Blue Dream Trail (Soccer) - Episode 43

──Saturday, October 21, 2028

Bundesliga Round 7

Augsburg vs *Bochum (at home)

Promoted from the second division this season

White clouds were spreading across the cold sky after the rain.

A small amount of the rain that had fallen until mid-morning remained on the grass.

Home stadium.

There has only been one victory here so far.

Ren stood in front of the whiteboard in the locker room before the game.

The arrow he traced with his finger was the same as the one he had drawn in that meeting before the match against Marseille.

“This is the perfect timing. I’ll do it again today.”

15 minutes into the first half.

That “shape” came suddenly.

The moment Ren received the ball in the midfield —

Himmel on the right wing made a sharp diagonal run between the lines.

(Here it comes…!)

Without hesitation, Ren passes the ball to the other side with the outside.

The ball bounced once and landed right at Himmel’s feet.

The defender follows, but he cuts in and crosses.

Unfortunately, their shot was deflected off the post…

The stadium erupted in excitement.

“That was just like we practiced, right?”

As Ren ran back, he smiled and made eye contact with Himmel.

33 minutes into the first half.

The ball comes to Ren’s feet again.

This time, the ball was spread to the left wing — the team’s SB cut it back,

Forward Koch is brought down in the penalty area.

The referee blows the whistle. Penalty kick.

The stadium erupted.

Kemmer calmly converted the penalty, giving Augsburg the lead at 1-0.

The home supporters chanted for the first time in a while.

The voice reached Ren’s back.

Second half.

The time continued for us to endure the opponent’s counterattacks.

But Ren ran.

Having established a passing rhythm in the first half, they now found themselves on the defensive end.

Eliminating space in the midfield, intercepting the ball at key moments,

They nipped the opponent’s attacks in the bud many times.

I even yelled out.

I didn’t even stop running.

No substitutions were made, and the team played the full 90 minutes.

The game ends with a score of 1-0, and Augsburg wins.

Centre of the pitch after the match.

There was quiet applause in the stadium.

As Ren was about to return to the bench,

Himmel, who was running down the right side, tapped him on the shoulder.

“Ren-san. That pass came.”

“Today I learned that if you run, you can reach your goal.”

Ren replied with a slightly embarrassed smile.

“I told you, didn’t I? I’m glad what I said was meaningful today.”

Clubhouse at night.

After getting changed, Ren peeked into the tactics room alone.

The arrow from that day was still on the whiteboard.

This is probably the “beginning day.”

The moment when you “connected” with someone on the pitch.

The feeling of that accomplishment was still trembling deep in Ren’s chest.

——–

*VfL Bochum (VfL Bochum 1848)

Bochum is one of the oldest clubs in Germany, and although it is a modest club, it has long been loved for its “single-minded fighting spirit” and is the “pride of the working town.”

✨ In one word…

“An indomitable blue spirit blooming in the shadows of the Ruhr region”

🔵 Culture, atmosphere, and characteristics of VfL Bochum

① The club’s aesthetic is “down-to-earth and sincere.”

– Bochum is a club with a strong culture of praising those who show fighting spirit rather than winners.

– Although they are considered a small to mid-sized club in the Bundesliga, they prefer a “never give up”, “down to earth,” and “honest” style of play.

– The fans’ “warm support” is stronger than their “excessive expectations,” and the club is sometimes said to be the ideal “citizens’ club.”

2) A presence rooted in the working-class Ruhr region

-Bochum is a coal mining city in the Ruhr region, along with Dortmund and Gelsenkirchen (Schalke).

-Therefore, like Schalke and Dortmund, the culture is based on “hard work,” “unity,” and “rebelliousness.”

– Soccer has taken root in the hearts of citizens as something more than just entertainment.

3) Supporter unity and local ties

– The home stadium, the Ruhrstadion (official name: Viontiere Ruhrstadion), has a capacity of 27,000 and an excellent atmosphere.

・Although it is small in scale, the distance to the pitch is close, and the cheers can be heard directly.

– Away fans also rate it as a “classic and great stadium.”

4. Repeated promotion and demotion over the years

-It has long been known as the “elevator club” (moving between Division 1 and Division 2).

– Despite this, the team has never wavered in its club philosophy and is praised for its willingness to take on big clubs head-on.

– The team’s return to the first division in 2021 was met with great joy in the local community, who called it a “victory of passion.”

5. A down-to-earth team

– As a rule, we will not make expensive reinforcements, but will instead focus on strengthening our team with local players and bargains.

– Because there are few star players, the appeal is in the team’s unity and hard work.

-This is also why it is said that “the joy of winning is deeper than anywhere else.”

🏟 Ruhrstadion

Capacity: Approximately 27,000 people (small for Germany)

– A “soccer-only stadium” with the pitch and stands close together and retaining an old-fashioned atmosphere.

– It is flat, easy to read, and has a strong “local feel” that is its appeal.