Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: vs FC Porto -2
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Despite conceding the first goal from an unexpected blow by Radamel Falcao,
Union Berlin's players quickly began to regain their composure.
“Snap out of it, you bastards! This is a team that made it to the Champions League!”
Centered around Thiago Silva's shout, the defenders reorganized their defensive line.
The midfielders and forwards pressed aggressively up front.
The casual attitude toward Porto vanished in an instant.
The match grew increasingly fierce.
“Porto blocks Union Berlin's attack once more!!”
“Amazing! What incredible focus! They held on until the end!”
But Porto, with their spirits lifted, didn't allow any easy shots.
Time flew by, and the first half was drawing to a close.
Luka Modrić calmly turned the ball as soon as he received it, eyes scanning forward for an opening in Porto's defense.
'No gaps anywhere....'
And in that moment,
Yannick Foite's movement began to crack Porto's defense.
“Luka Modrić with the through ball!!”
The pass flew into the open space.
Robert Lewandowski used a soft heel-first touch to set the ball up perfectly.
“Kagawa Shinji!!!!”
Kagawa Shinji sprinted toward the laid-off ball, and his shot rolled straight into the corner of the net, shaking Porto's goal.
“Goooaaaal!! It's in! Kagawa Shinji! Kagawa Shinji evens the score!!”
“Wow, Kagawa's shot was great, but this was a team effort—Yannick Foite's run, Modrić's pass, and Lewandowski's clever first touch all came together perfectly!”
Buoyed by the equalizer, Union Berlin pinned Porto back and hammered away mercilessly, but unfortunately, they didn't have much time left.
“Ah! The first half ends without a go-ahead goal!”
“Still, what an intense clash between these two teams. It's no wonder they call it the Champions League.”
The referee's whistle blew, ending the first half.
Union Berlin's players wore expressions thick with regret.
Just a little more time, and they could have scored the winner and sealed the game.
***
[(LIVE) FC Porto 1 : 1 Union Berlin.]
└ Union Berlin getting dragged around by Porto lol
└ Fr, barely tying it up against Porto and thinking Champs win? Dream on
└ Man U would've been up 2-0 by halftime already?
└ It's away, idiots.
└ But why do away games feel harder than home? No idea.
└ Home advantage is huge.
└ So why does home advantage exist?
└ First time watching soccer?
└ Yeah... started with Union Berlin.
└ Oh, one of us.
└ One of us my ass lol
└ Fan cheers or boos can sway the ref's calls too.
└ Ref seems kinda spineless lol
└ Thought that too, until I watched Bundesliga.
┅ Fml lol, Germans go pyro berserk—you get why refs get rattled.
└ Fr lol, scary af. Like they summoned hell portals.
└ But doesn't pyro mean fines?
└ Yup.
└ Bundesliga teams loaded or what...?
└ That's why the pyro fine rumor says it funds German soccer development.
└ Old Union Berlin clips show fans fundraising for charity just to pyro and pay fines.
└ Crazy bastards?
└ Fair.
└ Built the stadium for free, sold actual blood to save a bankrupt club from ruin. That's a fan-owned club ㅇ
└ Oh? Players coming back out.
└ Off to second half bb
└ Yeah everyone but you and me dipped.
└ Kids these days have no loyalty fml
***
The second half kicked off right after the first half ended.
Amid the fierce Champions League clash between Union Berlin and Porto,
My mind kept replaying Kagawa Shinji's celebration from the first half that I couldn't steal.
'Ah. That's not how you do a celebration....'
It was that disappointing.
'But do I really need to worry about the fans...?'
For the record, it wasn't a problem with my body that kept me from stealing Kagawa Shinji's celebration.
It was an external factor beyond my control.
'Hmm. Considering the money Japanese fans throw around, maybe I do.'
Stealing Kagawa Shinji's Champions League debut goal celebration felt like it would enrage the Japanese.
'Is the world afraid of my Park Chan-hyuk celebrations...?'
Well, Poles got mad when I stole Lewandowski's too. But they didn't boycott like the Japanese would.
'Boycotts though.... not really because of Kagawa's celebration.'
Lately, with Yuto Nagatomo riding the bench more, Japanese fans were griping about me. If you're not starting him, send him to another Bundesliga team, they said.
'No, damn it, I'm using him in rotation! He gets the most minutes among rotation players! That's consideration!'
I was just frustrated since he was featuring regularly in rotation.
For reference, Japan was calling me anti-Japanese for not starting Nagatomo.
The sad part? Korean reactions were the same.
- What the hell Park Chan-hyuk? Why use Kagawa over Lee Sung-jae? Pro-Japanese scum?
The issue was Lee Sung-jae and Kagawa overlapping positions.
'Are these guys really the same people?'
No wonder the internet calls it the Unified Korea.
Well.... At least I'm grateful I don't do SNS.
If I did, my account would be a warzone of Korean and Japanese nationalists by now.
Anyway, while I was lost in those thoughts,
Swish—!
“Waaaaah!!”
Union Berlin pulled off a go-ahead goal against Porto.
They'd trailed from the opener but crushed them with sheer class.
Porto tried a calm counter after settling their halftime nerves right from kickoff,
But Union Berlin's intense high press and counters battered them into dropping deep.
'Honestly, with this quality gap, it'd be ridiculous not to win.'
I bolted straight to the corner flag, but I was a tad late.
Unfortunately, stealing the players' celebrations was getting tougher.
'These guys...!'
It stung a bit not getting Kagawa's or Lewandowski's, but deep down, I felt proud. They weren't slacking even during celebrations.
'They've grown!'
I found myself beaming like a proud mentor without realizing it.
Anyway, after the go-ahead goal,
Porto relied on Radamel Falcao and Hulk's individual brilliance to chase an equalizer,
But they couldn't breach Union Berlin's famed 'Berlin Wall.'
'Hulk, huh....'
Personally, as regrettable as Falcao.
A rare Brazilian with skill, mentality, and character, held back by third-party issues from the big leagues.
'Hmm.... Though he's Reverse Giggs too. Nephew love over mother-in-law.'
Anyway, without the third-party stuff, he'd have been even better for sure.
For a split second, the talent scout in me awoke.
'Sigh.... But Union Berlin's forwards are oversaturated.'
So I decided to recommend him to Tuchel.
I was personally curious how Hulk would do in a big league.
'And Man City could handle the third-party issues no problem.'
Swish—!
While I was thinking, Porto's net shook again.
“I won't miss this one—SIUUUUUU!!”
This time, I nailed the celebration steal.
“......Why only mine?”
For the record, it wasn't just that no soccer fan would complain about me stealing Yannick's celebration.
It was pure coincidence.
And after the match ended, Yannick didn't talk to me for a while.
'Is he sulking?'
***
[Union Berlin crushes FC Porto 3-1 in Champions League Round of 16 first leg.]
["Mom, I wanna be Park Chan-hyuk when I grow up!!" The definitive guide to celebrations, written by Manager Park Chan-hyuk himself! On sale now! Available at your local bookstore.]