Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Preseason -4
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***
Union Berlin came out swinging right from the kickoff, hammering Bayern Munich relentlessly.
Bayern Munich's players couldn't hide their bewilderment.
They never imagined a second-division side would come at them so aggressively.
From the start, Bayern's players hadn't even grasped why they were playing a friendly against a team freshly promoted from the 2. Bundesliga.
They figured it was just a favor to Thomas Tuchel, their manager's old club.
They had been surprised to hear that Korea and Japan had bought the broadcast rights—proof that Union Berlin was more popular in Asia than expected.
‘Union Berlin and Asia must play at a similar level of soccer.’
The players' impressions weren't anything special.
The board, led by the sporting director, saw things differently, but to the players, the Asian market was just a place for exhibition games after a long flight that left you jet-lagged.
‘…What the hell did they eat to go this crazy?’
So when Union Berlin came at them like they'd lost their minds, it was only natural to be flustered.
Bayern Munich had fielded their 1.5 squad, after all.
It was rare to play all your starters in a preseason friendly.
“Argh…!”
Mats Hummels, who had come up from the youth team last season, botched a hurried clearance under Yannick Peitz's fierce pressure.
His back pass to the keeper was way too short.
“You idiot!”
Oliver Kahn spotted Mats Hummels's mistake and reacted instantly.
The animalistic reflexes that earned him the nickname "Beast" in his youth had naturally dulled with age, but Oliver Kahn filled that gap with experience.
He calmly dropped into position and eyed Yannick Peitz.
‘Only one spot to shoot from here.’
This was the one-on-one situation he was most confident in.
The moment Yannick Peitz unleashed his shot, Oliver Kahn dove.
Thwack—.
Oliver Kahn tipped the shot away with his fingertips. His teammates rushed over, hailing it as a super save, but to him, it was nothing special.
‘Any properly trained keeper could stop that.’
Yannick Peitz had only one option.
Of course, that was by Oliver Kahn's standards.
He was the one who had adjusted the defenders to narrow Yannick Peitz's angle.
“Jaaaa!”
In any case.
Oliver Kahn roared as he made the save.
Bayern Munich's players took it as a signal to get serious. They realized Union Berlin was no pushover.
Meanwhile, Philipp Lahm, playing right-back against Union Berlin, quietly glanced toward Bayern Munich's bench. He was curious about Thomas Tuchel's reaction to pushing for this friendly.
There on the bench sat Thomas Tuchel, looking like he had seen it all coming.
***
[Wow…. Even for a preseason friendly, Union Berlin is really putting it to ‘that’ Bayern Munich.]
The Korean broadcast team was in awe of Union Berlin holding their own against Bayern Munich.
[Honestly, before the game, I thought it was David vs. Goliath. But now it feels like Union Berlin is dictating play.]
[Manager Park Chan-hyuk must have sharpened his knives for this showdown with his mentor, Thomas Tuchel.]
It was heavily biased toward Union Berlin, but no one called them out on it.
- Please let Korea win!
- It's Union Berlin, not Korea.
- Hey, it's Korean players on a Korean manager's team—that makes it Korea!
To Korea, this was a national showdown.
In any event, the Union Berlin vs. Bayern Munich friendly was turning fiercely competitive, hard to believe it was just an exhibition.
[…By the way, this is a friendly, right? The players need to cool it a bit.]
[Yeah, things are getting rough. The ref's calling the captains from both teams.]
[Good stoppage by the ref. It could've led to injuries otherwise.]
***
‘Tuchel hasn't fully reined in the squad yet, huh.’
It seemed like there was some internal power struggle between players and coach in Munich.
Thomas Tuchel would've expected us to come out aggressive.
Well. That worked in our favor, letting Union Berlin seize control.
Union Berlin's players were growing confident, holding their own against Bayern Munich.
If we could sustain this momentum, we'd do well even in the 2. Bundesliga.
Truth be told, I had no real confidence in promoting Union Berlin this season. Our starters' potential hadn't fully blossomed yet.
‘Whatever. Let's give it everything till the end. Man, Bayern Munich's squad quality is insane.’
I eyed the Bayern Munich players on the pitch. Munich's talent pool was on another level.
Looking at their potentials made me chuckle in disbelief.
Toni Kroos stood out especially.
With that ability, Toni Kroos couldn't secure a spot at Bayern Munich and had to go on loan to Leverkusen.
‘If you're loaning him out, why not send him to us?’
I'd ask Thomas Tuchel after the game.
‘Tuchel, bro! We're bros!’
Of course, the player's own wishes mattered for a loan, so leaving a strong impression in this match was key.
‘We've done plenty so far.’
As I eyed Toni Kroos hungrily.
Thomas Mayer stripped him of the ball with intense pressure.
Thomas Mayer was playing out of his mind this game.
Union Berlin leading the flow was thanks to his tireless work rate.
Mayer linked up with Marcus Mächke.
Marcus Mächke tried an immediate forward pass.
Yannick Peitz was sprinting into the space behind Bayern Munich.
Son Heung-min was on as left winger but struggling against Philipp Lahm.
‘Hang in there, Heung-min.’
This match would be valuable experience for Son Heung-min in many ways.
Anyway, Yannick Peitz, with the ball, whipped in a cross.
No angle to enter the box.
Yannick Peitz's cross headed for the penalty area.
Inside, Roberto Lewandowski and Mats Hummels battled in the air.
Mats Hummels, who had positioned first, won the aerial duel.
But Lady Luck smiled on Union Berlin.
Hummels's headed clearance fell to Son Heung-min.
“Shoot!”
I clenched my fist from the touchline and yelled.
Son Heung-min fired immediately.
Philipp Lahm, spotting the loose ball, body-checked him, disrupting his balance and impact.
But.
Swish—.
Son Heung-min's shot found the back of the Bayern Munich net.
Son Heung-min stood frozen in disbelief at scoring against Bayern Munich, only breaking into a huge grin after teammates slapped his back.
Oliver Kahn looked a bit miffed in the process.
But I doubted he'd chew out Son Heung-min.
The kid was only 16.
Plus, as an Asian, he looked even younger.
No way he'd be petty enough to yell at a thrilled rookie.
Anyway, with Son Heung-min's goal ripping the Bayern Munich net.
I cautiously glanced at Tuchel.
Our eyes met, coincidentally.
Thomas Tuchel stared at me wide-eyed.
He was that happy to see me.
‘Whew. Gotta do what I gotta do.’
I smiled and slowly headed toward Thomas Tuchel.
“Grow up already! Mess with that head!”
That day, I saw heaven.
***
Oliver Kahn sighed at the ball in his net.
‘I’m definitely getting old.’
Oliver Kahn looked stoic, but inside, he was seething.
He hated conceding to a kid's shot in an exhibition.
It stung even more knowing prime Kahn would've stopped it.
He could see the rookie's joyful face after scoring on him.
In the old days, he'd have exploded in rage, but this time, he decided to let it slide.
It was awkward to blow up over a preseason friendly goal.
“Rookie, that's a goal against this Kahn. Take it and go.”
Seeing the kid bow in thanks softened his mood a bit.
‘Hmm…. Is bowing like that an Asian custom?’
To Kahn, the kid seemed promising.
‘Of course, scoring on the great Kahn means you're good.’
Anyway, did he think this version of himself looked cool?
Bayern Munich's bench grew noisy.
Oliver Kahn turned cautiously and doubted his eyes.
There was Union Berlin's manager with his hands around Thomas Tuchel's neck.
“…What the?”
What shocked him more was that no one around was stopping it.