Summer of 2008

Guardiola became the helmsman of Barcelona.

In the 08-09 season, Guardiola led Barcelona to create a miracle.

They defeated Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in the Spanish King's Cup final to win the Spanish King's Cup.

In the 36th round of La Liga, they won the La Liga championship three rounds ahead of schedule.

In the Champions League final, they defeated Manchester United 2-0 to win the European Champion trophy, becoming the unprecedented "Treble" team in Spanish history!

For a while, the skies of Spain were filled with red and blue, and some fans even used "Cosmic Barca" to express their respect for Barcelona's unparalleled dominance on the football field.

Guardiola started at his peak, Messi perfectly realized his talent, and Barcelona rose again.

The entire football world seemed to tremble under Barcelona's "fame," and some even said absurd comments that Barcelona would dominate football for the next ten years.

And at this time, Florentino made his move.

On May 14, 2009, Florentino announced at the Ritz Hotel in Madrid that he would participate in the Real Madrid presidential election.

Under the gaze of journalists from over a dozen countries, Florentino, dressed in a black suit, solemnly declared: "I will run for election."

"I'm back!"

The simple and powerful words acted like a stimulant for the Merengue's hearts, and for the countless people amazed by the strength of "Cosmic Team" Barcelona, it seemed like they saw a ray of light.

In the early hours of June 1, 2009, Florentino, as the only candidate who paid the deposit, automatically became the new president of Real Madrid.

The first thing Florentino did after taking office was to reform the high-level management of Real Madrid.

That night, Florentino issued orders for personnel changes, appointing "Engineer" Manuel-Luis-Pellegrini-Ripamonti as the head coach of Real Madrid.

The club's general director and president assistant position was taken by Valdano, the sports director was replaced by Padesa, and Zidane was hired as a special advisor to the president.

This reform almost completely eradicated Calderon's "remnants."

Just as the world's eyes were focused on Real Madrid, Florentino seized the opportunity to announce a major transfer!

On June 08, 2009, Florentino announced that the "Son of God" Kaka, the top star of Serie A and favorite of Milan, joined Real Madrid with a transfer fee of 65 million Euros.

This news shocked the entire football world; nobody expected Real Madrid to truly bring Kaka into their fold, even Kaka himself didn't expect it.

You see, after the last round of the Serie A season ended, he went on vacation without bringing any luggage, only to find himself sold while playing.

After speaking with the club's management, Kaka, who understood the club's difficulties, ultimately chose to accept the arrangement and boarded the plane to Madrid.

The joy of the Merengue had not yet subsided when another explosive news almost overwhelmed them.

On June 11, 2009, Real Madrid broke the football record by signing Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for 100 million (94 million) Euros.

The addition of the 08 and 09 Ballon d'Or winners caused a huge stir in the entire football world.

The official website of Real Madrid Club formally announced the arrival of the Portuguese star and included some details, such as a 6-year contract signed by both parties.

At the same time, far away in England, Manchester United's official website also released the same news, revealing the specific transfer fee of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Countless fans flooded the official websites of both teams, and on Real Madrid's official website, it stated: "Real Madrid and Manchester United have signed a final agreement for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, which will take effect from July 1. The player will stay with Real Madrid for the next 6 years. On July 6, C. Ronaldo will meet the public at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium."

Manchester United's website provided slightly more detail: "On Friday evening, after Real Madrid and Manchester United finalized the agreement for C. Ronaldo's transfer, all matters regarding his departure have been settled. On June 10, the club received a record-breaking 80 million pound offer from the La Liga giants for C. Ronaldo. He was on vacation at the time, but now C. Ronaldo will respond to the call of his new club and formally complete the transfer on July 1. Manchester United will not make further comments on this matter."

Florentino's two major moves immediately grabbed everyone's attention, and countless fans were saying: "The Galaxy Battleship has revived!" "The new battleship is ready to set sail," and similar phrases.

Major media outlets also focused on these two transfers, especially C. Ronaldo's transfer, to dig into the details.

Mendes had already gone to Real Madrid to negotiate the player's contract, and it is rumored that this contract's salary might, like his transfer fee, reach an unprecedented 13 million Euros a year, with an annual increase of 25%.

Moreover, the negotiation for the most challenging aspect of portrait rights income distribution is said to feature a surprising 55/45 split.

Breaking the transfer record, signing Ronaldo for 94 million Euros (claimed to be 100 million), and acquiring Kaka from Milan for 65 million Euros (56 million pounds).

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