"I heard your team has had problems lately?"

Before leaving for Bremen, Lin Quan received a call from Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola has been busy recently, and there are a lot of things on Bayern's side, which has caused him to delay calling Lin Quan until now.

"Well, it's a little."

Lin Quan replied truthfully that Manchester City's problem is not a secret in the UK, and it is estimated that it will not be long before it reaches Germany.

On the other end of the phone, Guardiola heard Lin Quan's answer and said:

"Do you have time to come to Munich after the Champions League?"

"Good!"

Lin Quan didn't ask what he was doing in Munich, with what he knew about Guardiola, Guardiola would not do such a meaningless thing.

"Play well in the Champions League, come on!"

"You too, don't lose at home to Jose Mourinho!"

"Hehe, don't worry, I've got a surprise for Chelsea, I'm sure they'll like it!"

Pep Guardiola looks confident and it seems that Kroos' departure has not had much impact on his side.

I don't know if he's pretending, or if he really has some tricks.

On 18 February, the entire Manchester City crew arrived in the northern German city of Bremen by plane.

After more than half a year, Lin Quan and De Bruyne returned to the city again.

The difference is that they had previously worn the green jerseys of the Parrot Corps for Werder Bremen at the Weser Stadium.

But today, they will be stepping onto Weser Stadium as opponents.

This made both of them feel a little complicated.

"You say, will they boo us?"

De Bruyne asked worriedly.

He doesn't have a lot of affection for Chelsea, but here at Werder Bremen he has a lot of good memories, so he's worried about hearing boos from the home fans.

"Don't worry, no, I'm sure they won't!"

Lin Quan patted De Bruyne on the shoulder and walked out of the airport passage with him.

"They're coming!"

"Lin!"

"De Bruyne!"

"Welcome home!"

As soon as I walked out of the airport passage, I heard a commotion outside.

The two looked up and saw thousands of fans coming to the airport to pick them up.

But instead of Manchester City's blue jersey, these fans were wearing green jerseys that represented the home team.

If you look closely, you can even see that they are wearing the shirts of Werder Bremen from last season, with the number 10 and number 6 shirts being the majority.

Seeing this scene, Lin Quan and De Bruyne were stunned.

They could never have imagined that they would be treated like this when they returned to Werder Bremen.

The two glanced at each other, and their previous worries suddenly vanished.

It seems that at Weser Stadium, they can't hear the boos anymore.

"Lin, don't show mercy on the field, even if Werder Bremen falls in the Champions League knockout round, it will be standing and dying!"

"Although our strength is not as good as yours, don't underestimate us, we are an army of parrots that cannot be killed!"

As the two signed autographs and photographed the fans who came to welcome them, they could hear it all the time.

Obviously, they also know that returning to the Weser Stadium as a Werder Bremen veteran will cause problems for the team's former twins.

So hopefully this way will take the pressure off them and allow them to give their best performance in the game, even against their own team!

What an empathetic bunch of fans!

The two were very touched and patiently signed autographs and took photos for every fan at the scene to thank them for their support.

"Are they so popular in Werder Bremen? I've heard that Bremen are just a small team! ”

Sergio Aguero, who was scolded by Atletico Madrid fans, felt incredible after seeing this scene.

"When Lin was there, Werder Bremen was a championship team that could wrestle with Bayern, but now they have been reduced to a relegation team, and the fans naturally miss them very much!"

David Silva didn't find it surprising, unlike Sergio Aguero's situation of fighting the team fiercely in the form of a strike and then leaving, Lin Quan and De Bruyne both left the team normally after their loan spells expired, and the fans naturally did not blame them.

……

While Werder Bremen fans have shown kindness to Lin Quan and Kevin De Bruyne, the German media have not been polite to Manchester City.

At the pre-match press conference, a German journalist unceremoniously asked Pellegrini:

"Mr Pellegrini, your team is winless in three Premier League games, if you lose to Werder Bremen in this round, will you take the blame and resign?"

