บท 132: A Bloody Massacre That Shocked the Football World!
When brave warriors clash, the stronger one wins. This principle also applies to the football field.
At this point, if Schalke 04 had not backed down, if they had seized the opportunities created by Werder Bremen's all-out offense to counterattack successfully, they would have had a good chance of scoring.
But Schalke backed down. They chose to retract their forces, retreating into their own half to strengthen their defense, hoping to withstand Werder Bremen's onslaught.
This choice played right into Coach Schaaf's hands. Initially, in his plan, if Schalke hadn't backed down and had chosen to go head-to-head, Werder Bremen's offensive surge would only last ten-odd minutes before needing to ease off.
Firstly, constant attacks are physically taxing for players and can't be sustained for long.
Secondly, prolonged attacks without scoring can frustrate players, leading to mistakes and goals conceded.
But now, Schalke barely had any players up front, almost everyone retreated to their own half. They didn't even pose a threat on counterattacks. So, Werder Bremen had no reason to hold back.
They just kept attacking!
The game quickly turned into a siege, with Werder Bremen surrounding Schalke 04's goal.
"This match is strange. Schalke 04, a team that made it to the Champions League knockout stages, is so passive. They weren't this passive even when they played Bayern Munich."
"Schalke backed down. Werder Bremen doesn't have much pressure to perform and can attack freely, but Schalke 04 is different."
"Indeed, Schalke 04's schedule is not favorable. They face top teams in the upcoming matches, each one a tough battle. They probably don't want to exhaust themselves too much in this game, fearing it will affect the next ones."
"Why did Schalke drop to sixth place? They were in the top three in recent years."
"The reason is simple. Werder Bremen's rise this season took Dortmund's spot, Dortmund took Schalke 04's spot, and with Leverkusen's strong performance and the dark horse Frankfurt, Schalke dropped to sixth!"
"Haha, it's just because Schalke is weak. Even if they can't beat the top three teams, they should have no problem outplaying Leverkusen and Frankfurt. They missed their chances; who can they blame?"
"This season's Bundesliga Champions League spot contention is intense. Below Werder Bremen, the point difference between third and sixth place is small; anyone has a chance."
"Dortmund's third place is stable. Apart from facing Bayern Munich in the 32nd round, their remaining opponents are weak, so they should easily secure points."
"Leverkusen's schedule isn't as favorable. In the next six rounds, they face Werder Bremen and Schalke 04, which could see them drop in the standings."
"Haha, Schalke 04 has it the hardest. Besides playing Werder Bremen, ranked second, they face direct Champions League competitors Leverkusen next and Frankfurt after that. Each match is tough, especially against Leverkusen. Losing could end their Champions League hopes."
Werder Bremen's players didn't care about Schalke's upcoming opponents. They just wanted to crush them.
In the 28th minute, Lin was fouled by Neustädter just outside the penalty area, giving Werder Bremen a prime free-kick opportunity.
De Bruyne took a high-quality free kick, and Schalke's goalkeeper could only watch as the ball flew into the net.
Werder Bremen broke the deadlock.
Scoring boosted their morale. Holding a one-goal lead made them less afraid of conceding.
Facing Werder Bremen's relentless attacks, Schalke's defense soon fell again.
Five minutes later, Lin received a brilliant pass from De Bruyne, lifted the ball over the charging goalkeeper, and scored into the empty net.
The score became 2-0, and Schalke's morale showed signs of crumbling.
When the enemy is weak, strike hard. In past seasons, Werder Bremen might have eased up with a two-goal lead. But now, with intense hatred between the teams, Werder Bremen wouldn't stop but instead added salt to Schalke's wounds.
In the 38th minute, De Bruyne's long shot was parried by the Schalke goalkeeper. In the ensuing chaos in the penalty area, Lin stabbed the ball into the net before the goalkeeper could grab it.
3-0!
Before halftime, Werder Bremen was already leading by three goals.
But it wasn't over yet.
In stoppage time, Lin crossed the ball into the penalty area, and Arnautović outjumped the defenders to head the ball into Schalke's goal.
4-0!
It was madness!
Werder Bremen had gone completely berserk.
The match was heading towards a massacre!
Schalke's players had lost their will, looking dejected and confused.
They knew why they were performing so poorly, conceding four goals in just one half.
Thankfully, the referee blew the halftime whistle, giving Schalke's players a moment to catch their breath.
Otherwise, in their current state, they would have continued conceding goals.
...
"You did great. Keep playing like this in the second half!"
In the locker room, Coach Schaaf praised his team's performance and encouraged them to keep it up.
Clearly, Schaaf had no intention of stopping.
Since they had raised the butcher's knife, they had to ensure a massacre. They couldn't stop halfway.
In the visitors' locker room, Schalke's coach tried to give a rousing speech, hoping to revive his players' spirits for the second half.
