Chapter Summaries

Bayern Munich elected Philipp Lahm as their new captain before defeating Dortmund in the German Super Cup and Cologne in a warm-up match. With the season approaching, Heynckes declared his ambition to win three consecutive Bundesliga titles, but Bayern’s first league match would be against Hamburg.

• Bayern Munich held a dressing-room vote, and Lahm was unanimously elected captain while Sagnol, Lucio, and Schweinsteiger became vice captains; Su Dong withdrew from the race.
• Su Dong scored twice in the first half against Dortmund, and Bayern won the Super Cup three-two after Dortmund leveled the score and Olić scored the winner.
• Su Dong scored twice in Bayern’s two-nil warm-up victory over Cologne before a downpour disrupted the second half.
• Heynckes said he hoped to lead Bayern to three consecutive Bundesliga titles, with Hamburg set to face them in their first league match.

Su Dong won four major Bundesliga awards before Bayern opened the new season against Hamburger SV at Allianz Arena. He scored the first goal of the league season and assisted Schweinsteiger's goal, leaving Bayern 2–0 ahead.

• Bayern defeated third-tier Erfurt 4–2 in the German Cup, with Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, and Badstuber impressing while Su Dong watched from the bench.
• Su Dong collected the Bundesliga Golden Boot, Player of the Year, Best Forward, and German fans' favorite footballer awards at the season-opening ceremony.
• Bayern fielded an injury-hit lineup against Hamburger SV, who began the match with aggressive pressure.
• In the eleventh minute, Toni Kroos sent Olić through on the left, and Olić crossed for Su Dong to volley Bayern into the lead.
• Six minutes later, Su Dong beat Boateng and crossed for Schweinsteiger to head in Bayern's second goal.

Bayern opened the Bundesliga season with wins over Hamburger SV and Dortmund, while Su Dong scored twice and drew growing media attention as Ibišević topped the scoring chart. After Van Bommel’s sending-off nearly derailed Bayern’s match against Dortmund, Su Dong helped lead a 2–1 comeback, and the chapter ended with German media eager to fuel the rivalry between the two forwards.

• Su Dong assisted, scored, and won a penalty as Bayern defeated Hamburger SV 3–1, while Kompany decided to leave Hamburger SV for Man City.
• Kicker praised Hoffenheim’s 3–0 opening win and compared Ibišević with Su Dong after Ibišević scored twice to move ahead of him in the scoring chart.
• Van Bommel received two yellow cards within three minutes against Dortmund, leaving Bayern a man down before Dortmund took a 1–0 halftime lead.
• Toni Kroos set up a counterattack that ended with Lahm crossing and Su Dong heading Bayern’s equalizer.
• Su Dong headed Toni Kroos’s corner back across goal, allowing Pepe to score the winner as Bayern beat Dortmund 2–1.
• Su Dong earned Best Player honors, Van Bommel apologized for his sending-off, and Ibišević scored again to keep the media focused on their scoring-chart rivalry.

Hoffenheim’s early success and Ibišević’s goals sparked claims that he could surpass Su Dong, but Su Dong answered with a brace and an assist in Bayern’s 5–0 win over Hertha Berlin. He reclaimed the Bundesliga scoring lead before traveling to Monaco for the Champions League draw and UEFA awards, where Bayern awaited their group opponents.

• Hoffenheim beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 1–0, and Schalke’s draw left the newly promoted team level with Bayern at the top of the Bundesliga table.
• Bayern defeated Hertha Berlin 5–0, with Su Dong scoring twice and assisting Klose’s goal.
• Su Dong reached four league goals in three rounds and overtook Ibišević at the top of the Bundesliga scoring chart.
• Su Dong traveled to Monaco with Bayern’s delegation to attend the Champions League draw and UEFA’s annual awards ceremony.
• Su Dong met Zidane and Ribéry at the Grimaldi Forum and wondered which teams Bayern would draw.

