CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 10: ROAR

The players returned to the locker room with a pure white base.

After Schuster watched the players settle their personal issues, he stood in front of the whiteboard and suddenly slapped it with a "bang".

The sound immediately drew the attention of all the players. Schuster looked like a lion whose hair had exploded, golden and messy hair appearing dazzling under the indoor lights.

"Congratulations! Great lads," Schuster roared. "Losing this match or drawing it will leave a significant mark in the history of the Derby and our club."

"We’ve created a brilliant record, 55 seconds and damn Atletico Madrid scored against us."

"Do you feel honored? Leaving your name in the great history of the club? Huh?"

The players’ breathing started to become rapid, as they stared intensely at Schuster. He was pleased with their reaction; this was exactly what he wanted.

"Chen." Schuster suddenly called out Chen Zhong’s name, which startled him. He wanted to respond but was immediately interrupted by Schuster’s next words: "How many fouls did we commit in the first half?"

"1? 2? Or even 3?"

"Is this a damn friendly match?"

"This is a damn Derby!"

"Derby!"

Schuster began to pace around the locker room, his gaze sweeping over every Real Madrid player, as if trying to inject his will, anger, and fighting spirit into their bodies and minds.

"We need to play more aggressively."

"We must constantly pressure the opponent, be tougher on those damn guys."

"We’re respecting the opponents too much, damn too much, whether when we have the ball or when they have it, with or without physical contact, we’re respecting them too much."

Schuster, like a lion patrolling his territory, strode up to Drenthe, towering over the Dutch full-back whose performance in the first half was poor.

"Are you scared?"

"What?"

"I asked if you’re scared?" Schuster looked at Drenthe and said, "Afraid of fouling? Afraid of being passed? Afraid of making mistakes?"

"I can tell you very clearly, if you continue to act like a coward in this match..."

"Then you won’t get a chance from me, we’re fucking playing a Derby, this is a damn war."

Drenthe’s face flushed red, and Schuster moved on to Robinho. This bicycle boy squared his shoulders, staring at Schuster, who suddenly smiled.

He asked Robinho a question.

"Are they strong?"

"No, of course not!"

After hearing the answer, Schuster smiled and said nothing, which allowed Robinho to relax. He didn’t know about others, but if Schuster dared to treat him like Drenthe, he would definitely retaliate.

Schuster turned and walked back to the whiteboard, knocking on it loudly, "This is Bernabeu, it’s our home pitch. Today is our awards ceremony, and after the match, we’re going to parade with the trophy. We have ten thousand reasons why we must win, and I refuse to accept any result other than victory."

"We must bring the game under our rhythm, we must show more fighting spirit, more bravery, we must fight for the fans and for the jersey on our bodies."

Afterward, Schuster explained some tactical adjustments for the second half. After Francisco reminded him that there’s not much time left at halftime, Schuster flipped the whiteboard onto the ground.

He clapped forcefully, saying, "Go! Go and tell them whose home ground this is."

"Hala Madrid!"

"Hala Madrid!" The players responded in unison and filed out.

The second half began, and Atletico Madrid hadn’t realized the seriousness of the situation. Just like in the first half, they launched an attack on Drenthe’s side.

But this time, Drenthe was particularly resolute in defense, forcing the Atletico players, who tried a deep offensive like in the first half, to pass the ball earlier.

Garcia, in the middle, had just received the ball when Sneijder pressed up on him.

He quickly passed the ball to the forward Aguero.

Aguero turned sideways to take the ball. As he was about to touch it, a white shadow slid directly across, taking him down along with the ball.

Aguero lay on the ground, grimacing while holding his leg.

The stadium froze at this moment. The fans hadn’t gotten into the rhythm of watching the game yet, so this intense scene right off the bat caught them off guard.

Only when the referee blew the whistle, with a sharp "beep," did a tide of noise erupt, and Atletico Madrid’s players split into two groups: one surrounded the referee, the other went after Chen Zhong, trying to provoke the young man into doing something impulsive.

As for Aguero down on the ground...

He ended up being ignored.

However, the referee had no intention of pulling out a card. He just walked over and warned Chen Zhong, "Watch your actions, that’s too dangerous."

Chen Zhong, of course, wouldn’t talk back to the referee, compliantly agreeing. As a defensive player, he understands tackling calls very well.

If you play the ball without contacting the person, there’s no foul.

After touching the ball, brushing against the person, if the referee considers it not reckless or excessive, there’s no foul.

If, before playing the ball, you contact the person aiming at the ball but not the player, it’s a regular foul with a direct free kick.

If, before playing the ball, you contact the person aiming at the player, not the ball, it’s a foul with a yellow card + direct free kick.

Dangerous tackling, like two-footed challenges or tackling from behind, threatening the opponent’s safety, without contacting the person, results in a yellow card; ifyou knock the player down, it’s a red card.

In the referee’s view, Chen Zhong’s tackle was between the second and third scenarios. After all, Aguero’s foot was also on the ball at the time; he couldn’t ascertain if Chen Zhong first touched the ball, then the person or something else. Just by looking at his sprinting slide tackle, one can tell it was intentional.

After Aguero got up, he rushed to Chen Zhong and demanded, "What are you doing?"

His small eyes bore large confusion; wasn’t everything fine in the first half?

Although sometimes the moves were excessive, they stayed within a normal, reasonable range. But not like just now.

In that moment, he thought Chen Zhong was out to break his leg.

Chen Zhong didn’t answer, just returned to his position. Schuster’s words in the locker room awakened him. This is a Derby, and he’s not some "good guy." He needed to be a fearsome "Butcher," not a benevolent nice guy.

If the team needs someone to play the villain, to do the dirty work, to be an awe-inspiring Butcher, then let it be me.

"He gets it," Schuster smiled, turning to Francisco, saying, "Football is the continuation of war, this is a war, and this kid finally gets it. This is more like it."

Atletico Madrid took the free kick, and Fernando quickly passed the ball to Aguero.

In that instant, Aguero felt a chill down his spine.