Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Mr. Hamstring and Mr. ACL -3
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The moment Dortmund was overturned by Union Berlin.
Jürgen Klopp, who had been sitting quietly on the bench, clutched his head.
"You, come here!"
He passed tactical instructions to his coach, and the coach immediately ran to the touchline to relay Klopp's orders to the players.
Because of his hamstring issue, he couldn't shout from the touchline himself.
But there was inevitably a difference between the manager giving direct orders and the coach doing it.
Unlike the manager who could issue commands right away, the coach's instructions came with a delay.
In the end, Jürgen Klopp stood up from his seat, supported by the players around him.
And he hobbled over to position himself on the touchline.
"Chan-hyuk's legs are a million-dollar pair."
Welcoming Klopp like that was Park Chan-hyuk, who was jumping in place after pointing to his hamstring.
The showdown between the two men was far from over.
***
[The referee's whistle blows, and the first half is over!]
The first half between Union Berlin and Dortmund ended with a 2-1 scoreline. Dortmund had a crucial chance right before halftime but failed to convert it into a goal.
[Union Berlin was in danger right before the end of the first half, but Thiago Silva managed to block it just in time.]
Thiago Silva had cleanly tackled to intercept Sebastian Kehl's shot.
[Dortmund and Union Berlin went at it fiercely. Union Berlin conceded the opener to Dortmund briefly, but they ended up taking a 2-1 lead into halftime.]
Dortmund had taken the lead with the first goal, but starting with Roberto Lewandowski's opener, they began to waver, then conceded another to Yannick Foite and got turned over.
[Yes, indeed. It was a match that showed the potential of the Bundesliga leaders.]
And as the first half ended, the comments on the Naver soccer article page started heating up.
[(Halftime) Union Berlin takes a 2-1 lead away at Dortmund.]
└ Holy shit, this is Iron Union for you.
└ Park Chan-hyuk <- This guy's the Iron Alchemist who turns scrap into gold ㄷㄷ
└ What the hell does that mean?
└ It's a nickname he got for turning factory worker Yannick Foite into a Bundesliga player (gold nugget).
└ "Iron Alchemist" search brings up a Japanese anime, what is this? Smells like otaku.
└ You just dissed the space masterpiece Fullmetal Alchemist?
└ I knew Union Berlin was strong, but Dortmund's pretty tough too?
└ Dortmund's fallen off now, but it's still a powerhouse.
└ Wow, Bundesliga games are more watchable than I thought?
└ Yeah, Union Berlin, Bayern Munich, Dortmund, Schalke, Leverkusen, etc. More strong teams than expected.
└ Uh... there's a weird team mixed in there?
└ Schalke?
└ No, Union Berlin. Does it really belong?
└ You mocking the Bundesliga leaders?
└ It's early season; if they don't win it, you'll all be cursing Park Chan-hyuk as a fluke.
└ This guy gets Naver soccer fan levels ㅋㅋㅋ
***
Halftime followed the end of the first half.
"Stay focused until the referee's whistle! No complacency!"
Park Chan-hyuk demanded that the players keep their concentration until the final whistle.
"Don't get complacent just because they're mid-table! Right now, Dortmund is a tougher opponent than Munich!"
Separate from his friendship with Jürgen Klopp, his first emotion was that he didn't want to lose.
'No giving up celebrations or the win!'
Right now, Park Chan-hyuk was winning the match but had clearly lost the celebration battle.
He couldn't surpass the impact of Jürgen Klopp blowing out his hamstring mid-celebration.
'Sigh... I don't wanna get hurt, but maybe I should counter-troll?'
With Park Chan-hyuk's resolve to steal the spotlight in the second half, the second half kicked off.
And the Union Berlin vs. Dortmund match unfolded even more fiercely than the first half.
└ Is this match level for real?
└ Damn, this feels like a Champions League final?
└ Everyone's grinding their teeth and running.
Dortmund players charged like mad, unwilling to lose limply at home.
