Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 82



Only Krnovel

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The next day, Hannover traveled to the Allianz Arena.

The Munich Palace in Munich.

Seating capacity: 75,000.

The home stadium of Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga’s dominant team.

An overwhelming powerhouse that aims to become a European powerhouse beyond Germany by recruiting Harry Kane and Kim Min-je.

And it is one of the most prestigious clubs known to Korean soccer fans as ‘Lebanon’.

The reason Hannover went to the palace in Munich out of the blue was because of the DFB-Pokal.

Pokal Cup semifinals. I was excluded from the list for this match because I had just returned home yesterday, and my teammates were warming up with a very intimidated look on their faces in front of this overwhelming team.

‘He looks like a prisoner on the gallows. If Hanover is to win, they’ll have to be lucky enough to have the rope around their neck snap.’

I helped my colleagues warm up and thought to myself, “If I were to participate, would the results be different?”

We’ve also got new features, Munich won’t even field their best starting lineup against us, and when you take everything into account…

‘But that won’t work.’

A snicker came out.

Even if they succeed in promotion with this kind of mindset, how can they possibly beat Munich and win the first division?

No one knows the outcome until they try it themselves.

“Minwoo.”

It was when I was lost in thought.

I instinctively turned my head toward the direction where I heard Korean. There, the original iron pillar was approaching, smiling brightly.

Kim Min-je. A candidate for the next captain of the national team and a defender who played for Jeonbuk Daehyun, Beijing Guoan, Fenerbahce, and Napoli before settling in Munich.

Looking at the clubs that Kim Min-je has transferred to, the level of each club he transfers to is rising one level each year.

At first, I thought that I might not be the only one who has Football Manager when I saw that guy change teams, but then I thought about it more deeply and I thought that I might be the only one who has been chosen by Football Manager.

“Don’t you know me?”

“Oh, hello. Senior, you are so handsome in person that I froze for a moment.”

“what?”

Kim Min-je tilted his head as if he found it absurd, then made a Hahoe mask-like expression and asked to shake my hand.

I quickly raised my right hand and accepted the handshake.

“I watched the U23 game well. You were really good. If you were here, we wouldn’t have lost to Japan···.”

“It’s an honor, senior.”

I treated Kim Min-je with respect. If I go to the national team, Kim Min-je will know how to coordinate the defense without me having to give him any orders. Just thinking about it makes me feel secure.

“You’re polite. I heard you’re quite bold.”

“I’m also picky about people, senior.”

Kim Min-je laughing at my joke.

“But why did you come back so quickly? Why didn’t you enjoy your victory?”

The team situation is on the brink of collapse, how can you do that, senior?

When I explained the situation in detail, Kim Min-je nodded and seemed to understand.

“You’ve worked hard. Aren’t you going to compete today?”

“Yes. Senior, too?”

“Huh. Are you going back to Hanover right after the match?”

“Yes. We’ll probably take the team bus and go back right after the game.”

“Really? Then I’ll go to Hanover when the next season ends. Let’s have a meal together.”

“Ah… yes!”

It wasn’t just empty words, was it?

After a brief greeting with Kim Min-je, I approached my colleagues again.

Then, my colleagues who had been watching me closely came over. Like Corsic, Phil Neumann, Halstenberg. Only the defenders came rushing in.

“Kim! What did you talk about with Kim?”

“Just saying hello.”

“Kim and Kim are talking. Is it shadow clone magic?”

“Naruto?”

And hahaha the defenders laughing among themselves.

I also burst out laughing because it was so absurd that grown adults would laugh at something like this.

Sometimes people say that soccer players have a pure side. Is it because they play soccer their whole lives?

*

Although both teams were missing many of their starting players, the stadium was packed with fans.

I felt my soul sank in the overwhelming cheers of over 70,000 fans. Even though I was not playing in the game and was just watching, my heart swelled with excitement.

‘I guess it’s because Hannover has only non-regular members, but the game was really…’

It’s one-sided.

