My Girlfriend Wants Victory

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Camp Nou.

A place that is well-known to Koreans as Camp Nou in English pronunciation, and the home stadium of FC Barcelona, which can accommodate a whopping 100,000 spectators (exactly 99,354).

As I stepped into Camp Nou, I spotted a group of Dortmund fans huddled in one corner.

According to UEFA regulations, all clubs competing in European competitions must allocate 5% of their stadium seats to away fans.

FC Barcelona allocated precisely 5% of seats to Dortmund.

“Well… we were exactly the same.”

I slowly scanned Camp Nou, feeling the atmosphere of the crowd that seemed ready to tear Dortmund apart.

“O Leo Messi, Dios de Futbol Si intentas compararlo en evidencia quedarás (If you compare Messi to anyone else, you’re just being foolish.)”

The young players of Dortmund began to feel intimidated in the slightly fanatic atmosphere of Camp Nou.

“OOOH Leo Messi!”

As the cheers for Messi subsided, the Champions League theme started playing in Camp Nou.

Just before the match began, we gathered in a circle to bolster our spirits.

“90% of the crowd is FC Barcelona fans. Let’s become the villains here today.”

Sebastian Kehl’s words were met with nods from the Dortmund players, and they took their designated positions.

Not long after—

BEEP—!

With the sound of the referee’s whistle, the match began at what is called the hell or graveyard for the visiting team, Camp Nou.

*

– Han Gyeouri: Oh! The match has started.

– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: I’m watching it now.

– Han Gyeouri: Uncle, which team are you cheering for?

– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Dortmund. I hope Dortmund goes up and crushes Chelsea.

– Cheolmo: Please! Let’s go, Dortmund!

– Han Gyeouri: What’s going on~? Is our entire family cheering for Dortmund?

– Father-in-law: It looks like the group chat will be peaceful for a change.

– Han Gyeouri: Huh? Dad, you’re not sleeping?

– Father-in-law: Even if I’m busy, I have to watch this.

– Father-in-law: I even told the staff they could come in late today.

– Han Gyeouri: Awesome! Then it’s a family unification! Dortmund, Aja Aja! Fighting!!

*

Not just Camp Nou, but there are more clubs considered hell or graveyards for the visiting team than I thought.

Liverpool’s Anfield and Dortmund’s home ground, Signal Iduna Park, also bear those nicknames.

The common feature among stadiums dubbed the graveyard for visiting teams is the enthusiastic support from the fans.

It’s no surprise they call fans the 12th player.

The cheers of the crowd have a significant impact on performance.

In fact, it seemed the hostile atmosphere of more than 90,000 spectators was affecting Dortmund.

Ten minutes into the match,

Dortmund couldn’t even get past the halfway line and was being beaten by FC Barcelona.

[Shinji Kagawa loses the ball! Dani Alves immediately starts driving it forward!]

Once again, FC Barcelona, having thwarted Dortmund’s advance, began their own attack.

Alves overlapped and passed to Xavi.

With just two touches, Xavi escaped Dortmund’s pressure and sent a pass towards Messi.

Messi returned the pass to Xavi before darting into the penalty box.

Meanwhile, Xavi’s pass found Iniesta.

Iniesta, seeing Messi’s position, executed a one-touch flick into the penalty box.

Thwump—!

Messi shook the net with a gentle touch as if passing.

Despite surrounded by five defenders, Dortmund conceded without a shot.

“…Damn.”

“Football is really a pain in the ass.”

The sight of FC Barcelona scoring so effortlessly left the Dortmund supporters in utter shock.

*

[GOOOOOOAL—! Just 10 minutes into the match, FC Barcelona scores.]

└ Wow;; What the hell is that

└ Mom;; I’m scared ㅠㅠ

└ They’re monsters;;

└ But the passing play is beautiful, right?

└ They make football look so easy;;

[From Alves’s overlap to Xavi – Messi – Xavi – Iniesta and finally Messi’s finish, it was a beautifully coordinated play.]

└ Dortmund defenders look completely stunned.

└ Oh…ㅠㅠ Is this the end?

└ Did you seriously think Dortmund would beat Barcelona? lol

└ It ain’t over till it’s over, damn it.

[It was a play that leaves you in admiration. Barcelona proves again why they are called the best in the world.]

[Early in the first half, FC Barcelona ties the overall score! Dortmund might find this match tougher than expected.]

