The match continued at a fiercely intense pace.

The players on both sides didn't ease up because of Gagelmann's two yellow cards; they continued to play as they had been.

Players were falling all over the field, and Zhou Yi had already been knocked down several times, with several dirty patches on his jersey from the grass.

In the intense clashes, Schalke 04 held the advantage. In the thirty-fifth minute, they broke through Borussia Dortmund's goal again.

This time, the goal was scored by Huntelaar, assisted by Japanese right-back Atsuto Uchida.

When Huntelaar headed the ball into Borussia Dortmund's goal, the cheers from the Veltins-Arena were so loud that they seemed capable of lifting the roof off the stadium.

Schalke 04 fans were venting the emotions that had been building up in their hearts for several seasons—in these past few seasons, Schalke 04 had never won against Borussia Dortmund. The evenly matched Revierderby had turned into a one-sided affair, leaving every Schalke 04 fan with a belly full of fire.

Now, Schalke 04 was leading Borussia Dortmund by two goals, something that hadn't happened in the Revierderby in recent years.

Last season, in the Revierderby at this stadium, Schalke 04 had only led Borussia Dortmund by one goal.

A one-goal lead was considered insecure, but a two-goal lead was seen as safe by many.

Because of this two-goal lead, Schalke 04 fans were full of confidence that their team would win this Revierderby. So their cheers were especially loud. They seemed to have already seen the future in which their team won this match, and they would celebrate properly. Not only to celebrate defeating Borussia Dortmund in the Revierderby, but also because their hated rival Borussia Dortmund's dream of winning three consecutive league titles would be shattered.

"Huntelaar!! This goal can be said to be crucial!" Marcel Reif said. "Perhaps this is a goal that will determine the destination of the league title! At this moment in Munich, there must be many Bayern Munich fans cheering as well!"

"Borussia Dortmund really didn't play as well as Schalke 04 in the first half. Falling behind by two goals can be said to have pushed them to the brink. It's not to say that they're completely out of hope, but at the very least, the chances of them wanting to win this match have become very low. I think, realistically, it would be good if Borussia Dortmund could equalize in the next match, getting one point is better than not getting any points, right?" Duan Xin also said.

On the domestic internet, the quarrel between Bayern Munich fans and Borussia Dortmund fans also entered a white-hot stage because of this goal. Bayern Munich fans ridiculed Borussia Dortmund fans, saying that their league title was about to fly away, while Borussia Dortmund fans cursed Duan Xin, the Bayern Munich fan commentator, for not being worthy of sitting in the commentary box.

※※※

The first half ended with Schalke 04 leading by two goals. During the halftime break, Klopp adjusted the team's lineup. He prepared to replace Hummels with Şahin, so that Borussia Dortmund would only have three defenders on the back line. This was a very risky substitution. Facing the high-spirited Schalke 04, it was unknown whether Borussia Dortmund's defense with only three defenders could withstand Schalke 04's attack in the second half.

But Klopp had to make this substitution, because in the first half, Zhou Yi was severely contained by Schalke 04, and someone needed to step up to share the pressure for him.

Şahin was the best choice.

He was a player who combined offense and defense. After coming on the field, one person could play the role of two people, helping in the defense and making up for the emptiness in the defense line after Hummels came off. In the attack, he could help Zhou Yi share some of the work of organizing the attack. While reducing Zhou Yi's pressure, he could also create more opportunities for Zhou Yi, because once he became active, he would inevitably attract Schalke 04's defensive attention, and the defensive pressure Zhou Yi faced would be much lighter.

So Şahin was actually a very crucial figure. Klopp was also very clear about this, so after making the substitution decision, he spent a long time during halftime telling Şahin what he should do after coming on the field, and what everyone else should do.

For Şahin, this was the first time he had been entrusted with such an important task since returning to Borussia Dortmund. Previously, he had been positioned as a supporting player in the team, helping to fill in the gaps, and he would not be assigned such an important task.

