There is a belief called football

Chapter 329 You'll Never Walk Alone

After playing the away game against "Paderborn", what Klopp has to consider is the midweek Champions League match with Arsenal.

This time Dortmund is a guest at the "Emirates Stadium", only a draw is needed, and the two sides can qualify together, but for Arsenal, they must not be satisfied with a draw, which means second in the group.

In recent seasons, Arsenal has basically been a one-day trip to the top 16. They have never reached the top 8. The main reason is that they have always won the second place in the group. The second place in the group means that they are likely to encounter strong teams like Bayern, Real Madrid, and Barcelona.

So Wenger wants to win the first place in the group no matter what he says this season. For Arsenal, taking the second place in the group is tantamount to failure.

Klopp and his assistant "Bovac" have thoroughly studied Wenger's mentality and formulated corresponding tactics. In this game, Dortmund played 4321, Christmas tree formation. This is not because Christmas is approaching, but to formulate tactics according to the goals of the game.

The goal is 1 point, so defense is the most important thing, and 3 people are left in front to retain the counterattack ability to cooperate with the defense.

In this game, Li Qiao advanced alone, Royce was on the right, Aubameyang was on the left, forming a triangle, and the others were all defensive.

After the game started, Arsenal wanted to press out and attack, but Dortmund's front trident was like a sharp knife on Arsenal's back. As long as Arsenal stepped up in the midfield, Dortmund could seize the opportunity to counterattack.

At the final whistle, under Klopp's successful tactical use, Arsenal drew 0-0 with Dortmund at home. As long as Dortmund wins "Anderlecht" in the last game, then Arsenal will be second in the group.

Fate is not in the hands of the "Professor" again.

*****
Back in Dortmund, Klopp gave the players a day off. The weekend was against the weak team "Frankfurt".

There was no training on the second day, and most people still came to the club. Everyone has formed a biological clock. If you don’t come to the club once a day, you feel empty in your heart.

Li Qiao was drinking fruit juice in the lounge, watching the news on his mobile phone, when he suddenly saw "Weidenfeller" in a hurry.

"What's wrong"?
"Go to the hospital",
"you are sick"?Li Qiao was startled.

"No, remember that sick Dortmund fan I mentioned to you last time"?
Li Qiao thought about it for a while, but she didn't have any impression, but she still nodded.

"He is not well again, Wagner asked me to see him",
Li Qiao said "Oh", and suddenly said on a whim, "I'll go too".

Weidenfeller nodded after thinking for a while, "Okay, but hurry up."

There is a special smell of the hospital in the corridor of the hospital that makes people uncomfortable. Li Qiao is a person who rarely gets sick. Even if he gets sick, he always seeks the team doctor, so he is not used to the smell of the hospital.

The two walked to the door of the ward, Weidenfeller knocked on the door, and after a while, someone opened the door, it was Wagner.

Following "Weidenfeller" into the ward, Li Qiao saw a pale middle-aged man with no hair, "His name is Jacob", Wagner introduced again, "Jacob...this is".

Before Wagner could finish speaking, Jacob's eyes lit up. Obviously, he knew Li Qiao. Although he was often in a coma, when he was awake, he kept paying attention to Dortmund, his favorite.

Li Qiao waved at "Jacob", "Hello, I'm Li Qiao", then Li Qiao handed his jersey to Wagner, and Wagner put it next to the pillow of the hospital bed.

"Jacob" was the backbone of the Dortmund Fans Association before he fell ill. He got a strange disease a few years ago. Even in Germany, where the medical system is very developed, it can't be cured. Now he can only stay in the hospital every day.

Before coming here, Weidenfeller told Li Qiao that now Jacob can no longer speak and needs someone to help him walk. This disease is very similar to Hawking, but it is different. It develops very slowly, so it is more painful. It is equivalent to killing people with a slow knife.

The four people in the ward were just like this, and no one wanted to talk, "Can he still go to the stadium to watch the game?" Li Qiao asked.

Wagner didn't answer.

Li Qiao wondered, Jacob was seriously ill, but couldn't he even ask?

Suddenly, Jacob raised his hand, as if to indicate to "Wagner" what to say, Wagner said with a dark face: "Jacob has already decided...".

"Decided what"?Li Qiao and Weidenfeller asked.

"He decided to watch one last Dortmund game this weekend and be euthanized".

Li Qiao and Weidenfeller were stunned.

"Isn't it? Is it because I'm afraid of spending money? Let's find a way to raise it," Li Qiao said.

