Chapter 1 Rurh Derby

Although the distance between the cities of Schalke and Dortmund is very short, Zhou Yi did not want his parents to go to away games.

The Ruhr Derby is rare, and this is the first time his parents have had the opportunity to watch it live.

However, Zhou Yi believes that safety is more important than watching the game live.

He wasn't just trying to scare people; in fact, there were indeed safety concerns with the Ruhr Derby.

In the Ruhr area, where the coal, steel, and other heavy industries were the pillar industries, the economy stagnated due to industrial restructuring and depletion of energy resources, and more and more unemployed workers became unstable factors in social security.

In 1979, Schalke's football hooligans formed Germany's most notorious violent group, "gelsenszene." In 1982, Dortmund's football hooligans responded by forming a group promoting *****ism, "Borussenfront."

After that, the two violent groups began to fight and crush each other.

One statistic can illustrate the problem: In the 1984-1985 season, when Schalke 04 encountered Bayern Munich in the league, a total of 64,000 fans went to the home game to watch. However, during the Ruhr Derby, the number of spectators plummeted to 41,000.

Isn't the Ruhr Derby supposed to be packed with enthusiastic fans? Were Schalke 04 fans not loyal enough?

Of course not, because many fans didn't want to risk their lives just to watch a game...

So many fans were afraid to go to the stadium to watch the game.

The current situation has not improved much.

In last year's Ruhr Derby, fans from both sides engaged in a large-scale conflict, and the police eventually arrested more than 200 people...

The antagonistic atmosphere between Dortmund and Schalke 04 has become increasingly intense in the past decade or so. Every derby is like a war.

This may be related to the alternating periods of glory and decline of the two teams in the past decade or so. When one side is glorious, the other side declines, and the glorious side is naturally arrogant, while the declining side naturally finds everything unpleasant.

From 1999 to 2005, Schalke 04 remained undefeated in the Ruhr Derby for seven years, with a clear advantage. That period was also when Dortmund was in financial crisis and their performance declined severely.

But since Klopp took over as coach of Dortmund, the situation has gradually reversed. To be precise, the balance of victory and defeat has been reversed since Zhou Yi began playing in Dortmund's first team.

Since the 2008-2009 season, Dortmund and Schalke 04 have played against each other ten times, nine of which were in the league, and one was in the German Super Cup.

In these ten games, Dortmund has only lost one. In the first half of the 2009-2010 season, Dortmund lost 1:0 to Schalke 04 at home. Zhou Yi watched that game from the south stand of Westfalenstadion, and he has a deep impression of it.

After that, he got a chance to play in the game against Hoffenheim. Since then, when Dortmund has met Schalke 04 in the Ruhr Derby again, they have not only never lost, but have not even drawn, winning every game!

So some media said that Zhou Yi is the real nemesis of Schalke 04. No wonder Schalke 04, whether it is the team coach or media reporters, are very concerned about whether Zhou Yi can play this time...

Zhou Yi also had a war of words with Schalke 04 reporters. He once used Newton's second law to ridicule the ignorance of Schalke 04 reporters, so he is naturally a thorn in the side of Schalke 04 fans.

He didn't want his parents to take this risk...

So, despite the fact that Zhou Jianliang wanted to experience the atmosphere of what is known as Germany's most explosive derby, Zhou Yi still didn't dare to grant him this wish. He could only watch the live broadcast in a high-end apartment with complete security facilities...

※※※

This highly anticipated game was closely watched two hours before it started, because the two teams would announce their starting lineups at this time.

The home team, Schalke 04, announced its starting lineup: starting goalkeeper Hildebrand, starting defenders Uchida Atsuto, Höwedes, Matip, and Ogo. Starting midfielders Fuchs, Yang Muge, Roman Neustädter, Kevin-Prince Boateng, and Draxler, and only one starting striker, Adam Szalai.

In fact, both teams were troubled by injuries before this game.