But judging by their reactions, his efforts were in vain.
Schalke's players were shell-shocked. The first half felt like torture.
The thought of enduring more of the same in the second half made them want to quit the game.
The opponents were already on a rampage, scoring four goals in the first half. Who knew how many more they'd score in the second?
If a massacre happened, these players would be eternally marked by shame.
All they wanted now was to escape Weser-Stadion.
If possible, they never wanted to return to this place.
But just as life goes on, the second half had to be played.
Fifteen minutes later, halftime ended, and both teams returned to the pitch.
Werder Bremen didn't celebrate early or get complacent.
So, the torment for Schalke continued.
In the 52nd minute, Werder Bremen scored again through a corner kick.
Seven minutes later, Lin scored directly from a tricky free kick, making it 6-0.
In the 78th minute, substitute Petersen added another with a difficult volley in the penalty area.
7-0!
Weser-Stadion was boiling, turning into a sea of joy for Werder Bremen fans.
For Werder Bremen fans, the tickets were worth every penny.
They not only avenged themselves but also repeatedly humiliated their opponents.
When they scored the third goal, securing victory, their mindset relaxed, and they simply enjoyed the rest of the match.
The singing and cheering never stopped. Every goal was met with enthusiastic applause and cheers.
Some fans even cheered so much that their voices were hoarse.
It was a crazy game!
As for Schalke fans, they started leaving after Werder Bremen's fifth goal.
They weren't masochists. Seeing their team collapse, they didn't want to witness a massacre.
Leaving early was better than watching the horror unfold, pretending the game never happened.
"This is awesome! That's how you crush them!"
Despite their hoarse voices, Werder Bremen fans were still excited.
This game let them vent their anger.
"Against these crude miners, a simple and brutal approach is best!"
"Haha, this massacre will haunt Schalke forever, even in their dreams!"
Fans relished the spectacle. It wasn't their team getting humiliated, so they felt no sadness or shame.
Even online fans were shocked by the match.
"What's happening? Werder Bremen leading Schalke 04 7-0, and the game isn't over?"
"Such a huge gap? This must be a massacre!"
"It's more than a massacre; it's a bloodbath!"
"Is this Schalke 04's biggest defeat in history?"
7-0, such a huge scoreline against a strong team like Schalke 04 was rare.
Even seasoned fans rarely saw such a disparity, especially against Schalke.
"I checked. Schalke's worst away defeat was 11-0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1966-67 season. That's their worst record."
"Well, that's good news for Schalke fans. At least they won't break their worst defeat record at Weser-Stadion."
"That's 'good news' indeed!"
After the seventh goal, Schaaf started subbing off key players like Lin.
Winning the game, venting their anger, and humiliating their opponent with a massacre was enough.
No need to tire out key players with more goals. They had league matches and the German Cup semifinals ahead.
They couldn't afford to falter now, having eliminated Bayern Munich and Dortmund. Just two more wins to lift the cup.
Without Lin and De Bruyne, Werder Bremen's attacking power decreased.
The substitutes played energetically but didn't score again.
In the end, Werder Bremen won 7-0 at home against Schalke 04.
This loss left Schalke 04 six points behind Leverkusen, with only a theoretical chance of reaching the Champions League spots.
The shocking scoreline created a huge stir in German football.
Experts and pundits couldn't understand how two evenly matched teams, even with Schalke's more balanced lineup, ended with such a lopsided score.
Different experts and media offered various analyses.
"I think the scoreline disparity is mainly due to
Werder Bremen's excellent midfield performance, especially De Bruyne!"
"In the previous match against Schalke, De Bruyne got injured. This time, he played with a vengeance, scoring one and assisting twice, contributing to three goals!"
"Since the second half of the season, the Belgian has shown increasing composure in midfield, resembling a midfield maestro. Chelsea's eight million spent on him was worth every penny!"
Some credited De Bruyne, while others praised Lin more.
"Lin's performance in the front was outstanding. He scored two and assisted three, involved in five of the seven goals. Without him, Werder Bremen wouldn't have won so easily!"
Others credited Coach Schaaf.
"Coach Schaaf's style changed significantly this season. Previously known for offense, his defensive improvements this season, especially in the second half, are evident."
"After the match against Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen's defense suddenly became solid."
"In the last six matches, Werder Bremen conceded only two goals. Other teams find it increasingly hard to threaten their goal."
Werder Bremen's strength was now a consensus in the Bundesliga.
But no one knew exactly how strong they had become. Their seven-game winning streak showed their power.
A week later, Werder Bremen won 3-1 away against Düsseldorf, securing five consecutive league wins.
Three days later, they won 4-1 at home against Wolfsburg in the German Cup semifinals, making it seven consecutive wins in league and cup.
Bild's report after the match had a headline over a celebratory Werder Bremen photo: "Champions, Here We Come!"
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