The Champions League Group Stage Is Here?

After the match.

The moment Henrichs returned to the locker room, Coach Topp tore into him.

"Did you waste all your strength on some whore's belly? You squandered seven sure goals in one match! Stop playing striker! Go play defender!"

Henrichs said excitedly, "Boss! Really? The new youth coach said I'm better suited to be a fullback too!"

Old Topp stomped his foot in fury, cursed a couple more times, then turned and headed for the post-match press conference.

After changing, Havertz took a watch from his locker and slipped it into Leo Kang's pocket.

Then he threw his arms around him.

"Leo, is this a dream? You helped me score my first Bundesliga goal!"

A goal in one's Bundesliga debut was the dream of every youth academy prospect.

Only a monster like Leo Kang would not feel much emotional fluctuation.

Kramer checked his watch and muttered, "Tsk, tsk. If you pawned this watch, you could buy a car with the money!"

Leo Kang smiled and shook his head, quickly returning it to Havertz.

Even without him, the first half of Havertz's career would have been smooth sailing.

Henrichs suggested that everyone take a trip to May 9 Park, but the others rejected him.

Captain Bender wore a serious expression as he said earnestly:

"No. The Champions League group stage opener is coming up. We need to conserve our energy!"

"The Italian girls on Via Marco Street in Rome are fierce!"

Henrichs looked disappointed.

He would not even make the squad list for the Champions League.

After not chatting for long.

Leo Kang returned to the first-team dormitory.

The system notification quietly rang out.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on winning a Bundesliga match!]

[Distributing reward.]

[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained: Golden Chest!]

Defeating a team at Darmstadt's level did not trigger an additional reward.

The prize pool of a Golden Chest did not even contain skill modules from famous players.

It was filled with players Leo Kang did not recognize.

No matter what, any reward before the Champions League group stage was important!

[Golden Chest opening.]

[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained: Green Tangerine Bubble Gum!]

[Green Tangerine Bubble Gum: Chew one before a match, and it will keep you energized throughout the game! No attribute bonuses!]

[This consumable is visible and usable only by the Host. Shelf life: six months.]

What the hell was this?

Leo Kang: "..."

At Bayer Leverkusen's training ground.

Dino came running over, dragging two large speakers behind him.

Kießling asked curiously, "Are you planning to help us relax?"

No one from the coaching staff answered.

Beep!

Old Topp blew his whistle and waved forcefully.

Signaling the official start of the scrimmage.

Dino set the speakers down at the side of the pitch and pressed the power button.

"Vamos Barca!!!"

"Vamos Barca!!!"

"Vamos Barca!!!"

Barcelona's chant echoed through the skies above Bayer Leverkusen's training base!

The players were dumbfounded.

"Keep going! Don't stop!"

Old Topp waved for the match to continue.

"Don't forget how Barcelona put seven past us in a single Champions League match a few years ago!"

"Bayer Leverkusen will wash away that humiliation at Camp Nou!"

"Boys! We must seize this chance and defend Bayer Leverkusen's honor!"

His piercing voice seemed to overwhelm even the roar from the speakers, reverberating in the ears of every Bayer Leverkusen player!

That night at Camp Nou three years ago.

Barcelona's terrifying dominance had simply been...

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Dino clapped hard and suddenly cut in. "Boss! Well said! But our first match is against Roma."

The last Champions League meeting between Bayer Leverkusen and Roma.

Dated back to 2004.

The headline figures back then had been: Berbatov VS Totti.

Eleven years later.

Roma's headline figure was still Totti.

Bayer Leverkusen's had become Leo Kang.

The entire world believed Barcelona would surely advance as the top team in Group E.

Leaving Roma and Bayer Leverkusen, two strong sides, to battle for second place.

Some even believed BATE Borisov could pull off a surprise qualification with their "ice and snow environment BUFF."

Using translation software, fans from both sides argued fiercely across European online platforms.

Roma fans were clearly more formidable. The Italian Football Federation and FIFA had spent decades trying to solve the racism at Olympic Stadium through all kinds of fines, yet had failed.

-

[Stop hogging the spotlight. We don't even see Bayer Leverkusen as a threat! Only Barcelona is worthy of being our opponent.]

-

[We admit that Leo Kang is excellent, but Totti was even more dazzling at seventeen!]

-

[Enrique is a dog. When he coached Roma, he set the club record for consecutive defeats! If he comes to Olympic Stadium, he won't leave alive! What? Bayer Leverkusen's manager is Topp? Never heard of him!]

-

[Bayer Leverkusen is just an appetizer. Barcelona is the main course!]

