Kapitel 56: Winter Break
His phone buzzed in his pocket. Luka fished it out, seeing his mother's name on the screen. A smile tugged at his lips as he answered.
"Halo mama," he said, slipping into Croatian.
"Luka! Oh, you won't believe it!" His mother's voice bubbled with excitement. "We're in the new house, and it's... it's..."
"Breathe, mama," Luka chuckled, leaning against the wall. "Tell me everything."
As his mother launched into a detailed description, Luka could hear his little sister, Emma, chattering in the background. "Luka! Luka! You have to see my room! It's pink and it has a princess bed and-"
"Let your mother talk," he heard his father say, though there was no real sternness in his voice.
His mother's voice came back, clearer now. "Oh, Luka, it's like a dream. The kitchen - I've never seen so many cupboards in my life! And the garden, oh, you should see it. Your father's already talking about planting tomatoes come spring."
Luka listened, warmth spreading through his chest. He could picture it all - his mother's eyes wide with wonder, Emma bouncing from room to room, his father pretending to be nonchalant but secretly pleased.
"That's amazing, mama. I can't wait to see it."
"Oh, and Luka," his mother's voice dropped to a whisper, as if not wanting the others to hear. "Your father... he's quit his job."
Luka blinked, sure he had misheard. "What? He's been working construction since... well, forever."
"I know, I know. But he says... well, why don't you tell him?"
There was a shuffling sound, and then his father's gruff voice came through. "Luka, son. How's the ankle?"
"It's fine. But what's this about quitting your job?"
His father cleared his throat. "Well, you see... Like I told you, I want to help, I want to be involved in what you're doing. So, I'm going to learn about finance, maybe even become a football agent. I want to make sure you're taken care of, that no one takes advantage of you."
Luka felt a lump form in his throat. "Papa, that's... wow. Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure," his father said, a hint of stubbornness creeping into his voice. "You focus on playing. Let me worry about the rest."
As the call ended, Luka stood there for a moment, processing. His family in a mansion, his father embarking on a whole new career - all because of him. The weight of it all pressed down on him, a mix of pride and responsibility that left him feeling slightly dizzy.
"Oi, Zorić! You planning on standing there all day?"
Luka looked up to see Jude walking towards him, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Just got off the phone with my family," Luka explained, pushing off the wall.
"Everything alright?" Jude asked, his grin softening to a look of concern.
Luka nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, yeah. Just... a lot of changes."
Jude clapped him on the shoulder. "Tell me about it over a game of ping pong. I've got a score to settle after last time."
Luka felt himself relax as they made their way to the rec room.
The rec room was as active as it always was. Erling was laying on one of the sofas while using his phone. Across was Reyna and Moukoko who were locked in a foosball match.
"Alright, Bellingham," Luka said, picking up a paddle. "Prepare to be humbled."
Jude scoffed, twirling his own paddle. "Big words. Let's see if you can back it up, mate."
They fell into an easy rhythm, the ball pinging back and forth as they trash-talked each other. Luka found himself laughing more than he had in the past week, the tension that had been coiled in his chest slowly unwinding.
"So," Jude said, sending a wicked spin serve across the table. "When are you going to let me set you up on a date?"
Luka fumbled the return, the ball skittering off the edge of his paddle. "What?"
Jude's grin widened. "Come on, mate. You can't tell me you're not interested in anyone. You're Luka bloody Zorić!"
Luka felt heat creep up his neck. "I'm... I mean, I don't really have time for that stuff."
"Bullshit," Jude laughed. "You're just shy, aren't you?"
"I'm not shy," Luka protested, but even he could hear the lack of conviction in his voice. "I'm just... focused on football."
Jude's eyebrows shot up. "Focused on football? Mate, you're seventeen, not seventy. Live a little!"
Luka served, perhaps a bit more aggressively than necessary. "It's not that simple, Jude. I've never... I mean, I haven't really..."
Understanding dawned on Jude's face. "Wait, are you telling me you've never dated? Like, ever?"
Luka's silence was answer enough.
"Oh, mate," Jude said, his voice a mix of disbelief and amusement. "We've got to fix that. Don't worry, I'll sort you out."
"Jude, no-"
"Jude, yes," his friend countered, eyes twinkling. "Trust me, you'll thank me later."
As they continued their game, Luka found his mind wandering. The match against Bochum was coming up, and with it, well, the future was also coming up.
