Manchester United's heir apparent, but can't play football.

Chapter 73 The Sharp-Edged Li? (Transitional Chapter)
"Jingle bells~ Jingle bells~"

Christmas carols echoed through the Wolfsburg training ground.

Staff members were busy setting up Christmas decorations.

Pine branches are wrapped around the arched lintel of the office building, and golden bells pinned among the pine needles sway gently with each movement. When the wind blows, the golden bells echo the melody in the song.

The lockers in the locker room were decorated with red and white Christmas stockings and holiday cards with cartoon images of the players. Small Christmas trees were everywhere, with spherical ornaments with team logos hanging among the green branches, and twinkling star lights hanging down.

After finishing their day's training, the group didn't rush back but instead sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows indoors, basking in the sun.

The afternoon sun shone through the glass onto my body.

With the winter break approaching, the coaching staff and players will soon be separated for a short period.

Tom looked at the Christmas tree and sighed, "Time flies! It's already late December."

A lot has happened.

"For this Asian Cup, Manchester United and Wolfsburg will send a total of eight people to Australia with Li: a chef, a physical trainer, a life assistant, a technical analyst, a medical staff, and myself."

Maranda, listening nearby, was stunned and asked in surprise, "So grand?"

Tom couldn't help but chuckle: "Van Gaal and Mr. Blackgin think they brought too few people. There's also a team of twenty people living outside the base, which isn't included in the AFC's limit on the number of support personnel."

Little Black Egg's eyes widened instantly: "This is the treatment of a superstar!"

Everyone laughed.

not far away.

Li Luo held a tablet computer and watched "Rooney's Analysis: The Challenges Faced by All Positions in the Midfield and Forward Line".

Asian Cup, my place.
Major media outlets have begun hyping up the Bundesliga halftime champions.

Sport1: 5 Key Matches to Watch in the Final Bundesliga Winter Break - Wolfsburg vs. Paderborn!

Kicker: A tactical review of Guardiola and Hecking.

Sports Pictures: The Mid-Season Championship is Still in the Balance! One Picture Explains the Suspense in the Standings.

Transfermarkt: Algorithm Predicts Mid-Season Champion! Bayern (40.2) Greater than Wolfsburg (39.8)

DFL: Li Luo shines as a rising midfield star in the Bundesliga with 9 goals and 11 assists in 15 rounds!

The Sun: Black Gold may help Li Luo boost his stats in his final game of the winter break.

The number of comments, likes, and shares skyrocketed.
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[The Sun should stay away and not meddle in serious matters.]
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Wow, I had no idea Black Saint was so amazing until I saw the data!
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[Black Saint is awesome! This season he has created a historic positional shift for "Rotation Lee".]
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[In another six months, will Li Luo be able to match the goal and assist statistics of Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure and Chelsea midfielder Lampard?]
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[We'll definitely wait until Li Luo returns to Manchester United before comparing him to other Premier League midfielders, but his current stats are already impressive even in the Bundesliga.]
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Although other leagues have even more impressive statistics, as a Chinese football fan, I am proud of Li Luo; he is my superstar.

A few days later.

The last Bundesliga match before the winter break has arrived as scheduled.

The Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg was already packed with people, with every seat filled.

The roar from the stands swept across the stadium like a tidal wave, and the air was filled with a tense yet fervent anticipation.

Green beams of light crisscrossed and danced.

The team song rang out loud and clear.

As the pre-match atmosphere reached its peak, the giant screen in the South Stand slowly descended: it was a giant TIFO printed with the numbers of all the team's players, each number embodying the fans' faith. The most eye-catching number was Wolfsburg number 10, along with the name embroidered on it.

Followed by.

Countless green flags, banners and scarves fluttered wildly in the stands, forming a surging green sea.

All eyes and shouts in the stadium were focused on one goal: to witness the club win the Bundesliga mid-season championship!
"Zhuangdianertai! Zhuangdianertai! Good evening, viewers."

"We are now broadcasting a key Bundesliga match live."

"Wolfsburg will host Paderborn."

"A fierce battle for the Bundesliga mid-season title."

"Bayern Munich's match has just ended, and they have 44 points, currently leading the Bundesliga standings."

Wolfsburg currently has 42 points, they have a chance!

The commentator's tone was excited.

