The Rise of the Iron Wall!

The heavy atmosphere still lingered on the team, with some players starting to grumble and talk to the coach behind the man’s back.

’He is just an interim coach, right? If we lost the game deliberately, will he be gone quickly?’

’No, you idiot! He is not worth the risk! Can you imagine what would happen to your career in the future?!’

’Fuck! This is so infuriating! Even the coach before has never fined me like this, so what gives him the right to do so?!’

Of course, Higo heard everything here, and the boy was so speechless he decided to shut his ears to this. Honestly, he started to feel pity toward the coach right now, having to deal with a bunch of spoiled adults like this.

It couldn’t be helped. He was just an interim coach who took over the team in the middle of the season, so the man didn’t have any say in this current squad. Unfortunately, the head coach before him had just put in some skilled player with a lack of discipline and effort, and this was what drove the team to their death right now.

’Oh, well, that is the coach’s headache to think about. I am sure he is aware that he becomes a public enemy here.’ Higo shook his head quickly. ’My job is just to focus on the backline, making sure that everything goes well. As long as I can do it perfectly, it will also take one headache away from him.’

Still, the boy felt something was missing here. It didn’t take long to realize that it was the lack of crowds around. Even though he had already been used to training in silence, now that it was close to game day, that strange feeling was back again.

It also didn’t help that this was a big derby day, one of the most heated games in the country. Yet, the boy couldn’t find anyone making noises, which still made him feel quite strange about it.

"Just be grateful that you wouldn’t experience that." Omar Mascarell said when Higo asked what it felt like to play in Dortmund’s stadium. "Those guys from Dortmund are crazy when it comes to this derby. Well, we are as well, but you will never want to face that kind of hostility at all."

This made Higo more curious, as whenever he went, the boy would always attract admiration even from the opponent’s supporters. It was a strange thought, but he really wanted to experience what it felt like to play in a big game as an away team.

’It should be bigger than when we played against Sapporo Otani or Toin Gakuen in the past, right? I mean, the fanaticism here is on a different level. Man, what a pity...’

Once again, if only anyone could hear what he thought, they would slap the boy on the face, especially those who had already experienced the horror of Signal Iduna Park. Of course, Higo wasn’t stupid enough to say something like that out loud.

Even without the crowd, though, Dortmund was still the second-best team in this country. Besides the young and powerful Erling Haaland, they still had two electric wingbacks in Raphael Guerreiro and Achraf Hakimi, so many creative players like Thorgan Hazard and Jadon Sancho, and some veterans who were ready to change the game, like Mario Gotze, who was their super sub.

Every single player in their frontline could create a chance on their own and score it by themselves, which made the danger they possessed be at the same level as Bayern Munich, probably the hardest opponent that Higo had ever faced in his life.

"Also, remember! Their most dangerous weapon is not just their player, but their patience!" Frohling emphasized once again during their last training before game day. "They are not the same Gegenpressing team as a few years ago! No, their head coach is willing to stay back and let the opponent attack them, and they also like to build up the attack so slowly, baiting the opponent to press before beating them with a decisive passing combination! So, no matter what, don’t get baited, and always stay disciplined!"

"YES, SIR!"

This training session was also one that allowed the team to check the situation in the Signal Iduna Park, and honestly, without any supporters in the stands, Higo could feel that the entire stadium was smaller than expected. He had seen in the past how massive the infamous yellow wall was, and yet, now, what he found was a suffocating silence, where the only sound that could be heard there was just the echoes of their voices.

’Well, maybe Omar-san is right. I need to be grateful, as without their supporters’ presence, things would be easier right now.’

After this, the coach also announced the main team for tomorrow’s game, and so many changes were made. Fabian Reese wouldn’t be with the team, as the blonde winger was still in a self-quarantine period right now, and Suat Serdar and Jonjoe Kenny would start the game from the bench since their fitness hadn’t met the requirement yet.

In return, Nassim Boujellab would have his debut tomorrow, fighting against his countryman Achraf Hakimi on the flank. Then, on the backline, Jean Clair Todibo, a young Frenchman who was just one year older than Higo, would also replace Jonjoe Kenny as a fullback.

This was definitely not the best lineup that the team could provide. However, even their best was still worse than so many teams in the league, what with them not being able to win four games in a row. It was better to try something new, hoping that some players who used to be the bench warmers would show a great performance to prove a point here.

Higo himself also glanced around, taking note of the defensive line that would fight with him tomorrow.

Other than the French defender, everything was still the same. This was probably the strongest lineup that the team could set, and with him being the last man standing at the back, the coach should be expecting something good here.

’Well, no one would say this out loud, but I hope that we can get out of the stadium with a clean sheet.’ Higo couldn’t help but mutter. ’It will be a tough game, but we have done a great job against Bayern! Dortmund shouldn’t be that much different! Come on!’

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