Super Wingstorm

After finishing the afternoon training session, Yang Yang immediately returned to his home in Oude Kerk to pack.

The trip from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Bruges, Belgium, was only about two hundred kilometers, but Ajax had still decided to travel for the away game a day early to focus on preparing for tomorrow’s crucial match.

Since this was Yang Yang’s first time traveling with the team for an away game, he needed to get his identification and luggage ready.

In the evening, everyone gathered at De Toekomst. After dinner, they boarded the team bus for Bruges.

The club would handle getting him excused from school.

He was only staying for one night, so Yang Yang didn’t need to pack much. But since this was his first away trip with the team, he hesitated for a moment before deciding to call his parents back in China and tell them the news.

Evening in the Netherlands was already the middle of the night in China.

His parents were overjoyed to receive his call. His father, Yang Yongqiang, asked about the match time with concern. Upon hearing it would be in the middle of the night for them, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He promised he would be in front of the TV to watch, hoping to see Yang Yang play. At the same time, he told his son not to feel any pressure.

His mother, Shen Lifang, was more concerned about his life in Amsterdam. She reminded him to train hard but also to study diligently. She then asked when he could finally come home for a visit. It had been over a year since they’d last seen each other, and she missed her son.

By the end of the conversation, Yang Yang could hear his mother sobbing over the phone.

”Mom, I’ve only just joined the team. You know my fundamentals are weaker than the others, so I need to work much harder. I definitely can’t make it back for the winter break. I’ll do my best to come home after the season ends next year,” Yang Yang said, trying to console her.

Truth be told, he was indeed a bit homesick.

Upon hearing it would be another six months before she could see her son, Shen Lifang’s heart ached with reluctance. But she knew of her son’s ambitions and naturally didn’t press the issue. She simply encouraged him to do his best and told him to go to his uncle for help if he needed anything.

After more than ten minutes on the overseas call, Yang Yang made another call specifically to his uncle to share the news.

Shen Ming was overjoyed to hear the news. He hadn’t expected Yang Yang to progress so quickly.

After finally finishing the calls, Yang Yang picked up his luggage and went downstairs.

Vermaelen was already home, sitting on the living room sofa. He looked at his roommate and best friend with a playfully mournful expression, but he couldn’t hide the envy in his eyes.

”Talk about unfair. I got into the first team before you, but look what happened. You’re about to play in the Champions League, and I haven’t even gotten a sniff of the Eredivisie yet,” the Belgian center-back grumbled, pouting.

Yang Yang chuckled. ”Come on, I was just named to the squad list. It doesn’t mean I’ll get to play. Besides, it’s only a matter of time before you get called up. When you were playing in the Eredivisie before, wasn’t I green with envy?”

Both were young players, and being able to represent the first team in a match was undoubtedly a huge leap forward for them. It meant they were now first-team players.

”That’s not a given. If we don’t win this match...” Vermaelen trailed off, shrugging helplessly.

Everyone knew the importance of this match to Ajax. If they lost or drew, their hopes for this season’s Champions League would be gone.

Of course, Ajax would still have a chance if Celta Vigo lost their away game to AC Milan. However, having to pin one’s hopes on someone else was a situation no team or player could stomach.

”To be honest, I don’t get it either. I can’t understand why the head coach would put me on the squad list for such an important match.” Yang Yang was genuinely baffled.

Making it to the first team was understandable, and he was even looking forward to being on the Eredivisie squad list. But playing in the Champions League, especially in such a crucial UEFA Champions League match, was something Yang Yang simply couldn’t comprehend.

The eighteen-man squad consisted of eleven starters, and the remaining seven substitutes were all hand-picked after careful deliberation.

Koeman had previously used the rookie Yakubu, but Yakubu made critical errors in two group stage matches that cost Ajax dearly. And now, he was actually putting Yang Yang on the squad list. How big of a risk was he taking?

But how could Yang Yang possibly know what the head coach was thinking?

”Alright, I was just kidding. But listen, if you get on the pitch, you can’t let your guard down for a second. Van der Heyden is a famous Belgian international. His skill and experience are both impeccable. He’s the most formidable player on the Bruges Team.”

Pete Van der Heyden, the Belgian National Team’s starting left-back, was also one of Bruges’ most important offensive weapons. At twenty-seven years old, he was in the prime of his career as a professional player.

If Yang Yang played, he would definitely be the right winger, and his direct opponent would be Van der Heyden, the left-back.

While Van der Heyden wasn’t a household name in Europe, he was at the very least a solid, star-caliber player with years of experience in the Bundesliga. He was definitely a cut above any opponent Yang Yang had ever faced.

As a Belgian, Vermaelen was certainly aware of this.

”I understand.” Yang Yang nodded gratefully.

Just then, Ibrahimovic’s impatient voice and the HONK of a Porsche came from outside the door.

