章 120: Win a Championship for the Team Before Leaving!
In the 23rd round of the league, Werder Bremen visited the Allianz Arena for the third time. Unlike the previous two lucky victories, this match was the most challenging one Bremen had played all season.
Bayern Munich was in top form and fully fired up. They secured an early lead in the first half with two goals from Robben and Martinez.
Bremen responded with Lin scoring a goal to make it a bit more respectable. If the game had continued at this pace, even though Bremen might still have lost, the defeat wouldn't have been so severe.
However, in the 44th minute, Bremen's defender Prödl committed a handball in the penalty area and was sent off with a red card, leaving Bremen with ten men and at a significant disadvantage.
Ribery confidently converted the penalty, extending Bayern's lead to 3:1. To make matters worse, in the 49th minute, under Bayern's relentless attack, Bremen's defense made a critical error.
Selassie, while attempting to clear the ball, accidentally kicked it into his own net, giving Bayern another goal.
Just two minutes later, Gomez fired a shot in the penalty area to widen the score to 5:1. Faced with Bayern's overwhelming attack, Bremen's players were completely stunned.
The Bayern fans at the Allianz Arena were somewhat in disbelief, having expected a tough battle. Instead, their team not only won but did so convincingly.
They were as jubilant as if it were a festival, even happier than during actual celebrations! After being a thorn in Bayern's side for three matches, Bremen had replaced Borussia Mönchengladbach as Bayern's chief tormentor. Today, they finally had a chance to vent their frustrations and defeat this formidable opponent at home.
Before this match, Bayern had not managed to get the better of Bremen all year. They had lost both cup matches, dropping two championships, and in league play, they were twice in the lead only for Bremen to fight back and draw, which started to undermine their confidence. Was Bremen their kryptonite?
This significant victory finally allowed them to shake off this mental block.
Bayern was still the Bundesliga giant, and their dominance remained unchallenged.
Despite being a man down, Lin and De Bruyne did not give up on attacking. They fought to the end.
In the 58th minute, Lin dribbled past several players upfront and managed to pass the ball just before being knocked down, nearly losing his balance.
De Bruyne met the ball with a powerful shot from distance, scoring another goal for Bremen and changing the score to 2:5. This goal reminded Bayern that despite their substantial lead, Bremen was not entirely without the strength to fight back.
If Bayern became complacent with their lead, they might just allow an incredible comeback.
If Bayern allowed a four-goal lead to slip, they might as well find a block of tofu to crash into in embarrassment!
During the final stages of the match, Bayern's defenders closely marked Lin and De Bruyne, both of whom were caught in multiple defensive traps.
With the team down a player and no teammates able to step up and assist them, their efforts to mount further attacks and alter the scoreline proved fruitless under Bayern's solid defense.
Ultimately, Bayern Munich triumphed with a 5:2 victory at home, thoroughly avenging their previous losses and satisfyingly settling the score.
Bremen had lost two out of six matches in the latter half of the season, both to top-tier teams.
In the first half of the season, they had managed to hold their own against Bayern and Dortmund, pulling off strong draws.
But in the latter half, after their tactics had been dissected by opponents, Bremen's magic seemed to fade.
Against weaker teams, they could still dominate and even secure resounding victories.
However, facing stronger teams, they found it increasingly difficult to win.
The loss to Bayern was particularly disheartening for Lin and De Bruyne.
This match made them acutely aware of the significant gap between Bremen and the top teams.
"I've decided, after this season, I'm going back to Chelsea!" De Bruyne finally resolved, willing to face the fierce competition. He might continue to be a tactical focal point at Bremen, even potentially becoming the team's star after Lin's departure.
However, staying at Bremen wouldn't help him achieve honors or continue his improvement.
If his goal was to use Bremen as a stepping stone to a bigger club, then he had achieved that goal and no longer needed to stay.
"Are you sure?" Lin sighed upon hearing De Bruyne's decision.
Before this game, he might have tried to persuade De Bruyne otherwise.
But after this match, even the last bit of desire to stay had faded from his
own heart; to urge De Bruyne to stay would be hypocritical.
"Yes, I've made up my mind!" The Bundesliga suited him, but with few strong teams like Dortmund and Bayern, who didn't lack organizational talents, there wasn't a place for him.
After his loan experience at Bremen, he didn't want to remain in the Bundesliga and become Bremen's adversary.
Thus, returning to Stamford Bridge was the best option, unless another big club decided to make a significant offer for him during this period.
"What about you? Where will you go next season?" After discussing his own future, De Bruyne inquired about Lin's plans.
Lin smiled, "If nothing unexpected happens, it should be Bayern."
"I think Bayern is a great choice. They have a strong squad, and the head coach is like a father to you. You won't have to worry about playing time like I might at Chelsea!"
De Bruyne said enviously, comparing his uncertain future to Lin's seemingly brighter path.
"You make it sound like I'm living off someone else. Now you're making me not want to go to Bayern!"
"I didn't mean it like that. I really think Bayern and Coach Guardiola are great!"
"Huh, I didn't realize you admired him so much. You never mentioned it before?"
De Bruyne scratched his head, "You don't understand. For a technical midfielder like me, playing under Coach Guardiola is a dream come true!"
De Bruyne's words surprised Lin; he hadn't realized Guardiola's appeal was so strong.
Thinking about it, Guardiola, like Mourinho, had his unique allure that attracted players of similar styles.