He didn't want to leave Dortmund, not yet. Dortmund had been good to him, there was no denying that. They'd given him a chance, trusted him with real responsibility. Here he was a key player, someone the team relied on. Plus they were in the Champions League knockout stages, sitting pretty in second place in the Bundesliga. Sure, Bayern was seven points clear, but second was nothing to scoff at. The thought of leaving, of walking away in the middle of their season, left a knot in his stomach.
And yet... the allure of other clubs tugged at him, two clubs in particular, both red.
Arsenal and Barcelona.
Arsenal. The Premier League. The challenge of it all. Bringing a sleeping giant back to life, being part of something truly historic .God, it was tempting.
Barcelona, though... Luka couldn't help but think of what could be. Hansi Flick wouldn't be there for a while, but when he came...
Still there was a problem. The future wasn't set in stone, if he joined Barcelona at the end of this season there was no guarantee things would play out as they once did and maybe Xavi wouldn't be fired, maybe he wouldn't play under Flick, maybe they wouldn't be able to compete with Real Madrid with Mbappé, Vinícius, Rodrygo, Arda Güler, Endrick, Valverde, Díaz, Modrić, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, and... Jude.
But soon came hope when he told Mendes of his issue, he recommend a possibility with any club he agreed a deal with - a low release clause specifically for Barcelona. It was brilliant, really. Barcelona would have money in the future, especially after the Dembele sale.
Arsenal or Barcelona? Fish and chips or paella?
"Earth to Luka," Jude's voice cut through his thoughts. "You still with us, mate?"
Luka blinked, realizing he'd been standing there, paddle frozen mid-swing. "Sorry, just... thinking."
Before Jude could ask why, a booming voice sounded from across the room.
"Oi, you two!" Erling shouted. "Stop gossiping like old ladies and come play FIFA. I need someone to destroy."
Jude rolled his eyes, but there was fondness in his voice as he called back, "In your dreams, big man." He turned to Luka, a mischievous glint in his eye. "What do you say? Fancy a bit of Fifa?"
Luka hesitated. "I don't know, mate. I was just about to go home..."
"Come on," Jude urged, already standing. "A bit of FIFA never hurt anyone. Besides, it'll take your mind off things."
Reluctantly, Luka nodded. They made their way to where Erling was setting up the game.
"Finally! I thought you two were going to gossip all day," Erling teased, tossing controllers their way.
The days flew by, a blur of rehabilitation exercises and tactical discussions. Before Luka knew it, he was cleared to play, just in time for their match against VfL Bochum, their first game of three before the winter break.
VfL Bochum vs Borussia Dortmund
"And we're underway here at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion!" the commentator's voice boomed through the speakers. "Bochum, looking to cause an upset, start aggressively..."
The opening minutes were hectic, with Bochum pressing high and disrupting Dortmund's rhythm. Luka found himself struggling to find space to operate.
In the 18th minute, a moment of chaos erupted in the Dortmund box. "Corner for Bochum... it's swung in dangerously... OH MY WORD! Hummel's tried to clear it and nearly scored an own goal! That would have been catastrophic for Dortmund!"
The near miss seemed to jolt Dortmund into action. Luka, shaking off the rust, began to find his groove. In the 23rd minute, he received the ball on the left, eyeing up his defender.
"Zorić on the ball... he's got Gamboa in his sights... oh, brilliant turn! He's left the defender for dead! Cuts inside... what a pass! Threading the needle to Reus... but Riemann is quick off his line! Fantastic vision from the young Croatian, shame about the finish!"
The half progressed with Dortmund growing in confidence. Their breakthrough came in the 42nd minute.
"Bellingham wins it in midfield... finds Malen on the right... Malen drives forward, cuts inside... GOAL! What a strike from Donyell Malen who's seem to finally have found his form! Top corner, no chance for Riemann!"
The second half saw Bochum push for an equalizer, leaving spaces for Dortmund to exploit.
In the 67th minute, Dortmund doubled their lead. "Zorić again, dancing past defenders on the left... pulls it back to the edge of the box... Reyna…. passes it to Can, hold on he's pri- CAN! EMRE CAN WITH A THUNDERBOLT! Two-nil to Dortmund, and that could be game over!"
As the match entered its final stages, Luka had a golden opportunity to put the game to bed. "Dortmund on the counter... Haaland leads the charge... slips it through to Zorić... he's round the keeper... WIDE! Oh, Luka Zorić will be kicking himself! That should have been the third!"
