After the match, Real Betis' head coach voiced his frustration publicly:
"This is only the Copa del Rey Round of 16. It's not the final, not the semifinals—it's not even the quarterfinals."
"There is no justification for Su Hang to be on the pitch."
"We strongly condemn Real Madrid's misuse of Su Hang."
"This completely strips the Copa del Rey of its original purpose as a developmental competition. All clubs should take this issue seriously."
"When the Ballon d'Or winner steps onto this stage, it's impossible for us to respond with nothing but reserves and academy players."
"But if we bring our starters here, they'll be facing two or even three matches in a single week."
"That's a vicious cycle."
In response to the Betis coach's criticism, many smaller La Liga clubs voiced their agreement.
After all, the Copa del Rey was the one competition where smaller teams could still dream of an upset.
What Real Madrid was doing felt like stripping everyone else of the right to dream.
It was simply too much.
Soon, a movement calling for Real Madrid to pledge "not to start Su Hang in the first five rounds of the Copa del Rey" was launched.
The campaign spread rapidly across Europe.
As Ukraine's once-feared spearhead faded from the spotlight, Spain's unstoppable force—Su Hang—rose to become the most overwhelming presence on the pitch.
But the good times didn't last long.
...
January 21st, La Liga Round 19.
Real Madrid traveled away to face Mallorca.
Although the final score was a comfortable 3–1 victory, and Su Hang once again scored twice in consecutive matches, not a single Real Madrid player could smile after the game.
During the match, Capello was shown a red card for repeatedly protesting what he believed were blatant refereeing errors.
The turning point came in the 63rd minute.
After being brought down by an opposing player, Zidane collapsed to the ground and did not get back up.
Following the match, Real Madrid regretfully announced that Zidane had suffered a severe tear to the cruciate ligament in his right knee.
He was expected to miss the rest of the season.
The news sent shockwaves across Europe.
Marca:
"Another refereeing disaster for Real Madrid! Su Hang's legitimate goal disallowed! Two clear penalties ignored! Completely inconsistent standards in physical challenges!"
AS:
"Biased officiating ends Zidane's season! Real Madrid suffers its darkest day in La Liga history!"
Bild:
"Zidane's recovery timeline uncertain—three to six months possible!"
Kicker:
"The King of Football falls! Zidane suffers a major injury right after being crowned—perhaps the football gods refuse to allow an active King to exist!"
Mundo Deportivo:
"Su Hang's arrogant talk of another treble invites retribution—Zidane's injury is the price of their hubris!"
Sport:
"Barcelona's best chance to win the title! Without Zidane, Su Hang will soon be exposed!"
La Independiente (South America):
"The King of Football belongs exclusively to South America. Europeans cannot bear the crown—Zidane is no true King!"
For a moment, Real Madrid was thrown into panic.
Calderón announced that Spain's top medical resources would be mobilized to treat Zidane.
However, considering Real Madrid's long-term medical limitations, Su Hang proactively brought in a specialized sports medicine team from the United States.
After thorough diagnosis and analysis, they confirmed they could perform the surgery and limit Zidane's recovery period to five months.
Combined with Su Hang's Black Medicine Spray—administered continuously—Zidane's season was not truly over.
He was expected to make an emergency return during the final two months.
This timeline was completely different from public expectations.
...
Soon after, a Sky Sports program went viral.
The focus of that episode was veteran players.
From multiple angles, the analysts explained why veterans carry extremely low trade value.
First, veterans command high wages.
Any player who survives long enough to become a veteran in a top league has already climbed the social ladder through ability alone.
They are not short on money.
If you don't pay them enough, they simply won't play.
Only young players are cheap labor—veterans never are.
Second, veterans offer no room for appreciation.
When young players play, they accumulate experience and increase in value.
When veterans play, they merely contribute on the pitch.
Squad positions are limited. If veterans play, young players don't—and without playing time, young players cannot increase their value.
From a club's perspective, that's a loss.
Third, veterans naturally play at a lower intensity.
They prioritize self-preservation.
But sometimes, victory is decided by sheer momentum and hunger.
Teams stacked with veterans have a stable floor—but their ceiling is often low.
Finally, veterans are more injury-prone.
More importantly, when they do get injured, recovery is slower, and even after returning, their form often drops off a cliff.
Young players, on the other hand, usually need repeated injuries before their careers are truly derailed.
The most representative examples are Ronaldo and Zidane.
Ronaldo suffered countless serious injuries, yet still maintained an elite level for a long time.
This season at AC Milan, he was performing brilliantly, with over twenty goals expected.
For Ronaldo himself, that level was nothing special.
But in Serie A, those numbers represent a top—if not elite—striker.
But Zidane?
Even though he had just been crowned, after this major injury, he might not even be as effective as Real Madrid's water dispenser manager, Modrić.
Buying veterans, ultimately, is a gamble that they won't get injured.
Of course, Real Madrid didn't buy veterans.
But making veterans the core of the team means accepting the risk that they might get injured—and be sidelined.
That was the greatest punishment for Real Madrid's failed attempt at a core transition this season.
If Emerson had truly taken on the midfield anchor role, Zidane's absence wouldn't have been so devastating.
...
January 28th, La Liga Round 20.
Real Madrid faced a serious test.
They traveled away to face Villarreal.
Over the past week, Capello and his coaching staff had held extensive discussions regarding formations and personnel.
Su Hang attended several of those meetings.
"I don't mind taking on more responsibility," Su Hang said.
"I can handle what I need to handle. Compared to the attack, I'm more concerned about our midfield control and defensive stability."
That statement essentially set the direction for the final decision.
In the end, Capello opted for a 4-1-3-2 formation.
The starting lineup was:
Su Hang, Van Nistelrooy
Emerson, Raúl, Reyes
Diarra
Roberto Carlos, Cannavaro, Kompany, Sergio Ramos
Casillas
Compared to last season's conservative three–defensive-midfielder setup, this single holding midfielder system with wide midfielders on both flanks was far more aggressive—and more in line with Real Madrid's identity as a powerhouse.
At the same time, it was also a compromise for Raúl.
Otherwise, Capello would have preferred to replace Raúl's attacking midfield role with Gago in a deeper position.
As for Reyes starting, Capello believed he was more comfortable on the right flank than Robinho, which is why Robinho was left on the bench.