Union Berlin threw their bodies around to protect the three points, blocking Dortmund's attacks.
As Union Berlin held firm without conceding amid the relentless pressure, the momentum slowly shifted their way.
Dortmund's stamina dropped, mixed with anxiety, leading to more mistakes and shaky defending.
In the end, the first to change things was Jürgen Klopp.
He brought in substitutes and altered the formation.
Klopp's substitution tactics stabilized Dortmund's wobbly defense, and with the backline steady, Dortmund's attackers resumed their assault.
But regrettably, the one who created the shift on the pitch was Brazil's legend Cafu.
***
In a split second, Cafu, receiving a pass from Luka Modrić,
realized no one was marking him.
'Hah, seriously, underestimating an old man?'
Being the second half, they didn't expect the older Cafu to dribble.
Klopp thought the same.
Cafu started dribbling to teach the young punks a lesson for underestimating him.
He'd lost his youthful explosiveness, but in its place was seasoned savvy.
Yuto Nagatomo filled the space Cafu vacated, per Park Chan-hyuk's tactics.
Free from defensive worries, Cafu focused on the dribble.
Crossing the halfway line, Dortmund players pressed.
But Cafu shook them off and raced up the touchline.
Then, near the edge of the penalty box, Cafu swung his right foot.
Cafu's cross traced a beautiful arc, landing perfectly on Lewandowski's forehead as he burst into the box.
Lewandowski's header, redirecting only the ball's path precisely,
Splooosh—!
"Yeaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!"
ripped straight into Dortmund's net.
"Cafu!! Foot goal!!!"
"Levy!! Foot goal!!!"
The away fans' cheers for Cafu and Lewandowski echoed.
Cafu quietly responded with a kiss to the Union Berlin badge.
***
[Union Berlin wins 3-1 away at Dortmund.]
[Roberto Lewandowski shines with 2 goals and 1 assist.]
[Polish President: Roberto Lewandowski is Poland's pride.]
['Hamstring injury' Jürgen Klopp apologizes. "In that moment, I couldn't contain my joy. I apologize to the disappointed fans and to Chan-hyuk, the victim of my provocation."]
['Big man' Park Chan-hyuk: "I've blown my ACL before, so I get it. Totally understandable."]
└ LMAO, you bragging about that?
└ Interview's hilarious ㅋㅋ
└ Did he really say that in the actual interview?
└ Yeah.
└ Absolute madlad ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
['Cafu's resurgence.' Dribble breakthrough from 80m out in the 80th minute, assists the dagger goal with a cross.]
[Former club AC Milan fans pay tribute to legend Cafu's performance.]
***
The Union Berlin vs. Dortmund match was over.
[M.O.M Roberto Lewandowski with 2 goals and 1 assist. "The player I am today is thanks to the Boss's teachings."]
The standout performer in the match was, of course, Roberto Lewandowski.
Cafu's rejuvenated dribble in the 41st minute of the second half was topic enough,
but it couldn't top Lewandowski's 2 goals and 1 assist.
Yet more impressive than the performance was his growth rate.
Under Park Chan-hyuk's tutelage, Roberto Lewandowski had transformed into a complete forward excelling in runs, passing, off-ball movement, finishing, and headers—everything.
[Germany's top youth prospects favor Union Berlin? 'I want to learn soccer under Manager Park Chan-hyuk....']
It's natural for prospects to want a manager who can develop them like this.
Sure, the wages are low now, but improve and you get way more later.
In that vein, agents holding decent prospects knocked on Union Berlin's door.
Some aimed to temporarily sign with the club, hype them as "Park Chan-hyuk picks" to boost value.
But naturally, Park Chan-hyuk didn't take just anyone.
It was purely to maintain brand image.
Taking anyone cheapens it, like selling luxury as bargain.
"Whose agent are you?"
"Uh... you probably don't know him, but Casemiro from São Paulo's youth team."
But sometimes, temptations are impossible to refuse.
'So, bring in Kroos and we've assembled the legendary KCM.'