Chapter 1 The Next Day

The next morning.

First team training ground.

Li Kang and Son Heung-min were doing strength training.

Brandt came up and asked, "Li, you're not going back to Barca, are you? It's too boring for me to live in the dorm by myself!"

Li Kang nodded.

"Then I heard you haven't renewed your contract with the club either?"

"Did the club fire Schmidt for you?"

"You're here training at five in the morning again?"

Brandt chattered on, asking questions out of curiosity.

Li Kang smiled, unable to explain.

The reason for Schmidt's dismissal had nothing to do with him.

How could a player get a club to fire a head coach?

This was the Bundesliga, after all.

Not the Premier League.

Son Heung-min patted Brandt on the head, "Hurry up and warm up, the new coach is coming soon..."

Li Kang had just finished a training exercise.

A system prompt sounded quietly.

[Physical Confrontation: 79.9 → 80!]

[Stamina: 79.9 → 80!]

[If a single attribute exceeds 80, that attribute will require a longer training time to improve.]

In an instant.

His body seemed to undergo a qualitative leap.

The slight fatigue brought on by morning practice was swept away!

...

As he spoke.

He heard the sound of leather shoes tapping on the cement floor.

An old man with an afro in a suit and leather shoes walked over.

Behind him was a young assistant coach.

Li Kang smiled. Wasn't this Coach Topp from the youth team?

"BEEP!"

Hearing the whistle.

The players came forward to assemble.

Everyone knew that the new coach was a Leverkusen legend!

Triple Runner-Up!

Bundesliga runner-up!

German Cup runner-up!

Champions League runner-up!

It was just that a series of off-field scandals occurred at the end of his coaching career. After coaching the national team, he failed to maintain his reputation in his later years, wandered around, and then returned to coach the Leverkusen youth team.

This resume was not something Schmidt could compare to.

Topp straightened his tie and said loudly, "I'm glad to be your interim head coach for the time being!"

The players immediately applauded.

The assistant coach adjusted his glasses, "Let me introduce myself, I'm Dino... Put on your vests, we'll have a team scrimmage right away!"

One name after another was called out.

Li Kang appeared in the starting lineup of Team A.

Çalhanoğlu and Bellarabi led Team B, which was mainly composed of substitute players.

With a whistle from the assistant coach.

The training match officially began!

Team B had possession.

Çalhanoğlu had just received a pass from a teammate.

He was met with fierce pressing from Son Heung-min and Kießling.

It seemed that everyone... under the "influence" of Van Gaal and Magath, had learned how to limit Çalhanoğlu during this period.

After a successful steal.

Kramer immediately passed the ball to Li Kang.

The following game.

Made old man Topp and assistant coach Dino's eyes light up.

Li Kang knew the characteristics of each of his teammates like the back of his hand.

Most of the time, his passes could comfortably reach his teammates' dominant feet!

His positioning always appeared in the most suitable place and could guide the direction of his teammates' passes.

Under his control, Team A played a smooth and flowing offense.

Pressing Team B back.

"Boss, Li is much stronger than he was in the youth team!"

"No, no, it seems he's even a little stronger than he was at Old Trafford!"

Li Kang received a pass from Son Heung-min in the attacking half of Team B.

Bellarabi frantically closed in.

His explosive speed was among the top five in Europe today, easily catching up with a Dragonborn!

Just as he was about to make a tackle.

Bang!

Li Kang knocked him down with a side check!

Everyone was a little stunned.

It was normal to knock down a thin Herrera.

But being able to knock down the muscular and burly Bellarabi was too strong, right?

The key was that Li Kang's appearance didn't look like a big muscle guy!

The game was not interrupted because of this.

Li Kang took the opportunity to send a chip pass.

The football lightly passed over the heads of the defenders who were still stunned.

Falling towards the penalty area.

Smashing into Kießling's head.

Bouncing into the goal!

The teammates were stunned for a moment before celebrating with Li Kang.

Captain Bender said in surprise, "Li! Did you become familiar with our dominant feet by watching our team training sessions?"

Kießling patted his forehead, "You're familiar with my head!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Çalhanoğlu looked displeased.

Bellarabi was reminiscing about how he was knocked down by Li Kang. It seemed that it wasn't just a simple contest of strength.

....

The training match continued.

Team B restarted from the center circle.

Çalhanoğlu began to imitate Li Kang in a decent manner.

His passing skills were actually very good.

But his vision and awareness were too poor!

The passes he sent out were not threatening and could not complete a quick advance.

Team B's teammates found it difficult to play under his command.

Soon.

Their midfield began to collapse.

......

The second half of the training match.

Li Kang and Çalhanoğlu switched positions.

Team B's players gradually began to play well and were completely different from the first half.

Finally.

When the assistant coach blew the whistle to end the training match.

Old man Topp already had an answer in his heart.

"Çalhanoğlu's style has been thoroughly studied by Van Gaal and Magath. He is more suitable for playing in weak teams with a weak midfield. Li is the core of our team's offense and defense."

"Boss, can't they coexist?"

"No, Çalhanoğlu needs too much possession and will slow down Li Kang's attacking rhythm!"

"Although he is stronger than Li Kang in many aspects, his vision, awareness, game reading ability, and physical confrontation are far worse!"

"Çalhanoğlu is Leverkusen's record signing... his value..."

"Leverkusen isn't Porto or Monaco, a black shop? If we lose another game, we'll both be fired!"

Topp and Dino left the training ground, they were preparing to hold the first round of coaching staff meetings.

Çalhanoğlu sat on the grass.

Feeling complicated.

He also realized his problems: slow speed, weak turning ability, poor physical confrontation, and weak pushing and passing ability...

Before.

When Schmidt was still around, he could mobilize the whole team to serve and protect him alone.

But it also indirectly formed a hidden danger for the team's collapse.

Looking at Bellarabi, who was showing flattery in the distance.

He admitted that he could not bring himself to flatter Li Kang in any way.

Looking at the top five leagues.

Serie A would be more in line with his style!

............

Three days later.

The Bundesliga summer transfer window officially closed!

The second leg of the Champions League qualifier came as scheduled.

Leverkusen hosted Manchester United at home.

The importance of this game was self-evident.

It was related to which of the two teams could enter the Champions League group stage!

Van Gaal was in a depressed mood.

Before setting off for Germany, he roared madly at the Manchester United scouts in his office:

"Are you all good-for-nothings? The summer window is closed and you still can't contact the Dragonborn? Damn it, his buyout clause is only 2 million euros! You missed the best opportunity to bring him back to Manchester United!"