Jacob smiled, it was a faint smile, maybe he thought that Li Qiao was really a good person, he had a job in Germany and had medical insurance, so money was not a problem, but he didn't want to live like a walking dead like this.

He made a gesture, and Wagner brought him a tablet. He wrote a sentence on it, and then turned around: "Warriors of Dortmund, I will spend the last 90 minutes of my life with you this weekend. I will never walk alone."

Li Qiao lowered his head to ease his emotions. He originally wanted to ask: "Is there no other choice?" Even Li Qiao wanted to introduce Jacob to Chinese medicine. Maybe Chinese medicine can solve the problems that Western medicine can't solve.

But "Jacob"'s see-through smile kept Li Qiao from saying anything.

"Do you have the tickets for the weekend? If not, call me," Li Qiao said.

"Wagner" and "Jacob" smiled at "Weidenfeller", "Don't worry, I've taken care of it, tickets for the VIP box."

Wagner, Jacob thought it would be easy for Weidenfeller to get tickets, but only Li Qiao knew that he bought them with his own money, because Dortmund club management is very strict, players can get free tickets, but they are all ordinary seats, and VIP tickets also need to be bought by themselves.

Li Qiao looked at "Weidenfeller", and "Weidenfeller" seemed to be saying with his eyes: "Please, don't talk about it".

Then Li Qiao and Weidenfeller left, and the four agreed to meet on the weekend.

*****
"Should we tell the coach before the weekend game, everyone should make some preparations, such as writing some blessings on the jersey and showing it after scoring a goal," Li Qiao said.

"I have already spoken to the coach, he fully supports, you just need to score more goals at the weekend."

Dortmund's opponent in the weekend league is Frankfurt, the team that "Yang Chen" used to play for, and that is the earliest Chinese player to stay in Germany.

Before the start of the game, there was a heart-warming scene on the scene. Dortmund fans shouted the name of "Jacob" in unison. It seems that everyone knows it. Although no one can bear to see such an ending, Jacob has his own choice. All we need to do is respect.

Before the game, "You'll Never Walk Alone" sounded again, this time not only for the team, but also for Jacob.

In this game, Klopp sent the strongest lineup, all the tridents started, and the team had an overwhelming advantage at the beginning. After the Ruhr Derby, Dortmund really couldn't afford to mess with it at home, not only winning, but also a big victory.

But it was the visiting team, Frankfurt, who scored the first goal. Their Japanese winger "Gan Guishi" scored the first goal.

Frankfurt’s goal refreshed Dortmund, and then the team launched a fierce counterattack. The front trident scored a goal each, and Li Qiao scored a beautiful free kick. The current rule is that you cannot take off your clothes to celebrate after scoring.

In the end, "Dortmund" beat Frankfurt 4-1 at home. After the game, the players took off their jerseys with the words "Jacob, Dortmund will be with you in heaven."

At this time "Jacob" walked into the stadium with the support of his wife and daughter. His wife took him to thank the fans and these old friends. The most regrettable thing in his life was the 2013 Champions League final. Dortmund did not win the championship. He believed that Dortmund would win the Champions League again, and he would watch in heaven.

Everyone didn’t cry at the scene. This was agreed before the game. “Uncle Slag” came over and hugged Jacob, then took the microphone and said: “He is a fighter. After fighting the disease for so many years, he made his own choice. I discussed it with Zorc...he will always be with Dortmund in the South Stand.”

This was agreed between Klopp and Zorc before the game. A small part of Jacob's ashes will be buried in a small lawn in front of the South Stand.

"Dortmund for a day, Dortmund for life", Jacob interpreted this sentence with his practical actions. He raised his right hand and waved to the fans as a final farewell, and the audience applauded.

*****
The next day, Jacob passed away with a smile in the hospital. Dortmund players attended Jacob's funeral. Beforehand, Jacob's wife took out a small handful of ashes and handed them to Klopp.

The funeral was not sad. The pastor reviewed Jacob's life, and everyone found that every period of his life can be seen and the story of Dortmund.

In the year when the team was about to go bankrupt, Jacob even thought about selling his house to help the team, but he didn't do that after being persuaded by his good friends.

After the ceremony, Li Qiao saw Jacob's epitaph on the tombstone - "Live, Dortmund, die, Dortmund".

In the afternoon, Klopp and Weidenfeller buried Jacob's ashes in a small piece of lawn behind the goal in front of the South Stand.

In order to prevent the stadium staff from destroying it, a small mark was made on that small piece of lawn.Weidenfeller patted the lawn, "Old friend, bless us to achieve better results this season."

　ask for support
　　
　
(End of this chapter)