Chapter 118 – Opening Match, vs Bayern Munich (1)

118

The pre-season has begun ahead of the 33/34 season.
Based on Europe, soccer players play a season from August to May of the following year. The 9-month training and competition cycle is like a marathon, requiring consistency, but explosive power is also required in tournaments such as cup competitions and European competitions, so you need to have all of these to truly be evaluated as a wild class.

Most runners run 12~13KM for 90 minutes, lose 3~4kg of weight after the game, and if there are few intense matches where the whole body is covered with bruises, one game a week, and at most 2~3 games. In order to overcome the harsh schedule, building a pre-season body was the most important thing.

Of course, from the perspective of the manager and the club, they want to make the pre-season training period as long as possible, while the players do not like the reduced vacation period, which is less than three months out of the year.

Therefore, the pre-season schedule is usually set for 5 to 6 weeks, but from the player’s point of view, this alone reduces the actual vacation period to 2 months. Of course, it’s normal to have fun with the mindset of enjoying yourself as much as possible until the start of training, and when you return, it’s normal to gain a lot of weight.

However, this season, the Frankfurt players, who succeeded in returning to the first division and advanced to the Europa League, had a different resolution.
Every football player has their own ambitions. Whether it’s greed for money, career or fame, it’s only natural that young players want to perform on that good stage.

In addition, Frankfurt had young players overall, befitting a club that had been rebuilt with a focus on young players led by coach Franz Balder. Except for a few seniors who play veteran roles, they are mostly Young Guns in their mid-20s.

Maybe that’s why, even though the club set up a training schedule for this pre-season for a little over six weeks, they enthusiastically participated in the training without complaining at all.

“Red! Long time no see!”
“I heard you completely transferred to our club? You are now a real team member!”

I came to the training ground early and was training by going back and forth between the cones by myself, when Chicharo and Bruno appeared wandering around. How well you played during your vacation, your cheeks have grown thicker… How long have you been playing?

“How many kg have you both gained?”
“Well. Did I gain about 6 kg?”
“I do not know. Who will measure them individually?”

They’ll vomit and fuss when they’re training.
From right after the transfer was finalized until now, I was able to meet the coach who was concentrating on planning for the next season by sitting in the director’s office day and night, as I had been going to and from the stadium for personal training throughout the vacation period.

After a few days, we moved on to discussing the tactics we would use next season, and after a few more days, we moved from tactics to discussing my movements. I even got to share a story about it.

Unintentionally, I came to know the circumstances of the club quickly… Anyway, the important thing is that the coach, who is full of enthusiasm for the team’s return to the first division next season and the fact that they will advance to the Europa League, has prepared very hard for this pre-season physical training. Because my opinion is included in the training manual.

“Great!! It’s been a while since I met Hong, so tonight’s a party!!”
“Oh, Bro, what a great idea. How is Hong? Are you going to attend too?”

Tsk tsk, stupid guys.
What kind of party is the party?

“Okay. If you guys still have the stamina to party after training, I will attend.”
“Good!! How Eva whined about missing you! Play with Eva today.”

Ebara.
Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I met Eva.

The other day, while she was having sex with Eva, she called Oh Harin and said that she was a lover, and she got angry and left.
She was funny and then sneaked up on her a few days later. Can’t find a man like me or something. Since then, she has become a sex friend and they are doing well. As a bonus, with Eva’s friends.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

Captain Alexander Meyer,

“Good good. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to show my skills in the first part. Everyone, cheer up!!”

The team’s first keeper and vice-captain Geralt Noark shouted with great spirit, and familiar faces showed up one by one.
And some new faces have taken the place where some familiar faces have disappeared.

“Did everyone enjoy their vacation? Judging by the faces, it looks like everyone was having fun. Before we begin, let me introduce you to the freshmen.”

At the words of the coach, several players step forward.
Donald Cook is the leading black man. He was a 193 cm tall striker from the United States, and was a striker with a long post play based on his overwhelming physique.