Bayern drew Real Madrid, Saint Petersburg Zenit, and BATE Borisov in their Champions League group, while Su Dong won UEFA’s Season’s Best Forward and Season’s Best Player awards. Bayern then faced Zenit in the European Super Cup, where Su Dong broke through their defense and played the ball into space near the penalty area.

• Bayern drew Real Madrid, Saint Petersburg Zenit, and BATE Borisov, prompting jokes about their bad luck and plans to win their first four group matches.
• Su Dong won Season’s Best Forward and Season’s Best Player, while Ribéry, Ferdinand, and Van der Sar received the other major awards.
• Mijatović admitted Real Madrid faced a difficult group but expressed confidence that they could win the Champions League.
• Bayern and Saint Petersburg Zenit began the European Super Cup with aggressive attacks, and Neuer saved Pogrebnyak’s close-range shot.
• Podolski wasted a promising Bayern counterattack by shooting instead of passing to Su Dong, drawing Heynckes’s anger.
• Modrić passed to Su Dong, who beat Križanac and carried the ball toward the penalty area before playing it into open space on the left.

Su Dong scored twice as Bayern defeated Saint Petersburg Zenit 2–0 to win the European Super Cup, with Neuer’s saves securing the result. Meanwhile, Ibišević scored twice for Hoffenheim and publicly challenged Su Dong, setting up a new Bundesliga rivalry.

• Marcelo surged down the left and crossed for Su Dong, who scored Bayern’s opening goal against Saint Petersburg Zenit.
• Heynckes replaced Podolski with Klose, and Klose set up Su Dong to score Bayern’s second goal.
• Neuer made crucial saves against Arshavin and Danny as Bayern won the European Super Cup 2–0.
• Leverkusen defeated Hoffenheim 5–2, but Ibišević scored both of Hoffenheim’s goals.
• Ibišević praised Su Dong in an interview but said he would give his all against him, issuing a challenge.

Su Dong declined to answer the media hype around Ibišević, preferring to let their football settle the matter. Mendes then told him that the Abu Dhabi consortium had acquired Man City and that Soriano and Begiristain planned to build the club around Guardiola, while hoping Su Dong might join someday.

• Mendes and Ma Dawei urged Su Dong to respond to Ibišević, but Su Dong chose to let the news spread and judge the challenger by his performances.
• Mendes told Su Dong that the Abu Dhabi consortium had acquired Man City and planned major investment in its training base and squad.
• Mendes revealed that Soriano and Begiristain were joining Man City and that Soriano had asked about Su Dong transferring there.
• Su Dong considered Man City an unsuitable destination for now because it lacked European competition and a proven foundation.
• Mendes explained that Man City planned to retain Mark Hughes temporarily and had arranged for Guardiola to take over after another year at Barcelona.

Man City signed Robinho and reportedly planned to make Su Dong the centerpiece of a star-studded squad, but Su Dong and Bayern denied any intention of a transfer. After the summer market closed, attention returned to the Bundesliga, where Bayern led the table and Su Dong prepared to face Cologne amid media hype over Ibišević’s scoring lead.

• Man City completed Robinho’s transfer from Real Madrid for a reported forty-two million euros, and The Sun revealed the club’s plans to pursue Su Dong and other superstars.
• Su Dong, through Mendes, said he had no intention of leaving Bayern, while Hoeness, Beckenbauer, and Rummenigge affirmed that Bayern would not sell him.
• Ferguson criticized Man City’s spending as European football adjusted to the growing influence of foreign capital.
• Barcelona spent more than a hundred million euros on new players, including Quaresma, whose return drew criticism from Cruyff.
• Bayern topped the Bundesliga after three wins, while Ibišević led the goalscoring chart with five goals ahead of Su Dong’s four.
• Before Bayern’s match against Cologne, Su Dong praised Ibišević and welcomed the competition as a way to improve.

