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

In mid-February, the European battlefield was filled with the tense atmosphere of the Champions League knockout stage.

Yan Yuan and his Hoffenheim team just secured a 3-1 victory at the Estádio do Dragão, laying a solid foundation for advancing to the Champions League quarterfinals. Meanwhile, other top clubs are also engaged in fierce competition.

The most anticipated match was undoubtedly the first leg between Paris Saint-Germain, one of the title favorites, and La Liga giants Real Madrid, who hosted the Parc des Princes.

This season, the star-studded Paris attacking line, under Emery's tactical system, has truly shone with a brilliance that strikes fear into the hearts of its opponents.

Neymar scored twice with his individual ability, while the young Mbappe was like a sharp scalpel, constantly attacking Real Madrid's defense and becoming the perfect "wingman" and tactical pivot.

Paris Saint-Germain defeated Real Madrid 2-0 in the first leg at home.

Such a score is absolutely ideal for playing against Paris, giving them a significant advantage as they head to the Bernabéu.

After the match, manager Unai Emery couldn't hide his smile, and he didn't hold back in praising the incredibly expensive attacking duo in front of the cameras:

"Neymar and Kylian's performance tonight perfectly illustrated my tactical intentions. Kylian's attacking prowess kept the opposing defense on its toes, while Neymar's finishing ability decided the game. This is exactly the chemistry we were looking for."

This victory also gave sporting director Antero Henrique, who had been under intense scrutiny, a slight respite.

Since letting Yan Yuan go for free last summer, and then Paris Saint-Germain spending lavishly to acquire Neymar and Mbappe.

Enrique became the target of criticism from some media outlets and radical PSG fans.

Especially when Yan Yuan rose like a rocket at Hoffenheim, frequently topping the Bundesliga and Champions League top scorers list, his brilliance even rivaling that of the Paris twin stars, this wave of criticism continued unabated.

Yan Yuan's name has almost become a "boomerang" that is shot at Enrique from time to time.

After the match against Real Madrid, when reporters pressed him on whether he had any second thoughts about his initial decision,

Enrique chose a firm stance of counterattack this time.

He readily admitted: "Yan's performance at Hoffenheim is phenomenal, beyond imagination for a 17-year-old."

However, he abruptly changed his tone, becoming even more assertive:

"But we now have Neymar and Mbappe, who are the top attackers in football today, and tonight's victory proves that we are on the right track."

I firmly believe that the Paris Saint-Germain team we are building will achieve even better results this season and launch a powerful assault on the highest honors.

His implication was clear: no matter how dazzling a promising young star may be, they cannot compare to the immediate impact and certainty of winning the championship with the current superstars. Paris's choice was not wrong, and neither was his.

At Hoffenheim's training base, Yan Yuan, who had just returned to his apartment after a high-intensity match and training session, habitually browsed these major news stories from European football.

Enrique's comments did not elicit much of an emotional response from him.

Aside from being relegated to the bench, the memories PSG left him with were of those friendly first-team superstars.

Being terminated? That's all in the past now.

Whether it's the media frenzy, the favor of wealthy families, or the director's response, he sees them all as external noise.

He has more important things to do, and he just wants to continue focusing on the present.

"Will there be a chance to play in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain in the future? I'm really looking forward to it..." Yan Yuan thought to himself as he watched the news.

……

Nagelsmann has arranged for Yan Yuan to rest in the next league match.

The timing coincided with the 22nd round of the Bundesliga, where Hoffenheim hosted their formidable rivals RB Leipzig at home.

Despite the absence of both the top scorer and the reigning champion in the starting lineup, Nagelsmann's team still demonstrated strong overall strength and tactical execution.

After more than half a season of training and integration, Hoffenheim is now a completely different team.

Not only is Yan Yuan very strong in this team, but his teammates are also very strong.

In the attacking third, Gnabry was exceptionally active. His speed and dribbling on the wing were a weapon to tear apart the defense. Shortly after the start of the game, he provided an accurate cross to assist Kramaric in scoring.

The midfield maestro, Frenkie de Jong, a young Dutch international who also joined on loan, displayed maturity and strategic vision beyond his years in the deep-lying position. He acted as a metronome, calmly and precisely controlling the rhythm of Hoffenheim's offensive and defensive transitions.

In defense, Maguire, the tall Englishman on loan from Leicester City, demonstrated strong aerial ability and physical toughness, and the central defensive line he formed with Vogt was as solid as a rock.

Demirbay plays the role of sweeper in the deep position, and with his rich experience and calm judgment, he has resolved many dangerous situations and become the linchpin of the back line.

Despite Leipzig's tenacious comeback, Hoffenheim secured the victory with a goal from substitute Uth.

In the end, RB Leipzig suffered a 1-2 away defeat.

The scoreboard clearly and silently conveyed a more impactful signal: after 22 rounds of league matches, Hoffenheim's points total has caught up with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich! The two teams are tied on points and have played the exact same number of matches!

The two teams have a total of 56 points.

……

Meanwhile, a heated discussion broke out among Bayern Munich's management.

