Manchester United's heir apparent, but can't play football.

Chapter 63 What? A losing situation?

The Bundesliga matchday is here.

Li Luo and his teammates boarded the club bus and headed to Gelsenkirchen.

The rivers on both sides of the road were slightly murky and flowed slowly.

The once golden wheat fields have been harvested, leaving the bare earth a dark brown. The remaining stalks are covered with a thin layer of frost, shimmering faintly in the morning light. A few resident birds fly by, aimlessly searching for food.

"Have you guys watched the Champions League? Schalke 04 held Chelsea to a draw."

"I saw it, Chelsea missed three open goals. If I went up there, I could have scored a hat-trick."

"Recently, we've seen an increasing number of Manchester United fans coming to visit us."

"They're not looking at us, they're looking at Li."

The group chatted idly.

Li Luo looked at the densely packed messages on his phone, typed a sentence, copied and pasted it, and simply replied to a few chat boxes.

While filming a Bayer commercial, some decent-looking girls asked for his contact information.
The device was then shut down.

Get your mind and body into the competition state in advance.

It is near the Ruhr region.

The colors outside the car window grew increasingly cold and austere.

The biting wind howled, making the abandoned coal mine shafts, rusty blast furnaces, and chimneys appear particularly solemn.

The walls, covered in graffiti and mottled, are occupied by a heavily made-up woman every ten meters or so.

A group of strangely dressed men went door to door asking women for money.

He has a hydra tattooed on his shoulder and arm.

They are champions of justice, women's protection organizations.

Major media outlets have begun to generate buzz in advance.

Another clash of titans between renowned coaches: Blackgold vs. Di Matteo.

Shocking! Manchester United fans across Europe have done this!

In the post-Ferguson era, an increasing number of Manchester United fans are traveling to Germany on match days seeking emotional solace.

Japanese media: Burning fighting spirit! The ultimate showdown between Atsuto Uchida and Dragon God Li Luo is about to begin! Please fulfill your mission, Uchida-kun!

The Veltins-Arena.

It was like a spaceship landing in the countryside.

Its strikingly modern and imposing exterior stands in stark contrast to the surrounding abandoned industrial buildings.

The enormous canopy slowly opened.

The grass on the entire football field moved slowly.

"Zhuangdianertai! Zhuangdianertai! Good evening, viewers."

"We are now broadcasting live the 13th round of the 2014/15 Bundesliga season."

Schalke will host Wolfsburg.

What kind of story will unfold when miners encounter wolves?

"The director moved the camera to the stands."

"This lady is Charlotte Roach, author of the German bestseller 'Wetlands.' In an interview, she offered to spend a night with German President Wulff if he voted against the proposal to extend the lifespan of German nuclear power plants."

She said: "My husband has already agreed, and we are just waiting for your opinion, madam."

"Also a Schalke 04 fan!"

"Peter Lochmaier, sitting next to Manny Brückman, the camera then focuses on the famous boxer - Vladimir Kiryako."

Zhan Jun explained to the audience, one by one, the famous Schalke 04 fans in the stands.

Coach Zhang added, "More and more Manchester United fans are coming to Wolfsburg's matches to find solace."

"Manchester United fans are all over the world, but the fans who come to watch Li Luo play in the Bundesliga are not necessarily from Britain."

Studio.
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[Actually, Schalke 04 has a most famous fan in its history, but I (Zhan Jun) dare not mention him.]
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I heard this stadium cost 1.9 million euros to build, and both the roof and the turf are movable.
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Why is it called the Veltins-Arena?
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[The Veltins-Arena is named after a beer company that sponsored the stadium; its original name was AufSchalke.]

Pre-match press conference.

Black Gold shook hands with Di Matteo.

See “名帅” for “名帅”.

Cherish each other.

"The competition may be tough."

"But Wolfsburg's goals are different this season. We can't just stand by and watch Bayern finish first in the Bundesliga!"

"We will strive to overcome any difficulties."

Di Matteo nodded: "The same goes for Schalke 04."

This guy has a very good playing resume.

Later, as a coach, he led Chelsea to win the Champions League title.

Therefore, he was called a famous coach.

Player tunnel.

De Bruyne whispered to Maranda, "They have a lot of attacking options, especially..."

“I can’t remember, I’ll listen to Li.”

"."

Can't refute.

During the pre-match planning phase, the assistant coaches had already explained the characteristics of the opposing players.

Bendtner shook his head: "Relax, I can't remember what the other person looks like either."

Maranda said matter-of-factly, "You're right."

