Christian Schäfer - Der Professor

Strange to see Sofiane Boufal at Real Madrid considering he's still an average player at Lille on my Marseille save!

Jesus! The amount of work that must of went into those club & squad overviews is impressive!

Easy to forget just how far in you are too but then you see Ronaldo at 38, Isco 31, Martial 27 etc. Anyway, interesting times, best of luck, not that you'll need it

Message From Marco van Basten:

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Christian, below are the transfer & wage budgets for this season, as well as a list of the five players which the board have placed on a shortlist. Remember, you MUST sign at least two of these players. That is a direct order from Emilio Butragueño himself.
Transfer Budget: €200M
Transfer Revenue Available: 90%
Wage Budget: €7.5M p/w
Current Wage Spend: €6.4M p/w

Shortlist:

• Breel Embolo
• David De Gea
• Hirving Lozano
• Andrés Cubas
• Martin Ødegaard

Breel Embolo

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Full Name: Breel Donald Embolo
Club: Arsenal (ENG)
Position: ST(C), AM(RC)
Date Of Birth: 14/02/1997
Nationality: Swiss (89 Caps, 63 Goals)

Breel Embolo has become a household name in recent years, playing a key role in ten trophy victories for Arsenal since joining in 2017. The twenty-six year old is widely considered as one most prolific goalscorers in football, and he picked up the Barclays Premier League Golden Boot in 2020/2021, scoring 26 goals.

Embolo's versatility makes him a valuable asset, with the ability to play up front, behind the striker and out wide. His pace and power, along with his fitness, makes him the ultimate athlete. His dribbling ability has given many defenders a reason to fear him. Embolo is well-known for performing in big games, and would be a fantastic asset for Real Madrid.

Scout's Opinion:
Estimated Cost: €96M - €138M

David De Gea

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Full Name: David De Gea Quintana
Club: Manchester United (ENG)
Position: GK
Date Of Birth: 07/11/1990
Nationality: Spanish (99 Caps)

David De Gea nearly became a Real Madrid player in the summer 2015, but his move fell through as paperwork failed to be cleared by the relevant officials before the deadline passed. The Spaniard has been at Manchester United since 2011, and won the Premier League in 2013. However, his side has failed to win the league since, but De Gea played key roles in League Cup victories in 2017, 2018 and 2020, as well as Spain's World Cup triumph in 2022, last year.

De Gea is renowned as the ultimate shot-stopper. His reflexes make him capable of producing the most amazing of saves, and his ability to claim the ball in the air provides his defense with confidence when crosses are sent in to the box. De Gea is of a highly ambitious nature, and this ambition would prove to be rather infectious, should he finally make his move to Real Madrid.

Scout's Opinion:
Estimated Cost: €50M - €70M

Hirving Lozano

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Full Name: Hirving Rodrigo Lozano Bahena
Club: Juventus (ITA)
Position: AM(RL)
Date Of Birth: 30/07/1995
Nationality: Mexican (84 Caps, 8 Goals)

Hirving Lozano has become a world class player since joining Juventus in 2016. The Mexican winger has all the skills required to fit in to any team in the world, and has won five Serie A titles. Lozano, who turned 28 on 30th July, has made 84 appearances for his country in what has been a fantastic career to date.

Lozano's pace and skill make him a tricky player for defenders to get a hold of, and his movement off the ball make him a ghost. Lozano is capable of scoring goals too, as he possesses great shooting ability both inside and outside of the box. Real Madrid may see him as a potential replacement for the soon-to-retire Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lozano would certainly be able to fill his boots, even if only partially.

Scout's Opinion:
Estimated Cost: €108M - €149M

Andrés Cubas

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Full Name: Adrián Andrés Cubas
Club: FC Schalke 04 (GER)
Position: DM/M(C)
Date Of Birth: 22/05/1996
Nationality: Argentinian (53 Caps, 4 Goals)

Andrés Cubas has become a leading midfielder in football, starring for both club FC Schalke 04 and country Argentina. Cubas is well-known to Real Madrid manager Christian Schäfer, having played against his Dynamo Dresden team in the UEFA Champions League final in 2022, and against his Brazil side in this summer's Copa América final.

