Chapter 155: The Battle Of Tianwang Mountain! Fight For The Title With Bayern Ahead Of Schedule!

"Director Xu, we're here."

"Damn, why are you being so formal with me?"

"You're a rare visitor!"

"I've been here so many times! Haven't we partnered before?"

In the CCTV 5 studio, the beautiful host Ma Fanshu watched Duan Xuan and Xu Yang banter and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Recently, she had applied to go to the front lines in the Bundesliga for an interview, but unfortunately, her request was rejected by the leader. The reason given was that the match between Union Berlin and Bayern Munich didn't warrant spending additional resources on coverage. The last time she was sent was for the Bundesliga season opener. This was just an ordinary league game now.

Air tickets, accommodation, match tickets—all these expenses add up. No matter how rich CCTV is, it's impossible to approve such spending indiscriminately.

Of course, the approval of assignments was in the hands of Deputy Director Zhang Shui. Ma Fanshu had reason to suspect this bespectacled man was intentionally blocking her. Initially, Zhang Bing had hinted at sending expensive luxury goods in private and threatened her with work. If Ma Fanshu hadn't connected with Su Luo, she might still be dealing with Zhang Bing. But now, she could completely ignore him.

With her relationship with Su Luo, she could easily jump to Penguin, LeTV, or PP Juli and get a high salary anywhere! If it weren't for her attachment to CCTV's prestigious reputation, Ma Fanshu would have left long ago.

Perhaps because Zhang Bing had been rejected multiple times, he became a little angry out of embarrassment. Ma Fanshu didn't care.

I have Su Luo, what can you do to me?

You want an exclusive interview? Are you hungry for first-hand news on Su Luo?

After the broadcast of "World Soccer" featuring Su Luo, the ratings soared by 2 points, making it one of the top 5 programs on CCTV.

Ma Fanshu was confident she could invite Su Luo for a second interview! As long as Su Luo remains popular in Europe, he's the top star of the sports channel.

Zhang Bing couldn't make any significant moves; he could only annoy her with minor issues. Fortunately, Duan Xuan revealed that if Union Berlin reached the quarterfinals or semifinals of the Champions League, there would definitely be live commentary and a documentary. At that time, Duan Xuan and Ma Fanshu would both be dispatched. After all, this would be the biggest breakthrough for a Chinese player in the Champions League—a historic moment!

Of course, Union Berlin needed to get past Arsenal. As for the Bundesliga, Ma Fanshu could only stay in the capital studio, responsible for hosting the game.

Soon, Ma Fanshu, who had finished her makeup, came to the set and was reminded to prepare for the broadcast.

"1 minute, ready."

"30 seconds..."

"10, 9, 8..."

Before the countdown ended, Ma Fanshu had already adjusted her state.

When the advertisement on the TV finished and the screen switched back to the studio, audiences across the country saw Ma Fanshu's youthful and beautiful face.

"Hello to all our viewers!"

"After a long winter break, I believe many fans can't wait to watch Su Luo's game."

"As the pride of Asia, Su Luo is currently the most successful overseas player from our country..."

"As the youngest captain this season, Su Luo continues to lead this grassroots team to compete for the Bundesliga championship!"

"The miracle of Union Berlin continues to unfold!"

"The first match of the second half of the Bundesliga is a crucial battle for the championship!"

"Union Berlin vs. Bayern Munich!"

"Both sides are currently tied with 46 points, with Union Berlin at the top due to goal difference!"

"In this critical battle, everyone has been eagerly anticipating it."

"There are still 15 minutes before the start of the game. Now, I will hand over to our commentators..."

As the director's cue came through her earpiece, the camera cut to the commentary booth. Ma Fanshu's part was done for now.

She took off her earpiece, returned to the rest area, and took a sip of water. She still had to handle sponsorships and commercials later, so she couldn't completely relax yet.

Sitting on a chair, she listened to Duan Xuan and Xu Yang chatting about the game while her thoughts drifted to Berlin, thousands of miles away.

"How is he doing today?" she wondered.

Meanwhile, coming out of the locker room, Su Luo found himself alone. Except for the referee team, the players from both sides were absent. Su Luo simply shook hands with the referees and stood quietly in the tunnel.

Then, accompanied by a burst of noise, Bayern players in navy blue jerseys emerged from the visiting team's locker room. Leading the pack was Lewandowski. The moment he saw Su Luo, Lewandowski froze for a moment. His expression became quite complicated; it seemed his confidence dropped a notch upon seeing Su Luo.

Indeed, Su Luo currently dominated the standings. Lewandowski, who had once claimed to be the best shooter in the Bundesliga, couldn't hold his head high in front of Su Luo!

Next came Thomas Müller, who was also stunned when he saw Su Luo. Müller subconsciously wanted to say hello, but considering the 7-0 defeat in their previous game, he hesitated. Despite admiring the Chinese player, Müller, as a Bayern player, needed to maintain his pride. He silently joined his team and stood firm.

