With Bayern securing the League title seven rounds in advance, only two uncertainties remained in the Bundesliga.
First, which three teams would be relegated!
Second, which three teams would qualify for the Champions League!
After twenty-seven League rounds, "The Black and Yellows" Borussia Dortmund, with 16 wins, 4 draws, and 7 losses, accumulated 52 points, ranking second in the League.
"The Miners" Schalke 04, with 14 wins, 7 draws, and 6 losses, accumulated 49 points, ranking third.
"The Wolves" Wolfsburg, with 15 wins, 3 draws, and 8 losses, accumulated 48 points, firmly in fourth place.
Leverkusen, with 15 wins, 2 draws, and 10 losses, accumulated 47 points, ranking fifth.
"The Foals" Mönchengladbach, with 12 wins, 6 draws, and 9 losses, accumulated 42 points, ranking sixth.
Mainz, with 12 wins, 5 draws, and 10 losses, accumulated 41 points, ranking seventh!
Borussia Dortmund, Schalke, Wolfsburg, and Leverkusen, with similar points, formed the first group in the Champions League qualification zone.
Of course, Mönchengladbach and Mainz behind them weren't entirely out of the running to climb up.
With seven rounds left in the League, anything could still happen.
However, for Wolfsburg, their schedule for the final sprint to secure Champions League qualification was absolutely infuriating!
Their opponents for the next seven rounds were Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund, Nuremberg, Hamburg, Freiburg, Stuttgart, and Mönchengladbach.
Among them, Apart from Borussia Dortmund and Mönchengladbach, who could be considered strong contenders, the other five teams were all from the lower half of the League.
However, Nuremberg, Hamburg, Freiburg, and Stuttgart were all teams in or on the brink of the relegation zone!
It was imaginable that they would fight with all their might at the end of the season, striving for every point that could secure their survival!
This meant every match would be a tough battle!
Of course, for Wolfsburg, they had to play one game at a time.
As long as they gave their all in the process, a good result would naturally follow... Late March, Bundesliga Round 28.
Wolfsburg faced "The Eagles" Frankfurt, ranked eleventh in the League, at home.
Frankfurt, with eight points clear of the relegation zone, was largely safe from relegation this season.
Moreover, they had no chance of qualifying for European competitions.
As the saying goes, not good enough to compare with the best, but more than enough to compare with the worst.
Furthermore, playing away from home, Frankfurt's players lacked the motivation to fight Wolfsburg to the death.
Conversely, Wolfsburg, aiming for Champions League qualification and on a three-match winning streak, was in high spirits and determined to secure three points at home!
In this match, Mark continued to start.
However, due to De Bruyne resting, he was deployed in the central attacking midfield position.
This was a decision made by Hecking and the Wolfsburg coaching staff after careful consideration.
Although Mark's running ability and speed were average compared to De Bruyne, and his ability to deliver dangerous through balls vertically was also not impressive.
However, with Mark's unique dribbling and ball-shielding skills, he could perfectly fill the role of a classic attacking midfielder in the center.
They also wanted to see if Mark could perform as well in the congested central area as he did on the flanks!
However, after the match began, Mark seemed somewhat unaccustomed to his new position.
He didn't actively drop back to receive the ball but instead roamed upfront.
This led to central midfielders Malanda and Arnold having to directly distribute the ball to the wings, allowing the two wingers to take on defenders.
For the first fifteen minutes, Mark essentially walked hand-in-hand with Frankfurt's defensive midfielder in the attacking third, without a single touch.
It wasn't until Arnold called his name, telling him to drop back and receive the ball, that Mark seemed to awaken, remembering his role as an attacking midfielder for this match.
Consequently, Mark began to frequently drop back to get the ball.
His advantage lay in his excellent footwork and stable ball-shielding, meaning he rarely lost possession easily.
As a central attacking pivot for organizing play, Mark was also well aware that his passing ability was several levels below De Bruyne.
Moreover, with a defensive midfielder constantly behind him, he couldn't comfortably turn and take on opponents directly.
Therefore, when dropping back to receive the ball, to avoid passing errors, he tried as much as possible to opt for short passes.
Then he would run into open space to receive the ball and provide support.
This was also an experience he had learned from the future world-class midfielder during his days playing alongside De Bruyne!
Indeed, as Mark dropped back into midfield, Wolfsburg's midfield was able to steadily advance the ball into the attacking third and then distribute it to the two wingers.
Mark's support and ability to draw defenders in the center also created opportunities for the two wingers to break through.
This was because Mark's ball-carrying and dribbling ability was so strong that Frankfurt's defensive midfielder dared not abandon him to assist on the flanks.
This gave the two wingers more space to operate.
This was also Mark's most crucial tactical role on the field!
When the match reached the thirty-eighth minute, the deadlock was finally broken!
However, the first to score was not the dominant Wolfsburg, but Frankfurt!
Frankfurt, pressed high in their own half, launched a long ball forward. Center-back Klose misjudged his header, allowing the ball to slip past him.
This action also momentarily stunned his center-back partner Naldo.
Number 16, Aigner, took a touch forward, then accelerated into the penalty area. Naldo, exerting all his strength and stretching his long legs, sprinted but couldn't catch up.
Finally, Aigner calmly chipped the ball over the onrushing Benaglio, and it sailed into the empty net behind him!
Zero to one!
The next second, Frankfurt's players excitedly rushed to the corner flag to celebrate.
Seeing this, Hecking on the sidelines also showed a helpless expression and shook his head.
Wolfsburg conceded few goals this season, ranking among the League leaders.
However, when facing strong attacking opponents, their defense's ability to withstand pressure was still insufficient.
Naldo was relatively stable and the most reliable part of the backline.
Ricardo Rodriguez, with his balanced offense and defense on the left, was already one of the best in the Bundesliga.
However, right-back Ochs and left center-backs Knoche or Klose did not have outstanding defensive capabilities.
This often led to errors when subjected to relentless attacks from opponents.
Just like that reckless challenge and misjudged header... However, for a team that finished in the middle of the table last season, being able to contend for Champions League qualification with other strong teams this season was enough to demonstrate the immense changes Hecking had brought to the team.
Although they conceded first at home, Wolfsburg did not lose heart but instead became more invested in the match.
After all, they had more possession and dangerous shots than their opponents.
With patience, an opportunity would soon arrive... And it did.
In first-half stoppage time, Mark received the ball in midfield and passed it directly to Perisic on the left.
Facing the right-back's one-on-one defense, he executed a step-over, then accelerated past him!
Having beaten the full-back, he carried the ball down the wing and delivered a high-quality cut-back cross.
The ball arrived at the edge of the penalty area arc. The late-arriving Mark feigned a shot, but it was a dummy shot and a real drag-back, sending the opposing center-back, who was attempting a sliding tackle, directly to the ground.
Then, he calmly delivered a short through ball to the unmarked Olić inside the box.
Olić struck the ball directly without stopping it, and with a "boom," it flew straight into the top near corner of the goal.
With a crisp swish, it slammed hard into the white net!
Frankfurt goalkeeper Trapp stood frozen like a wooden chicken..
...
check patreon.com/zeaser for more chapters
you can also get a 13% discount if you join the patreon family in the next six days