The scoring rules announced by the system brought a slight sense of relief to Lucas.
In this particular game, he only managed to score one point, which appears to be influenced by the game's lower level.
The opposing team is from Bundesliga 2, while Werder Bremen also did not perform well last season.
Consequently, the system deemed the level of this game to be on par with that the leagues lower than of the five major leagues: the German Second Division, the English Championship, and the Spanish Second Division.
The rewards for such leagues are one tier lower compared to the five major leagues. Moreover, if the league level is lower, the rewards diminish further. For example, in the 3rd tier league or maybe some lower country's major league, a game of this level would only yield 0.5 points or less for a victory.
Nonetheless, Lucas paid little attention to these leagues as they were not within his primary considerations.
He merely glanced at them, dismissing their relevance.
The Bundesliga comprises only 18 teams and features a total of 34 games per season, which is fewer than La Liga and the Premier League.
Additionally, the Bundesliga has fewer cup competitions, with only one German Cup.
Considering Werder Bremen's performance in the previous season, they did not qualify for European competitions such as the Champions League or the Europa League.
Hence, their main focus this season lies in the Bundesliga and the German Cup.
The Bundesliga consists of 34 rounds, and as long as Lucas avoids injuries and maintains a stable performance, playing consistently should not pose a problem.
As for the German Cup, success will depend on the team's strength and luck.
If they got lucky opponent's, they may even reach the final.
However, an unfavorable draw could pit them against a strong opponent like Bayern or Dortmund early on, resulting in an early exit from the tournament.
Therefore, Lucas realizes the importance of giving his all in every game and striving for victory.
..
Otherwise, he might struggle to accumulate enough points for talents like injury immunity in two seasons!
Realizing this, Lucas gave himself a silent warning not to become complacent and to avoid any form of slackness.
He knew he had to work harder to enhance his own abilities, thereby increasing the team's chances of winning.
Even when facing formidable opponents, he believed it was possible to defeat them.
The next morning, Lucas arrived early at the training ground even before the team's official practice session began.
He dedicated some time to personal training.
Thirty minutes later, De Bruyne also arrived at the training base.
Observing Lucas's training, De Bruyne promptly changed his attire and joined him.
"Let's go, same old routine—I'll defend against you!"
Lucas couldn't help but jokingly think, "Is this guy addicted to getting beat up?"
However, if someone was willing to train with him, he gladly welcomed the opportunity.
Thus, the two of them resumed their familiar practice routine.
The training dedication displayed by the duo inspired the other players on the team.
Witnessing their training, the teammates who arrived later refrained from chatting or fooling around on the sidelines as they usually did.
Instead, they actively joined in and started their own training.
This scene left the coaching staff members pleasantly surprised.
"Unexpectedly, the arrival of these two individuals has brought about such a positive change in the team!"
"You're right. Many young players of this age, once they achieve fame, tend to become complacent and lose their dedication to training.
Gradually, they deteriorate and eventually fade away, leaving no trace behind."
Football has seen its fair share of geniuses who were ultimately ruined by the praise and adulation they received from the outside world.
However, the remarkable thing about Lucas and De Bruyne is their ability to remain grounded and composed, devoid of arrogance and impulsiveness. Such a mentality is indeed rare!
Seeing the seriousness displayed by the players, the coaching staff understood the need to keep up with their dedication.
Consequently, they earnestly began arranging tactical drills to prepare for the upcoming warm-up match.
On July 26, Werder Bremen once again played at home, this time facing the challenge from Aberdeen, an experienced team from the Scottish Premier League.
In this game, Werder Bremen made some adjustments to the lineup.
Following a lackluster performance in the previous match, Nils Petersen, who was loaned from Bayern, found himself on the bench.
Taking his place was Niclas Fullkrug, a 19-year-old player from the team's own youth academy, born in 1993.
At this point in his career, the future German international was still quite young, and his abilities were not as developed as they would be in the future.
Unlike the arrogant Nils, Fullkrug had primarily played in the youth team, thus cherishing every opportunity to represent the first team.
Aware of his youth and limited experience, he was assigned the role of a forward fulcrum and make space for his teammates using his height and strength, rather than being the team's main goal scorer.
Therefore, his understanding of his position was clear—to be a supporting player, not to steal the spotlight from the team's key players.
In the game against Aberdeen, Fullkrug performed exceptionally well in the forward position.
When he received the ball in the frontcourt, he managed to withstand the opposition's defenders, make intelligent passes, and distribute the ball to teammates in better positions.
This was in stark contrast to Nils' approach.
In the previous game, Nils would often hold on to the ball, reluctant to pass unless double-teamed, thereby missing out on potential scoring opportunities.
Consequently, Werder Bremen struggled offensively, despite creating numerous chances.
In contrast, Fullkrug displayed a selfless approach, willingly passing the ball and effectively collaborating with teammates.
He also actively participated in defensive duties by tracking back.
These qualities led to a smoother offensive flow for the team and significantly improved the midfield's defensive capabilities.
As a result, Werder Bremen took an early lead in the first half of the game.
De Bruyne scored two goals in the 23rd and 38th minutes, almost extinguishing any suspense in the match.
It's worth noting that Fullkrug assisted De Bruyne in the second goal.
Although Fullkrug had a good opportunity to score himself, he selflessly passed the ball to De Bruyne, who was in a better position.
De Bruyne admired Fullkrug's unselfishness and ran over to hug him after scoring the goal.
On the sidelines, Lucas experienced a mix of joy and concern upon seeing De Bruyne's second goal.
He was genuinely happy for his friend's outstanding performance.
However, with such a significant lead in the first half, there was a worry that if the coach felt it was too commanding, Lucas might not be allowed to play in the second half, leading to the loss of potential points.
He thought - Kevin, Kevin my friend please stop showing your extraordinary abilities. You scored two goals, save some dignity for the visiting team, and refrain from scoring any more goals!
Let me assist you in scoring the remaining goals!
Just when Lucas was worried about whether he would get playing time in the second half, the coaching staff was also discussing the matter.
"Aberdeen is an experienced team in the Scottish Premier League. Why do we feel so invincible against them?"
"Could it be that our team's strength is overpowering?"
"It might be a bit embarrassing to hand the opponents a devastating defeat at home!"
"Well, let's have the players take it easy.This is not an official game, and there's no need to humiliate the opposition.
If we produce a tragedy, we might struggle to find opponents in future friendly matches."
"Should we arrange for Lucas to play in the second half? His attacking abilities might lead to a disaster..."
Schaaf scratched his head and glanced at Lucas.
Due to Lucas's excellent performance in training and the previous game, he had already established himself as an essential player in the team's tactical system for the upcoming season.
Originally, the coach planned to give Lucas playing time in this game to further his development and enhance the team's understanding and chemistry with him.
However, the game unfolded too smoothly, catching the coach's planned arrangements off guard.
Lucas sensed the coach's gaze upon him, prompting him to look back at the coach with sincerity.
The meaning conveyed through his eyes was clear:
"Coach, I really want to play in this game"!
(End of the chapter)