German journalists are hostile to Manchester City, partly because they are Champions League rivals.

On the other hand, it is directly related to the identity of Manchester City's local tycoon.

Most Bundesliga teams are membership-based clubs, and the team does not belong to any one person, but to the fans.

They benefit from a membership system, and their finances are very healthy, but it also means that they don't have a lot of money to spend on transfers.

As a result, many conformist Germans are hostile to Manchester City's outliers, who have been built on money rather than honour and accumulation.

In their view, this is clearly not a healthy operating model.

"My team will win away from home, so your question doesn't hold up!"

Pellegrini glanced at the German journalist and replied coldly.

"If you lose, will you resign?"

The reporter did not give up, and vowed to break the casserole and ask to the end.

Pellegrini was angry, brushed his sleeves away, and ended the press conference early.

Reporters used their cameras to capture his back as he left in a rage, and they already had the headline of tomorrow's news in mind.

As long as Manchester City loses, Pellegrini will inevitably be criticized by major media.

Pellegrini, who was under a lot of pressure, was meticulous in setting up the training.

He stood on the sidelines, staring at the players on the training ground, not knowing what he was thinking.

"Coach, he doesn't look like he's in a good mood!"

Aguero took advantage of Pellegrini's inattention and secretly said to Lin Quan.

Lin Quan glanced at the head coach standing on the sidelines with a serious face, nodded slightly:

'The coach must have been under a lot of pressure and we have to play well and try to win this game so that we can dispel the doubts from the outside world.'

Manchester City are winless in three rounds, and the criticism of them has gradually increased.

At this time, instead of wasting time arguing with the outside world, it is better to train well and try to respond to the doubts of the outside world with a beautiful victory.

This kind of truth is naturally understood by everyone as a professional player.

"Well, if you win this game, you will be able to play next time you return to the home court, but then again, Lin you won't release water, right?"

Aguero stared at Lin Quan with suspicion, facing his old club, and it was an old club who was very good to him, he really could do it!

"Don't doubt my work ethic, giving it your all is the greatest respect for Werder Bremen!"

If before coming to Bremen, Lin Quan still had concerns in his heart.

So after the scene of picking up fans at the airport, all the worries in his heart were put down.

Feb. 19, Weser Field.

Before the start of the game, Lin Quan and De Bruyne went to the home team's dressing room.

Lin Quan gave a delicate watch to each of his old teammates, not only the old players, but also the staff of the club.

He was on a youth team contract last year, and his salary was not high, so he didn't give any decent gifts to his teammates when he left.

This time I have money, so I naturally have to make it back.

"Okay, you kid, it's really different after going to Manchester City, fifty watches, it costs a lot of money, right?"

Arnautovic was amazed by Lin Quan's generosity.

The old captain Fritz smiled: "It's not cheap, this watch costs at least 30,000 euros!" ”

Fritz's words attracted everyone's attention, and Arnautovic was taken aback and exclaimed:

"Good fellow, doesn't that add up to my annual salary for a year?"

Phil Krueger nodded repeatedly:

"That's worth two years' salary!"

Peterson's eyes lit up: "Brother Lin, is Manchester City's salary so high?" See if the little brother has a chance to ......"

Millitz knocked Peterson on the head and said to him unceremoniously:

"Manchester City buys top stars, you don't have to pipe dream about it as a Bayern outcast!"

Peterson hugged his head and was aggrieved: "People have to have some dreams, right?" If you don't have a dream, wouldn't it be no different from a salted fish? ”

Schaaf clapped his hands and stopped the gags of the players:

"Well, if you have a dream, you can play well in this game and try to score a goal against Manchester City, then they might like you!"

"Okay, you can see it, I think I can complete a hat-trick today!"

"Haha, you just blow it, you can complete three shots on goal, you are considered successful!"

"I'll give you a trick, after you get on the field, shouting 'Brother Lin's pass' may trick Lin Quan to pass the ball to you, in that case, there may be a chance!"

