Chapter 37: Chapter 239 Returning to the Weser Stadium, a special gift from old teammates!
"I heard that your team has been having problems recently?"
Before leaving for Bremen, Lin Quan received a call from Guardiola.
Guardiola has been extremely busy recently, with a lot of things going on at Bayern, which led him to delay calling Lin Quan until now.
"Well, a little bit."
Lin Quan answered truthfully that Manchester City's problem is not a secret in the UK, and it is estimated that it will not be long before it reaches Germany.
On the other end of the phone, Guardiola heard Lin Quan's answer and said:
"Do you have time to come to Munich after the Champions League?"
"good!"
Lin Quan didn't ask why he was going to Munich. Based on his understanding of Guardiola, Guardiola would not do such a meaningless thing.
"Fight well in the Champions League, come on!"
"You too, don't lose to Mourinho at home!"
"Haha, don't worry, I have prepared a surprise for Chelsea, I believe they will like it!"
Guardiola looks confident, as if Kroos' departure has not had a big impact on his team.
I don't know if he is just pretending or if he really has some special skills.
On February 18, all Manchester City players arrived in the northern German city of Bremen by plane.
After more than half a year, Lin Quan and De Bruyne returned to the city again.
The difference is that they had previously worn the green jersey of the Parrot Legion to fight for Werder Bremen at the Weser Stadium.
But today, they will step onto the Weser Arena as opponents.
This made both of them feel a little complicated.
"Do you think they will boo us?"
De Bruyne asked worriedly.
He doesn't have a deep affection for Chelsea, but he has a very good memory here at Werder Bremen, so he is worried about hearing the boos from the home fans.
"Don't worry, it won't happen. I believe they won't do that!"
Lin Quan patted De Bruyne on the shoulder and walked out of the airport passage with him.
"They're coming!"
"Forest!"
"De Bruyne!"
"Welcome home!"
As soon as I walked out of the airport passage, I heard a commotion outside.
The two looked up and saw thousands of fans arriving at the airport to pick them up.
But these fans are not wearing Manchester City's blue uniforms, but the green jerseys representing the home team.
If you look carefully, you can even find that they are wearing the Werder Bremen jerseys from last season, with the majority of them wearing jerseys No. 10 and No. 6.
Seeing this scene, Lin Quan and De Bruyne were stunned.
They never imagined that they would be able to enjoy such treatment here when they returned to Werder Bremen.
The two looked at each other, and their previous worries immediately disappeared.
It seems that they can no longer hear the boos at the Weser Arena.
"Lin, don't be merciful when you get on the court. Even if Werder Bremen falls in the Champions League knockout round, they will die standing!"
"Although our strength is not as good as yours, don't underestimate us, we are an unbeatable parrot army!"
When the two signed autographs and took photos with the fans who came to the scene to welcome them, they could hear these words constantly.
Obviously, they also know that returning to the Weser Stadium as a former Werder Bremen player will cause trouble to the team's former twin stars.
So we hope to reduce their pressure in this way so that they can perform their best in the game, even if they are facing their own team!
What a group of considerate fans!
The two were very touched and patiently signed autographs and took photos with every fan present to thank them for their support.
"Are Lin and the others so popular in Werder Bremen? I heard Bremen is just a small team!"
Aguero, who was reviled by Atletico Madrid fans, felt incredible after seeing this scene.
"When Lin and the others were here, Werder Bremen was a championship contending team that could compete with Bayern, but now they are reduced to a relegation team. The fans naturally miss them very much!"
David Silva did not find it strange. Unlike Aguero, who fiercely confronted the team and then left by going on strike, Lin Quan and De Bruyne both left the team normally after their leases expired. Fans Of course I don't blame them.
…
Although Werder Bremen fans showed goodwill towards Lin Quan and De Bruyne, the German media were not polite to Manchester City at all.
At the pre-match press conference, a German reporter asked Pellegrini unceremoniously:
"Mr. Pellegrini, your team has not won in three rounds of the Premier League. If this round of games is an upset loss to Werder Bremen, will you take the blame and resign?"
