Chapter 164: The Rise of Huo Village

Compared to Berlin and Amsterdam.

Hamburg boasts a more 'avant-garde' nightlife atmosphere.

Whether on land, underground, on water, or in the air, you can enjoy an unforgettable, passionate night.

Li Kang chose the water.

After he and his teammates wandered through the bustling city, they came to the Elbe River.

Germany's Chu-Han border.

The dawn of victory on the European battlefield.

One of the symbols of the Third Reich's downfall.

Everyone quickly agreed on a price, rented a 'clean' boat, and toured the rugged scenery of the North River.

"The recent schedule has been too easy!"

"Have you heard Hoffenheim has been strong lately? Yes, it's the relegation-threatened team we defeated at the start of the season."

"A relegation team?"

Van Dijk's knowledge of many Bundesliga teams is limited to text and video.

Dino patiently explained: "Their current interim coach is Nagelsmann! My classmate... that guy has strong in-game command ability, but he can't cause any trouble for Lewokusen."

Time flew by.

Lewokusen club refused all special interviews and commercial endorsements, giving Li Kang a quiet and monotonous training environment.

The devilish schedule of three-front warfare was survived.

The upcoming match dates are also very dense.

Tuopu Laotou fell ill, assistant coach Dino took the field, leading Lewokusen to a string of victories in domestic matches.

On the Bundesliga standings, Bayern and Dortmund clung tightly to Bei lai yin's lion's butt.

Li Kang's frequent appearances and playing time drew dissatisfaction from major European media.

"Should superstar substitutes be forced onto the field even in German Cup matches against regional clubs?"

"The most exhausted youngster in the top five leagues! Draining his spirit!"

"Lewokusen has no one available? Turning into Gargantua!"

"Messi, Rooney, C Ronaldo, Podolski never suffered this hard in their youth!"

"The Spanish national team frenetically sent faxes, voice and tears lamenting: The European Cup is imminent! Why must Spanish talents be included in the squad for matches against fishbowl teams?"

They also cited a series of injury examples of prodigy players in their youth.

"What? An 18-year-old Messi suffered a serious injury, the season was written off."

"What? A 19-year-old Van der Vaart was discarded by Ajax, leaving aftereffects."

Dino's personal social media account was flooded with netizens' complaints.

He endured enormous pressure, after weekly studying the medical reports and inquiring about Li Kang's condition, he insisted on including the Bei lai yin genius in the roster.

No way.

The league competes on consistency.

The club's bench depth is destined not to compare with Bayern.

Lewokusen's starting lineup, without Li Kang, is destined to lose its top position.

It's not like in movies where everyone has unlimited stamina.

Don't even mention Mönchengladbach, Schalke 04 and other powerhouses.

Even the rematch against Mainz almost ended in an overturn.

The fittest Son Heung-min and Bellarabi collapsed from exhaustion and had to be rotated.

Li Kang was also exhausted; he didn't have an "unlimited stamina" module.

Domestic opponents' defensive moves against him have become increasingly rough.

Even with an "injury-immune physique," the accompanying pain hardly lessens.

In the blink of an eye.

Bundesliga match day arrived.

Lewokusen's entire team arrived in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

They were to challenge Hoffenheim, whose recent momentum is strong.

The new head coach Nagelsmann, only 28 years old, is practically the "Li Kang" of the coaching world!

Looking into history reveals: 45-year-old Ferguson only became Manchester United manager, 37-year-old Wenger was at Monaco, 40-year-old Hiddink was still an assistant coach at Eindhoven.

Hoffenheim's head coach title shifted from "Bundesliga's youngest head coach in history" to "Bundesliga genius head coach"!

The past grudges between the two clubs need not be mentioned.

Relying on Ji Si Lin's "ghost goal" from back then, Hoffenheim fans have held a grudge for years.

Adding the "slaughter incident" experienced at BayArena early this season.

Hoffenheim is determined to give Bei lai yin's lion a taste of bitterness on its home ground.

Lewokusen's bus slowly entered Neckarstadion.

The players' conditions were relaxed.

Even if Hoffenheim is strong, it's merely a struggling fishbowl team in the relegation mire.

On paper, its strength cannot compare with Lewokusen's market value.

Pre-match press conference.

When facing his old classmate Nagelsmann, Dino felt a bit nervous.

Both of them still obtained the coach certification in the same batch.

After a simple handshake and greetings,

The two youngsters quickly took their seats and began accepting interviews from reporters.

"Mr. Dino, Lewokusen defeated Hoffenheim early in the season, and at that time Li Kang got less than a minute of Bundesliga debut time. Against weaker teams, is it necessary to put him on the roster? Many outside voices feel he should rest!"

"The medical report cannot specifically show… the degree of physical and mental fatigue!"

"He is still just a kid!"

"Official match intensity and training intensity are two different things!"

"Do you think you're filming a movie? There's no 18‑year‑old ironman in the top five leagues! Did you learn this torment method from Simeone?"

"Li Kang should properly prepare for the Champions League semifinal! Instead of wasting his stamina in insignificant matches."

Dino remained silent for a long time, enduring the reporters' barrage.

The interview rules at the press conference were disrupted.

It seemed as if the whole Bundesliga was voicing dissatisfaction about the European competition hero.

Of course, when the voices gradually died down.

Lewokusen's assistant coach took a deep breath and said:

"Without Li, we don't have the strength to win the title against Bayern Munich…"

"The other players in Lewokusen's core are not much stronger than mid‑to‑upper Bundesliga clubs."

"All of his physical indicators are quite normal."

The reporters turned their heads and threw their questions to Hoffenheim's head coach.

Nagelsmann smiled, very confident: "We will limit Li; he is the only threat!"

"With 9 goals and 2 assists in Champions League play, he has advanced research into the midfield‑forward tactic in the top five leagues ahead of time."

"I originally thought we'd have to wait for Havertz to grow up… before seeing this tactic develop!"

"Football is an eleven‑person game."

Neckarstadion.

A sea of people, every seat filled.

Hoffenheim village has only a few thousand inhabitants, but their fans are spread throughout Baden‑Württemberg.

It is a team that holds great charm for the locals.

They have created the "Hoffenheim miracle" after Kaiserslautern.

Moreover, most of the starting lineup came from their own youth academy.

"CTV5! CTV5! Good evening, viewers!"

"Now broadcasting live is the 2015/16 Bundesliga season!"

"Hoffenheim hosts Leverkusen!"

"A clash between a Bundesliga dark horse and a Champions League dark horse!"

"When the young Nagelsmann first took charge, European media did not favor him, yet he led Hoffenheim all the way to victory!"

"His way of winning is not low‑block counter‑attacks, but rather he likes to engage in open attacks!"

"I am the commentator for this match, Duan Xuan!"

"Next, let me introduce the starting lineups for both sides!"

"Wearing the blue‑striped home jerseys are Hoffenheim, lining up in a 4‑3‑3 formation!"

"Goalkeeper: Baumann!"

"Left back: Kim Jin‑soo!"

"Center backs: Hubner, Schal!"

"Right back: Kaderebeck!"

"Midfield: Schweiger, Polanski, Jonathan!"

"Forwards: Kulani, Zubel, Woland!"

"Wearing the red away jerseys are Leverkusen, forming a 4‑2‑3‑1!"

"Goalkeeper: …"

The hot air balloon printed with the Bundesliga logo slowly rose.

The Hoffenheim villagers' fans burst into waves of cheers!

"Hoffenheim!"

"Hoffenheim!"

"Hoffenheim!"

Dino sat nervously on the coach's bench.

The club couldn't work out the opponent's tactical weak point; the course of the match requires the players to exercise initiative!

Accompanied by the referee's whistle.

The match officially began.

Leverkusen possession.

Bostock kicked off, laying it off to Havertz.

The midfield‑forward zones of both formations immediately engaged in fierce fighting.

Lai Nuo stood in the back, suddenly feeling this Hoffenheim side was somewhat unfamiliar—where was the rag‑tag team from the start of the season?

"Nagelsmann's forward press is different from the frenzy of other teams."

"Pay attention to the spacing between the forwards and midfielders—Hoffenheim focuses more on strategy and cohesion!"

8th minute of the match.

Li Kang dribbled past the opponent's half-field 40-meter zone.

Facing the three forwards of Huo Village pressing, he opened up the angle with his left foot and passed the ball to Boeresi making an overlapping run on the flank!

Pa!

The Samba full-back hasn't even settled the ball yet!

He was immediately dispossessed jointly by Qiaonasen and Jin Zhenshu!

"Beautiful!"

"This is Na Ge Er Si Man's tactical characteristic: intentionally leaving the flank empty, forming a strong side in the middle to suppress Li Kang, then letting the full-back and a midfield player cut off the flank pass!"

"So far, there hasn't been..."

"Take a look at Huo Fen Hai Mu's counterattack!"

"Kim Zhenshu's speed is not fast."

"But his teammates are fast!"

"Ku Lan Yi, Zu Bei Er, Wo Lan De fired three arrows in unison, frenziedly attacking Lewokusen's midfield defense!"

"Group-style forward insert!"

"When counterattacking with possession, leave the defense empty!"

"What a pleasing and delightful charging formation!"

"Ben De Er and Ke La Mo have no solution."

"Basically cannot be stopped."

"Watching the opponent's Korean full-back stir up a bloody storm on the flank, he dared not lose position to intercept."

"Thirty-meter zone."

"Yu Natian Ta moved!"

"He rushed toward Kim Zhenshu!"

"Cannot stop the fierce generals like A Zha Er and Sang Qie Si, and cannot stop you little Jin Zhen Gu!"

"Ju Le's forward run is very bold and timely!"

"Kim Zhenshu is very smart! Strike the ribs!"

"Beautiful!"

"Who would have thought the opponent's center-back would surge into the penalty area as a pivot point!"

"After Ju Le received the ball, his adjustment time was very long!"

"But Lewokusen's defenders did not first timely block the passing lane; Fan Dai Ke had no chance to withdraw, as he was still marking Huo Village's big center forward!"

"Others' meaningless pressing and movements played right into Na Ge Er Si Man's plan!"

"Ju Le delivered a low-quality through ball!"

"The ball floated unpredictably into Lewokusen's penalty area!"

"The route was rough."

"At the instant it rolled out of the baseline."

"Qiaonasen leapt and lofted the ball back!"

"Beautiful inverted triangle!"

"Lewokusen's defensive line is too chaotic!"

"Shi Wei Ge Le!"

"Huo Village's defensive midfielder surged to the top of the big penalty area arc and fired a furious shot on goal!"

"The ball whistled through Zhi Hu's defensive line, grazing Lai Nuo's silver-white glove, and thundered into the upper right corner of the goal!"

"1:0!!!"

"In Li Kang's recovery run, the opponent's midfielder Bolan Si Ji frenziedly interfered with 'logging'."

"By the time he barely reached the penalty area, he was already powerless to stop the accident unfolding before his eyes."

"Nei Ka Stadium, the whole crowd cheered!"

"The Huo Village fans in the nearby stands excitedly clapped the railings!"

"Huo Fen Hai Mu, tonight aims to pull the European Champions League semi-finalists off their horses!"

"We, are walking on the road to rise!"

"Beautiful!"

"Huo Fen Hai Mu seems like a completely different team!"

"They have displayed cohesion and aggression, plus an overwhelming momentum!"

