Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 155



Only Krnovel

Kim the magnetic man

* * *

The winter break that comes periodically every season in the Bundesliga.

We will now have just one more game before we can experience that nearly three-week break.

I felt it last time too, but it’s a long break that feels really sweet.

And our last opponent before the winter holidays is… … .

“Damn. It was meant to be.”

Corsic frowns as he looks at the emblem of the club he has to face.

Our last opponent in the first half of the season was Borussia Dortmund. It was my debut match against them and one of the four great teams in the Bundesliga.

We had a previous experience with 3 of the 4 emperors, and our overall record was 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss, which was just like that of the 4 emperors.

And perhaps this time they won’t play with a lowered line like other clubs since Hoffenheim.

It would be embarrassing for Dortmund to do something like that.

It’s hard to imagine a team that reigns supreme in the Bundesliga now putting its line up against a team that just came up from the second division.

“Okay, everyone.”

Jan clapped his hands once and got the players’ attention.

Since we had to face an opponent, the players were noisy, but they all came together at the coach’s word.

‘I think I experienced something similar when I was young… .’

When the teacher says, “Let’s become Hapjukki!”, all the kids in the class become Hapjukki… that kind of feeling.

“Now we have just one more game and it’s winter break. The opponent is the mighty Dortmund, but there’s no need to be scared. We have a beekeeper, right?”

Jan looks at me like that.

The players laugh at that gaze.

I looked around and pointed at myself with my hand.

“Me? I’m a beekeeper?”

“Then? Don’t you remember last season? Think back to your debut match. Who was your opponent?”

“Well… … it’s Dortmund.”

“How did you do in that game?”

“… You won by blocking them all, right?”

“Just do it like that this time, Kim. It won’t be difficult, right?”

“That’s right. Just do what you always do, Kim,” Corsic chimes in from the side.

I glared at Corsic for no reason, but the players just laughed.

“At that time, Dortmund had only non-regular players, right, coach.”

“And in the second half, Dortmund also put their starting players on the field. And you did well. And you’ve grown a lot in the past year, haven’t you?”

The answer is set, so just give the set answer, something like that.

Jan swallowed hard and spoke again.

“Why are you so insecure, Kim? Who drew with Munich? Who crushed Leipzig?”

“It’s Kim! Kim!”

“Kim! Kim! Kim! Kim! Kim!”

Oh man. That Kim Kim thing is really making me neurotic.

“Okay, okay. I’ll do it like I usually do.”

“Wow! I won!”

“What are you talking about! What do you mean by winning!”

Hanover seemed to worship me beyond belief.

I sometimes thought, “Should I really lose my mind and give up?” but in the end, it’s my loss, so I have no choice but to fulfill their expectations. It’s a sad fate.

“Of course, not only Kim, but all of you have to show your best skills. You know, in soccer, there is a limit to the performance that you can show alone. In order to beat Dortmund, you have to be faster and run more than your opponents. Can you all do it?”

“No problem, Director! You’re saying that we can just do what we normally do?”

“Right!”

The conference room becomes a marketplace once again.

Jando smiled and nodded.

“Okay. Let’s beat Dortmund and have a nice break. It’s a bit awkward to lose and go on vacation.”

From then on, tactics for the match against Dortmund came out of the mouths of the manager and coaches.

I licked my lips and focused on listening.

* * *

Borussia Dortmund, my first encounter since my debut.

Even though we played at Hannover’s home ground back then, today’s game was away. The opponent, of course, sent out only the best players they could.

We were doing our final preparations in the locker room before the game, and it was a little disconcerting to hear the buzzing outside and the cheers of the crowd.

‘It feels like I’m at a concert.’

Here at Dortmund’s home ground it definitely felt different.

Signal Iduna Park.

A gigantic stadium with a UEFA rating of 4 stars and a seating capacity of over 81,000.

