Football: Starting from the Ronaldinho template

Chapter 67: The Clash Between Second and Third Place in the Bundesliga!

"Xhaka! A long-range shot from 30 meters out, saved by Benaglio with a diving save!"

"Wow! This young defensive midfielder from Switzerland not only has excellent playmaking abilities but can also handle defensive duties!"

"Fans even gave him a nickname: the Einstein of the football field!"

"By the way, he and Wolfsburg's left-back Rodriguez won the U17 World Cup together, and Xhaka was the most outstanding among that group of talented teenagers!"

Fifty thousand fans at the Borussia-Park stadium cheered.

Although they believed that even with Qin Ming in Wolfsburg, they would not be afraid.

Because they spent a record-breaking €850 million to buy Xhaka back, who is stronger.

In just one season, Xhaka became a deep-lying attacking playmaker in head coach Favre's tactical system.

He is the linchpin of the entire team, responsible for orchestrating and organizing ball possession and leading the team's offensive and defensive transitions.

Xhaka's average of 2.3 tackles and 3 interceptions per game, along with his midfield partner Kramer's average of 3 tackles and 2.5 interceptions per game, have given Borussia Mönchengladbach the second-best defensive record in the Bundesliga.

On the other side of the field, Qin Ming observed Borussia Mönchengladbach. When he saw Xhaka making rapid passes and advances, he suddenly had a strange feeling. This guy had a similar temperament to De Bruyne.

That's a technical style that involves calmly analyzing the situation on the court and maintaining a smooth rhythm.

After Wolfsburg's first line of defense was breached, Xhaka passed the ball to the advancing Kramer.

This guy is weird.

He was instrumental in the starting lineup during the World Cup final in Brazil.

As a result, in the 19th minute of the match, he collided with an Argentine defender's head while vying for the ball.

He seemed to regain his senses after being treated by the team doctor.

But there was an interview program a while ago.

Lahm recalled: "At first I wasn't worried, he was playing like usual. But after a while, he walked over to me and reached out to take off my captain's armband. After a while, he even tried to exchange jerseys with the referee. I thought something really bad might have happened to him."

Müller recalled: "You may know that after he was knocked unconscious, he asked me if I was playing in the World Cup final. But sadly, this was probably his most normal reaction. That day, he not only called me 'Gerd Müller,' but also congratulated me on winning the 1974 World Cup. Later, as the cheers from the fans grew louder, he even ran over to me and said, 'Hey, look how great the atmosphere is at the Ruhr Stadium.'"

Neuer couldn't escape either: "At first, I thought this kid was pretty normal, but then I found his behavior was really strange. He came over to me and said, 'Hey, Manuel, let me be the goalkeeper for a while.'"

It can be said that Germany's victory in the World Cup was a miracle in a sense.

The camera returns to the Borussia-Park stadium.

Kramer, nicknamed "Little Dizzy," received the ball and passed it to Rafael on the left flank. Rafael, despite Naldo's interference, skillfully delivered the ball into the penalty area.

"Max Kruse!"

"A diving header!"

"Whoa! It grazed the post and went out of bounds; Borussia Mönchengladbach almost changed the score!"

"Kruse looks very frustrated. Last season he scored 12 goals and provided 12 assists in the league, ranking second only to Reus in the German players' top scorers list!"

"He's a very talented player!"

"By the way, it's said that he's a born gambling king. He was completely clueless when he first started playing cards, but he beat the entire Borussia Mönchengladbach team in just 20 minutes!"

"He recently took advantage of his vacation to participate in a poker tournament in Las Vegas, and surprisingly stood out from all the other players, winning not only $50,000 but also donating half of it to an orphanage!"

He Wei couldn't help but marvel at how everything is possible in professional football.

On the pitch, Borussia Mönchengladbach fans cheered for the German gambling god, and the team's morale soared.

However, under the tutelage of the enemy specialist Blackgold, Wolfsburg has developed a solid defensive mindset.

Olic disrupted the Borussia Mönchengladbach defenders' passing, and Qin Ming and others immediately pressed the ball in their respective areas. The two defensive midfielders swept through the heart of the field with their running, while the defensive line guarded against possible long passes over the top.

Everything was proceeding smoothly. After several unsuccessful attacks, Mönchengladbach tried to reorganize, but De Bruyne guessed the passing route. Snap! De Bruyne moved ahead to intercept, then without even looking up, he took a shot, curving it to the left flank.

There, Qin Ming and De Bruyne displayed perfect teamwork, both starting early to shake off Yang Keqi, and then charging towards the Borussia Mönchengladbach goal with a combination of stops and dribbles.

"Brouwers quickly covered the flank, and Jankic was also frantically chasing back!"

"Backheel cut past the opponent!"

"Great! You've created space, time to pass the ball!"

"no!"

Under the watchful eyes of 50,000 fans, Qin Ming's body contorted as he slammed his right foot into the ball.

Bang! A steep and sharp arc cut through the air, whistling as it headed towards the upper right corner of the goal.

Just as the football was about to go into the goal, a pair of white gloves suddenly appeared and deflected the ball at the last second.

Sommer!

The cheers from the Borussia Mönchengladbach fans were even louder, applauding their strongest shield.

"So fierce?"

Qin Ming smacked his lips.

Keep in mind that Sommer is only 183cm tall, which is similar to his height.

He is a typical short goalkeeper in the football world.

However, Higuita and Casillas are similar types of goalkeepers, but their skill levels are both exceptionally high.

Sommer also has the same traits.

They have fast reaction speed, strong ball control, and accurate positioning.
It can be said that apart from being short, she has all the advantages.

"Looks like we can't shoot from long range today; we'll have to shoot from close range."

Qin Ming had an idea in mind, and he gestured to his teammates to let them know.

"After both teams missed scoring opportunities, the game entered a brief stalemate!"

"It seems like neither of the second or third place teams in the Bundesliga can really challenge the other!"

"It will be difficult for Borussia Mönchengladbach to break through Wolfsburg's overall defense, and it will be difficult for Wolfsburg to get past Xhaka's duo!"

"Hey! Perisic makes a quick breakthrough down the wing and sends in a cross near the byline—it's a half-high ball!"

"Olic takes the shot!"

"Beautiful! Sommer makes another incredible save, diving with lightning speed to deny Wolfsburg's shot!"

Wolfsburg fans were devastated by what they saw.

The most frustrating thing for the attacking side is when they create an opportunity and are just one step away from scoring, only to have it repeatedly blocked by the opposing goalkeeper.

Borussia Mönchengladbach's morale was boosted by Sommer's outstanding performance, and they quickly advanced thanks to Xhaka's calm organization.

The continuous passing and cutting on the green field seemed to transform into a simple yet beautiful picture.

"Borussia Mönchengladbach's head coach, Favre, is generally regarded as a perfectionist tactician who pays great attention to detail. He has specific requirements and expectations for every player in the team."

"That's why Borussia Mönchengladbach's matches are often very entertaining."

"Xhaka, launch a long pass to the weak side of the attack and find Yang Keqi who is making a run down the flank."

(End of this chapter)