A black man with a black face and a wide smile, showing white dry teeth, was recruited from Furt, which was relegated to the second division, to Frankfurt this time.
It is a good recruitment because I needed a player who would rub my body with the rice cakes in the front because of my tendency to hate competition. Furthermore, like our team, which is relatively weak in the Bundesliga, he will be able to adapt as he scored 9 goals while playing for Fürth, which is weak.

Next up was an Italian player named Alberto Mondi, a rather handsome and nimble player.
He is a player who can play any position on the right side opposite me, and he used to play for Juventus, a prestigious Serie A player.

Of course, it has flowed this far because it failed to compete for the starting position, but it would have been possible to go to a better team if it was still competing for the starting position at Juventus. Did you come to our club? I mean, the club spent a lot of money.

“Nice to meet.”

Right-back Fabian Fiedler, who was recruited from Hertha Berlin, stands still after the blunt greeting. Although he is not tall, he is a strong German player with broad shoulders and a square chin.

There were two other players, but these three were the main new faces.
Donald Cook was recruited from a relegated team, but Alberto Mondina and Fabian Fiedler were obviously recruited from a higher club than ours.

The transfer fee must have been quite expensive, and the annual salary expenditure must have been quite large, but the fact that he boldly recruited him seems to show the club’s expectations for this season, so the pressure… Silver horn.

‘I carry it.’

I just hope that the transfer students will not refuse to ride the bus as they work hard.

* * *

The pre-season schedule, which was started earlier than other teams by the club full of motivation, started with physical training.
Originally, physical training is an indispensable element in pre-season for any team, but it is difficult every time. When you receive training that pushes people to their limits, many players throw up, and every day is like hell.

After making basic physical strength, tactical training begins.
The concept of our team this season is first defense and then counterattack. It’s a cliché, but it’s an atmosphere that everyone expected, befitting the most acceptable choice a relative weak team could take.

But,

“Boss. This is not reasonable.”

During tactical training, an Italian freshman came out to express his dissatisfaction.
In other words, I don’t like the tactics that revolve around me. He is saying that he can do it well enough, so why sacrifice himself for me.

“Great. Let’s play a practice game.”

It was only after I proved it by crushing the pasta guy in the practice game that was concluded that I was able to proceed with my counterattack training.

After four weeks of training, a friendly match followed.
I played 4 games in about 12 days and played 3 games with 2 starts and 1 substitution. My stats were 4 goals and 2 assists.

Although it was not a condition check, he did his best, but while he was showing a pretty good performance and raising expectations for the season, an interview article with the defender of Bayern Munich, his opponent for the opening game, appeared.

『Munich’s Iron Wall Maxim Meyer “I don’t care about the opponents in the opening match.”』

Maxim Maier, who played as the starting left-back for seven seasons in Munich, gave an overall average interview like a veteran,

“What? Red. Is this bastard ignoring you?”
“I know. Look at this. They have never heard of your name!”

As Chicharo and Bruno said, obviously making fun of me, they fired at me.
What? Never heard of my name? This me?

“But you can. Maxim Maier is famous for not being interested in football. He is a person who says that playing games is just a job, so it’s plausible that he doesn’t know Hong.”

Is it… ?
Isn’t that a mockery then?

In an acerbic mood, he prepares for the opening match against Bayern Munich, and finally on the day of the match.
Before the match, I was standing in the aisle side by side with the Munich players, and Maxim Maier, who was standing next to me, whispered in a low voice.

“Hey, newbie.”
“Me?”
“Yes you. Do you speak some German?”
“Little.”
“Good thing. Did you see my interview?”

When I nod my head, he smiles.

“It’s actually a lie. I knew you.”

Five.
Wow, he was a surprisingly good guy.

Seeing German brother smiling kindly, I smile too,

“Last year’s Barcelona Worst signing?”
“What?”
“Here’s what he ran away from while squirming around in La Liga. Does the Bundesliga look so easy, newbie? Don’t be mistaken This is not an easy place for La Liga failures to escape.”

Well… Right.

“Hey.”

He smiled at the boy looking back.

“Syvalum. You fell behind.”
“?”