Chapter 42 Perseverance

From the moment he entered the Borussia Dortmund youth training camp, Zhou Yi not only participated in the normal youth team training sessions with the U17 and U19 players, but also spent more energy and time than ordinary players on physical and strength training.

This was because he had missed out on professional and formal training in the previous seventeen years, and he had to make up for it. Otherwise, he would not be able to realize his dream of becoming a professional player.

Moreover, he had to hurry, because he only had one year. He was almost eighteen years old when he came to Dortmund. Which player starts formal training at the age of eighteen?

If it weren't for the system in his mind, Zhou Yi probably wouldn't even dare to dream the dream of "becoming a professional player."

But the system could only help him improve his experience and awareness. Strengthening his body required real training, not just dreaming.

He had been in Dortmund, a city in western Germany, for more than half a year, but when his parents asked him on the phone, or his classmates left messages on QQ, asking him about his impressions of the city, he couldn't say anything.

Because he had never been to any other area of Dortmund other than Mark's house, the football field near Mark's house, the restaurants Mark's family frequented, and the Brackel training base.

He and Yang MuGe, who was also in the Ruhr area, were only twenty or thirty kilometers apart, but they had never met except during their team matches.

Why?

Because he had to seize the time to train and improve himself.

Otherwise, he didn't know if he could win Klopp's favor and sign a professional player contract with Dortmund after a year.

After more than half a year of training, Zhou Yi had made significant progress in both physical fitness and strength.

His height had jumped from 1.71 meters to 1.75 meters, and his weight had increased from 58 kilograms when he first joined the team to 65 kilograms now. His ability to compete on the field had also increased significantly. Scientific and correct training allowed him to grow rapidly.

But in Jebara's view, Zhou Yi's progress would face a very severe test in the upcoming German Youth Cup final.

Freiburg U19 was probably the strongest opponent he had encountered in these few months at Dortmund U19—much stronger than Schalke 04 U19. If Schalke 04 U19 were strong, they wouldn't be ranked fourth in the Western League.

As the midfield organizing core of Dortmund U19, Zhou Yi would inevitably be the focus of Freiburg U19's marking.

Physical confrontation would also be commonplace.

Zhou Yi's performance at that time might directly determine Dortmund's final ranking.

There were several reasons why Dortmund U19 eliminated Freiburg U19 in the quarter-finals last year—at that time, Freiburg U19 focused their attention on the league title, and did not send their full strength team to play against Dortmund U19 in the quarter-finals. In addition, Freiburg U19's current high-pressing style was only in its initial form at the time and was not perfect, while this season they were more mature.

Third, even when facing Freiburg U19 at that time, Dortmund only drew 1:1 with their opponent in the regular match and eventually eliminated them on penalties, which was too dependent on luck...

And luck was unpredictable. Last year it was on Dortmund's side, but this year it might be on Freiburg's side?

So, in order to prevent Zhou Yi from being restricted by Freiburg U19 in the final and becoming Dortmund U19's weakness, should they take Zhou Yi out of the starting lineup for the final?

Jebara would never do that.

Since Zhou Yi came to Dortmund U19, he has quickly become Dortmund's midfield conductor.

Now the entire Dortmund U19 team has become accustomed to letting Zhou Yi control the team. If Zhou Yi is taken down in the final, wouldn't that be like cutting off one's hands and feet for fear of being bitten by a snake?

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While Jebara was racking his brains about how to deal with Freiburg U19's high-pressure tactics in the final, Zhou Yi, Gotze, and Mark were depressed about not being able to win the game.

"We've been practicing for more than a month, right? But we still can't win a single game out of seven!"

It was another day when there was only training in the morning, and the three gathered at the football field near Mark's house for special training in the afternoon.

After a set of special training, the three sat on the ground to rest, and Mark complained.

"Our direction of effort is absolutely correct, it's just a matter of luck," Zhou Yi comforted Mark.

"But luck is the most difficult thing, because it's uncontrollable," Gotze said.

"No, luck is controllable," Zhou Yi said.

His point of view surprised both of them.

Everyone knows that luck is ethereal, otherwise why is the goddess of luck a goddess and not a god? It must be related to the unpredictable and ever-changing temper of women.

The greatest charm of luck lies in its unpredictability, but why did Zhou Yi say that luck is controllable?

"There is a saying in China called 'a blind cat runs into a dead mouse,' which describes particularly good luck," Zhou Yi said.

"Hmm... sounds like our German proverb 'even a blind chicken can find grain sometimes'..." Gotze said. "It also describes good luck. Even a blind chicken can find grain. Isn't that good luck?"

