On July 29, Werder Bremen embarked on their final warm-up match against Paderborn, a team from the German second league.
In this game, Coach Schaaf made no changes to the midfield and frontcourt, instead focusing on adjusting the defensive line.
Paderborn finished fifth in the Bundesliga 2 last season, just outside the promotion zone.
Their ambitious chairman aims to take the team to the top, prompting them to make several strong signings this season.
Consequently, they possess greater overall strength compared to their previous warm-up opponent, Cottbus.
Both Werder Bremen and Paderborn are known for their strong offense but weak defense, resulting in an exciting game.
In the 13th minute of the first half, Paderborn, playing at home, scored the opening goal.
Just five minutes later, Werder Bremen executed a counterattack to equalize the score.
In the 28th minute, Werder Bremen took the lead with a direct free-kick in the opponent's half, making it 2-1.
In stoppage time of the first half, Werder Bremen had an excellent opportunity, but De Bruyne's shot hit the post.
After halftime, both teams switched sides and resumed the battle.
In the 53rd minute, Lucas, who came off the bench, dribbled into the opponent's penalty area and was fouled by a defender. The referee awarded a penalty kick.
Since the team's regular penalty taker, Captain Fritz, had already taken a turn, Coach Schaff asked Lucas to take the penalty himself.
Penalty kicks are a test of a player's mental fortitude, and Schaff wanted to observe Lucas's ability to handle pressure.
Lucas, drawing from his eight years of experience similar to Messi's, was no stranger to penalty kicks.
He stood on the penalty spot, observed the goalkeeper's position, and began his run-up.
As he approached the ball, he suddenly changed his rhythm, shaking the goalkeeper.
Seizing the opportunity when the opponent instinctively attempted a save, he calmly struck the ball.
Witnessing Lucas delicately touching the ball with his toes, Coach Schaff jumped up in astonishment.
"This kid must be incredibly bold to take a penalty like that!"
The ball soared high with moderate speed and a steep arc.
Despite the goalkeeper's attempt to make a save, the ball glided over him and nestled into the net.
Lucas successfully converted the penalty kick with a "panenka" style, making the score to 3-1.
"His mental strength is exceptional! Most players would play it safe, but he dared to use a 'panenka' penalty kick," Schaff remarked, relieved after the goal.
Seating himself, he couldn't help but complain to several colleagues nearby.
"Well, I must say, does this kid consider a 'panenka' penalty kick the safest option in his mind?"
Hernebach's words silenced everyone...
In the following tens of minutes, neither team managed to change the scoreline.
Ultimately, the 3-1 lead held until the end, granting Werder Bremen their third consecutive victory in the warm-up matches.
Lucas, who played in all three games, also earned three valuable points.
Unfortunately, the team did not have any more warm-up matches before the end of the second training stage.
In other words, for the next half-month, Lucas would have no games to play, leaving him feeling a bit sad.
The day of acquiring top talents still seemed distant...
...
Just when Lucas was pondering the lack of games, at the German Football Association headquarters, officials were discussing the team invitations for this season's Deutsche Telekom Cup, sponsored by telecommunications company T-Home.
The Deutsche Telekom Cup, formerly known as the German League Cup, was established in 2009 and is held annually.
Four teams participate in each edition, including the previous season's Bundesliga champions and runners-up.
One team is invited from the mid-range teams, while another is invited from the relegation zone teams.
Due to the limited number of teams involved, the tournament's rules are straightforward.
The Deutsche Telekom Cup uses random draws to determine the two semi-finals.
The winners proceed to the final, while the losing teams compete for third and fourth place. In total, there are four games.
As a result, the prize money is not substantial, with the champion receiving only €300,000.
Nevertheless, the invited teams find it appealing to participate in this high-level competition before the season begins, allowing them to evaluate their signings' success.
To avoid disrupting team preparations, the Telecom Cup features relatively short game times, with the four matches scheduled to be completed within two days.
Additionally, each game has a limited duration, consisting of only 30 minutes per half.
If a match ends in a draw after 60 minutes, it proceeds directly to a penalty shootout.
Due to this unique competition format, the Telecom Cup often produces surprises, even with established giants like Bayern Munich falling short. Since its inception, no Bundesliga giants have won the cup.
For this season, the top three invited teams for the Telecom Cup have been confirmed: Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund, runners-up Bayern Munich, and Hamburg, who narrowly avoided relegation last season.
These three teams are solid choices, but which mid-range team would be the best pick?
The German Football Association and the sponsors hold contrasting opinions on the matter.
According to the German Football Association, with a total of 18 teams in the Bundesliga, the mid-range team must be placed ninth or tenth.
These two positions are occupied by Werder Bremen (ninth) and Nuremberg (tenth).
However, the sponsors are concerned about the smaller cities where these teams are located, as they believe, it hampers publicity and promotion. Consequently, they prefer to select Stuttgart, a larger city.
Stuttgart, being the sixth-largest city in Germany with a larger population and greater commercial value, would offer stronger advertising opportunities for the sponsors.
Both sides were locked in a dispute, with the German Football Association insisting that the rules should not be broken.
Football is a national sport in Germany with immense commercial value, so there is no need to worry about sponsors.
The association's collaboration with T-Home is primarily due to the company being local and the pleasant past experiences they shared.
If the sponsors overstep their boundaries and attempt to dictate the association's operations, the German Football Association doesn't mind finding alternative sponsors, such as Volkswagen.
Upon hearing this, T-Home immediately acquiesced, expressing respect for the Football Association's decision.
Witnessing the sponsor's compromise, the German Football Association also extended an olive branch. Between Werder Bremen and Nuremberg, they selected Bremen due to its slightly larger size.
Soon, the German Football Association's invitation reached Coach Schaaf at the club.
Upon seeing the invitation, Schaaf hesitated for a moment: Should he accept it or not?
Accepting the invitation would grant them a chance to vie for the €300,000 prize money, plus a share of the ticket sales.
However, it would disrupt the team's training schedule, and playing two consecutive games within two days would be a challenge for the players.
While the experienced players might cope, the young players, particularly those who have yet to compete in the Bundesliga, would face a significant test.
Moreover, they would likely be up against formidable teams like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
If they were to suffer an unexpected defeat, it could shatter the confidence they had built from their three consecutive victories.
Rather than making a decision alone, Coach Schaaf gathered the coaching staff and sought the opinions of Lucas and De Bruyne, two young players who had performed exceptionally well.
Lucas's eyes widened upon hearing that there were more games to be played, particularly against the reigning champions and runners-up of the Bundesliga.
"This is a game that carries significant value! We must go for it!" exclaimed Lucas, expressing his eagerness to participate.
(End of chapter)