German journalists are hostile to Manchester City, partly because they are visiting as Champions League opponents.
On the other hand, it is directly related to Manchester City's status as a rich man.
Most of the Bundesliga teams are membership clubs. The team does not belong to any one person, but to the fans.
Their finances are very healthy thanks to the membership system, but this also means that they will not have too much money to invest in transfers.
Therefore, many Germans who follow the rules have a certain hostility towards an outlier like Manchester City, which is built on money rather than honor and accumulation.
In their view, this is obviously not a healthy operating model.
"My team will win on the road, so your question doesn't apply!"
Pellegrini glanced at the German reporter and replied coldly.
"Then if you lose, will you resign?"
The reporter refused to give up and vowed to break the casserole and get to the bottom of it.
Pellegrini was very angry and walked away, ending the press conference early.
Reporters used their cameras to capture him as he left in anger, already thinking about the headlines for tomorrow's news.
As long as Manchester City loses, Pellegrini will inevitably be criticized by the major media.
Pellegrini, who was under tremendous pressure, was meticulous when arranging training.
He stood on the sidelines, staring at the players on the training field, not knowing what he was thinking.
"Coach, he seems a little out of sorts!"
Aguero took advantage of Pellegrini not paying attention and secretly said to Lin Quan.
Lin Quan glanced at the serious head coach standing on the sidelines, nodded slightly and said:
"The coach must be under a lot of pressure. We have to play well in this game and try to win, so that we can dispel the doubts from the outside world."
Manchester City has been winless in three rounds, and criticism of them from the outside world has gradually increased.
Instead of wasting time arguing with the outside world at this time, it is better to train hard and strive to respond to the doubts from the outside world with a beautiful victory.
As professional players, everyone naturally understands this truth.
"Well, after winning this game, it will be easier to play at home next time. But then again, Lin, you won't let it go, right?"
Aguero stared at Lin Quan with suspicion. Facing his old club, and an old club that treated him very well, he could really do it!
"Don't doubt my professional ethics. Going all out is the greatest respect for Werder Bremen!"
If Lin Quan still had concerns before coming to Bremen.
So after the scene of picking up the fans at the airport, all his worries were put to rest.
February 19, Weser Arena.
Before the game started, Lin Quan and De Bruyne went to the home team's dressing room.
Lin Quan gave each of his old teammates an exquisite watch. Not only the old teammates shared the gift, but also the club staff.
He took a contract with the youth team last year and his salary was not high, so he didn't give any decent gifts to his teammates when he left.
This time I have money, so I naturally have to make up for it.
"Okay, kid, things have changed since you went to Manchester City. Fifty watches, does that cost a lot of money?"
Arnautovich marveled at Lin Quan's generosity.
The old captain Fritz laughed and said: "It's not cheap. This watch costs at least 30,000 euros!"
Fritz's words attracted everyone's attention. Arnautovich was taken aback and exclaimed:
"Good guy, doesn't that add up to my annual salary for a year?"
Phil Krueger nodded repeatedly:
"It's worth my two years' salary!"
Peterson's eyes shone: "Brother Lin, is Manchester City's salary so high? Do you think I have a chance..."
Militz knocked Peterson on the head and said to him unceremoniously:
"Manchester City has bought top-notch stars. You, a Bayern abandoned player, should stop daydreaming like this!"
Peterson held his head and said aggrievedly: "You have to have some dreams, right? If you don't have some dreams, wouldn't you be just like a salted fish?"
Schaaf clapped his hands and stopped the team members from making jokes:
"Okay, if you have a dream, perform well in this game and try to score a goal against Manchester City. In that case, they might like you!"
"Okay, boss, just keep an eye on me. I feel like I can complete a hat trick today!"
"Haha, just brag. If you can complete three shots, you will be considered a success!"
"Let me give you a trick. After you get on the court, if you shout 'Brother Lin, pass the ball', you might be able to trick Lin Quan into passing the ball to you. In that case, you might have a chance!"