It was only Chiller who had a hard time.

Chiller, who wore the captain’s armband for the first time in a while, shouted at his players and blocked several attacks, but it seemed only a matter of time before he conceded a goal.

I watched indifferently, but even though they were my team, I felt anger rising inside me as I saw them getting beaten up without being able to do anything.

The match was just like watching my debut match. It was a series of endless punches that made my throat sag.

The crowd watching the game were singing a cheer, and to me it sounded exactly like this.

“Munich Punch! Munich Punch!”

I calmed my emotions by chewing the gum I had brought with me.

And the results were as one-sided as the content.

The score is 5 to 0.

The Munich fans seemed very satisfied with this overwhelming score and continued to chant their chants until the end of the game. After watching the game from the stands, I went down to the locker room with my teammates.

It was an expected result, but I couldn’t help but feel a pang in my heart when I actually encountered it. I guess I’ve developed a sense of loyalty after staying in Hanover for a long time.

‘Because the league is the most important thing first. It’s not too late to get revenge on Munich after we get promoted to the first division.’

Someone put a hand on my shoulder.

I looked back and saw that it was Henrik Fischer.

“As you know, we only have two league games left on our schedule. Please take care of us.”

“yes.”

I swallowed the gum I had been chewing throughout the game and went to face my teammates who had been working hard.

Although they were defeated, they still deserved encouragement because their opponent was the reigning champion Munich.

***

I focused on training until the next game.

There was no need to adjust to the time difference.

The time difference between Germany and Qatar was only about an hour…

The next opponent is Karlsruher SC.

It was an opponent I had faced once before.

It was a memorable opponent for me, and from that moment on, the competitive structure with Chiller was set, and I was able to get to this point by handling Karlsruher well without conceding a goal.

“The current ranking is···.”

I stopped doing my personal training and took a quick look at the Bundesliga 2 rankings.

===

1st place. St. Pauli. 62 points.

2nd place. Hannover. 61 points.

3rd place. Hamburg. 59 points.

4th place. Karlsruher SC. 57 points.

5th place. Holstein Kiel. 56 points.

===

I already had a vague idea of ​​it, but when I looked at it again, it was a ranking list that made my blood run cold.

With two rounds left until the end of the season, does it make sense that the difference between 1st and 3rd place is only 3 points?

Even the 4th and 5th places could change drastically depending on how the leading teams play in the coming matches.

“Isn’t it incredible?”

It was Captain Fisher.

As I was checking the leaderboard on my phone, he appeared behind me and interrupted.

“Yes. The next opponent was even ranked 4th.”

“Don’t be surprised Kim. Your last match opponent is ranked 5th.”

“oh···.”

Look at the match results.

Hannover had a tough time until the last two games, when they faced teams in the same ranking.

“Kim. I know your 16 clean sheets are incredible, but just keep them for two more. Can you do it?”

“I’ll try my best···.”

“I’m not pressuring you. You’ve done so well so far, but I just want you to keep it up until the end.”

I’m feeling burdened right now, Captain.

Fisher tried to get some kind of definitive answer from me, wondering if the next two games were a burden to him as well.

I reluctantly nodded my head in agreement, and only then did Fisher smile and leave.

‘···Do we really have to put this much pressure on someone who hasn’t even been a pro for a year?’

I’m not playing like a debutant, but um…

I shook my head and went back to my personal training.

*

And as time passed, we set off on our expedition to Karlsruhe.

I was away from the team for almost two weeks, but the team atmosphere had changed so much in that time. It felt like a different team.

Before I went to Qatar, I had a lot of free time, but now I definitely…

‘It’s so frozen.’

Jan was also acting unusually noisy.

Everyone was so different from their usual selves that I felt a sense of alienation.

‘If this happens before the game even starts… it doesn’t feel good.’

We gathered in the locker room and listened to Jan’s tactical instructions. However, the atmosphere was somewhat distracting. It felt like the players were not concentrating?

“Everyone. The next two games will determine our fate. Give it your all. Run with the feeling that you are giving your heart out to win. Got it?”