Cubas' ability as a playmaker has come to the forefront of his game, and he bagged no fewer than 29 assists in the last two seasons for his club. His ability to play in defensive midfield would be seen as a valuable asset to a Real Madrid team which is currently lacking a holding midfielder, and Cubas' physical fitness would certainly add to an aging midfield which includes Toni Kroos and Mateo Kovacic.

Scout's Opinion:
Estimated Cost: €88M - €123M

Martin Ødegaard

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Full Name: Martin Ødegaard
Club: FC Barcelona (ESP)
Position: AM(RC)
Date Of Birth: 17/12/1998
Nationality: Norwegian (69 Caps, 17 Goals)

Martin Ødegaard is well known to Real Madrid, having played for the club for four years. Joining in 2014, Ødegaard failed to break in to the senior squad and was sold to Juventus in 2018. After a terrific season at the Italian club, Ødegaard joined Barcelona in 2019 for €76M. The Norwegian has been a key player since, playing 215 games in all competitions in the four seasons since joining, winning three Liga BBVA titles and one UEFA Champions League in the process.

Ødegaard is known for his remarkable technical ability, possessing a dribbling ability to match Lionel Messi at his very best. His creative ability makes him a threat to be considered, and his experience of playing alongside Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez have certainly given him skills beyond imagination. Should he consider an offer from Real Madrid, he would only make Christian Schäfer's side a stronger one.

Scout's Opinion:
Estimated Cost: €100M - €200M

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Previous Update: #53 - Squad Overview
Next Update: #55 - Cristiano

Damn these are going to be expensive transfers if you do them

How are you going to sign two of these players with only 20 mill euros in the transfer budget!

How on earth are you going to pull this off!

The economic side of football is getting bad

Above Comments, another typo on my part.... the transfer budget proposed was €200M, not €20M Sorry about that, writing all these updates has got me making mistakes

Hahaha that makes a bit more sense

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01/08/2023

Legends never die. Time goes on and seasons change. Nothing lasts forever, except for history. History itself, is written by the media. There are many unsung heroes of the past, many forgotten tales, but the legends, as decided by the very people who can make or break a person's reputation with no more than a handful of words, remain in the forefront of the annals of history.

One particular legend in mind, by the name of Cristiano Ronaldo, had invited me to his house for a meeting. It was a nice touch from my new captain, who had took to social media to welcome my arrival with open arms. It was certainly a meeting I was looking forward to with eager anticipation, and not solely for the opportunity to visit his beautiful abode.

The Portuguese winger invited me to his 'house', but as I approached it, the word 'estate' seemed more appropriate. An electronic gate, manned by a lone security guard, blocked any unwanted passage to the residence, but one look at myself and the guard beckoned me through, in anticipation of my arrival. A winding road lead up a low hill and on top was a pebble-clad courtyard with a Roman fountain as the centerpiece.

I parked at the peripheral of the courtyard and exited my car. One glance at the other car in the courtyard put mine to shame. His matte-black Lamborghini Aventador 68-x protoype made my white Audi A5 look like relative garbage. I strolled past his behemoth of a vehicle and to the front door of his palace.

The house itself very large. The front of the building stretched far too wide for myself to be able to see beyond it. The front door itself was open, and I entered it after ringing the doorbell. The doorway led me to an antehall, filled with fantastic ornaments. The floor was made of stone, causing each and every one of my footsteps to create a resounding echo.

On one wall was a set of framed Real Madrid jerseys with Ronaldo's name and number on the back. He had signed each one of them and while I began to count the number of shirts, a laugh echoed through the room.

"There are fourteen of them, Christian. One for each season I have spent at Real Madrid. There is space for one more shirt on the wall. Hopefully the final one will be from the Champions League final."

I turned to see Cristiano standing behind me, resting against a doorway leading to a much larger room. He was dressed in a blue shirt and white chinos, while brown deck shoes clad his feed. His hair was immaculately groomed. He was sporting an undercut, with his gelled hair pointing to the right. A great smile bore his face, one which caught the attention of the whole world. It made me feel like the only person in the world, the most important thing in his life.

"Cristiano, I thank you for welcoming me to your home. It is an honour and a personal privilege to be working with a true legend of the game, such as yourself."

