After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

The last day of the holiday.

Today, the morning air in Birmingham was so cold it felt like it was freezing.

Yan Yuan stuffed the last folded tracksuit into his suitcase and zipped it up with a click.

"Is everything packed?" Yan's father asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Okay, all set." Yan Yuan picked up the box and grabbed the heavy backpack containing professional training equipment with his other hand.

Aunt Yan came over carrying a brand-new, thick down jacket: "Take this with you. It's cold in Germany. I heard the wind on the connecting bridge in Frankfurt is like a knife..."

"Mom, our team issues down jackets, I can't wear this." Yan Yuan laughed and dodged the jacket that was almost pulled over his head.

"This child! It's better to be dressed than to freeze! Pack him in the suitcase..."

"Okay, okay, I'll stuff it in." Yan Yuan couldn't refuse, so he took the fluffy down jacket and stuffed it into the side of the suitcase with great effort, causing the suitcase to bulge out.

He hugged his parents and said a brief goodbye: "I'm leaving now. Take care, Mom and Dad. Don't worry, everything's fine. Keep training and keep winning."

As soon as he stepped out of the house, the chill outside enveloped Yan Yuan, instantly invigorating him.

He zipped up his coat and strode toward the taxi waiting by the roadside. His short but fulfilling vacation was over, and the robot's work mode was back in operation.

……

When the plane landed in Stuttgart, the German landscape outside the window was covered with a thin layer of snow.

He tightened the collar of his coat, dragged his suitcase through the passage, and was greeted by the familiar cool air.

The slight dizziness from the several-hour flight was dispelled the moment I stepped out of the airport by a familiar feeling of "coming home".

The warm yellow light in Birmingham's home and the proud yet reluctant faces of the parents have already faded into the distance.

He remains Hoffenheim's "robot," the top scorer in the first half of the Bundesliga season, and an indispensable core player in the team's quest for glory.

After hailing a taxi, I headed straight for the apartment next to the Hoffenheim training base.

Yan Yuan didn't have much of the sentiment of a wanderer returning home; he was more eager to try.

As soon as he pushed open the familiar glass door of the base dormitory building, a warm current mixed with disinfectant, leather freshener, and the cozy warmth of human presence enveloped him.

"Hey! The robot's back in the factory?" The dormitory building's door was open, and the first person to see him was Grillitsch, who was grimacing as he tried to squeeze into his new, tight sneakers.

"If you don't send it back for maintenance, who's going to score goals for you?" Yan Yuan put his luggage in the corner, laughed and retorted, then skillfully opened the door of his locker.

The closet was spotless, just as it had been when he left, with only his training clothes neatly folded and placed on the top shelf.

That's just his style.

"Yan, how's the vacation going?" Vogt's voice was deeper as he wrapped bandages around his calf.

"It's much more tiring than training, Captain." Yan Yuan took off his heavy coat, revealing the training T-shirt underneath, and bent down to take out his training gear. "When I say it's tiring, I mean that at home I have to deal with my parents' endless 'do you want to eat something?' It's much harder than dealing with the guards."

"Hahahaha..."

This remark drew a burst of understanding laughter.

The teammates gradually switched back from holiday mode, and they were generally in good spirits.

……

After a day of rest, the entire Hoffenheim team has returned to training and match fitness.

The locker room was filled with the cheerful greetings of long-awaited reunions, the lively banter, and the equipment manager's loud reminders to everyone to assemble for training on time in the afternoon.

The atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Familiar teammates and familiar territory made Yan Yuan instantly feel a sense of belonging.

In the afternoon, when all the players appeared on the training field in their neat white training uniforms with sky blue stripes, everyone's expressions became focused.

The thin layer of snow on the ground was cleared to create running tracks and training areas, and the green artificial turf stood out against the bleak winter landscape.

Young coach Julian Nagelsmann appeared on the sidelines, standing with his signature upright posture, followed by his assistants, who surrounded the two new faces.

