Chapter 141 The Devil's Schedule Fights On The Third Front, And Then Fights Against Juventus!

The nightclub that Su Luo usually frequents was once ranked number one in the world! Compared to that, the nightclubs in Turin were relatively boring.

After inquiring at the hotel front desk, Su Luo took everyone to a nightclub called Audiodrome. It was a converted old factory building, but it was still much smaller than Berghain.

Su Luo wanted to complain, but Josephine comforted him, "The nightclubs in Milan are much more boring than this."

"When I was at Milan Fashion Week, I went to the nightclubs with my model friends. I know the city very well," she added.

"Then when we play against the Milan teams, I'll have you lead the way," Su Luo said with a grin.

"I'm afraid you'll be retired by then."

Su Luo chuckled, not expecting Josephine to joke around. The Milan teams had been struggling for years, falling behind Lazio, Napoli, Roma, Fiorentina, and others. It might be a while before they meet in the Champions League again. By 2023, Serie A had slightly risen, and the Milan Derby was staged in the semi-finals. A Milan team was guaranteed to reach the Champions League final, marking a bright moment for Serie A.

After a simple celebration, Union Berlin didn't return to Berlin the next morning. Instead, they went directly to Sinsheim to challenge Hoffenheim. Hoffenheim had a poor start this season and was nearing the relegation zone. They fought aggressively at home, aiming to defeat Union Berlin. Union Berlin, fresh from a tough match, adopted a rotation lineup, even placing Su Luo on the bench.

This allowed Hoffenheim to press hard and attack recklessly. Surprisingly, the defense led by Richards and Lisandro Martinez held up under the pressure! Lima, who was initially underestimated due to his height, performed brilliantly with active fighting and precise positioning, shutting down Hoffenheim's attacks. With Richards' assistance and Fabianski's high-speed saves, Union Berlin held on for 70 minutes.

At that moment, the fourth official on the sidelines raised the substitution board.

"Number 13, Silvio, off! Number 10, Su Luo, on!"

Seeing Su Luo on the sidelines, all the Hoffenheim players felt a shiver down their spines.

That man! The Chinese man is here!

Su Luo's presence seemed to have a double effect: reducing the enemy's morale by 25% and boosting his own team's morale by 50%. As soon as he came on, he made an immediate impact, taking a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, causing gasps throughout the Rhine-Neckar Stadium.

"Su Luo's presence has instantly raised Union Berlin's attacking power by several levels!" the commentator exclaimed. "Every attack they make now is deadly!"

"Hoffenheim wasted so many chances earlier and didn't take the lead at home. Now, it's Union Berlin's turn to shine!"

In the 75th minute, Quining made a low pass from the right. Su Luo surged forward and scored before the defender could block him!

"Su Luo's 22nd goal! While other Bundesliga strikers are still in single digits, Su Luo has already broken through the 20-goal mark early! He's on his way to 30 goals!"

"It seems outrageous, but for Su Luo, it's just normal!" the commentator, Sauer, noted. "Relatively speaking, the goals scored by other Bundesliga strikers seem inefficient. Look at Su Luo, breaking 20 goals like it's nothing! And it's only round 10!"

Hoffenheim's goal was broken, and coach Neuhaus finally relaxed. The team, initially in danger, now seemed secure. Sure enough, in the 86th minute, Su Luo reciprocated the favor, penetrating Hoffenheim's defense and catching them off guard! Quining, timing his run perfectly, scored to make it 2-0!

Union Berlin sealed the victory away from home! Although Su Luo played limited minutes, the MVP of the game was given to the 18-year-old defender Lima, marking his first time in the spotlight.

The German media was shocked.

"This central defender, only 175 cm tall, held off Hoffenheim's onslaught. What drove him to such a performance?"

During the interview, Lima was candid. "I had one thought in my mind: hold on until Su Luo appeared! The moment he showed up, I knew it was over."

Lima's natural speech left the reporters gasping.

"So Su Luo's influence is already so deeply ingrained?"

