Chapter 144: We Are the Champions!
At 7:30 PM on June 1st, the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany, was brightly lit. The north and south stands, occupied by Werder Bremen and Stuttgart fans, displayed enormous team flags. Even before the match began, fans from both sides were already competing with their cheers. Songs echoed continuously from the stands, filling the stadium, which could accommodate 76,000 spectators, with loud singing.
This match was crucial for both teams. Both had been without a title for many years, and winning this game would change that history. Therefore, fans from both teams flocked to Berlin, hoping to witness their team lift the trophy.
Besides the lucky fans who managed to get tickets and entered the stadium, tens of thousands of spectators who arrived late and couldn't get tickets remained outside. When the teams' buses arrived at the stadium, they encountered some minor issues. However, unlike the usual scenario where they would be surrounded by opposing fans when playing away, this time, they were surrounded by their own fans.
"Go for it, beat them!"
"Go, Werder Bremen!"
"Go Lin, go De Bruyne, go Werder Bremen!"
The enthusiasm of the fans infected the players inside the bus, and a sense of the grand occasion, unique to a final, began to permeate the team.
"Don't be nervous. Just treat this game like any other," said Coach Schaaf, keenly sensing the change in his players' mindset and trying to calm them down. However, such things couldn't be resolved with a few words. Werder Bremen's squad was very young; apart from a few veterans like Fritz, the other players had never experienced such an important match.
Young players' unstable mentality became a potential problem for the team at this moment. Faced with such an important match, they couldn't help but think: What if we lose this game? Will the fans blame us? Will we regret it for the rest of our lives? These thoughts filled their minds, making it hard to focus on the coach's tactical arrangements.
[Clap clap!] Seeing the players too tense, Schaaf clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention and said, "I know you're nervous, but the more nervous you are now, the worse you'll perform in the game. You need to trust in your abilities and your teammates. Look, Lin isn't nervous at all!"
Schaaf initially planned to have the veterans share their big-game experiences, but seeing Lin so relaxed, he changed his mind. Lin was the youngest player on the team; having him speak would be more effective than the veterans. The players all turned to look at Lin, who indeed appeared confident and calm, easing their nerves a bit. Lin was the tactical core of the team. If he wasn't nervous, why should they be?
"Lin, can you tell your teammates why you aren't nervous?" Schaaf was curious about why Lin had such a good mentality. It was rare to see such maturity in young players.
"The reason is simple: because our opponents are weaker than us. They should be the ones nervous!" This simple statement was like a bucket of cold water poured over the players, instantly clearing their minds.
Right! We are stronger and more likely to win, so why should we be nervous? Thinking of their two victories against Stuttgart this season, including a 5-1 win away in round 21, Werder Bremen's players gained confidence. Stuttgart was just a defeated opponent!
Seeing his players' mindset returning to normal, Schaaf secretly gave Lin a thumbs-up. Good job! However, it seemed the players had swung from one extreme to another, from nervousness to overconfidence.
"Ahem, finals are different from regular matches. They are more intense, and the opponents will do everything to stop us from winning, so we can't be careless. We need to score quickly and take control of the game from the start," Schaaf explained his tactics again, emphasizing an aggressive start followed by defensive play.
Werder Bremen's strength was greater than Stuttgart's. If they could set up a strong defense and counterattack, Stuttgart would have no chance. Schaaf didn't care about criticism for playing defensively; winning was all that mattered.
"Finals are for winning, not for playing pretty. Just win!" None of the players disagreed. This was the last match of the season. Winning meant a joyful holiday, while losing would ruin the entire summer. Plus, it was their last time playing with the team's twin stars, and no one wanted regrets.
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At 7:45 PM, the players left the locker room, walking through the tunnel to the field. Before the match, Stuttgart's players couldn't help but glance at their opponents, especially Lin and De Bruyne. They had heard rumors that De Bruyne might miss the match, but he showed up, disappointing them. If De Bruyne hadn't come, they might have had a chance to steal the trophy from Werder Bremen. But now, seeing their strong opponents, Stuttgart's players lost confidence.
After the pre-match ceremonies and coin toss, at 8:00 PM sharp, the 2012-2013 German Cup final officially began. Werder Bremen, in green, attacked from left to right, and Stuttgart, in white, from right to left. As soon as the whistle blew, Werder Bremen's five forwards rushed into Stuttgart's half. Stuttgart's players were caught off guard, leading to a quick interception by Bremen.
"Danger!" The commentator had to interrupt his introduction of the players due to the sudden change on the field.