Schalke 04 also has several small, seemingly less intelligent black players.

Li Luo stood at the very front of the line.

I could faintly hear many people calling my name.

strange?
This is Schalke 04's home ground.

The referee team led both teams out of the passage.

Crash.

At the Veltins-Arena, the stands resembled a churning ocean.

Schalke 04 fans used scarves, flags, and banners as intense as the deep sea to create a "blue wall," and the entire stadium was being swallowed by a silent blue tide, stretching from the northwest stand to the southwest corner.

The people in the away and neutral stands were chanting a name with all their might, but they were instantly overwhelmed by the blue wave.

A hot air balloon bearing the Bundesliga logo slowly ascends into the sky.

"Now we will introduce the starting lineups of both sides."

"Schalke 04's formation is 4-3-3!"

Goalkeeper: Fellman

"Defenders: Atsuto Uchida, Santana, Neustadt, Höwedes."

Midfielders: Goretzka, Boateng, Kirchhoff.

Forwards: Choupo-Moting, Huntelaar, Sané.

Studio.
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Schalke 04's squad is really dynamic.
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A few months ago at the World Cup, I saw six Schalke players on different teams.
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What position does Höwedes actually play? I don't think he plays full-back for the German national team.
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[A versatile player in the backcourt.]
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[I'm a little panicked. A friend of mine bets on Wolfsburg to lose every week.]
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Wolfsburg lost their first game of the season to Bayern Munich. If they lose to another team, they'll have no chance of winning the Bundesliga title.

"On the other side, Wolfsburg's formation is 4-2-3-1!"

Goalkeeper:

"Full force deployed!"

"Mr. Black Gold's team, despite fighting on multiple fronts, has not suffered any injuries or suspensions."

"This situation is very rare; otherwise, how could he be called a famous coach?"

Beep!
Accompanied by the referee's whistle.

The game officially begins.

Schalke 04 has possession.

Huntelaar kicked off with his weaker foot and passed the ball back to his own half.

Wolfsburg is very cautious.

"Put up the bus."

"It's hard to say. In past encounters, Hecking parked the bus and ended up getting thrashed by Schalke 04 in three games."

Schalke 04 doesn't have any tricks up its sleeve.

Positional warfare doesn't involve ground infiltration or flanking maneuvers to create space.

Several big men shoved into the Wolfsburg penalty area.

The full-back crossed the ball.

Atsuto Uchida!

The football spun wildly and drifted into the penalty area.

"Hentral".

Bah!
The ball was blocked out of bounds by Wolfsburg center-back Naldo.

"Is it not over yet?"

"Schalke 04, keep smashing!"

"here we go again!"

"Neustatt, who is 1.9 meters tall!"

"The header went wide, hitting Wolfsburg center-back Knoch on the head, and the ball went out of bounds."

Schalke 04 have earned consecutive corner kick opportunities!

Feltins' popularity continued to rise.

Black Gold paced back and forth anxiously.

Previously, he was killed by Schalke 04 in the same way.

Di Matteo applauded loudly from the sidelines.

He encouraged and cheered on his disciples.

Just like back in the Chelsea days, they were cheerleaders on the sidelines. The old Blues boys went on a scoring spree and won the championship.

Studio.
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[Corner kick over half-goal, almost over, time to close the gap, haha!]
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[Get more corner kicks!]
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What should I do? Wolfsburg feels so dangerous.
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[Quickly go to the Western Paradise to invite the Buddha!]

Wolfsburg goalkeeper Benaglio clapped his hands vigorously to remind everyone to stay focused.

There's no time to think.

Using your brain won't help.

What's the point of analyzing this? How can you analyze such a mindless positional attack tactic from the other side?

"Pretty!"

"This is a tactical corner kick, a ground attack!"

"Schupomoting!"

Chopomodin developed well during this period.

Very comprehensive.

Standing at 1.91 meters tall, although his starting position is winger, he often moves to the center forward position in actual matches, forming a "double-team" with Huntelaar.

However, his footwork skills are not yet fully developed.

suddenly.

A dark figure suddenly appeared in his field of vision.

Decisively choose "fried meatballs" to get past the opponent!
Fry until halfway through.

Snapped!
Maranda made a swift cutback and snatched the ball away.

"A crucial steal!"

"Charge!"

"Wolfsburg's counterattack!"

Unlike other teams, Schalke 04 did not launch an immediate counter-pressing attack, but instead quickly retreated and settled into their defensive positions.