Bayern defeated Köln 3–0 as Su Dong scored twice and assisted Podolski, then Su Dong encouraged Ibišević after his scoring drought. Three days later, Su Dong scored a hat trick in Bayern’s 5–0 Champions League win over BATE Borisov, leaving Bayern in strong form ahead of their clash with Werder Bremen.

• Köln pressed Bayern aggressively, but Su Dong headed in Schweinsteiger’s free kick in the fifty-first minute to put Bayern ahead.
• Podolski came on for Klose, and Su Dong scored again after combining with Modrić to make it 2–0.
• Su Dong assisted Podolski late in the match as Bayern beat Köln 3–0 away, with Su Dong finishing with two goals and an assist.
• After Ibišević failed to score in Hoffenheim’s 0–0 draw with Stuttgart, Su Dong publicly urged people to be patient with him and focus on football.
• Bayern beat BATE Borisov 5–0, with Su Dong scoring three goals and Robben returning to the lineup and scoring.
• Bayern prepared to face Werder Bremen after their emphatic Champions League victory.

Rensing’s errors undermined Bayern’s performance against Werder Bremen, turning a match in which Su Dong and Robben had put Bayern ahead into a 2–2 draw. The chapter left Rensing’s support among his teammates in doubt after his third major mistake.

• Rensing disrupted Pepe while charging for Diego’s free kick, and Rosenberg narrowly missed the resulting header.
• Su Dong scored in the sixth minute after shielding the ball from Mertesacker and shooting with his left foot.
• Rensing charged out too late against Pizarro, who chipped him to equalize for Werder Bremen.
• Su Dong headed Modrić’s lofted pass into the box, and Robben controlled it and scored to restore Bayern’s lead.
• Rensing punched away Özil’s free kick, allowing Naldo to score the rebound and make it 2–2; Lucio, Pepe, and the other defenders ignored Rensing when he blamed them.

Bayern defeated Werder Bremen 5–3 in an open match, with Su Dong scoring a hat trick and assisting two goals. Rensing remained in goal after a disastrous first half but made another costly mistake, leaving Bayern’s goalkeeper problems exposed.

• At halftime, Su Dong and his teammates encouraged Rensing, while Heynckes decided not to substitute him and asked Su Dong to help secure the win.
• In the fifty-first minute, Su Dong scored from Robben’s cross to put Bayern ahead 3–2.
• Su Dong scored his third goal from Modrić’s lofted pass, extending Bayern’s lead to 4–2.
• Rensing charged out to punch away Diego’s free kick, but Rosenberg scored from the loose ball to make it 4–3.
• In the eighty-first minute, Su Dong set up Olić to score Bayern’s fifth goal, and Bayern held on to win 5–3.

Bayern beat Werder Bremen and Nuremberg, but Rensing’s costly errors weakened his claim to the starting goalkeeper role as Neuer waited for his chance. Meanwhile, France Football clarified the Ballon d’Or rules, and Su Dong’s supporters rallied behind him as the award’s leading candidate.

• Bayern defeated Werder Bremen five-three, but Rensing conceded three goals from six shots and drew criticism despite Heynckes’s public support.
• Heynckes started Rensing against Nuremberg in the German Cup, while Neuer was expected to reclaim the Bundesliga and Champions League starts; Bayern won two-nil as Ribéry returned from injury.
• Hoffenheim stunned Dortmund four-one, with Ibišević scoring twice to reach seven league goals and prompting speculation that he could catch Su Dong.
• France Football announced that the Olympic title carried less weight than major club championships, while reducing the Ballon d’Or shortlist to thirty candidates.
• German media, Löw, and Ballack backed Su Dong for the Ballon d’Or, while Casillas, Torres, Xavi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Messi emerged as major rivals.