We look forward to Li Luo, a Chinese player, winning the mid-season championship as a key player in the Bundesliga.

Pre-match press conference.

Black Gold looked completely confident.

"Although Bendtner and Dorts are injured."

"But Wolfsburg has Lee and De Bruyne, so we can play without a striker!"

"Li is like Fabregas... cough cough, like Matthäus in his youth, he can play any position in the midfield and forward lines with ease."

"That's right, everything is going according to plan."

The other side.

Paderborn manager Reitenreit, speaking in a serious tone:

"It doesn't matter who wins the mid-season championship, Paderborn will do everything in their power to win the game!"

Player tunnel.

De Bruyne's expression was serious.

Especially after just learning that Bayern won the final round.

Tonight, Wolfsburg has to win to secure the mid-season championship.

Li Luo was very relaxed.

Maranda whispered, "The Bundesliga mid-season champion is cursed; it's been like that for forty-five years."

Bayern Munich, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke 04, and Borussia Dortmund all have stories of winning the mid-season title only to collapse in the second half of the season and ultimately fail to reach the top of the Bundesliga.

Hot air balloons bearing the Bundesliga logo rose slowly into the air with a gentle breeze. The iconic yellow and blue color scheme stood out against the clear sky, subtly spreading the atmosphere of the event across the heavens.

The referees, dressed in formal attire and with solemn expressions, walked in front, followed closely by neat rows of players from both teams. They walked out of the players' tunnel with steady steps, each step seemingly touching the hearts of the entire audience.

From all four stands, cheers, shouts of encouragement, and the fluttering of flags mingled together, creating a powerful and overwhelming soundscape.

Wolfsburg's mascot, "Wolfie," excitedly high-fived every Wolfsburg player.

"Now we will introduce the starting lineups of both sides."

"Wolfsburg's formation is 4-2-3-1!"

"Bendtner is out injured."

"Perisic and Caligiuri will both start, and the rest of the lineup will be full-strength!"

"The spearheadless formation."

"Li Luo's playing style tonight might be more inclined towards Fabregas and David Silva."

"the other side."

"Paderborn's formation is 4-4-2!"

Goalkeeper: Luca.

"Defenders: Wemmer, Ziegler, Hünemeier, Bruckner."

Midfielders: Kocic, Franjic, Bakalotz, Stobokamp.

Forwards: Kachunga, Kusik.

Beep!
With the referee's whistle, the match officially began.

Li Luo kicks off with his left foot and passes the ball back to the backfield.

Paderborn did not rush forward, but instead steadily deployed its defense.

The football rolled slowly between the green jerseys.

Courtside.

Black Gold remained calm.

This season, his anxiety and insomnia have gradually improved, and he has also gained weight.

"Bendner's shooting is inconsistent, and Dost's back-to-the-basket ability is average. If they get injured, so be it. Let them rest well."

The teaching assistant said worriedly, "Boss, our strikerless formation is completely unplanned in terms of rotation details. It's very different from Del Bosque's strikerless formation!"

Black Gold shook his head: "Does Boske have Lee?"

Wolfsburg's offensive operations were not hampered in any way.

Li Luo maneuvers between the opponent's two lines.

"Paderborn has two large center-backs, both standing at 1.9 meters tall."

"Wolfsburg doesn't have a big center forward, so their attack might start along the flanks."

Snapped.

Without hesitation, Maranda dribbled past the center circle and decisively passed the ball to Li Luo in the middle.

The commentators and the audience were a bit confused.

The Chinese boy, positioned on one of the enemy's two fronts, was surrounded by burly German men.

The football swept across the grass.

Li Luo observed Caligiuri move to the front line before suddenly retreating.

The pullback was incredibly fast.

Paderborn's big defenders simply couldn't keep up, and after a couple of steps they dared not pursue, fearing they would lose their positions and cause chaos in the defensive line.

"Francic reacted immediately."

"His movement on two lines effectively severed Li Luo's connection with the midfield."

He was too late.

Snapped!
Li Luo passed the ball back to De Bruyne with one touch.

The latter decisively kicked the ball.

The football rose from the ground and passed Paderborn's defense.

"Calijuri".

"You can open the door."

"Two more steps were adjusted."

