Football singularity-Chapter 725 Call To Battle

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[Leverkusen Dressing Room | Signal Iduna Park | 19:35 CET]

The room wasn’t silent—cleats clicked against tile, water bottles were squeezed and discarded, players murmured last-minute checks of their gear. But there was a tension in the air, a collective understanding that the next ninety minutes would define their season champions league season. "Alright, lads," Bosz said finally, his voice cutting through the noise. "Gather round."

The players who were on their feet hurriedly took their designated seats, and those already seated stopped what they were doing. Nodding at the attention everyone was paying him, the Dutch manager walked to the whiteboard and wrote 2-1. "We’re one goal down," he began, his tone measured as he eyed the players. "That’s the reality. We need to score twice and not concede. Simple mathematics. But football isn’t played on paper, and we all know that."

He paused, glancing at the tactical board behind him. "I’ve watched the first leg three more times since Tuesday. Do you know what I saw?" He looked around the room. "Chances. Lots of them, in fact, we had fifteen shots on target. Fifteen. They had ten."

The room stood in silence, no one daring to so much as twitch. "The difference wasn’t quality; we were too good for something like that to separate us." Bosz continued. "It was luck. Or lack of it. Their goalkeeper had the game of his life. Their woodwork saved them a few times, and when we finally broke through, they caught us on a counter and scored two clinical goals."

He turned to the tactical board, tapping it with his knuckles. "They’re playing a 5-4-1 when we have possession. Five across the back, four in midfield, Haaland isolated up top. Their plan is to absorb pressure, then hit us with Sancho, Brandt, and Haaland on the break."

He drew a quick diagram with his finger on the board. "So here’s what we do. Don’t rush to score and build from the back. Draw them out if you can, but if they don’t press, that’s fine. We move the ball quickly through midfield and attack them through the flanks."

"Don’t get drawn into a slugfest of counters; focus on our game and play the game we have been playing all season." He continued outlining the areas he wanted them to focus on. "Haaland will be covered by a mixture of Zonal and man marking."

He drew a triangle connecting the holding midfielder and the two central defenders. "Let him be when we have the ball with Tapsoba responsible for watching his movements in case we suddenly lose possession," he explained, giving the defender some instructions to aim to attack the first touch or intercept the ball before the player can latch onto it. "Tah be vocal in there when they have the ball, pass him on to whoever is closer to him."

"If we effectively shut him down for 70 minutes, we can kill this game early." He announced, making eye contact with both defenders to ensure they understood his instructions. "Are we together?"

"Yes, boss," both responded with a determined smile.

"Good, now to the starting line-up. We will set up in a holding 4-3-3." He stated, turning the board over to reveal the predetermined starting lineup. lineupals, Lukas is in goal, my back four from right to left is Jeremie, Tapsoba, Tah, and Daley."

"In holding midfield is Lars, and the two midfielders are Wirtz and Amiri." He announced that he would stop to look at his midfielders. "Don’t get caught wondering, if Wirtz drives forward, Amiri be ready to be the first line of defence in case of a sudden counter. The same goes for you, too, Wirtz, when Amiri drives, be ready to drop back and support Lars in the holding midfield."

"Understood, yes, sir." Both midfielders responded with a light nod.

"Front three is Diaby on the right, Shick up front and Rakim on the Left." He paused, debating whether to give more instructions, but in the end, he shook his head. "Gentlemen, we were here last season, and we came short against Paris in the semis last year. Do not leave any regrets out there, gentlemen, but don’t let your emotions carry you away and focus on execution, execution and execution"

He paused for a moment, scanning the room, nodding at the serious gazes that appeared ready to go out and do battle. "Let’s do battle, gentlemen." A thunderous roar resounded in the changing room as the players jumped up, causing the locker doors to tremble.

~~~

[Tunnel | Signal Iduna Park | 20:25 CET]

The corridor leading from the dressing room to the tunnel was narrow and dimly lit, the sound of studs clicking against concrete echoing off the walls. Rakim walked at the back of the pack, his right hand fumbling with his left wristband, his breathing steady and controlled.

Ahead of him, Wirtz strode forward, following the lead of Captain Lars at the head of the line. Some players stretched while others with pent-up energy bounced on their toes just waiting for the go signal. The tunnel opened up ahead—a bright rectangle of light that led to the pitch.

The Dortmund players were already gathering on the right side, their yellow and black kits a stark contrast to Leverkusen’s red. Rakim fell into line, barely sparing a glance at their opponent as he closed his eyes, calming his mind. They didn’t have to wait long as the official completed their checks and received the go-ahead from the broadcasters.

He didn’t have to wait long as the speakers in the tunnel began blasting the Champions League anthem, creating an acoustic tunnel. Rakim took a breath than his eyes snapped open just as that familiar orchestral swell that every player dreams of hearing resounded. Die Meister, die Besten, les grandes équipes, the champions..."

The line began to move in neat rows, slowly emerging from the tunnel. The floodlights were blinding for a moment when they stepped out, forcing them to squint as their eyes adjusted. The massive stadium stretched out around them—empty yellow seats rising in steep tiers, the famous Yellow Wall silent and imposing behind one goal.

The anthem continued to play, its lyrics echoing across the vast expanse. "Une grande réunion, une grande émotion..."

The teams walked to the centre circle, the grass beneath Rakim’s boots pristine and perfectly cut. The Champions League logo was painted in bold letters near the halfway line, and the match ball sat on a pedestal at the centre spot, gleaming under the lights.

Both teams lined up for the pre-match ceremony. Handshakes were exchanged, but there was no hint of friendship left in the lockers. However, when Rakim reached Reyna, the American midfielder leaned in and they exchanged a quick word. "Good luck, bro," he said quietly.

"You too," Rakim replied. "But I’m winning."

Reyna grinned. "We’ll see."

The teams posed for the official team photo—Leverkusen on the left, Dortmund on the right, match officials in the centre. Cameras clicked from the sidelines, capturing the moment for posterity.

~~~

[2021-04-14, 19:00 | Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund]

[Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd leg | Leverkusen (1) 0 v 0 (2) Dortmund]

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Signal Iduna Park here in Dortmund for the German second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal." Drury’s voice resonated as the broadcast’s overhead camera captured the coin toss between Reus and Lars. "I’m your host, Peter Drury, and with me for this broadcast is my co-host, the phenomenal Jim Beglin. Jim, what can we expect from this German clash as Leverkusen race to secure a treble?"

"Well, Peter, what a fascinating tactical battle this promises to be," Beglin began, his tone measured. "Leverkusen come into this match needing at least two goals, but they can’t afford to concede. One Dortmund goal, and suddenly they need three. That’s a knife-edge situation."

"Bosz has made one change from the first leg," Beglin continued. "Lars Bender, who has been out due to injury for most of the season, comes in for Charles Aránguiz in that holding midfield role. It’s a more defensive selection, which might seem counterintuitive when you need goals, but I think it’s smart. Bender gives them stability, allows Wirtz and Amiri more freedom to push forward."

"And Dortmund’s approach?" Drury prompted. "Unchanged from the first leg," Beglin replied. "Terzić knows what works. They’ll sit deep, absorb pressure, and look to hit Leverkusen on the break. Haaland up top is the focal point—he only needs one chance, and he will score. The kid is that phenomenal. Sancho and Brandt on the wings provide pace and creativity, which provides a dangerous mix."

"The key battle, I think, will be between Tah and Tapsoba against Haaland," Beglin added. "On the otherside of the spectrum is the battle of Meunier and Akanji against Rakim on the left flank."

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TO BE CONTINUED...