Yan Yuan looked at the two new faces.

One of them was young-looking, tall and slender, with blond hair, a slightly immature face but a very calm gaze.

The other person was exceptionally tall and imposing, with a particularly prominent head, broad shoulders, and a thick back, giving him an undeniable presence.

Nagelsmann clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"Alright, guys, the holiday is over! I'm glad to see you all back on time and in good shape."

He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"First of all, let's welcome our two new friends to our team. They will be fighting alongside us for the next half season."

He stepped aside to make way for the young player behind him: "Ferranquil de Jong, from Ajax. A versatile midfielder with very delicate footwork and excellent vision."

De Jong seemed a little uncomfortable speaking in front of so many people, and simply smiled shyly and said thank you in Dutch, then added in broken German:

"I'm very excited to join Hoffenheim, and I will continue to work hard."

His teammates responded with friendly applause, and many of the veteran players looked at De Jong with scrutiny but also anticipation.

De Jong is a technically gifted midfielder, which will be a great complement to Hoffenheim's tactical system that emphasizes ground passing.

Nagelsmann's gaze shifted to another:

"This is Harry Maguire from Leicester City, a rock in defense, excellent in the air, tough in one-on-one situations, and also..."

Nagelsmann paused deliberately, a slight smile playing on his lips, "He can add a significant threat to our set-piece attacks."

Maguire, on the other hand, seemed much more generous, flashing a hearty smile and speaking in loud German:

"Hello everyone, I'm very happy to be here. Hoffenheim's performance this season has been amazing, and I hope to contribute my part!"

He spoke German and English with a heavy accent, but it was full of power.

When he said "amazing," his gaze seemed to sweep over Yan Yuan beside him, who nodded and smiled in response to Maguire.

"Slap slap slap..."

The applause grew even louder, interspersed with a few whistles.

Maguire's physique is so imposing; seeing him almost gives you a sense of the solidity of the defense and the lethality of set-piece tactics.

Uth even yelled at him, "Hey! Big guy, watch your head when you're going for headers!"

This caused everyone to burst into laughter again.

De Jong and Maguire seemed to relax a lot amidst the gazes and laughter of the crowd.

After the applause subsided, Nagelsmann's expression returned to seriousness.

He took a few steps forward, and the players naturally gathered around him, forming a semicircle.

"Everyone, the addition of new members brings fresh blood, but more importantly," Nagelsmann's voice wasn't loud, but each word was clear and distinct, piercing through the cold wind.

"Our goals for the next stage are clearer, but also more challenging than those for the first half!"

He looked around at the faces in front of him, some young, some mature, but all filled with focus.

"We are currently second in the league standings, but although we are only second, we are only 4 points behind Bayern! What does 4 points mean?"

He held up four fingers.

"This means that every round of matches is crucial. It means that we cannot afford to be complacent or relaxed. There are never any easy matches in the Bundesliga."

But we, Hoffenheim, have the ability to challenge for the title! What we need to do is turn that ability into reality, point by point, match by match! Until the very end!

Nash clenched his fist.

The players' eyes also became burning with passion.

For Hoffenheim, a "country club," the title of Bundesliga champion was once an unattainable dream.

But now, this dream seems to be swaying right before our eyes, within reach, and the impact and excitement make everyone's breathing slightly rapid.

"But that's not all!" Nagelsmann's tone suddenly rose, carrying a more ambitious and penetrating force.

"The Champions League knockout stage begins in two weeks!"

These two words possess completely different magic.

It represents a higher level of competition, stronger opponents, more intense rivalries, and...

The supreme glory belonging to the pinnacle of Europe.

"Next, in the knockout stage, those clubs whose names resound throughout the world will become our opponents. It'll be difficult, won't it?" Nagelsmann's lips curled into that familiar smile again.

"Of course it's difficult! But how did we get to where we are today? It's from every Bundesliga match we fought for, from beating Sevilla in the group stage to breaking through Russia! We even beat Liverpool in the qualifiers!"

