Chapter 1 In Front of the Television

In the evening, Zhou Yi and his parents sat in front of the television, watching the live broadcast of the match.

However, the game hadn't started yet. The broadcast was still lively, with reports from on-site reporters and analysis from commentators in the studio.

Zhou Jianliang and Li Cuiyun still couldn't understand German. Learning English was already difficult for them, let alone German.

Fortunately, Zhou Yi was there to provide simple translations.

"Are they talking about you?" Zhou Jianliang managed to pick out "Zhou Yi," but only because it was repeated several times on TV.

Zhou Yi nodded. "They're saying my absence will affect Borussia Dortmund."

"Then I know what they're saying. It's not looking good," Zhou Jianliang said.

Zhou Yi laughed at his father's words.

Because that was exactly what they meant.

The German studio wasn't very optimistic about Dortmund's away game, mainly because Zhou Yi hadn't traveled with the team to London.

"...Wenger said before the match that he was sorry Zhou Yi wasn't participating... I think he's lying! Deep down, he must be happy! Happy that Zhou Yi didn't go to London!" a guest on the show said.

The host laughed.

"But I don't think Dortmund fans need to worry too much. At least after this game, the chances of Zhou Yi returning increase significantly..." He finished laughing and started reassuring Dortmund fans.

Zhou Jianliang was also a little worried. He asked his son, "I'm saying, you guys aren't going to get knocked out in the group stage after being the defending champions, are you?"

Zhou Yi shook his head, very confidently. "How could that be? The Champions League group stage has just begun..."

"Don't think I don't know anything. After this game against Arsenal, half of the Champions League group stage will be over. If Dortmund loses this away game, that's two losses. It will be very difficult to qualify," Zhou Jianliang, a seasoned fan, scoffed at his son's reassurance.

"Of course, there's difficulty, but we'll still qualify in the end," Zhou Yi said confidently. "I don't know if we can defend the title, but we definitely won't be going home after the group stage. Besides, the game against Arsenal hasn't even started yet. What if we win in the end?"

"I think it'll be difficult..." Zhou Jianliang grunted. His son was so important to the team, and since he wasn't playing, of course, he wasn't optimistic about Dortmund winning away. Arsenal wasn't some pushover either...

※※※

During the pre-match warm-up, Yan Min noticed that his teammates around him weren't in high spirits.

On one hand, it was an away game, and on the other hand, it was probably because Zhou Yi wasn't there.

Zhou Yi had already practiced with the team, and everyone was happy, waiting for him to return to the field. They were very optimistic about Zhou Yi participating in this Champions League match.

But suddenly news came that Zhou Yi wasn't going to London...

Yan Min could understand their feelings—someone they had been pinning their hopes on suddenly wasn't going, and everyone's hopes were left hanging.

But Yan Min couldn't agree with this view.

He respected Zhou Yi very much, especially after coming to Dortmund and experiencing Zhou Yi's help firsthand.

But he never saw Zhou Yi as a savior.

Zhou Yi couldn't decide whether he could play or not; that depended on his individual training and warm-up match performance.

Zhou Yi also couldn't decide whether he would play well on the field. If he was in poor form, like sleepwalking, even if Zhou Yi passed him the ball many times, it would probably all be wasted...

So on the field, whether they could win and how well they performed depended entirely on themselves, not others.

They couldn't feel like they would lose just because Zhou Yi wasn't there.

His fighting spirit wasn't affected by Zhou Yi's absence.

But unfortunately, no matter how high Yan Min's fighting spirit was, he didn't get a chance to start in this game.

When the game started, he and his teammates sat on the bench and watched.

Dortmund played quite well at the beginning of the game.

In the sixteenth minute, Mark assisted, and Mkhitaryan scored the first goal for the team.

Taking the lead in the away game!

The bench erupted in excitement, and the atmosphere improved a lot.

However, Hummels received a yellow card in defense. As a center-back, receiving a yellow card less than half an hour into the game was definitely a disadvantage.

Sure enough, in the forty-first minute, Arsenal found a breakthrough on Hummels' side. With a yellow card, Hummels was obviously more cautious in his movements when defending, which gave Arsenal an opportunity.

When Arsenal's center forward Giroud jumped in the air, Hummels didn't even dare to move below him.

He had just been suspended for one game in the league due to a red card. If he got a red card in the Champions League as well, he might become the scapegoat for the loss...

Although they hadn't lost yet, they couldn't ignore that possibility...

As a result, Giroud completed an excellent header over his head. Weidenfeller couldn't save it, and the ball flew into the goal.

Arsenal equalized!

When Arsenal scored, Yan Min could feel the mood on the bench drop. Everyone held their heads and didn't say a word.

※※※

"Ah!" Zhou Jianliang in front of the TV let out a long sigh of regret. Just as the first half was about to end, Arsenal equalized...

"Hummels didn't dare to move..." On TV, commentator Marcel Reif was criticizing Hummels' defense just now. "Sometimes he seems too reckless, like when he got the card just now. Sometimes he seems too cautious, like with this goal!"

Zhou Yi pursed his lips and didn't say a word. As a Dortmund player, he certainly didn't want to see his team lose consecutive games.

Although it could prove his importance to the team... Zhou Yi felt that his importance didn't need to be proven by such a thing at all!

He still hoped that the team could defeat Arsenal away.

※※※

During halftime, Yan Min didn't enter the locker room. He and the other substitutes continued to warm up outside with assistant coach Buvac and didn't know what adjustments Klopp made in the locker room.

Dortmund didn't make any substitutions after the second half started.

It was Arsenal who made the first substitution.

Wilshere was injured in the fifty-seventh minute, and a minute later he was replaced by Cazorla.

"...This should be good news for Dortmund. Wilshere has performed well this season, starting seven times in the league and scoring two goals. His injury will definitely have a negative impact on Arsenal's midfield strength..." Marcel Reif said hopefully.

However, Arsenal, who were forced to make an early substitution due to Wilshere's injury, then scored again!

In the sixty-fourth minute, Dortmund conceded a free kick in the attacking third because Mark fouled Özil in defense.

Özil took the free kick himself.

"Özil..." While the German midfielder was placing the ball, Marcel Reif gave a brief introduction. "He joined Arsenal at the last moment before the summer transfer window closed. Arsenal fans believe he is the key figure for Arsenal to end their eight-year trophy drought..."

Just as he finished speaking, Özil also placed the ball and then stepped back, preparing to run up.

This was a free kick on the left side, about thirty-three meters from the goal.

Positionally speaking, it would be better to pass the ball to a teammate.

Arsenal players were also gathered on the edge of the penalty area, preparing to rush in and fight for the ball.

There were three people in the Dortmund wall in front of Özil. The number of people in the wall wasn't large. Everyone's defensive focus was in the penalty area, defending the Arsenal players who were preparing to fight for the ball.

Özil, who was taking the free kick, was a left-footed player, and this free kick was on the left, so left-footed Özil should use his left foot to pass the ball in front of the goal.

However, after the referee blew his whistle, Özil didn't kick the ball towards the crowded group. After his left foot kicked the ball, the ball went around the outside of the wall and went straight to the near corner of the goal!

Goalkeeper Weidenfeller, who was standing at the far end, was caught off guard. When he saw the ball go around the outside of the wall, he hurriedly jumped out.

As a result, the ball flew into the goal before he could reach it, and then he almost crashed into the post!

Goal!

Arsenal took a 2-1 lead!