Chapter 87
The match between Union Berlin and Freiburg kicked off.
“The match between Union Berlin and Freiburg has just kicked off!”
South Korean football fans were watching the game in surprisingly large numbers despite the early hour.
[Title: Guys, are you watching Union Berlin's game at dawn today? If they win, they'll be promoted.]
└ Why wouldn't I lol?
└ For real lol, I'll definitely watch today's match.
└ Whoa... it's already the promotion-clinching match?
└ Yep.
└ Direct promotion from the fourth division straight to the Bundesliga is insane;;
└ Isn't that a record?
└ Probably.
└ But it'll probably go down as a club record. The coach in the fourth and third divisions was Thomas Tuchel, after all.
└ Ah....
└ By the way, didn't someone say they gave a ticket to an old man earlier?
└ That was me, damn it ㅠㅠ I'm regretting it now.
└ It would've been hard not to give it up, but you did a good thing, so good things will happen to you, yep.
Today was an important match with Union Berlin's promotion on the line.
“If Union Berlin win today's game, they'll clinch promotion, right?”
The commentary team for the match was also quite excited.
If Union Berlin get promoted to the Bundesliga, the overseas football market will grow even faster.
“That's right. Honestly, even if it weren't this match, Union Berlin's promotion was practically fate. But Union Berlin will want to win this one and lock it in.”
And from the start, the commentators were fans of Union Berlin's story as well.
“By the way, the Union Berlin fans are holding up photos right now…?”
“Yes.... I think they're holding photos of family members or acquaintances who passed away before they could see Union Berlin's promotion to the Bundesliga.”
“That's right. The stadium operator is also listing the attendance at 45,000 instead of 40,000.”
“There are 45,000 spectators here right now.”
***
Even without this match, we could have clinched promotion in another game.
But we had a tiny selfish desire to clinch promotion at home a little sooner and celebrate with the fans.
“We have to win!”
Well.
Looks like this isn't just my own selfish desire.
Union Berlin's players steeled themselves for victory.
This match was favorable to Union Berlin in many ways.
Because the atmosphere of the packed home stadium was so intimidating.
But even so, the match wasn't easy.
Freiburg, who were sixth in the league, weren't a team to take lightly.
Then, in the 35th minute of the first half.
“Damn it! What are you doing!”
A fatal passing mistake occurred in Union Berlin's half.
Thwack─.
Fortunately, in the dangerous situation that could have led to a Freiburg goal, defender Ivan Petrovich threw his body in front of Freiburg's shot and blocked it.
Even with blood running from his nose, Ivan Petrovich immediately got back up and looked for the ball first.
Only after confirming the ball had gone out over the touchline did Ivan Petrovich collapse to the ground.
The team doctor on the bench rushed onto the pitch.
“Petrovich!!”
The stands erupted in applause for Ivan Petrovich.
Thankfully, Ivan Petrovich got back up without any serious injury, and play resumed with the referee's whistle.
“Don't be scared, push up!”
Union Berlin and Freiburg battled fiercely throughout the first half.
But both teams failed to rattle the net.
For some reason, both teams kept missing by a hair's breadth.
And then came halftime.
- Union! Union! Union!
I didn't say anything special to the players and showed the fans outside the stadium on the screen.
That alone was enough to fire the players up.
***
The second half was just as fierce as the first.
Freiburg still hadn't given up on the dream of promotion to the Bundesliga.
Because the points gap between the top two and third place was fairly large, while the gap between third and sixth was small.
As a result, the match unfolded very aggressively.
The ball flew from one end of the pitch to the other in an instant.
‘Strangely enough, today is making me think of the old days.’
In this fierce match, Janik Voigt remembered the moment he had tried out for Union Berlin.
He had once been a loser who ran away in fear and gave up on his dream, and he never imagined he'd become a beloved football player like this.
Janik Voigt's gaze turned to Park Chan-hyeok, who was giving instructions to the players from the touchline.
