Every Ruhr derby saw the stands packed to capacity, let alone today's, which could determine the league champion for the entire season.

If Bayern Munich's game wasn't at the same time as Dortmund's, some Bayern players might have been watching this one on TV.

Westfalenstadion was already full, almost entirely a sea of yellow and black as far as the eye could see.

Schalke 04 fans were present, but inconspicuous, in the highest and furthest seats from the pitch.

Although the two cities were close, neither team's fans particularly enjoyed watching games at the other's stadium, making Ruhr derbies harder for the away team.

In the Bundesliga's history, the two teams had met eighty-three times, with Dortmund slightly ahead with thirty wins, twenty-four draws, and twenty-nine losses, illustrating the intensity of the Ruhr derby.

At home, Dortmund had the advantage, with eighteen wins, twelve draws, and eleven losses, further proving that away Ruhr derbies were indeed more challenging.

In the first leg of the league's Ruhr derby, Dortmund's extreme fans threw flares onto the stands, leading to post-match clashes between the fans. As a result, even before this match started, the atmosphere was already tense. To maintain order, Dortmund deployed three thousand police officers both inside and outside the stadium to prevent any incidents.

Due to Dortmund fans causing trouble multiple times this season, the club was very anxious. Any further incidents could lead to the German Football Association banning fans from attending home games.

Dortmund's fans had always been a source of pride for the club, being among the most fanatical and loyal in Europe. However, while enjoying the support benefits brought by these passionate fans, the Dortmund club also had to bear the troubles and pressures from their extreme elements.

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Because the two teams knew each other so well, there was no period of mutual probing after the game started.

Just four minutes in, Huntelaar received the ball ten meters from the goal and shot directly, narrowly missing and startling Dortmund's fans.

This also showed Schalke 04's determination. Despite the difficulty of playing away, they were still seeking victory.

Of course, Dortmund wasn't a wooden dummy either. After conceding a threatening attack, they naturally had to respond in kind.

Two minutes later, Reus crossed from the wing, and Marc headed the ball in the center, but with no one guarding him, he sent it wide.

Another two minutes later, Schalke 04's Goretzka took a long shot from outside the box, which Weidenfeller caught directly.

Yan Min and Reus switched positions, with Yan Min crossing an in-swinging ball from the right wing. Sven Bender headed towards the goal in the center, but the ball went wide of the right post again…

"After the game started, both sides played very aggressively, completely going on the offensive! We only see this kind of game against very familiar opponents. Despite this being such a crucial match, neither side is willing to lose in terms of momentum…" Marcel Reif said.

As the offensive exchanges developed, the atmosphere on the field gradually became more intense.

In the twenty-third minute, Reus raised his arm during a header challenge, making an elbow motion. He was called for a foul and received a yellow card.

With Dortmund receiving a yellow card, Schalke 04 naturally wasn't going to be outdone. In terms of intensity, the Ruhr derby was the best in Germany. Soon, Draxler fouled while tackling in the backcourt, also receiving a yellow card. He tripped Zhou Yi, and despite receiving a yellow card for it, Draxler showed no intention of helping Zhou Yi up or signaling friendliness. Instead, he turned and ran away.

Zhou Yi was helped up by his teammates.

"Are you alright, Zhou Yi?" his teammates asked with concern.

Zhou Yi shook his head. "I'm fine. I dodged in time."

"That kid was purely aiming for you!" someone glared fiercely at Draxler in the distance.

Draxler didn't care about the Dortmund players' angry gazes and even seemed a little smug.

"I'm fine," Zhou Yi patted his teammate, reassuring him.

The game continued, and during a dead ball situation, Draxler approached Zhou Yi and whispered harshly, covering his mouth, "Did that fall hurt? Don't mind it; this is the Ruhr derby. If you can't take it, ask to be subbed off!"

Hearing Draxler's words, Zhou Yi helplessly turned to Yang Muge beside him and deliberately said in German, "Lao Yang, why is your good friend so childish?"

Yang Muge was speechless, but Draxler, hearing these words, was unhappy: "Who are you calling childish?"

Zhou Yi smiled at him and didn't say anything.

Seeing his two friends so at odds on the field, Yang Muge was helpless.

Back in the youth team, he knew that Draxler "hated" Zhou Yi and had always disliked him.

