Lin Hai Ting Tao

Chapter 845 The Big List

Chapter 143 Ruse

Seemingly to put Jens Keller more at ease, the *Ruhr Nachrichten* soon published Matthias Dersch's report on whether Zhou Yi could play in the Revierderby.

"...We have learned from within Borussia Dortmund that whether Zhou Yi will be able to play in the Revierderby is still uncertain. There is still controversy and disagreement within the club. Sporting director Zorc wants Zhou Yi to play, believing that even if Zhou Yi does nothing after coming on, just standing on the pitch is an encouragement and boost to Dortmund's other players. But the team doctor, Dr. Braun, and his team oppose this approach. They believe that if Zhou Yi's body is not at 100% condition, he should not play. They can't let Zhou Yi's injury become a long-term one, like Gündoğan..."

"...Gündoğan's injury has the latest developments. He may need to rest for longer. And his waist injury is more serious than expected, and is likely to develop into a long-term injury... Obviously, Dortmund's coaching staff and team doctors do not want Zhou Yi to become another Gündoğan..."

"So according to my speculation... Klopp is very likely not to risk Zhou Yi in the Revierderby. Even if Zhou Yi's body has fully recovered, he will not let Zhou Yi play in this game. The Revierderby has always been fierce, with a lot of physical confrontation. If Zhou Yi is injured again in this game, it would be more terrible for Dortmund than losing the Revierderby..."

This article was well-reasoned and convincing.

Moreover, Matthias Dersch was a dedicated reporter for Borussia Dortmund in the *Ruhr Nachrichten*, and the editor of the Dortmund section.

He maintained good relationships with many people within Borussia Dortmund, and he often obtained internal information, especially during transfers. So his sources were credible.

With this person and article to back him up, Keller believed that his judgment was correct. Dortmund really didn't need to risk Zhou Yi, and a season's success was more important than winning a Revierderby.

To ensure that Zhou Yi would not play, Keller showed his "confidence" when interviewed by reporters afterward.

"I don't care if Zhou Yi plays or not. Whether he plays or not, we are prepared and will deal with them in our own way!"

The reporter asked, "What way?"

Keller smiled: "This is the Revierderby!"

He didn't say it explicitly, but anyone who knew the "Revierderby" would understand what he was talking about.

Although in the history of German football, Bayern Munich has always been the undisputed hegemon.

Although the contest between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund is considered the German National Derby.

But in Germany, the most popular, most intense, and most eye-catching derby has nothing to do with Bayern Munich. It is the Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04.

The popularity of the Revierderby ranks among the top ten in the world, even the top five. It is by no means inferior to Glasgow's "Old Firm Derby", and the Argentine National Derby between Boca Juniors and River Plate...

※※※

After Matthias Dersch's article, people discovered another sign that Zhou Yi might not play in the Revierderby—before the Revierderby, Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 players would, according to custom, shoot short videos to hype up the atmosphere before the derby. Although the derby is very serious for the fans, it is also a good opportunity for businesses to make money.

Having players from the two teams shoot short videos together to hype up the atmosphere is also a means of commercial marketing.

Sometimes the videos are shot one-on-one, with each side sending one person. Sometimes it is multiple-on-multiple, with each side sending several people.

For example, this time, there were five players from each side.

But Zhou Yi was not among them.

Although this was not very conclusive evidence, Zhou Yi's absence led to speculation—did Zhou Yi's absence from the video shoot also mean that he would be absent from the game?

※※※

The day before the game, it was time for Dortmund to announce the eighteen-man squad.

Everyone was watching closely, wanting to see if Zhou Yi really had no chance to be involved in the 143rd Revierderby in history.

But in the eighteen-man squad announced by Dortmund, Zhou Yi's name was impressively listed!

Chinese reporters were surprised when they saw Zhou Yi's name, and then became excited.

Did this mean that Zhou Yi would be able to play in the game against Schalke 04!

