"Mr. Klopp, Borussia Dortmund had multiple passing and running errors today, and their passing success rate significantly decreased. Is the team experimenting with a new tactic?"
"Regarding this question, I can only say that we are making some new changes, and errors are normal."
"Then, facing the pressure from Wolfsburg, will Borussia Dortmund consider giving up on the Champions League to focus on the Bundesliga?"
"The media all say that Borussia Dortmund will have a hard time beating Manchester United, but I don't agree with that view. The Champions League is very important. Why can't we fight one more time, break into the top 4, or even the final? The League is also very important. We are still at the top of the table and can still contend for the championship. Dortmund is not a coward; these young lads have the courage to face any strong opponent."
At the press conference, Jürgen Klopp's tone was very firm, despite the unsatisfactory result of the match. Hertha Berlin 1-1 Borussia Dortmund. Originally, Borussia Dortmund had taken the lead with a goal from their fluid attacking play, but after that, the team tried to replicate the same goal-scoring method but failed to create fluid coordination.
As the pace quickened and Hertha Berlin's defensive intensity increased, Borussia Dortmund made more passing errors and created multiple chances in front of goal but failed to score. Hertha Berlin's iron-clad defence grew more confident.
In the second half, taking advantage of Borussia Dortmund's errors, Hertha Berlin's defensive counter-attack was simple and effective, equalising the score with a cross from the wing and an aerial bombardment. Ultimately, neither side could break the deadlock.
Jin Hayes was too fixated on the previous feeling, wanting to try a one-touch pass to trigger an attack, and did not utilise his dribbling advantage to get past defenders. This led to the team's attack misfiring, and the match ended in a draw.
"Today—the responsibility is mine. I should have tried to break through more and look for opportunities." In the dressing room, seeing the team atmosphere was rather sombre, Jin Hayes voluntarily stepped forward to take responsibility for the dropped points. Three points in hand turned into one point; the entire team had issues. How could Jin Hayes be the only one to take the blame?
Captain Sebastian Kehl quickly stood up: "No, Jin, you've already played very well. Several offensive plays were brilliant; we just couldn't capitalise on them. My passing success rate was a bit low today, so I also have responsibility."
"No, no, no, it was me. I didn't score the crucial goal—my problem!" Mario Götze's voice trembled; he was deeply blaming himself. In the second half, Jin Hayes successfully broke through the middle, and in the penalty area, surrounded by defenders, he passed the ball to Götze. Götze was too eager to strike, causing what should have been a goal to go over the crossbar, missing a golden scoring opportunity.
"Mario, stop talking. The main thing is that I didn't do much." Alexander Frei patted Götze's shoulder. He lowered his head and smiled bitterly: "Speaking of which, I only participated in the first attack for the entire match. The rest of the time, I barely touched the ball and didn't help anyone."
Alexander Frei indeed found it difficult to integrate into Klopp's tactical system this season. He had already decided that regardless of the results, he would choose to leave the team next season. In his thirties, it was time to find a team to see out his career with. And Borussia Dortmund was a young team that needed a stronger striker than himself.
"Actually, I should be blamed. For the goal conceded in the second half, if I had marked my man tightly, he wouldn't have scored—" Mats Hummels sighed deeply.
Just as other teammates were about to speak, Klopp pushed open the door and entered. The coach still had a hint of a smile on his face. "What? Has this turned into a self-criticism session? Then I'll also make a self-criticism—"
"There were problems with the new tactical design, and it was my fault for letting you use it in actual combat without thorough practice. The primary person responsible for the team not winning is the head coach."
Uh—
Everyone didn't know how to respond to Klopp's words. It seemed the coach wasn't angry?
"Actually, it's just a draw. Wolfsburg is still 1 point behind us; it's not the end of the world."
"Everyone cheer up, don't look so glum."
"What's commendable is that your goal in the first half was beautiful, creating the scene we envisioned."
"It's just that subsequent details need more optimisation and adjustment. Everyone, work a bit harder on the training ground these days."
Klopp felt quite satisfied. They dropped 2 points, and Wolfsburg narrowed the gap. But Borussia Dortmund's dressing room was united; everyone was actively taking responsibility instead of blaming each other.
That was enough.
Anyway, as long as they ultimately win the championship, dropping points in the league is very normal. No team can guarantee not to drop points, nor can any player maintain 100% form in every league match; form will definitely fluctuate. Jin Hayes had already performed excellently today, so what if he made mistakes? It still didn't prevent him from being Westfalen's darling.
After the match, in the away stands, Borussia Dortmund's hardcore fans remained loyal, still singing the team anthem and the Jin Hayes song after the final whistle.
"So—everyone be happy, forget this draw, and focus on the next match. This match, I believe everyone has been looking forward to it for a long time. Do you have confidence?"
"Of course!!"
"I can't wait!"
The atmosphere in the dressing room livened up considerably. Just four days later, Borussia Dortmund would be hosting their strongest opponent this season—the Red Devils, Manchester United. The Bundesliga was instantly thrown to the back of the players' minds. Mentioning the Champions League, everyone couldn't help but feel a little excited.
In the noisy dressing room, teammates were chatting about Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Sir Alex Ferguson, and predictions for the upcoming match. Jin Hayes, meanwhile, opened his phone to check the Bundesliga standings.
