Chapter 7: Childhood Dreams?

On the plane, Tom, a member of the Manchester United entourage, was briefing Li Luo on the situation at Wolfsburg.

"Wolfsburg's head coach is Dieter Hecking. He is different from Van Gaal. Hecking's tactics are extremely simple, or rather, concise."

Li Luo nodded earnestly. Van Gaal’s tactical deployments and personnel arrangements were so complex that even he couldn't understand his own notes by the next morning. Van Gaal had even claimed he would experiment with thirteen different defensive combinations in the new season, leaving his goalkeeper, David de Gea, looking utterly helpless.

Tom thought for a moment, trying to summarize Wolfsburg's style in the simplest terms. "Hecking is very pragmatic. In his first season with the Wolves, he took over as a firefighting coach. Once he took the reins, he immediately abandoned the complex system and had the players play a simplified 4-4-2, helping the club climb from the relegation zone to eleventh place."

"In the second season, the club bought some players according to his requirements, and Wolfsburg transformed into a flexible system that 'bullies the weak and fears the strong'—playing a 4-3-3 against weaker teams and a 4-5-1 against stronger ones. In the second half of last season, his 4-3-3 flexible system was cracked by Tuchel, so Hecking reverted to a pragmatic 4-5-1."

"Li, do you know why Wolfsburg looks like they are trading attacks with everyone in their highlights?"

"I know. It's because of De Bruyne. Hecking’s tactical core is: give the ball to De Bruyne. De Bruyne ensures the quality of the attacking transitions, which is why Wolfsburg seems to have so many attacks in their highlights."

Li Luo was no longer the novice he once was; he had been studying hard these past few days and constantly reviewing matches in his mind using his spatial perception module. He could now fully grasp everything Tom said.

Tom didn't stop there, continuing to explain the characteristics and preferred feet of Wolfsburg's key players. Before long, he was surprised to find that Li Luo had already done his homework.

The Manchester United assistant then pulled a stack of color-printed documents from his folder: "This is what Mr. Van Gaal asked me to show you—a macro comparison of data between the Premier League and the Bundesliga from last season..."

...

The plane pierced through thick layers of clouds and landed slowly at Braunschweig Airport. Li Luo carefully summarized the information Tom had provided.

'Wolfsburg's main tactical framework this season is the 4-5-1 defensive counter-attack.'
'De Bruyne is the heart of the team, possessing immense freedom. He is right-footed, but his left-foot technique is equally superb.'
'In 2014, the pace and intensity of the top Bundesliga teams are not inferior to the Premier League.'

As he stepped off the plane, the Wolfsburg administrative staff and Volkswagen executives greeted him warmly, politely introducing themselves. Unable to memorize so many names, Li Luo maintained a smile throughout. Camera flashes flickered incessantly.

The group did not delay long and soon boarded business vans, leaving the airport. Through the car windows, one could see many supporters wearing Red Devils and Wolfsburg jerseys waving welcome banners. Li Luo couldn't offer a specific response, so he simply waved back at them.

...

The motorcade drove in a long procession down the empty road. In the last vehicle, two Wolfsburg staff members sighed with emotion.

"Manchester United has such a large entourage."
"Chefs, fitness coaches, medical staff, assistants... all serving Li alone."
"Well, it is a crown prince setting out on a campaign."
"Hecking hesitated for a long time. He told the club and the Volkswagen Group that he wanted to observe Li's state in training before deciding on his playing time."
"The club and the Volkswagen Group couldn't possibly agree to that. Li is a Manchester United prodigy; he scored on his Premier League debut—his talent is unquestionable!"

...

Upon arriving at the Volkswagen Arena, German reporters stood ready with their cameras. Thousands of Wolfsburg fans sat scattered across the four stands.

Li Luo put on the Wolfsburg number 10 jersey and juggled the ball a few times. Suddenly, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the surroundings! Someone yelled, "The God of War Batistuta couldn't juggle, but our Chinese genius can!"

Startled, Li Luo made a mistake during his rainbow flick, and the ball, bouncing off the ground, hit him in the backside...

The cheers remained enthusiastic. The German reporters and fans smiled with genuine kindness, thinking, "This super genius is so humorous; he’s just joking around to lighten the mood."

...

A moment later, accompanied by staff, Li Luo headed to the auditorium. Hans, the Volkswagen representative, leaned in mysteriously: "Li, remember what to say... we'll increase your endorsement fee by two million Euros!"

The Chinese teenager nodded earnestly. He was happy to earn money just by saying a few words. He hadn't yet fully adjusted to the reality of his bank balance; it felt like a dream.

Amidst gentle applause, the Manchester United prodigy walked into the auditorium and sat in a chair in the center of the stage. Behind him was a giant backdrop covered in the logos of sponsors. Everyone in the audience looked expectant.

Adjusting the microphone slightly, Li Luo said with a serious expression: "I am not here on vacation for my loan to the Bundesliga. I want to win the championship for the Volkswagen Group's Wolfsburg. From a very young age, Wolfsburg's matches and the Volkswagen Group's emblem left a deep impression on me."

Adding the words "Volkswagen Group" earned him those two million Euros. Hans beamed, clapping excitedly: all of China—and many other Asian countries—would see Li Luo's statement; it was a brilliant product placement!

...

Wolfsburg reporters and fan representatives were deeply moved. To their ears, Li Luo’s words had become: "I have dreamed of winning the championship for Wolfsburg since I was a child."

Thunderous, prolonged applause filled the auditorium.

...

CTV5 broadcast the loan signing ceremony live. In the comment section:

-"Never seen such a grand loan ceremony."
-"Wolfsburg even gave Li Luo the number 10 jersey; it's clear the club values him highly."
-"Why do I feel like Wolfsburg's combat power... is a bit stronger than Manchester United's right now? But there are so many strong teams in the Bundesliga; Bayern is an insurmountable mountain."
-"It's a good thing for a Chinese player to play in the top five leagues; let him grow slowly."
-"I hope Manchester United spends their money wisely next season so that when the crown prince returns, he’ll have a top-tier squad."
-"If Li Luo gets bullied at Wolfsburg, we’ll boycott Volkswagen."
-"Li Luo is 173cm tall; he won't have a female partner in the Volkswagen ads, right? Most European female stars and models are taller than him."
-"Yeah, at that height, he’ll probably have a hard time finding a girlfriend over there."

...

Night fell. Li Luo moved into the house arranged by the Volkswagen Group. The house was very close to the training ground. The courtyard was spacious, featuring a small soccer field, and the surrounding greenery was pleasant.

"We are staying right next door," Tom said. "If you need anything, you can call... or just shout, and I will be there immediately."

"Alright."

After saying goodbye to everyone, Li Luo had no desire to tour the interior. He found a well-ventilated room, quickly opened his laptop, and began watching footage of Wolfsburg. Geometric patterns began to form rapidly in his spatial perception module.

In two days, he would report to the Wolfsburg first team for training.

...

*Rakitic Teaches You How to Handle Locker Room Relationships*:
"When you join a team, do not try to be friends with everyone. Remember, you are colleagues. Playing in fluid coordination with your teammates on the pitch is your job. If you don't do your job well, it won't matter if your teammates are your own brothers or the head coach is your father."