“yes.”

“And Kim.”

“yes.”

Jan hesitated as if trying to say something, then shook his head.

“no.”

“······.”

How many flags are you going to put up?

Although I was anxious, I made up my mind and went out to the field with my colleagues.

I had no doubt that after a few minutes of running, even the frozen and tense players would show their skills.

Beep-!

And the game started in the middle of nowhere.

Karlsruhe was in 4th place and had a lot of points, so there was hope if they won this match.

So the atmosphere in the stadium was really hot.

‘Are we going to do this from the start?’

There was no such thing as exploration.

Karlsruhe played aggressively, as if saying, “We will trample you and definitely go up to the first division.”

At Karlsruher’s home stadium, Wildpark, the fans one-sidedly cheered for Karlsruher and one-sidedly booed Hannover.

Whenever Hannover tried to stop their opponents or get the ball, the boos would explode like firecrackers, and even I, who had played in several games, felt intimidated.

“Kim!”

Corsic, who started competing with Halstenberg for the starting position while I was away.

The guy was playing ping pong like I was competing with the chiller and the starter.

And today’s game is Corsic’s starting lineup.

Yando is also really great. He even makes him compete for the starting spot at the most important moment. Or maybe the gap between the two players has narrowed down to that extent?

“Kim!”

“Fuck.”

I frowned and muttered quietly.

Why is Corsic suddenly calling me?

It meant to be stopped.

Because the defense was breached.

The opposing attacker entered the penalty box in an instant and hit the left goal post with a bold shot.

It was a goal line out and a pretty good offense.

I swallowed hard and felt nervous.

‘I feel a sense of loss after returning from playing in the Asian Cup.’

I just realized that I was back in a place where I could score a goal if I let my guard down just a little bit after the attack.

I received the ball from the ball boy to take a goal kick and coolly passed the ball to Henrik Fischer.

Even though I didn’t use the quick accurate kick, the accuracy of my goal kicks has definitely improved.

It was thanks to the characteristic ‘wedge-shaped goalkeeper’.

Henrik Fischer, who received my goal kick, trapped it with his chest and slowly went up. Then, when he faced the opposing player, he started a psychological warfare······.

‘Oh, like that.’

It is read as is and rolls on the ground.

The ball was taken away without going out of bounds.

The crowd applauded the clean defense.

‘···It must be hard?’

And then the Karlsruhe attack continues again.

These guys really attacked boldly, as if they thought there was no turning back.

As Corsic was blocking the opposing attacker, the opposing number 10, who had the ball, put the ball between Corsic’s two feet.

I was shocked to see such a reckless and bold attempt, but it worked.

I bet my money on a gamble with an extremely low probability of success and I won.

I was momentarily stunned when I saw the ball pass right between my shins.

“Fuck, stick! Stick!”

I gave the order late and bent my upper body down.

Hannover’s defense is pierced in an instant. And the trajectory is created immediately. It is a shot aimed at the near post.

I was staring intently at my opponent’s feet······ Now!

Boom-!

The ball bounces off the wrist and heads toward the goal.

‘Oh, shit!’

That direction, that height, is that the goal?

I looked at the ball that bounced off my wrist in vain. Is this how it works? Like this?

Boohoo-!

In that desperate situation, Phil Neumann appeared out of nowhere and kicked the ball away from the empty goal.

I jumped up and ran to Phil Neumann.

“Fuck!”

I lost my mind and shook Phil Neumann’s head. I was so happy that I wanted to kiss him.

The ridiculous mistake of Corsic didn’t even cross my mind. Phil Neumann shook his head and frowned, as I did before.

“Go to Jeolu Kim.”

“No? Come on. I’ll kiss you.”

“You should prepare for the corner kick, Kim···.”

“Oh, right! Neumann. Well done, anyway. Corsic? You go out there and die, you little shit.”

Corsic, the sinner who had approached without me noticing, smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

End

ⓒ Doctor Am