"What a good idea, you're a fucking genius!"

……

Lin Quan and De Bruyne glanced at each other, this group of teammates was still the same as when they left, the same joy, the same funny.

The time of the game came quickly, as Lin Quan and Kevin De Bruyne made their way through the players' tunnel to the Weser Stadium.

There were huge cheers from the scene!

"Lin!"

"De Bruyne!"

The home fans collectively stood up and gave the two men a round of applause and cheers.

Although the two are no longer wearing the green jersey of Werder Bremen, the fans are still very grateful for the trophy and those wonderful memories they left for everyone last season.

When the fans stood up collectively, the players on the field also took out the cardboard prepared in advance and spelled out a hand-painted 'Werder Bremen family photo'.

Behind the players, a huge group photo of Werder Bremen from last season appeared in the south stand.

Lin Quan and De Bruyne appeared in family photos and group photos.

Seeing this scene, Lin Quan and De Bruyne couldn't hold back their feelings.

The two stepped forward and hugged their old teammates one by one, but they were pulled by their teammates to stand in the center and were photographed with a new 'family photo'.

In CCTV's live broadcast room, He Wei was quite moved when he saw this scene.

"Perhaps, that's the beauty of football, there's something else besides wins and trophies!"

While Werder Bremen fans have been very friendly to Lin Quan and Kevin De Bruyne, that doesn't mean they don't want the home side to win.

After the start of the game, Werder Bremen played very positively.

Coach Schaaf had apparently studied the footage of Manchester City's game, and based on the tactics that Mourinho had summed up, he sent someone to limit the connection between Kroos and De Bruyne.

These two are Manchester City's metronome and the other are the heart of Manchester City's frontcourt playmaking, and if they are limited, Manchester City's attacking threat can be reduced by half.

Ten minutes into the game, Werder Bremen's players managed to achieve their tactical goals by running at all costs.

In the stands, the fans saw that their home team not only did not fall behind on the field, but even had a faint advantage, and their cheers suddenly became louder.

In the stands, the German coach Loew, who came to watch the game, couldn't help but shake his head when he saw Kroos playing very embarrassed on the field.

Pellegrini's coaching level is indeed worse than Guardiola's.

In Pep Guardiola's hands, Kroos has performed much better than he did at Manchester City.

If his performances at Manchester City do not improve, then in Loew's opinion, Kroos's decision to join Manchester City in the first place may well be wrong.

Kroos was smart enough to know he was being targeted, so he consciously stepped back a distance to get closer to the backline.

It worked out very well, as he was closer to his own backline and had a lot less distraction when receiving the ball.

After receiving the ball, Kroos had more options to play the ball as he drove forward with the ball than in midfield.

The rest of City's players have good ability to play the ball, they don't necessarily need to play in midfield, and they can also attack from the wings.

In the 18th minute of the first half, Kroos saw an opportunity and handed the ball to David Silva on the wing.

David Silva and Lin Quan, who came to pick up, completed the collision with the wall, passed the defender and then passed the ball to the unmarked De Bruyne.

De Bruyne sent a precise through ball to find Lin Quan, who started early.

Lin Quan easily pushed the goal to help the team take a 1-0 lead.

After scoring the goal, Lin Quan pressed down with both hands, signaling that he would not celebrate.

After De Bruyne saw Lin Quan finish the goal, he also lowered his head and turned around and walked back, without any intention of celebrating, and he couldn't even see any joy on his face.

Manuel Pellegrini on the sidelines was thrilled and it was good news that his team were leading on the road.

Even if they are held to a draw in the end, they have a big advantage with away goals.

Seeing this goal, Schaaf couldn't help but shake his head.

can't be prevented, can't be prevented at all, the players of the two teams are not of the same grade.

Lin Quan's movement is better than last season, and De Bruyne's passing ability has improved a lot.

The fans at the scene were a little bitter in their hearts, the connection between De Bruyne and Lin Quan, which was the killer feature that helped them kill all sides in the Bundesliga last season.

