While Borussia Dortmund players were struggling on the pitch, coach Jürgen Klopp was also discussing the match with his assistant Željko Buvač on the bench.
"How so?"
"You're the head coach, what can I say?"
"Give me some advice."
"Don't ask me. If you don't know what to do, what can I do?"
What use are you to me?
Klopp's rants and complaints were actually a form of self-criticism. After years at Mainz, he came to Borussia Dortmund and led the team to a successful season. The league remained in contention for the title, the German Cup had reached the final, and the Champions League had reached the semi-finals. Regardless, Klopp believed he had been successful and that he was ahead of most Bundesliga coaches tactically. His multiple Bundesliga Coach of the Month awards also proved that he was one of Germany's best head coaches.
Since confirming that their opponent was Barcelona, he had been working day and night with his coaching team to analyse the Catalan side in detail, meticulously examining the characteristics of each player. They wished they could figure out exactly how many hairs a Barcelona player had.
Regarding Barcelona's performances in the knockout stages against Lyon and Bayern, as well as the two legs of the Spanish El Clásico, Klopp and the coaching staff held all-night meetings to discuss and ultimately develop a tactical system that fit Borussia Dortmund's style of zonal defence and rapid counter-attacks.
They temporarily abandoned high-pressing defence, organised a defensive bus formation in front of the penalty area, and applied pressure on Barcelona's midfielders and defenders.
Once possession was secured, Marco Reus and Jakub Błaszczykowski on the wings would use their speed advantage to create space and give Jin Hayes opportunities to advance with the ball. In theory, as long as Borussia Dortmund could withstand Barcelona's first wave of fierce attacks, they should be able to break through their opponents and exploit the gaps left behind.
However, reality was cruel.
To launch a quick counter-attack, the midfielders and defenders must first be able to pass the ball accurately to Jin Hayes or to the two wingers. The problem was that Barcelona's tight pressing made it difficult for midfielders and defenders to pass the ball out. The only option was to keep passing the ball back to the goalkeeper, who would then clear it with a long kick.
Samuel Eto'o rushed forward at lightning speed to block the way, like a mad dog. Goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller had no chance of clearing the ball towards Jin Hayes; he mostly kicked it out of bounds or to the other side, where it was easily controlled by Barcelona players.
If you were to draw a random area on the pitch with your eyes closed, the density of Barcelona players would exceed that of Dortmund players. If the offence was like this, then the defence was even worse.
Barcelona's constant movement and coordination required all members of Borussia Dortmund to work together seamlessly and remain on high alert at all times. There could be no lapse in concentration; even a 0.1-second lapse in focus would be punished by passing specialists like Xavi and Andrés Iniesta.
Even if the entire Borussia Dortmund team remained error-free, Lionel Messi's individual brilliance would be difficult to overcome. His ability to handle the ball faster than his opponent made him nearly impossible to stop. Even if you had players like Sebastian Kehl and Marcel Schmelzer guarding him closely, you would still get beaten.
If Barcelona took control of the game, Borussia Dortmund would fall into a vicious cycle of becoming increasingly passive.
"We can only rely on our individual abilities now. They have Messi, we have Jin. That kid will never give up easily."
"He needs to get the ball first."
"Yes, brother." Klopp was like a devout believer, having developed a blind faith in his star player Jin Hayes.
"He definitely will."
...
"Now, Borussia Dortmund's first priority is to stabilise the situation and not be affected by the two goals."
"They have a strong ability to seize opportunities; the key is how to create them."
"Nuri Şahin is a key player; he is the only player in the backfield who can pass the ball even when closely marked."
"Only he can find a way to get the ball to Jin Hayes's feet."
"Actually, you don't need to worry about the success rate or think too much. Just attack from behind."
"The players in the frontcourt are all fast and technically skilled. We should try to get Jin Hayes to get the ball and advance."
"Since Barcelona emphasises a delicate and smooth operation, Dortmund might as well go all out and try to disrupt the situation—hehehe."