"That's right," Zhou Yi nodded. "But conversely, if blind chickens and blind cats don't go looking for or touching anything, how can they find grain and dead mice? I think these proverbs all hide another deeper meaning."

Zhou Yi entered a state of talking nonsense in a serious manner again. However, Mark and Gotze didn't realize this. They listened attentively as Zhou Yi explained the deeper meaning behind this proverb.

"These proverbs are not just about good luck, but also show us that good luck favors those who persevere and work hard. If the cat thinks it's blind and gives up and lies in its den, wouldn't it not run into a dead mouse even if there was one on the ground? If the chicken feels that it can't see anyway, and definitely can't go out to forage, then even if there is grain everywhere, how could it peck it?"

Zhou Yi said very seriously.

Mark and Gotze were dumbfounded—they had been listening to the explanations given by the general public and universal values for more than ten years. Could there be such a meaning? And no matter how they listened, Zhou Yi's conclusion seemed to be... really the case!

"Why do proverbs emphasize blind cats and blind chickens? They are both characters with physical defects. In everyone's opinion, such images are weaklings who cannot complete the behavior of catching mice and pecking rice. But they successfully caught mice and found grain. Is this just a simple matter of good luck? I think the deeper meaning behind this is to remind us that as long as we are willing to work hard, persevere, and not bow to difficulties, even the greatest difficulties can be overcome, and even things that everyone thinks are impossible can definitely be accomplished!"

As he spoke, Zhou Yi clenched his fist and looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, his emotions becoming impassioned.

"Faced with the impossible, if you believe it is impossible and are unwilling to make any effort, then good luck will never come. On the contrary, if you work hard and don't give up in the face of impossible things, then good luck will favor you! This is the correct explanation of these two proverbs! Therefore, there is also a proverb that says, 'Luck always favors the strong.' The 'strong' here is not strength in terms of power, but the strong who do not give up, dare to challenge themselves, and say 'no' to the impossible! Such a strong person is the real strong person!"

After listening to Zhou Yi's impassioned words, Mark and Gotze couldn't say a word. They frowned and fell into deep thought...

But Zhou Yi interrupted their contemplation: "Okay, get up and continue practicing, you've rested enough. If you rest any longer, you'll have to warm up again!"

Mark and Gotze had to withdraw from their contemplation, stood up, and continued their practice.

Whether training so hard has the kind of meaning Zhou Yi said, they are not very clear now.

But they understand that not training will make the situation worse.

So no matter what the future holds, they always have to train now.

※※※

There are only five days left until the final, and the day before the final, the team will end their training at the Brackel training base and take a plane to Berlin for adaptive training before the final.

Although there is less than a week left before the final, the training at Brackel is no different from usual, and there is still a "game" session.

Now Zhou Yi and the other two no longer need to discuss any strategies before the game. They just proceed directly according to their usual special training.

So as soon as coach Jebara blew his whistle, the game began.

It was still the strategy of quick passes and quick cuts, crossing and switching positions. After three passes, Gotze passed the ball to Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi passed the ball directly to Mark without stopping, but made a mistake. The football was kicked off course and rolled towards the sideline, and then was caught by the defending player's captain, Hornschuh.

The whistle sounded, and at the same time Jebara raised a finger: "Offense, lose a point!"

There was no laughter outside the field, because everyone didn't think it was a funny thing anymore. Even comedy, if you watch it every day, you may not find it funny.

After Jebara finished shouting, Zhou Yi and Gotze didn't shirk responsibility, but returned to the center circle, picked up a football and started again.

The second game started after Jebara's whistle.

Continuous and rapid passes, completely unable to stop the ball, stopping the ball would cause them to be surrounded by opposing players. The worst result would naturally be being directly intercepted, and the best result would be losing the ball a few seconds later...

The players watching from the sidelines looked very serious. In fact, they could all see how difficult the trio's strategy was. With each person facing at least two defensive players pressing and marking them, it was too difficult to pass the ball directly without stopping while running and cutting.

But the three of them insisted on doing so, completely not considering other possibilities.

Choose the most difficult path and then meet the challenge.

The teammates couldn't help but admire the courage of these three people—anyway, they had all asked themselves during so many days of watching, and felt that they would definitely not be able to persist for so long.

Of course, maybe the trio also thought about giving up, but Jebara didn't give them the option to give up and admit defeat at all...

So it is said that the situation creates heroes, and heaven will bestow great responsibilities on this person... Most of these heroes who bear great responsibilities are probably forced...

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ps, it seems we have another leader?

Sorry sorry, please allow me to owe it and make it up in the future, I'm really sorry...