Flight to Germany

Kenneth's recent performances over the past month have begun to attract attention from local fans. Often, he is greeted by unfamiliar faces while he's out training.

The Manchester Evening News has also published an article about Kenneth, detailing his profile and reviewing his performances over his last three matches.

However, his popularity remains relatively modest; not all local fans closely follow the Premier League U21 matches. Among youth leagues, the FA Youth Cup and the UEFA Youth League generally attract more attention. Kenneth, therefore, eagerly anticipates the upcoming UEFA Youth League season, set to kick off on September 17 with a match against Bayern Munich U19.

This game will be held in Munich, and Manchester City's U19 team will travel alongside the senior squad, who have their own match in the city.

On September 14 and 15, players chosen for the Manchester City U19 squad began assembling for training. Kenneth was glad to see familiar faces like Adarabioyo, Angus Gunn, and Pablo Maffeo, as well as Iheanacho, Brandon Barker, Pozo, Bossaerts, Ntcham, Angelino, and Bersant Celina.

Once again, Kenneth stood out in training, with teammates who played with him in the U18 squad noticing his growth.

At the end of the session, Patrick Vieira, the U19 head coach, arranged for a fitness test. He was especially concerned about players' conditions, including Kenneth, who had played a full match against Chelsea U21 just two days before.

"What's the result?" Vieira asked.

"He can only play 45 minutes; playing more increases his risk of injury," replied James, the U21 physiotherapist.

"Then I won't start him. We can't take risks with such a talented player," decided Vieira.

He then announced the starting lineup for the Bayern Munich match on the 17th: Angus Gunn; Bossaerts, T. Adarabioyo, Kean Bryan, Pablo Maffeo; O. Ntcham, Tasende, J. Bryne; Pozo, Thierry Ambrose, Brandon Barker.

After the announcement, Vieira dismissed the players, instructing them to get a good night's sleep in preparation for their journey to Munich the next day with the senior team.

The following day, Manchester City's U19 and senior squads arrived at Manchester Airport via private bus. The club had arranged for a chartered Etihad Airways flight for the trip.

"This will be my first time going to Germany," Kenneth murmured to himself, realizing it was his first trip to the country, both in his current life and his past.

"Really? Have you been abroad before?" Patrick Vieira asked, overhearing him.

"I've only been to China a few times."

"Then get ready; this year, we'll be visiting many countries," Vieira replied.

As Kenneth boarded the plane, he looked around, unsure of where to sit.

"Hey, over here, kid," called Simon Davis, waving him over.

Kenneth found his seat to the right of Simon Davis. Shortly afterward, someone else sat down beside him. It was Frank Lampard.

The Chelsea legend, Frank Lampard, was part of England's golden generation, which unfortunately fell short of winning international trophies. If history plays out as before, he's set to score and save City from a defeat against Chelsea on September 21.

Lampard extended his hand to Kenneth, introducing himself, "You're Kenneth Lee, right? I'm Frank Lampard, though I think you already know the name. Nice to meet you."

"You know me?" Kenneth was a bit surprised to see Lampard recognizing him.

"Davis talks a lot about how your playing style reminds him of mine."

"Ha! You score a lot, Lamps, and this kid does too. His long shots remind me of yours," Simon Davis chuckled at Lampard's remark.

"I saw one of your goals; you've got a strong long-range shot."

"Thanks, I watch a lot of your goals. You inspire me. I watched the World Cup match against Germany in 2010—it's a shame that goal wasn't counted."

Lampard's expression shifted slightly. "Yeah, things like that happen often in football."

A flash of memories took him back to a certain match against Barcelona. "Often."

Kenneth suddenly regretted bringing it up.

To change the subject, Simon Davis asked, "So, Lamps, what do you think of this match? Can we win?"

"Bayern Munich under Pep Guardiola plays excellent football, but we definitely have a chance. Our group stage draw is tough, with Roma and Moscow as well—both are not to be underestimated. Grabbing at least a point in the away game against Bayern would be great."

Kenneth spent the flight chatting with Lampard and Simon Davis, discussing football and a bit about life beyond the game. He even asked Lampard about the idea of managing after retirement, knowing that in his original history, Lampard would go on to manage, though without significant success.

After a two-hour flight, they arrived in Germany. From the airport, the team boarded a bus headed for their hotel.

To save on costs, the players were paired up in rooms, with only top stars like Aguero, Silva, Yaya Toure, and head coach Pellegrini receiving single rooms. Kenneth's roommate was Maffeo, and he was glad, as they already shared a close friendship.

After a shower and some rest, the players gathered for lunch in the cafeteria and were given free time until 3 PM.

Kenneth used this time to study. Having passed his GCSEs last August, he was now enrolled in A-level courses in mathematics, a foreign language (Spanish), business, and physical education. Typically, students only take three subjects, but Kenneth's Chinese heritage likely contributed to his above-average memory and learning ability.

For his foreign language, he chose Spanish due to its high number of native speakers, second only to Mandarin, even surpassing English. Many top players and coaches in football also hail from Spanish-speaking countries.

In the room, Kenneth read from his notebook, "El perro es… uh… caminando en la… calle."

Pablo Maffeo, also in the room, chuckled. "Close! You'd say, 'El perro está caminando por la calle.' Use 'estar' here, since it's something happening right now, you know?"

Kenneth nodded, "Right! Está caminando, got it."

He complained, "Spanish has so many ways to say 'is'! How do you keep them straight?"

"Lots of practice—and mistakes! Try another one," Maffeo encouraged.

"Alright. How about, 'Mi equipo juega el fútbol muy bueno.'"

Maffeo smiled, correcting him. "Almost! You'd say, 'Mi equipo juega al fútbol muy bien.' When you mean 'good' for how something's done, use 'bien' instead of 'bueno.'"

"I'll get there eventually. Thanks for helping me out, Maffeo."

Maffeo nodded. "Don't worry, amigo! I had to adjust to your accent too. We'll have you speaking like a pro soon enough."