Chapter 1 Training Ends

On the way home after training, Mark excitedly told his father all about his performance in the scrimmage.

Old Wagner didn't say anything, driving quietly and listening to his son, but from the smile on his face, it was clear that he was very happy for his son.

As a football fan, he naturally knew what a great performance in the team scrimmage meant.

It meant that in the U19 league match this weekend, his son would have a great chance to appear in the starting lineup!

Back home, Mark also told his mother the news, and naturally received her excited hug and kiss.

"Oh, my Mark! I knew you were the best!" Then, Mrs. Wagner released Mark and turned to call her daughter, Cortana, demanding that she must go to the game.

After the call, she hummed a song and went to the kitchen to get busy.

Seeing this scene, Zhou Yi suddenly envied Mark. Because his mother would never be so supportive of him playing football.

In fact, as the main striker of the school team, he had played in many games, but his mother had never been to one.

His father, on the other hand, would choose to go to the stadium to watch the game and cheer him on whenever he wasn't too busy with work.

Alas, how great would it be if my mother could go to the stadium to watch me play so happily!

Zhou Yi couldn't help but yearn for it in his heart…

※※※

After the midweek scrimmage, the match day quickly arrived.

The day before the match, head coach Peter Jevor announced the squad list for Borussia Dortmund U19's home game against Essen U19.

As expected, Zhou Yi and Mark were both selected for this list.

Of course, Schneider was also among them.

But Jevor did not announce the starting lineup.

Although it was not announced, everyone could more or less guess who would start.

Zhou Yi and Mark, who had performed well in the midweek scrimmage, should both start unless something unexpected happened.

As for Schneider, he might be placed on the bench…

After all, his performance in the team scrimmage was not as good as Mark's, his enthusiasm in training was not as high as Mark's, and he was also late for the first training session this week…

With so many flaws, how could he still occupy the starting position?

If Mark didn't exist, it would have been fine, but now…

Schneider seemed to have guessed his fate, and his face was not very good.

In fact, Schneider's expression had not been very good since that team scrimmage.

He seemed to feel the threat from Mark.

※※※

When Zhou Yi and Mark returned home in the evening, they did see Cortana.

Mrs. Wagner asked excitedly, "How was it? Did you get into the starting lineup?"

Mark shook his head: "The starting list hasn't been announced yet, Mom."

"Not announced yet?" Hearing Mark say this, Mrs. Wagner was a little disappointed and worried, fearing that things might change before tomorrow's game.

Seeing her mother's face change, Mark quickly comforted her: "But I don't think there's any problem, Mom. You don't have to worry…"

Zhou Yi also quickly explained for his friend: "Mrs. Wagner, Mark performed very well in the midweek scrimmage, so I also think he should have no problem starting tomorrow."

Hearing Zhou Yi's explanation, Mrs. Wagner smiled: "I hope so."

Cortana sat on the sofa, flipping through a book, seemingly not hearing Mark and his mother's conversation at all, not even looking up once.

※※※

The next day, Mark's family and Zhou Yi drove to the Brackel training ground together.

Many players' parents, family members, and relatives and friends had already arrived at the training ground.

Although the official U19 league and U17 league games are played on the same field, the degree of attention they receive is different.

Zhou Yi had only participated in one official U17 league game, and he thought there were quite a few people watching the game at the time, but when he came to the U19 league venue today, he realized that there were very few people watching the U17 game…

As the highest-level team in the youth team category, the U19 games are naturally the most watched at the youth team level.

Moreover, this is an official youth team league, not a friendly match.

Now, in the Bundesliga, the importance of the U19 is increasing. More and more U19 players are being promoted to the first team because of their performances in the youth team games, and this is the case not only for Borussia Dortmund but also for other Bundesliga clubs.

On the other hand, the U23, which was originally a talent reserve for the first team, has become increasingly awkward.

The U23 has become a gathering place for first-team players who have been punished, first-team members who need to recover from injuries, or players who can't play at all in the first team. It is an existence that sees no hope.

The U19, on the other hand, is full of vigor and loved by everyone.

Borussia Dortmund U19's opponent in this game is Essen U19, a team that is not very strong. After fifteen league rounds, they are ranked ninth in the U19 West Division League, while the West Division League has a total of fourteen teams participating.

Borussia Dortmund is currently ranked first.

The strength of the two sides is very different. This is not a game with any suspense in the result. As long as Borussia Dortmund performs normally, they can easily defeat their opponents at home.

What the Borussia Dortmund U19 players are more concerned about is the starting lineup arrangement before the game.

In the U19 locker room, Zhou Yi and Mark sat together, waiting for the head coach to announce the starting lineup.

Although it was actually a foregone conclusion.

But before it was announced, they were still a little nervous.

Mark was like that.

