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Following the news of Jupp Heynckes’ retirement reversal, I felt oddly indifferent despite the announcement that Pep Guardiola would take the helm of Manchester City next season.

Instead, it felt like the inevitable had finally arrived. Maybe I had foreseen this situation while watching the happy face of my thick friend, Han Gyeouri, in the winter.

[‘Ferguson’s Successor.’ David Moyes declares staying at Everton.]

[Carlo Ancelotti emerges as a strong candidate for Real Madrid’s next head coach.]

I don’t know where it all began, but once the snowball started rolling, it just kept getting bigger.

At this point, I had no idea how the future would change.

[Roberto Mancini: “The articles about Pep Guardiola taking over Manchester City are garbage.”]

Anyway, Bayern Munich didn’t sign Guardiola, and unlike my expectations of Pep’s early arrival at Manchester City…

Roberto Mancini, upon hearing the sudden news of Guardiola’s appointment, expressed his fury.

[Mancini criticizes Manchester City’s board. “Why isn’t the club protecting me as the coach?”]

Mancini was furious at the news that he would be dismissed and that Pep Guardiola would take over next season, venting his grievances in an interview.

[‘That’s a bit…’ Manchester City fans express dissatisfaction with the board’s actions. “It’s right to dismiss him, but I feel like they’re parting ways too harshly with the coach who brought us last season’s league title.”]

Manchester City fans, who were unaware of internal issues like Mancini’s sensitive nature causing players’ backlash, cursed the board.

But that didn’t last long.

[Title: Honestly, isn’t Pep Guardiola a Messi Boy?]

└ Yeah, let’s talk about a coach who changed football tactics, should be player-backed lol

└ For real, this dude is just a football noob.

└ Does Pep Guardiola look like he’s bad at football?

└ Honestly, I’m not a football expert, but maybe it’s because Pep is bald, he somehow looks professional. Yeah.

└ Bald = Maximum Professionalism

Manchester City fans quickly began to express both joy and concern with the news of Pep Guardiola’s appointment, sparking a debate.

“Yeah, Pep Guardiola was a Messi Boy. If he takes over Manchester City, he won’t be able to do anything.”

Judging by the way they exactly mirrored the tone of the post’s title, it seems there might be spies infiltrating the Manchester City fan community from Manchester United.

“Glory~ Glory~ Man United!”

“Ugh. When will that one ever grow up?”

Han Gyeouri, humming a tune while nervously tapping his fingers, drew a sigh from my mother-in-law watching him.

If it were any other time, I would have interjected and said something to Han Gyeouri…

But right now, I wasn’t in a position to say anything to Han Gyeouri.

I had come to dinner with Mario Götze, who suggested going for sushi claiming there was a Korean restaurant near the Brakel Training Center, and it all spiraled into a heated debate after Cristiano Ronaldo abruptly called me a traitor.

– Patriot: Jinho.

– Ho-woo: Why call me?

– Patriot: Did you see the SNS post I made?

– Ho-woo: Nein.

– Patriot: Check it now.

– Ho-woo: Sounds annoying.

– Patriot: You need to check my SNS!

We began to clash fiercely like a spear and shield.

Right now, Ho-woo had quickly become a national sensation in Korea with a post related to 3.1 Day.

Honestly, at this point, I truly wondered if this dude had really abandoned 50 million younger siblings in Sangam.

Either way, being the adult I was, I stepped back and entered Ronaldo’s SNS to check the post.

@CR7★ Official

I know the struggle of poverty.

Koreans have accomplished amazing things.

They pushed themselves and overcame poverty.

It’s like seeing myself training to be the best, staying in the training ground until the very end.

Wow. For real, what’s up with this guy?

Has he been possessed by a Korean spirit?

Should I start calling him Bingnaldo from now on?

As I was marvelling at the completely transformed Ronaldo, another message arrived from him.

– Patriot: Now that I think about it, in Korea, they call me ‘Chukshindu.’

– Patriot: It means Ronaldo, the God of Football. I think Koreans really know how to watch football.

– Patriot: Unlike those who don’t respect me?

I nodded at Ronaldo’s message.

Like he said, I promised to respect the guy who had changed 180 degrees and vowed to call him this way from now on.

“Bingshindoo.”

It was a strangely catchy title.

***

[Ronaldo, who became the nation’s darling through his SNS posts.]

[He leaves a comment with a thumbs-up on a post saying he wants to see him playing at Seoul World Cup Stadium.]