”Do your best. I’ll be watching the live broadcast from home and cheering for you.” Vermaelen walked over and gave Yang Yang a tight hug.

”Don’t worry.”

Yang Yang picked up his luggage and walked out the door. Under Vermaelen’s envious gaze, he got into Ibrahimovic’s Porsche and headed for De Toekomst.

...

...

Before departing, the first team had a meal together in the player’s dining hall at De Toekomst.

Yang Yang gave the identification papers the assistant coach had reminded him about to Luther Carroll. While he was at it, he asked for some game tape of Van der Heyden, having brought a USB drive specifically for that purpose.

Luther Carroll had a good impression of Yang Yang, so he agreed without hesitation.

After dinner and a short rest, everyone boarded the team bus for the journey to Bruges, Belgium.

Although it was only a two-hundred-kilometer trip, about a two-hour drive, the pressure of the next day’s match made the journey feel agonizingly slow for everyone on the bus.

At first, Yang Yang chatted with interest with Ibrahimovic and Maxwell, but he soon lost interest. He simply closed his eyes and entered the Super Training to diligently practice some fundamental movements, focusing on his left foot.

A few days ago, Van Gaal had specifically reminded him about his left foot.

The others on the bus were either listening to headphones or silently watching the scenery outside the window. Even those who were resting with their eyes closed were fidgeting, as it’s inevitable to feel uncomfortable in a cramped space for a long time.

Only Yang Yang kept his eyes closed the entire way.

At first, everyone thought he was just resting with his eyes closed, but when they saw he hadn’t moved for a long time, they were all puzzled. Then, taking a closer look, everyone suddenly realized: the kid had actually fallen asleep.

This sudden discovery immediately piqued the interest of everyone on the bus.

”My god, it’s still so early! How is he already asleep?”

”Zlatan, don’t you always say you’re unflappable? What about it? How do you compare to him?”

”There’s no comparison. Zlatan would definitely lose.”

”With a huge match just around the corner, he can actually sleep so peacefully. That kid’s really got nerves of steel.”

”And this is his first time on the first-team squad list, his first away game, and a Champions League match, no less!”

Expressions of pure admiration appeared on his teammates’ faces. They all felt humbled by what Yang Yang was doing.

Even the best sleepers among them would never be able to fall asleep at a time like this, on the bus to an away game, let alone sleep as soundly as Yang Yang.

The head coach, Ronald Koeman, sitting in the front row, also noticed the commotion in the back. After finding out what was going on, he couldn’t help but smile.

Nerves of steel and the ability to sleep well—for a professional player, these were both rare and valuable traits.

You have to understand, many professional players often rely on sleeping pills before crucial competitions. Someone like Yang Yang already had an advantage when it came to resting and recuperating.

”This kid is always full of surprises. To think he has this kind of talent too.” Koeman shook his head and chuckled as he sat back down.

This really was a skill that countless professional players wished they had.

”I’d heard about it before, that he can sleep whenever and wherever he wants. Now I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

His breathing was even and steady, his whole body completely relaxed—he was definitely asleep. And the commotion around him didn’t wake him, which showed how deeply he was sleeping. This was truly a skill that countless professional players dreamed of having.

Yang Yang was hard at work in the Super Training, practicing with his left foot. If anything happened outside, Old Ice would notify him immediately if necessary, and he could wake up at any time. But right now, he was completely unaware that he had become the focus of his teammates’ jokes and envy. It wasn’t until the bus stopped at the hotel and Ibrahimovic gently tapped him that he opened his eyes.

”Whoa, are we there already?” Yang Yang stretched in his seat.

The entire bus immediately erupted in laughter.

’Already? You call that fast?’

’The whole bus was watching you sleep for a full two hours! Do you have any idea how agonizingly slow that was for us?’

’But not you! You’re so carefree you slept like a log and didn’t wake up once. Of course it felt fast to you!’

”Yang.” Ibrahimovic, with a hint of playful revenge, patted Yang Yang’s shoulder—not too hard, not too soft—and gave him a thumbs-up. He really had to hand it to him this time.

Ajax had booked a Park Hotel in the southern suburbs of Bruges. They had mainly chosen it for its relative privacy and its proximity to Bruges’ home stadium, making travel convenient.

Since Sneijder’s usual roommate, Pinaar, was injured and hadn’t made the squad list for this match, Yang Yang took his place, rooming with Sneijder. The two had partnered up during a Talent Day event before, so they weren’t strangers.

The rest of the players were mostly paired up according to custom, two to a room. Ibrahimovic and Maxwell were always partners, and the others were also with their usual roommates, since they were all familiar with each other.

After getting their room numbers, everyone went back to their respective rooms.

After stowing his luggage, Yang Yang made a special trip to Ibrahimovic’s room. He borrowed the Swedish Striker’s laptop, planning to use the time before bed to carefully study his opponent, Van der Heyden.