No wonder they were considered two of the best coaches in the world!
...
Bremen had just lost to Bayern Munich in the league and then drew Dortmund in the quarterfinals of the German Cup.
When luck is down, even drinking water can get stuck in your teeth.
Both teams felt unlucky.
Since their league victory against Bremen in the 18th round, Dortmund seemed cursed, with injuries striking one player after another.
Götze, Reus, Schmelzer, and Lewandowski were all sidelined with injuries or illness.
Reus was the most severely affected; he first twisted his ankle, then injured his knee, and before fully recovering, he pulled his groin.
Since joining Dortmund, Reus's injury frequency had increased, highlighting his fragile constitution.
"Ha, Dortmund is riddled with injuries, and they're facing a tough opponent in the Champions League knockout stage soon. They might choose to give up this match!"
"I'm not so sure. Dortmund didn't win away in the Champions League last week, but they scored two away goals. A draw at home would see them through, so the pressure isn't that great!"
"Right, the Westfalenstadion is known as a fortress. Schalke couldn't even beat them at their home ground, and they stand even less chance away!"
"On the contrary, by helping Dortmund eliminate Bayern, we've become the strongest remaining team in the German Cup. If Dortmund beats us, the trophy would be almost within their grasp!"
"Damn, by that logic, should Dortmund be thanking us?"
Bremen's players initially thought they had a chance, but after analyzing it, the upcoming match seemed even more challenging.
"Lewandowski's injury isn't serious; he should be back. Götze caught the flu, not sure about his status now, but he's reportedly back in training, so he should be okay!"
Coach Schaaf coughed lightly to stop the players' discussions.
"The only confirmed absences are Reus and Schmelzer, but Nuri Sahin's return has filled that gap. Last season, Dortmund was strong in attack even without Reus. This season, with Sahin's return, Reus's absence won't impact them much."
Schaaf's analysis caused the players to groan.
They had hoped to take advantage of the opponent's injuries, but it seemed there was no real advantage to gain.
"Schmelzer is a key fullback for Dortmund, and his absence does impact them significantly!"
Seeing the players' dismay, Schaaf calmed them down.
"In any case, don't pin your hopes on the opponent's inability to field players. What we need to do is keep improving our strengths and play to our advantages!"
Losing to Bayern had significantly dented the players' confidence, and even Schaaf wasn't very hopeful.
Making it to the quarterfinals, even eliminating Bayern Munich, was already beyond expectations for Bremen.
With their current strength, they should have been eliminated in the previous round.
Lin and De Bruyne exchanged glances, seeing the burning desire to win in each other's eyes.
They clearly couldn't accept going out without a fight.
Given they were set to leave Bremen after this season, this match might be their last chance to leave a valuable championship trophy for Bremen.
So,
without a doubt, they were all in.
"Lin, I want to learn how to evade defenders after receiving the ball, can you teach me?"
With five days until the match, all of Bremen was in intense preparation.
That morning, De Bruyne approached Lin to learn his technique for evading defenders after receiving the ball.
Lin had played as an organizer during De Bruyne's injury absence.
Although it wasn't for long, his performance in those few games was noteworthy.
After De Bruyne returned, he had been pestering Lin to teach him the forty-five-degree crossing technique he used in matches.
Besides that, Lin's ability to shake off defenders after receiving the ball also greatly impressed De Bruyne.
He was just too shy to ask before.
After all, he had already learned the curved pass and chip shot from Lin; asking for more seemed a bit greedy.
But now, to win the upcoming match, De Bruyne couldn't care less about shame.
Shameless if he must be, as long as it helped the team, it was worth it.
"Okay!"
To De Bruyne's surprise, he had thought Lin wouldn't easily agree.
But Lin accepted much more readily than expected.
"Ah? You're not going to think it over?"
De Bruyne was stunned; such unique skills, and just like that, he's willing to teach?
"There's no need to think it over. You're not an outsider. Why make it so formal between brothers!"
Lin had already noticed that De Bruyne struggled to make threatening passes when closely marked, so he had considered teaching him his evasion skills.
But since De Bruyne hadn't asked, Lin hadn't brought it up.
After spending more time with De Bruyne, it became clear that he was a person with strong pride.
He was introverted and solitary, thoughtful, and somewhat sensitive.
That was probably a remnant of the discrimination and ostracism he faced in foster care as a child.
"Yeah, good brother, for life. If you ever need my help in the future, just say the word, and I'll do everything I can for you!"
De Bruyne was deeply moved. In just a short year at Bremen, gaining such a friendship was worth it!
It was a pity he already had another team lined up; otherwise, how great it would have been to bring him to Chelsea with him!
Chelsea was actually in need of a forward!
The season they had played together, De Bruyne felt very comfortable. If possible, he really hoped to continue teaming up with Lin.
Which midfielder wouldn't like a forward who doesn't waste chances?
Lin also appreciated Ding's (De Bruyne's nickname) passing skills. Having him as a teammate made things much easier for him.
So, he was also looking forward to their next collaboration.
Just, he didn't know how long that would be.
After five days of intense preparation, on February 28th, the quarterfinals of the German Cup kicked off.
Bremen hosted Dortmund at their home ground in what was arguably the most important match of their remaining season.
Whether they would come away empty-handed or manage to get their hands on the German Cup trophy depended on this match!
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