Şahin had no objection to this. After all, in the two years he had been away from Borussia Dortmund, the team had undergone earth-shattering changes, winning two league titles, and the team had also found a new core. And he himself had fared very badly, whether at Real Madrid or at Liverpool. If he came back and still wanted to become a pivotal core, it would simply be wishful thinking, and it would be unfair to his current Borussia Dortmund teammates.

So he didn't have too many fantasies about his status after returning to Borussia Dortmund. He didn't expect to be a starter, as long as he could get a chance to play.

But this time, when he was suddenly entrusted with an important task, he was a little surprised.

After the halftime break, as the players walked towards the field, Zhou Yi and Şahin walked together.

Şahin lowered his head and remained silent, as if he had something on his mind.

Zhou Yi patted him on the back: "What are you thinking about, Nuri?"

"Ah..." Şahin was awakened by the pat. "I'm thinking about the second half of the game, I don't know if I can do it..."

"Don't think so much, Nuri, just play as you usually do," Zhou Yi said.

"But if we lose..." Şahin was worried that his performance would not be good enough, leading to the team losing the game.

"We won't lose." Zhou Yi smiled and encouraged him. "We have a full forty-five minutes. At that time, you'll go forward more, and I'll be behind you."

Şahin didn't know where Zhou Yi's confidence came from, but he also didn't want to release negative energy all the time. If he always emphasized to his teammates that the team might lose, such a person would not be popular.

Seeing that they were about to reach the entrance to the player tunnel, Zhou Yi patted Şahin on the shoulder again: "This is the familiar Bundesliga field, Nuri, you're wearing a Borussia Dortmund jersey now, there's nothing to worry about, just play like you did when you were here before!"

After saying that, he accelerated past Şahin and ran onto the field.

Leaving Şahin alone, stopping and looking at his back, pondering what he had said.

Then he looked down at the jersey he was wearing, the yellow and black Borussia Dortmund jersey.

※※※

Before the second half, Borussia Dortmund made a substitution, Şahin on, replacing Hummels.

"Klopp's substitution... It's understandable to bring on Şahin, after all, he can strengthen Borussia Dortmund's control of the midfield and share Zhou Yi's workload, but replacing Hummels... With only three defenders, can Borussia Dortmund's defense withstand Schalke 04's attack? Or can Şahin play his due role before their defense is blown up by Schalke 04?" Marcel Reif questioned Klopp's substitution adjustment. He couldn't understand what Klopp was thinking when he arranged such a substitution adjustment.

When Şahin ran onto the field, he heard the jeering from the Schalke 04 fans in the stands behind him. They were laughing at him, the loser who had gone to a big club for a while and then returned to Borussia Dortmund.

Indeed, when he resolutely chose to leave Borussia Dortmund and go to Real Madrid, he left people with the impression of "doing anything to go to a big club," but what he got in exchange for being so reckless was not even being able to play in matches at the big club, and finally having to return to the place he had once abandoned to regain his form. And after he went out for a while, when he came back to this team that he had once regarded as the core, he could only be a substitute. This was really very ironic.

Therefore, being ridiculed was also inevitable.

This was the price he had to pay for his youthful arrogance at the time, and everything now was the price.

But one can't always live in the regret of the past, right?

One still has to look forward and move forward.

Şahin once again looked down at the yellow and black Borussia Dortmund jersey on his body, and then raised his head. In front of him, there were nine people wearing the same jersey as him. They were his teammates, they used to be his teammates.

Back then, he was proud and arrogant, thinking that the world was so big, how could there be no place for him? The sky is high for birds to fly, and the sea is wide for fish to leap. He was going to make a name for himself in the wider world outside.

But after a body full of scars and exhaustion, he realized that the thought of going home was so strong.

So when Real Madrid wanted to continue to loan him out, he chose to be loaned back to Borussia Dortmund.

Because for him, it was going home.

Returning home to let his wandering soul regain peace. Also, to draw energy from home and start again.

He stepped onto the field and ran towards those people wearing the same jersey as him.