On the CCTV commentary booth, guest commentator Zhang Lu was offering advice to Borussia Dortmund. His favourite tactic was to play behind the defence. No matter which team he played against, as long as he found an opening behind the defence and sent a through ball, he was happy. It must be said that this was indeed Borussia Dortmund's only solution at present: to use speed and chaos to create opportunities.
Online communities such as forums and Baidu Tieba were filled with despair from most fans watching the game right now. Only a small number of Barcelona fans were cheering wildly.
"I told you, even if Jin Hayes came, it wouldn't make a difference. He may be strong, but his overall strength is far inferior."
"Barcelona's lineup is absolutely unbeatable; they're definitely going to win this year."
"Dortmund's players lack experience in major tournaments, Şahin is completely invisible, and the others can't be relied upon."
"Wasn't Jin Hayes invisible? What was his purpose for the past half hour? He was completely overhyped."
"Can you understand the game? Lord Jin also plays a big role in defence, otherwise Dortmund would have conceded more than 2 goals."
"That's what some extreme fans are like."
"Don't bark!"
Because of their crushing defeat to Barcelona in the league, Real Madrid fans had turned to Borussia Dortmund, hoping that Jin Hayes's team could give their arch-rivals a good thrashing.
Unfortunately, Dortmund was in dire straits, allowing some extreme Barcelona fans to launch their attacks. Seeing the forum in chaos, fans who followed Jin Hayes's move to Borussia Dortmund were upset and closed the webpage. They watched Jin Hayes intently on the screen.
The good news was that Jin Hayes's eyes still shone in the close-up shots.
Could he do it?
Fans had long forgotten his age; Jin Hayes was the only one on the pitch who had the potential to create a miracle. He had stepped up in the most difficult moments, whether it was against Arsenal or Manchester United. They believed it would work the same this time, right?
But before Borussia Dortmund fans could even have a chance to hope, their team suffered another blow. Messi was brought down by Kehl, and Dortmund's defensive midfielder received a yellow card. Messi took the free kick—
"The distance was a little close, 23 metres, and the angle was slightly to the right, which was perfect for Messi to use his left foot—"
"Run-up, shoot!!!"
"That ball!! Messi!!! A free kick straight into the top corner!!"
"1-3! Barcelona extend their lead again! Messi's precise shot gives Barça a 3-1 away goal advantage!"
"It's only been 40 minutes into the first half! Borussia Dortmund is already on the brink of elimination!"
From the heaven of scoring a goal in the opening 13 seconds, they plummeted into the abyss of being 1-3 down in the first half. The players and fans of Borussia Dortmund felt like they were on a rollercoaster—a brief moment of euphoria followed by a crushing fall.
Compared to the last time Manchester United scored 3 away goals, conceding 3 goals against Barcelona today was obviously even more desperate. Against Manchester United, they still had at least a few counter-attacking opportunities. Against Barcelona, they had none.
"As of now, Barcelona has had 7 shots on target and has scored 3 goals. Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, has only managed one shot in the first half so far. After scoring at the start of the game, they haven't managed a single shot on goal in the last 40 minutes."
Barcelona had 79% possession, while Borussia Dortmund had only 21%. The visitors had the advantage in all aspects. Hopefully, the Dortmund players could adjust their mentality as soon as possible and try to organise an attack before the end of the first half.
"Jin, tell me—are we finished?" Şahin muttered, his shoulders slumping.
"What a coward!" Jin Hayes shot back.
"What did you say?"
"If you surrender early, you can leave the field and rest, and we can continue fighting without you."
"Fuck you! Who surrendered?"
"Well, you just said that being down by two goals isn't something we've never experienced before."
Şahin was speechless. He was already somewhat desperate, but Jin Hayes's retort ignited his stubbornness. At the same time, the darkness and complex emotions buried deep in his heart surged forth.
"You think you're so tough, huh? If you've got the guts, then break through Barcelona's defences yourself!"
"What if I could do it? You're just too useless; you can't even pass the ball properly."