Maranda didn't think twice and immediately passed the ball to Li Luo.

Bah!
Ultra-long-range direct drive.

Like a sharp blade slicing through the Veltins-Arena.

Cheers erupted from both the away and neutral stands.

"Pretty!"

"Perfect trajectory, precise force, and just the right amount of lead time."

"Bendner".

"No offside."

Bendtner easily shook off the opposing center-back, Santana.

Start sprinting.

Receive the ball.

Adjustment.

Keep pushing!
Keep going, keep going.

He sensed footsteps getting closer and closer.
Snapped!
The moment the football was dribbled away, it was poked away by a jet-black leg.

"Wow!"

"Incredible, that's incredibly fast!"

"18-year-old youngster Sané!"

"Chase them all the way back!"

"That's incredibly fast! I heard his speed in the game is 95!"

"Hehehe, the game isn't realistic. Sane's top sprint speed is 35.48 km/h!"

Schalke 04 regained control of the football.

His teammates all gave him a thumbs up.

Sané gestured to the backline: Bendtner's first touch was too slow, his rhythm was poor, and he took too long a touch. Don't worry!
A look of confidence.

Gazing at Li Luo's figure in the distance.

They're both 18 years old, and neither of them is any worse than the other.

Courtside.

Black Gold slapped his thigh in exasperation!
"Even with such high-quality counter-attacks, Li Ce could't do anything against Schalke 04?"

"Let me think about it!"

It feels like it's about to be thoroughly investigated.

Just like last season when Tuchel figured them out completely.
The other side.

Di Matteo loudly encouraged his disciples.

He had made all the necessary preparations before the competition.

Studio.
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Why are there English banners supporting Li Luo in the stands?
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[Manchester United undercover agents?]
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[When Li Luo delivered the through ball, the cheers coming from the TV made me think this was Wolfsburg's home game!]
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[So cool! Too bad Bendtner's useless!]
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These Schalke 04 players are quite strong.

On the green football field.

Li Luo heard in his ears: countless fans excitedly shouting his name.

The geometric model in spatial perception moves slowly.

'It's not my problem.'

'My long-range through balls are very accurate.'

'It's Bendtner's problem. If it had been Lukaku or Morata, they could have used their physicality or rhythm to get past Sané.'

at the same time.

De Bruyne's gaze was also fixed on Sané, and he said to Maranda, "Watch out for that guy!"

Two minutes later.

Atsuto Uchida crossed the ball from the wing.

Huntelaar leaped high, the Bundesliga Golden Boot winner, and like a demon, violently swung his head, but hit nothing.

Choupo-Moting headed the ball across, and young Sané rushed to the far post. He volleyed the ball, but with an open goal in front of him, he kicked it wide.

De Bruyne's lips twitched involuntarily: This guy's shooting skills are terrible.

Wolfsburg launched an attack from their own half. "They didn't encounter any obstacles."

"Schalke 04 did not press like Dortmund, nor compress the space between the three lines like Mönchengladbach, and they did not defend in a low block."

"Huh? This formation... isn't that the same tactic Everton used to change tactics on the fly?"

Courtside.

Black Gold frowned.

They parked the bus and got beaten up.

Now, if we want to launch our own offensive, will we also be targeted?
The other side.

Di Matteo has officially entered cheerleader mode.

He gestured wildly, clapped his hands from time to time, and loudly encouraged his disciples.

"Playing football is simple; the difficult part is playing simple football."

"We have contained Wolfsburg's transition phase and their independent attack phase, so winning this game will be very easy."

Near the middle circle line.

Schalke 04 and Wolfsburg engaged in a fierce battle.

It's not high-level pressure.

It was a mid-range melee.

Standing at 189 centimeters tall, with a slender build like a bamboo pole and no muscle gain, Goretzka was surprisingly agile! He used his long strides to stay close to the constantly darting Li Luo.

He looked confident.

They're both 18 years old, and neither of them is any worse than the other.

Li Luo diligently sought opportunities.

The geometric model in spatial perception, when pushed to its limit, transforms into a planar view.

Wolfsburg teammates are feeling very bad.

It felt like we were back in the battle against Everton.

wrong.

Schalke 04 has also made optimizations! They've implemented a more targeted strategy!
Time passed slowly.

Wolfsburg had no chance to pass the ball forward.

They could only repeatedly pass the ball back to the backcourt.

De Bruyne suddenly realized: the opponent wouldn't press our defense, but instead concentrated their forces to strangle our midfield?

'no. '

This is not the essence.

