Chapter 1266: Chapter 1266

After the match, the Leeds United players, led by captain Jamie Vardy, went to each stand to thank the fans who had come to the stadium.

The 67,000 Leeds United fans in attendance gave the players a standing ovation.

With a 3-0 home win and a 4-3 away victory, Leeds United advanced to the Champions League semi-finals with an aggregate score of 7-3.

This marks Leeds United's third consecutive season reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

All the fans in the stadium were cheering wildly, but many were moved to tears.

In this moment, they were happy.

But whenever they thought back to the past, they worried that everything they had now felt too unreal.

Who would have thought that seven years ago, this team was still struggling in the Championship?

Who could have imagined that, over the past decade or so, this team had repeatedly teetered on the brink of bankruptcy?

Gao Shen saved Leeds United.

Without Gao Shen's arrival, Leeds United would never be where it is today.

They wouldn't be sitting in this dream stadium that fans around the world envy, watching their team play.

All the fans shouted at the top of their lungs, venting their emotions.

They had become used to Leeds United letting go of a group of players every summer. That was how the club survived.

But they had gradually adapted to this way of life. It made them cherish the present even more and look forward to the future with greater anticipation.

Because every season, Leeds United grew stronger. And they kept growing stronger.

"This is an incredible team!"

"Even before the season started, there were rumors that this would be Mbappe's last season at Leeds United."

"Over the past year, players like Mbappe, Dembele, and Bernardo Silva have all been linked to top clubs, leading many to worry that Leeds United would be completely stripped of talent."

"But this season, we were surprised to find that Leeds United remains unshakeable."

"I remember that before the season started, Gao Shen, the world-renowned manager and owner of Leeds United, said in a TV interview that many people misunderstood Leeds United. He didn't believe that simply poaching players could bring down the club."

"Over the years, the players, coaches, and staff developed by Leeds United have been sought after by clubs all over Europe. But Gao Shen and the club never stopped them from leaving or forced them to stay. Instead, they maintained an open attitude."

"I remember a few years ago, many clubs even claimed they would rebuild Leeds United by poaching a large number of its coaches and staff. But they failed, and ended up burdened with high salaries."

"UEFA once did an exclusive interview with Leeds United's technical director, Borrell, discussing their youth development model, and trying to understand why the club was able to continuously produce outstanding talent, even surpassing Ajax at its peak."

"In today's European football scene, there's a popular trend: if you want to buy a player, go to Leeds United. They might be expensive, but you won't go wrong."

"Borrell said Leeds United has no single barrier. If there is one, it's the entire team."

"A system built by one or two individuals cannot form a strong moat, because opponents can simply poach those people and replicate the model."

"But Leeds United clearly isn't like that. Borrell even joked that even if someone poached all of their top executives, including Fernando Lucas, along with every coach and staff member, they still couldn't copy Leeds United. Because this club is one of a kind."

"Leeds United's strength lies in everyone within the club, from top to bottom, across countless systems, assets, technologies, partners, and the experience accumulated through long-term investment."

"Anyone who has worked with Leeds United is familiar with the process."

"This club is hailed as a model of modern management in 21st-century sports."

"While many were concerned that Mbappe's departure would have a major impact on the team, they later found out that Leeds United had already signed a Brazilian player named Vinicius around that time."

"This season, the 18-year-old prodigy has shone in the Premier League and received widespread praise."

"Everyone now believes that even if Mbappe leaves, Vinicius will surely become the main force on the left wing."

"When people were still lamenting Harry Kane's departure, they suddenly realized that Vardy had quietly become the top scorer in England. Only then did they understand that Kane's success had a lot to do with the strength of the Leeds United team behind him."

"And now, a tall striker named Haaland is rising. He's received formal and scientific youth training at Leeds United since the age of nine. His ability and talent are already clearly surpassing Kane's."

"And there's Milinkovic, Valverde, and many more..."

"Watching this young Leeds United team reach the Champions League semi-finals again, and looking back at all the stars who came from this club, we can't help but marvel at its strength."

