Dominating Football with Perfect Ball Control

Chapter 32: 32. Opponent, RB Leipzig!

This was not Lance’s first away game.

Previously, he had traveled with the team to away games, sitting on the bench for 90 minutes.

But this time, from Bayer Leverkusen in western Germany to Leipzig in eastern Germany, Lance already knew he was starting!

Good news: his teammate Julian Brandt was also starting.

Bad news: Julian Brandt was starting.

All the way there, he kept chattering in Lance’s ear.

”No way, you’re really starting?”

”Didn’t the coach say that many times yesterday?”

”I know, I’m just shocked, you’re really starting?”

”Ugh.”

Lance had no choice but to put on his headphones, too lazy to listen to his nonsense.

What’s so surprising about starting?

”But I only started in a Cup game when I was 17, how can you do it at 16?”

”Why don’t you try scoring in 3 consecutive games?”

”Alright, I admit, I’m not as good as you in that regard.”

Julian Brandt deflated, his previous jealousy completely dissipated.

From the first day Lance joined the club, Julian Brandt had seen himself as an older brother, full of superiority in front of Lance.

Everyone on the team could bully him, and the only person he could bully was Lance, who was younger and less experienced than him.

However, in just 3 games, Lance’s position in the team rapidly improved.

This youngster even surpassed most of the reserve squad!

He was already at the peak of the reserves, the only candidate for a half-step into the starting lineup!

As for Julian Brandt, he could only continue to linger in the rotational reserve squad, waiting for his opportunity.

Andrés Guardado, Son Heung-min, Sidney Sam—these three were all left wingers for the team.

Julian Brandt’s ranking could only be fourth, appearing in some less important matches.

Lance, on the other hand, had irreplaceable tactical value.

His previous 3 substitute appearances were enough to prove his ability to seize opportunities in the attacking third.

Today’s DFB-Pokal start would test what kind of performance Lance could deliver in a full 90-minute match.

If the performance was good enough...

Julian Brandt didn’t even doubt that he might start in the Bundesliga!

Hiss—

Terrifying!

It was as absurd as a senior intern in the workplace becoming a department manager and a core team member within a month.

...

Red Bull Arena.

One of the few arenas in the German league directly named by a sponsor.

The world-renowned sports drink group, Red Bull Group, has invested heavily in extreme sports and the sports world.

In football, they own two well-known clubs: Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig.

Acquired in 2009, they had successfully completed three promotions by 2013, moving unimpeded from lower-tier leagues into the 3. Liga.

It seemed that in another two years, they would enter the Bundesliga.

This caused a huge impact on the German league, which had been operating for decades.

To ensure the relative purity of German football and prevent it from being contaminated by external capital, German football clubs have always adhered to the ”50+1” rule, where private enterprises or capital are not allowed to hold more than 50% of the shares.

Except for two clubs, Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg, Bayer Group and Volkswagen Group had operated these two clubs for decades, and German football had already accepted their existence.

However, RB Leipzig was a challenger to the established order and had been ostracized by the German football world since its inception.

Therefore, this clash between Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig was jokingly referred to by the German media as the ”Corporate Employee Match.”

Regardless of how the outside world discussed this team, the Bayer Leverkusen players felt nothing towards RB Leipzig.

They were simply opponents.

DFB-Pokal Round 2, single-elimination, loser goes home.

Bayer Leverkusen’s rotational squad was already eager, ready to take down their opponent at any time.

This was Lance’s first time standing in the player tunnel, waiting to enter the game.

It was even Lance’s first time holding the hand of a ball kid.

The little ball kid on his right was a girl about 6 or 7 years old, with doll-like big eyes that fluttered as she stared at Lance.

Lance met her gaze, and the little girl shyly lowered her head, only to look up at Lance again when he moved his eyes away.

”Sir?”

”What is it?”

”Are you a foreigner?”

”Yes, you’re very smart.”

”Hehehe, you’re very handsome.”

Pfft...

The little girl’s adorable baby voice made Lance burst out laughing, and the slight nervousness he felt about entering the game vanished.

It was the first time someone had told him he was handsome.

”What’s your name?”

”Kasha,” the little girl whispered.

”That’s a beautiful name, Kasha.”

”Thank you, sir. Will you score a goal today?”

”Of course. Do you like watching goals?”

”Yes, only when there’s a goal does Daddy kiss me. I hardly ever see him normally, and he rarely plays with me.”

...

Lance didn’t know how to reply; the little girl seemed to have her own story behind her words.

But he was about to enter the game, and it would likely be difficult for him to come to this stadium again.

Once they separated later, Lance probably wouldn’t have another chance to see little Kasha.

However, he still squatted down, his eyes level with Kasha’s blue eyes.

”Kasha, I believe your father loves you, but he doesn’t know how to express it, and he has to work to support the family. So no matter what, just believe that and stay happy every day, your mom and dad both love you.”

”Really? Thank you, sir, I understand.”

Lance wasn’t just talking nonsense.

The little girl was well-fed and fair-skinned, spoke very politely, and had no injuries on her body.

Lance was afraid of holding her hand too tightly and hurting her.

Such a lovely child must have been meticulously cared for.

Her family most likely loved her, so Lance hoped the little girl wouldn’t be troubled.

”Hey, ladies and gentlemen, it’s almost time, let’s go.”

The head referee in front checked his watch, then led the referee team and both teams of players out onto the field in single file.

The moment they stepped out of the dim tunnel, the blinding light almost dazzled Lance.

After adapting to the field, overwhelming cheers and shouts came crashing down like a tidal wave.

Starting the game certainly felt better than being a substitute!

The only regret was that the fans’ cheers from the stands were for the home team players; the away team only received boos.

After the pre-match ceremony, Lance lined up with his teammates and shook hands with the home team players one by one.

Passing a thin-faced young player, Lance felt the grip on his hand tighten slightly.

This kid, whether nervous or deliberate, squeezed his hand painfully.

Lance also exerted force, and after a half-second standoff, they released their hands, almost simultaneously making eye contact.

”Good kid.”

”I’ll remember you.”

Full of fighting spirit!

However, Lance felt like he had seen him somewhere before?

It wasn’t until the pre-match ceremony ended, and both teams’ players came to their respective halves to prepare for kickoff, that Lance clearly saw the opponent’s number and name.

No. 32, Kimmich.

?

Joshua Kimmich?

Good heavens, just a 3. Liga team, and they’ve got an SSR player?

Lance smiled.

He had thought the DFB-Pokal Round 2 would be boring.

Now, it seemed, it was getting interesting!