'We should organize from the flanks.' No, that's not right either.

"Maranda, pass the ball to Li Luo."

There are too many people.

"The ball was intercepted, Gustavo won it back and passed it back to the Wolfsburg center-back."

"Schalke 04 failed to catch up."

"A spark, Wolfsburg lacks a spark. If they had a player like Neymar or Sanchez who could receive Li Luo's passes on the wing, all the problems would be solved."

Veltins Stadium.

The cheers from Schalke 04 fans grew louder and louder.

Wolfsburg fans and Manchester United fans in plainclothes were worried that Li Luo might get injured in such a fierce midfield battle.

A few minutes later.

Li Luo retreated to the back line.

After receiving a pass from Knoch, he made a slight adjustment.

He decisively passed the ball to the wing.

"This time it worked."

"Ricardo!"

"Oh dear, we can't compete! Sané and Höwedes are blocking us together!"

"Giving Li Luo a Marcelo or Alba would be more like it!"

"Fortunately, Ricardo's experience allowed him to clear the ball out of bounds, preventing Schalke 04 from launching a quick counter-attack."

Studio.
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【Why is this happening? 】
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[Let me explain. When the opponent plays a high-pressing style, Li Luo can receive the ball in a drop back position and think about how to break through the high press. There is a large area of ​​space behind the high press that can be utilized.]
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[If the opponent is playing defensively, that's even better. Li Luo can control the situation, weave a net, and slowly suppress them.]
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[In the midfield, abandon the pressure on Wolfsburg's backline and concentrate your forces to strangle Wolfsburg's midfield and attack. Then, utilize the man-to-man advantage of a few key players to look for transition opportunities! Such transition attacks have a greater distance advantage than a low-block counter-attack.]
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[High-level positions involve proactive pressure, while mid-level positions involve static waiting and proactive strangulation.]
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Wouldn't that make the central defensive line invincible?
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[He's definitely not invincible. The key is his "match-one advantage" in several areas. If you gave Li Luo a forward line of MSN, BBC, or one of the Premier League's Big Six, he could definitely crush Schalke 04!]
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I understand now. Football is a team sport, just like cooking depends on the ingredients.

After their last match against Everton, all the Wolfsburg players went through a detailed post-match analysis with the assistant coach.

Unexpectedly, Schalke 04 tonight utilized their own configuration characteristics to create an upgraded version of the "central defense".

De Bruyne was making runs while simultaneously thinking rapidly:
'When the opponent is off the ball, their dynamic formation revolves around a central defensive line, switching between 5-5 formations.'

'They didn't use troops to pressure our rear lines.'

'Therefore, we'll concentrate our forces to strangle our midfield.'

'Our defense can't push forward, so we're still at a numerical disadvantage in certain areas of midfield.'

'They can't break through on the flanks either, and they don't have a positional advantage.'

'If we launch a long pass directly and lose possession, the opponent will launch a counter-attack at lightning speed.'

Inadvertently.

He looked at Li Luo.

They noticed that Li Luo made a gesture.
'Aren't you going to do your homework again?'
Courtside.

Di Matteo looked relaxed.

Black Gold was in a terrible state, having crushed several mineral water bottles.

A planar view in spatial perception is collapsed and transformed into a geometric model.

Li Luo quickly gestured to his teammates.

Schalke 04 is a bit confused: Naruto hand seals?
next moment.

They saw Li Luo receive the ball in Wolfsburg's defensive line and then rush straight towards him.

'Are you kidding me?'

'Is this how you break a deadlock?'

"Let's see this time."

"Li Luo is probably trying to attract attention."

"no!"

Li Luo dribbled the ball across the center circle.

Huntelaar, Boateng, and Sané were waiting for him to arrive.

Don't rush to grab something.

Block the line.

They didn't give the Chinese teenagers a chance to calculate the distance and then make a move to break free.

Stand firm on the defensive line.

You think you can beat three opponents at once? Do you think you're Maradona?
Snapped!
The football was gently pushed sideways.

"Maranda".

Li Luo did not stop.

"What does it mean?"

"Maranda passed the ball to De Bruyne."

"I understand!"

"Wolfsburg doesn't have any explosive opportunities for Li Luo to make his mark."

"Li Luo rotated to the forward line and became a game-changer!"

De Bruyne's physical strength this season has reached the pinnacle of Bundesliga performance.

Thick lower limbs.

Broad shoulders.

Exaggerated gluteal muscles.

He ran to the sideline in advance and stopped the rolling football.

He braced his rear end against Sané.

