My Girlfriend Wants Victory

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The Bundesliga Round 4 Korean Derby has concluded, and Dortmund is quickly preparing for the next match.

Dortmund had to go on another away game just three days after finishing their match against Hamburg.

“Son Jinho, be careful out there.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t get hurt!”
“Got it.”
“Anything you want to say to me?”
“I love you.”
“That’s too ordinary.”
“Is that why you don’t like it?”
“Of course not.”

Having spent a joyful time with Gyeouri, I immediately hopped onto the away bus.

Even though it was two consecutive away matches, at least it was fortunate that Frankfurt was nearby.

It was like the distance from Seoul to Cheongju in Korea.

Well.

If it were excessively far, we’d be taking a plane, but since Gyeouri was pregnant, the proximity of the away game gave me psychological relief.

‘Best would be to just fly even for shorter distances.’

The club also had to think about finances, right?

Not long ago, they experienced a financial crisis, so Dortmund’s obsession with financial stability was considerable.

Due to financial improvements, consistent performance, and attracting Asian fans, their income has significantly risen.

Even though they became one of the most profitable clubs in the world, Dortmund tried to minimize unnecessary expenses.

‘Didn’t they say you could save 40 million won on moving costs with one bus trip?’

For reference, during COVID, FC Barcelona had to send away their symbol due to financial issues, and now they were saving money by traveling by bus over distances more than double ours.

“Jinho! Come here and let’s play poker.”

Anyway, I mingled with the Dortmund players on the away bus heading to Frankfurt.

I sat at the table and observed the players around me.

Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski, Ivan Perišić, and me.

Otherwise known as Götze the Grumpy, Lewy the Betrayer, Kloppo the Fighter, and the kid.

Hmm. How to put it?

It felt a bit like a den of traitors.

“Where’s Marco?”

Maybe that’s why I started looking for Marco Reus as soon as I took my seat.

It was probably because the word ‘coup’ stuck in my mind.

“Tired, huh?”
“Yeah?”

With Marco Reus not joining in, the ‘Spring of Dortmund’ was thwarted from the start, and we helplessly started a card game.

“Jinho, you really suck at card games, don’t you?”
“…Ugh, you’re dead.”

After losing in the card game, Ivan Perišić threw a ‘you really suck at this game’ jab at me.

Having gotten overly excited, I used my hand skills.

“…Huh? This guy is cheating.”
“Hey, catch that guy. It was suspicious!”

And just like that, I got found out.

***

Bundesliga Round 5.
The match between Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt took place at the Waldstadion, meaning “Forest Stadium.”

Was it because of the pressure of maintaining the 35-match unbeaten record?

[Goaaaaaaaaaaal! Dortmund allowed a counterattack right at the start of the match! In the end, Frankfurt successfully scored the opening goal!]

The Dortmund players were tense, their bodies stiff, misfiring their cohesion and allowing Frankfurt to score first.

[Unlike pre-match expectations, Frankfurt is pressing Dortmund hard!]

Even after conceding, Dortmund wobbled for a while. Frankfurt pressed that Dortmund hard.

[Stephan Eichner, who scored the opening goal, connects the ball again from the side!]

[Takashi Inui receives the ball on the left side and sends in the cross! Alexander Meier’s header!!]

With a perfect header from the cross that came from the side, Frankfurt once again pierced Dortmund’s net.

[Alexander Meier, who succeeds in an additional goal! Running to the corner flag… Huh? What’s this? Is that offside? Alexander Meier starts protesting to the assistant referees.]

└ Uh, it’s obviously offside.

└ How dare he challenge the referee? Isn’t that worthy of a warning?

But the referee and assistant referee declared offside.

[Hmm… looking back now, it doesn’t seem like offside? It seems like a wrong decision.]

└ Dortmund, those bastards ㅋㅋ bribed the referee because the match was a steal ㅋㅋ

└ I was wondering why bribery wasn’t mentioned, damn ㅋㅋ

└ As a 10-year Dortmund fan, I can confidently say this. Dortmund doesn’t have that kind of money to bribe the ref.

Frankfurt’s players surrounded the referee, protesting strongly, but he shook his head firmly and maintained his original decision.

[Showing a superb defense by punishing the incoming attacker, Son Jinho! Son Jinho sends a long pass to Mario Götze on the left flank!]

After the controversial decision, the match resumed, and the players still seemed off-balance.

[Mario Götze saw Lewandowski! Lewandowski’s header!! Ah! Lewandowski’s header misses just barely!]

The ones who seemed to be in decent condition were the ‘Spring of Dortmund’ members, alleviating their pressure by countering Son Jinho’s cheating.

[The referee blows the whistle, signaling the end of the first half!]

