Chapter 337: Chapter 78: Combo Move! Dribbling Past Three! Is That Really Wang Shuo? Sidelining the Head Coach? Klopp’s Gossip, Guaranteed Juicy

This made them all realize just how important Wang Shuo was to the Dortmund fans.

"It’s incredible. In just six short months, he’s completely won over these fans!"

"It makes sense. He’s already scored 22 goals in the Bundesliga. In any other season, that’s enough to win the Golden Boot."

"I read the last issue of Bild. Wang Shuo is becoming more and more important to the team."

"Did you see the interview on Capital Television? The Dortmund president, Laubal, even said that renewing Wang Shuo’s contract is the team’s top priority right now. A lot of major European clubs have their eyes on him and want to poach him." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Honestly, Wang Shuo is just too good!"

"I have a strong feeling that Dortmund won’t be able to keep him for much longer."

"Ronaldo’s transfer fee was close to 100 million euros. So how much would Wang Shuo’s be?"

"It can’t be that high, can it? Ronaldo, after all, has won the Golden Ball Award and the World Footballer of the Year."

"But Wang Shuo is younger, just nineteen."

"That’s really hard to say."

While everyone was deep in discussion, Green Grass by the Field posted another photo.

It was taken from high up in the Dortmund stands, looking down. You could clearly see Wang Shuo at the very front of the Dortmund line, holding a mascot’s hand as he walked out of the player tunnel.

"The players are taking the field, and Wang Shuo is still the captain," Green Grass by the Field commented.

Countless users replied to the post immediately.

"Knew it! If I were Klopp, I’d just make Wang Shuo the permanent captain! We’d be winning 5-0 every match!"

"Haha, no way. Once Weidenfeller is back, Wang Shuo will have to give the armband back."

"Exactly. You can’t mess with the locker room’s unity."

"And Kael is ahead of Weidenfeller. He’s the official captain."

"Sister Qinghe is amazing! She’s at every single game without fail!"

"For real. If there’s a Wang Shuo fan club, our Sister Qinghe has to be the president."

"Sister Qinghe, any changes to the starting lineup?"

Green Grass by the Field replied, "Yeah, Santana is starting for Sven Bender, and Hummels is playing as a holding midfielder. They said Sven got injured, but it’s nothing serious."

"And up front, Grosskreutz is in for Reus."

"Oh, that makes sense. For a big match like this, Grosskreutz is a bit more reliable than Reus."

"I wouldn’t say that. Reus offers more firepower in attack, but Grosskreutz is better at pinning down the opposing full-backs."

As they were talking, the live match broadcast from Capital Television came on.

Dortmund’s starting lineup was just as Shen Qinghe had described, with two changes.

When the Chinese fans saw Wang Shuo wearing the captain’s armband for the coin toss against Hamburg’s captain, Jarolim, they all erupted in cheers. The forums were also flooded with comments from fans.

Shen Qinghe added another comment.

"Here at the stadium, the Dortmund fans are applauding thunderously, and the South Stand is deafening. The fans are clearly all behind Wang Shuo!"

...

The moment the referee, Graf, blew his whistle to start the match, Wang Shuo charged toward Hamburg’s two center-backs.

Mathijsen and Jerome Boateng.

Grosskreutz and Kuba pressed forward from the wings as well.

Along with their teammates from the midfield and back line.

Dortmund immediately unleashed an aggressive high press.

And a mere 1 minute and 46 seconds in, Dortmund’s suffocating high-pressure tactics forced an error from the Hamburg back line.

Jerome Boateng failed to pass the ball away in time after controlling it. Wang Shuo closed in, beat him to it, and stole the ball, executing a deadly tackle high up the field.

After Wang Shuo won the ball, Boateng immediately closed in and bodied up, trying to win it back.

In the Hamburg defender’s mind, a physical challenge like that should have been enough to stop Wang Shuo, given his physique.

But this time, he had miscalculated!

Wang Shuo held his ground against the physical challenge while skillfully knocking the ball into the penalty area, immediately putting Boateng in an awkward position.

After breaking into the box and skillfully dribbling past Mathijsen, Wang Shuo fired a shot with his right foot from a tight angle, sending the ball into Hamburg’s goal.

1-0!

The entire Westfalen Stadium erupted in celebration!

After the first goal, the game completely opened up.

Labbadia’s team wasn’t the type to just roll over and be slaughtered; they wanted to fight back.

But in the 11th minute, Schmelzer sent a diagonal ball over the top from the left flank, straight into the space behind the defense.

Wang Shuo made a quick run between Mathijsen and Jerome Boateng, brought the ball down on his chest, and broke into the penalty area. Just before the onrushing goalkeeper, Rost, could get to him, he chipped it with his right foot.

Although Rost’s challenge sent him tumbling to the ground inside Hamburg’s penalty area, the ball still found its way into the net.

2-0!

From that point on, the match fell completely into Dortmund’s rhythm—one they were both familiar and proficient with.

Then, in the 31st minute of the first half, Owomoyela played a through ball from the right. Kuba burst into the right side of the penalty area and fired home, extending their lead.

3-0!

During halftime, Dortmund made a substitution.

Foyelner was injured, and the young Götze came on to replace him.

Still, the substitution was a blow to Dortmund’s morale.

After all, Kael and De De still hadn’t returned from injury. Weidenfeller had been injured in the last round, Sven Bender was also out, and now Foyelner had gone down in this match.

It would be a lie to say the players weren’t worried.