Wednesday.

The Champions League group stage opener arrived.

After finishing his morning warm-up, Leo Kang boarded the plane to Rome with his teammates.

After taking his seat.

He put a piece of Green Tangerine Bubble Gum in his mouth, opened the system panel, and observed the changes in his attributes.

[Ball Control: 76; Passing: 82.]

[Shooting: 71; Heading: 68; Set Pieces: ??.]

[Curve: 70; Speed: 79+5↑; Leg Strength: 78↑.]

[Jumping: 70; Physical Contact: 84↑; Stamina: 82↑.]

[Defense: 78; Tackling: 81↑; Goalkeeping: 40.]

The bubble gum caused no changes to his attribute values.

As for the small arrows, they were still the boost from the Destroyer Midfielder template.

Once an individual attribute exceeded 80, improvement became extremely slow.

Even with the template's bonuses, the increases were not particularly dramatic, except for Physical Contact.

He could not help wondering: if Drogba had an attribute panel, his Physical Contact attribute would probably be off the charts.

Two and a half hours later.

The plane broke through the thick clouds.

And landed at Fiumicino Airport.

The Bayer Leverkusen players emerged from the arrivals gate.

The area around the security barriers was filled with Asians!

"Son!!!"

"Lee!!!"

"Leo Kang!!!"

The players were dumbfounded.

Why were there so many different languages?

Son Heung-min said awkwardly, "When I went back home for an international friendly, I saw the news. Some South Korean experts... said Leo's girlfriend is a member of a South Korean girl group. They thought Leo must understand Korean, so they concluded that he must have South Korean blood too."

Kießling could not help laughing. "Son, I remember your countrymen once said Messi was Korean too! The article had a whole string of elaborate analysis. I almost believed it!"

Everyone burst out laughing.

Son Heung-min's face reddened. Unable to refute them, he could only wave and greet the fans.

Leo Kang shook hands with the Chinese fans, then boarded the club bus under Dino's urging.

Along the way.

He did not see any magnificent old Baroque architecture.

He did not see a single church or holy sanctuary.

Watching the skyscrapers and neon lights outside the window, Leo Kang felt slightly disappointed.

Bender patted his shoulder. "After the match, come stroll around Via Marco Street with us! It still preserves the character of the Renaissance!"

BellArabi said excitedly, "Bring me along!"

Kramer frowned. "Sorry, we can't bring you. The big white girls there don't do business with black men! The people of Rome have a strong sense of superiority! Even the homeless discriminate against black people! Have you heard that joke? Even black players for Lazio and Roma get discriminated against by their own fans."

Son Heung-min asked, "Why don't they discriminate against Asians?"

Kramer shook his head. "They do, but not as severely, because Hidetoshi Nakata was once a hero in Rome."

An hour later.

The pre-match press conference.

Roma manager Garcia stood up and went to greet old Topp.

His attitude was so warm and humble that he was one step away from kissing his hand!

Old Topp was a little unaccustomed to it.

Weren't Roma managers famous for being arrogant? Why was he acting so fawning in front of him?

The reporters present all began applauding.

Someone suddenly shouted, "This is the courtesy of a double champion toward the Triple Runner-up King coach!"

Garcia quickly waved his hands, returned to his seat, adjusted the microphone, and said, "Winning the Ligue 1 title does not mean I possess the same level of competitiveness in the Bundesliga. When I was studying for my coaching license, I watched many of Mr. Topp's match case studies! He is one of my idols!"

"Personally, I think Bayer Leverkusen are more difficult to deal with than Enrique's Barcelona!"

Damn, this Frenchman really knew how to flatter people!

Topp straightened his suit and tie and sat upright at the podium.

"Garcia is an outstanding coach. He led Roma to a club-record winning streak and brought a team that Enrique had turned into a complete mess back to the Champions League! I think very highly of him!"

For a moment.

The reporters all recalled Enrique's time in charge of Roma.

It had been in 2011, when Roma's new owner hired Enrique on a high salary, hoping that this legendary player with both Real Madrid and Barcelona roots would bring tactical reform to Roma.

Unfortunately.

A series of Enrique's baffling moves dragged this Serie A powerhouse into the gutter.

He became someone Roma fans would never forgive.

Even after leading Barcelona to the Champions League title last season, many European media outlets still mocked him as a "dog-on-a-leash champion"!

The players' tunnel at Roma's Olympic Stadium.

Was the widest and most modern Leo Kang had ever seen.

It could not even be called a "tunnel."

Even the blue carpet beneath their feet radiated waves of warmth.

