Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: vs Manchester City - 2
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Last season.
Thomas Tuchel, who had just taken over at Manchester City, was forced into a hectic lifestyle.
He had dreamed of a hopeful future free from pressure from the board.
Unfortunately, he faced obstacles right from the summer transfer window.
Tuchel had been given full authority over transfers, but the Abu Dhabi Group backing him was on a similar level to Union Berlin during their lower league days.
……At least back at Union Berlin, he had Chan-hyuk. These people don’t listen to reason at all.
The Abu Dhabi Group that acquired Manchester City kept naming famous players and asking what he thought, without considering team composition.
This was entirely because no one in the group had any understanding of soccer.
They were fixated on the formula ‘famous player = good player.’
It wasn’t entirely wrong that famous players were good players….
But gathering famous players didn’t guarantee results, as the Galácticos policy had proven.
Since they lacked soccer knowledge, convincing the board should have been straightforward.
But Thomas Tuchel, the dictator of soccer, was more the type to say ‘follow my lead’ than persuade.
He had mellowed somewhat while working with Park Chan-hyuk, but his personality hadn’t changed drastically.
In the end, after Tuchel snapped at Mansour—if you want to interfere with signings from now on, get another manager—the meddling in the summer window stopped.
But even after that, Tuchel’s summer transfer woes didn’t end.
“Any success on the signings?”
“They’re asking for way too much.”
“Those bastards!”
The Abu Dhabi Group had successfully taken over Manchester City.
They declared they would invest to make it a global powerhouse.
But no one in soccer circles trusted the Abu Dhabi Group.
They saw Manchester City as a pitiful toy that some Middle Eastern prince would soon abandon once he lost interest in soccer.
This was because oil money hadn’t yet flooded into soccer.
It was an era when romance still lingered in the sport.
[‘Young Mastermind’ Thomas Tuchel Holds First Press Conference After Joining Manchester City. “I want players here to create new history with me.”]
The silver lining was that Manchester City’s manager was Thomas Tuchel, who had made a name for himself in the Champions League while at Bayern Munich.
- Thomas Tuchel: Recommend one player.
- Park Chan-hyuk: ……Out of nowhere?
- Park Chan-hyuk: No, at least specify a position first.
- Thomas Tuchel: Need a defender.
- Park Chan-hyuk: Bring Kompany from Hamburg.
On Park Chan-hyuk’s recommendation, he brought in promising Hamburg talent Vincent Kompany.
After that, he successfully signed players drawn by the prestige of Thomas Tuchel’s name.
Not just Pablo Zabaleta, the right-back from Espanyol.
He even pulled off the signing of Sergio Agüero from Atlético Madrid—the guy who had beaten out Lionel Messi to win La Liga’s Foreign MVP on a shoestring budget.
Early in the summer window, Sergio Agüero had declared he wouldn’t leave the club.
But midway through, swayed by the Abu Dhabi Group’s persuasion.
He suddenly announced his departure, driving a nail into the hearts of Atlético Madrid fans.
Park Chan-hyuk would have seen it and thought, ‘Oh. That’s a bit much.’
But Thomas Tuchel, who prioritized soccer over human emotions, just accepted it.
[On Sergio Agüero’s Transfer, Thomas Tuchel Says: “That’s between the player and Atlético Madrid. Why ask me?”]
That season, Manchester City rode Sergio Agüero’s brilliance to a remarkable third place in the league.
[Chelsea Stumbles Late, Drops to 5th in League.]
Oddly, Chelsea—who were third in the original history—slipped to fifth.
And fourth place, the Champions League cutoff, went to Arsenal of science.
For reference, Park Chan-hyuk’s simple take on last season’s Premier League standings:
‘Yep, Arsenal in this era is pure science.’
It was only natural that Chelsea’s owner went on a furious spending spree.
***
I nodded as I looked over Manchester City’s squad list.
‘……Pretty similar to Manchester City from the original history.’
Aside from Sergio Agüero joining early and some rotation players being different, not much had changed.
Well…. I could understand that.
Manchester City’s status at the time made signing big names difficult.
Thanks to Sergio Agüero’s insane performances last season, they qualified for the Champions League, so this season they managed some solid additions.
“Lucio!”
“Oh. Good to see you.”
I approached ‘Lucio’ in his sky-blue kit and greeted him.
When Bayern Munich’s Van Gaal took over, Lucio was put up for sale.
He pinged right on Thomas Tuchel’s radar, who had his eyes on the Bundesliga.
Tuchel immediately moved for Lucio, who was on the release list.
Of course, it wasn’t smooth sailing for Manchester City to snag Lucio.
Inter came after him hard.
And Union Berlin under me stuck our spoon in too.
[Union Berlin Manager Park Chan-hyuk: “Lucio is an underrated gem.”]
For the record, I jumped in because from this season on, we had to scout teams we’d face in the Champions League.
Lucio would bolster Union Berlin’s defense while checking Inter’s growth—a perfect move.
[Bayern Munich: Won’t Sell Lucio to a Same-League Rival.]
[Bayern Munich Openly Targeting Union Berlin?]
[Rivalry Heating Up Between Bundesliga South and North?]
But Bayern Munich, pissed at our spicy antics in the summer window, flat-out refused to sell to us.
Lucio wanted to join Union Berlin—same Bundesliga, last season’s champions—but the club’s firm stance left him no choice but to turn to Manchester City.
[Lucio to Manchester City…. “Thrilled to Reunite with Thomas Tuchel.”]
[Manchester City Fans Cheer Lucio Signing….]
Lucio had learned a ton playing under Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
Anyway.
After exchanging reunion greetings with Lucio, the friendly match kicked off soon after.
***
The Manchester City vs. Union Berlin friendly began at Manchester City’s home ground, and Thomas Tuchel watched with an impressed expression.
‘He’s built a hell of a team.’
Park Chan-hyuk’s Union Berlin now had rock-solid balance between attack and defense.
Just two years ago, Tuchel had coached Union Berlin and knew its limits better than anyone.
So it was natural for admiration toward Park Chan-hyuk—to elevate them this far—to bubble up.
‘There’s a reason Union Berlin won the Bundesliga last season.’
Union Berlin lined up in a back four against Manchester City.
Yuto Nagatomo-Dante-Thiago Silva-Azpi made up the line, and they completely shut down City’s forwards.
Even Sergio Agüero, who had terrorized the Premier League last season and drawn big-club interest overnight, was stonewalled by Thiago Silva’s wall.
Anyway.
The evenly matched friendly between Union Berlin and Manchester City continued.
Soon after, Union Berlin crafted the first real chance.
Luka Modrić shook off Manchester City’s pressure and slipped a pass into Son Heung-min sprinting into space behind.
With Yannick Foote out sick, Roberto Lewandowski started and made a dummy run to drag Lucio away, opening up space.
Son Heung-min drove into the gap with the ball, then whipped out his right foot without hesitation. It was a massive edge Son had that even Ángel Di María or Gareth Bale lacked—ambidexterity.
His half-beat-quick shot rattled the net behind Joe Hart in Manchester City’s goal.
“Yeaaaaaaah!”
Leaving the Union Berlin away fans’ roar behind, Son Heung-min bolted straight toward me the moment he scored.
“If you score, no celebration, I said! Don’t come here!!”
I tried dodging toward the corner flag as Son charged at me.
But poor me, with my torn ACL, got caught in his sprint.