It is the largest stadium in Germany and the third largest football stadium in Europe, after Barcelona’s Camp Nou and England’s iconic Wembley Stadium.

There are many other achievements as well. The average audience is 80,000, the seat occupancy rate is 99%, etc.

As expected from a club with the highest average attendance in professional soccer leagues around the world, not just in Europe, the excitement felt before the game was also tremendous.

“Okay! We’re ready! Let’s go!”

So we left the locker room and entered the stadium with the Dortmund players.

“… … What the fuck.”

The Signal Iduna Park was packed with spectators, so much so that the C language immediately came out.

I’ve been to the Munich stadium a few times, but I can say for sure that it’s never felt like this.

“Nose, Corsic? What’s that?”

I pointed to the south stand, my hands shaking in the cold. Corsic looked in that direction too, and said with a weary expression.

“What the heck, it’s a rat review.”

“… So what is that?”

“It’s the away team’s graveyard. It’s also called the Yellow Wall.”

Corsic’s subsequent explanation was simple: the stands on the other side were all standing-room-only, so they could accommodate far more people than the other stands, giving them a more overwhelming appearance.

And above all,

“wow….”

I looked at the card section of the south stand as if I was possessed.

The section of the card symbolizing the Dortmund club emblem came up, and it was literally a sight that made my heart swell.

‘I understand why they call this the away team’s graveyard.’

Even before the game started, I felt overwhelmed by the opponent. If I were to compare it to the stadium here… …uh, um, maybe the stadium in Pyongyang would be about the same?

I think the card section there is famous for its name.

After a brief ceremony before the game, we gathered in a circle.

“Don’t be scared, everyone! It’s nothing! That’s all!”

Captain Henrik Fischer shouted at the top of his lungs, but the noise from the crowd made it difficult to hear what he was saying.

And above all… … .

‘That’s the most frightened expression.’

He said with his mouth that it was nothing and that he shouldn’t be scared, but he had the most scared expression on his face.

If you look at the opponent who is not only relaxed but also confident, this is the match.

‘It won’t be easy.’

Rather, Hanover should probably beg for a draw.

My heart was pounding a little, and I was worried that I might make a mistake I don’t usually make.

Soccer is a sport where even the slightest mistake can result in a goal being lost, so you have to be very focused.

“Everyone, just do as you usually do! Just do as the director says! Got it?”

“Okay Captain!”

We cheered loudly and moved to our respective positions. Please, I wish they would just do it as usual… .

* * *

Bright Aqua Ariumbi.

A center back who was Hannover’s most promising prospect before Kim came along.

He went into today’s game and had a gut feeling that something big was going on.

‘I didn’t expect the Dortmund away game to be easy…’

It’s been about 5 minutes since the game started.

It’s still early so I can’t say for sure, but as a player, there are times when you get a ‘gut feeling’ while playing a game.

Although it was only a brief 5-minute run, Ari-eum-bi felt that today’s match would not be easy at all.

“Corner kick! Get ready for the corner kick!”

Kim is trying to adjust the Hannover defense until his throat is sore. Ari-eum-bi also shakes off his distracting thoughts and prepares for a corner kick, and with the referee’s whistle, the corner kick comes up with a bang.

Marco Reus’ corner was curled over and his Hannover team-mates missed Hummels.

‘What the hell.’

The first thought that crossed Hummels’ mind as soon as he touched the ball to his head was that he had conceded a goal.

Angelo Stiller was attached to Hummels but failed to do so, and Hummels appeared to head the ball straight into the Hannover goal.

“!”

And Kim’s unbelievable save.

But even Kim couldn’t hold on to the ball because the header was so threatening.

The ball bounced once and Hummels tried to score it again, but in the process, more Hannover and Dortmund players got involved, causing chaos.

Beep beep!

The referee immediately blew his whistle to direct traffic, and only then did the players retreat.

The next thing Ari-eum-bi saw was Kim lying down, clutching the ball tightly.

