Actually, it wasn't just the coaching staff who were paying attention to Borussia Dortmund. Bayern Munich's players were also inevitably keeping an eye on them. After all, they were old rivals who had been competing with them for several seasons. In the previous three seasons, Bayern Munich had lost to Borussia Dortmund every time, especially last season, when they were defeated twice in the league and the Champions League final. It was an unforgettable experience. An opponent like that could not be ignored.

Originally, everyone was quite happy to hear that Borussia Dortmund was plagued with injuries this season. They felt that it was simply "heaven helping them," and that Bayern Munich was sure to win the league title this season.

Who would have thought that Borussia Dortmund would be so tenacious, still only four points behind them to this day?

In the closed-door locker room, everyone naturally talked about Borussia Dortmund's ongoing match.

"I watched it. The match between Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach is still tied 2-2." Müller waved his phone. "But there seems to be a controversial call. Borussia Dortmund seems to have been denied a penalty..."

"I watched it too. It was a handball, right..."

"Yes, it was a handball. Strictly speaking, Dams' elbow was close to his upper body and not fully extended, so it shouldn't have been a handball..."

Everyone discussed it heatedly.

If Borussia Mönchengladbach could successfully stop Borussia Dortmund in this match, Bayern Munich would be closer to the league title.

Götze sat in his seat, watching his teammates discuss enthusiastically, but he didn't participate at all.

Although he had become a Bayern Munich player this season, and everyone in the Bayern Munich team treated him well, whenever there were topics related to Borussia Dortmund, he would feel awkward in this group. In any case, he had played for Borussia Dortmund for many years, from the youth team to the first team. He had long been branded with the "Borussia Dortmund" mark, which could not be erased.

Even if he wore the Bayern Munich jersey, it wouldn't change this history.

He had left Borussia Dortmund, but Borussia Dortmund hadn't let go of him. He was always caught up in topics related to Borussia Dortmund.

Whether he wanted to or not.

Moreover, Borussia Dortmund was facing so many difficulties this season, but still clung to Bayern Munich, which made him feel even more complicated. He came to Bayern Munich to prove that he was no worse than Zhou Yi. He imagined that he should be the core player in Bayern Munich.

But the reality was that he wasn't even a starter in Bayern Munich, let alone the core. He was just a rotation player - in the twenty-four league rounds, he only started thirteen times, just over half, came on as a substitute five times, and twice he was on the bench but didn't get a chance to play.

It was impossible for Götze not to regret choosing to come to Bayern Munich. After all, he had imagined it to be so beautiful before he came. He admired Guardiola and liked Guardiola's football philosophy. He felt that he could definitely spark with Guardiola when he came to Bayern Munich. He didn't expect the reality to be so cruel. Guardiola didn't seem to be interested in him.

He still scored six goals in his limited playing time, which ranked fifth in the entire Bayern Munich team, behind Lewandowski with sixteen goals, Thomas Müller with twelve goals, Robben with ten goals, and Ribéry with eight goals.

He felt that his performance was pretty good and that he should get more playing opportunities. But Guardiola didn't think so...

He wasn't having a good time in Bayern Munich, and at the same time, he kept hearing news from his old club, especially about Zhou Yi, who was shining brightly this season and performing even better than last season... After he and Lewandowski left, Zhou Yi almost single-handedly shouldered the responsibility for Borussia Dortmund's attack. The club bought Mkhitaryan, hoping to share some of the responsibility and pressure for him, but who would have thought that Zhou Yi's outstanding performance would firmly press Mkhitaryan on the bench, and he could only appear in some garbage time.

Götze came to Bayern Munich to prove that he was no worse than Zhou Yi.

But reality went in the completely opposite direction. Everyone was still praising Zhou Yi - "Zhou Yi is Borussia Dortmund's key player!" "Deservedly the yellow and black core, Zhou Yi once again saved the day!"

And what about him?

"...After joining Bayern Munich, he experienced injuries and discomfort, but now he is doing well and has still scored six goals in a limited time..."

"Doing well."

Listen to that, that's the difference.

After going around in circles, he still failed to prove himself, and he was still living in the shadow of others.

In a daze, Götze suddenly heard someone calling him.

"Mario, Mario..."

He came back to his senses and found that all his teammates in the locker room were looking at him.

He was a little confused: "Huh? What's the matter?"

"It's nothing, I just wanted to ask you a question." Müller said with a grin.

"What question?"

"You were in Borussia Dortmund last season, right? We're just curious, why is Borussia Dortmund so tenacious? Is there any secret?"

Götze was even more confused.

He reflexively glanced at Lewandowski sitting on the other side. He wasn't the only one who played for Borussia Dortmund last season. Wasn't he there too? Why are they all asking me?

He saw the Pole sitting in his seat, his eyes lowered, making it impossible to see what he was thinking.

Hey...

Götze rolled his eyes at Lewandowski in his heart.

※※※

When Götze was sitting there in a daze, it all fell into Lewandowski's eyes.