Even if he was a rotten boss who stole celebrations, Janik was grateful to Park Chan-hyeok.
He was the one who kept leading him, the former loser, so he wouldn't give up.
If it hadn't been for Park Chan-hyeok, who gave him such unbelievable trust, Janik Voigt thought he'd have given up again before ever getting his chance to shine.
“Janik!! Be our legend!”
At the fans' request for him to become Union Berlin's legend, Janik burst out laughing. That was exactly what he wanted most right now.
Janik Voigt loved everything about Union Berlin—the fans' passion, their devotion, and their unique rebellious spirit.
And the same would probably be true of the other players as well.
‘So, I want to quit being a player and become a coach.’
Some who felt they had reached their limits as players decided to become Union Berlin coaches next season.
In fact, they were asking Daniel Teixeira many questions and learning from him.
For the record, they still hadn't told the boss (Park Chan-hyeok).
There was no need to make him worry needlessly before an important match.
Anyway, while Janik Voigt was lost in memories of the past.
The instant Thomas Mayer intercepted the ball, Union Berlin's counterattack began.
Having won the ball, Thomas Mayer calmly began carrying it forward.
Although he'd switched to midfielder, Thomas Mayer was still a former winger, so his dribbling was solid.
The dribbling of a midfielder shielding the ball and the dribbling of a winger beating an opponent are a little different, but Thomas Mayer had developed his own dribbling style by playing both positions.
“Thomas Mayer!! Fußball GOAT!!”
Thomas Mayer, who was trying to break through Freiburg's defenders, had already reached the edge of the penalty area.
This was a situation where he could become the hero of the match, and he could afford to be greedy.
In that situation, Thomas Mayer's choice was... a pass.
Thomas Mayer's pass slipped under the legs of the Freiburg defender who had thrown himself in, thinking it was a shot.
Thomas Mayer's pass connected with Janik Voigt, who was breaking into the penalty area.
“Janik Voigt!!! Fußball GOAT!!!”
The moment the crowd's cheers erupted.
Keeping as calm as possible, Janik Voigt slipped the shot through the goalkeeper's legs and shook the net.
Having scored, Janik Voigt shouted toward the broadcast camera at the corner flag.
“Scheiße! We're heading to the Bundesliga!!!”
***
[Goooooal─! It's in! Union Berlin's savior! Janik Voigt's opening goal!]
[Janik Voigt roars as he runs to the corner flag!! The cheers of Union Berlin fans shake the stadium!!]
After Janik Voigt's winning goal went in, time raced by.
Freiburg threw everything forward to score the equalizer.
[That's dangerous! Fortunately! Fortunately! Manuel Schmidt's fantastic save!]
[Wow, that's a save as good as a goal!!}
But Freiburg ultimately failed to break through the goal guarded by Manuel Schmidt.
Before long, stoppage time ended, and the moment Son Hong-min kicked the ball away from in front of him.
[Son Hong-min clears the ball far away! And...! And!!]
Tweet! Tweet! Tweeeeeeeeeet─!
The referee's final whistle rang out over the stadium.
[It's over!! The match is over! Union Berlin defeats Freiburg 1-0 and seals promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in club history!!]
[Union Berlin manager Park Chan-hyeok is writing a new chapter in the club's history!]
[Just two years ago, it was a club on the verge of collapse because of financial problems! It was completely revived thanks to the fans' devotion! What an unbelievable scene! What an unbelievable scene! And what a scene that symbolizes the 50+1 rule, the symbol of German football! Just where will this fairy tale Union Berlin is writing end up?!]
“Jaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
And at the same time.
“FC Union Du sollst leuchten, wie der hellste Heiligenschein. (FC Union, you shall shine like the brightest halo.)”
Union Berlin fans began flooding onto the pitch in an instant.
Union Berlin's fans, staff, and players all shared in the joy of the club's first-ever promotion to the Bundesliga.