Having secured a victory against Real Sociedad, Atlético Madrid was now riding a three-match winning streak.
This run of form had pushed their points tally to 31.
Consequently, they had climbed from eighth place a month ago all the way up to fifth.
Furthermore.
They were now only a single point behind fourth-placed Levante.
The Spanish media were marveling at the "new manager bounce." Diego Simeone had truly sharpened the blade.
Many outlets also emphasized another crucial factor.
Atlético's resurgence was inextricably linked to Shane Carter.
Although he had only registered a single assist against Real Sociedad...
His total tally had already hit six.
In just three matches.
He had been directly involved in seven goals.
For a seventeen-year-old, those numbers were nothing short of explosive.
However.
The entire Spanish press corps was unanimous on one thing.
For Atlético Madrid, for Diego Simeone, and especially for Shane Carter...
The upcoming La Liga Matchday 21 fixture—a home derby against Real Madrid—was the true final exam.
...
This was José Mourinho's second season in charge of Real Madrid.
And this season, Los Blancos were in terrifying form.
Through 20 league matches.
Real Madrid had recorded 17 wins, 1 draw, and only 2 losses. They sat atop the table with 52 points, holding a massive five-point lead over second-placed Barcelona.
This was the most significant advantage they had held over their Catalan rivals in years.
Real Madrid was sprinting toward the league title.
Compared to Atlético, who had struggled for much of the first half of the season...
Real Madrid was superior in every conceivable metric: squad depth, individual talent, and current form.
Therefore.
Even though Atlético was playing at home, and even though they were on a three-game winning streak...
The outside world still overwhelmingly favored Real Madrid to leave the Vicente Calderón with all three points.
...
Before this round of fixtures kicked off...
Back in the United States, this Madrid Derby had become the singular focus of the entire soccer community.
El Derbi Madrileño was always a heavyweight clash. Real Madrid matches consistently drew massive global viewership, being one of the most supported clubs on the planet.
However, this derby felt different.
Historically, in the US, the support for Real Madrid in these matchups was overwhelming. They had the superstars, the Champions League pedigree, and the branding. The ratio of Real Madrid fans to Atlético fans was practically a landslide.
To be fair.
In the past, the only reason Atlético had any significant support from neutrals was simply because Real Madrid had so many enemies.
Specifically, Barcelona fans.
Atlético might have had fewer fans, but Real Madrid had a lot of haters. That usually balanced the scales slightly.
But this time, the dynamic had shifted completely.
On American social media, support for Atlético Madrid was absolutely crushing the Real Madrid fanbase.
Aside from the die-hard Madridistas—and honestly, being a "die-hard" fan of a European club from across the Atlantic was always a bit of an abstract concept—the tide had turned.
Because now...
Atlético Madrid had an American in the starting lineup.
And not just a squad player. A star.
Naturally, the emotional allegiance of the casual American fan swung violently toward the red and white half of Madrid.
The vast majority of USMNT fans were now suddenly Colchoneros for the weekend.
But despite the loud support...
Very few people actually believed Atlético would win.
You could tell by the way the fans were framing their support:
"The result doesn't matter, I just want Shane to play well!"
"Can he score one against Casillas?"
"If Shane scores against Real Madrid, that's already a historic moment for American soccer."
Listen to the subtext.
"The result doesn't matter" meant "I don't think you can win, so let's just focus on moral victories."
This sentiment was mirrored internationally.
Almost everyone believed Atlético's chances of victory were slim.
Especially considering that in the reverse fixture earlier this season, Real Madrid had smashed them 4-1 at the Bernabéu.
Of course.
That previous match had occurred when Atlético was in chaos.
Now, under Simeone, they had stabilized. They were on a winning streak. They were playing at home. And facing their bitterest rivals, they were bound to fight like dogs.
The pre-match hostilities were officially ignited by José Mourinho.
Two days before the match.
At the Valdebebas training complex.
Mourinho found himself surrounded by reporters.
"José, your team is about to face Atlético. Do you have any comments on the performance of their young American midfielder?"
A journalist asked, holding out a microphone.
Mourinho flashed his trademark crooked, cynical smirk.
"A kid who just debuted. He has simply benefited from the fact that nobody knew who he was yet. That is his only advantage."
The journalists instantly buzzed with excitement.
They loved Mourinho.
Because every time he opened his mouth, he gave them a headline.
This was his style.
He loved to launch verbal artillery at his peers and attack opposition players.
In his mind...
This was all part of the psychological warfare.
"Yes, we have already identified his weaknesses! His passing is decent, but his flaws are glaring. Have you ever seen him score a goal himself? Oh, he has one tap-in... hmpf." Mourinho pursed his lips dismissively.
"Shane was previously a Real Madrid U19 player before joining Atlético. If he was still in your academy system, would you have given him a chance?"
Mourinho kept a straight face. "His ability is not sufficient to play for Real Madrid."
The journalists looked like sharks smelling blood in the water.
...
Within hours.
Mourinho's comments were splashed across every sports page.
[Mourinho: Carter is not good enough for my team.]
[Mourinho: The American's weaknesses are obvious!]
