Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Bundesliga Champions
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Season end.
"Good game, and congratulations on the championship."
"Ah. It was a good game. Thank you."
After the match against Bayern Munich ended, Jupp Heynckes, who had been waiting in the entry tunnel, approached and offered his greetings.
"Yes, let's do well next season too."
Jupp Heynckes's expression looked relieved.
It was the face of someone whose worries had been resolved.
It seemed he was planning to reverse his retirement, just like in the original history, and return to the Bundesliga next season.
'Jürgen Klopp, Louis van Gaal, and Jupp Heynckes...'
While the Bundesliga championship was becoming an increasingly explosive battle, heightened competitiveness was crucial.
High league competition was necessary for Champions League victory.
The moment a club started reigning as an absolute ruler in the league.
Its development would naturally stagnate.
'Even if it doesn't stop, the pace of growth slows down, that's a fact.'
Anyway, we decided to hold the championship celebration at the final match.
It coincided with Yannick Foite's return and the completion of Union Berlin's home stadium.
We had discussed this in advance, and the DFB readily agreed.
And though we never said it out loud, both the DFB and Union Berlin anticipated it: if Union Berlin clinched the league title, a normal event couldn't proceed.
It seemed we needed a little time for the fans to calm down before holding the league championship ceremony.
In any case.
As soon as Union Berlin won the league, the DFB compiled videos from our Regionalliga days onward and uploaded them to YouTube and their Guten channel.
It looked like the DFB was also seizing the moment when the tide was coming in.
The documentary-style videos they uploaded garnered quite a strong response.
Union Berlin could feel new fans pouring in.
And the sudden influx of new fans could potentially clash with the existing ones.
Union Berlin's staff had no choice but to be on edge about conflicts between new fans and old fans.
'Well... it's a natural occurrence as the club grows.'
It wasn't anyone's fault.
The old fans wanted respect for the club's history, traditions, and their culture.
The new fans were ignorant of the traditions, history, and supporter culture.
As they clashed and argued, a new tradition would emerge.
And above all, Union Berlin fans weren't exclusive by nature.
'That said, even 55,000 seats in the stands feel too few now...'
Well, if push came to shove, like Dortmund, we could make one stand standing-room only and accommodate up to 70,000.
'......Sigh. I didn't expect this level of popularity.'
Anyway, thanks to Guten's promotion, the Bundesliga's popularity was rising rapidly.
The world was focusing on Union Berlin's fairy-tale championship.
[Champions! Champions! Finally, Union Berlin's romance is complete!]
[From amateur Regionalliga to the top flight! The birth of a true royal road!]
[Even 'that place' famous for anime would surely throw away the script, saying this story is too exaggerated!]
Sky Sports, ESPN, and other global broadcast platforms showered praise on Union Berlin's victory.
[Until the season started, no one would have predicted Union Berlin's championship. Their odds were like finding a living Elvis Presley or aliens on the dark side of the moon.]
Even FIFA paid tribute to Union Berlin's win.
[Berlin state government declares massive celebratory parade for Union Berlin's championship!]
Berlin, Union Berlin's home city, also celebrated their Bundesliga title.
It was the first championship since Germany's reunification and the Bundesliga's founding.
Berlin's citizens cheered that Union Berlin had won.
During the Prussian era, Berlin was Germany's center, but after division, it had fallen behind the south and west.
This somewhat healed the wounded pride of Berlin's citizens.
[Union Berlin championship: Son Heung-min's comeback goal turns the tide!]
[Shinji Kagawa's fantastic performance against Bayern Munich!]
Meanwhile.
Korea and Japan also rejoiced over Union Berlin's championship.
Their national players were on the team.
[Southeast Asian Football Confederation sending love call to Park Chan-hyuk?]
[Uzbekistan Football Federation proposes invitation to Park Chan-hyuk...]
And as Union Berlin achieved its first-ever Bundesliga title in club history, other Asian countries besides Korea and Japan started heating up.
***
[Union Berlin defeats Bayern Munich to clinch league title!]
[Manager Park Chan-hyuk wins Bundesliga for first time in club history!]
[Robert Lewandowski: "The boss is a good friend to us."]
[Luka Modrić celebrates Bundesliga title. "This is why I chose Union Berlin."]
[Thomas Tuchel, who scouted Park Chan-hyuk: "I was certain Chan-hyuk would become a great manager someday. Congratulations to Union Berlin on the championship."]
[Jürgen Klopp congratulates Union Berlin. "Chan-hyuk's tactics are giving new inspiration to many managers."]
[Jupp Heynkes congratulates Union Berlin right after the match... "Looks like I need to reverse my retirement. It's too regrettable to leave now."]
[Yannick Foite cheers from the stands until his voice gives out!]
[Union Berlin clinches league title amid pitch invasion by fans!]
[The leadership of Park Chan-hyuk is what Korean society needs right now!]
└ Uh... That could ruin the country if done wrong?
└ Yeah, the reporter probably wrote this without watching Union Berlin games.
└ Does Park Chan-hyuk have some problem?
└ Watching the games, he kinda has a mad scientist vibe.
***
After clinching the Bundesliga title, time flew by.
The Bundesliga's final match ended with today's game.
Yet fans and players didn't leave the stadium even after the whistle.
It was finally time for Union Berlin's championship celebration.
*Wir werden alles zerlegen, bis wir Deutscher Meister sind*
*We will tear everything apart until we become German champions.*
As fans sang the supporter chant celebrating the victory.
*FC Union, du sollst leuchten wie der hellste Heiligenschein.*
*FC Union, you shall shine like the brightest halo.*
Before long, the stage was set.
*Und überall wird es schallen, FC Union unser Verein!!!*
*And everywhere it will echo, FC Union our club!!!*
Yannick Foite, back from injury, slowly lifted the trophy.
And at that moment.
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
The stadium shook with the roar.
I looked around while watching Yannick lift the trophy.
One wall was filled with bricks inscribed in various languages, a reminder not to forget the fans' dedication and donations.
Yes.
The championship ceremony was taking place at the newly built Union Berlin home stadium. Construction that started last season had finally finished.
It was completed faster than expected thanks to the tireless dedication of Union Berlin fans who worked day and night.
'Park Jung-ah was dumbfounded comparing the speed of Guten headquarters construction to Union Berlin's stadium build.'
Incidentally, some workers even volunteered to build the Union Berlin stadium for less pay.
Anyway, the stands, built with voluntary donations from Union Berlin fans, invited local Berlin children for free as a way to repay their devotion.
However, though it was the club staff's idea to invite the kids, there was a slight unease.
'......Is that emotionally okay?'
They excluded some iffy words, but it was still worrisome.
'Well, seeing it completed, it does feel a bit unique.'
Other Bundesliga teams had mocked it as a scam.
But once finished, it felt distinctly Union Berlin, unlike ordinary stadiums.
"Hey! Chan-hyuk!! Come on up quick!"
While I was lost in thought, the players were waiting in the center.
The fans, who had been roaring in joy, now quietly started clapping.
I was half-pushed onto the stage.
I grabbed the trophy handed to me by Yannick Foite and the players, and lifted it high.
"Chan-hyuk!! Führ uns zum Gold!!"
In that moment, the fan cheers from my playing assistant coach days rang in my ears.
[Thank you for your dedication.]
A card section unfolded, as if prepared by Union Berlin fans.
"Ah... must be dust in my eyes... they sting..."
A discarded coach no one in Germany wanted met Union Berlin, a club on the brink of bankruptcy.
And finally, the moment of lifting the Bundesliga trophy.