Despite the miss, Dortmund held on for a comfortable 2-0 victory. As Luka trudged off the pitch, he felt satisfied with the win despite having missed a sitter.
Borussia Dortmund vs Greuther Fürth
The Signal Iduna Park was loud and chatoic as Dortmund prepared to face bottom-of-the-table Greuther Fürth. To everyone's surprise, the teamsheet showed a tactical shift.
"The big news from the Dortmund camp," the commentator announced, "is that Luka Zorić will be starting in the number 10 role behind Erling Haaland for the second time. A show of faith from manager Marco Rose in the young Croatian's versatility."
From the kickoff, it was clear that Fürth hadn't come to roll over. They set up in a low block, frustrating Dortmund's attempts to play through them.
Luka, still adjusting to the role, dropped deep to get on the ball. In the 18th minute, he nearly crafted the opener. "Zorić picks it up in midfield... lovely turn... Threading it through to Guerreiro... cross comes in... HAALAND! Off the crossbar! So close for Dortmund!"
But it was Fürth who struck first, against the run of play. In the 32nd minute, a swift counter-attack caught Dortmund off guard. "Nielsen turns smartly... finds Hrgota... GOAL! Branimir Hrgota has given Fürth the lead! You could hear a pin drop in this stadium!"
Dortmund, stung by the goal, poured forward in search of an equalizer. And Luka nearly provided just that.
Just before halftime, he nearly scored a wonder goal. "Zorić picks up the ball in midfield... he's driving forward... beats one, beats two... into the box... SHOT! What a save from Funk! That would have been a goal of the season contender!"
The second half saw Dortmund lay siege to the Fürth goal. Their pressure finally told in the 68th minute. "Corner for Dortmund... Reus to deliver... HUMMELS! Mats Hummels has equalised with a towering header!"
As the match entered its final stages, both teams pushed for a winner. Luka, despite tiring, continued to pull the strings.
"Zorić with a clever backheel... Bellingham shoots... SAVED! And Fürth break... Leweling is in behind... one-on-one with Kobel... WHAT A SAVE! That could have won it for Fürth in the dying seconds!"
The final whistle blew on a frustrating 1-1 draw. As Luka trudged off the pitch, he couldn't shake the feeling that they'd dropped two crucial points in getting level with Bayern.
Hertha Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund
The final match before the winter break saw Dortmund travel to the Olympiastadion to face Hertha Berlin. Luka, back on the left wing, was determined to end the year on a high note.
The match started at a frenetic pace, with both teams creating chances. In the 5th minute, Hertha nearly took the lead. "Darida for Hertha... finds space... SHOT! Off the crossbar! A let-off for Dortmund early on!"
Dortmund responded immediately, with Luka at the heart of the action. "Zorić picks up the ball on the left... cuts inside... SHOT! Just wide! The young Croatian looking lively in these opening stages!"
The breakthrough came just before halftime, from an unlikely source. "Throw-in for Dortmund... flicked on by Reus... MOUKOKO! An acrobatic overhead kick from Youssoufa Moukoko! What a way to open the scoring!"
The second half saw Hertha push for an equalizer, leaving spaces for Dortmund to exploit. In the 62nd minute, a moment of magic sealed the game.
"Dortmund on the counter... Bellingham drives forward... finds Zorić on the left... the Croatian looks up... what a ball! HAALAND'S IN THE AIR! HAALAND! ERLING HAALAND WITH A FLYING VOLLEY! GOAL OF THE SEASON CONTENDER!"
The stadium erupted, and even the commentators could barely contain their excitement. "I don't believe what I've just seen! The power, the athleticism from Haaland... and what about that assist from Zorić? Absolutely world-class!"
Dortmund, buoyed by the wonder goal, pushed for more. In the 75th minute, they added a third. "Zorić again, he's been brilliant today... clever flick over his marker... pulls it back... REUS! Marco Reus makes it 3-0 to Dortmund!"
Hertha managed a consolation goal in the dying minutes. "Free-kick to Hertha... Plattenhardt delivers. Goal. Dedryck Boyata pulls one back with a great header, but it's too little, too late for Hertha."
As the final whistle blew on a 3-1 victory, Luka felt a surge of pride. His assist for Haaland's wonder goal was the perfect way to end the year. Now, he was on winter break.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein