The Self-Humiliation of the Koreans
Lots of Chinese nationalism in this one.
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After their victory over Dortmund, Werder Bremen had no time to rest before facing the challenge from Augsburg.
Just two days after their last match in the German Cup, it was already the 24th round of the Bundesliga, marking Bremen's first experience this season with three games in one week.
The continuous tough matches posed a significant test of the players' stamina.
During a routine training session, the coaches were worried to see all the players looking exhausted.
"The schedule is too packed. We've just finished games against big teams like Bayern Munich and Dortmund, and the players have spent much more energy than usual. This game is going to be tough!" they remarked.
Coach Schaaf nodded, observing the training players while pondering the lineup for the next day's match.
Hunter was suspended with a red card, and there was an ongoing investigation into the match due to a petition for additional penalties from Dortmund, potentially leading to more suspensions for him.
Additionally, their left winger Elia had strained his thigh in the last match and needed two to three weeks of rest.
This meant they had to use two substitutes upfront.
Schaaf was particularly concerned about Lin and De Bruyne, who had been through back-to-back tough games. Their well-being was crucial as any injury to them would significantly impact Werder Bremen's performance.
"Huh? That's odd, why doesn't that kid seem tired at all?"
Schaaf had been worried about Lin and De Bruyne's fitness levels. Given the intense schedule, even the team's experienced veterans were struggling to keep up.
These younger players lacked experience with such demanding schedules and were not expected to manage their energy well, which should have made their condition even worse.
But what he saw was Lin, lively and showing no signs of fatigue, unlike De Bruyne, who looked exactly as tired as Schaaf had anticipated.
Schaaf couldn't understand why Lin was unaffected. He had run extensively in the previous matches, including many sprints that required a lot of energy.
Logically, Lin's condition should have been worse than De Bruyne's, but the opposite was true.
Eventually, Schaaf attributed this to Lin's diligent routine exercise. He had heard from Lin's host family that Lin spent time every day training his physical fitness.
"You reap what you sow. With such a training attitude, it's no wonder he has made such progress," Schaaf concluded.
Seeing the players' poor condition, Schaaf decided to cut the training short: "We'll reduce the training load this afternoon. After this set, you can go and rest. Tomorrow morning's check-in is postponed to 10:30. Rest well tonight, and don't waste your energy where it's not needed. Especially you young players, I better not hear any news of you at nightclubs, or you know the consequences!"
The players cheered, particularly pleased about the delayed training schedule for the next day.
Finally, they could have a lazy morning!
However, they didn't forget Schaaf's final warning. Those who enjoyed nightlife had to be more cautious, not daring to defy his orders.
Lin, with a tier-two stamina talent, recovered much faster than others and didn't feel as tired.
So, while the team had time off, Lin chose not to leave the training facility early but to stay and practice on his own.
Previously, De Bruyne would have stayed to train with him, but today De Bruyne was too exhausted to move a finger and had to go rest.
Schaaf, left pondering over tomorrow's starting lineup in his office, watched through the window as the young player trained diligently on the field.
The golden sunset over the Weser River illuminated the Weser Stadium's left bank training facility, casting a long shadow of the young player across the field...
...
On March 2nd, at 4:30 PM, Weser Stadium was packed. Despite being a regular league match against a non-top-ranking opponent, the enthusiasm of Werder Bremen's fans was undiminished, filling the 50,000-seat stadium without a single empty seat.
The match tickets had been sold out a day earlier, and some fans who hadn't managed to buy in advance had to purchase at high prices from scalpers outside the stadium.
This season, as Werder Bremen's performance improved, so did the fans' enthusiasm for watching the games.
Their recent home victory over Dortmund, advancing them to the semi-finals of the German Cup, had given the fans hope of seeing their team lift the championship trophy.
The fans of the "Parrot Army" knew that the team's "twin stars" might leave after this season. If they didn't seize every chance to watch their games now, they might not get another opportunity.
Such a historic combination of forward and midfielder talents had never been seen before in Werder Bremen's history.
Therefore, missing any chance to
see them play live was a missed opportunity for enjoyment.
Even before the match started, Lin could feel the fans' enthusiasm.
As he entered the field, he received a standing ovation from the spectators.
The players from Augsburg watched the 17-year-old in astonishment, unable to comprehend how someone so young could be so popular at Werder Bremen.
Augsburg's two Korean players, Ji Dong-won and Koo Ja-cheol, exchanged glances, each seeing a mix of resentment and competitive spirit in the other's eyes.
"Being Asians ourselves, older and more experienced, why does he get to be the core of Werder Bremen while we're still struggling for a spot in the starting lineup?"
Although both were playing for Augsburg, neither was actually an Augsburg player.
Koo Ja-cheol was signed with Wolfsburg, but since he wasn't strong enough for their starting lineup, he was loaned out to Augsburg to gain experience.
As for Ji Dong-won, he belonged to the Premier League team Sunderland, which also felt he couldn't keep up with the Premier League's pace, so he was loaned out to Augsburg for more practice.
The two Korean national team players, having met in the same foreign team, had planned to make a strong showing.
But after 23 rounds, Augsburg was third from last, a whole nine points behind the fourth-last Wolfsburg.
With only 10 rounds left in the league, catching up those nine points seemed as difficult as climbing to heaven.
If they had that capability, they wouldn't be stuck in the relegation zone in the first place.
This time, taking advantage of Werder Bremen's consecutive tough matches and their poor condition, Augsburg had some plans.
They had managed a 3-3 draw against Werder Bremen at home in the 7th round of the league. If it hadn't been for bad luck that let the opponent catch up with three goals, they could have won that match.