His sharp gaze swept over each key player: Amiri's midfield orchestration, Vogt's leadership, Grillitsch's omnipresence, Uth's pivot role... Finally, it landed on his beloved disciple Yan Yuan.

"Yan, tell everyone, how many goals did you score in the Champions League group stage?"

Caught off guard by being called upon, Yan Yuan instinctively stood up straight and answered clearly:

"Reporting to the coach: 5 matches played in the group stage, 12 goals scored."

Even he himself found this data output somewhat unbelievable.

"Twelve!" Nagelsmann practically roared, clapping his hands. "Top scorer in the group stage! Who could have imagined? A 17-year-old Hoffenheim player scoring 12 goals in the Champions League! And what about the knockout stages? Facing Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich, Juventus..."

"Yan, and everyone else, are you afraid?"

"Don't be afraid!" The players' shouts were unified and powerful, carrying the unique vigor of a young team, and resounded in the cold wind.

"Good! This is exactly what we wanted!" Nagelsmann nodded in satisfaction.

Nasser's eyes brightened, appearing to burn with invisible flames, and his voice, though not loud, carried a penetrating power.

"Guys, I know that the dream of winning the championship may sound far away and difficult."

Many might say we're too young, inexperienced, lack bench depth, or...

Our opponents are those powerful and monstrous families with a century of glory, spending hundreds of millions to build their teams every year!

Many people say that Hoffenheim's journey to this point is already a miracle, and reaching the knockout stage has exceeded expectations.

Nash stopped speaking and scanned the entire room with his sharp eyes, taking in the subtle resentment or solemnity on everyone's faces.

"Let them talk!" Nagelsmann's voice suddenly rose, decisive and firm.

"I'm standing here to tell you that in my eyes, and in the eyes of everyone who puts on this jersey, steps onto this training ground, and enters that stadium to fight for Hoffenheim,"

We came to the Champions League knockout stage not to tell them, 'We've done well to get this far,' but to win!

It's to go further! To fight until the last second! To tell everyone, why can't Hoffenheim have dreams?!

"The Bundesliga title is also our goal," he continued, his voice becoming more composed.

"A four-point gap is not a chasm. Bayern will make mistakes, while we will seize every opportunity. As for the Champions League..."

He paused for a moment, and a slight smile appeared on his lips:

"Even if others see it as just an unrealistic daydream, I will still demand that you give 200% effort to weave this dream in every day, every training session, every analysis class, and every game from now on!"

Let's weave this dream into something as wonderful, as intense, and as without regrets as possible!

"Yes, Coach!!" Vogt was the first to shout excitedly.

"Let's give it our all!"

"Let's do it!"

Shouts, applause, and the sound of stomping the ground erupted instantly!

Yan Yuan's eyes burned with high fighting spirit, and the veterans' tense faces relaxed, revealing firm and approving smiles.

Maguire swung his fist forcefully, his face flushed; De Jong also pursed his lips, his eyes filled with eager anticipation.

As Nagelsmann looked at the team that was now completely ignited, a hint of relief finally appeared in his sharp eyes, despite his exhaustion.

He raised his hand and pressed down: "Alright. Now, everyone go and prepare your training equipment. We'll assemble at the training ground in half an hour! Anyone who's late will have to do extra training! Disperse!"

The team quickly disbanded, and the oppressive atmosphere vanished, replaced by a restless energy eager to get back into training and prove themselves.

The players walked back to the locker room in twos and threes, excitedly discussing the coach's words as they went.

"The coach is such a smooth talker!" Amiri said, putting his arm around Yan Yuan's shoulder. "It gave me goosebumps! The damn Champions League knockout stage is really here!"

"Of course, Amiri, now that we've made it to the Champions League knockout stage, we have to fight to the end." Yan Yuan's tone was calm, but a fire was already burning in his heart.