Bundesliga matchday arrived.
Li Luo and his teammates boarded the Wolfsburg bus and headed for Borussia Mönchengladbach.
"Where are we now?"
Guilavogui had joined Wolfsburg on loan from Atlético Madrid in the summer transfer window at the start of the season, so the dark-skinned Frenchman was unfamiliar with Germany.
"The Ruhr Area."
"Schalke 04 territory. The boss's hometown."
Captain Benaglio explained.
Wolfsburg had been winning all season, and most of the players' market values had gradually risen. Only their goalkeeper and captain had seen his value fall... why?
He had conceded in almost every match, especially during that frantic end-to-end battle against Leverkusen, when three had gone past him.
The defenders' values were fine... because those guys could find Li Luo or De Bruyne quickly in transition, becoming a link in the counterattacking chain.
Guilavogui hesitated, then asked, "Li, could you get as 'deeply' involved in defending as you do with the national team...?"
De Bruyne's brows rose, and he gently interrupted. "Absolutely not. Li has world-class vision. He can spot gaps in the opposition's shape as they retreat and launch attacks, making sure our counterattacking chain stays intact."
"He isn't a foot soldier. He's a designer. He also has to think about how to break them down."
"Mönchengladbach are very strong. If we want to beat them, you can't think like that."
His tone was calm.
But his cheeks were flushed, and his chest rose and fell.
The Belgian midfielder had not fully recovered from his injury, but he had insisted on traveling with the team.
Atlético Madrid's Little Black Egg scratched his head awkwardly. "Of course I know that. I was just thinking aloud. I've been on the bench too long. It's been ages since I started, so I'm a little nervous."
Everyone burst out laughing.
De Bruyne