Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: vs FC Porto -3
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***
[Union Berlin Crushes FC Porto 3-1 in Champions League Round of 16 First Leg.]
Union Berlin secured a resounding victory in their away match against FC Porto, claiming a commanding position for advancement to the quarterfinals.
[Union Berlin's Unbeaten Home Record... Set to Continue Without Fail?]
Given Union Berlin's unbeaten streak at home this season, progressing to the quarterfinals was as good as guaranteed.
“The Champions League isn't over yet, so we intend to give it everything until the very end.”
Even FC Porto's manager seemed to grasp this reality all too well.
Right after the final whistle, he couldn't help but wear a grim expression throughout his interview with the reporters.
[Title: (Column) How Union Berlin Became a Powerhouse.]
└ Kya lol, feeling Union Berlin's dominance yet?
└ But has anyone actually bought that "The Standard of Celebrations" book Park Chan-hyuk wrote?
└ Ffs lol, it's from the manager himself, but instead of soccer philosophy or tactics, it's all about how to celebrate properly—how do you fall for that crap?
└ ???? You bought it?
└ Dial back the variations, you hack.
└ Fr lol, thought you were trash-talking, but nah—you bought it. You're a true Park Chan-hyuk disciple.
Soccer fans had already begun treating Union Berlin's quarterfinal berth as a foregone conclusion.
The players on the team felt much the same way.
This was still the era before the away goals rule was scrapped, so a 3-1 away win carried immense weight.
‘To blow this, they'd have to score three at our place...’
I sorted through my thoughts as I glanced at Union Berlin's defenders.
Thiago Silva, Dante, Virgil van Dijk, Azpilicueta... and so on.
‘Break through that and bag three goals?’
Frankly, this backline looked impenetrable unless it was prime Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo doing the damage.
Even so, if they managed it, I'd humbly concede the point and counter accordingly.
By bringing in Radamel Falcao and Hulk.
In any case, the Champions League Round of 16 second leg against Porto was set for a month later.
No angle I checked from suggested we'd drop points at home to them, but preparing for potential disaster remained crucial.
‘Always plan for the worst case.’
Regrettably, only those with a touch of paranoia made for successful managers.
It was a profession demanding constant torment over superior tactics and any chinks in the opponent's armor.
***
Even after the emphatic first-leg triumph over Porto in the Champions League Round of 16, the season raced onward.
[Union Berlin Thumps Cologne 4-0. Can They Hoist the Meisterschale Two Years Running?]
└ Whoa... Union Berlin is seriously crushing it?
└ From instant promotion to title win—they're writing history with every step now.
└ Yeah lol, but they got wrecked by Munich in the Pokal and bounced.
└ Rotated squad for Champs prep, idiot;
└ Didn't we play Champs too?
└ And that's why you got dismantled by Barcelona lolololol
For reference, Union Berlin had faced Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal quarterfinals before the first leg against Porto.
They fell 0-2, eliminated after granting their starters rest to prioritize Champions League readiness.
[Bayern Munich Notches Clean 2-0 Win Over Union Berlin.]
Bayern Munich's fans, buoyed by the victory over Union Berlin, grew even cockier.
“You idiots! You'll crawl back to where you belong someday!”
“Second division is your true home!”
They unleashed a torrent of mockery toward Union Berlin supporters.
A brawl breaking out near the stadium after the match was only natural.
‘...This much?’
The club had aimed to foster a rivalry with Bayern Munich, but I hadn't anticipated fans reacting this viciously.
No backlash came for the rotation against Munich, though plenty eyed us with disappointment.
Union Berlin fans genuinely viewed Bayern Munich as their rivals.
Evidently, so did Bayern's supporters, staring down the barrel of handing over the league crown for a second straight year.
‘Still... not quite as hated as Dynamo, I suppose.’
Dynamo fans wouldn't have walked away alive.
Anyway, stoking the rivalry had its place, but right now, it seemed time to cool things off. With blood already being spilled, fan tempers had clearly peaked.
[Union Berlin: "We Will Not Tolerate Any Acts of Violence."]
[Bayern Munich Urges Fans to Refrain from Excessive Provocation.]
Bayern Munich appeared to share my thinking.
But things rarely went exactly to plan.
Despite efforts from Bayern's board and ours, tensions between fans only escalated.
The media fanned the flames with wall-to-wall coverage of the emerging Bayern Munich-Union Berlin rivalry.
‘Whatever. Let it play out.’
Surprisingly, the moment I stepped back, the rivalry began to quiet down.
‘...Huh? Was I the problem?’
In any event, time flew by from there.
The Champions League Round of 16 second leg against Porto loomed.
Union Berlin's stadium swiftly filled to the brim with fans yearning for the club's first-ever quarterfinal berth.
***
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
“Hello, viewers across the nation! Caster Park Sung-jae here, bringing you the Champions League Round of 16 second leg between Union Berlin and FC Porto—Union Berlin versus FC Porto!”
Korean soccer fans rose early into the wee hours to catch Union Berlin's Champs clash.
Unlike last time, this 4 a.m. kickoff was marginally more manageable.
Watch the game end, then prep for work.
Of course, disasters sometimes struck—dozing off mid-match and oversleeping for a late arrival.
Even so, they never hesitated to tune in every time.
Supporting Union Berlin had become a national craze in Korea.
Even non-soccer fans had heard the name.
Celebrities gushed about backing Union Berlin on TV left and right.
Union Berlin rode this cultural wave, yet plenty of Koreans still tuned out soccer entirely.
Kim Hyung-sik, who worked at GL Electronics, was one such holdout.
Sports had never clicked for him since childhood.
Soccer, in particular, made his skin crawl.
Back in school, the cool delinquent kids had stuck him in goal as "keeper" for target practice with the ball.
But lately, he'd found himself drawn to the sport.
Word had spread that GL Group's chairman was obsessed with soccer—specifically, Union Berlin.
When he poured investment into building their home stadium, folks whispered he was nuts. Hindsight proved it visionary.
Not just in Europe—their brand exploded across Asia.
Even "that" Japan, notorious for shunning Korean goods, took notice.
Watching Guten's rapid global smartphone push, GL pivoted swiftly from feature phones.
They seized major market share, trailing only Apple and Samsung.
- Sigh, no Hong Min today.
- Starting XI competition feels brutal, huh.
Anyway.
As the match kicked off, Guten's group chat erupted like mad.
Kim Hyung-sik stayed silent, locked in on the game.
He was about to type when Union Berlin sprang a counter.
Luka Modrić's pass found Lewandowski.
Lewandowski nodded it down to Yannick Foite.
Yannick Foite eyed the dropping ball coolly and swung his right foot.
The instant Yannick Foite's shot rippled FC Porto's net.
“GOOOOOOAL!!”
Kim Hyung-sik thrust both arms skyward and roared.
Unbeknownst to himself, he'd become a Union Berlin fan.
- Classic Union Berlin icon, Yannick Foite! SIUUU!
Unable to contain his goal rush, Kim Hyung-sik fired off the message.
- ??? Didn't Kim from sales hate soccer?
- Showed him the Union Berlin docu last time, and boom—instant fan.
- Kim, you're a Yannick Foite stan, right? Bet you got the jersey at home?
- Our captain's story does have that romance.
His colleagues were visibly thrown by the uncharacteristic hype.