Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Normal Park Chan-hyuk -4
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***
Union Berlin's old-school fan Max had a smile creeping across his lips.
What caught his eye was the mini Meisterschale that Union Berlin had sent him.
[Thank you for your dedication. By Union Berlin Manager Park Chan-hyuk.]
The little trophy bore a message handwritten by Park Chan-hyuk himself, along with his signature.
Whenever Max read those words, his eyes would unconsciously redden and a smile would spread across his face.
To the club, this tiny trophy might mean nothing. But to Max, it was everything.
Because it made him feel like someone had finally recognized his lifelong devotion to the club.
And getting smacked by his wife after bragging about the trophy to her was just par for the course.
She'd found out he'd been lying about not having a job in the past while doing unpaid work for Union Berlin.
Well, still, thanks to that, he'd landed a good gig after GL came on board.
"Dad! It's Union Berlin!"
"Oh, so that's finally coming out, huh."
And that evening.
Max was hit hard by the documentary teaser trailer.
The production of the documentary covering Union Berlin's early-season journey was nearing completion, and with the release approaching, promotion was ramping up in earnest.
To drum up buzz ahead of the Union Berlin documentary's release, the production team had pulled out the recent Park Chan-hyuk pressure controversy as their teaser hook.
The footage captured a young manager in his twenties, raw and stressed under the criticism from fans and media.
Max, who had seen him as Union Berlin's passionate sponsor, watched with eyes darting back and forth.
He never dreamed the young manager would be so rattled by the noise from a vocal minority.
And in that moment, he realized it had happened because hot-blooded fans like himself hadn't spoken up.
***
Ahead of the Champions League match against Real Madrid, Union Berlin fans kicked off their supporter event before kickoff.
"We will tear everything apart until we become European champions."
The intimidating card section was a sight to behold on its own, with smoke drifting up here and there in between.
"Chan~~~hyuk!!"
"We support you!"
After some influx fans had launched a massive opinion-shaping campaign for Park Chan-hyuk, the old guard fans had grown even more vocal in backing the club.
"Even if this team gets relegated to the fourth division!"
As the Union Berlin anthem wrapped up, a chant for Manager Park Chan-hyuk echoed through the stadium. It was incredibly rare for a chant dedicated to a manager—rather than a player—to ring out in a stadium.
"Anyone who badmouthed Chan-hyuk has gotta be Bayern Munich scum!"
"Filthy southerners!"
This external attack (?), from who-knows-where, had only made Union Berlin more united.
Union Berlin fans were convinced it was all a Bayern Munich conspiracy.
[Bayern Munich board embracing Park Chan-hyuk? "Chan-hyuk is one of the best managers the Bundesliga has produced. Trashing his tactics is an insult to the Bundesliga."]
Bayern Munich expressing regret over the media's over-the-line attacks on Park Chan-hyuk didn't really matter to Union Berlin fans.
For the record, Bayern's defense of Park Chan-hyuk stemmed from league competitiveness, the need for revenge against his Union Berlin side, and various other factors.
But the biggest reason was just one.
"If Park Chan-hyuk resigns from Union Berlin, does that benefit us?"
"I don't think so..."
"Why not?"
"Well, club revenue would probably drop..."
"Block it! Block Park Chan-hyuk's sacking at all costs!!"
Revenue had spiked since the rivalry with Union Berlin kicked off. Rivalries, when handled right, printed money.
***
"Kickoff! Union Berlin versus Real Madrid! The Champions League quarterfinal second leg between Real Madrid and Union Berlin is underway at Union Berlin's home ground, Iron and Blood Stadium!"
The Champions League quarterfinal second leg between Real Madrid and Union Berlin was in full swing at Iron and Blood Stadium.
Union Berlin currently trailed Real Madrid 2-1 on aggregate.
The expressions on the Union Berlin players' faces were filled with venom.
"We have to win this game today, no matter what."
"Let's show those idiot reporters just how great our manager is!"
After the loss to Real Madrid, the media's excessive attacks on Park Chan-hyuk had ignited fury in the players, as if they themselves had been assaulted.
"Union Berlin pressing ferociously right from kickoff!"
"Ah! Real Madrid players look rattled!"
"Union Berlin at home is a whole different beast!"
"That's right! Union Berlin players don't tire at home! Infinite stamina!"
Union Berlin pressed Real Madrid hard from the opening minutes.
Real Madrid naturally started getting pushed back by Union Berlin's momentum.
- WTF, why is Union Berlin so fired up today? They're going berserk.
- Not just the players—the fans' energy is off the charts too...
- Isn't it the doc teaser?
- Honestly, it got my blood pumping.
- I was disgusted by the media and those hate fans.
- Huh, feels like you and I saw different teasers.
Twenty minutes into the match, Real Madrid hadn't mounted a single proper attack at Union Berlin's home and had been on the receiving end.
Fortunately for Real Madrid, no equalizer had come yet, but the way things were going, it was only a matter of time.
"Guti picks up the loose ball! Guti to Kaká!"
And moments later.
Just as Real Madrid tried a rare counter.
"Great pressure from Thomas Mayer and Luka Modrić! Kaká loses the ball!"
Under Union Berlin's intense pressure, Kaká coughed it up again.
'Puta Madre.'
Manuel Pellegrini, watching from the sidelines, cursed inwardly.
Kaká wasn't shining like he had alone at AC Milan; injuries had left him out of form.
Manuel Pellegrini wanted to start someone else over Kaká, but Pérez's meddling in lineup decisions forced his hand.
Pissing off Real Madrid's president wasn't something his personality could handle lightly.
Anyway. Union Berlin snatched the ball back and launched a swift counter.
Real Madrid's defensive line was in tatters during the transition.
A golden opportunity for Union Berlin.
"Luka Modrić to Ángel Di María! Di María shakes off Arbeloa!"
Luka Modrić's pass found starter Ángel Di María.
Manuel Pellegrini's gaze shifted to his defense.
If Pérez had shoved Kaká into the attack, then the backline had Raúl Albiol.
"Di María with the cross!!"
Albiol bit on Robert Lewandowski's dummy run and lost Yannick Foite, who latched onto Di María's low, driven cross from the flank.
Yannick Foite didn't hesitate, meeting Di María's incoming cross with his foot.
"Go, gooooooooal!! It's the equalizer! Yannick Foite! Union Berlin's solver! Union Berlin's iron heart! Yannick Foite levels it!!"
The ball off Yannick Foite's foot rippled the Real Madrid net.
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
"Eisern!!!!"
"Union!!!!!"
The stadium shook with deafening roars as Yannick Foite's goal hit the net.
And the scorer, Yannick Foite, slowly jogged toward Park Chan-hyuk.
To comfort his manager, who'd been down since the controversy, and celebrate together.
"Boss, let's celebrate together!"
But Park Chan-hyuk shook his head, turning down the offer.
Yannick Foite was stunned that Park had rejected him.
Park Chan-hyuk refusing a celebration was unthinkable at Union Berlin.
'The boss...'
'Refused a celebration?'
The surrounding Union Berlin players' faces naturally hardened.
They realized the emotional scars from the incident ran deeper than they'd thought.
At that moment, Park Chan-hyuk, noticing his players' expressions, spoke up carefully.
He had to clear up the misunderstanding.
It wasn't inner wounds keeping him from celebrating—it was disciplinary.
"If I get a card this time, I miss the next game."
UEFA Champions League history was on the verge of its first manager suspension for accumulated yellows—not a player.