"Wait! Watch me give you a brilliant pass, but don't blame me if you can't catch it!"
"Stop talking big and prove yourself with actions!"
"I will!"
Jin Hayes had no idea what Şahin was thinking; he just couldn't stand the guy's cowardly behaviour. Just now, let alone attacking, they were even playing defensively with a lack of awareness, allowing Andrés Iniesta to easily create threatening balls.
The score almost turned into 1-4.
If Şahin continued like this, Borussia Dortmund's remaining 10% win rate would also be gone. Jin Hayes wasn't going to tolerate him. He didn't care if they were brothers or not—did this kind of performance on the pitch deserve the team uniform?
Provoked by Jin Hayes, Şahin's anger surged, and he was determined to show Jin Hayes what the true essence of Borussia Dortmund was. At that moment, the director was replaying the threatening ball Iniesta had just created and didn't capture the intense exchange between the two players. But the players on the field could see it clearly.
Lionel Messi, Iniesta, and Xavi were all watching the show with glee. Barcelona had already secured a win from Borussia Dortmund, making their victory a foregone conclusion.
Mats Hummels couldn't stand by and watch, and even tried to step in to break up the fight. But Captain Sebastian Kehl grabbed him.
"Captain?"
"Don't worry, Jin knows what he's doing. He's definitely not the type to create conflict on a whim."
"But—" It was really unacceptable for good brothers to turn against each other during an important match.
"Don't worry, look at Nuri's expression. We might be able to create an opportunity. Don't rush to clear the ball with a big kick later. Keep an eye on Nuri's position and find a chance to pass to him."
"But there are too many people around him." Iniesta, Samuel Eto'o, and Xavi would take turns interfering with Şahin, preventing the midfield maestro from handling the ball.
"Trust him, and trust Jin too. You two are such good friends, you definitely know better than I do what kind of people they are."
"That's true."
Jin Hayes may seem easygoing, but he's actually quite stubborn at heart. After all, he's only 16 years old, and he has that kind of youthful obstinacy. Şahin is the same; he also has his own stubbornness. If the two of them decide to do something, they will definitely do everything in their power to achieve it. When tactics and techniques fail, the only option is to believe that individual will can influence the outcome of the battle.
After dealing with Şahin, Jin Hayes forced himself to calm down and now needed to consider how to break through Barcelona's high press. Assuming Şahin could successfully pass the ball out, he would most likely be between Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Carles Puyol, and Gerard Piqué.
Given Barcelona's speed of movement, he would be quickly surrounded by four players. Jin Hayes needed to find a way to break through the blockade as soon as possible, otherwise he would get into a grueling battle and waste his energy if he slowed down. Even if he managed to get past one person with skill, there would still be others blocking his way.
A dense formation leaves no space for a charge, making it impossible to break through and leaving one stuck in a quagmire. It would be difficult to break through Piqué and Puyol's defence—they were a top centre-back pairing, both possessing strong physiques, quick reflexes, and excellent teamwork.
"Speed alone isn't enough; you also need a combination of strength and technique—"
"If…"
Jin Hayes gradually came up with an idea; he hadn't tried this method before. Now facing a desperate situation, Jin Hayes had to give it a try—to push himself to the limit and find a way to break through Barcelona's lines.
...
With the first half about to enter stoppage time, Barcelona continued to control the ball in the attacking third to run down the clock. The entire Borussia Dortmund team was running desperately, gritting their teeth as they sprinted to intercept Barcelona's operations.
Xavi seized the opportunity, his surgical through ball piercing the defensive line and finding Thierry Henry making a run from the back. Dortmund fans nearly fainted, their hearts pounding. Henry's chip shot from the edge of the penalty area was saved by Roman Weidenfeller, who made a diving save. Hummels arrived just in time, and before Messi could finish it off, he cleared the ball.
Suddenly, he remembered what the captain had said. Hummels made a bold decision. Privately, as a centre-back, Hummels had also asked Jin Hayes for some tips on dribbling past opponents. Those fancy moves were difficult, and Hummels, being a rugged defender, struggled to master them. But he still practised every day.
