novelraw Chapter 295 - 72: Absolute Domain! The 11th Passive Skill! Klopp Syndrome Is Back! This Is the Ruhr Derby
Chapter 295 - 72: Absolute Domain! The 11th Passive Skill! Klopp Syndrome Is Back! This Is the Ruhr Derby
Marshal Tie lives up to his name!
He started swinging the axe the moment he took charge.
It wasn’t just Rakitic. Even Kuranyi was affected, not even making the roster for this match.
This was the Ruhr Derby.
Can you imagine leaving Kuranyi off the roster when he wasn’t injured or sick?
Magat just loves young players like Moritz and Schmitz—guys who are willing to fight, work hard, and give it their all.
It’s fine if their technique is a little rough. The most important thing is strong tactical execution.
"Manuel, you need to watch out for Wang Shuo today," Westman said, walking over to give Neuer a careful warning.
The other players in the locker room all turned to look at Neuer.
They had either witnessed it firsthand or seen it in the papers and on TV—the scene from last season where Wang Shuo made a fool of Neuer. The memory was still fresh.
"Don’t worry, the rest of us will do everything we can to block him for you. Just be mindful of your positioning and timing."
Magat employed a 4-4-2 formation for Schalke 04.
He had arranged four very strong defensive players on the back line.
From left to right, they were Westman, Bodden, Zambrano, and Hewedes.
This could definitely be considered one of the most formidable back lines in the Bundesliga.
"I know. I absolutely will not give him another chance to score!" Neuer bit out, his voice harsh.
The veteran Bodden, sitting beside him, clapped him on the shoulder. "We won’t give him an easy, clear shot at goal!"
Everyone around them nodded in agreement.
Shut down Wang Shuo!
This wasn’t just what they wanted; it was the number one mission assigned by Coach Magat!
"And for Lina!" Lucas Schmitz shouted excitedly.
"That’s right! Let Lina see this guy’s true colors!" Moritz chimed in, equally worked up.
Only then did the others realize that these two youngsters actually had a personal feud with Wang Shuo.
But it made sense. ’A Chinese guy comes to our Germany to play football... letting him have a bit of the spotlight is one thing. But to actually steal Germany’s number one beauty? Who the fuck could tolerate that? Get him!’
...
From the very first minute of the match, Schalke 04 made no attempt to hide their tactics.
Defend and counter-attack!
Magat was a very stubborn head coach.
Both teams had played in the DFB-Pokal midweek, and both had won 3-0.
Dortmund had secured a decisive away victory against Karlsruhe, but they had fielded a lineup of substitutes.
And Magat’s Schalke 04?
They played away against Bochum with their full starting lineup and only made two substitutions during the match.
Now, for this Ruhr Derby, he was still using that same starting lineup, without even a single change.
This was also the lineup with the best chemistry that Schalke 04 currently had.
Goalkeeper: Neuer;
Defenders: Westman, Bodden, Zambrano, and Hewedes;
Midfielders: Schmitz, Moritz, Kenya, and Raphinha;
Forwards: Farfan and Little Altıntop.
Not only had Magat promoted the two youngsters, Schmitz and Moritz, but he had also moved Schmitz and Raphinha, who were originally full-backs, up to the wings in midfield.
Coupled with the fact that the 4-4-2 formation is inherently defense-oriented, it was easy to imagine just how tough Schalke 04 was to play against now.
Dortmund, on the other hand, still went with their 4-2-3-1 formation.
Goalkeeper: Weidenfeller;
Defenders: Schmelzer, Hummels, Subotic, and Owomoyela;
Midfielders: Shahin and Sven Bender formed the double pivot, with Grosskreutz, Foyelner, and Kuba in front of them;
Forward: Wang Shuo.
After the match began, the Bumblebees continued with their usual tactical style.
Amidst the deafening cheers of over 80,000 fans, they launched the first assault on Schalke 04.
The front line, led by Wang Shuo, relentlessly pressed Schalke 04’s defense.
But Magat’s team had erected a Great Wall of steel just outside their own penalty area.
They had laid their cards on the table: they were here to play defense and counter-attack.
Farfan and Little Altıntop up front were their counter-attacking weapons.
Dortmund, however, held the advantage.
Right after the start, Wang Shuo pulled out to the left wing, broke through with the ball, and created a corner kick opportunity.
Unfortunately, Subotic’s header in front of the goal went wide.
After that, a long-range shot from Grosskreutz also missed the mark.
In the 11th minute, during a counter-attack, Wang Shuo drew two defenders before sending a through pass to the right side of the final third. Kuba’s shot from a tight angle skimmed past the goal.
Three minutes later, Owomoyela made an overlapping run on the right and sent in a diagonal pass.
Wang Shuo dashed into Schalke 04’s penalty area, only for a charging Neuer to beat him to the ball and smother it.
The most ridiculous part came in the 26th minute. When Shahin pushed forward on the left and crossed the ball into the box, it was Neuer again, charging out to pluck the ball from right over Wang Shuo’s head.
As he landed, the Schalke 04 goalkeeper even made a point of turning back and giving Wang Shuo a smirk.
His eyes seemed to say: ’Your heading sucks!’
"That kid is provoking you!" Foyelner said, having also seen Neuer’s action.
"You really did a number on him last season."
How could the proud and arrogant Neuer accept becoming just a part of Wang Shuo’s highlight reel?
He was definitely determined to get his revenge.
Wang Shuo looked at Foyelner. "Isn’t this your fault? All your passes today have been crap."
"How can you blame me? They’ve parked the bus. What am I supposed to do?" Foyelner shot back, frustrated.
And so the match continued, intense and deadlocked.