"The points are tied again! Tied again!" Chairman Rummenigge slammed his fingers on the latest league standings on the table.

Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim are tied for first place in the standings with the same number of points and have played the exact same number of matches.

Bayern Munich is ranked above Hoffenheim only because of their superior goal difference.

"Can anyone tell me how this happened? A Hoffenheim!" Rummenigge shouted.

The chairman of the supervisory board next to Rummenigge, Hoeneß, the "godfather" of Bayern Munich, looked rather displeased.

His sharp gaze swept over everyone present, including sports director Salihamidzic, technical director Reschke, and other high-ranking officials.

These guys wisely kept quiet.

The once confident Bayern Munich, which considered the Bundesliga title a sure thing, now truly feels the threat from this small rural club.

"Look at them!" Hoeneß finally spoke, his voice low but extremely authoritative, his finger tapping on Hoffenheim's player roster on the screen.

"That kid who was released by PSG for free, Yan! Only seventeen! The Bundesliga and Champions League double top scorer! Why didn't our people receive his trial application back then? Salihamidzic, what happened?" His questioning was very sharp, especially directed at the scouting network responsible for Salihamidzic.

Sally lowered her head even further, not daring to speak.

Yan Yuan's father did send a trial application to Bayern Munich, but Salihamidzic immediately rejected it after noticing that Yan Yuan had no league appearances.

Bayern Munich receives a massive number of trial applications every year, and the number of talented players is countless.

Moreover, they prefer young talents from Germany, so Yan Yuan was naturally not among their choices.

"And Nagelsmann! He's not even thirty, not even as old as some of our players."

He brought a bunch of loaned, unknown players and pushed us to this point!

"They still won against Leipzig without that kid (Yan Yuan)! Gnabry, Uth, De Jong, Maguire, Amiri... they all played like top stars!"

Sports director Salihamidzic was under immense pressure, with fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

He spoke rapidly as he tried to explain:

"Sir, allow me to explain. That Yan... he did not come out of nowhere, but he did not show such terrifying explosive power in the youth training camp in Paris."

In just a few months after that contract termination, he seemed like a completely different person... It's simply illogical!

"Impossible?" Hoeneß interrupted him, his voice rising abruptly, filled with deep skepticism and a hint of barely perceptible greed.

"One of the characteristics of a top talent is that he defies convention! Look at his composure in the Champions League knockout stage, and his winning goal against Porto!"

Sali, as the sporting director, you should never use illogical excuses!

Now is not the time to discuss why we were wrong in the past! Now is the time to mend our ways! He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room.

"Listen up, everyone! No matter what! No matter the cost! The league champions this season must stay in Munich! This is a death order!"

I absolutely cannot tolerate being trampled on by Hoffenheim, and Bayern fans even less so! This is devastating to the club's reputation!

Rummenigge picked up the conversation, his tone more pragmatic, yet also ruthless:

"Sali, after this meeting, prepare a compelling and persuasive offer for Yan Yuan."

Financially... we could consider selling fringe players and adjusting the budget structure to prioritize these needs.

Remember, we must ensure we have the strongest bargaining chips when we enter the final bidding stage, as this is crucial to our dominance in the Bundesliga and cannot be afforded.

"You've been a director for so many years, you shouldn't have made a mistake on this issue."

"There's one more," Hoeneß added.

"This guy named Nagelsmann... this young, homegrown genius coach, he can't be ignored either."

He started coaching the youth team at 1860 Munich when he was 21 years old. With such limited resources, he was able to mold Hoffenheim into a team full of fighting spirit and tactical discipline.

"To bring out the best in loaned players like Gnabry, De Jong, and Maguire... that coaching ability, that ability to develop players, that ability to mold a team... that's truly invaluable."

His tone revealed undisguised admiration.

"Ancelotti certainly deserves respect, but we must plan for the future."

If Ancelotti leaves later, it wouldn't be unreasonable for Nagelsmann to take over Bayern.

Okay, let's try to get in touch with his team beforehand, understand his thoughts and plans. Hoffenheim, this small temple, can't keep this big shot.

Thus, a bold idea quickly took shape in the minds of Bayern's management:

They plan to pair Hoffenheim's rising star Yan Yuan with the young coach Nagelsmann, who is shaping the team.

Pack the master and apprentice up and take them back to Munich!

The executives continued their conversation, and the topic turned to Gnabry, who was loaned to Hoffenheim.

"At least, Gnabry's performance this season has been encouraging," technical director Reschke interjected at the opportune moment, with a relieved smile.

"He got plenty of playing time and room to grow at Hoffenheim, and his impact was fully unleashed in Nagelsmann's system. The loan decision now looks like the right one."

The management team nodded in agreement, which was some consolation for them.

Salihamidzic immediately added:

"Our plans for next season must include Gnabry's return."

His attacking prowess on the left wing is exactly what we need. I will continue to maintain good communication with Hoffenheim to ensure he gets the best possible training for the remainder of the season, while also planning his role upon his return.

The meeting between Bayern Munich's top management ended in a tense atmosphere.

Hoffenheim's unexpected rise and Yan Yuan's sudden emergence have completely disrupted the Bundesliga landscape.