Klopp wanted to hear Zhou Yi's tactical choices. Logically, the right to explain tactics should be in the hands of the head coach or assistant coach.

But Buvac wasn't surprised by Klopp's actions.

Because he was used to it...

Back then, he and Klopp had even discussed tactics with Zhou Yi...

Klopp had an almost "superstitious" absolute trust in Zhou Yi—this exceeded any other player on the team. In terms of offensive strategy and tactical choices, Klopp would give Zhou Yi enough space on the field to allow him a certain degree of freedom. Although there wouldn't be no restrictions at all, it would definitely be much more tactical space than other players had.

In return, Zhou Yi led Dortmund to three consecutive Bundesliga titles and a Champions League trophy. Klopp treated him with "absolute trust," and of course he had to be worthy of that trust. The so-called "a scholar dies for his confidant" wasn't as shallow as feudal loyalty...

After Dortmund won the Champions League, many people analyzed and researched "why."

Why was Dortmund able to maintain excellent competitive form and results for three consecutive seasons? Why was Dortmund able to suppress Bayern Munich in both the domestic league and the Champions League?

They reached conclusions from many aspects, but the "oddball" partnership between Klopp and Zhou Yi was rarely mentioned, because not many people knew about it, and even if they did, they didn't take it too seriously. They didn't attach enough importance to it.

So from this point of view, Dortmund's success was actually difficult to replicate, whether by other teams or by Dortmund themselves.

If one day Klopp or Zhou Yi left Dortmund, then everything built on that foundation would lose its meaning.

No other head coach would give a player such immense trust and respect. And no other player would have such a clear tactical mind as Zhou Yi.

Buvac sometimes even wondered why Klopp was able to do this. He believed that even he himself couldn't give Zhou Yi such great power—to say that Zhou Yi was the team's invisible tactical coach wouldn't be wrong.

How many head coaches could allow this to happen? They always wanted to be the sole authority in the team, with all rights of interpretation in their own hands, and the players only needed to follow their arrangements. Of course, they would listen to the players' voices, but that was more in terms of personnel relationships, not tactics.

If a player said to the head coach, "I think we should change our tactics in the next game and use a different approach..."

Then he would most likely anger the head coach, because it would be a challenge to his authority.

But Klopp, that crazy man, gave Zhou Yi such freedom. It really fit his "crazy people do crazy things" persona...

※※※

"There's not much time left in the first half. It seems unlikely that the score will change... Regarding the situation shown in the first half, I think both head coaches will definitely make corresponding arrangements and adjustments during the halftime break..."

Commentator He Ping said this while the game time displayed on the TV screen was forty-four minutes and twenty-five seconds.

Just before he said this, the fourth official raised the board for injury time, which was only one minute because the first half had been very smooth, except for the initial conflict between Aubameyang and Luis.

What could be done in the remaining one minute and thirty-five seconds?

Even if Dortmund had possession of the ball and were attacking.

Zhou Yi received the ball in front of the penalty area, but he had his back to the direction of attack... At this moment, Zhou Yi suddenly used his heel to pass the ball into the penalty area behind him!

He wanted to pass the ball to Mark.

Luis had been on guard against this. They had studied Zhou Yi a lot before the game... So he stretched out his foot and tackled the ball away.

The rolling ball was received by Şahin. Dortmund controlled the second landing point, as if they had grabbed an offensive rebound, and could continue to organize the attack. Because there was very little time left in the first half, most of the Chelsea players had returned to the thirty-meter area to help defend. They had also felt how fierce and crazy Dortmund's offensive had been in the first half, and they didn't want Dortmund to equalize the score at the end of the first half...

At this time, Zhou Yi had retreated and was more than thirty meters away from the goal. He adjusted his direction and faced the goal directly.

Şahin passed the ball to him.

Zhou Yi used his left foot to stop the ball passed by Şahin, and then, without any run-up, directly swung his right foot and shot at the ball!

