Chapter 175
Chapter 175
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: Munich in the South, Berlin in the North -2
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***
[Bayern Munich Will Stop Union Berlin's League Title Run.]
The match against Bayern Munich, which could clinch the league title, was right around the corner.
Honestly, even if we didn't secure the league title in the game against Bayern Munich, we could confirm it on another day.
[Union Berlin Manager Park Chan-hyuk: "We Don't Have Time to Get Tripped Up by Munich."]
But if possible, I wanted to lock in the league title as soon as possible—even a day sooner—and go all-in on the Champions League final.
Life was all about seizing opportunities when they came, after all.
If we failed to win the Champions League this time, no one knew when we'd get another shot at it. Leverkusen's golden era was about to begin soon, after all.
'Well, we've faced all of Leverkusen this season.'
Union Berlin had taken on Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich—the teams commonly called the "Leverkusen trio"—in that order during the second half of the season.
'There were other league games in between, but it's still ridiculous.'
Of course, the current Real Madrid and Bayern Munich weren't at their peak form yet. The golden eras for Real and Bayern Munich came a bit later.
'Above all, Jupp Heynckes, who led Bayern Munich's golden era, is still at Leverkusen.'
But that didn't mean we could take either team lightly.
In fact, Louis van Gaal, the current Bayern Munich manager, had come agonizingly close to a treble in original history, only losing to Inter.
Well, now he'd even lost the league title to Union Berlin.
Still, they were a team with the chops to beat Union Berlin in the Pokal and reach the final.
Underestimating Van Gaal from his Manchester United days would lead to a world of hurt.
Anyway, as the north-south derby approached, German soccer fans were heating up.
"Scheiße! You won't win the title today!"
Today's match wasn't just a simple derby—it was also the game where Union Berlin could clinch back-to-back league titles.
"Scheiße München! Scheiße München! Scheiße München!"
And with police forces fully deployed ahead of the two teams' clash, that was only natural.
In Europe, soccer was like religion, and you never knew what could happen based on the result.
"Wie heißt dieser Klub, der hier zu Lande die Rekorde hält? (What's the name of the club that holds the top records in this land?)"
Before kickoff, Bayern Munich fans' cheers echoed through the stadium.
But more overwhelming than the Bayern Munich supporters was...
"Dem Morgengrauen entgegen, ziehn wir gegen den Wind. (Toward the dawn, we'll march against the wind.)"
None other than the Union Berlin fans' anthem.
This match was at Union Berlin's home ground.
"Wir werden alles zerlegen, bis wir Europameister sind. (We'll smash everything until we're European champions.)"
The Iron and Blood Stadium.
***
[North-South Derby: Bayern Munich vs. Union Berlin! Who Will Prevail?]
The hottest matchup in the current Bundesliga was the clash between southern powerhouse Bayern Munich and northern powerhouse Union Berlin.
[Bayern Munich Fans Mock Union Berlin as a Club with No History or Roots.]
[Union Berlin Fans Taunt Bayern Munich as Ghosts Stuck in the Past.]
I'd intended to spark a rivalry between the two teams, but now it was blowing up so big it was almost embarrassing. My plan to suck the sweet nectar from being Bayern Munich—Bundesliga's traditional powerhouse—had hit the mark perfectly.
'Is this how Barcelona feels as Real Madrid's rival?'
For reference, before Messi's arrival, the two teams had such a massive gap in titles that calling them rivals was a stretch. Real Madrid dominated overwhelmingly.
'No wonder Real Madrid fans wary of Messi.'
Anyway, the media had recently dubbed our head-to-head the "north-south derby," but unfortunately, it wasn't a derby steeped in history and tradition.
While Bayern Munich built its glorious legacy, Union Berlin had barely kept the club alive in the lower leagues.
Bayern Munich and Union Berlin contrasted not just in their south-north locations but in history and more.
But that's exactly why people found such massive appeal in their derby matches.
Bayern Munich, with its history and tradition, versus Union Berlin, the Bundesliga's rising powerhouse—it had its own compelling story.
Above all, since Union Berlin's promotion to the top flight, we'd held the edge in head-to-head record against Bayern Munich.
'If we'd been behind Bayern Munich in the record, it wouldn't have landed at all.'
In that sense, today's match was crucial for many reasons.
We'd lost to Bayern Munich in the recent Pokal game.
Sure, we had the excuse of rotating the squad to focus on the Champions League and league, but not many soccer fans would buy that.
If we lost this one too, the rivalry I'd carefully built could take a hit.
Union Berlin was barely holding its own against Bayern Munich's overwhelming tradition and history solely on the strength of our head-to-head record against them.
'So we have to win this.'
Of course, beating Bayern Munich was never easy.
We'd handled them fairly easily in the first half of the season.
But that was only possible because Van Gaal had just arrived at Bayern Munich.
It takes time—longer than you'd think—for a manager's tactics to bed in with the players.
'And even more so if you don't tailor tactics to the players.'
But now in the second half of the season, Bayern Munich's situation had flipped 180 degrees.
The players were starting to get comfortable with the manager's tactics.
Honestly, even if we'd fielded the starters in the Pokal without rotation, it would've been a tight match for sure.
'Actually, rotating back then let us claim a moral victory at least.'
Anyway, before the game, I stressed to the players not to get complacent.
"Munich isn't a points vending machine anymore."
"...Boss, what the hell are you talking about? How is Munich a points vending machine?"
"Sigh. Backtalk from a player?"
But maybe because we'd beaten Bayern Munich so dominantly before...
- Oh! Bayern Munich counter! Union Berlin in danger!
- Three attackers, only two defenders!
Union Berlin's players showed uncharacteristically lax defending despite my warning. And we paid the price.
- Schweinsteiger to Arjen Robben!
Bayern Munich's wing duo, Robben and Ribéry, sliced sharply into Union Berlin's space behind the defense. Schweinsteiger's pass found Robben precisely.
- Virgil van Dijk tries a tackle, but no chance! Robben shrugs him off with a clean dribble!
My Dutch junior Virgil van Dijk chased desperately and attempted a tackle.
But Robben easily sidestepped van Dijk and unleashed a macro shot.
Splash—!
Robben's macro strike ripped through Union Berlin's net.
And early in the game...
Union Berlin conceded to Bayern Munich and fell behind.
Well, up to this point, it wasn't a huge issue. Keeping a clean sheet against Bayern Munich was tough.
The problem was...
"Kom op!"
Van Gaal, after the goal, approached the fourth official and let out a roar.
'...What? Taunting?'
For a moment, I felt bewildered by Van Gaal's roar.
'Whew.'
I looked at Van Gaal and let out a long sigh.
For the record, I wasn't mad at Van Gaal's taunt.
Hypocrisy wasn't my style.
I just didn't like his celebration.
Instinctively, it felt like he was about to grab his thigh any second.
Unfortunately, Van Gaal roared once and sat back on the bench unscathed.
I'd tried to stay quiet, but the world wasn't helping.
I exchanged a quiet glance with Daniel Teixeira.
"The boss's seal is broken. Go!"
We nodded to each other simultaneously.
'Hey, trash! Let me show you what a real celebration looks like! Storm Clown Park Chan-hyuk is coming!'
And moments later...
"Yeaaaaaaaaah!!!"
"Levy!! Fußballgott!!"
Robert Lewandowski's shot shook Bayern Munich's net.
'Now?'
The moment I sprang from the bench at the goal...
Grab.
"Uh, why?"
"...Ah. Reflex."
Unfortunately, Daniel Teixeira grabbed me.