Dortmund need not be said, Schalke 04's main strikers Huntelaar and Farfán were absent from this game due to injuries, and the main midfielder Höger was also absent due to injury.

Because of the absence of three important main players, Jens Keller was very concerned about whether Zhou Yi could play. If Zhou Yi couldn't, he would breathe a sigh of relief.

He is now also closely watching Dortmund's movements.

But two hours before the game, Dortmund did not announce the starting lineup.

This is a bit contrary to common sense.

Generally speaking, announcing the starting lineup two hours before the game is the practice of many teams, and Dortmund has done so before, even in the Ruhr Derby.

Therefore, it is unreasonable to explain this behavior by saying "This is the Ruhr Derby, it needs to be treated with caution."

So why didn't Klopp announce the starting lineup?

This has attracted everyone's attention.

Everyone in the press box was talking and guessing the reason.

"Maybe he's still hesitating whether to let Zhou Yi play? Or in what form?"

"Then it seems that Zhou Yi's physical condition may not be as good as he told us? So the coaching staff hesitated whether he should play?"

"Before, I thought Dortmund was releasing smoke bombs. Now it seems that putting Zhou Yi on the roster is really a last resort?"

"It's over, Dortmund is likely to be in trouble in this game..."

……

Jens Keller has also been paying attention to Dortmund's starting lineup. After discovering that Dortmund had not announced the list, he and his assistant got together to discuss it.

In the end, their conclusion was similar to everyone's conclusion in the press box, that is, Klopp must also be very hesitant to let Zhou Yi play. If Zhou Yi's physical condition is really no problem, then without saying anything, he would definitely arrange him in the starting lineup.

As a result, the starting lineup has not been released until now, then there must be a problem with Zhou Yi.

It shows that Zhou Yi's body has not completely recovered, and he may not have reached the standard for playing. There may still be a struggle between Zorc and team doctor Braun.

Keller could even imagine a big drama of internal struggle in Dortmund.

If this is the case, it would be a good result for Schalke 04.

Any team, when they start to become disunited internally, is when they start to decline.

※※※

Dortmund did not announce their starting lineup for this game until the pre-match warm-up of both teams was about to end.

Keller also got this starting lineup as soon as possible.

When he couldn't wait to open the list, he was taken aback.

"Zhou Yi is starting?" He stared at Zhou Yi's name in the starting lineup and asked in surprise.

Keller was not the only one who asked similar questions in surprise.

In the press box, on the internet.

Everyone asked the same question.

"Zhou Yi is starting?!"

"Zhou Yi actually started?!"

Yes, Zhou Yi is starting.

In the starting lineup announced by Dortmund, Zhou Yi was impressively listed!

Klopp has been releasing smoke bombs all the time. When it comes to the real thing, these smoke bombs can no longer be released, otherwise wouldn't it be stupid to get himself involved?

So in the end, the mystery was revealed, and Zhou Yi still started.

It's just that after being surprised and stunned by Zhou Yi's start, many people's opinions are not consistent.

Some people think that Dortmund has been releasing smoke bombs and hiding very well. Now they have finally revealed their true purpose. If this is the case, it means that Zhou Yi's physical fitness is no problem, and he can indeed play.

Some people also think that this cannot explain anything. They insist on their previous judgment, thinking that the Dortmund coaching staff made this decision after a lot of hesitation and struggle. This cannot show that Zhou Yi has met the requirements for playing the game. Maybe it was a last resort?

Jens Keller is the latter.

In this situation, he probably has no choice but to be the latter.

Besides, he has no time to adjust his tactics and arrange personnel configuration temporarily... He can only bite the bullet and go on.

"What should we do?" The assistant coach asked him.

He gritted his teeth and said: "Continue with our tactics, focus on ourselves, no matter how they change. Strive to knock out Dortmund's arrogance in the first half!"

When he said this, he gritted his teeth, not knowing whether it was because of anger or fear...

Zhou Yi's start did bring him a big shock.

After all, that's Zhou Yi...

The nemesis of Schalke 04!