Chapter 110
Although Union Berlin conceded the opening goal to Hoffenheim early in the first half, the situation wasn't all that bad.
Union Berlin's players quickly pulled themselves together and began reorganizing their defensive line.
Naturally, this entire process was led by Union Berlin's veteran player, Cafu.
After all, the words of a player on the pitch were bound to be more effective than those of someone speaking to the players from beyond the touchline.
“Everyone, get your heads in the game! The match has only just begun!”
Anyway, as Cafu's voice rang out across the pitch, even the players who had looked thoroughly flustered quickly began to regain their composure.
‘Clearly, ever since we signed Cafu, I’ve had less to do.
At the same time as I put on a satisfied expression, I lowered my head and looked at my leg.
Then I saw the leg in a cast.
‘……Should I just take it off?’
In fact, I had no problem taking off the cast.
Being young meant recovering quickly.
I had successfully recovered from the injury.
‘……And it’s not like I was seriously injured in the first place.’
Since my playing career had been short, I hadn't overworked myself to the point of tearing my hamstring apart.
It was just a muscle strain, so a light massage would have been enough.
In other words, I hadn't needed a cast like the one I was wearing now.
But the medical staff had immobilized my leg to prevent any unforeseen accidents.
- But if it was just a muscle strain, why did you put him in a cast?
- If we don't put him in a cast, he'll practice his celebration, won't he? He could tear it again.
It was the result of overzealous treatment because they knew me far too well.
‘I’m not Ronaldo, so what the hell is this?’
I was embarrassed that I'd been put in a cast over a mere muscle strain, so I told the players that I'd torn my hamstring.
“I knew something like this would happen someday.”
Surprisingly, not a single player paid much attention to my injury.
Anyway, the cast on my leg right now could be considered a kind of restraint, much like the handcuffs Daniel Teixeira had used to chain me to the bench.
Yannick Voigt, who had received Shinji Kagawa's through ball, shook the net.
I ran to the corner flag, but instead of doing a Siuuu celebration, I performed “Nice!!” right where I stood.
There was no way I could simply skip the celebration altogether just because I was wearing a cast.
***
Meanwhile, at that moment.
‘How long has it been since I’ve been able to celebrate this leisurely…?’
Yannick Voigt, who was celebrating at the corner flag, was experiencing an unfamiliar emotion.
It was the strange feeling of not having to run frantically to keep his celebration from being stolen.
‘……I can celebrate even while walking?’
This was something that could never happen at Union Berlin.
If he delayed even a little, Park Chan-hyuk, who had been released from the bench, would steal his celebration.
But after Park Chan-hyuk injured himself practicing his celebration, some breathing room had come to Union Berlin.
‘……Is this a little disappointing?’
Yannick Voigt couldn't help being startled when he realized he was swallowing his disappointment.
‘Huh? Disappointing?’
Without realizing it, he had become addicted to the tension Park Chan-hyuk created.
***
After scoring the equalizer, Union Berlin began relentlessly pressing Hoffenheim.
As the match really began to heat up, the Korean commentators broadcasting Union Berlin's match against Hoffenheim also found their voices growing more forceful.
“Luka Modrić on the ball! He calmly shakes off Hoffenheim's press!”
“Modrić sends it long toward the flank! Roberto Lewandowski knocks it down, and Son Heung-min shoots first time!”
“Ah! Son Heung-min's shot is stopped by a fine save from Hoffenheim's goalkeeper!”
“Yes, he struck that really well! Timo Hildebrand is showing us a fine save!”
Even though the match was being played at the somewhat awkward hour of 2 a.m., Korean soccer fans were getting up to watch Union Berlin's game.
At present, talk among Korean soccer fans was dominated by Union Berlin.
If Park Ji-song's transfer to Manchester United had opened the door to overseas soccer,
Union Berlin was becoming the home ground of overseas soccer fans.
That was because no fewer than six players who could choose the South Korean national team were being developed at Union Berlin alone.
└ Please, if you're Korean, let's support Union Berlin!
└ There are at least six Korean players alone (including the youth team)—there's no one not supporting them, right?
└ Why six? Isn't it five?
└ Son Heung-min, Lee Seong-jae, Kim Min-hyeok, Kim Hyeon-seong, Han Rae-on, and Jo Ji-won. That's six.
└ Isn't that Rae-on kid German, though?;;
└ We don't know yet…. He's of mixed heritage….