"Radical Na Ge Er Si Man, playing risky, reaped rich rewards as soon as the match began!"

"Ju Le's perfect through ball, Qiaonasen's inverted triangle tearing the defense, Shi Wei Ge Le's furious shot on goal! The three helped the team take the lead!"

"Lewokusen will have to think of a solution now."

"If Huo Fen Hai Mu chooses to defend desperately."

"Live broadcast room."

"The barrage was dominated by a sea of '666'."

"-【Duan Xuan this fake fan, don't talk nonsense, Huo Fen Hai Mu won't defend desperately after taking the lead, the new generation 'Ping Tou Ge' of the Bundesliga!】"

"-【Keep a calm mind, with Li Mingdeng present, Lewokusen can definitely complete a comeback!】"

"-【Hard to say, I now doubt the opponent's head coach can rely on tactics and command to lead an ordinary team into the European Champions League semi-finals, rather than like Lewokusen relying on Xiao Li Zi to prolong life!】"

"-【Na Ge Er Si Man is a genius coach; the five major leagues haven't yet figured him out; his tactical characteristics are basically a fog!】"

"-【Such a good coach, not coaching Bayern is a pity.】"

-【I announce, Huo Village will astonish Europe next season like Premier League Leicester City!】

At the edge of the pitch.

Dino stared blankly.

I totally don't get it!

My old classmate's tactical framework is unheard of!

Lewokusen's coaching staff was busy, but they were clueless.

On the other side.

Nagelsmann did not celebrate.

He is very composed.

While everyone else was celebrating, he kept scribbling and drawing on the draft paper.

He grabbed the bouncing assistant coach and laid out the upcoming tasks.

Lai Nuo angrily blamed the defenders, spit flying!

「Don't lose position! Why are you going to challenge the Korean? That's what Kramer and Bender should do! 」

「Why isn't Bender pressing up? You, a defensive midfielder, what are you retreating for? 」

「And Borges! Li's pass was so smooth, Brandt also found space, why are you still dilly-dallying trying to show off? 」

「Your thinking needs to be clear! Huo Village is no longer a weak team! 」

「They've played their own rhythm! 」

Li Kang's mind raced wildly.

Reviewing Hoffenheim's attacking details.

It was useless.

Couldn't find any similar or comparable cases.

In a short time, it simply couldn't be cracked.

But the opponent's tactical framework wasn't perfect; Lewokusen's players were fully capable of defusing danger and seizing the initiative.

18th minute of the match.

In Lewokusen's formation, the spacing between the three lines was stretched.

Jonathan surged forward into the gap between the defensive and midfield lines.

Zuber dropped back.

Li Kang and Van Dijk frantically stopped their teammates from being out of position.

It was useless.

Football is an eleven-player game.

A paper-thin defense was torn apart by the most advanced and cutting-edge attacking system among the top five leagues!

Kuland and Woland gained space to surge forward.

Jol launched a long ball.

A crude, clumsy passing lane once again tore through Lewokusen's backline.

「One-on-one! 」

「Kuland! 」

「Woland is there to support! 」

「Lai Nuo, one versus two! 」

「Got it! 」

Bang!

Kuland charged into the penalty area and fired a furious shot!

The ball howled as it slammed toward Lewokusen's goal!

Still the top right corner!

Nagelsmann had studied every Lewokusen player to the utmost!

Smack!

Lai Nuo leapt up and struggled to clutch the ball!

It didn't go in.

But tens of thousands of Huo Village fans went wild!

All cameras followed the stadium's wave-like roar... violently shaking!

We are about to slay the Champions League final four!

「Unbelievable! 」

「An unbelievable attack! 」

「Nagelsmann, a genius head coach! He's teaching all of Europe how to play against this Lewokusen team! 」

「Hoffenheim barely missed expanding their lead! 」

「Perhaps their players aren't strong, but they totally dominated Lewokusen tactically! 」

「Football is a team sport! 」