Just as Jürgen Klopp had said, Wolfsburg had won again. They won 5-1 at home against Bayern Munich—Felix Magath had his revenge on his old club.
The entire Bundesliga was abuzz, with media and fans talking about this match. Wolfsburg's star striker, Grafite, after dribbling past Bayern goalkeeper Michael Rensing, actually stopped the ball on the goal line to humiliate him, then scored with a backheel. After the match, Grafite even publicly called out Jin Hayes from afar.
"For the last goal, I found inspiration from Jin Hayes. No wonder Jin Hayes often chooses not to shoot, but rather to continue dribbling past defenders and the goalkeeper to score into an empty net. I tried it today; it was quite difficult but very satisfying. Toying with the entire defence like that is really cool. I consider myself a fan of Jin Hayes and am really looking forward to the direct clash in Matchday 32. I hope to face him on the field. In the first leg, we lost to him. This time, I hope to get revenge at home—"
No, what does that have to do with me? I don't intentionally not shoot!
If Jin Hayes could score directly with a shot, who would want to expend more effort and take greater risks to dribble past the goalkeeper?
He really found it a bit funny and frustrating. Grafite actually publicly admitted to being his fan and deliberately imitating his goals. He didn't know if he was a genuine fan or just deliberately messing with him. It didn't matter. Anyway, they would have a direct confrontation with Wolfsburg later.
If neither side made any major mistakes during this period, it was likely that the Matchday 32 clash in the Bundesliga would be the 2008-2009 Bundesliga final. On the league table, Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg were neck and neck, both teams having an incredibly strong season, leaving other teams at least 10 points behind.
...
"Look, that kid is really popular."
"Indeed—it's hard to imagine he's only 16."
"It's truly outrageous. Ronaldo when he was 18…"
"Hey, keep your voice down, don't let him hear."
"Oh, oh, I almost forgot."
The Manchester United team bus passed the Westfalenstadion. Like the Arsenal players, the Manchester United squad was also stunned by the huge poster on the exterior wall of Westfalen. The image of Jin Hayes was incredibly imposing, his spirited smile seemingly defying all invading enemies. In the group photo of many Dortmund players, Jin Hayes occupied the centre position, which couldn't help but make the Manchester United players feel a sense of awe.
Captain Gary Neville recalled the situation when Cristiano Ronaldo first joined the team. At that time, an 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo was just a brash young kid who only knew how to show off fancy tricks and liked to be in the spotlight.
At the time, Gary Neville really couldn't stand him and caused him a lot of trouble in the dressing room. Later, after being coached by Sir Alex Ferguson, Cristiano Ronaldo finally looked like a professional player and completely exploded this season, having a career-high season. He might become one of Europe's strongest players with over 40 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo was already a monster, but a 16-year-old Jin Hayes seemed even more formidable than him.
Big-mouthed Gary Neville was about to chat more about Cristiano Ronaldo when he was muffled by the cautious Paul Scholes. Cristiano Ronaldo himself was not far in the front row, and it was a bit impolite to discuss someone to their face.
In the very front row of the bus, a distinguished older gentleman with a prominent nose looked out the window, his gaze also fixed on Jin Hayes.
"He's indeed an excellent kid. How about trying to buy him next season?" assistant coach Mike Phelan joked.
"The price would be too high, and a 16-year-old is not very stable." Ferguson rebutted the suggestion with a thick Scottish accent. According to estimates from Germany's 'Transfermarkt,' after Dortmund eliminated Arsenal, Jin Hayes's value had already risen from the initial €30 million to €45 million. His market value surpassed that of Robinho, who was the transfer record holder last summer.
A 16-year-old player, valued at €45 million? What a joke.
Ferguson was indeed tempted, but he would not contribute to inflated transfer fees; he would never pay an overpriced figure. Player values were all hyped up by those unscrupulous capitalists. The hot-tempered Ferguson grew angrier the more he thought about it, clenching his fists. Moreover, the team already had Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney; they didn't need more attackers to compete for ball possession with them.
"But—he's about to leave," Mike Phelan complained softly. Cristiano Ronaldo was getting closer and closer to Real Madrid. Florentino Pérez had been constantly pushing this transfer these days, with frequent exchanges of faxed contracts between the two clubs. Real Madrid had already sent representatives to Manchester United to discuss the details of this transfer, and with Jorge Mendes fanning the flames, Cristiano Ronaldo's departure was an irreversible fact.
If Cristiano Ronaldo left, adding a Jin Hayes might be a good idea. This would allow Rooney to be pushed back to the main striker position, utilising his attacking prowess. With Jin Hayes behind him to link up play, Manchester United's attacking front would still be formidable.
"Ah, we'll see. Let's focus on this season's matches first."
Mentioning Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, Ferguson seemed to have aged a few more years. Manchester United's number 7 seemed to carry a weight—always receiving immense adoration, and always ending up in Real Madrid's embrace. Ferguson only hoped that this season, before Cristiano Ronaldo left, he could lead him to one more Champions League title.
Manchester United wanted to challenge the curse of the Champions League since its rebranding and defend their title. Clearly, Borussia Dortmund, standing in their way, would be kicked aside by the mighty Red Devils.
"No one can stop us, no one."
Ferguson chewed his gum, his gaze shifting away from the Westfalenstadion. His aged eyes were filled with absolute confidence.