Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: vs Real Madrid -1
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***
Even after the Champions League quarterfinal draw was complete, Union Berlin's season pressed on.
[Union Berlin Tops the Bundesliga! Meisterschale Virtually Secured for Second Straight Season!]
[Union Berlin's Storm! Promoted Team on Track for Back-to-Back Bundesliga Titles? Unprecedented!]
The league race saw them still charging at the top, they'd been knocked out of the Pokal, and the Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Real Madrid loomed ahead.
By the current momentum, lifting the Meisterschale for the second season in a row was as good as half-decided.
"Jaaaaaaa!!!!!"
Union Berlin fans carried on the festival atmosphere every single day.
"Dem Morgengrauen entgegen, ziehn wir gegen den Wind!
(Toward the dawn, we'll march against the wind!)"
Today, as always, the cheers from fans flooding the stadium rang out endlessly.
Union Berlin had easily beaten Jürgen Klopp's Dortmund.
"Celebrating the Bundesliga title, huh."
Right after the final whistle, Jürgen Klopp approached me with a bitter expression and offered a handshake.
The Dortmund side he led simply couldn't match the even stronger Union Berlin.
It was entirely a matter of time that had sorted itself out.
The players transferred in last season and this one had fully meshed into Union Berlin's tactics.
[Union Berlin Crushes Dortmund 3-1.]
In any case.
Having notched a big league win over Dortmund, Union Berlin could carry that positive momentum into the Real Madrid matchup.
***
The Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Real Madrid was nearly upon us.
We headed to Real Madrid's home ground, the Santiago Bernabéu.
For reference, Union Berlin had arrived in Madrid two days earlier and finished acclimating.
Training took place at a facility borrowed from Atlético Madrid.
Champions League away games were almost always overseas, so borrowing training grounds was common.
Local clubs were generally as cooperative as possible.
They never knew when they might need to borrow one themselves.
'And incidentally, to scout potential transfer targets' abilities.'
Anyway, the pre-match interviews went off without a hitch.
[Real Madrid President Pérez in Backtalk Controversy: "Teams without roots like Union Berlin are there to be beaten."]
[Union Berlin Manager Park Chan-hyuk: "Real Madrid is a toothless tiger."]
There was a brief war of words with President Pérez, but hey—this was getting off lightly.
[Union Berlin Manager Park Chan-hyuk: "Ronaldo is a great player. I respect him."]
I even threw in some positive words about Ronaldo and survived the message barrage. Truth be told, Ronaldo was an incredible player. One of the all-time greats in soccer history.
'Honestly, is it even human to keep going pro past 40?'
He might play till 60 at this rate.
'Then it'd be Sixty Too, I guess.'
Union Berlin's players were visibly tense ahead of the Real Madrid clash.
Their opponents were Real Madrid, kings of Europe.
Sure, they were in a slump with five straight Champions League round-of-16 exits, but that didn't mean any bold soul on the team was taking them lightly.
"Hmm. That tense, huh?"
The moment I saw the players' stiff faces, I started laying into it.
"Right now, Real Madrid isn't as strong as people think. Galácticos was a clear failure of a policy. Fine for marketing, but a disastrous imbalance when it comes to results. That said, I agree that your most expensive player is your cheapest. That policy will turn Real Madrid into a luxury brand."
As my words continued, the players' tense expressions gradually shifted.
"So don't get scared...."
Just as I was about to keep going.
"...Boss, please look behind you."
One of Union Berlin's players sighed it out.
And behind me stood President Pérez, face flushed red, glaring daggers.
'What is this? Feels like major déjà vu.'
***
President Pérez approached to exchange greetings with the Union Berlin side.
There was a player on their roster he had his eye on.
'Gareth Bale, was it.'
Fast-footed soccer players always became global superstars.
The masses preferred simple over complex.
No need to drone on about a player's strengths and virtues.
'He's fast.'
That one line got bigger cheers.
In President Pérez's view, a soccer player's star power wasn't anything special.
'Tall and handsome, hefty transfer fee, quick feet, and bang—goals. Done.'
Gareth Bale fit the bill perfectly as the next big star. Any lacking charisma could be bought with cash.
On top of that, President Pérez personally coveted this Asian manager named Park Chan-hyuk. He was dissatisfied with Manuel Pellegrini, who couldn't deliver results despite the quality signings.
President Pérez quietly began hunting for Pellegrini's replacement.
Two names caught his eye.
'Both have star power.'
They were the recently hyped "star manager" Mourinho and Park Chan-hyuk.
Surprisingly, President Pérez leaned toward Park Chan-hyuk over the white Mourinho.
Union Berlin's explosive growth in the Asian market had him salivating.
Given that Union Berlin had been total nobodies in Asia before, it was all down to this manager's personal flair.
Money made race and nationality irrelevant.
Sure, Real Madrid fans might gripe about an Asian manager, but Pérez didn't sweat it.
'Better if those idiots walk out on their own.'
If they were dumb enough to complain about an Asian boss, the team was better off without their support.
Europeans still stereotyped Asia as poor, but the world was connecting faster by the day.
With European capital pouring in, Asia would keep developing, and incomes there would rise swiftly.
Pérez could glimpse Asia's bright future in his mind's eye.
Of course, appointing Park Chan-hyuk as Real Madrid manager meant hurdles aplenty.
Park was the largest shareholder in Guten, Europe's fastest-growing IT group.
He already ran his club however he pleased—no real reason to leave.
But Pérez wouldn't quit.
This was Real Madrid under his presidency, after all.
Every manager dreamed of once leading the world's best players.
'The Bundesliga's 50+1 rule limits signings.'
Pérez planned to lure Park subtly with star players.
"Right now, Real Madrid isn't as strong as people think. Galácticos was a clear failure of a policy. Fine for marketing, but a disastrous imbalance when it comes to results. That said, I agree that your most expensive player is your cheapest. That policy will turn Real Madrid into a luxury brand."
But the instant Park Chan-hyuk's voice hit his ears.
All of Pérez's plans revised in a flash.
He was pissed about the Galácticos dig, but more shocking was...
This young manager had agreed with his mantra that the most expensive player was the cheapest.
Transfer fees were inflating with oil money chaos, but he still held that view firm.
Boardroom fools hadn't grasped what this early-20s manager nailed perfectly.
"...Young man, any interest in managing my team?"
Park Chan-hyuk's reply was simple.
"Why would I...?"
***
Not long after Park Chan-hyuk turned down Pérez's offer, the match kicked off.
"Boooooo!!"
The usually subdued Santiago Bernabéu erupted in rare boos today.
No surprise—Park Chan-hyuk had provoked Real Madrid in pre-match interviews, calling them a toothless tiger.
You could tease a team that hadn't tanked by saying theirs had, but actually tanking teams shouldn't get teased that way.
Park Chan-hyuk had done it anyway.
With Real Madrid fans already sour from recent Champions League flops, he'd scratched them raw.
Then, in the 22nd minute, Ronaldo scored against Union Berlin.
As the smiling Ronaldo headed to the corner flag for his celebration.
"Hooooooouuuuuu─!"
A bizarre sound pierced his ears.
Ronaldo instinctively turned toward it.
In his line of sight: Union Berlin's manager stealing the goal celebration at the corner flag.
Park Chan-hyuk had hijacked Ronaldo's celebration.
"......?"
Ronaldo could only stand there blankly, staring.