Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: Union Berlin Racing Through the Champions League -5
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At that very moment, as Park Chan-hyuk was expressing his satisfaction with his flawless acting.
The broadcast camera replayed the footage of Park Chan-hyuk sprinting to the bathroom, and Korean soccer fans who saw it burst into laughter.
Manchester United versus Union Berlin.
It was a matchup between the two most popular clubs in Korea, drawing an unimaginable level of attention from Korean soccer fans.
"Yes, it seems Coach Park Chan-hyuk has stepped away due to a physiological need."
"Indeed. In the course of living life, unavoidable human matters arise."
And in that match, the unprecedented event in soccer history occurred where the manager went to take a dump mid-game.
- No way lol, first time seeing a manager run off to shit.
- Dude actually went during the game lol.
- Shit-hyuk incoming ㄷㄷ
- But it's a natural bodily function, can't really complain lol.
- Look at him sprinting full speed, must've been urgent.
- I think he was about to celebrate but the goal didn't go in, so he bolted.
└ Same here.
└ Nah, no way... he wouldn't ruin his image over something that minor, right?
Naturally, the comments on the Never Overseas Soccer article ignited in an instant.
***
Union Berlin fans visiting Old Trafford let out disbelieving laughs.
"Wow... why did the flow of the game suddenly shift?"
The manager dashing off to the bathroom mid-match was absurd enough.
But even more absurd was how the momentum changed after Park Chan-hyuk returned from the bathroom.
"Our manager's always full of surprises, keeps things thrilling."
A Union Berlin fan spoke in Korean to his friend sitting next to him.
"A manager should have some gravitas, right?"
His friend, cheering for Man United, naturally chimed in. The Union Berlin fan was wearing Park Ji-sung's jersey.
The two, supporting different teams, had come to Old Trafford to watch the game today.
And as soccer fans from rival sides are wont to do, they naturally launched into a heated exchange.
"Yeah, the Man United manager offer got shot down, huh?"
"Bullshit. Didn't the old man just say come for dinner?"
The topic of their conversation was, naturally, the recent hot issue: the dinner photo of Alex Ferguson and Park Chan-hyuk.
The article revealing Alex Ferguson and Park Chan-hyuk's dinner had been the hottest story in Korea lately.
[(Breaking) Alex Ferguson, Dinner with Park Chan-hyuk?]
└ Whoa, intense ㄷㄷ
└ Rookie manager recognized by a legend ㄷㄷ
└ Premier League champs manager from last season meets Bundesliga champs manager—what's weird about that?
└ This guy's trying to link Park Chan-hyuk to Ferguson, psycho?
└ But seriously, why'd they meet?
└ Offering the next Man United job?
└ Yeah, that's what I think.
└ Holy shit, Asian guy getting big club vibes?
└ Personally, I think sticking with Union Berlin ain't bad.
└ Nah, he turned us Union fans, where you going...
└ If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Joining ain't shameful.
└ Lol, Man United lost the last game, right?
└ You little shit. Let's meet again at Old Trafford. Just you wait.
Soccer fans had been debating fiercely since the article dropped.
The most plausible rumor was that he'd been offered the Manchester United job.
└ But is it really the Man United offer? Old man's denying it hard.
└ Heard he's been talking retirement since early 2000s.
Ferguson's age was a factor, and the retirement vibes had been there since the early 2000s.
[Manchester United's Alex Ferguson, Private Meeting with Young Manager.]
But after Alex Ferguson's clarifying interview, the incident seemed to fizzle out as a non-event.
└ Damn, got my hopes up for nothing.
└ But why's going to Man United a win?
└ Bigger club?
Some fans expressed disappointment when the news broke.
And naturally, opinions began to clash.
└ Talk all you want, but didn't Park basically turn it down?
└ Fr lol, that's why Ferguson phrased it that way.
└ Kyaa lol, knew we could trust our bro!!
Union Berlin fans crowed that Park had turned down the Man United job.
They swooned over the romance of him passing on it for them.
Turning down a big club like Manchester United to choose Union Berlin.
Meanwhile, Man United fans' prevailing view was that Park's tactics lacked depth.
└ Makes sense to stay at a corner store club? Realistically, he bombed the interview—capability issue.
To them, it was hard to believe he'd reject Man United.
└ Why's Union Berlin strutting around lately?
└ Fr, you'd think they were some historic powerhouse.
└ Already pissed at Man City, now Union Berlin too—mood ruined.
└ Union Berlin = Man City vibes, agreed?
└ Can't buy titles with money^^
Naturally, Man United fans bristled at Union Berlin fans' taunts.
└ ?? Have we ever bought a title?
└ Lol fr, we're developing and using prospects.
└ Over half Union Berlin's squad been with them since lower leagues, right?
And so, Korea began splitting into two factions: Man United and Union Berlin.
***
The Union Berlin vs. Manchester United match continued.
The two teams traded blows in an instant.
The intense high press and resulting quick counters were plenty to immerse the fans in the stadium.
Anyway, as soon as Union Berlin's defense stole the ball, the counter began.
It was true that Union Berlin's attack had weakened this season with Gareth Bale out injured after his rampage.
But that didn't mean Union Berlin was a fragile team relying solely on Bale's exploits.
"Angel Di Maria!"
Angel Di Maria's cross dropped into the penalty box.
"Goaaaaal!! Yanick Peitz scores the opener!!"
Yanick Peitz dove to nudge the ball into the net.
"Booooo!!"
"You take bribes, you bastard!"
And at the same moment.
Jeers from the Man United home fans echoed throughout.
Cursing the referee for not calling a foul in the turnover was par for the course.
Meanwhile, the moment the opener went in.
Union Berlin fans from Korea shot both arms up high.
His buddy in the next seat looked annoyed, but he ignored it.
Confidence swelled that they could beat Man United at Old Trafford.
"Are Manchester United afraid of Union Berlin's growth?"
That was until shortly after, when Manchester United equalized.
"Goooooooal! Wayne Rooney! Wayne Rooney's sneaky long-range strike rattles Union Berlin's net!!"
Fuming at the ref for no foul call, Wayne Rooney unleashed a direct shot.
His instep connected perfectly, and the powerfully struck ball rocketed toward Union Berlin's goal.
Manuel Schmidt stayed composed till the end despite the dipping shot right in front, but.
Rooney's shot whizzed past his fingertips, shaking the net.
Fantastically scoring then angrily booting the ball again was par for the course.
Meanwhile.
A Man United fan turned to glare at the Union Berlin fans.
"Union Berlin growing too?"
The blissfully ignorant smile of one who'd face endless mockery after Ferguson's retirement.
***
I shook my head the instant the halftime whistle blew.
Manchester United's performance was no joke.
'This is Man United in the Ferguson era.'
A league apart from the M-16 or Brainless United days.
And the biggest difference from future Man United players was their sheer fight.
The current squad's grit was no laughing matter.
Man United players hounded Union Berlin relentlessly.
Not just in attack—they threw their bodies on the line in defense to block shots.
In the end, Union Berlin conceded again right before halftime.
Handing the momentum straight to Manchester United.
Thus, halftime arrived after the first half.
I looked at the Union Berlin locker room gripped by a heavy mood.
'Despairing, enraged Germans—only I, the Superman, can free you from this oppression....'
But just as I was about to step up to boost the players' morale.
"Scheiße! Get your heads in the game! We've still got 45 minutes left!"
Yanick Peitz stole my line.