Manuel Neuer trained hard at Bayern and joined Su Dong’s extra sessions, where he honed his goalkeeping against Su Dong’s free kicks. Su Dong urged Neuer to seize his chance in the upcoming matches against Hannover 96 and Zenit, leaving Neuer determined to claim Bayern’s starting goalkeeper position.

• Neuer finished extra goalkeeper training and greeted Su Dong and his training group, impressing them with his footwork and dribbling.
• Neuer joined Su Dong’s regular free-kick practice, but repeatedly failed to stop Su Dong’s unpredictable shots.
• After Su Dong teased him, Neuer challenged him to a duel and lost.
• Su Dong encouraged Neuer to perform well against Hannover 96 and Zenit, and Neuer vowed not to let the opportunity pass.

Bayern beat Hannover 96 and then survived a relentless away assault from Zenit, with Su Dong scoring the decisive goal and Neuer making a series of crucial saves. Bayern left Saint Petersburg with a 1–0 victory, while Hoffenheim stunned German football by nearly completing a comeback against Werder Bremen.

• Su Dong assisted Pepe's early goal, Neuer made several saves, and Bayern defeated Hannover 96 3–0 to earn their sixth consecutive victory.
• Hoffenheim recovered from a 4–1 deficit against Werder Bremen to level the match before Bremen won 5–4, earning the newly promoted side widespread respect.
• Zenit dominated Bayern in Saint Petersburg, but Neuer, Mascherano, Pepe, and Lucio helped Bayern reach halftime without conceding.
• In the seventy-first minute, Su Dong turned a deflected ball into a goal to put Bayern ahead 1–0.
• Heynckes brought on Tymoshchuk to strengthen Bayern's defense, and Neuer kept out Zenit's late attacks as Bayern secured the away win.
• Neuer was named Best Player of the Match, and Bayern's players jokingly called him a god in the dressing room.

After Bayern’s 3–0 win over Bochum, Su Dong spent the International Break searching for a new goal celebration and arranged custom diamond rings with Wang Chuqing. Bayern prepared to return to league action as Hoffenheim’s 5–2 victory over Hannover 96 put Ibišević back ahead of Su Dong in the scoring charts.

• Su Dong assisted Lucio and Robben in Bayern’s 3–0 win over Bochum, bringing his league totals to ten goals and nine assists after seven rounds.
• During the International Break, Su Dong and Wang Chuqing discussed goal celebrations and settled on kissing a ring as his new signature gesture.
• Su Dong persuaded Wang Chuqing to help order matching custom diamond rings, and the luxury brand arranged a sponsorship deal for them.
• When the rings arrived, Su Dong put Wang Chuqing’s ring on her finger and wore his own, planning to kiss it after scoring.
• Hoffenheim beat Hannover 96 away 5–2, and Ibišević overtook Su Dong in the Bundesliga scoring charts.

Su Dong scored a hat trick as Bayern beat Karlsruhe 4–0, and his ring-kissing celebration led everyone to believe he and Wang Chuqing were engaged. Bayern extended their winning streak to seven matches, while Real Madrid coach Schuster worried about his standing with the squad as Barcelona surged ahead.

• Modrić crossed for Su Dong to head Bayern into the lead, and Su Dong celebrated by kissing the ring on his left hand.
• Su Dong scored again after breaking away from Sebastian, giving Bayern a 2–0 lead before the fifteenth minute.
• Marcelo crossed for Su Dong to complete his hat trick in the second half, and Klose later scored Bayern’s fourth.
• Bayern beat Karlsruhe 4–0 away and made it seven straight league wins, with Su Dong moving ahead of Ibišević in the scoring race.
• Wang Chuqing asked Su Dong about their supposed engagement, and he joked that they should hurry home and work toward having a child.
• Schuster remained uneasy after Real Madrid beat Atlético Madrid because Barcelona had won seven straight matches and he felt the Real Madrid dressing room did not trust him.