└ What do you mean, you don't know, fuck lol. You'd have to be stupid not to choose Germany lol.
While overseas soccer fans chatted among themselves as they watched the match,
“They've won it back! Lewandowski! Lewandowski has spotted Son Heung-min making the run!”
Union Berlin won the ball back once again with their intense press,
and Roberto Lewandowski, having stolen the ball, threaded an exquisite pass toward Son Heung-min through the gap left by Hoffenheim's collapsing defense.
Bam─.
After pushing the ball forward with his first touch and cutting inside, Son Heung-min swung his left foot.
Hoffenheim's goalkeeper, braced for Son Heung-min's shot, could not help hesitating for an instant. Son Heung-min had chosen a cross rather than a shot.
“Son Heung-min's cross!!!”
“G, gooooooooooal!! Yannick Voigt pushes Son Heung-min's cross into the net!! Yannick Voigt! Yannick Voigt's brace! Union Berlin's steel heart has begun beating once again!!”
Yannick Voigt got his foot exactly to Son Heung-min's cross and sent it into Hoffenheim's net,
“Nice shot.”
“Nice cross.”
“Nice pass.”
Together with Son Heung-min and Lewandowski, he laughed and praised one another's play.
“Wow, that was a truly picture-perfect goal. Lewandowski's pass, Son Heung-min's run and cross, and Yannick Voigt's finish.”
“Yes. That goal showed us just how well the members of Union Berlin's attack work together.”
Korean soccer fans also erupted in cheers, forgetting the late hour, after Union Berlin's comeback goal just before halftime.
└ ㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅㅅ
└ Wow, that's insane.
└ But why haven't Kim Min-hyeok and Kim Hyeon-seong been appearing lately? I see Lee Seong-jae coming on as a substitute now and then.
└ Those two were loaned to Znicz Pruszków.
└ Seriously?
└ Look at Union Berlin's current squad. Is there even a place for them?
└ I thought all the players were nobodies, but they're fucking amazing at football.
└ It's a little disappointing, but at their age, getting plenty of playing time is important too.
└ They send a lot of players there on loan.
└ I heard they're sister clubs.
└ Recently, Union Berlin's parent company acquired a stake in Znicz Pruszków and has been investing in them.
└ ? Union Berlin has a parent company? Doesn't the 50+1 rule prevent clubs from being owned in the Bundesliga?
└ Guten. You idiot.
└ How does that make it a parent company, for fuck's sake.
└ I heard they're creating some kind of football group.
└ Wow. Looks like they're even setting up a group as a football company now.
***
Yannick Voigt's comeback goal brought the first half to an end, and then the second half began.
At the start of the second half, Hoffenheim pushed forward aggressively with a high line in search of an equalizer,
but their attack was blocked by Union Berlin's defenders, and they instead conceded another goal to Roberto Lewandowski on the counterattack.
As the gap grew to two goals, Hoffenheim quickly lost the will to mount a comeback,
and the match ended with a 3–1 victory for Union Berlin.
[Union Berlin Defeat Hoffenheim and Firmly Cement Their Place at the Top of the League….]
[The Fairy Tale Union Berlin Is Writing! Can a Promoted Team Really Win the League Title?]
With Union Berlin's surprising momentum, the media gradually began using the word “championship.”
[A Lucky Goal Early in the Match! Karlsruher SC Defeat Union Berlin!]
[Bundesliga Experts: Beginner's Luck Is Over! Union Berlin's Downfall Will Begin!]
[The Limits of a Rookie Manager? He Won't Be Able to Steady His Shaky Team.]
Although we suffered an upset loss to relegation-zone Karlsruher SC after taking an unexpected blow early in the match, breaking our winning streak,
we went on to win all three of our next Bundesliga matches—matchdays 14, 15, and 16—and launched another three-match winning streak.
The media articles babbling about Union Berlin's limits and beginner's luck disappeared in an instant,
[Dream★ Comes True! Union Berlin Pass the Halfway Point in First Place!]
[When You're in First Place at the Halfway Point, the Odds of Winning the Title Exceed 70%!]
In no time, the media was flooded with articles praising Union Berlin.
And the opponent for Bundesliga Matchday 17, which could be called the halfway point—
the match that could also be called the final one before the winter break—
[Park Chan-hyuk Provokes Them Before the Match? “Hamburg SV Is Always a Team to Be Thankful For.”]
was Hamburg SV, Son Heung-min's club in the original timeline.