After scoring the goal, before Lucas could get up from the ground, De Bruyne and other Werder Bremen players rushed over frantically, one by one, pouncing on him and creating a pile-up celebration.
The live broadcast room exploded with excitement at that moment.
"Wow, how did he pull that off?"
"Can I watch this game for free? It's amazing!"
"So impressive! It was like a one-man attack against the entire defense line!"
"Yeah, it's like a tribute to Messi. He scored a similar goal!"
"Yeah, it's a bit similar, but Messi did it through the middle, while Lucas attacked from the side.
"And let's not forget, Messi did it against Real Madrid in the champions league semi-final, so Messi's goal has more significance!"
"And let's not forget Busquets's incredible assist!"
"I can't help but remember Casillas spreading his hands to his teammates. It's like what the Cottbus goalkeeper is doing now!"
"Real Madrid must be feeling devastated at that time, and now people will remember their helplessness again after seeing this goal.
I feel sorry for Real Madrid!"
"Count me in for feeling sorry for Real Madrid!"
"Agreed, add me to the list!"
...
If the audience in the live broadcast room didn't know who Lucas was before, they certainly knew now.
Everyone who watched the game would remember the young boy who broke through from the wing and penetrated the opponent's entire defense line with his sheer strength!
Not only the viewers in the live broadcast room, but also the Werder Bremen fans who were present at the game were deeply impressed by Lucas's performance.
Many fans applauded him and started asking each other about him.
Since it was still early in the summer transfer window and it would continue until the end of August, the team's signings were still in progress.
As a result, Lucas and several other players who were transferred or loaned were not able to make a public appearance at the Weser Stadium, and no welcoming ceremony was organized for them.
This lack of exposure left many fans unaware of who Lucas was.
However, after inquiring among themselves, they discovered that he had been loaned from the Barcelona youth team.
"So he's a player from La Masia youth academy. No wonder he's so talented!"
Upon hearing that Lucas came from the Barcelona youth academy, the Werder Bremen fans immediately understood.
"Hey, guys, do you think there's a chance for our club to buy this young man with his incredible breakthrough skills?"
"He is still young; the asking price from Barcelona shouldn't be too high, right?"
"He is such a talented player. It would be great if we could have him permanently instead of on loan from Barcelona to Werder Bremen."
"I'm afraid that won't work. Judging by his outstanding performance, his market value should be at least 20 million euros, don't you think?"
"We don't have enough funds to afford such expensive players. Werder Bremen may not be a giant club, but rather an ordinary small to medium-sized team."
"The highest transfer fee ever paid by Werder Bremen was in the summer of 2009, when they signed Marco Marin from Borussia Mönchengladbach for a substantial fee of 8.5 million euros."
"Normally, their annual transfer budget is only around 15 million euros.
To acquire Lucas, they would need at least 20 million euros, which is beyond their financial capacity.
Besides, Barcelona is unlikely to sell such a young player who has been performing exceptionally well."
"Therefore, Werder Bremen's fans can only dream about it and have no realistic means to make it happen."
...
"After being celebrated by their opponents in front of their own goal, the Cottbus players became frustrated."
"The goalkeeper looked at his defender with outstretched hands, his face filled with anger."
"He was upset about the defensive mistake that allowed the opposition to deceive the entire backline and pass through easily, one by one!"
"The defenders stood there with their hands on their hips, their expressions filled with disappointment, as they stared blankly at Lucas, who was overwhelmed by the players."
"They couldn't comprehend why so many of them failed to stop the youth academy player."
"Despite his unremarkable dribbling, without any fancy moves like stepovers, roulette or elastic, he managed to simply flick, smash, and change direction, leaving them in his wake."
"Yet, the simplicity of his technique made it even more extraordinary."
"The football seemed to come alive under his feet, as if he could control it effortlessly."
"To reach this level, one must possess a profound control of the ball."
"Such exceptional ball control is often inherent rather than acquired through training; it is a natural talent that deserves admiration!"
...
"As the game resumed, the Cottbus team, still bewildered by Lucas's skills, became hesitant to launch their attacks."
On the other hand, Werder Bremen experienced a turnaround as the young players in the team shed their psychological burden and began performing exceptionally well.
Notably, Lucas and De Bruyne stood out among them. They had a great understanding with each other, often training together.
Their close partnership wreaked havoc on Cottbus's left-side attack, rendering it ineffective.
Furthermore, Cottbus's fear of Lucas's breakthrough led them to allocate significant defensive players on the left, leaving their right side vulnerable.
Recognizing this, Lucas didn't solely focus on his own breakthrough abilities.
In the 65th minute, Werder Bremen managed to steal the ball in their own half. Captain Fritz swiftly passed it to De Bruyne, who, in turn, delivered it to Lucas.
Taking control of the ball, Lucas advanced towards the opponent's half.
Instantly, Cottbus players began to close and outflank him, while their midfielder and full-back stood up, denying him any space to dribble to move forward.
Fortunately, Lucas had already analyzed the opponent's defensive positioning upon receiving the ball.
Consequently, after evading the first defender, he avoided excessive dribbling.
With opponent players double-teaming him, Lucas raised his foot to make a pass.
De Bruyne, a emerging star destined to become a top midfielder, possessed a keen understanding of the opponent's defensive vulnerabilities
. Thus, after passing the ball to Lucas, he fearlessly advanced and positioned himself near the opponent's penalty area.
Upon witnessing De Bruyne's running position, Lucas silently praised him in his mind.
Executing a precise and low pass that evaded a defensive player's challenge, Lucas showcased his excellent passing.
De Bruyne received the ball just outside the penalty area, and the pass was delivered with ideal accuracy and intensity.
This allowed him to seamlessly control the ball, eliminating the need for adjustments before taking a direct shot on goal.
..
.
So, as De Bruyne glanced up and observed the goalkeeper's positioning, he decisively unleashed his shot.
De Bruyne's shooting technic is a familiar sight to Lucas, and this particular position closely resembled the spot where he usually practices his free kicks.
As the ball left De Bruyne's foot and Lucas witnessed its trajectory, he instinctively sensed its destination.
Sure enough, the ball soared in a graceful arc, evading the goalkeeper's outstretched fingers, and smashed into the net from the dead corner.
With that goal, De Bruyne scored his first score for Werder Bremen, while Lucas proudly registered his maiden assist for the team!
(End of the chapter)