But that was their own business, and Yang Muge couldn't interfere. Draxler was his friend, and Zhou Yi was also his friend, but he didn't need to force these two friends to become friends as well. Everyone was an adult; there was no need to be so childish.

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The game continued, and few people noticed this verbal spat between Draxler and Zhou Yi.

However, soon someone noticed a small change in Zhou Yi's position on the field – he and Sven Bender switched places.

Originally, Zhou Yi's position was relatively flexible. When standing with Sven Bender, it wasn't fixed to the left or right side.

But after the game restarted, Zhou Yi remained fixed on one side, rarely going anywhere else.

After this adjustment, he went from facing off against Yang Muge to facing off against Draxler.

This small change in position was only considered as Zhou Yi trying to shake off Yang Muge's defense.

This was normal.

Every Ruhr derby, Yang Muge's defense against Zhou Yi was very tight, and Zhou Yi always had to use all his skills to shake off Yang Muge's defense. In the previous Ruhr derby, Schalke 04's coach, Jens Keller, abandoned this approach and instead had the young defensive midfielder Neustaedter defend Zhou Yi.

The result of that game was a disaster for Neustaedter. The tall Neustaedter couldn't defend the short but agile Zhou Yi, and Neustaedter's physical advantages were useless in front of Zhou Yi.

Schalke 04 conceded a goal just fourteen minutes into the game, and it started from Neustaedter losing his defense against Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi scored a goal that sealed the victory in the game, also after shaking off Neustaedter.

In that game, Schalke 04 lost 1-3 to Dortmund at their home stadium, and Neustaedter's performance was definitely not outstanding. Neustaedter didn't even finish the game and was substituted by Jens Keller.

After the game, Schalke media criticized Jens Keller's lineup and tactical arrangements, believing that his biggest mistake was using Neustaedter to defend Zhou Yi. In front of the flexible and cunning Zhou Yi, Neustaedter was like a rusty tin can.

This time, Jens Keller was still the coach for Schalke 04. This time, he finally didn't repeat his previous mistake. Although Neustaedter also started, he decided to have Yang Muge defend Zhou Yi before the game. In terms of positions on the field, the two were facing off against each other.

After the game started, Yang Muge's restriction on Zhou Yi was successful. Although both sides were playing offensively, at least he didn't let Zhou Yi deliver the final deadly pass.

But now, after this switch, Zhou Yi was closer to Draxler.

Draxler was an attacking player, but he also needed to undertake certain defensive tasks when the team was defending. Otherwise, how would he have tripped Zhou Yi earlier?

When Zhou Yi got the ball again, he didn't pass it out immediately but tried to dribble forward.

In his dribbling path was Draxler, who was returning to defend.

Facing Zhou Yi, he was eager to try and give Zhou Yi another harsh lesson.

When the two met, Zhou Yi's left foot pulled the ball to the right, making it seem like he was going to break through on the right. Draxler naturally shifted his weight towards that side as well.

But just as he shifted his weight, Zhou Yi's left foot, after pulling the ball, suddenly used the outside of his foot to flick the ball back to the left!

At the same time, Zhou Yi quickly changed direction, intending to break through on the left!

At this point, it was too late for Draxler to change his weight again.

But he didn't want to just watch Zhou Yi pass him, so in desperation, he tripped Zhou Yi with his feet and pulled him with his hands, forcibly keeping Zhou Yi, who was about to break through, by his side.

Seeing that he couldn't contend with Draxler's "devil's claws," Zhou Yi didn't struggle anymore, stopped directly, spread his hands, and let the ball slip away from in front of him.

Such an obvious pulling foul, he didn't believe the referee wouldn't see it.

Sure enough, the whistle soon sounded behind him, followed by boos from the stands, all of which were from Dortmund fans directed at Draxler.

"Draxler has committed two consecutive fouls in a short period of time! He needs to be careful; he already has a yellow card!" Marcel Reif reminded. "The referee may have considered this, and only gave him a verbal warning this time, without intending to show him a card. But in any case, Draxler needs to be careful…"

Draxler didn't have the arrogant attitude he had after his previous foul. Faced with the referee's verbal warning, he could only nod continuously, admitting his mistake.

He wasn't stupid and knew he couldn't anger the referee.

Fortunately, the referee let him off.

Turning around, he saw Zhou Yi next to him, smiling at him.

The attitude of actively admitting his mistake that Draxler had shown in front of the referee immediately disappeared, and he glared fiercely at Zhou Yi.