After the victory over Hoffenheim, Union Berlin returned home. In three days, they would face Leverkusen in the German Cup, and another three days later, it would be the second leg against Juventus! Then they'd have to travel to Bremen for an away game. The period between the end of October and the beginning of November was simply a devil's schedule!

With their current lineup, Union Berlin didn't have the energy to compete on three fronts. There had to be a trade-off. The coaching staff suggested focusing on one competition. They decided to prioritize the league, considering they were unlikely to win the Champions League. It was better to play casually in the Cup and go all out for the league championship. Winning the Bundesliga twice in a row would help them establish themselves, attract new players, and secure more broadcast revenue, benefiting the club's gradual development.

In this regard, Neuhaus didn't say anything.

In the middle of the meeting, captain Su Luo was called in to participate in the team's strategic decision-making. When the 18-year-old Su Luo entered the conference room, the football director Shaffer and the coaching staff were a bit surprised.

But their surprise was brief; no one jumped out to provoke Su Luo or create a scene. Such plots only appear in novels.

In reality, everyone at the club knew Su Luo's influence. In fact, the current Union Berlin had to build their strategy around Su Luo. As the team captain, he represented the players' opinions and was qualified to participate in the meeting.

Su Luo did not oppose the club's suggestion to abandon the cup competition. The club wasn't wealthy, so it would be foolish to risk other games for a less significant trophy. On this point, Su Luo agreed with the club.

However, Su Luo had a different perspective regarding the Champions League.

"I think we should give it our all," Su Luo said. "Even if we don't win the championship, we should go as far as we can."

"There are two main benefits to this approach. First, improving our Champions League performance will attract top players, strengthen the team, and create a positive cycle for the club. Second, advancing through the knockout rounds will increase our UEFA Champions League broadcast share coefficient."

"If we qualify from the group stage, we'll earn at least an additional 10 million euros. If we reach the top 8, our earnings will double!"

"So, we should fight to the end."

Su Luo's speech garnered many nods from the executives. He made a compelling case. While this strategy might affect their league performance and increase the risk of injuries, it could also bring substantial financial rewards.

Since Su Luo was confident he could lead the team to success, the club decided to follow his and Neuhaus's suggestions. They would continue to compete fiercely in both the Champions League and the league. Their immediate goals were to advance from the group stage to the top 16 in the Champions League and to finish in the top 3 in the league to qualify for the next Champions League.

Achieving these goals would secure at least 10 million euros in bonuses for the team. Su Luo was effectively fighting for the benefit of his teammates.

After the meeting, the whole team prepared enthusiastically for their upcoming games. They decided to forfeit the second round of the German Cup to focus on the Champions League. Using a lineup of substitutes and youth players, Union Berlin lost 1:3 to Leverkusen.

The national media understood this decision. With the Champions League at stake, who cared about a less significant match?

Look at what happened to Leverkusen! Just three days after their German Cup match, they faced Roma away. Having played all their main players in the cup, they faced physical issues in the Champions League, allowing Roma to score three consecutive goals in the second half. Roma defeated Leverkusen 4:2, gaining a strong position in the group!

Wolfsburg also forfeited the cup and were knocked out by Bayern. In the Champions League, they played with their main squad and defeated Manchester United 2:0 at home! Van Gaal's team now faced a tough challenge to qualify.

As for Bayern Munich, their strength allowed them to rotate players without concern. They easily defeated Arsenal 5:1 at home, continuing to dominate the Gunners.

In the fourth round of the Champions League group stage, only Bayern won for the Bundesliga. The pressure now shifted to Union Berlin as they prepared to face a vengeful Juventus at home.

As Juventus's black and white bus drove through the dense forest towards Berlin, Pogba shared the team's collective confusion.

"It's Berlin, but it feels like we're entering a village," he remarked. "But they say there's a nightclub here that's the best in Europe! Let's check it out after the game?"

Captain Buma sighed at Pogba's lack of professionalism. "Paul, let's focus on the game and forget about the rest."

"Relax, Captain," Pogba replied nonchalantly.

Buffon sighed too. He had an inexplicable feeling that winning this match would be very difficult.

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