With that, Cristiano burst in to laughter, as if at a joke. He braced his hands together, and moved away from the doorway.

"Please, do not call me a legend. That would imply that I am no longer of any use. I still have one more year to give to Real Madrid, Christian. My time is not over yet."

"Of course. My apologies, I did not mean to offend you."

"Don't be silly, I thought nothing of it. Now, please come with me. I have prepared café and cake!"

With that, Cristiano turned on his heels and lead me to a dining room. A glass table was set out with two white cups on saucers, and a coffee cake with cream alongside them.

"Please sit, Christian. I'll go grab the coffee."

I took me place in front of the table and took in my surroundings. A doorway lead to Cristiano's kitchen, was where he rushed to. One wall was taken up by glass paneling, with a view to an outdoor swimming pool. The pool itself glistened blue. Two women were draped on sun beds beside the pool, dressed in nothing but the skimpiest of bikinis. They were undoubtedly friends, of sorts, of Cristiano.

The Portuguese re-entered the dining room with a pot of freshly brewed coffee and sat on the opposite side of the table. He poured the piping-hot beverage in to each cup and cut the cake, passing me a slice.

"Christian, I was truly delighted when the board told me you would be on the shortlist to replace Rafa. In my opinion, you are the perfect type of manager for our football club at the moment."

I felt a little embarrassed by his kind words, and struggled to to produce a response.

"I'm just happy to have the opportunity. Real Madrid is a truly wonderful football club and I'm sure we can produce some exciting moments together."

"Let me tell you something, Christian. From my experience as a footballer, there are two types of managers. There are those who deeply cares about the players, and those who care, mostly, about winning. Rafa was certainly in that second category, as was José Mourinho when he was in charge. As for (Alex) Ferguson, during my time at Manchester United, and (Manuel) Pellegrini, who brought me to Real Madrid, they were of the first category.

What I needed in recent years was a manager who was focused on winning. I wanted to win the biggest trophies out there and Rafa certainly saw that happen. But my time is coming to an end after this season, and the club also needs a new type of manager. Christian, I see you as a manager who deeply cares about his players, which is exactly what the club needs now. There are a lot of younger players breaking through and they need the guidance which I was so fortunate to have when I was younger. That is why you were brought here, because you showed great respect for your players at Dynamo Dresden and at Brazil."

I was blushing and I new it. Cristiano had opened up to me without a prior relationship between us. He had shown a great amount of trust in me, one which I knew I had to prove was not unwarranted.
"Christian, I've been fortunate enough to win the Champions League four times in my career to date; three times with Real Madrid, and once with Manchester United. Christian, I want to win it a fifth time before I retire. I need you to be able to promise me that you will try your best to make this happen."

I looked in to Cristiano's eyes and saw a burning desire. A fire raged inside of him, a powerful spirit which embodied one of the greatest footballers in history, if not the greatest. I offered him an assuring nod.

"I promise you, Cristiano, that I will try my best to lead our club to yet another Champions League title. You would know more about the squad's ability than I, but I do believe that it is strong enough to bring home the club's thirteenth Champions League title, and it will certainly be my focus for the season."

Cristiano smiled once more, and even let out a little chuckle.

"Christian, I've grown up a lot in recent years. I could say that I was possibly quite an arrogant individual for many years, and I certainly put myself before my team-mates a few times. However, I've become a better person since I was given the responsibility of being Real Madrid's captain last year. I have learned to lead and assist my team mates, and I'm much better for it. I promise you that I will try my best to be a positive influence in the dressing room throughout the season."

Without even taking control of a single training session, I had already succeeded in enlisting Cristiano's focus to my cause! He would certainly prove to be a powerful ally to have on my side.

"That is all I can ask for from you, Cristiano. If we can work together with great cohesion, then nobody can stop us in our quest for glory."

"I do have a request, Christian. Physically, I am somewhat weaker than what I used to be. I cannot run as fast, or for as long, as I used to. There will be times when I will need rest, but I want to play as much as possible. Within reason, I would like for you to give me as many opportunities to play as possible, and I can assure you that I will try my very hardest to make sure I perform at the highest level I can."