"What a great idea, you're such a fucking genius!"
…
Lin Quan and De Bruyne looked at each other. This group of teammates was still the same as when they left, with the same joy and fun.
Game time came quickly, when Lin Quan and De Bruyne walked through the tunnel and came to the Weser Stadium.
Huge cheers came from the scene!
"Forest!"
"De Bruyne!"
The home fans stood up collectively and applauded and cheered for the two men.
Although the two of them are no longer wearing the green jersey of Werder Bremen at the moment, the fans are still very grateful to them for the championship trophy and those beautiful memories they left for everyone last season.
When the fans stood up collectively, the Werder Bremen players on the field also took out the cardboard prepared in advance and spelled out a hand-painted 'Werder Bremen Family Portrait'.
Behind the players, a huge group photo of Werder Bremen's makeup from last season appeared on the south stand.
Lin Quan and De Bruyne appeared in family photos and group photos.
Seeing this scene, Lin Quan and De Bruyne could not restrain their emotions.
The two stepped forward to hug their old teammates one by one, but they were pulled by their teammates to stand in the center, and a new "family photo" was taken.
In the CCTV live broadcast room, He Wei was quite moved when he saw this scene.
"Perhaps, this is the charm of football. In addition to wins, losses and trophies, there are other things!"
Although Werder Bremen fans are very friendly towards Lin Quan and De Bruyne, this does not mean that they do not want the home team to win.
After the game started, Werder Bremen played very actively.
Coach Schaff has obviously studied the Manchester City game video. Based on the tactics summarized by Mourinho, he specially sent people to limit the connection between Kroos and De Bruyne.
One of these two people is Manchester City's metronome, and the other is Manchester City's frontcourt organizer. If they are restricted, Manchester City's offensive threat will be reduced by half.
Ten minutes before the game, Werder Bremen's players successfully achieved their tactical goals by running without hesitation.
In the stands, the fans saw that their home team not only did not lag behind, but even had a slight advantage, their cheers suddenly became louder.
In the stands, German coach Loew, who came to watch the game, couldn't help but shook his head when he saw Kroos playing in a very awkward manner on the court.
Pellegrini's coaching level is indeed worse than Guardiola's.
In the hands of Guardiola, Kroos' performance is much better than when he was at Manchester City.
If his performance at Manchester City cannot improve, then in Loew's view, Kroos's original decision to join Manchester City was probably wrong.
Kroos is very smart. He knew that he was being targeted, so he consciously retreated a certain distance to his own backcourt to get closer to the defense.
This move has achieved very good results. Because he is closer to his own defense, the interference he encounters when receiving the ball has become much smaller.
After receiving the ball, Kroos has more options to play the ball as he carries the ball forward than in midfield.
The other players in Manchester City all have good ball-playing abilities. They may not necessarily need to play in the midfield, they can also launch attacks from the wing.
In the 18th minute of the first half, Cross saw an opportunity and handed the ball to David Silva on the wing.
David Silva and Lin Quan, who came to take over, completed the collision against the wall, passed the defensive player, and then passed the ball to the unmarked De Bruyne.
De Bruyne sent a precise through ball and found Lin Quan who started early.
Lin Quan easily scored with a push shot, helping the team take a 1:0 lead.
After scoring, Lin Quan pressed his hands down to indicate that he would not celebrate.
After De Bruyne saw Lin Quan complete the goal, he also lowered his head and turned around and walked back. He had no intention of celebrating, and there was not even any joy on his face.
Pellegrini on the sidelines was very excited. The team was leading away from home, which was good news.
Even if they are tied in the end, they have a huge advantage with away goals.
Seeing this goal, Schaff couldn't help but shook his head.
It's impossible to guard against it. It's impossible to guard against it. The players on the two teams are not of the same level.
Lin Quan's movement is even better than last season, and De Bruyne's passing ability has also improved a lot.
The fans at the scene felt a little bitter. The connection between De Bruyne and Lin Quan was the trump card that helped them dominate the Bundesliga last season.
