Chapter 1 "Li, are you really going back to Barca?"

Brandt asked suddenly.

The first team cafeteria seemed deserted at this time.

Li Kang shook his head.

Barca?

He had already transferred to Leverkusen.

How could he return to Barca in a single transfer window?

Where did this rumor come from?

Brandt looked at his expression and asked doubtfully, "This is something everyone in Leverkusen knows! You really don't know? No one from Barca contacted you?"

"Your release clause is too low, I could save up some money and buy you out!"

"We thought you would be like Fabregas."

Li Kang thought about it carefully.

No one from Barca had contacted him.

His adoptive mother only occasionally called to check on his health and life, without mentioning anything else.

Brandt murmured, "I really thought you would go back to Barca, the fax machine in the sporting director's office... well... who can refuse Barca and Real Madrid..."

His words were interrupted by hurried footsteps.

A staff member in a suit shouted, "Li, you forgot your phone again. Mr. Voller wants to have a chat with you, are you free now?"

....

A moment later.

The sporting director's office.

Excited commentary and shouts were occasionally heard from the TV.

Voller cut off a cigar and handed Li Kang a fax.

The Barca emblem was printed on the paper.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

The little assistant said with an embarrassed smile, "Li, don't be surprised, there's no limit to the number of transfers in the same window, just like Demichelis and Hamann..."

Voller waved his hand, signaling the little assistant to leave first.

He then handed Li Kang a contract extension with the Leverkusen emblem printed on it.

He smiled and said, "No need to rush, give me your answer after you finish watching this match."

One old and one young.

They sat in the Leverkusen office like that, watching the Leverkusen home game.

....

Bayer Arena.

The two teams went all out in attack.

Magath's Hertha Berlin gave Leverkusen a blow right from the start!

Bayern reject Wiesel, madly突突突 (tututu - a sound effect indicating rapid movement) down the wing, past Borges, and crossed from the byline!

The ball fell into the Leverkusen penalty area.

Haraguchi Genki scored with a header.

0:1.

"Hertha Berlin got off to a flying start."

"Haraguchi Genki's height advantage isn't obvious! This header wasn't easy! He still seized the opportunity!"

"Magath is also a German coach who likes to use Asian players very much."

The camera suddenly focused on the sidelines.

Magath's expression was calm, as if this goal was a matter of course.

Schmidt slammed the ground in anger.

...

The game continued.

Leverkusen possession.

Çalhanoğlu began to direct his teammates' runs.

Unfortunately.

The team's attacking rhythm slowed down.

Hertha Berlin seemed to have found a way to crack Leverkusen, from Manchester United.

Wiesel and Darida frantically harassed Çalhanoğlu.

As soon as Leverkusen's midfield core showed any intention of getting the ball.

The two of them would relentlessly tackle and press.

18 minutes into the game.

Darida successfully intercepted the ball.

Hertha Berlin launched a quick counterattack.

Haraguchi Genki scored his second goal.

0:2.

In the 43rd minute of the match.

Wiesel once again went crazy 突突突 (tututu), stormed into the penalty area and was tripped.

Winning a penalty.

Ibišević converted the penalty.

0:3!

Leverkusen goalkeeper Leno angrily pounded the turf.

The Bayer Arena fans were going crazy.

Happy Bean players were also going crazy.

In the previous two seasons.

Leverkusen had beaten Hertha Berlin four times!

The value of the two teams' stars differed by several times.

How could they concede three goals to the opponent in the first half tonight?

Damn Magath, is he really that magical?

What's wrong with Leverkusen now?

Losing to Manchester United by two goals can be forgiven.

But their opponent now is Hertha Berlin?

Stupid Schmidt, why didn't he put on that Dragon-blooded genius who could turn the tide?

After failing to find the black-haired figure.

The Leverkusen fans finally woke up.

That Dragon-blooded genius wasn't even in the squad!

...

Finally.

The 90-minute match ended.

Leverkusen lost 0:3 to Hertha Berlin.

The midfield was completely disjointed.

Çalhanoğlu had an argument with his teammates.

If Hertha Berlin's players hadn't kept shooting high.

This game would have been another massacre.

The Leverkusen coaching staff were despondent.

The club's management was already very dissatisfied with the Manchester United game.

Now they lost three goals to Hertha Berlin at home?

The opponent was a relegation team that everyone bullied last season!

The Bayer Arena was filled with abuse!

The players hung their heads in dejection.

The fans were furious.

...

Post-match press conference.

Magath said calmly, "Leverkusen's players have very strong individual abilities, they are fully capable of establishing themselves in big clubs."

Hertha Berlin's player representative Wiesel bluntly said: "Van Gaal gave the other Bundesliga teams a lesson, Leverkusen's tactical system has been studied thoroughly, it's too simple! It's not easy for a car mechanic to coach in the Bundesliga, I think Mr. Schmidt's place might be in the Chinese Super League!"

"Perhaps... even if he coached in the Chinese Super League, he would be sacked!"

Winning the game and crushing their spirits.

The whole audience was in an uproar.

The camera focused on the Leverkusen coaching bench.

Schmidt's figure was nowhere to be seen.

The assistant coach was bombarded by reporters with a "innocent" look on his face.

"How does the Leverkusen coaching team view this disastrous defeat?"

"Did Mr. Schmidt not have the courage to face the camera? He looked very tactically inept in the match against Manchester United!"

"Will Leverkusen's subsequent tactical system be improved and changed? Will the Dragon-blooded youngster Li Kang become part of the lineup..."

......

Dragon Country live broadcast room.

The barrage was full of wailing.

The small streamer cursed Schmidt until he was hoarse.

"Brothers, don't worry, I'll check the news on the foreign websites! What's the situation? Leverkusen didn't include Li Mingdeng (Li Beacon - a nickname for Li Kang) in the squad."

"Damn! Is Li brother going back to Barca? The summer transfer window is about to close!"

"He can't go back to Barca, if he goes back, his salary will be cut by more than half, and he'll still be demoted for loan."

"Super genius midfielder - Little Dennis, joined Barca in 2013, from the reserve team to being loaned to Villarreal... he's a super player wherever he goes, his goal and assist numbers are explosive, he dribbled past an entire team to score against a certain La Liga giant, and was the Europa League assist king."

"His performance is even better than Li Kang's at Old Trafford, but he still hasn't been able to return to Barca's first team."

"Enrique and Schmidt are the same type of coach."

"As long as Rakitić isn't injured."

"Even if other newcomers perform better, they're just used for nurturing, they won't have many opportunities!"

"I'm afraid Li Kang has contracted the same disease as Fabregas!"

....

Late at night.

Leverkusen released an official announcement: The club unilaterally relieved Schmidt of his duties as head coach, and he will leave the team with his assistant coach.