This shot was really sudden, because there was no sign of a run-up at all. Zhou Yi directly swung his foot from the spot, with no warning before the shot!

"Zhou Yi shoots—!" Marcel Reif shouted excitedly.

Zhou Yi aimed this shot at the far corner of the goal. Sun Pan also moved his feet, preparing to pounce. But the ball hit the calf of Ramires, who jumped up to defend, in mid-air, causing a deflection!

The ball instead went towards the near corner!

It's over!

Many Chelsea fans, and some Chelsea players, had this thought in their minds when they saw this scene.

Ramires felt a chill in his heart—if this ball went in, it would definitely be his fault...

Mark even couldn't wait to raise his arms, ready to cheer for the goal.

But at this moment, Sun Pan pounced over from behind the crowd, rushing toward the near corner instead of the far corner where he was supposed to be!

Then he used his fingertips to deflect the ball!

The ball flew out of the baseline with a deflection!

"wooooooooooooooow!!!" The British commentator cheered with his arms raised. "Sun Pan! Sun Pan! He is the immovable Great Wall that Dortmund can't overcome!! After missing Sun Pan for two seasons, Chelsea has finally made the right choice this time! They spared no expense to keep Sun Pan, and now they are getting the corresponding reward!"

This time the camera lens was on Čech. Čech on the sidelines also made a fist-pumping gesture, obviously he was also excited and happy for Sun Pan's save.

After making an incredible save, Sun Pan rolled smoothly after landing, jumped up from the ground in a very dashing manner, and waved his fists vigorously.

His teammates rushed up to hug him and high-five him, thanking Sun Pan for his crucial save just now.

When most people had given up and thought it was impossible to save, Sun Pan played the role of God.

"Sun Pan! He resolved Zhou Yi's shot! He saved Chelsea's goal again!" He Ping cheered for Sun Pan's outstanding performance. Sun Pan, who had changed teams and environment, did not show any discomfort. He was still very stable, which made He Ping very happy.

The Chinese fans in front of the TV and on the Internet were also frightened by Sun Pan's save.

"Damn! Who is the main character?!"

"Damn it, he can save this ball?!"

"I found that Sun Pan is like he's been injected with chicken blood every time he meets Zhou Yi..."

"Did anyone notice the previous exchange between Zhou Yi and Sun Pan? Zhou Yi ran away after speaking, and Sun Pan seemed very angry behind him... You can't blame Sun Pan for this, I think Zhou Yi must have said something to anger Sun Pan. Everyone knows that Sun Pan is like the Hulk, the angrier he gets, the better his condition..."

"Dortmund is still one goal behind in this game. If Mourinho deliberately parks the bus in the second half, I want to see what Dortmund will do..."

※※※

Mark's raised hands eventually rested on his own head. He couldn't believe that the ball could be saved. He began to doubt science.

Zhou Yi was also sorry, but he didn't show it as dramatically as Mark.

Because a shot that was deflected after hitting an opposing player... could not be called a "worldie" in any way.

So this did not shake his judgment on Sun Pan.

After Sun Pan finished celebrating with his teammates, he winked at Zhou Yi and shouted in Chinese that only the two of them could understand: "Don't even think about scoring!!"

Zhou Yi rolled his eyes at him: "Don't blame me for not reminding you, Panpan. Since personality is conserved, don't waste it casually."

※※※

Next, Dortmund's corner kick did not bring any threat to the goal guarded by Sun Pan. In order to prevent Chelsea from launching a counterattack, Dortmund did not send the corner kick directly into the goal, but played a tactical corner kick.

Reus passed the ball to Zhou Yi, who came up to meet him. Zhou Yi passed the ball around with the team, but couldn't find a better opportunity or opening.

The first half ended quickly, with the score 1:0, Chelsea leading.

The Champions League champion from last season was temporarily behind the Europa League champion from last season.