Paderborn quickly got into position, and Caligiuri missed a golden opportunity to shoot, but instead of taking a shot, he moved to the outside and circled around Bruckner who was pressing forward.

Bruckner is the kind of old-school European player who respects fans. He once missed the bus because he was signing autographs for a group of fans, and he chased after the bus shouting, "I haven't gotten on the bus yet! I haven't gotten on the bus yet!"

There's no one left at the forward position.

Li Luo, who had just dropped back to set up the ball a dozen seconds earlier, could only turn back and rush forward, getting caught between the opponent's two center-backs.

The football is passed very quickly.

Caligiuri passed the ball back to Ricardo, who had made a run down the wing.

The latter delivered a cross kick.

"Move to the middle lane."

"Maranda".

"Ugh, why does he always insist on passing it to Li Luo?"

Li Luo was also a bit confused; he had already prepared himself to "go to jail."

Unexpectedly, Little Black Egg passed the ball back again.

At this moment.

With his back to goal, he couldn't hold up against the 1.9-meter Paderborn center-back.

The difference in tonnage is obvious.

That involves things at the level of static confrontation.

Fortunately, Li Luo was quick on his feet, and with his back to the Paderborn goal, he quickly took a few steps forward.

We were still a step too late.

My back was violently arched.

In an instant, Li Luo lightly jumped up, and his whole body was "bumped" into the football.

Snapped.

Successfully recovered.

"Beautiful, a small hop to deflect force and counteract the opponent's attack."

Wolfsburg still has possession of the ball.

"Launch a second offensive."

Studio.
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Why can't Li Luo just retreat like in the cartoons?
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[Because Wolfsburg needs someone to "hold up" the opposing defense, otherwise Li Luo's frequent dropping back would create burdens for his teammates; thinking about it this way, Li Luo's football IQ and vision are really high. The first time he waited for Caligiuri to come up, and the second time he pushed back himself.]
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For example: If you're at the very front of a strikerless formation, there's no point in you pulling back.
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But the cartoon says that retreating is a sophisticated kicking technique.
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[What's so fancy about it? Isn't it just as basic as a goalkeeper rushing out? Someone needs to hold off the opposing defense, right? Can you detach a corner of the table and use it as chopsticks?]

Time passes slowly.

Courtside.

The teaching assistant suggested, "Boss, how about we get someone else to hold down the enemy's defenses?"

Black Gold shook his head: "No one else is suitable, Li is the smartest."

Amid cheers from the crowd in the arena.

Li Luo's clothes were disheveled and her hair was messy.

During this period, he engaged in several physical battles with the opposing center-back, occasionally putting his arm around each other's shoulders and waists.

I gradually became familiar with the position of the small arrowhead in the strikerless formation and how to play it. I carefully reviewed the details of the confrontation.

The position is different, making it very different from the usual midfield battle.

The geometric model in spatial perception is unfolded into a planar view.

Near the edge of the penalty area.

Li Luo saw Maranda receive the ball again.

He quickly adjusted his body's inclination.

He accelerated with a quick step, moving to Ziegler's right rear and Hünemeier's side front, stopping at the "gap" between the two defenders, and lowering his center of gravity.

"Maranda's pass."

"Why is it being sent to Li Luo again?"

Snapped.

Li Luo used his left foot as the supporting foot to push off the ground, while the inside of his right foot pressed against the side of the ball, and gently pulled the ball to the left side of his body.

All in one go.

Ball control: 76! Excellent spatial awareness and distance control!
Paderborn's two center-backs quickly moved laterally to double-team them.

Their models are too large, their step frequency is not high, and their speed of small-range lateral displacement is slightly slow.

Hünemeier slammed into the Chinese boy.

That's exactly what we've been waiting for.

A burst of intense hand-to-hand combat sounds came from the close-up sound recording equipment.

Li Luo leaned his upper body slightly to the right, using the opponent's impact to turn around and pull in!

Ziegler didn't even have time to move his leg, looking completely bewildered: Little spinning top?
"Inside!"

"Li Luo went inside!"

"Li Luo squeezed through the gap between the two tall center-backs."

"too fast."

"Catch the ball, turn, and execute it all in one smooth motion!"

"Face the goal!"

Throughout the entire process, most viewers didn't see what happened clearly; they only felt that Li Luo received the ball and skillfully slipped past Paderborn's defense.
Paderborn is not a bad team; they even topped the Bundesliga table in the first three rounds of the season.