"Werder Bremen's intense pressing, Maxim's pass was intercepted!"
"De Bruyne has the ball, he's looking for a teammate!"
"He passes!"
"Danger!"
"Goal!"
"Oh my, unbelievable! Only 15 seconds in, Werder Bremen takes the lead due to a Stuttgart mistake!" The commentator barely kept up with the action, unable to describe the goal fully until the replay.
"Stuttgart's carelessness at the start led to this goal. They were unprepared for Bremen's aggressive start."
"Maxim had no time to pass before being double-teamed by Bremen's stars, De Bruyne and Lin. After the interception, Lin moved forward, drawing defenders and giving De Bruyne space to pass."
"De Bruyne smartly passed to Hunt, who then passed to Lin, who assisted Elia for the goal."
The entire play took only four passes, exposing Stuttgart's defense. The defenders all focused on Lin, expecting him to shoot, but he passed instead!
After scoring, Bremen's players rushed to Elia and Lin, celebrating wildly. The early goal erased their nerves. They had expected a tough fight to score but succeeded on their first attack! Just as Lin said, their opponents were no match.
Coach Schaaf was also surprised by the quick goal. He rushed out of the dugout to hug his colleagues and the substitutes. Meanwhile, Stuttgart's bench was in shock. Down 1-0 in just 15 seconds, how could they continue?
Despair began to spread among Stuttgart's team. Worse, after restarting, Werder Bremen retreated into a defensive shell, leaving only one forward up front. Stuttgart's coach was furious.
They were playing defensively even with a lead! Despite being Bundesliga's second place and crushing Stuttgart in previous matches, they were now playing defensively. "Come out and attack us!" Stuttgart wanted to scream. But Bremen thought, why attack when leading? They preferred a secure counter-attack strategy.
Stuttgart, ranked 13th in the Bundesliga, struggled with scoring. With only 33 goals in 34 matches, they had one of the league's weakest offenses. They planned to defend and counter, hoping for a mistake. But now, they had to attack, which was not their strength.
Stuttgart's attempts to attack led to counter-attacks from Bremen. In the 9th minute, Rüdiger's cross was narrowly missed by Maxim. Bremen countered quickly, with De Bruyne passing to Lin, who crossed for Arnautovic. His close-range header seemed sure to score, but Stuttgart's goalie Ulreich made a miraculous save, blocking the shot.
Arnautovic was in disbelief, clutching his head. Even Lin had to look twice at the goalie, impressed by his skills.
Ulreich's save boosted Stuttgart's confidence. In the 24th minute, they had a good chance with a free-kick, but Ibisevic's header was easily caught by Bremen's goalie Militz, who quickly launched a counter-attack.
Militz threw the ball to Lin, who dodged an opponent and moved towards the penalty area. Faking a shot, he passed to an unmarked De Bruyne, who blasted the ball into the net, making it 2-0. Ulreich couldn't stop the powerful shot despite getting a hand on it. Bremen now had one foot on the podium.
Stuttgart's players were demoralized. Their attack failed, and Bremen scored again, showing their deadly counter-attack.
Facing a two-goal deficit, Stuttgart became conservative, not daring to attack further. Bremen, leading comfortably, wasn't in a hurry either. The first half ended with Bremen ahead 2-0.
During halftime, Schaaf made no tactical changes, sticking to counter-attacks. Stuttgart's fans were furious, seeing Bremen play defensively with a two-goal lead. Even neutral fans were disappointed, expecting Bremen's attacking style.
In the 65th minute of the second half, Bremen suddenly switched to aggressive pressing, catching Stuttgart off guard. Used to Bremen's defensive play, Stuttgart was unprepared for the sudden change and soon paid the price.
Bremen's high press led to a quick pass to Lin, who cut inside and passed to De Bruyne, who crossed low to Lin. Lin scored into an empty net, making it 3-0 and sealing the victory.
With the match decided,
Schaaf substituted Lin in the 81st minute, letting him receive the fans' applause. Running off, Lin thanked the fans for their support. This might be his last time in Bremen's green jersey. The fans responded with a standing ovation.
Two minutes later, Schaaf substituted De Bruyne, who also received applause. De Bruyne, tearing up, hugged his substitute and took a long look at the field and his teammates before leaving.
Stuttgart tried to score after Bremen's stars left but failed. Bremen won 3-0, claiming the German Cup, their first trophy in four seasons!
In Queen's classic song "We Are the Champions," Werder Bremen's players climbed the podium. The golden generation of Bremen was immortalized at this moment. A new journey was about to begin!
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