Chapter 47 Leverkusen's Main Force Is Playing! Strongest Opponent So Far!

"Pharmaceutical" Leverkusen headquarters, the coaching team is having a routine meeting.

After the winter break, Leverkusen's form was a bit inconsistent. In the last 3 rounds, they lost all three games: 2:3 to Freiburg, 0:1 to Werder Bremen, and 1:2 to Borussia. Facing another potential loss that could push them out of the top 4, Leverkusen's coaching staff hastily convened an emergency meeting.

"Schalke awaits us after the cup, and they won't be an easy challenge. Do we really need to prioritize the cup match?"

"It's just a lower-tier Bundesliga team. We could field a substitute squad."

"No, we're in the quarterfinals now. A win would secure us a spot in the top 4. With extra effort, we might even win the championship."

"We must approach this game with utmost seriousness, boost our morale, and then take on Schalke!"

"Our fitness levels are fine."

"Alright, enough debate."

Leverkusen coach Hyypia raised his hand to halt the discussion.

"We've lost three games in a row, and the priority now is to boost morale. Even against a lower-tier Bundesliga team, we must give our all to secure a victory."

"This win is crucial. I've decided that the first-team players will play. All in favor?"

Seeing the consensus among the coaching staff, Hyypia nodded in satisfaction.

To him, Union Berlin was nothing more than an easy opponent, easily crushed by Leverkusen's strength.

Would they really need to overturn the main lineup?

Impossible.

...

One week remained until the quarterfinals of the DFB-Pokal against Bayer Leverkusen.

The entire Union Berlin team was filled with a tense and excited atmosphere.

Not just Su Luo, but every player was eagerly anticipating facing a strong opponent.

A victory against Leverkusen could be a career highlight for many of them.

What if they could beat Bayern in the future?

The players' training attitude was noticeably more serious than before. Even Silvio, the Brazilian known for his laziness, had started practicing harder.

The coaching staff also began meticulously planning tactics against Leverkusen.

At the start of the season, Leverkusen had demonstrated formidable strength, rivaling even Bayern in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Their coach Sami Hyypia had earned the nickname "Sea Saint" from the fans, and Leverkusen had become known as the third strongest team in the Bundesliga.

For this reason, Neuhaus led the coaching staff in a thorough analysis of Leverkusen's tactics and recent player performances, devising a strict defensive strategy for each player.

Meanwhile, Leverkusen's coaching staff was preoccupied with studying their upcoming league opponent, Schalke 04.

Yes, Schalke was a struggling Bundesliga team, but what was there to study?

Wasn't it just a matter of containing a Chinese striker?

Coach Hyypia seemed to share this sentiment.

During the week leading up to the cup match, Union Berlin players considered Schalke 04 as their main adversary.

Game day had arrived!

...

The night before their departure for Leverkusen, Su Luo and Josephine shared a simple embrace, choosing to cherish the moment without engaging in anything more intimate.

Su Luo tried not to dwell on memories of Taylor, wanting to avoid revealing any vulnerability.

"Would you like to join me in Leverkusen? We could catch up after the away game."

Josephine kissed Su Luo gently and looked at him apologetically.

"As you know, I've been busy with Milan Autumn/Winter Fashion Week recently, and I'll be heading to Milan at the end of the month. I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany you. I'm sorry."

"Well, your career is important. We're still young, and there will be plenty of time for us to enjoy ourselves in the future."

"Alright! Then we..."

"Sounds good."

After all, Su Luo was still a young man. Despite his exhaustion, he knew he'd recover quickly with two days left before the game.

The next day, Josephine dropped him off at the training base as usual, where the away bus awaited.

The teammates had become accustomed to seeing this golden couple, and their departure was met with little fanfare.

Once everyone was on board, the bus set off slowly for Leverkusen, over 500 kilometers away.

Initially, the team was in high spirits, singing the Iron League team song loudly.

An hour later, however, exhaustion set in, and everyone fell asleep. The five-hour journey was taking its toll.

Su Luo remained awake, lost in thought as he stared out the window.

"Are you nervous, Su?"

Captain Matuschka woke up from a nap and noticed Su Luo's stillness.

"No, I'm just thinking about what kind of celebration I should do after scoring a goal."

"Huh?"

Matuschka was taken aback by Su Luo's response.

Upon reflection, it was characteristic of Su Luo.

He always exuded a self-assuredness, believing he could score no matter the opponent.

Perhaps this was the hallmark of a top striker?

If Su Luo surpassed Messi and Ronaldo one day, Matuschka wouldn't be surprised.

Originally, he hadn't been very confident about this cup match.

Facing a third-place Bundesliga team as a lower-tier league, and Leverkusen supposedly fielding their main players.

At best, it would be an opportunity to experience the Bundesliga atmosphere.

But now, perhaps this match held more significance than they initially thought.

Because they have Su Luo.

With him, the possibilities were endless!

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