Goalkeeper Luca isn't stupid; he wasn't stunned.

He quickly adopted a blocking posture.

Bah!
The football went through Luca's legs.

The white net swayed gently.

1:0! ! !

"Pretty!"

"The ball is in!"

"Li Luo, holding off two tall Bundesliga center-backs, skillfully dodges and scores!"

Wolfsburg broke the deadlock and took the lead.

"Maranda's assist!"

"Look at the slow-motion replay, oh! Li Luo's positioning before receiving the ball was exquisite. The moment he received the ball, he pulled his foot down and then used the momentum to turn around, perfectly avoiding the double-team of Paderborn's defense."

"Fantastic! The more you watch the replay, the more exciting it gets!"

Li Luo jogged along, arms outstretched.

The Wolfsburg teammates beamed with joy and dashed off one by one, excitedly chasing after him.

Inside the arena, cheers and shouts mingled into a deafening roar, pushing the atmosphere to its fever pitch.

The home fans blushed, waving scarves and flags, and chanting the name of the Chinese boy over and over again.

Everyone knows that as long as Wolfsburg doesn't concede a goal, the Bundesliga mid-season title is within reach!

Maranda exclaimed excitedly, "Li, our teamwork is getting better and better!"

Li Luo: "."

De Bruyne, holding a blade of grass, glanced at the coaching bench, his cheeks flushing: Mr. Black Gold must have made Li play as the strikerless small forward in this match so that Li could get used to the Asian Cup in advance.

Courtside.

Black Gold and the teaching assistants gave each other high-fives and hugs.

"Boss, your deployment is amazing."

"Yeah, let De Bruyne go up there. I'm worried Lee will get hurt."

Studio.

The barrage of comments flew by.
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[Huh? How did Li Luo manage to beat two Bundesliga center-backs?]
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[Before receiving the ball, position yourself slightly to the side and behind, blocking the vision of a tall center-back and exposing the other center-back's lateral movement disadvantage. The instant you receive the ball, pull back and turn, cleverly using the opponent's momentum to break free from the confrontation. I'm 1.62 meters tall, and I usually play like this on the school team.]
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[How come you, at 1.62 meters tall, are blocking the view of people who are 1.9 meters tall?]
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[You're all wrong. In a strikerless formation, the small arrowhead position isn't a target man; it's about drawing defenders, connecting passes, and utilizing space to become a magic bullet near the penalty area.]
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[I'm just an eighteen-year-old virgin, and these muscular men are grabbing and touching me every day. Today I was touched the most.]
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The midfield is mostly a dynamic contest, and in a strikerless formation, the small forward position often involves physical battles.

Paderborn center-back Ziegler kept explaining to his teammates, his index finger spinning in the air: "Li's turning speed is like a spinning top, he turned around in a flash, I didn't even have time to kick him."

Hünemeier also looked helpless: "I put my arm around Lee's shoulder and then bumped into him. He used the momentum to turn around."

"Stop talking, he won't be able to fool us next time!"

The game restarted in the middle circle.

The football rolled rapidly on the grass.

gradually.

Paderborn players have discovered that the striker in Wolfsburg's strikerless formation has become the big-bottomed De Bruyne.

"As soon as Li Luo returned to midfield, Wolfsburg's rhythm immediately changed."

"It's no longer about grand gestures; it's settled down."

"Organizational review and connection."

"Watch him receive the ball in midfield, get rid of it, pass it, and make runs. It's a pleasure to watch."

"We have entered the positional offensive phase."

The Paderborn defenses were stunned when they saw Li Luo's gesture: This kid can call for help.

Wolfsburg center-back Naldo excitedly left the high defensive line and stood at the top of the penalty area.

If you don't have a center forward, do you have to make up for it with a center back?

Gustavo dropped down to the defensive line.

De Bruyne was quickly released and retreated.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Luo moved forward to the shadow striker position and instructed Maranda not to send a fatal first pass.

Snap! Snap! Snap!
Caligiuri passed the ball to the middle.

Maranda passed the ball across to De Bruyne.

The latter completed his observation in advance, shook off the opponent's midfield, and with a slight swing of his leg, drew a rainbow.

Paderborn's penalty area.