Unexpectedly, this killer weapon would hit them on the head one day.
After a moment of silence, someone took the lead in applauding.
They were applauding Lin Quan and De Bruyne for this wonderful collaboration, and also applauding the two for not choosing to celebrate.
After taking the lead, everyone in Manchester City seemed to relax a lot.
After their state relaxed, they played better and better, and various wonderful cooperations were frequently performed.
The goal came quickly. In the 32nd minute of the first half, Lin Quan assisted Aguero and scored a goal.
In the 44th minute, Lin Quan received a long pass from Kroos, successfully countered offside, and scored another victory.
The half is not over yet, and Manchester City, playing away from home, is already leading by 3 goals.
The strength gap between the two teams was clearly reflected at this moment.
After losing Lin Quan and De Bruyne, Werder Bremen's record declined very seriously.
Affected by the Champions League this season, their performance in the league has plummeted under the third-line battle.
At present, the Bundesliga has played 21 rounds. Werder Bremen has only won 5 games but lost 10 games.
They have only 21 points, ranking sixth from the bottom in the league and only one step away from the relegation zone.
But what they faced in this game was the leader of the Premier League.
The score of 3:0 at halftime is perhaps the most realistic portrayal of the strength of the two teams!
During the halftime break, Pellegrini made no personnel adjustments.
Werder Bremen replaced two defensive players and replaced them with two offensive players.
They don't seem to be planning to just admit defeat, but want to defend their dignity at home.
Werder Bremen played very tenaciously, although they were at an absolute disadvantage in terms of ball possession.
But they seized every opportunity, pushed forward hard, and threatened Manchester City's goal as much as possible.
Their efforts paid off!
In the 67th minute of the second half, taking advantage of a set kick, Fritz hoisted the ball into the penalty area. Anautovic beat Kompany to grab the spot, and he headed the ball into Manchester City's goal with a lion's head.
Arnautovic looked very excited after the goal. He ran to the corner and roared at the fans in the stands.
The fans at the scene were instantly excited, and more than 50,000 fans gave him deafening cheers.
His teammates also rushed forward and celebrated excitedly with Arnautovic who scored.
This goal was like a shot in the arm for the home team, setting off a brief offensive climax.
The mentality of Manchester City's players also seemed to be somewhat affected. They made several mistakes and were almost seized by the opponent.
However, Lin Quan stood up at the critical moment, dribbling the ball from the wing and passing three people. He almost single-handedly penetrated Werder Bremen's defense and finally completed the goal.
This goal poured cold water on Werder Bremen's heads like a basin of cold water, making them sober instantly.
Among their opponents, there is such a terrifying guy!
"Sure enough, this kid is still so difficult to guard against."
On the sidelines, Schaaf smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Having coached Lin Quan, he knows better than anyone else how difficult it is to guard Lin Quan!
What even Bayern's top defenders can't do, it's even more impossible for Werder Bremen's players to do it.
Therefore, as long as Lin Quan is here, it is almost impossible for them to win against Manchester City.
After scoring his third goal of the game, Lin Quan still did not choose to celebrate.
He pulled up Selassie, who was knocked down by him, and nodded to him apologetically.
Selassie touched his head nonchalantly, indicating that there was no need to apologize.
I can't help but think that I am not as good as others, so I have nothing to say.
The Weser Stadium fell into a long silence, and no one applauded Lin Quan this time.
His goal not only interrupted Werder Bremen's counterattack rhythm, but also directly killed the suspense of the game.
If Manchester City ends this game with a score of 4:1, then it can basically be declared that they have entered the Champions League quarterfinals.
With Werder Bremen's strength, it is impossible for them to score 4 goals at the Etihad Stadium.
Thinking of this, some fans began to cry uncontrollably.
Compared to the glorious last season, they have nothing this season.
The team fell into a relegation vortex, stopped in the top 16 of the Champions League, and was eliminated early in the German Cup.
If those two were still on the team, would the record still be the same as it is now?
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