Jurgen Klopp must have realized this too, as he immediately instructed a player substitution at the start of the second half.

“Ivan Perišić will come on for the second half. Marco, you worked hard in the first half.”

Marco Reus, looking heavy due to his poor condition, left the field at the commencement of the second half, with Ivan Perišić coming on.

Due to reduced playtime after Marco Reus’s joining, Perišić had been quite displeased with Jurgen Klopp.

He successfully regained possession in Frankfurt’s half with his characteristic high activity, and sent a ground pass to Roberto Lewandowski making an entry into the penalty box, assisting Lewandowski’s goal.

Then, near the end of the match.

Ivan Perišić received a through pass from Son Jinho and shot between the goalkeeper’s legs, successfully shaking the net.

After scoring, Perišić ran to the corner flag, roaring.

“Yeah!!”

Thump!

“Ow!”

“Oh, damn. No way.”

Ecstatically excited, Jurgen Klopp accidentally hit the assistant referee with his swinging fist.

[Oh wow, Jurgen Klopp hit the assistant! Coach Klopp strikes the assistant referee!!]

└ Commentators ㅋㅋㅋㅋ why are they so excited? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ No way ㅋㅋ Klopp’s wide-eyed look is super funny ㅋㅋ

[Not only Premier League but Bundesliga is also a variety show.]

└ Germany’s top entertainment manager, Jurgen Klopp ㄷㄷ;;

[Due to his excessive celebration,Jurgen Klopp receives a warning.]

[Honestly, it’s fortunate he wasn’t sent off, right?]

Jurgen Klopp was given a warning for his dramatic celebration.

[This is the last attacking opportunity for Frankfurt! The ball is held by Stephan Eichner! He shoots! Woaaaah─! Hits the crossbar!! Stephan Eichner’s long-range shot hits the crossbar! And Mats Hummels quickly clears the second ball out of the touchline, ending the match.]

Dortmund barely secured a comeback victory against Frankfurt, with Ivan Perišić’s decisive goal marking the victory.

It was a match that held multiple meanings of luck for Dortmund. Objectively, it would not have been strange to lose to Frankfurt.

In some sense, the referee’s wrong decision early in the match and the crossbar hit just before the end were what saved Dortmund.

[Dortmund, who won against promoted team Frankfurt after a struggle! Continuing their unbeaten record to 36 matches!]

It is often said that even wrong decisions are part of the game, but to be honest, being on the receiving end makes one go crazy.

[Armin Veh, Frankfurt’s managing director expressing regret over the referee’s wrong decision. ‘Bitter, it was a disappointing decision.’]

[Why did ‘Son Heung-min’s teacher,’ manager Armin Veh, have to drop harsh comments?]

Filled with rage, Frankfurt’s manager publicly targeted the referees during the interview.

Being a promoted team that had won four consecutive victories at the start of the season, the disappointment was even greater.

Nonetheless, Dortmund, victorious in their away match against Frankfurt, returned home to face Borussia Mönchengladbach.

[Son Jinho achieved his fourth assist of the league, leading the team to victory!]

Thanks to the home fans’ support, they successfully extended their unbeaten record from 36 matches to 37.

***

After the match against Mönchengladbach, Dortmund immediately began preparations for the Champions League.

Having reached the quarter-finals last season, they landed in Pot 3, but once again, Dortmund found themselves in the dreaded group of death.

With ‘100 points’ Real Madrid, ‘Premier League champions’ Manchester City, ‘double winners’ Dortmund, and Celtic in the lineup, netizens dubbed it the Death Group.

[Title: If Son Heung-min didn’t transfer to Swansea, the Korean Derby in the Champions League would have been a definite possibility.]

└ Heavy leftist… Why did the transfer have to be so heavy and slow ㅠㅠ

Well.

Some fans expressed their regrets.

Just before the start of the season, Seong-ryong, who had been playing for Celtic transferred to Swansea City, eliminating the possibility of the Korean Derby in the Champions League.

Anyway, I rested after the away match against Celtic held before the Bundesliga Round 4 against Hamburg.

In this upcoming home match against Real Madrid, I made it to the starting lineup.

It was a moment that felt rewarding for making it to the Champions League semifinals last season.

Originally, in history, they were eliminated early in the group stage of the Champions League and drawn into Pot 4, with the group completed as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax, and Dortmund.

But in the altered history, Pot 4 saw Celtic coming in, allowing some breathing room.

Anyway.

Just as the match against Real Madrid was approaching.

[Jose Mourinho mentioned Dortmund’s weaknesses and referenced Son Jinho. ‘Jinho is still young, so he can sometimes display immature play.’]

Real Madrid ‘third-year’ mover started speaking out.