“…oh my god.”

That obsession with the ball. Obsession. What should I call it? Sometimes when I see Kim on the field, I am amazed, and when I see him so obsessed, I sometimes think that maybe he loves the ball too.

Ariumbi approached Kim and asked.

“Kim. Are you okay? Are you hurt? If you get hurt, you’ll be in big trouble.”

“Don’t worry, Mb. Our Kim is strong and can handle this much!”

Corsic’s answer.

The initials Mb were a word used to abbreviate Ari-eum-bi. It was easier to pronounce it as two syllables Mb than as four syllables Ari-eum-bi.

“Cory, I didn’t tell you….”

“Everyone, focus on defense! Do you want to get scored on?”

After exchanging a few words with Corsic, Kim suddenly stood up and started shouting something as if he was going crazy.

Ari-eum-bi was afraid of Kim’s gaze and quickly left the place.

‘Rather than an obsession with the ball, it could be an obsession with clean sheets.’

Kim probably has a lot on his plate, even if he doesn’t know it. He’ll want to keep his clean sheet for as long as possible.

So the defenders have to help him out a lot. Ari-eum-bi also doesn’t want to see Kim concede a goal.

* * *

Certainly, it was a challenge to face one of the strongest players in the league.

The feeling I have now was similar to the one I had in Munich and Leipzig. It was like a burning sensation.

‘It really feels like pre-debut deja vu.’

Each attack is threatening, and you must be mentally prepared every time you move your body to block the opponent’s attack.

First half 20 minutes.

I’ve already blocked four real threats and once again Dortmund are coming at me to knock on my goal.

Julian Brandt running straight from the center circle.

The only player to have converted a penalty kick in his debut match.

The player runs up, looks around, then pokes a pass into space for winger Donial Malone.

The pass was a quick blast into the box, and Phil Neumann ran alongside Malan, but was outpaced.

‘The angle doesn’t come out.’

And the trajectory that is generated.

‘It’s the other side!’

It’s not like I’m hitting them directly.

It’s a shot that passes to the other side and hits the near post!

As soon as the calculations are completed in his head, Daniel Malan grounds out to the other side.

I stopped thinking and instantly turned my body and threw myself into the trajectory.

At the same time, the ball hits my body and bounces slightly.

‘I’m coming back! Definitely!’

The ball didn’t go far because the opponent was slightly cold.

I got up from my seat before I could even feel the impact of the ball hitting my chest.

His opponent, Marco Reus, didn’t seem to know how to block this, so he quickly kicked again, and I followed the trajectory, this time jumping with both hands raised.

Just like blocking an opponent’s attack in volleyball.

Marco Reus aimed for the ceiling of the goal, and his intention was evident from the trajectory.

And Marco Reus’ second attempt narrowly missed.

The ball hit my fingertip and flew over the goal.

“Crazy! Kim! You did so well!”

Corsic’s cry. Corsic was right next to Marco Reus and witnessed the scene up close.

I screamed in a moment of explosive sensitivity.

“Don’t cling to me! Concentrate on the game!”

“Uh, yeah. Sorry… I’ll do better.”

After grumbling for a while, he sighed in regret and approached Corsic.

“I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you, but the situation made me like this. Please understand.”

Corsic, who had been gloomy, smiled brightly at my words.

“I’m broad-minded, so I’ll understand.”

Ah, Corsic… .

That’s not what I meant.

“Let’s focus again. It’s a corner kick.”

Dortmund’s attacks pour in without a moment to breathe.

As expected, Hanover’s tailored strategy and all, Hanover cannot help but shrink in the face of overwhelming force.

‘There are four teams like this in the Bundesliga… Can Hannover win the title?’

Isn’t that too arrogant?

I don’t know.

I have to give it a try.

Even if I stayed in Hannover and didn’t win, I wanted to go all the way.

Beep!

And with the referee’s whistle, Dortmund’s attack begins again.