To go to Westfalenstadion, to stand on the Südtribüne and watch a match, was truly a moving experience for Mark.

After returning from the stadium, Mark devoted himself to training with all his might. After the team's regular training sessions, he and Zhou Yi would do extra training in the gym. Zhou Yi passed on to Mark the set of muscle-strengthening exercises that Wang Le had given him.

Then Mark would do his strength training, while Zhou Yi did his physical fitness training.

Zhou Yi was also training harder than before. It wasn't just Mark who had been affected by the Südtribüne...

The two teenagers were working together to improve their strength and realize their respective dreams.

During this time, the U19 league continued.

In fact, there weren't many U19 league matches. The Western League only had twenty-six rounds in total, but the season was very long because there were also playoffs, also known as championship play-offs. Including the playoffs, the entire league wouldn't end until June 28.

However, there was no need to worry about a lack of matches. In addition to the league, there were also the German Youth League Cup matches in which the U19s participated.

In addition, some warm-up matches and friendlies would be arranged when there were no league or cup matches.

So there were plenty of matches.

Through his outstanding performance in matches and training, Zhou Yi had solidified his position as a starter in the team.

Jebera also arranged for Zhou Yi to play as the team's playmaker. He became the hub of the team's attack. After being liberated, Götze could play a bigger role in scoring. When necessary, he could also help Zhou Yi share the task of organizing the attack, ensuring that Borussia Dortmund's U19 attack would not be hindered.

And the benefits of Zhou Yi's persistence in physical training became apparent, and his playing time increased minute by minute.

With Zhou Yi's addition, Borussia Dortmund U19 advanced triumphantly in the league, gradually leaving their rival Borussia Mönchengladbach U19 further and further behind.

As for Borussia Dortmund's arch-rival in the Ruhr area, Schalke 04's U19 team, they were even further away from Dortmund.

After twenty-one rounds of the league, Borussia Dortmund U19 had sixteen wins, four draws, and one loss, with fifty-two points, ranking first. The second-placed team in the league had changed from Borussia Mönchengladbach U19 to Bayer Leverkusen U19, with forty-eight points. Borussia Mönchengladbach U19 had forty-six points and became third. And Schalke 04's U19 only had thirty-eight points, ranking fourth.

According to the rules of the German U19 league, the entire Germany is divided into three divisions: the Southern Division, the Western Division, and the Northern Division.

Each division has fourteen participating teams. Through twenty-six rounds of competition, the top two teams in the Southern Division and the top teams in the Western and Northern Divisions, a total of four teams, advance to the final playoffs, and then compete against each other. After two rounds of home and away matches, the two teams that advance to the playoff finals are determined.

The final is a single-game match played at a neutral venue.

As long as Borussia Dortmund U19 can win the Western League, they will advance to the playoffs and have the opportunity to compete for the national U19 Youth League championship.

In addition, Borussia Dortmund also performed well in the U19 German Cup, and they have reached the quarter-finals, or the top eight.

The quarter-finals will be held on April 12, with Borussia Dortmund U19 hosting Koblenz U19 at home.

During this period, Zhou Yi did not miss any game, only the playing time was either long or short.

And Mark has not yet played in a U19 game. Although he has been selected for the matchday squad several times, he has been sitting on the bench all the time.

But Mark's mentality is now different from when he first entered the U19 team. He is not in a hurry to be able to play. He just trains patiently and carefully. After each training session, he and Zhou Yi do extra training in the gym.

At the same time, in terms of diet, the two of them now eat a lot of beef and protein powder to increase muscle.

After all, strength comes from muscles, and muscles are the foundation. If you don't have much muscle in the first place, no matter how much you train, your strength will not increase much.

In this day-after-day training, March passed.

When Mark was confronting his defender teammates in training, he was no longer as likely to fall down at the first touch as he had been at the beginning. One very intuitive impression was that Mark's clothes were no longer as dirty at the end of training.

Mark was very excited about this change.

Zhou Yi was right. He has finally found the right path. Now, even if he trains hard, he doesn't have to worry about screwing things up.

Although he has not had the opportunity to play, Mark's face is always full of smiles, just like in the last period of his time in the U17s. He is full of beautiful visions for his future.

※※※

Lars Ricken would regularly come to Jebera to learn about Zhou Yi and Götze's training and match situation in the U19s.

These two people should now be regarded as young players who are valued by the club.

Götze is the highest quality product of Borussia Dortmund's youth training, so he naturally receives a lot of attention.

And Zhou Yi was a youth player transfer deal personally finalized by Klopp, so Ricken would naturally not neglect him.