When Lahm saw Su Luo, he just nodded lightly. Su Luo stood alone in front of the goal, and the whole Bayern Munich team felt a faint pressure.

All of this was seen by the eager Chinese fans. They had been waiting in front of their TVs early on and saw this interesting scene unfold.

"Su Luo's aura is so strong; it feels like he's leading Shan Ren's team!"

"You can see the confidence and morale before the game."

"That makes sense. I'll bet another 10,000! The home team wins!"

"Such a big bet? Don't do it."

"Yes, it's not recommended to bet too much, but the home team winning seems likely."

"I also bet on Union Berlin. It's only 20 yuan, so please support me."

"My wife has prepared beer and duck necks for me. Let's get started!"

"Can you eat dog food while watching a game?"

As Chinese netizens heatedly discussed, players from both sides walked out of the tunnel. Taking advantage of the pre-match ceremony, Duan Xuan introduced the starting players to the audience.

"Guardiola is quite bold with this starting lineup!"

"The goalkeeper is still Neuer, but there are many changes elsewhere!"

"In the three-back system, Badstuber isn't playing. The defense features Javi Martinez!"

"Boateng, Martinez, and Alaba form the defense."

"Xavi Alonso and Lahm are the double midfielders, with Thiago and Thomas Müller also in midfield."

"The midfield is in a diamond shape, and there will definitely be changes during actual play."

"The front three are Götze on the right, Lewandowski in the center, and Douglas Costa on the left!"

"Robben and Ribery are resting on the bench."

"Recently, Guardiola has been using Javi Martinez as a central defender, and he's played very well."

"Yes!" Xu Yang chimed in.

"Guardiola values his ability to play the ball, which can initiate attacks when pressing the opponent in the frontcourt."

This tactical change had been gradually implemented in previous games. Neuhaus was a bit surprised that Guardiola's experimental tactics were being used in this crucial match. Was he ready to show his full hand?

The pre-match lineup decisions were like the draft phase in an e-sports game, where coaches engaged in a battle of wits and courage. Each player's characteristics were combined to form a system. Countering the opponent's system while leveraging one's own strengths was the key consideration for the coaching staff. On the field, it depended on whether the players could execute as intended.

Could Martinez, playing as a central defender, limit Su Luo's performance? Neuhaus was unsure; this was a new strategy he wasn't familiar with.

"Let's look at Union Berlin's lineup now."

"To free up Su Luo during the winter break, they signed the 1.97-meter tall striker Wout Weghorst from Eredivisie's Alkmaar."

"Having a strong presence in the frontcourt is definitely an advantage."

"But he's not starting today, possibly due to limited training time with the team and lack of understanding."

"Union Berlin is sticking with their regular starting lineup."

"Goalkeeper: Fabianski;"

"Defenders: Pavard, Rüdiger, Alex, Aké;"

"Midfielders: Kimmich, Naby Keïta, Forsberg, Mahrez; and up front, Su Luo!"

"Of course, during the game, Su Luo might drop back to become a free agent."

"Mahrez could push forward into a false forward role."

"That's right!" Xu Yang agreed.

"Union Berlin's formation is a bit like Guardiola's striker-less system. The positions of Mahrez, Forsberg, and Su Luo are flexible. It depends on their understanding in the frontcourt."

As the two commentators discussed, Ma Fanshu stared at Su Luo's profile on the big screen, unable to hide her amazement. Initially, she had hoped to use her connection with Su Luo to create opportunities for herself. But gradually, she found that she genuinely cared about him.

"I've been working alongside him all this time. Wouldn't it be nice to be a field reporter?" Ma Fanshu thought.

On the field, after Su Luo and Lahm exchanged team flags and the coin toss, the whole stadium tensed up.

Philipp Lahm, a 32-year-old veteran, had been a mainstay of German football since his debut in the 2006 World Cup.

"When I'm in my 30s, will I still love the game this much?" Su Luo wondered.

Fortunately, the home team's anthem brought him back to the present moment.

This is what it means to have home fans!

They are the 12th man on the field!

Sure enough, when the teams lined up, the North Stand unveiled their giant tifo on time!

With a sickle and hammer, Su Luo looked fiercely at the Bayern players. Even if they had seen it countless times, the Bayern players were inevitably shocked!

"Damn, what's with the intimidation?" Thomas Müller couldn't help but complain.

The referee looked at his watch and blew his whistle.

Su Luo guessed right on the kickoff, and he took the lead, passing the football to his teammates.

His racing heart gradually calmed.

This heavyweight battle for the championship had begun!

Across from him, Bayern was no longer a team that would casually play and win 7-0. They were the strongest in the Bundesliga and one of the strongest in Europe!

Any slight mistake, and it could be Union Berlin that gets completely outplayed!

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