With the final whistle, Wolfsburg defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1, advancing to the 2013-14 German Cup final!
This marks Wolfsburg's return to the German Cup final after nineteen years, since their first appearance in the 1994-95 season!
It's no exaggeration to say that this young Wolfsburg team has made new history!
At the post-match press conference, the expressions of the two coaches were starkly different.
Klopp looked a bit tired, while Hecking was beaming.
For a powerhouse that once defended the Bundesliga title, this season has been another disappointing one.
This is a sad situation for any fan who loves Dortmund.
Including Klopp himself.
Taking off his baseball cap, scratching his itchy scalp, and then putting it back on, Klopp finally spoke into the microphone in a deep voice:
"This loss is my responsibility."
"I admit, it was my underestimation of the team's physical condition that led to a very difficult first half for us."
"Of course, Wolfsburg caused us a lot of trouble in defense today..."
"Especially Mark, he is a genius! In him, I see the same qualities as Mario..."
"Congratulations to them on reaching the final..."
Hecking, on the other hand, mainly praised his opponents and his own team:
"Borussia Dortmund is a very strong team, and being able to defeat such a team speaks volumes about our performance..."
"I am delighted by the resilience the team showed in the second half."
"Mark is a key player for the club; he is very happy here and will not leave!"
"That celebration? It's nothing major, he's eighteen and knows what he's doing..."
After attending the post-match press conference and returning to the locker room, Hecking heard the thumping music inside.
Seeing the head coach return, Gustavo quickly turned off the music.
However, the stern-faced Hecking from a second ago instantly broke into a bright smile:
"Guys, well done!"
"We're in the final!"
Upon hearing this, the Wolfsburg players all jumped up in unison, humming "Olé Olé" as they did.
Let the music and dancing continue!
The next day.
The sports section covers of various media outlets, including Bild, Kicker, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and Wolfsburger Nachrichten, all featured a photo of Mark standing in front of the Westfalen South Stand, hands cupped behind his ears, listening to the jeers!
"Eighteen-Year-Old Genius Scores Brace, Conquers Westfalen!"
"Nineteen Years of Waiting, Wolfsburg Advances to Final!"
"The Revival of Wolfsburg, Youth Storm Sweeps Bundesliga?"
Mark, who scored a brace during the match, undoubtedly became the center of attention.
The Bundesliga officially gave Mark's performance a perfect score!
"His first brace in his professional career was achieved against Borussia Dortmund. Without a doubt, Mark Lane, this eighteen-year-old genius, has proven with his outstanding performance that he is no less than."
"With continuous goals or assists against Bayern and Dortmund, this Wolfsburg prodigy has already become the hottest rising star in German football."
"We might be witnessing the rise of a future star!"
The Süddeutsche Zeitung, meanwhile, focused on the team's revival.
"Compared to last season, when Wolfsburg was fighting relegation, this season they are third in the League, having essentially secured a European spot."
"And under the joint efforts of Sporting Director Allofs and head coach Hecking, they have built a young team with an average age of around twenty-five."
"This season, in matches against Bayern and Dortmund, the post-90s players, led by De Bruyne, have all performed admirably..."
As Wolfsburg advanced to the final, in the other semi-final, Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich unsurprisingly defeated second-division team Kaiserslautern 5-1!
Thus, the championship will be decided between Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich!
Wolfsburg was not surprised by this result.
They did not expect Kaiserslautern from the second division to stop Bayern.
In German football, to win a championship, you must defeat Bayern Munich, the ultimate BOSS!
Although they reached the final.
The bad news, however, was that Mark was injured!
Due to a final sprint at the last moment, Mark not only suffered cramps in both legs but also a minor muscle strain.
Fortunately, it was only a minor injury.
Mark only needed daily physiotherapy and a week of rest to fully recover.
Therefore, in the Bundesliga Matchday 31 League match away against Hamburg a few days later, Hecking did not include Mark in the squad.
And Mark also sat in the stands for the first time to watch his team play.
Although he did not play.
Live broadcast cameras repeatedly focused on this handsome young man who had helped Wolfsburg reach the German Cup final after many years.
Wolfsburg, fresh from reaching the German Cup final, was in high spirits.
Even without Mark, they cleanly defeated "Norddeutscher König" Hamburg, who was deeply mired in the relegation battle, with a 3-1 victory away from home.
With another victory, Wolfsburg is now seven games unbeaten!
Their impressive record of six wins and one draw in the last seven games has given them 58 points, securing third place in the League, only 4 points behind second-placed Dortmund.
Behind them, fourth-placed Schalke 04 has 56 points, eyeing Wolfsburg's position.
Fifth-placed Leverkusen, with 54 points, still has a theoretical chance.
With three League games remaining, the battle for Champions League qualification has entered a fever pitch.
For Wolfsburg, winning two of the next three games would guarantee a top-four finish.
A top-four finish means they would secure a Champions League spot!
Of course, the only difference between fourth place and third or second place is that the former needs to play Champions League qualifiers, while the latter two directly enter the Champions League group stage!
From the fixture schedule, Wolfsburg is in the most favorable position.
Because in the upcoming Matchday 32 League, fifth-placed Leverkusen will face second-placed Borussia Dortmund;
Fourth-placed Schalke will face seventh-placed Mönchengladbach;
These two matches are six-point games, and no matter who wins or loses, Wolfsburg will benefit!
The situation for challenging for the Champions League is excellent.
As for Mark himself, it means playing well in every upcoming match to achieve the best possible season finale.
Champions League ticket? German Cup champion?
Adults don't choose!
I want them all!
In the Matchday 32 League match at home against Freiburg, Mark returned from injury and started.
Due to Mark's impressive performances, he has already attracted the attention of many clubs.
Scouts from various teams have been sent to observe this hot rising star from Wolfsburg.
It is worth mentioning that, in addition to Bundesliga clubs, scouts from the other four major Leagues were also present in the stands of the Volkswagen Arena.
And Mark's performance did not disappoint them,
support me atpatreon.com/Zeaser