"This is the Leeds United that cannot be brought down."

The commentator's voice echoed throughout the stadium, reaching every corner.

Every Leeds United fan was cheering.

The players on the pitch applauded in response.

After the players finished interacting with the fans and were heading off the field, they suddenly saw Gao Shen standing at the entrance of the players' tunnel, waiting for them.

The players immediately picked up their pace to greet him.

"Hey Gao, great to see you!"

"You guys were fantastic tonight. I'm so proud of you!"

Gao Shen laughed heartily and hugged each player.

He didn't go onto the field. That was the players', Pochettino's, and the coaching staff's moment.

He stood inside the tunnel to welcome them back.

Regarding Mbappe, Gao Shen jokingly said he didn't bring out his best tonight.

Mbappe nodded in agreement. "I think I could've done better."

"Then keep working at it," Gao Shen encouraged, patting his arm.

Mbappe nodded seriously, then walked into the locker room.

"Hey, Buu!" Gao Shen shouted at Haaland.

The Norwegian striker, much taller than Gao Shen, looked at him speechlessly.

At first, he had no idea what "Buu" meant. But then Takashi posted a comic on Twitter, and...

"Boss, they all call me that now, just like you." Haaland sounded annoyed.

That thing is so ugly.

Am I really that ugly?

Besides, I only hit people. I don't eat them, okay?

"You have to admit, because of you, Buu has started to look kind of cute," Takashi said seriously.

Haaland shook his head. He really couldn't understand how that thing could be called cute.

How did it feel to score a goal in the Champions League?

Haaland turned to look toward the entrance of the players' tunnel, still caught up in the roar of the crowd.

"That was so much fun!"

"Exactly. Remember this feeling. But you still have a long way to go, and that's normal. We'll take it step by step and improve gradually, alright?" Gao Shen guided him patiently.

The Norwegian striker nodded seriously. He trusted Gao Shen completely.

It was Gao Shen who had discovered him on a local pitch in Norway and brought him to Leeds United, leading to the success he had today. This story had become a legend in European football.

But it wasn't enough.

Gao Shen had made it very clear to Haaland that Leeds United would devote all its resources to developing him into the best, strongest center forward in the world.

Previously, Gao Shen had even shown him videos of Adriano.

"You're starting to look a bit like Adriano when you dribble and charge forward. But that's not enough for a center forward. And that's the easiest skill to learn."

"That's what Rudolf told me too," Haaland nodded.

"Next, you need to focus on back-to-goal ball control, turning under pressure, and building your physical strength. You need to master the full skill set of a center forward. Do you understand?"

Haaland could feel the high expectations placed on him and nodded repeatedly.

In fact, Gao Shen believed that Haaland's dribbling and individual ability already matched, or even surpassed, Adriano's potential once he matured.

But for a center forward, that alone wasn't enough. He needed a complete skill set to avoid wasting his powerful physique. Fınd the newest release on N()velFire.net

Leeds United had arranged for experts to study Haaland's muscle structure and develop the most suitable training programs, aiming to enhance his physical confrontation ability without losing his speed, explosiveness, or agility.

The coaching staff had also been working with him on specialized center forward training, especially back-to-goal receiving and turning, which were crucial.

For example, why was Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku's development limited?

With his physical attributes, he should have become a dominant center forward. But he couldn't develop the necessary skill set, and instead became a strange contradiction.

For a player like Lukaku, padding stats was easy. But once the match intensity rose, especially in high-pressure games with heavy defensive focus, he often disappeared.

That was the limitation.

Drogba never scored that many goals, but why is he still remembered by countless fans?

Because he played the center forward role exceptionally well, with tremendous tactical value and a huge impact in big matches.

If Haaland didn't want to end up like Lukaku, he needed to take advantage of this time to build a full center forward skill set.

Only then could he truly become a top-class superstar.

Otherwise, at best, he'd just be a slightly better Lukaku.