Jersey exchange

The Dortmund players were extremely disappointed. They had given their best effort and pushed themselves to their limits, but unfortunately, they still ended up losing the game.

As they watched their opponents celebrate their championship victory.

On the other hand, the Werder Bremen players displayed remarkable gracefulness. While celebrating their victory, they didn't forget to approach and console their defeated opponents.

Dortmund's performance in the game was exceptional. Even as their rivals, one had to admit that their fighting spirit and ability to recover from setbacks were truly intimidating.

Realistically speaking, Dortmund's strength should surpass that of Werder Bremen.

Their loss can be attributed, in part, to their lack of preparation for their opponent's unexpected tactical maneuver, catching them off guard.

Additionally, they wasted a considerable amount of time trying to regain their momentum.

Once they fully overcome these challenges, Dortmund has the potential to become even stronger in the upcoming season.

"The next time we face them, I'm afraid winning won't come easy!" Fritz remarked emotionally while standing beside Lucas.

Dortmund boasts a youthful squad, and their players are still in the process of reaching their full potential. Unlike Arsenal, a team known for selling their captains every year, Dortmund is unlikely to operate as a player supermarket.

As long as they avoid major injuries, Dortmund's competitiveness in the Bundesliga can endure for a long time. It remains uncertain whether they can dethrone Bayern Munich, but other Bundesliga teams will never underestimate them.

"Hehe, I'm afraid they'll hold a grudge, and the next time we meet, they will play like they play against Bayern or Schalke 04!" Lucas responded, making Fritz burst into laughter. After all, snatching the championship on the opponent's home ground would naturally lead to hard feelings.

Meanwhile, players from Werder Bremen and Dortmund began exchanging jerseys. Both sides acknowledged each other's strength in the game.

Lucas, being young, didn't expect anyone to offer him a jersey swap. To his surprise, Reus and Gotze approached him together, expressing their desire to exchange jerseys.

Gotze couldn't play in the game due to a sudden eye condition, which contributed to Dortmund's loss. Despite not being on the field, Gotze considered himself the core of Dortmund's midfield, while viewing Reus merely as a newcomer to the team.

Consequently, Gotze believed that Lucas would choose to swap jerseys with him due to his greater fame.

However, Lucas's choice surprised Gotze. He opted for Reus's jersey instead. Lucas deeply admired Reus's character, appreciating the rarity of players like him who remain loyal to their club despite the commercialization of football.

On the other hand, Lucas didn't hold the same level of admiration for Gotze.

It's difficult to determine how much the loss in the 2012-2013 Champions League season affected Dortmund due to Gotze's actions.

But the fact that he privately contacted the opposing team before the final and subsequently transferred there unquestionably impacted the team's morale.

Had Gotze contacted Bayern after their Champions League defeat and then transferred, he wouldn't have faced as much criticism.

The former situation seemed more like Bayern using a pre-final conspiracy to undermine Dortmund's morale by poaching their midfield core.

The latter could be seen as a player seeking a move when they couldn't defeat a particular team. Arsenal, for instance, has had three players—Henry, Van Persie, and Cesc Fabregas—follow a similar path.

Reus is pleasantly surprised when Lucas chose to exchange jerseys with him. After receiving Lucas's green No. 10 jersey, Reus initiated a hug and praised Lucas's performance in the game, encouraging him to continue playing at such a high level and become renowned in the Bundesliga.

Lucas, equally surprised and grateful for Reus's affirmation and well-wishes, responded by saying, "Thank you, Marco! Next time you go to Bremen, I'll treat you to dinner!"

Reus nodded in agreement, saying, "Deal, but I can't treat you to dinner today, I'm sorry!"

Understanding Reus's situation, Lucas smiled and expressed his understanding.

Even if Reus's dinner invitation is simply a courtesy, Lucas would decline at this time.

If Dortmund fans caught wind of it, Reus might face unnecessary trouble.

Light-hearted and profound discussions are best avoided, as it would be inappropriate for Lucas to advise Reus to rest more and reduce the risk of injuries at their initial meeting.

Such matters should be addressed gradually in their future interactions as friends.

Lucas sincerely hoped that Reus's time in Dortmund would be smoother, with fewer injuries.

...

To prevent any potential backlash from the 80,000 passionate fans at home, Werder Bremen didn't stay long at the Westfalenstadion. Immediately after receiving their award, the team quickly left on the bus.

The next day at noon, after a night of rest, the energized members of Werder Bremen boarded the ICE intercity express and returned to Bremen.

The distance between Dortmund and Bremen isn't too great, and Germany's well-developed high-speed rail network ensured the journey took just an hour.

Upon their return to the club, the team manager, Allofs, greeted them with a suitcase in hand.

"Welcome back, warriors!" he exclaimed, warmly embracing every player, including the substitutes. Then, in front of the players, he opened the suitcase.

"This is the bonus we received from the Football Association and sponsors for winning the Telekom Cup—a total of 300,000 euros!"

The players, upon seeing the suitcase filled with cash, became attentive, setting aside what they were doing and focusing on Allofs.

Werder Bremen isn't a wealthy club, and player salaries aren't particularly high.

With the departure of veterans like Pizarro and Wiese, the team's average annual salary dropped to a level typical of lower-ranked Bundesliga clubs.

Captain Clemens Fritz held the highest salary at 2.2 million euros.

For young players like Fullkrug their salaries are even lower. Estimated to earn around 3,000 euros per week, their annual salary couldn't exceed 200,000 euros.

Given this context, the 300,000 euro bonus iss quite enticing for the players.

"We will distribute the bonuses based on each player's contributions in the game. If you have no objections, please queue up and sign to receive your share!" Allofs announced, prompting the staff to register and distribute the bonuses on the spot.

Werder Bremen, despite its financial limitations, didn't intend to interfere with the money. With the unexpected championship win, the club regarded this bonus as a windfall. It is better to reward the players, motivating them to continue their hard work and achieve favorable results in the upcoming season.

This approach garnered praise from the players, who had no objections to the distribution plan. They queued up to sign and receive their respective bonuses.

Considering Lucas's excellent performances in both games and his role in the team's offensive core, he is among the first group to receive a bonus—20,000 euros! This group comprised five players, including Lucas and other key contributors like De Bruyne.

The second tier prize amounts to 10,000 euros, and it is awarded to the main players and significant rotation players who participated in the game.

The third tier prize is 5,000 euros, and it is given to those who are on the squad list but did not take part in the competition, as well as the club staff.

Once the money is distributed, the players' focus immediately shifted away from the training ground. Particularly, the young players, who didn't have much money in their possession or had given it to their parents, became distracted, and it was unclear where they had gone.

Observing this, Coach Schaaf immediately announced the team's disbandment and granted the players a 3-day break.

However, upon declaring the holiday, Coach Schaaf reminded the young players not to engage in inappropriate activities.

The team would not tolerate any negative incidents that may arise from their actions.