Having had that encounter, Augsburg didn't think there was anything so special about Werder Bremen.
"How strong can a team be if a bottom-dweller like us can score three against them?"
Thus, they started the game by taking the initiative, launching fierce attacks towards Werder Bremen's penalty area.
Schaaf saw their tactic and was secretly pleased.
The team wasn't in condition to press with attacking football, so he had set them up to play defensively and counter-attack.
It might be a bit embarrassing to play defensively at home against a team fighting relegation, but achieving a good result was more important right now.
Third-placed Dortmund was gaining momentum, fiercely accumulating points.
Werder Bremen's second place was not secure, and with Dortmund's current form in the second half of the season, it would be hard for them to regain the lead if overtaken.
Moreover, the gap with fourth-placed Schalke 04 was not wide, and they had caught up quite a bit, taking advantage of Werder Bremen's consecutive losses to Dortmund and Bayern.
If Werder Bremen continued to lose, they might not even secure third place.
Although the Bundesliga had four Champions League spots, the fourth place required playing qualifying rounds against other leagues' teams. Only a victory there would secure a spot in the Champions League proper.
That posed a risk of losing, as teams that made it to that stage from other leagues were all formidable.
Seeing Augsburg opt for an aggressive style, Schaaf breathed a sigh of relief.
This match was looking good for them.
On the other side, Augsburg's coach, seeing his players dominate Werder Bremen, felt confident too.
Just as they had predicted before the game, Werder Bremen's players were clearly out of form.
"If my team, Augsburg, can't beat a full-strength 'Parrot Army,' surely we can take advantage of a weakened one?"
"We've got this match in the bag!" he thought.
For the first fifteen minutes, Augsburg seemed to have the upper hand.
The Werder Bremen players looked like they hadn't woken up yet, moving slower than everyone else.
They resembled an old, rusting machine, barely functioning.
Losing seemed only a matter of time.
"This guy doesn't seem so impressive after all. Where's the prowess that's been so hyped up by the media?" thought Ji Dong-won and Koo Ja-cheol as they saw their team dominate, and Lin fail to make an impact.
They began to feel contempt, thinking he was just as ordinary as anyone else.
His fame must be the product of unscrupulous journalists!
But just as they thought they had the match well in hand, the situation on the field suddenly changed.
Werder Bremen made a successful tackle in their half, and the ball was quickly passed to De Bruyne.
After shaking off a defender, De Bruyne passed the ball efficiently to Lin.
Lin Qu
an got the ball!
Ji Dong-won, playing as a central midfielder and closest to Lin, immediately moved to intercept.
He believed that with his physical prowess, a little body contact should be enough to stop the opponent easily.
He had played this way against Chinese players in the national team.
None of the Chinese players could withstand the physicality of him and his teammates.
Not to mention them, even the better-performing Japanese team couldn't stand their onslaught.
"Aren't we Koreans known for our physical superiority in East Asia?"
With full confidence, Ji Dong-won charged forward!
He already imagined himself easily knocking Lin down, stunning the entire stadium.
"Hmph, you Chinese kid, let me reveal your true nature and show the world your big weakness!" he thought.
As Ji Dong-won approached, Lin adjusted his body slightly and faced him with his shoulder.
Bang! The two collided head-on.
The sound was so loud that it was picked up by the near-field microphones and broadcast throughout the stadium.
The fans gasped, worried for Lin.
He was a full ten centimeters shorter than the Korean, and the opponent had charged at him intentionally.
Such a collision could only turn out badly for him, right?
On the sidelines, Augsburg's coach nodded approvingly at Ji Dong-won's approach.
"That Korean kid is playing smart!" he thought.
"That number ten from Werder Bremen clearly lacks physical strength; he's been avoiding body contact with our players all along."
"That must be his Achilles' heel!"
"This collision, with the Korean initiating it, is perfect—it not only disrupts Werder Bremen's counter-attack but exposes their player's weakness completely."
"Other Bundesliga teams will likely adopt this tactic when they face Werder Bremen!"
The Augsburg coach eagerly watched the collision, expecting to see the outcome he anticipated.
Then they saw one of the players bounce back as if hitting a wall.
Surprisingly, it wasn't Lin who was knocked away but Ji Dong-won.
He staggered back several steps before sitting down hard, unable to believe he was watching Lin speed past.
"Why?! Why am I the one who was knocked away?" Ji Dong-won thought, baffled.
The stadium erupted in noise.
Werder Bremen's fans breathed a sigh of relief.
Augsburg's fans, particularly the Koreans, looked on in disappointment.
"Why did our Ji Dong-won lose in a physical duel?"
In fact, if they had watched more of Lin's games, they wouldn't have thought his physical strength was a weakness.
Although Lin wasn't very tall, he wasn't light either.
Weighing 74 kilograms was rare for someone of his height.
Plus, he had learned some defensive techniques from Pep Guardiola during the winter break, including how to use his body effectively in duels.
Mastering these skills had made him like a small tank, strong in physical confrontations.
Ji Dong-won, although ten centimeters taller, weighed only 75 kilograms—just one kilogram more than Lin.
With their weights nearly the same, and Lin faster and with a lower center of gravity, he naturally had the upper hand in the physical duel.
Ji Dong-won had underestimated Lin's strength and overestimated his own, leading to his own humiliation when he tried to overpower Lin and embarrass him.
"Idiot!" the Augsburg coach cursed, frustrated with Ji Dong-won's failure.
But he soon had no time to scold the Korean player anymore, as Lin was already driving the ball into their penalty area.