Everyone came from Borussia Dortmund at the same time, but Lewandowski and Götze were different. Götze had a more obvious "Borussia Dortmund label" on him. On the contrary, Lewandowski didn't have such a burden.

It was simple. Götze was cultivated by Borussia Dortmund's youth training, while Lewandowski was just a player that Borussia Dortmund bought from the Polish league.

Since coming to Bayern Munich, people have increasingly less associated Lewandowski with Borussia Dortmund.

But it's different with Götze.

Lewandowski actually felt a little sympathy for Götze. He transferred from Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich, but he still hasn't shaken off the Borussia Dortmund traces on his body. There are still some Bayern Munich fans who don't really accept him...

He didn't know why Götze had to abandon Borussia Dortmund and transfer to Bayern Munich. He was different from himself. He didn't have any feelings for Borussia Dortmund at all.

Götze said that he had been a Bayern Munich supporter since he was a child, and even the bed sheets at home had Bayern Munich patterns.

That's the tragic part about Götze. A person who has been a Bayern Munich supporter since he was a child, but grew up in Borussia Dortmund...

In the end, he's not reliable on either side.

Moreover, after he and himself transferred to Bayern Munich together, Lewandowski would always observe his teammate. He found that as long as the topic of Borussia Dortmund was mentioned in the locker room, Götze would get distracted.

Obviously, Borussia Dortmund's position in his heart is actually very important. He doesn't know if he realizes this.

When Müller asked in the locker room what the secret to Borussia Dortmund's relentless pursuit was, he was actually also looking at him, but Lewandowski immediately lowered his eyes and didn't make eye contact with Müller.

This was a very obvious intention not to participate in this topic.

So Müller had to call out Götze's name - there were only these two players from Borussia Dortmund in the locker room. If he couldn't ask Lewandowski, of course he had to ask Götze.

※※※

With everyone in the locker room watching, Götze couldn't refuse to answer, so he had to perfunctorily say: "There's no secret... In that time period, the luck was just particularly good?"

"Good luck?" Müller stared at Götze with wide eyes.

In order to make Müller believe his words, Götze repeated it in a very affirmative tone: "Yes, good luck. Otherwise, how could we have scored two consecutive winning goals against you... I, uh, Bayern Munich?"

A group of people in the locker room looked at each other. They were planning to find out some internal gossip about Borussia Dortmund, but who would have thought that the answer would be luck?

"Uh, okay..." Müller could only find a way to step down. "Luck is also part of strength..."

"So Borussia Dortmund used up all their luck this season?" The team's captain Lahm asked.

"Yes." Götze nodded.

He didn't plan to continue discussing this issue. The more he said, the more he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to justify himself.

Fortunately, the locker room started discussing the topic of luck and didn't ask him anymore.

Götze fell into a daze again, because he realized that he seemed to have never seriously thought about Müller's question.

Why was Borussia Dortmund able to score two consecutive winning goals against Bayern Munich last season? Was it simply because of good luck?

Think about who scored the winning goals against Bayern Munich in those two games?

Zhou Yi.

This name appeared in Götze's mind.

Luck?

※※※

The locker room was discussing enthusiastically, but Götze quickly fell silent and got distracted again.

Lewandowski saw all of this.

He snorted in his heart and didn't agree with Götze's answer.

Luck?

※※※

Boos echoed over Westfalenstadion.

Although the match had continued, Borussia Dortmund's fans were still unrelenting about the penalty that Borussia Mönchengladbach hadn't been called for.

Of course they had to do this, because if that penalty had been called, Borussia Dortmund should have been leading now, and winning this match would have been no problem.

But now they have nothing. If Borussia Dortmund doesn't win this match because of this misjudgment, who's responsible? A season of hard work, only to be washed away by this misjudgment, who could stand it?

But the fans could only boo and hiss. Besides venting their emotions, they couldn't change anything.

"That should have been a penalty. I wonder if this ruling is some kind of attempt to find balance? After all, Borussia Mönchengladbach had one person sent off..." Some fans in the stands discussed.

"Bullshit balance! Nordtveit's two yellow cards were no problem at all! If you ask me, even without the first yellow card, his foul on Zhou Yi should have been a straight red card! I think someone doesn't want us to win the championship again! After all, we've won the league title for three consecutive seasons, and Bayern Munich must not be happy..."

"That's right, that's right. We've injured so many people this season, and everyone is saying it's bad luck. Bad luck my ass! It's clearly a conspiracy! Counting the two most serious injuries, Subotić and Gündoğan, both were injured during national team matches! Bayern Munich's players can even be excused for having a baby, but our players have to play with injuries. If that's not a conspiracy from Munich, I absolutely won't believe it!"

Borussia Dortmund's fans vented their emotions with swear words and conspiracy theories.

Now that's all they can do...

Can spiritual power really materialize and help them change the situation?

Is the support of tens of thousands of people just a form of self-comfort?