The God of Football Starts With Passive Skills

The rest of the positions remained basically the same.

"The 4–1 lesson from last weekend clearly wasn’t enough. They haven’t given up."

"This match is different from the Bundesliga. It’s going to be tougher. But as long as we get past Bayern and make it to the final, we will definitely be lifting the DFB-Pokal trophy in Berlin!"

Upon hearing this, everyone’s eyes lit up.

The Bundesliga title was basically in their grasp.

If they could also win the DFB-Pokal, that would mean winning the double!

Who wouldn’t be excited?

"Wang."

Klopp walked up to Wang Shuo.

Wang Shuo looked up, his eyes meeting Klopp’s.

He could feel the trust in his coach’s gaze.

"You’re going to be their primary target tonight. But I want you to remember that they’re terrified of you, especially when you get near their goal!"

Wang Shuo nodded firmly.

Everyone else turned their attention to Wang Shuo.

No one doubted Wang Shuo’s ability.

He was sure to be the match-winner tonight!

But when the Dortmund players walked out into Allianz Arena and the two teams took their positions, the Bumblebees were surprised to realize that Van Gaal’s adjustments went beyond simply replacing Badstuber with Bruno.

Last weekend, Planic had partnered with Schweinsteiger as the two holding midfielders, with Gustavo at left-back.

This had been Van Gaal’s go-to formation for some time.

But he changed it for this match.

Planic moved back to left-back, and Gustavo returned to his strongest position in midfield, partnering with Schweinsteiger.

This was a clear declaration that they intended to battle Dortmund for the midfield!

"We’re in trouble," Klopp said, his brow furrowed in concentration.

He had a bad feeling about this.

...

The referee for the match was Florian Mayer once again.

The moment he blew the opening whistle, the air in Allianz Arena was thick with tension.

Van Gaal’s Bayern didn’t opt to sit back and defend; instead, they continued to press forward and trade blows with Dortmund.

They employed an aggressive high press, running hard and engaging the Bumblebees in a physical, man-to-man battle.

The contest was a chaotic, physical scramble.

The pace of the match immediately kicked into high gear, with neither side giving an inch.

Every player was locked in, pressing and running to create openings.

But for that very reason, neither side was able to create any clear-cut chances.

No matter how loud the fans in the stands screamed, neither team could break the deadlock.

Across the entire first half, possession was 55% to 45% and shots were 6 to 5. Bayern had the edge on all fronts.

But as for shots that were actually threatening...

Zero!

From either side!

The first half ultimately ended in a 0–0 draw.

But heading back through the players’ tunnel, Wang Shuo could see clearly that the players from both Bayern and Dortmund were panting heavily.

A match like this might seem devoid of chances, but it was incredibly intense and physically draining.

Every player was on high alert, playing under immense mental strain.

"Don’t panic!"

Klopp strode in front of his players, twisted open a bottle of mineral water, and dumped it over his head.

It was as if he were trying to douse his own agitation and force himself to calm down.

"You have to believe in yourselves. That 4–1 score from last weekend wasn’t a fluke, and it wasn’t a gift from our opponents. We earned that win with our own two hands!"

"And look at the crests on your chests. Think back on our season so far. What do you see?"

"An undefeated streak!"

"So far this season, we are the only—the very last—undefeated team in all of Europe’s top five leagues!"

"We can win this!"

Klopp’s speech was designed to rally the team’s morale.

After seeing the players’ spirits lift a bit, he immediately shifted his focus to Wang Shuo.

Given how the match had played out, you really couldn’t blame Wang Shuo.

Van Gaal’s strategy to contain Wang Shuo in this match was truly airtight.

Almost every time he got the ball, he was surrounded by at least two players, who immediately double-teamed him.

Then there was the midfield. Gustavo’s return to a holding position made him extremely active, which greatly relieved the pressure on Schweinsteiger.

With their midfield holding firm, Wang Shuo received fewer passes up front.

In fact, Dortmund struggled to even get their passing combinations through the midfield.

What about attacking down the wings?

Bayern was also placing a heavy emphasis on the flanks in this match.

Ribery and Robben in particular were very active, effectively shutting down Dortmund’s wingers.

Under these circumstances, Klopp couldn’t possibly demand a stellar performance from Wang Shuo.

’Besides, it’s only halftime, isn’t it?’

"Wang, do you know why Gerd Müller’s goal-scoring record stood for forty years?"

Klopp asked, his voice a deep, resonant baritone.

Wang Shuo didn’t answer, merely looking directly at Klopp.

"Because nobody believed they could break that record. But you did!"

With that, Klopp clapped Wang Shuo on the shoulder and said nothing more.

But as he laid out his tactics, he emphasized one key point.

"In the second half, create as many chances for Wang as you can. Get him more passes. I believe that if there is one person on this team who can score against Bayern, it has to be him!"

Wang Shuo was genuinely moved when he heard this.

A statement like that from Klopp risked hurting the feelings of the other players.

But he said it anyway.

Because he trusted Wang Shuo.

"In the second half, get the ball to me. High balls, long balls, ground passes..."

"Whatever kind of ball it is, just get it to me!"