*

With the overall score tied, FC Barcelona pressed on with their momentum.

Messi, almost in a free roll, didn’t stay within his formation, actively dropping down to midfield to grab the ball.

He deftly evaded Dortmund players’ pressure and led the attack for Barcelona.

To stop Messi, two or three players clung to him, creating a crack in the defense on the other side.

Through that crack, the “Cankiller” Alexis Sánchez surged in.

Dortmund players surrounded Lionel Messi, who made a magnificent pass through the legs of a defender right to Sánchez.

Fortunately, Roman Weidenfeller successfully anticipates and snags the ball.

But FC Barcelona’s attack continued.

“Damn, conceding at such an early stage.”

After FC Barcelona equalized the overall score, they leisurely circulated the ball, gradually wearing down Dortmund’s stamina.

A single defensive mistake often leads straight to a goal, making players more mentally fatigued when defending rather than attacking.

It might be fine for now, but given a bit more time, concentration would start to wane.

And unfortunately, my prediction became reality.

Just five minutes after Barcelona’s goal,

Xavi, having received the ball at the center circle, passed to Iniesta.

“Andrew! Return!”

By executing a one-two pass with Iniesta, Xavi escaped Dortmund’s pressure and swiftly passed to Lionel Messi.

Receiving the ball, Lionel Messi cut into the center from the right and, just outside the penalty arc, curled a left-footed shot with a quick touch.

“Damn….”

Unable to react to Messi’s sudden shot, Roman Weidenfeller stood like a monument, staring helplessly at the goal.

It took FC Barcelona only 15 minutes to take the lead.

In that brief time, Messi scored a brace, and the Dortmund players hung their heads in despair against the overwhelming power of FC Barcelona.

After that, the communication among Dortmund players dwindled.

The match restarted with Dortmund’s kick-off, but not long after losing the ball to Barcelona.

Ivan Perišić pressed hard to reclaim it, but

Xavi Hernández, having snatched the ball, showcased a Karakoles – a technique of lightly tapping the ball while circling in the direction with no opponent – and effortlessly evaded Perišić’s pressure before passing to Messi.

Messi, receiving the ball on the right, once again broke through Dortmund players with a light upper body feint and stick-like dribbling, entering the penalty box.

Similar to moments just minutes earlier, defenders fell away.

“Damn. What are you doing, not concentrating!”

I grit my teeth and dashed quickly for the penalty box.

Just as Messi was about to shoot inside the penalty box,

I desperately stretched my leg to block his shot.

Just before Messi could shoot, I managed to graze the ball.

Whoosh—!

A clean tackle that only touched the ball made Messi stomp the ground in frustration.

“Ho-woo—!”

After successfully tackling, I threw an uppercut into the air and celebrated loudly.

It was to change the stagnant atmosphere of Dortmund.

“Damn! You idiots! Are you really going to end the Champions League like this? At least run like you’re willing to die in the game!”

Sebastian Kehl, understanding the meaning behind my actions, immediately took action.

Smack—!

He slapped his cheek hard and cursed at himself.

The somewhat extreme and sudden action from the captain bewildered the Dortmund players, but soon, one by one, they began to slap their cheeks to wake themselves up.

“Heja!! Well done, little captain!!”

Roman Weidenfeller approached and praised me as I nodded.

Slowly, Dortmund, once crushed by the atmosphere of Camp Nou, began to stir and stretch.

“…”

However, the one thing I had completely overlooked was Messi’s feelings after being taken down and rolling on the ground.

Chills—

As I turned my head, feeling a chill behind me,

I saw Messi, who had a smile on his lips but cold eyes staring at me, giving a thumbs-up.

‘Why don’t your eyes smile? It’s scary.’

This.

I think I’m in big trouble.

*

[Title: The Moment Jinho Made Messi Weep .gif]

(Son Jinho steals the ball with a clean tackle while Messi stomps the ground in frustration .gif)

(Seemingly acknowledging Son Jinho’s defense, Messi gives a thumbs up .gif)

Messi also recognized Son Jinho, whoa!

└ Wow, a legendary gif emerged!

└ The wall of the gods, Son Jinho, whoa!

└ The man who made the gods weep, Son Jinho, whoa!

└ Wait, did Messi just smile and give a thumbs up to Son Jinho?

└ Whoa, I feel like he’s saying he would kill you when looking closely, is that a misunderstanding?

└ Seriously;; if you look closely, his eyes aren’t smiling;;