Luiz Gustavo shoved Donati to the ground and pointed a menacing finger at his nose. "Be careful, or I'll make sure your leg snaps first!"
Though he was a devout Catholic who prayed at least twice a day, Gustavo possessed a volcanic temper on the pitch. Much like Kevin De Bruyne, he was highly combustible—proving that the Wolfsburg squad was essentially a collection of "contrast personalities." Between the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, Gustavo had amassed a staggering 4 red cards and 15 yellows, coming within a hair's breadth of shattering the Bundesliga record.
In an instant, players from both sides swarmed together in a chaotic scuffle. In the unwritten code of football, when a conflict erupts, you defend your teammate first and worry about who was right later.
"Damned Italians, every single one of them!"
"Exactly! And they've betrayed us twice!"
"Red card! Red card! Send that Italian off!"
The three home stands erupted simultaneously. The Wolfsburg faithful now viewed David Qin as their crown jewel; trying a stunt like that in their house was a quick way to ensure you never made it out of the stadium.
Amidst the relentless, piercing whistles:
Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!
The referee's whistle shrieked as he moved between the players, warning and pulling them apart. "Sir, I saw it clearly. Your foot was raised during that tackle."
Once the tempers had been somewhat quelled, the referee brandished a yellow card at Donati. The Italian didn't argue or plead; he simply stared at David Qin, the rage in his eyes undiminished. David met his gaze unflinchingly, only looking away once Donati was the first to turn his back.
A short distance away, Son Heung-min appeared indifferent, but a trace of envy flickered in his heart. When he first arrived in Germany to chase his dreams, he hadn't been treated so kindly. He was frequently bullied and discriminated against by teammates. Even now, with his success, he was occasionally targeted. Just last season, his own teammate, Emre Can, had knocked him to the ground and walked away as if he didn't exist. Seeing David so fiercely protected by his squad made Son feel a deep, silent yearning.
What he didn't realize was that David had faced his own share of racial prejudice. In Germany, people of color were often met with coldness. No matter how well you played, there would always be someone ready to attack your identity.
When the match resumed, the referee—wary of the recent tension—added very little stoppage time and soon blew for the interval.
"The first half comes to a close! Wolfsburg leads Leverkusen 2-0, with goals from Bas Dost and De Bruyne."
"David Qin walks away with an assist, though I think his overall performance in these 45 minutes has been near perfect. His individual brilliance repeatedly tore through Leverkusen's flanks, creating chances for his teammates. That whimsical creativity has been a true visual feast for the fans. However, after Donati's late foul, I hope David stays careful. We don't want to see a player with his flair sidelined by a malicious tackle."
He Wei's heart had skipped a beat when he saw David get lunged at. He couldn't help it. A talent like this only comes once in a generation; if he were to fall early due to injury, it would be a tragedy for the entire Chinese football world.
He Wei wasn't the only one worried. Back in the locker room, Dieter Hecking was relentless, hammering home the importance of self-preservation to David. A player's career might seem long, but a true peak only lasts a few years. If a major injury strikes while you're young, you might never rise again.
David, naturally, took the advice to heart.
In the neighboring dressing room, Roger Schmidt was doubling down on his "all-out attack, forget the defense" philosophy. Since they were already two goals down, it was better to risk it all. All or nothing. Zero points or three.
"The second half is about to begin!"
"Leverkusen makes a change: Stefan Kießling on for Drmić, and Sebastian Boenisch on for Lars Bender."
"They've shifted to a 4-4-2. Kießling, Son Heung-min, Bellarabi... wow, Leverkusen practically has five forwards on the pitch now. This truly embodies Schmidt's 'Swarm Attack' philosophy."
He Wei clicked his tongue. As modern football becomes increasingly obsessed with defensive structures, Schmidt's willingness to defy convention by playing total offense was bold. Regardless of the result, he was bound to receive both bouquets and brickbats.
As the whistle blew, Leverkusen's formation surged forward. It was a chaotic scramble—as if the last one back was the only one left to defend. Their positioning became fluid and blurred, making it impossible for Wolfsburg to employ man-to-man marking.
The frantic pace saw the players' energy levels, replenished during the break, begin to plummet once more. In the 54th minute, the situation reached a turning point.
Boenisch delivered a piercing vertical pass into the center circle, finding Son Heung-min, who had dropped back to receive it. From a tactical overview, Kießling was operating at the edge of the box, Bellarabi was making darting runs, and Çalhanoğlu was essentially parallel to Kießling, forming a loose 3-3-1-3 system.
In this moment, Son became the vital bridge between the defense and the swarm of forwards. Most importantly, he finally found space.
"A feint and a change of direction to beat Malanda! Wolfsburg's defense and midfield are disconnected, they can't cover in time!"
"Son Heung-min reaches the arc of the penalty area and lets fly with a powerful strike, no hesitation whatsoever!"
"The ball clips Robin Knoche's shin, deflecting into the opposite corner of where Benaglio was diving!"
"GOAL!"
"Leverkusen pulls one back!"
Son sprinted into the net to retrieve the ball, gesturing for his teammates to hurry back to the center circle. His face was etched with intense excitement. As he ran, he stole a glance at the away stands, finding his girlfriend in the crowd.
Not far away, listening to the roar of the traveling fans, David Qin acknowledged that Son was indeed formidable. Nominally a left midfielder, he had a massive radius of activity, and Schmidt's tactics suited him perfectly. David realized he should eventually try to expand his own range of influence beyond the flanks. The ceiling for a pure winger is limited; historical icons like Messi and Ronaldo all eventually moved toward the center.
"Hey! Don't space out, kid! We're still ahead!" Gustavo shouted, waving a hand in front of David's face.
David nodded silently and returned to his position. According to Hecking's pre-match plan, he would be subbed off around the 60-minute mark. His time was running out.
Leverkusen, buoyed by the goal, grew even more audacious, their entire formation practically camping in the opposition half. However, Wolfsburg began prioritizing the protection of the half-spaces, denying Son the room he needed. Instead, they looked to exploit the gaps with quick counter-attacks triggered by interceptions.
Unfortunately, during the transition, Leverkusen's defenders were aggressive in their stepping up, stifling several breakaways.
"This defensive style is effective, but the risk is immense!"
"The two full-backs are positioned so deep into the attack..."
"If they get bypassed, the consequences will be catastrophic!"
"Wait! Right on cue! Gustavo teams up with Malanda to dispossess Son Heung-min!"
"He spreads it to Ricardo Rodríguez on the wing!"
The Swiss international became a serrated blade. As soon as he drew it, he bypassed the charging Bellarabi. Not only that, he used his powerful body to forcibly shrug off the challenge from Donati.
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