I didn't expect that one day this killer weapon would be smashed on their heads.

After a moment of silence, someone took the lead in applauding.

They were applauding both Lin Quan and De Bruyne's wonderful cooperation, and also applauding the two not choosing to celebrate.

After taking the lead, the whole city seemed to relax a lot.

After their form relaxed, they played better and better, and all kinds of wonderful combinations were frequently staged.

And the goal came quickly, in the 32nd minute of the first half, Lin Quan assisted Aguero to score a goal.

In the 44th minute, Lin Quan received a long pass from Kroos, successfully countered offside, and then went to the next city.

Before the end of the half, Manchester City, who were playing away, had a three-goal lead.

The difference in strength between the two teams is vividly reflected at this moment.

After the loss of Lin Quan and De Bruyne, Werder Bremen's results have fallen very badly.

This season has been affected by the Champions League, and their league performance has plummeted under the three-front battle.

With 21 rounds played in the Bundesliga, Werder Bremen has only won 5 games and lost 10 games.

With just 21 points, they sit sixth from bottom in the league and are just one step away from the relegation zone.

And they are facing the leaders of the Premier League in this game.

The score of 3:0 at half-time may be the truest portrayal of the strength of the two teams!

At half-time, Manuel Pellegrini made no personnel changes.

Werder Bremen, on the other hand, replaced two defenders and replaced two attacking players.

They don't seem to be going to just throw in the towel, but want to defend their dignity at home.

Werder Bremen played very tenacious, despite being an absolute underdog in terms of possession.

But they took every opportunity and pushed forward as hard as possible to threaten City's goal.

Their hard work paid off!

In the 67th minute of the second half, taking advantage of a set-piece opportunity, Fritz lobbed the ball into the box, Arnautovic forced Kompany to get the spot, and he flicked the ball into the Manchester City goal with a lion's head.

Arnautovic looked very excited after the goal, and he ran to the corner to yell at the fans in the stands.

The fans at the scene were instantly boiling, and more than 50,000 fans gave him deafening cheers.

And his teammates also rushed forward and celebrated with Arnautovic who scored the goal.

The goal was like a shot in the arm for the home team, setting off a brief attacking climax.

The mentality of City's players also seemed to be affected a bit, with a couple of mistakes and almost being taken advantage of.

However, Lin Quan stepped up at the crucial moment, dribbled the ball from the side and passed three people in a row, almost single-handedly penetrating the Werder Bremen defence, and finally completed the goal.

The goal poured over Werder Bremen's heads like a basin of cold water, sobering them up instantly.

Among their opponents, there is such a terrible guy!

"Sure enough, this kid is still so difficult to prevent."

On the sidelines, Schaaf shook his head with a wry smile.

Having coached Lin Quan, he knows better than anyone else how difficult it is to guard against Lin Quan!

What even Bayern's top defenders can't do, Werder Bremen's players can't do.

Therefore, as long as Lin Quanquan is here, it is almost impossible for them to win Manchester City.

scored his third goal of the game, and Lin Quan still did not choose to celebrate.

He pulled up Selassie, who had been shaken down by himself, and nodded apologetically to him.

Selassie touched his head disapprovingly, signaling that he didn't have to apologize.

I can't help it, because my own skills are not as good as others, there is nothing to say.

Weser Stadium fell silent for a long time, and this time no one applauded Lin Quan anymore.

His goal not only interrupted the rhythm of Werder Bremen's counterattack, but also directly killed the suspense of the game.

If Manchester City finish the game with a score of 4-1, they can basically declare themselves in the last eight of the Champions League.

With the quality of Werder Bremen, they won't be able to score 4 goals at the Etihad Stadium.

Thinking of this, some fans couldn't help but cry.

Compared to the glorious last season, they have nothing this season.

The team fell into the relegation spiral, the Champions League stopped in the round of 16, and the German Cup was eliminated early.

If those two were still in the team, would their records still be the same as they are now?

(End of chapter)