Van Gaal's Youth Revolution?!

Three in the afternoon.

Leo Kang boarded the flight to Manchester with the club.

"Leo, did you get to see Messi often when you were at La Masia?"

Kramer put down his handheld console and asked curiously.

Leo Kang shook his head.

Kramer looked slightly disappointed.

This guy was a famous Messi fanboy.

His social media profile picture was even a photo of himself with Messi.

Kramer's most famous moment came in the 2014 Brazil World Cup final, when he collided with Argentina defender Garay and went down. After the team doctors examined him, he was diagnosed with a concussion.

After getting back up and returning to the pitch, he immediately ran to the referee and asked, "Is this the World Cup final?"

The referee thought he was joking.

After another ten-odd minutes, his teammates also realized something was wrong with him.

Germany manager Löw quickly substituted him off.

And just like that, Kramer lifted the World Cup Trophy.

Brandt said, "After spending a year browsing social media, I always thought Manchester United's poor results had caused their fans a lot of pain. But when I looked into it, they'd retired a whole batch of veterans during the rebuild and still finished fourth in the Premier League."

Two hours later.

Bayer Leverkusen's bus slowly drove into Old Trafford.

Several hundred diehard fans waved team flags along both sides of the road.

Led by stadium staff, Schmidt arrived at the pre-match press conference.

The reporters gave a brief round of applause before turning their attention back to Manchester United manager Van Gaal.

After all, how could Schmidt's popularity compare with that of a world-famous manager?

A reporter asked, "Mr. Van Gaal, over the past season, Manchester United's number of long passes..."

Van Gaal's face darkened.

"Over the past season, you've always loved judging my tactics. Manchester United had 60 percent possession. Do you think long balls could produce statistics like that? Our long passes mainly use the width of the pitch to switch play."

As he spoke, he picked up a stack of tactical formation charts from the table.

He began explaining Manchester United's tactics with diagrams and text.

He did not avoid Schmidt, who was sitting some distance away, in the slightest.

The reporters were dumbfounded.

Manchester United's manager was far too stubborn!

It was like stabbing himself in the stomach with a dagger to prove how many bowls of noodles he had eaten!

Fifteen minutes later.

Van Gaal had talked himself tired. He handed the tactical materials to the press officer, signaling for them to be passed around so everyone could read them.

He looked disdainfully at the Premier League reporters.

"The job of Manchester United manager is the hardest job in the world!"

Schmidt had already fled.

He hurried back to the dressing room with his assistant coach.

"Damn it, this is an open-book exam, isn't it?! Stupid world-famous manager! We need to adjust our response immediately!"

"Leo, head out first once you've changed into your kit!"

Bang!

Leo Kang had only just stepped out of the dressing room.

The door was slammed shut heavily by the assistant coach.

"What's going on? Bayer Leverkusen's number 10 was actually kicked out of the dressing room? That's a great number!"

Van Gaal loosened the red tie around his neck and walked over to Leo Kang.

After sizing him up, a puzzled expression appeared on his face. "Kid, have I seen you somewhere before?"

Manchester United assistant coach Giggs quickly urged, "Boss! We need to go. Pre-match preparations..."

Van Gaal nodded and turned to leave.

After taking only a few steps, he looked back and said, "The nights in Greater Manchester are a little cold. You'd better go back to the dressing room and get a jacket!"

Giggs looked helpless.

His manager's attitude toward young players was exactly like Ferguson's.

Leo Kang nodded politely.

He could not get back into the dressing room for the moment.

He could only follow the signs toward the bench.

The moment he stepped out of the tunnel.

He was stunned by the grandeur of Old Trafford.

As far as the eye could see.

There was nothing but a sea of red.

The speakers around the stadium played the stirring Champions League anthem.

This Theatre of Dreams, which had witnessed Manchester United's century of rises and falls and carried countless honors.

Now resembled a crimson prehistoric beast, completely swallowing someone as small as him.

"CCTV-5! CCTV-5! Good evening, viewers!"

"Welcome to the first leg of the 2015/16 Champions League qualifying playoff!"

"Manchester United versus Bayer Leverkusen!"

"Rarely has a Champions League qualifier attracted broadcasts from twenty-six television stations around the world! Viewership is close to that of a Champions League Round of 16 knockout match!"

"The team that gains an aggregate advantage over the two legs will advance directly into the Champions League proper!"

"I'm the commentator for this match, Duan Xuan!"

"I'm He Wei!"

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[Why is it these two again? I want to hear Coach Zhang and Zhan Jun!]

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[Fake fan here: This is my first time seeing Manchester United play a qualifier. Have the Red Devils really fallen this far?]

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[Manchester United are currently in a rebuilding and transitional period. Let me put it this way: Manchester United fans feel exactly the same way we do when watching the China National Football Team!]

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[Didn't Van Gaal win big in both the Northwest derby and the Manchester derby last season? He got fourth in the Premier League with a group of youngsters! And Manchester United fans still aren't satisfied?]

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[Let me put it this way: Manchester United are plagued by troubles both inside and out right now. It doesn't matter who becomes manager! It's like when the China National Football Team loses and everyone blames the manager, when the real problem is that those players simply aren't good enough!]

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[There are still Van Gaal bootlickers? He's trash! Mark my words: if he gets sacked, Manchester United will return to first place in the Premier League in no time! To the top of the Champions League! (doge)]

The Champions League anthem abruptly stopped.

The refereeing team led the players from both sides out of the tunnel.

Several youthful faces appeared in Manchester United's line-up.

"Van Gaal makes major changes to his starting line-up every match and loves using young players! He has built Manchester United's youth revolution!"

"Manchester United have lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation!"

"Goalkeeper: De Gea!"

"Left back: Rojo!"

"Center backs: Smalling alongside Blind!"

"Right back: Varela!"

"Defensive midfielder: Carrick!"

"Central midfielders: Lingard, Herrera, Fellaini, Depay!"

"Forward: Martial!"

In Bayer Leverkusen's technical area, Schmidt was dumbfounded.

This line-up was completely different from what that guy Van Gaal had said!

Why were attacking lynchpins Rooney and Mata on the bench?

"Bayer Leverkusen have lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation!"

"Goalkeeper:"

With a whistle from the referee.

The match officially began!

Bayer Leverkusen had possession.

Kießling kicked off and passed back to Çalhanoğlu.

The latter began calmly organizing the team's advance.

Manchester United's formation did not drop back.

Their midfield and attacking players constantly ran back and forth, pressing frantically.

"Van Gaal is one of the leading figures in attacking football. In his football philosophy, pressing is the core!"

Çalhanoğlu received a teammate's pass around forty meters inside Manchester United's half.

Fellaini immediately charged toward him!

He launched into a sliding tackle!

Bang!

A clean tackle!

Herrera, moving forward in support, stopped the ball with his left foot!

Then threaded a diagonal pass with his right!

The ball rose from the ground.

It flew toward the right flank!