Good news: Borussia Dortmund maintained a one-point lead over the Bundesliga. Frankfurt were leading 1-0 at home.
In the second half, İlkay Gündoğan stepped up. Having experienced a major battle against Manchester United, the 18-year-old midfielder had matured considerably. Facing a Bundesliga opponent like Frankfurt, Gündoğan showed the potential to be a midfield commander, as well as composure beyond his years.
In the 66th minute of the second half, a long-range shot from outside the penalty area equalised the score. Just 10 minutes later, another opportunity was found outside the penalty area, and a through pass was delivered, assisting substitute striker Bajram Sadrijaj to score.
1-2.
Borussia Dortmund staged a dramatic comeback, securing all 3 points away from home.
In the post-match interview, Gündoğan specifically mentioned Jin Hayes. "The person I admire most in the team is Jin. Everyone thinks he is a genius, but in reality, he works harder than everyone else in the team behind the scenes. I learned a lot from Jin on the training field. Moreover, Jin's spirit inspired the whole team in that match against Barcelona. Our brothers put on a fantastic performance in the Champions League, and we can't let them down in the league."
...
"Sure, İlkay."
"You looked really handsome yesterday!"
"You got your act all along!"
Hehehe.
On the training field, when faced with his teammates' praise, Gündoğan scratched the back of his head with an honest expression. The team atmosphere made Gündoğan have no regrets about his choice.
He originally faced three choices at the Bochum youth academy: remain in Bochum and join the first team; join Nuremberg, which would put him in the first team's main rotation squad with a high probability of quickly becoming a starter; or join Borussia Dortmund and enter the reserve team, where Nuri Şahin's presence made it difficult for him to get playing time.
Gündoğan was almost ready to choose Nuremberg. As a result, he watched the Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich match live last season. Bayern Munich led 3-0 at home, while Borussia Dortmund staged a remarkable comeback under the leadership of Jin Hayes. The youthful energy displayed by this team deeply attracted Gündoğan, so much so that upon receiving a call from head coach Jürgen Klopp, Gündoğan did not hesitate to join the Bumblebees.
Despite being kept on the bench by Şahin this season, he had learned a lot. Finally, one day, Gündoğan got his chance to take charge on his own. When his brothers needed him, he repaid them with outstanding performances.
"Well done."
"Thanks."
Şahin and Gündoğan gave high fives.
Seeing Gündoğan grow up so quickly, Şahin had mixed feelings. But at least after he left, Borussia Dortmund still had someone in the midfield and defence who could stand behind Jin Hayes and help him. Şahin could now leave with peace of mind.
"Alright, guys, yesterday's victory was important, but the real show is coming up in four days. We'll try to use the last few days to practice our tactics one more time."
While the players were basking in joy, head coach Klopp had to play the villain and bring everyone back to the tense Champions League knockout stage. The next match may well be a battle for Borussia Dortmund's honour. A five-goal deficit meant that the only option for the next match at Camp Nou was to secure a victory.
A draw or a loss would result in elimination. It was possible to advance to the final with a 6-6 draw against Barcelona, but a 6-6 draw was unlikely.
With Borussia Dortmund's current less-than-sturdy defence, it would be difficult for them to withstand the most powerful attack in Europe. Borussia Dortmund was better at fighting. Rather than expecting them to win 1-0 away against Barcelona, it was better to play conservatively and park the bus.
Why not go all out and fight Barcelona to the bitter end?
"Do you understand?" Klopp had just done a lot of analysis, his eyes constantly scanning the players in the dressing room. There was no fear in their eyes. These young men had nothing but the will to fight.
"That's right. It's actually very simple; we just need to score one more goal than Barcelona to go to the final!"
"Champions League Final! The highest stage of European football!"
"Raise your hand if you don't want to go."
Klopp wanted to tease them a bit more, but the boys from Borussia Dortmund reacted quickly, and no one raised their hand.
"Raise your hand if you want to go!"
"Very good! Hopefully we can think back carefully, think back to the last goal against Manchester United, and the last goal against Barcelona. I recall the feeling of rapidly advancing and penetrating, and rotating positions! We've been training for almost a month, and our performance on the field isn't quite there yet, but I hope you can do the same at Camp Nou!"
"Alright, hurry up and change your clothes, let's go to the training ground and continue training."
Jin Hayes was pleased that everyone maintained their spirits despite being at a disadvantage. The last-minute equaliser against Barcelona gave Borussia Dortmund players a glimmer of hope for creating a miracle. However, Jin Hayes had a feeling that this second round would be a hundred times more dangerous than the first.
...
"Is everything arranged?"
"Of course, it has already been arranged."
"Very good—see, isn't this enough to show my sincerity?"
"Of course, I've never doubted you. Last time was just an accident—"
"Yes, who knew that Borussia Dortmund would be so tenacious? It was my oversight."
"It's not your fault, we didn't expect it either. We thought it could be easily resolved, then we wouldn't have needed to trouble you."
"Don't worry about it. In principle, we should protect more technically skilled players to make football more beautiful. For example, Messi is a true genius, a gem in the world of football. Those rough fouls are really detrimental to the art."
"Yes, the so-called G14 is a joke. Fortunately, we have turned to the light and prevented this plan from succeeding, so that we can carry out our artistic football."
"Hahaha, not bad, not bad. I really have high hopes for you guys this year. Keep it up."
"Okay, I know what to do."
