Chapter 658: Chapter 81: Yielding—Who Is the Real Boss? (Part 2)

"In recent years, the Real Madrid locker room can be described as the most united and unified, and a very important aspect is that we can always internally resolve issues."

"But Igor, what did your girlfriend do?"

"She openly talked about a certain player in the locker room on media, and also discussed who has a bad relationship with whom."

"You’re not the only one on the team with a partner, Igor."

"But only your girlfriend has such issues."

"I believe no one would want to go through what Cristiano experienced."

In the locker room, the players quietly discussed among themselves, quickly piecing together the origin of the conflict.

The idea that family disgrace shouldn’t be made public is present even abroad.

Internal conflicts are internal conflicts; if you’re dissatisfied with someone, that’s your own business, but making it public for everyone to know is inappropriate.

"Also, we’re discussing Cristiano’s issue next."

"His performance on the pitch is one thing, but I don’t think his way of handling the issue was wrong."

"No problem?" Casillas couldn’t help but retort, looking at Chen Zhong, "Do you want others to point fingers at your girlfriend?"

"Good!" Chen Zhong smiled at Casillas.

Then he looked at the other players in the locker room, especially those who seemed to agree strongly.

"So, Igor, tell me."

"Would you prefer Cristiano to be like your girlfriend, to go on a show and discuss the issue there? Or privately approach your girlfriend, or get her contact details to resolve the issue? Or pressure the club or cause conflicts in the locker room?"

The locker room was silent, and everyone followed Chen Zhong’s words to think through the issue.

Yeah!

Go on a show and argue?

Contact your woman privately?

Or complain to the club and expose everything?

None of these seemed like good options.

Casillas obviously realized this too.

Chen Zhong was now pointing this out.

"Indeed, Cristiano did not choose the three terrible paths."

"He chose to privately send you a text message to express his concerns about this matter."

"And then..." Chen Zhong looked around the locker room, glanced at all the players, then fixed his gaze on Casillas and said, "You ended up making everyone aware of this issue."

"You could choose not to reply."

"Or choose to reply with ’noted.’

"But you chose the worst way to handle it, at a time when the team needed stability."

Casillas fell silent, and the other players in the locker room started discussing fervently. Marcelo, eyes wide, said enthusiastically to Pepe, "Chen is so articulate in his speech. I feel so at ease listening to him explain the problem."

"This is Igor’s problem."

There’s no coercion, but rather a clear presentation, discussing the issue in front of everyone in the locker room.

Casillas gave Chen Zhong a somewhat ’resentful’ look, admitting he was wrong, but does that mean Chen Zhong never made any mistakes?

At least, right then and there.

He was saying all this about the team’s second-in-command, me, in front of everyone in the locker room. Was it really all for public good and no personal motive?

Casillas wasn’t the only one who thought so, some other players did too.

They might have some ’saintly’ feelings, experiencing a pang of sympathy watching Chen Zhong handle the problem so mercilessly.

Chen Zhong obviously knew there would be such thoughts, so after glancing around, he continued, "Actually..."

"You still had ways to remedy the situation at the time."

Casillas lifted his head, other players also turned their attention to Chen Zhong. Most might not fully grasp this method, but a few clearly did.

For instance, Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Cristiano came to me immediately after the event occurred."

"Igor, I’ve always been waiting for you."

"But you never came to see me."

"I don’t know what I did to make you disrespect me so much."

"You even refuse to call me captain."

...

Chen Zhong looked at Casillas and said, "As captain, maintaining locker room stability and resolving conflicts between players is what I should do."

"We are all products of Real Madrid’s youth system, and we all love this club deeply."

"But when this happened, you didn’t come to look for me, but Cristiano did."

There were quite a few youth system players present in the locker room, such as Negredo, Granero, Callejon, Parejo, Morata...

They, at that moment, put themselves in Casillas’ shoes. If they were in his position at that time, they would have immediately sought out Chen Zhong to clarify the issue, but Casillas didn’t.

Moreover, for so long, Casillas never seemed to refer to Chen Zhong as captain.

It seemed that some people never quite understood their position!

The alignment in the locker room subtly shifted, with almost all players crowding on Chen Zhong’s side, while Casillas’ side was pretty much empty.

Casillas was deeply conflicted internally.

And so were Ramos and some other older players.

Although Chen Zhong was Real Madrid’s de facto captain, due to his age, players like Casillas couldn’t deny or replace Chen Zhong’s standing, yet were unwilling to ’accept fate.’

But now, Chen Zhong had openly laid bare this issue.

There’s a Chinese idiom, "killing the chicken to scare the monkey," and now, Casillas was that chicken.

"Sorry, captain."

"It’s my issue, and I didn’t think it through."

"I’ve now realized the severity of the problem."

Casillas conceded, looking at the players behind Chen Zhong, he recognized who was really in charge; it wasn’t a balanced fight, but rather his own futile conceit.

And from today onwards, a principle will be instilled in the Real Madrid locker room, which is: when you have a problem, go to the captain and let the captain preside over fairness.

To know, someone as seasoned as Casillas, apart from Chen Zhong, a leading figure in the locker room, had no power to counter him; who else would dare to challenge?

And Chen Zhong’s action made players like Cavaleiro, Khedira, Di Maria, reassess their understanding of Chen Zhong, even Benzema.

The French center forward, recently nicknamed "Benzemew" by the media, also began seriously contemplating one issue.

Which is, if next time there’s a chance to pass, then it should be to Chen Zhong!

Though Cristiano Ronaldo has always had his back, Benzema couldn’t help but acknowledge, seeing Cristiano Ronaldo’s eyes seemingly shooting hearts now, a fact that this proud Portuguese is also part of ’Chen’s faction.’

After today’s events, everyone in the locker room would have realized one reality.

In Real Madrid, no one can ’bristle’ in front of Chen Zhong.

Casillas returned to his spot, and under Chen Zhong’s mediation, Cristiano Ronaldo and Casillas officially reconciled.

Moreover, Chen Zhong suggested the club soon arrange interviews for both, hoping they could demonstrate a united and friendly image.

What more is there to say?

He can even arrange club interviews...

Up to this point, the factional struggles that started with rumors and speculations since the beginning of the season, today, fully converged under ’Chen.’