Vs Marseille - 2: Pre-Match Firestorm
***
The starting lineups for Dortmund and Marseille have been announced.
Korean soccer fans erupted in cheers. Son Jinho's name was on the starting lineup.
He'd started most games so far, but with Dortmund's round of 16 fate on the line, there'd been a sliver of anxiety among fans that he might get benched for this crucial match.
But Son Jinho was starting. Korean fans swelled with national pride at the sight of their 16-year-old phenom holding down an irreplaceable starting spot in Europe's top league—yet they couldn't help feeling a bitter pang that they wouldn't see him on the national team anytime soon.
The bittersweet fans resurrected the Korean FA and the media, beating them black and blue all over again.
After venting their stress by pummeling the FA and media for a while, the soccer fans swarmed to the next hot topic as soon as it popped up.
***
Signal Iduna Park, home team locker room.
The Dortmund players starting against Marseille were going through their pre-match routines in their own ways.
Of course, I was no different.
Riiiing—!
I was chatting with Gyeowol, settling my mind and body.
Not long after messaging Gyeowol, game time approached.
"Let's give it everything for the old captain!"
"For Sebastian Kehl!"
"...Thanks, you bastards!"
We stood, gave each other light encouragement, and headed to the tunnel.
"BVB! BVB! Heja BVB!"
As we got closer to the pitch, Dortmund fans' cheers rang in our ears. 'Gotta make the fans' support count—fight to the end for the win today.' I quietly renewed my resolve.
***
"Whiiiiiistle—!"
"Who's the German champions?"
"Borussia Dortmund!"
With the Signal Iduna Park packed for the final group stage match deciding Champions League round of 16 spots...
Dortmund and Marseille were tied on points, but trailing on head-to-head, sitting third.
With the top two per group advancing, Dortmund had to beat Marseille.
The tactics laid bare their situations: Dortmund in their usual 4-2-3-1, while a draw would suffice for Marseille's advancement, so they parked the bus with double pivots in defense.
"Booooo—! Cowardly frog bastards!"
"Feigling! Marseille!"
Dortmund fans unleashed fierce jeers at Marseille's double-deep block right from kickoff.
Dortmund pressed Marseille hard from the start, home fans cheering passionately.
"DROIT AU BUT!!"
Marseille away fans' cheers echoed on their rare attack.
As Marseille aimed to cap their sharp counter...
Son Jinho, sprinting back full tilt on Marseille's counter, nailed a clean sliding tackle to boot the ball out for a goal kick.
"Nice one, kid!"
Roman Weidenfeller cheered the dramatic save, then ripped into Mats Hummels for his poor decision that caused the mess.
"Mats, you bastard! What the hell were you doing yesterday that you're still out of it?!"
Mats Hummels raised his hand apologetically toward Weidenfeller.
Then, in the 39th minute...
"Watch out!"
Marseille holding midfielder Stephane Mbia laid a rough tackle on Sebastian Kehl near the halfway line.
"Aaaagh—!"
Kehl screamed, clutching his ankle as he hit the turf.
"No sportsmanship, you pig?!"
Fired-up Dortmund players charged at Mbia, but ref Howard Webb blew his whistle to calm them.
"Enough! More protests and it's yellow!"
As players flared up again at the ref's inexplicable call, Webb threatened Dortmund's protesters with cards.
The team doc rushed on, checked Kehl, and signaled the bench.
Dortmund's bench accepted it; Ilkay Gundogan started warming up quick.
***