[Real Madrid President Perez: ‘There’s no plan for an Asian Tour…’]

[Dortmund, preparing for the Bundesliga Round 24 match against Hannover at home.]

[Jurgen Klopp, with a displeased expression over the Son Jinho transfer rumors. “Is there anyone else who wants to ask questions other than about Jinho’s transfer?”]

└ No;; reporters, let’s keep some boundaries;; Asking Klopp if Son Jinho can take a starting spot at Real Madrid’s a bit much, right;;

[Klopp expresses dissatisfaction with Korea. “They look down on the Bundesliga too much…”]

└ ㅠㅠ We’re sorry ㅠㅠ

└ For real, that’s understandable to be mad.

[Was it a choice for managing fitness? Son Jinho excluded from the starting lineup.]

└ Still, he’s on the substitute list.

└ Guess they’re worried about completely excluding him, huh? lol

[Hannover 96 coach Mirko Slomka, furious over Dortmund’s starting lineup. “Dortmund is ignoring Hannover. They will pay for their arrogance today.”]

***

March 2.

Bundesliga Round 24 home game against Hannover.

Dortmund, to manage fitness ahead of the UEFA Champions League home match against Manchester United on March 5, excluded Hummels, Götze, Piszczek, Lewandowski, and Son Jinho from the starting lineup.

Dortmund practically entered the match with a reserve squad.

“Looking at the faces of their players, do you get it? Just how much Dortmund is looking down on us! Let’s go out there and teach those arrogant guys a lesson!”

After seeing the number of starters missing from Dortmund, Coach Mirko Slomka gathered his players and ignited their fighting spirit by appealing to their pride.

“Let’s defeat the invaders who came to steal our points!”

“…But we came here to Dortmund?”

“I don’t care! Let’s just defeat them!!”

“Woooooah—!”

Being incited is a traditional culture in Germany. The Hannover players quickly fell for the coach’s antics, stirring up their hostilities toward Dortmund.

With the referee’s whistle, the match began, and Hannover 96 pressed Dortmund aggressively in the early stages.

The flow of the early match leaned toward Hannover. A shot barely skimmed the crossbar, and Coach Mirko Slomka began to sense victory.

‘At this rate, we could win!’

But Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park was not easy to handle.

In the 10th minute, Nuri Sahin scored the opening goal with a long-range shot from around the penalty arc, giving Dortmund a comfortable lead.

Five minutes later, Nuri Sahin, having earned a free kick from a good position, finished it himself, successfully netting a brace.

Hannover 96 started to be pulled down with the back-to-back goals.

Bitten lip, Mirko Slomka clapped to encourage his players.

“I’ll clear it!!”

“Damn it! Santi! Let it go!”

And just before the end of the first half, seizing on a communication breakdown between Roman Weidenfeller and Felipe Santana…

Hannover striker Mohamed Abdelwahab snatched the ball and easily slotted it into the empty net.

Hannover 96 started to take control of the game by scoring a goal back.

Jurgen Klopp, watching the scene, injected Lewandowski and Son Jinho into the game at the 65th minute to swing the momentum toward Dortmund.

In the 80th minute, Lewandowski, who had been substituted in, received a pass from Son Jinho and scored a sealing goal.

Dortmund successfully secured a victory with a score of 3-1.

“First, thank you to the players who gave their all. And as for what the Hannover coach has said, it’s not true that we looked down on Hannover. We needed to prepare for the Champions League and wrote the starting lineup with the best members. Today’s victory proves that.”

After the match, Jurgen Klopp responded to interviews with an endlessly cheerful and relaxed demeanor.

***

[Jurgen Klopp clarifies the Hannover coach’s remarks, “It was just to prepare for the Champions League. I had no intention of looking down on Hannover. Hannover is a good team composed of great players and a coach.”]

[In the upcoming second leg of the Champions League Round of 16, can Manchester United advance to the quarter-finals?]

***

While Bayern Munich and Dortmund were fiercely competing for the title in the Bundesliga…

[Wayne Rooney’s hat trick! Manchester United defeats Norwich City with a score of 3-0!]

In the Premier League, Manchester United began to extend their score gap, taking advantage of Manchester City’s wobbling.

The day before, Manchester United had achieved a decisive 3-0 victory against Norwich.

They were heading to Dortmund for the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16.

And on the day of the second leg match on March 5, Jisong Park cheerfully greeted Son Jinho at Signal Iduna Park.

“Jinho, isn’t that on fire over there?”

“Come on. Hyung, it’s your first time at Signal Iduna Park, right?”

 

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