Jevor didn't keep them in suspense, and began to announce the starting lineup with a piece of paper in his hand.

Starting from the goalkeeper, the names he called out were basically not beyond everyone's expectations. All the players who performed well in training and team scrimmages this week were included in the starting lineup.

Zhou Yi was like that too.

When he heard his name being called out, Zhou Yi was not surprised. His goal was to play in the first team. If he couldn't even play in the U19 now, what was he thinking about the first team?

He was more concerned about his friend, Mark.

After hearing the news that Zhou Yi was starting, Mark happily bumped Zhou Yi. Then he straightened his chest and waited with bated breath for the head coach to call out his name.

The other teammates were not surprised by Zhou Yi's appearance. Zhou Yi had demonstrated his ability in a week of training and team scrimmages, and had won the approval of many teammates.

This kid was able to come directly from the U17 to the U19. There was definitely a reason for that. His level definitely met the requirements of the U19.

Jevor continued to read.

"Gotze."

This was also an unsurprising decision.

After Gotze, there were only two forwards left.

Mark became nervous.

"Kinczek," Jevor read.

Daniel Kinczek only came to Borussia Dortmund in 2007. Last season, he was still in the U17 and won the top scorer in the U17 West Division League. After arriving at the U19, he has always been a starter. So it was not surprising that he could start.

Now there was only one spot left.

Would it be Mark?

Many people thought there was no suspense.

Schneider sat in his seat, with his head down, so that people could not see his expression, but it could be guessed that it would not be good.

This feeling of waiting for judgment was really uncomfortable.

Zhou Yi nudged Mark, with an expression that said, "Wait to be called."

Jevor didn't even look up and continued to read: "Schneider."

A gasp of surprise suddenly rang out in the locker room.

And Schneider, who had been lowering his head, suddenly raised his head, and then he clenched his fists tightly.

"Yeah!" he gritted his teeth and shouted, while glancing at Mark. Seeing Mark sitting in his seat with a look of shock, Schneider's face showed a smug smile.

If the head coach wasn't present, he would really want to satirize that toad who wanted to eat swan meat.

You thought you could start because you completed a hat-trick in the team scrimmage?

Is it that easy to get into the starting lineup?

Mark was really completely stunned. He didn't expect that he wouldn't be starting.

In an instant, his whole brain went blank.

All the sounds around him disappeared.

Zhou Yi was also very surprised that Mark didn't start. He glanced at Mark and found that Mark was in a daze.

Zhou Yi couldn't figure out why Mark couldn't start.

He glanced at head coach Jevor. After reading the list, Jevor folded the paper and put it away, and began to talk about the precautions in the game, without any intention of explaining the lineup arrangement, as if he didn't see everyone's reaction to the list at all.

Although Zhou Yi had many questions in his heart, he also knew that this was not the time to ask questions. So he didn't say anything, just patted Mark on the shoulder and comforted him.

Mark seemed to have finally come back to his senses and lowered his head.

Seeing this scene, Zhou Yi sighed in his heart.

Mark had finally gained some confidence, but this incident would probably cause a heavy blow to his confidence again.

Hey, Mark, don't go back to the way you were before!

※※※

Mrs. Wagner sat in the stands, constantly fidgeting in her seat. Cortana, who was sitting next to her, couldn't stand it anymore. She put down her book and complained, "Mom, can you sit still?"

"Who can sit still at this time? It's you who seems out of place. You can still read a book here, at this time!" Mrs. Wagner criticized her daughter.

"I just won't read a book during the game, right?"

"That's only natural! Today is your brother's first start in the U19! It's such an exciting moment. If you're still reading a book, I won't spare you!"

As she was talking, Cortana suddenly pointed to the field and said, "Brother is coming out."

Mrs. Wagner quickly turned her head excitedly to look for him: "Where?"

Soon, she saw Mark, who had just sat down, on the Borussia Dortmund U19 bench.

"That's right... huh?"

Mrs. Wagner quickly frowned: "Why is he sitting on the bench?"

"It seems... your son isn't starting?" Old Wagner also saw it, and said hesitantly.

"This... how is this possible?!" Mrs. Wagner roared at her husband in disbelief. "My son is performing so well, why isn't he starting?"

Old Wagner shrank his neck: "How would I know? This is the coach's arrangement..."

"Bullshit coach! Can't even see my Mark's ability!" Mrs. Wagner had no choice but to vent her anger on the U19 head coach, poor Jevor...

Soon, the players who were really starting began to enter the field. Zhou Yi was among them, but Mark really couldn't start. He sat on the bench, shrinking his whole body into a thick coat, as if to isolate the whole world with the coat...

"This... how is this possible..." Before the game started, Mrs. Wagner, who was sitting in the stands with joy, didn't know how many times she had imagined her son's performance, but the reality cruelly made her lost and could only mutter to herself.