However, Klopp did not give a definitive answer when interviewed by reporters: "We just put him on the match list, but whether he can play or not is still uncertain. It depends on the situation at the time..."

In fact, at this time, there was no need to pretend anymore. It was a success to pretend before so that Schalke 04 was unprepared. Now there was only one day left before the game, even if Schalke 04 reacted, there would be no time to make adjustments.

However, Klopp still spoke ambiguously.

※※※

"Zhou Yi is on the list?!" Jens Keller looked at his assistant in surprise, and saw the other party nodded.

"Damn it!" Keller hurriedly snatched Dortmund's eighteen-man squad from his hand—Zhou Yi was indeed in it!

"Starting?" Keller asked again.

The assistant coach shook his head: "It hasn't been announced yet..."

Keller also realized that he was too anxious. How could Dortmund announce the starting lineup the day before the game? This was the Revierderby, and Dortmund would never easily leak their information!

Seeing Keller a little flustered, his assistant coach comforted him: "Just being on the list doesn't necessarily mean he will play. Klopp also said that whether Zhou Yi will play is not certain, it depends on the specific situation..."

"That is to say, he may not start, but if Dortmund encounters difficulties, Klopp may let him play?" Keller asked rhetorically.

The assistant coach nodded.

"Well...then it's best if his appearance is of no avail!"

※※※

In the "Exclude Lao Guo" group in the evening.

Yang Muge was very surprised: "Zhou Yi, didn't you say you wouldn't play?!"

Zhou Yi sent a hand-spreading expression: "When did I say I wouldn't play? I said I didn't know if I could play. Besides, being on the list doesn't mean you can definitely play, does it?"

Yang Muge was speechless. Zhou Yi had indeed not said that he would definitely not play, and being on the list did not mean that he could play...

But now Yang Muge didn't dare to believe that Zhou Yi wouldn't play—since he was on the list, how could he not play? If he wasn't going to play, what was he doing bringing him to Schalke?

Although Zhou Yi might play, which made Yang Muge worried about the team's performance, he still expressed his joy.

"In any case, if you can enter the match list, it must mean that your body has recovered to a state where you can play, right, Zhou Yi?"

"Well, I said before, I think I've recovered almost."

"That's a good thing."

"Hey, Lao Yang, is that what an opponent should say?" Sun Pan, who was next to him, couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm worried for you, if Zhou Yi plays, can you still win?"

"You can't say that. Whether Zhou Yi plays or not, we will win. I'm not going to feel bad about Zhou Yi's return, am I?" Yang Muge said.

Looking at Yang Muge's words, Zhou Yi sighed: "Lao Yang, you are really a good person..."

"Don't give me a good guy card, Zhou Yi. I know you must be implying that we will lose, right?" Yang Muge replied.

Zhou Yi was stunned for a moment—his sigh was purely because he "deceived" Yang Muge, but Yang Muge was still thinking about him, so he said Yang Muge was a good person. He really didn't think about the "good guy card" at all...

But after being said that by Yang Muge, Zhou Yi thought about it carefully, and he really had that feeling...

So he said in the group: "Lao Yang, your heart is really dirty now, you actually misunderstand your friends like this, I am very sad for you—where did the shy and introverted Yang Muge go?"

Guo Nu couldn't help but send a vomiting expression, and He Ying typed a string of ellipses.

Sun Pan: "Zhou Yi, how can you have the nerve to say Lao Yang? In terms of dirty hearts, who can be dirtier than you!"

However, Yang Muge's answer made everyone else in the group laugh.

"There's no way, Zhou Yi, I'm the closest to you here. Although we are more than twenty kilometers apart, I'm still contaminated by you."

It was Zhou Yi's turn to type ellipses...

"Ahahaha! Well done, Lao Yang!"

"That's right, proximity breeds! Zhou Yi, you are that ink!"

"23333333"

The group burst into joyful laughter.