Football: Invincible starting from krypton gold

Chapter 94 Dortmund
After the UEFA Cup group match with Alkmaar, Mainz will put their experience into the preparations for the league. The 17th round of the league will start in 6 days. This round of Mainz will go to the Westfalen Stadium to face Dortmund.

The two teams met in the German Cup final last season. This was also the first time the two teams met in history. At that time, Mainz defeated their opponents with a score of 4 to 1 and won the first German Cup in team history.

Mainz came to Dortmund ahead of schedule the day before.

Westfalen Stadium is located in the southwest of Dortmund, about 5 kilometers west from the train station. From the outside, the famous Westfalen Stadium in Europe is not conspicuous here.It's just four pillars of the same color as Dortmund's jersey, suggesting that this is Dortmund's home court.But as long as it's Dortmund's home game, as long as you step into the stadium, the overwhelming shouts made by the home fans will roar down from the top of the stands like a waterfall.So this stadium is one of the scariest stadiums in Europe with the same reputation as Anfield Stadium in the Premier League.

Why is it one of the most terrifying stadiums in Europe for visiting teams?Because compared with other stadiums, the stands at the Westfalen Stadium have a large inclination angle, and the stands on all sides surround the stadium into a valley shape, forming a good reverberation effect. And because this is a professional football stadium, it is different from a comprehensive stadium in that it has no runway.Therefore, to play in such an environment, players must have a good psychological quality, otherwise it will be difficult to display their technical level normally.

A few days before the game, Dortmund took the lead in starting the war of words, clamoring that they must teach Mainz a good lesson at their home court this time, in order to avenge the German Cup final last season.

Before the start of this season, Dortmund changed coaches. The Dutchman Van Marwijk took over Dortmund's coach, but the arrival of Van Marwijk did not bring much change to the ambitious Dortmund.

In an interview with reporters before the match, Van Marwijk said: "This is our home court. Although I haven't played against Mainz before, I have been studying it this season. I want to say what I know about Mainz. I should be very familiar with the Bundesliga teams. Although I didn't lead the German Cup last season, I think we can teach Mainz a lesson at our own home court this time. Although Klopp has proved that he is a qualified head coach, I think he still has very little experience. This is one of them. Weaknesses, as well as Chen Xiao, the core player of Mainz, I admit that Chen Xiao is indeed very good, but he is still good enough to be the core player of a team at his age and experience, I think a mature head coach would not do this, geniuses need time to grow."

Van Marwijk's remarks immediately caused an uproar in the Bundesliga, because after half a season, Klopp has been recognized by the Bundesliga. Now Klopp is a very famous young coach in the Bundesliga. Although Van Marwijk is old, he has not proved himself in the Bundesliga after half a season, so this passage of Van Marwijk has aroused a lot of criticism from the outside world.

So after Van Marwijk said these words, it was originally a popular match of this round, and the atmosphere before the match became even more heated. Many people began to pay attention to this match, wanting to see whether Van Marwijk was slapped for talking big, or if he was really capable.

Dede, who was miserably abused by Chen Xiao in the last final, stood up and said that he must give Chen Xiao a little color in this game to avenge himself.

When the reporter interviewed Mainz, the whole Mainz team was as low-key as ever.

Klopp replied to the reporter and said: "Mr. Belt is indeed a very high-level and very experienced head coach. It is my honor to play against such an opponent. As Mr. Belt said, my game experience is very lacking, so I am learning every game now, but we will definitely play the best level and strive to win the game."

When answering about Van Marwijk's evaluation of himself, Chen Xiao said: "I am a professional player. I will try my best to complete the tasks assigned by the head coach every game. In fact, there is no core or non-core. I am a member of our team. Everyone in the team is indispensable. Victory is the result of everyone's hard work. So I still agree with what Mr. Belt said. I am still young. I still have enough time to learn and have enough time to endure failure. As for the result of this game, of course I want to win, but he is not me. You can get what you want, the key is to watch the process of the game.”

Many other Mainz players refused to answer because they had no comment when interviewed by reporters, but anyone who is familiar with Klopp knows that Klopp, who remains humble in front of reporters, believes that his heart is about to explode at this moment.

Around the hotel where he stayed in Mainz, local fans have been holding signs to harass Mainz's rest.

Soon the time came to the day of the game, and when the Mainz team arrived at the Westfalen Stadium, there was still an hour before the start of the game.

Mainz went back to the locker room after a half-hour of adaptive training. For the players, this half-hour of adaptive training was more about experiencing the unique horror atmosphere of the Westfalen Stadium in advance. When the Mainz players were on the field, there were insults and threats in their ears.

In the locker room, just after Klopp finished his pre-war mobilization, the referee came to urge the Mainz players. In the player tunnel, the starting lineups of the two teams met. Many Dortmund players looked at Mainz fiercely, as if they had a lot of hatred, while the Mainz players looked calm.

Finally, it was time to play. Under the leadership of the referee, the starting lineups of the two teams stood in the center of the court, and the game will officially start in a while.

(End of this chapter)