Go forward one step.

Using the edge line as a barrier.

Before Höwedes could close in, he swung his leg slightly.

Bah!
The football soared off the ground, drawing a rainbow-like arc in mid-air before crashing into Schalke 04's half!

"Let's charge!"

"Bendtner took Neustadt away!"

"Li Luo!"

"Schalke 04 reacted very quickly!"

Atsuto Uchida mustered all his strength and charged toward Li Luo, who was about to stop the ball.

In the previous China-Japan match, J-League defenders were thrashed, but it's impossible for my Bundesliga-trained full-backs to be thrashed!

Snapped!
The soccer ball gently touched the left foot of the young Chinese boy.

It bypassed the small days.

70 points of ball control, a light touch on the water.

Followed by.

Li Luo quickened his pace.

The fluttering white hem of her dress swept past her bewildered days.

Courtside.

Black Gold's eyes widened.

Di Matteo remained calm: "Just hold off the attack. Atsuto Uchida only needs to buy time for his teammates to get into position."

"Stop the ball again."

"Goretzka is catching up quickly!"

"Li Luo!"

"He had eyes in the back of his head; with a sudden stop, he jolted the skinny German guy to the ground!"

"Keep accelerating!"

"Wow!"

Veltins Stadium.

The Schalke fans' cheers gradually subsided.

Manchester United undercover agents and Wolfsburg fans cheered.

Li Luo took another step and started moving.

A pair of players in blue followed behind.
"The startup speed is too fast."

"High cadence!"

"The chassis is low too!"

"If Wolfsburg has no explosive potential, then I, Li Luo, will be the explosive potential!"

Schalke 04's defense is down to just one big black egg - Santana.

Li Luo went straight to the inside.

Santana remained calm and experienced: the distance was still far, there was no need to follow him in advance. He could change lanes at any time.

next moment.

The big black egg was dumbfounded.

Li Luo never even considered getting past Schalke 04's last "point".

All I need is a shooting angle.

Raise your arm.

Swing your leg.

The body is tilted.

78 points for shooting, 86 points for footwork, and 82 points for arc.

Bah!
The football lifted off the ground.

It spun violently, drawing an extremely exaggerated arc in mid-air.

It's not a scimitar, but it's better than a scimitar.

Schalke goalkeeper Fährmann, calm and composed.

His upper body swayed like a pendulum.

He kicked the grass hard with both feet.

The arms stretched out to their fullest extent in mid-air.

next moment.

He regretted it.

Li Luo's shot had a different trajectory!
The goalkeeper's body slammed heavily onto the grass.

The football gently bounced against the white net.

0:1! ! !

The whole audience was shocked.

Wolfsburg's midfield maestro, Lee, is playing like a national team player against Japan at the Veltins-Arena, beating Schalke 04?

There were no exciting moments.

Did he become the breaking point?

"Pretty!"

"The ball is in!"

"Li Luo received a rainbow pass from De Bruyne."

"One move, one stop, get rid of Atsuto Uchida."

"Changing course to gain an angle for a long-range shot."

"A curling shot with the inside of his foot breached Fährmann's defenses!"

"A powerful arc!"

"It's so beautiful, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky."

"A perfect combination of power and curvature."

"The deadlock in the game has been broken."

"De Bruyne connected with Li Luo, and the two helped Wolfsburg take the lead."

Applause poured down from both the away and neutral stands like a tidal wave.

Li Luo felt waves of pain coming from his inner thighs and ankles.

The injury recovery rate module is currently in operation.

He tried to calm his expression.

Wolfsburg teammates excitedly surrounded him.

De Bruyne exclaimed, "Li, I didn't expect that!"

Li Luo smiled and said, "There's no need to worry about how to break through Schalke 04's central defense. We just need a normal explosive point, and this is the simplest way."

"What's the next step?"

"do not know."

What happened next, Li Luo really didn't know.

Schalke 04 will continue to make adjustments.

Studio.

The goal was being replayed on the big screen.
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[Wow, Li Luo's control over curves is amazing!]
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[Yes, in those UEFA Youth League matches, he mostly used low, ground-based shots. He rarely produced such an exaggerated inside-of-the-foot curve shot!]
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[What happened? I just thought Schalke 04 was really strong? And then they got completely crushed by Li Luo?]
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[Huh? This kind of playing style? Is Li Luo treating Schalke 04 like he did last time, beating them up like he did?]
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[De Bruyne: Only Lee can give me the thrill of passing the ball.]

(End of this chapter)