"Don't worry, someone will help you sort things out if any problems arise. Be bold."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
...
Barcelona, a unique European destination, is famous for its sunny beaches. On the plane, Şahin, Mats Hummels, Neven Subotić and a few others were talking about vacationing in Barcelona.
"Let's rent a yacht in Barcelona after the holidays."
"That's great, let's hire some more swimsuit models."
"You know how to enjoy life."
"Marco, are you coming?"
"No, I guess I have to go with my girlfriend. She's wanted to go to Hollywood for a long time."
"Hollywood is boring, there's nothing fun to do there—Jin, what about you?"
"Don't ask Jin anymore, he's still young, yacht parties are not suitable for him."
"That's right."
Jin Hayes was speechless. The season wasn't even over yet, and these guys were already thinking about yacht parties. He didn't have time to join in this fun. Jorge Mendes had already scheduled a host of business activities for himself. This included press conferences for domestic sports brands, photoshoots, fan meetings, etc.
There was also an exclusive interview with a major sports network, which required a special flight to Beijing. If he had time, Jin Hayes would also go home to spend some time with his parents. Anna didn't do any sightseeing when she went back with Jin Hayes last time, so this time Jin Hayes planned to take her around.
In short, the schedule was relatively full.
After returning to China and dealing with these matters, it would probably be time to prepare for the new season. Jorge Mendes had been in frequent contact with Jin Hayes lately. Many clubs had made offers and inquiries, and some had privately tried to contact Jin Hayes. A young prodigy had proven his worth in the Champions League tournament. Jin Hayes's value far surpassed that of so-called "prodigies" of his age.
For example, Mario Balotelli of Italy, Neymar of Brazil, Jack Wilshere of Arsenal, Eden Hazard of Lille in Ligue 1, Sebastian Giovinco of Juventus, and Paul Pogba, the midfield prodigy discovered in France. These were all candidates who had been the subject of much discussion in the football world, but none of them had proven themselves at the highest level.
Jin Hayes had played a pivotal role throughout the campaign, defeating Real Madrid, Juventus, Arsenal, and Manchester United, and putting up a close match against the world's best team, Barcelona. These were all tough battles—tougher than any challenge most young players ever faced.
Age and nationality were no longer issues, and very few people were now questioning Jin Hayes. Any club with a bit of money would issue a blank check, with the amount filled in arbitrarily. It was just a matter of money. Even if it cost tens of millions or nearly a hundred million euros to acquire a cornerstone for building the team over the next 15 years, the club would still profit more no matter how you looked at it.
Jin Hayes's only concern remained his form—could he maintain his high level for more than one season? Would he fade away quickly like most football prodigies? Clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea were all willing to take the gamble.
In response to the invitations from these clubs, Jin Hayes replied uniformly: we'll talk about it after the season ends. In reality, Jin Hayes still had no intention of leaving, just as before.
...
The plane arrived in Barcelona. Borussia Dortmund had just checked into the hotel; Jin Hayes hadn't even received his room key yet when Mendes called again.
"Aren't you really going to consider it? You've been here for two seasons already, so it's pretty much a good stepping stone. I've met Hans-Joachim Watzke many times. He's more like a businessman than I am. He can sell anyone if someone offers a reasonable price. Borussia Dortmund is already selling off its key players. Nuri Şahin will definitely leave next season. If they sell off a few more key players, they'll probably still struggle to compete for the championship. Perhaps—"
Jin Hayes hesitated slightly when faced with Mendes's persuasion over the phone, but still chose to believe in his current path. "At least, at least get one important honour before you leave. Bundesliga? Champions League?"
"Jorge."
"OK, OK—I won't try to persuade you anymore. Since you've made your decision, as your agent, I will definitely support you wholeheartedly. Good luck to Borussia Dortmund! Good luck in the match the day after tomorrow!"
Jin Hayes had gotten used to Mendes's way of doing things. As a pure businessman, he was somewhat profit-driven, but at least he could understand human language. However, Mendes's phone call inevitably made Jin Hayes think more about the future.
If Borussia Dortmund owner Watzke truly did as he said and would sell key players like Mario Götze, Şahin, İlkay Gündoğan, and even Marco Reus in the future, Jin Hayes would definitely leave without hesitation. There was no need for a club with no ambition and content to be a player marketplace to stay here any longer.
If that day really came—where would he go next? Real Madrid? Barcelona? Probably not. Jin Hayes had no desire to be a Galáctico, and he disliked complicated locker rooms.
Should he return to Arsenal? The board would first need to prepare a huge sum of money, and Arsène Wenger would need to be willing to spend it.
Chelsea? Manchester United? At least Manchester United couldn't follow the prophetic course of events. On the day Sir Alex Ferguson retired, Manchester United had already lost their soul. Jin Hayes didn't have time to play the "Coach Warmth" game with the Glazer family.
"Jin! What are you thinking about? Here's your room card, you can share a room with me tonight, hehehe."
"No, buddy? Coach, I'd like to request a room change."
"Why!"
Nuri Şahin was heartbroken.
"Oh well, I'm used to it anyway."
Jin Hayes realised that if he met Şahin again next season, it would be as opponents.
So what if he snored? It was normal for a grown man to snore. The countdown had begun for the time the brothers could spend together. The thought lingered as he took the key card, a faint smile on his face. The match ahead was all that mattered now. Camp Nou awaited, and with it, the chance to write another chapter in Dortmund's unlikely story.