Bayern and Real Madrid opened their Champions League clash with both sides attacking, but Su Dong exposed Real Madrid’s defensive and midfield weaknesses to score a powerful long-range goal. Real Madrid were left stunned, while Schuster’s authority on the touchline appeared to be slipping.

• Su Dong sprinted onto Lucio’s long pass in the opening seconds and forced Casillas to tip his shot over the crossbar.
• Real Madrid attacked through Van Nistelrooy, Guti, and Sneijder, but Neuer kept their efforts out.
• Bayern pressed Real Madrid’s midfield in the sixteenth minute, and Modrić intercepted Guti’s pass before setting up Su Dong.
• Su Dong found space outside the penalty area and blasted a Batty Goal past Casillas to put Bayern ahead.
• Su Dong celebrated by kissing the ring on his left hand as Real Madrid’s players stood stunned.
• Schuster shouted at his players after the goal, but they ignored him, including captain Raul.

Real Madrid struggled to break down Bayern Munich, and Florentino discussed his plans to return to the club and pursue Su Dong. Su Dong scored again on a swift Bayern counterattack, leaving Bayern 2–0 ahead and Real Madrid’s morale badly shaken.

• Zidane and Valdano criticized Real Madrid’s disjointed play and lack of cohesion, while Florentino considered returning to rebuild the club.
• Florentino asked whether Real Madrid could sign Su Dong the following summer, and Zidane and Valdano agreed that persuading the player would be difficult.
• Schweinsteiger won the ball and sent a long pass toward Ribéry, who beat Cannavaro and crossed into the penalty area.
• Su Dong sprinted past Heinze, rounded Casillas with a touch to the left, and scored with his left foot to put Bayern Munich 2–0 ahead.
• Real Madrid’s players showed signs of having lost the fighting spirit and confidence needed to mount a comeback.

Bayern defeated Real Madrid 3–0 at the Bernabéu after Su Dong completed a hat trick with a left-footed free kick. The win put Bayern in control of their group, while Schuster’s public criticism of his players and pessimism about the rematch intensified the pressure on Real Madrid.

• Schuster replaced Sneijder with Higuaín at halftime and later brought on Saviola for Van der Vaart, but Bayern continued to threaten on counterattacks.
• After Modrić won a free kick in the seventy-second minute, Su Dong scored with his left foot as Pepe crouched to create a path through the wall, completing his hat trick and drawing applause from the Bernabéu crowd.
• Heynckes replaced Su Dong with Klose in the eightieth minute, and Real Madrid’s fans gave Su Dong a standing ovation as he left the pitch.
• Bayern held on for a 3–0 away win, and Su Dong congratulated Raul after the final whistle; Raul asked how Su Dong had learned to strike free kicks so well with his left foot.
• Schuster blamed his players’ execution after the match and said Real Madrid could not defeat Bayern in their current state, setting off a media uproar.

After Bayern’s 3–0 win over Real Madrid, the Spanish and German media criticized Real Madrid’s decline while praising Su Dong and Neuer. Mourinho used Barcelona’s 5–0 victory over Basel to defend his team and challenge Bayern, and Bayern later faced fierce resistance from Wolfsburg.

• Schuster’s claim that Bayern were impossible to beat triggered criticism from Real Madrid’s management, fans, and the media.
• Alfredo blamed Real Madrid’s problems on the management, coaching staff, and players, while Reuters criticized the squad and Kicker praised Neuer’s performance and Su Dong’s eye for talent.
• Spanish media and Heynckes praised Su Dong’s display at the Bernabéu, and Heynckes said he deserved the Ballon d'Or and World Footballer of the Year.
• Mourinho led Barcelona to a 5–0 away win over Basel, with Messi scoring once and assisting twice while Bojan scored twice.
• Mourinho backed Messi for the major individual awards, predicted Barcelona would win La Liga, and challenged Bayern to meet Barcelona in the Champions League knockout rounds.
• After returning to the Bundesliga, Bayern encountered fierce resistance from Wolfsburg.