The Green-whites

When Lucas received the money, he planned to purchase some training equipment for home use, enabling him to train daily.

This game made him realize that his current physical condition is insufficient to sustain him throughout the entire match.

If he doesn't work hard to improve his physical capabilities, he may have to wait until next year or even longer to start playing regularly.

After purchasing the equipment, I returned home accompanied by the deliveryman, only to discover that there are guests already present at my house.

"Dad, why are you here?" he exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Guardiola.

Lucas had thought that Guardiola would be busy preparing for his wedding, but he never expected him to visit.

"I noticed that you were injured during the game, so I came to check on you. Is your injury alright?" Guardiola asked with concern.

Having left Munich, Guardiola had first gone to Dortmund. Upon learning that Lucas had returned to Bremen with the team, he chased after him without pause.

"It's nothing serious. The team doctor examined me with the team's equipment, and there is no problem!" Lucas reassured Guardiola.

Upon hearing this response, Guardiola breathed a sigh of relief. He had feared hearing that Lucas was seriously injured, but seeing him alive and well confirmed that the likelihood was low.

"That's good!" Guardiola responded.

At that moment, Guardiola noticed the workers carrying the training equipment into the house.

"You bought this yourself?" he asked.

"Yes, I plan to focus on physical training and strive to become a starter as soon as possible! After experiencing the pace of the game, it's better to compete for a starting position," Lucas explained.

Hearing that the 16-year-old Lucas wanted to fight for a starting position, Guardiola sighed inwardly. When he was sixteen, he was still struggling in the lower ranks of the sport.

It wasn't until he turned 19 that he made his debut for the senior team at Camp Nou, and he had to wait until he was 21 to establish himself in the starting lineup.

Compared to himself, Lucas had started much earlier. However, after watching Lucas' game, Guardiola realized that his son's talent far surpassed his own at that age.

If he was just an ordinary star, then his son had the potential to become a superstar.

"Well, that's what the coach also said!" Lucas mentioned that Coach Schaaf had discussed his tactical role within the team for the upcoming season.

Schaaf had informed him that he would be the core of the team's offense.

However, due to his current physical fitness being insufficient to last the entire game, Coach Schaaf suggested that he accept a tactical arrangement of coming off the bench in the second half.

Being a substitute while being the core of the team's offense? Others might consider this a lie or a way to deceive a young player.

But Lucas believed that Schaaf's words were true and that he was not being deceived.

He accepted the tactical arrangement, but it didn't mean he was content with being a substitute.

Therefore, he needed to focus on improving his physical fitness, meet the coaching staff's requirements as soon as possible, and secure the starting position.

"It's great to see this determination, but be mindful of your training intensity and don't risk injury. At your age, avoiding injuries is the most important thing!" Guardiola advised, knowing Lucas' strong character. He didn't say much, only reminding him to take care of himself.

Guardiola stayed in Bremen for two days, during which he met with the club's coach Schaaf, and they had insightful discussions about tactics.

Guardiola shared his experience in training Lucas and his tactical positioning in Barcelona's youth team. In turn, Schaaf inquired about how Guardiola used Messi in the Barcelona first team, including his roles as a winger and shadow forward.

Messi is the most talented and proudest player Guardiola had ever coached, and he had his own approach of using Messi.

If someone else had asked him about this, Guardiola would likely have kept it to himself. But with Schaaf, it's different.

Guardiola sensed that Schaf intended to use Lucas as the Messi of Werder Bremen.

Upon careful consideration, the playing styles of the two players are indeed very similar, even their dribbling techniques are almost identical.

Perhaps the way Messi was utilized in the Barcelona team could also work for Werder Bremen?

On the final day, after treating Lucas' host family to a meal, Guardiola left Bremen and returned to Catalonia.

Before leaving, he reminded Lucas, "Don't forget to come to my wedding. It will be on October 1st!"

With Guardiola gone, Lucas' vacation came to an end. On August 9, the players returned to the club for preseason preparations.

On that day, Werder Bremen officially announced on their website that all transfers for the season had been completed. The club planned to unveil the new signings before the friendly match against Aston Villa on August 11, and the team's new season jerseys would also be available for sale.

During the summer, Werder Bremen had acquired a total of 11 players, including three on loan, four through transfers, two as free agents, and two promoted from the club's youth ranks.

Although the number of signings is significant, the overall expenditure remained relatively low. Renting three players cost a total of 1.25 million euros, and the purchase of four players amounted to 8.5 million euros. The cumulative expense is less than 10 million euros.

This level of spending served as an exemplary model for small and medium-sized teams, displaying careful planning.

On August 11, Werder Bremen played a home match against Aston Villa, a Premier League team.

During the team meeting before the game, the eleven players signed in the summer are introduced one by one.

The stadium is filled with 45,000 spectators, nearly reaching maximum capacity. The strong attendance iss primarily due to the team's outstanding performance in the Telekom Cup, which ignited fans' enthusiasm and anticipation for the upcoming season.

Winning the Telekom Cup had been an unexpected delight for Werder Bremen fans.

Initially, they had only expected to be the training partner of Bayern Munich and Dortmund but the team surprised everyone by clinching the championship.

Although the title held less prestige than a league trophy or German Cup, it was still a trophy nonetheless.

Through the two tournament games, fans had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the new faces of the team.

The capabilities of Lukimya, Selassie, Elia, and others had already won the recognition of the fans.

Among the new players, Lucas and De Bruyne stood out as the most promising for the new season.

Lucas demonstrated strong finishing skills in the frontcourt, while De Bruyne showcased his offensive talent and playmaking abilities.

As a result, the fans eagerly anticipated the team's performance in the upcoming season.

Having become familiar with the newcomers through the preseason games, the fans warmly cheered for these players when they took the field.

De Bruyne and Lucas received the loudest cheers.

As Lucas stepped onto the field, donning the No. 10 jersey, all 45,000 fans rose to their feet, shouting his name in unison.

Some supporters even adorned themselves with the newly released team jerseys, featuring Lucas' No. 10.

Surprisingly, even though Lucas hadn't played a single Bundesliga match yet, he had already become the team's most popular player.

The captivating scene is captured by a Bild reporter, resulting in a timeless photograph that would be cherished and discussed by fans for years to come.

The 2012-2013 season marked the beginning of an exciting journey for Werder Bremen.