[Mourinho: He is just a passer. He has zero scoring threat.]
The media hype machine went into overdrive.
Truthfully.
Mourinho's abrasive style rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.
Interestingly, the first person to fire back wasn't an Atlético coach or player.
It was José María García, the prominent commentator and columnist.
"...Mourinho may be obsessed with mind games, but this time he has crossed a line. Shane is just a seventeen-year-old kid. Mourinho is a titan of the industry. For him to attack a teenager like this, just to gain an edge in a single match? Is that really necessary? Is that dignified?"
García tweeted this out to his followers.
Subsequently, several other Spanish media figures penned columns criticizing Mourinho's ruthlessness.
They argued that as a legendary manager...
Targeting a rookie so publicly, trying to shatter a young player's confidence before a derby...
It was a bit low.
But that was Mourinho.
For victory...
He didn't care about dignity.
However, Mourinho launching a psychological offensive to rattle Shane actually proved something else.
It proved that, privately, Mourinho was genuinely wary of Shane's ability.
Inside the Real Madrid tactical meeting room...
The players could feel the difference.
"Gentlemen. This player is the one we must focus on. His ability to play killer passes and his ball control are world-class."
Mourinho stood before the Real Madrid first team squad.
"We have just watched the tape. His six assists prove it. His passing is laser-precise, and his vision is elite. Atlético has built their entire counter-attacking structure around this specific trait, elevating their threat level significantly."
Mourinho tapped the tactical whiteboard.
He drew a thick red circle around the magnet labeled "29".
"The moment they have a chance to transition, he is the key man. We must close him down instantly. Force him backward. Deny the forward pass. And if he tries to do it himself..."
A flicker of cold menace crossed Mourinho's face.
"Stop him. Even if you have to foul him. Stop him!"
...
The day before the match, Simeone finally stood up for his player during his press conference.
"Shane's ability is not something Mourinho gets to define. He would be better off keeping his mouth shut instead of acting like a chirping clown."
Simeone swore directly into the microphones.
Well...
That wasn't exactly rare.
That was just the Argentine way.
...
Unsurprisingly.
The war of words between the managers cranked the temperature of the derby to a boiling point.
Both in Spain and in the US...
Fans of both sides were waging vicious battles in the comment sections.
Inside the Atlético dressing room...
The players were equally pissed off by Mourinho's comments.
"Mourinho just wants to break your confidence. He is trying to get inside your head," Falcao explained calmly to Shane during training.
"I know," Shane replied.
"So... I plan to respond to him during the match."
"How?"
"What do you think about me celebrating a goal right in front of his face?"
"Great idea... we should choreograph something special."
Several Atlético players huddled together, conspiring in hushed tones.
For this match, Shane was going to be Atlético's secret weapon.
Because he was being pushed up to the Number 10 role.
Simeone had benched Adrián, opting to pair Mario Suárez with Gabi in a double-pivot to lock down the defensive midfield zone. This freed Shane to play further up the pitch, closer to the opponent's goal, fully unleashing his offensive capabilities.
This was a tactical shift designed specifically for facing a juggernaut like Real Madrid.
Furthermore...
Over the last few weeks...
Shane had been relentlessly drilling his long-range shooting.
Simeone had seen the results in training.
And right now, José Mourinho definitely did not know...
That Shane wasn't just a passer.
He had transformed into a long-range artillery cannon.
When the time came...
That was going to be a hell of a surprise for the Special One.
...
The Vicente Calderón was packed to the rafters.
The passion of the Atlético fans for the derby was never in doubt.
But adding fuel to the fire...
Just an hour before kickoff...
Levante had lost their home match against Sevilla, 1-3.
This meant...
If Atlético could beat Real Madrid today...
They would reach 34 points, leapfrogging Levante by two points to seize fourth place!
Fourth place.
That meant Champions League qualification.
For the club, Champions League football meant massive revenue streams and a bigger transfer budget in the summer.
For the players...
It meant competing on the biggest stage in world football.
That was the ultimate motivation.
On the bus ride to the stadium...
The news of the Levante result reached the players.
The bus erupted into cheers and whistles.
Koke screamed, "I love Sevilla! I fucking love Sevilla!"
Everyone joined in the celebration.
Beat Real Madrid, enter the top four.
"Beat them, and we go to the Champions League!" someone shouted.
"Champions League! Champions League! Champions League!"
"Yeah! We are going to the Champions League!"
Arms waved in the air. The atmosphere was electric.
Simeone grinned as he watched his players.
He loved this energy.
Football...
Required passion.
"Champions League! Champions League! We are going to the Champions League!"
As the chant died down...
Shane raised his fist in the air.
"Real Madrid must die!!"
The bus went silent for a split second, then exploded louder than before.
"REAL MADRID MUST DIE!"
"REAL MADRID MUST DIE!"
"REAL MADRID MUST DIE!"
From the racial abuse he suffered a month ago... to being kicked out of their academy... to being publicly targeted by their manager two days ago...
It was enough to fill a seventeen-year-old with enough rage to burn down a city.
He was going to beat Real Madrid.
Not just to prove himself.
But...
To tell the whole world...
That Shane Carter was not someone you messed with!