Naldo was tightly marked by the opposing center-back.

"It wasn't passed on to him!"

"The football bounced after hitting the ground."

"Li Luo!"

The Chinese teenager seized the gap between the opposing center-back and full-back, slipped past the defense again, and raised his foot.

Bah!
The football shot out, lifting the white net high into the air.

Goalkeeper Luca is still in the air, diving forward.

2:0! ! !

The whole crowd cheered.

Li Luo didn't know what kind of celebration pose to use.

[Shock level +1!]

[Shock level +1!]

【.】

The suspense surrounding the mid-season championship and the shock of Wolfsburg fans being completely wiped out.

His teammates rushed forward, their voices filled with excitement: "Li, that was amazing!"

"Pretty!"

"Another goal! Li Luo scores his second!"

"Wolves extended their lead with an assist from De Bruyne."

"This year, Manchester United's crown prince and Chinese prodigy, who competed in the Bundesliga, delivered a satisfactory performance."

"11 goals and 11 assists in 16 Bundesliga matches!"

"The pride of Chinese football, I am proud of it."

"In addition to the Lunar New Year, we also have to take into account the upcoming Asian Cup."

"If Li Luo leads the national football team to good results and allows the people to celebrate the Spring Festival happily, I can't imagine how high his standing will be in everyone's hearts at that time."

The commentator was thrilled and his heart was pounding.

Studio.
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If Li Luo brings joy to everyone during the Lunar New Year, I'll be a fan for life.
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[If that's the case, even if the rumors in The Sun are true, I will always support Li Luo!]
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Yes, even if Li Luo were to date an African girl, I would always love him.
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[The replay is here! Look at this play! Li Luo had Naldo move up, and the latter drew away two of the opposing center-backs, thus creating space between the opposing center-backs and full-backs. Li Luo's timing for the run was perfect, and the opening he seized was brilliant.]
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[De Bruyne's passing was also crucial, but unfortunately he will be parting ways with Li Luo next season. A beautiful yet short-lived pair of Wolfsburg stars in football history.]

Courtside.

Hei Jin silently stood up from the coach's bench, slowly walked to the command area, and exuded the demeanor of a renowned coach.

Wolfsburg fans in the nearby stands gave him a thunderous round of applause and cheers.

"Black gold~ Black gold~"

"Peerless General Black Gold ~ Tactical Master Black Gold ~"

He led Wolfsburg through countless obstacles.

"His wisdom is Li Luo's wisdom."

At last.

The final whistle blew, shattering the clamor of the arena!

"Beep~ Beep beep~!"

A long whistle was followed by two short, sharp whistles. The referee pointed to the sidelines, and the game came to a close.

"2-0, Wolfsburg secured a comfortable victory over Paderborn, and with 45 points, they proudly stand atop the Bundesliga mid-season standings."

"2014/15 Bundesliga mid-season champions – Wolfsburg!"

The stadium DJ's roars and the cheers from the stands instantly merged, and a green wave surged across the stands.

The ship's smoke bombs exploded in the corner, billowing out thick green gas.

"plum!"

Li Luo was tossed high into the air by his teammates who rushed over.

Her figure rose and fell amidst a flurry of green ribbons and deafening applause, becoming the most dazzling figure in this sea of ​​jubilation.

"Quickly put Li down, don't let him fall and get hurt!"

"Oh no, a dozen or so fans have stormed the field!"

After a long time.

Li Luo returned to the locker room shirtless.

One of the sneakers is missing.

It's okay, none of that matters.

[Shock Points Gained: 100469!]

[Should I spend 100,000 Shock Points to redeem a Bundesliga star blind box?]

[Currently redeeming.]

come on.

The last blind box before the Asian Cup!
Dark blue, add some!
Rumble.

A giant card slowly appeared in front of him.

A figure slowly emerged from the card.

[Pharmaceutical company's lightning speed!]

[Congratulations on obtaining the Bayer Leverkusen Bellarabi "Feint to the wing, dribble past the defender, then instantly cut inside with a reverse cut" module!]

[Legendary Phantoms cannot be triggered without the Soul Forge module.]

[Your movements during the inward cut have improved slightly.]

[Additional attribute boost: Ball control +4!]

Possession: 80!

Qualitative change!

(End of this chapter)