"Cristiano, you might not be able to run as fast as you used to be able to, but there are other ways that you can contribute on the football pitch. To get the best out of you, I will consider playing you in different roles, depending on the task, and see how you perform. You are still one of the most technically gifted players in the world, and your experience will prove vital this season."

"That is fantastic to hear. I only ask that you do not drop Anthony Martial to accommodate whatever role you envisage me playing. He has had three brilliant seasons at Real Madrid so far, and is certainly the future of the football club. When he plays, we look like we can beat anybody."

I considered what Cristiano had said. If he held Martial in high regard, I certainly had to respect the French striker's qualities. Of all the attackers in the squad, it was Martial who Cristiano had picked out. With Cristiano having been at the club for far longer than I, it would be foolish to think differently.

"Of course, Cristiano. I see him as an important part of the squad, and I hope that he will continue to score a high number of goals for the club during my time here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I do have an appointment with the club's chief scout in little over an hour, and traffic in Madrid is certainly a pain to navigate."

"Of course. It has been a pleasure, Christian. I hope that our time working together will be as pleasant as this conversation."

"Thank you for welcoming me to your home, and to this football club. I promise that I will try my best to bring home the Champions League which you covet."

At that, I finished my coffee with one big gulp and made for the front door. I stepped outside and approached my car. As I opened the door, Cristiano had called after me.

"You're the first person not to ask me what I plan to do after I retire from playing this season."

I smiled and turned to my captain, who stood in the front door.

"I presumed you'll tell me when you want to."

I sat in to the car and started the engine. Cristiano waved goodbye before darting back inside, presumably to his two lady friends. I left his estate feeling confident. With Cristiano on my side, anything was possible. After all, he was the most influential football player of his generation.

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Previous Update: #54 - The Board's Transfer Shortlist
Next Update: #56 - Cebolinha Rejoins Schäfer At Real Madrid

#CristianoForAssistantManager

He seems like he has matured a lot and will be a great coach for years to come

Awesome update, I'm really looking forward to the adventure with Real!

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04/08/2023

Christian Schäfer has made his first signing as manager of Real Madrid in the form of Brazilian striker Cebolinha. The Brazil striker scored the winning goal as Schäfer's Brazil side claimed extra-time victory over Argentina in this summer's Copa América final, which was Schäfer's final game in charge of Brazil. The transfer commanded a fee of €21M (£16.6M) as Cebolinha moves from childhood club Internacional (BRA).

Cebolinha has built up a reputation for his performances in the recent Copa América competition where he scored three goals, including the final-winning goal. The 198cm tall striker is certainly a competent physical presence, standing over most defenders, and his pace and power add to his game. On the ball, there aren't too many strikers better than Cebolinha, who's dribbling ability and shot are both of a top standard.

Cebolinha had been in terrific form for Internacional this year, having scored sixteen goals in twenty-four club appearances this year. That translates to two goals every three games. Cebolinha's international record is even more impressive, having scored five goals in five appearances for Brazil since making his debut against Australia in March.

According to Cebolinha, working with Christian Schäfer was a key factor in the striker's decision to join Real Madrid. The Copa América winner believes that Schäfer's tactical nous, as well as his man-management ability, makes him a fantastic manager to work for.

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Cebolinha:

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"I am very happy to have joined the biggest club in world football. This is a fantastic opportunity for me to play at the highest level and to win the top trophies. I enjoyed my time at Internacional, my childhood club, but it had become time to move to the next level and to reach the highest level I could achieve.

This club has some of the best attackers in the world, such as Ronaldo, Martial, James, and I am excited by the prospect of playing alongside them. It will be difficult for me to break in to the starting line-up, I'm sure, but I am a very ambitious player and I believe that I can perform well and score goals, given the opportunity.

Christian Schäfer is the best manager in the world and I thoroughly enjoyed working alongside him during his time as Brazil gaffer. He is the master tactician and he knows how to get the best out of all of his players, which makes him the perfect manager for any player to have. I believe that he can help me to improve as a player and to add even more winners' medals to my collection."

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Previous Update: #55 - Cristiano
Next Update: #57 - Andrés Cubas Joins Real Madrid In Mega Move

Just read it through great story and I'm sure you will have tons of success with Real Madrid in the coming seasons