"Götze's performance is more dazzling, but it is actually related to Zhou Yi." Jebera said to Ricken. "Before Zhou Yi came, Götze had to shoulder too many tasks. After Zhou Yi came, he freed him, allowing him to play freely, which in turn made him perform better."

Ricken had personally watched Zhou Yi's match for the Chinese team, so he was not surprised by Jebera's statement at all.

Back then, many of the players on that Chinese team were not as good as Borussia Dortmund's youth team, but with Zhou Yi, they were able to compete with Borussia Dortmund U17 for a period of time, which was enough to explain the problem.

There are two types of cores in this world. One is someone who performs outstandingly and can personally score goals for the team and win the game. The other is someone whose performance doesn't seem as dazzling as the team's number one star, but he is indeed an indispensable figure, because his existence can improve the team's level and combat effectiveness.

And in Ricken's view, Zhou Yi belongs to the latter.

"I am also consciously letting Götze and Zhou Yi cooperate frequently, whether it is in training or matches, I let them have more contact. They are now the golden partners in my team," Jebera introduced.

Speaking of "golden partners," Ricken suddenly thought of another person.

"By the way, what about that Mark Wagner?"

"Him?" Jebera was surprised that Ricken would suddenly ask about this person.

"Yes, he performed very well in the U17s. How is he doing?"

"He... hasn't played in my team yet."

Ricken was a little surprised when he heard this: "It can't be that bad, can it? Isn't his cooperation with Zhou Yi very tacit?"

"The problem is that he only cooperates well with Zhou Yi, and doesn't cooperate well with anyone else..."

"I see..." Ricken frowned, but did not continue to ask.

He was just casually concerned about Mark. The focus was still on Zhou Yi and Götze. He didn't care how far Mark could play.

Ricken asked casually and then stopped mentioning this person.

But Jebera suddenly thought of this person.

He began to pay attention to Mark's performance in training recently, and the changes from before.

One very obvious change was that when Mark was confronting his teammates in training, he was not as likely to lose the ball.

It is said that he is doing extra strength training with Zhou Yi, it seems that this kid is really working hard.

When Mark was first transferred to his team, he looked down on his performance. What is the value of a striker who can only score goals by relying on Zhou Yi's assists?

Even if he completed a hat-trick in the team match, it could not change Jebera's evaluation of him.

To be honest, it was all because Zhou Yi's level was high, it didn't mean that Mark Wagner's level was also high.

But he didn't expect that Mark Wagner didn't give up. Although there was a day when his performance was very bad, he was still working hard and performing better and better.

There are not as many youth team players as there are first team players, only twenty people, so the coach knows very well how each person is performing.

Today, Ricken suddenly mentioned Mark, which made Jebera suddenly remember that Mark had not been given a chance to play since he had changed. Should he give such a hardworking young man a chance to show what he has learned in training?

In the past, Jebera thought that Mark was a player who would be useless without Zhou Yi, but now, Mark has proved in various training sessions and team matches that he can still perform well without Zhou Yi. As a striker, he finally dares to confront the opponent's defenders.

And not just dare to confront.

In team matches, Mark runs more actively than before. Even if he can't score, his running can create space for other teammates.

When Mark first came to the U19s, Jebera saw a young man who positioned himself as "Inzaghi's successor."

He can catch Zhou Yi's assists and then score goals.

But other than that, his contribution to the team is almost zero.

Modern football has developed for so many years, and an Inzaghi-style striker has long since lost his place.

The role of a striker is not only to score goals, but also to be given more responsibilities, such as making passes for teammates, such as containing the opponent's midfield and backfield's ball control and passing, such as going up to intercept during high pressing...

In Jebera's view, a pure Inzaghi replica is worthless.

He doesn't need a second Inzaghi.

But after this period of hard work, Mark is also changing, from a striker who only knows how to score goals and can't help with anything other than scoring goals, to a person who runs actively, dares to confront the opponent's defenders head-on, can hold the ball, and can participate in the team's offensive system.

Compared to before, he is more comprehensive.

This is not the kind of earth-shattering change that happens overnight.

But a change that improves a little bit every day, and is a little bit better than yesterday.

If Ricken hadn't suddenly mentioned Mark, Jebera probably wouldn't have remembered this.

But now that he thinks about it carefully, Jebera realizes how much Mark has improved during this period of time.

And the efforts he has made for these, which he has not paid attention to, have also reappeared in Jebera's mind.

Should such a hardworking player, regardless of his ability, be given a chance?

But...

Jebera also thought that the next match is the Ruhr derby, Borussia Dortmund U19 away against Schalke 04 U19.

This kind of match does not seem to be used for rewards...