Finally, on the stage of the Champions League semi-finals, Mats Hummels decided to showcase the results of his training.
"Hummels, receiving the ball in the penalty area and clearing it—oh no!! That ball!!" Amid the commentators' gasps, Hummels feinted with his right foot, fooling Lionel Messi, and then hooked his left foot back.
He then waited for Messi to commit before counter-attacking. He actually flicked the ball with his heel inside the penalty area, turned, and once again shook off Messi, creating more space for himself.
Nuri Şahin had already positioned himself ahead and increased the distance between himself and Andrés Iniesta.
"Guys, it's your turn to perform!"
Hummels skillfully dribbled past Messi in the penalty area and made a bold through pass to the middle. Şahin made a diagonal run and managed to grab an open spot in the crowd. Xavi, Sergio Busquets, and Samuel Eto'o were all rushing at him, leaving him only 0.5 seconds.
"Stop looking down on me!!"
Fueled by anger, Şahin launched a lobbed pass. The football flew perfectly over Busquets's head and fell behind him. In the darkness, the yellow and black number 10, which had been silent for 40 minutes, emerged. He successfully received the ball behind Busquets and in front of Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué.
"Jin Hayes!!! He's got the ball in the middle!"
"Stop him!!"
"Foul! Foul!!!"
The Barcelona players, who had maintained their confidence throughout the game, suddenly became flustered at this moment. Piqué and Puyol simultaneously rushed forward, one on the left and one on the right, intending to do whatever it takes, even if it means getting a card, to bring Jin Hayes to the ground. But Jin Hayes, who had started his run with the ball, was unstoppable.
Do you know how long I've waited for this opportunity? Even the Maldini himself has to step aside.
Speed Boost - Limit Overload!Technical talent!Man of Steel!
In an instant, Jin Hayes felt a sound like glass shattering in his heart, as if some kind of switch had been triggered. But he had no time to pay attention to that; he was completely focused on dribbling the ball. Taking advantage of Piqué's aggressive movement, in the mere 0.01 seconds between his legs slightly separating, Jin Hayes poked the ball through Piqué's legs with his toe.
Puyol's strong body seemed to pose no obstacle, and Jin Hayes overpowered him.
He received the ball through the legs with his left foot, performed a La Croqueta to his right foot in the final seconds, and then passed it through the legs of Puyol.
Two nutmegs in a second. He vanished between the two, leaving only a fleeting afterimage, and suddenly passed through them. Puyol and Piqué didn't see clearly; they only felt a strong gust of wind and a sudden flash of a dark shadow. When they turned around again, the yellow and black number 10 had already created a gap of several metres.
"Impossible!!"
"Ah?!!"
The invincible Barcelona centre-back duo were completely dumbfounded at this moment. Barcelona, like a seasoned swordsman, had skillfully parried Dortmund's attacks with a sharp, precise strike. But Jin Hayes pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced the swordsman's skull in an instant.
"Holy crap?"
"Lord Jin!!!"
"He's here!!"
After 40 minutes of frustration, the fans finally got to witness this exciting moment. Jin Hayes was unstoppable, breaking through the encirclement to create a one-on-one opportunity. Ahead lay a smooth road.
"Jin Hayes!! He's got a one-on-one chance!! And he's so fast!!"
"Víctor Valdés abandoned the goal!!"
"Jin Hayes—a pendulum dribble!!! Beautiful!!! He's nutmegged the goalkeeper and gotten past him!! He's done it!!"
"Facing the open goal!!"
The Westfalen Stadium volcano erupted. The handsome and elegant Asian teenager dribbled the ball through the penalty area and skillfully backheeled it into the net.
"2 to 3!!! Jin Hayes hasn't given up yet, Dortmund hasn't given up yet!"
"In first-half stoppage time, Jin Hayes broke through one-on-one and forcefully pulled one back!"
"This is Dortmund, this is Jin Hayes!"