It truly was a stadium built for the Olympic Games.

"Leo! Thanks to Maldini's lucky draw, we get to meet again so soon!"

Pjanić patted Leo Kang on the shoulder, smiling brightly. "I hope we meet again in the Round of 16 draw. Miss Melanie replied to my messages recently!"

For a moment.

Players from both sides were amused by his words.

The previously tense tunnel suddenly became a little more relaxed.

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

"Welcome to the first round of Group E in the 2015/16 Champions League group stage!"

"Roma at home against Bayer Leverkusen!"

"This will be a clash between two strong teams. Both sides have produced quite a few talented young players in recent years! What kind of sparks will they create? Let's wait and see!"

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

"I'm He Wei!"

China's livestream chat.

The comments gradually began to pile up.

-

[Sparks? What sparks could there possibly be in a Roma match? Wake up to another draw! "Luo Xiaoping" wasn't given that nickname for nothing!]

-

[Roma drew nine matches in a row last season. Terrifying! It was either 0-0 or 1-1! Even against strong opponents, Roma only ever got those two scorelines!]

-

[I don't want to watch Barcelona and Real Madrid slaughter weak teams separately. This match is better, there's suspense!]

-

[Nonsense. How many more years can Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo play? Every match of theirs is one less to watch! I suggest everyone watch the highlights of the peerless duo after the game!]

Olympic Stadium.

The stirring Champions League anthem abruptly stopped.

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

Tens of thousands of Roma fans instantly erupted in thunderous cheers!

Massive banners trembled like flames along with the fans' jumping.

"Roma!!! Roma!!!"

"Roma!!! Roma!!!"

"Roma!!! Roma!!!"

The instant Leo Kang stepped onto the pitch.

The system notification quietly rang out.

[Ding! Random treasure chest mission triggered: Conquer the Olympic Stadium!]

[Mission description: Some say that Catenaccio had already been phased out by the late 1990s! Yet Roma's current manager may be the last defender of this system. Don't be fooled by their 4-3-3 formation! Defeat this resilient Red Wolf! Let your name resound across the Champions League stage, even if this is the first formidable opponent of your career!]

[Mission reward: Roma Legend—Platinum Treasure Chest!]

What was the Catenaccio tactical system?

China's early football translators had mistakenly translated the term as "chain defense."

Who would have thought that in 2015, a tactic abandoned by Italian Serie A managers would be brought to new heights in the hands of a French coach?

The first formidable opponent?

Leo Kang looked up at Rome's night sky.

The stars shone brilliantly.

"Now, let me introduce the starting lineups for both sides!"

"Roma have deployed a 4-3-3 formation. That's quite surprising!"

"Goalkeeper: Szczęsny!"

"Left back: Florenzi!"

"Center backs: Manolas and Rüdiger!"

"Right back: Digne!"

"Double pivots: De Rossi and Nainggolan!"

"Central midfielder: Keita!"

"Forwards: Pjanić, Džeko, and Salah!"

"Bayer Leverkusen have also deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation!"

"Goalkeeper: Leno!"

"Left back: Hilbert!"

"Center backs: Jonathan Tah and Papadopoulos!"

"Right back: Borges!"

"Double pivots: Bender and Kramer!"

"Attacking midfielders: Son Heung-min, Leo Kang, and Brandt!"

"Forward: Kießling!"

China's livestream chat.

The viewers laughed.

-

[Sure enough, it's a clash between spear and shield! So Roma attack while Bayer Leverkusen defend?]

-

[It's 2015. You can't judge the tactical tendencies of both managers based on formation alone. Garcia and Topp make tactical adjustments very frequently, so the starting formation is only a reference!]

-

[Personally, I think the young players in both squads will all become starters for top clubs in a few years.]

-

[Totti's too old to make the starting squad! De Rossi has been second fiddle for so many years, he'll probably have to wait until retirement!]

-

[The two Milan clubs have declined in recent years, while Napoli and Lazio have been far too inconsistent. Serie A can only rely on Juventus and Roma to carry the Champions League now! Come on, Serie A teams!]

Beep!

With the referee's whistle.

The opening match of Champions League Group E officially began.

There were a few more friends who tipped and voted with monthly tickets today, but I didn't have time to thank them in this chapter. I have to hurry to work.

I type everyone's names out by hand, and I'll definitely make up the thank-yous in the next chapter.

Also, regarding some recent replies, some readers may have misunderstood and thought I was manipulating them. I wouldn't do that. The author is an honest person. Even if this book performs poorly, I'll cherish every reader. Maybe I just didn't express myself well enough, so please bear with me.