The footsteps of the 2012/2013 season were echoing closer.
In the transfer market, the Mario Mandžukić deal had officially collapsed. The Croatian striker strongly favored a move to Bayern Munich.
Atlético Madrid was forced to activate Plan B. They opened direct negotiations with Chelsea, hoping to secure the return of Fernando Torres on a loan-to-buy structure.
It was a mathematically complex deal that would take time. He certainly would not arrive before the opening fixture.
One week before kickoff.
Televisión Española (TVE) was filming their annual season preview broadcast. The structure of the promo was simple. The first half showcased a cinematic highlight reel of the previous year. The second half featured the talisman of each club stating their ambitions for the upcoming campaign.
Last year, Juanfran was the face of Atleti.
This year, it was Shane Carter.
Shane stood in the dead center of the Vicente Calderón. The heavy broadcast cameras locked onto him.
Before the red light flickered on, the lead director gave his instructions.
"Just give us your goals for the season, Shane. Team goals, personal goals, whatever you want. Keep it short."
Every player only got a few seconds of screen time.
Shane flashed an 'OK' sign. The camera started rolling.
He stared down the barrel of the lens with a cold, absolute calm.
"This season, we are marching toward the La Liga title."
Cough.Choke.
The camera crew immediately erupted into a chorus of violent coughing fits. They stared at the eighteen-year-old titan in pure disbelief.
"What? Is there a problem?" Shane asked mildly.
The crew exchanged bewildered glances.
Was there a problem? It was a colossal problem!
Atlético Madrid hadn't touched the league title in nearly two decades. To claim they were marching toward the crown was absolute lunacy.
The duopoly of Real Madrid and Barcelona held a suffocating stranglehold over Spanish football. Both super-clubs were operating at the absolute peak of their historical powers. Breaking their dominance wasn't just hard. It was widely considered mathematically impossible.
"No problem at all!" the TVE lead director said, waving a hand to cut the feed. He smiled a very corporate smile. "I think that soundbite is going to do legendary numbers for our broadcast."
The media never cared about the truth. They only cared about the spectacle.
If this kid had the sheer arrogance to say it on camera, they were absolutely going to air it. The heavier the controversy, the higher the engagement.
Three days before the season officially opened.
The TVE promotional package hit the airwaves across Spain.
Lionel Messi appeared first.
"We are resetting our focus. Barcelona will return to its rightful throne."
Cristiano Ronaldo followed, his jaw set in pure, arrogant defiance.
"The standard at Real Madrid is absolute perfection. We will fight for everything. La Liga. The Champions League. The trophies belong in Madrid."
The two greatest players on the planet, representing the two greatest clubs on the planet. Their declarations felt natural. It was the undisputed reality of the footballing world.
Then came Shane Carter.
"This season, we are marching toward the La Liga title."
Across the country, thousands of fans genuinely choked on their drinks.
Atlético Madrid? The La Liga title? Was this some kind of twisted comedy sketch?
Fans immediately flooded Twitter and Reddit to find the official TVE clip. The comment sections descended into absolute chaos.
"Atleti winning the league? 💀 Bro thinks he's playing FIFA career mode on amateur."
"Shane is a baller, but to win the league you need to join Real Madrid. Simple as that."
"Bro is letting that Euro 2012 hype absolutely fry his brain."
"Just checked the history books. Atleti last won the league in the 95/96 season. Before that? 76/77. The absolute delusion! 😂"
"Second season syndrome is going to hit this kid like a freight train."
"Wait until the new rookie wall hits. Defenders are going to snap his ankles this year. He won't replicate last season's numbers."
The Spanish press utterly devoured the soundbite.
Marca: Shane's Absolute Arrogance: Does Atlético Have The Blueprint For A Title?
AS: Lightyears Away: Why Atleti's Roster Is Nowhere Near Championship Pedigree.
Mundo Deportivo: The First Joke Of The Season: Atlético Madrid Crowned Champions.
Sport: Youthful Delusion. Shane Carter has achieved unprecedented things, but the fame has clearly blinded him. Can selling Falcao and Turan, only to spend €30M on Griezmann, really build a championship squad?
The entire media apparatus of Spain treated it as the ravings of an arrogant teenager.
Even inside the Atlético Madrid facilities, the promotional clip was the only thing anyone could talk about.
"Shane, are you actually being serious right now?" Koke asked, scratching his head.
Inside the dressing room, every player turned to look at their newly minted Number 10.
Shane stood up. His imposing 6'2" frame instantly commanded the room.
"Boys, I know nobody outside this building believes in us," Shane began, his voice completely level. "Breaking the duopoly in this environment is a tactical nightmare. But there is an old military doctrine."
He paced slowly past the lockers.
"Aim for the absolute summit, and even if you fail, you conquer the mountain. Aim for the foothills, and you will never leave the valley."
Shane's expression remained perfectly serene.
If I tell them we are just fighting for top four, they will crumble when the pressure mounts.
He knew not everyone possessed his psychopathic, system-driven drive. Setting a terrifyingly high target allowed the squad to operate with freedom. If they fell short, they still achieved greatness.
Without realizing it, he was already operating as the tactical and emotional dictator of the dressing room.
The squad slowly nodded, absorbing the absolute gravity of his words.
"He has a point," Gabi said, stepping forward as the veteran voice. "Set a terrifying target. Attack it blindly. The results will speak for themselves."
"The media says it is impossible," Shane continued, spreading his hands. "But look at the data. Look at our points-per-game in the second half of last season. We matched Real Madrid and Barcelona blow for blow. Why shouldn't we demand the crown?"
Silence fell over the room. It was a heavy, dangerous kind of silence.
The seeds of absolute belief had just been planted.
"If we can bleed them once, we can bleed them twice," Shane finalized.
Hours later.
Under the blinding floodlights of the training pitch.
"Your actual goal is the league title, isn't it?" Antoine Griezmann asked, panting heavily after a brutal passing drill.
"Obviously," Shane replied. He didn't even blink. "I am going to build an absolute empire here. Do you want to be a part of it, Antoine?"
Griezmann wiped the sweat from his forehead. His eyes burned with absolute loyalty to his idol.
"It would be my absolute honor."
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