the forward line. 564
Winter 2009	Raúl Albiol	€15 million	Signed from Valencia as part of the defensive renewal. 564
Winter 2009	Thiago Silva	€12 million	Initially criticized as an unproven signing; later impressed on his debut after Pepe's red card. 566 573
Summer 2009	Luka Modrić	€30 million	Signed from Tottenham as depth and a long-term understudy for Lin Feng. 636
Summer 2009	Xavi Alonso	€35 million	Recruited from Liverpool to move more playmaking responsibility deeper and free Lin Feng to attack. 636
Summer 2009	Cristiano Ronaldo	€96 million	Signed from Manchester United for a world-record fee. 636
Summer 2009	Ángel Di María	€15 million	Benfica winger brought in as a flexible, assist-oriented wide option. 640

The overhaul also involved major departures. Robben moved to Bayern Munich for €45 million, while veterans including Van Nistelrooy were allowed to leave with consideration for their service to the club. 636

Tactical Identity

Real Madrid's tactical approach under Mourinho was built around defensive structure, rapid transitions, and the individual impact of its midfield and attacking stars.

• Against stronger opponents willing to attack, Real Madrid often exploited the space behind advanced defensive lines through counterattacks. 441
• Against deep defensive blocks, the team could struggle to create chances because opponents denied transition opportunities and forced positional attacks. 441
• The 2007–08 side used a 4-2-3-1 in the Champions League final, with Gago and Diarra shielding a three-man attacking-midfield line of Raúl, Lin Feng, and Sneijder. 477
• Mourinho used three defensive midfielders to close out the Champions League final against Manchester United. 482
• After Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival, Xavi Alonso's deeper organization allowed Lin Feng greater freedom in the final third. 636
• By the 2009–10 campaign, the Lin Feng–Cristiano Ronaldo partnership gave Real Madrid enough attacking quality to play proactively rather than rely exclusively on counterattacks. 657

Squad

2009–10 first-team squad

Position	Players
Goalkeepers	Iker Casillas, Jerzy Dudek, Antonio Adán
Defenders	Álvaro Arbeloa, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Raúl Albiol, Ezequiel Garay, Thiago Silva
Midfielders	Lin Feng, Xavi Alonso, Luka Modrić, Mahamadou Diarra, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Canales, Esteban Granero, Lassana Diarra
Forwards	Raúl, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuaín, Ángel Di María

The squad list was recorded for the 2009–10 team photograph at Valdebebas. 640

Key figures

• José Mourinho — Head coach who imposed strict standards, prioritized performance over seniority, and relied heavily on rotation across multiple competitions. 419 566 646
• Raúl — Long-serving captain and leader of the Spanish clique; had been with the first team since 1994. 419
• Lin Feng — Record signing, midfield core, vice-captain, and the focal point of Real Madrid's sporting and commercial resurgence. 416 625
• Cristiano Ronaldo — Record €96 million signing whose early tactical adjustment was difficult, but whose partnership with Lin Feng became central to the team's attack. 636 644
• Iker Casillas — Vice-captain and decisive goalkeeper, repeatedly credited with preserving results through one-on-one saves and high-pressure performances. 316 469
• Zinedine Zidane — Former Real Madrid star who returned as an assistant coach and discussed tactical ideas with Lin Feng. 596

Major Results

Competition / Milestone	Result
La Liga, 2007–08	Won the title with five rounds remaining; the club's 31st league championship. 468 472
Champions League, 2007–08	Defeated Manchester United 3–1 in the final to win a tenth Champions League title. 482
Champions League, following season	Won a second consecutive Champions League title, becoming the first club in the restructured competition to defend it. 625
Spanish Super Cup	Defeated Barcelona; Lin Feng and Di María's combination was decisive. 643
UEFA Super Cup	Won with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice against Shakhtar Donetsk. 643
Champions League group stage, 2009–10	Finished first with 15 points after victories over Zürich and Olympique de Marseille. 662
FIFA Club World Cup semifinal	Defeated Pohang Steelers 5–0. 666
Copa del Rey final	Defeated Sevilla 2–0 to claim the club's fifth trophy of the season. 683

Rivalries

• Barcelona — Real Madrid's principal domestic rival. At one point in the story, Real Madrid held 30 La Liga titles to Barcelona's 18, while Barcelona's modern resurgence challenged Real Madrid's historical dominance. 428 The rivalry extended to league title races, Spanish Super Cups, and consecutive Champions League semifinal and final meetings. 596 640 683
• Atlético Madrid — City rival in the Madrid derby. Real Madrid completed a 2–0 away win and season double in one campaign, then later defeated Atlético 3–0 at the Calderón Stadium during a ten-match league winning streak. 455 657
• Manchester United — Major European opponent defeated in the Champions League final for the club's tenth crown; Cristiano Ronaldo later transferred from United to Real Madrid. 482 636
• Liverpool — A recurring Champions League opponent whose midfield was overwhelmed by Real Madrid's pressing and Lin Feng's physical dominance in one semifinal meeting. 469
• Chelsea — Mourinho's former club and a Champions League opponent; Real Madrid advanced after a 5–3 aggregate victory despite a 4–4 second-leg draw. 595

Facilities and Commercial Influence

Real Madrid's Valdebebas training base is portrayed as a major institutional advantage. It contains administrative facilities, player dormitories, a medical center, gym, entertainment center, indoor swimming pool, and eleven high-standard training pitches using the same imported Dutch turf as the Bernabeu. 417

Every player and coach can stay in an individual room at the training base, allowing the squad to live close to the training pitches and reduce commuting time. 417

The club was voted FIFA Magazine's Best Club of the Twentieth Century in 2000, receiving 42.35% of the vote compared with Manchester United's 9.69%. 158

Lin Feng's signing significantly expanded Real Madrid's reach in Asia. His arrival attracted Asian sponsors and supporters, while the club's China tour generated a reported net profit of €15 million across three warm-up matches. 417 625 640