Chapter 220: Facing Schalke 04

Words : 1414 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

On September 25, AC Milan defeated Treviso 1-0 in an away match. In this game, Suker assisted Inzaghi for the winning goal, securing an easy victory. Suker also once again improved his personal stats. Three goals and four assists so far! After finishing the league match, and following three days of rest, on September 28, the entire AC Milan team boarded a plane to Germany in preparation for the second round of the Champions League group stage. Champions League Group E: AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven, Schalke 04, Fenerbahçe. Having won the first group match with ease, AC Milan now faced their next opponent: German club Schalke 04. Schalke 04 is located in North Rhine-Westphalia, sharing the Ruhr region with Borussia Dortmund, making their matches a fierce "Ruhr Derby." Schalke 04 is a team that embodies the tough and physical style of German football. Their performance in the 2001/2002 season was impressive—they nearly overthrew Bayern Munich to win the Bundesliga but fell short at the last moment. Currently, Schalke 04 is still aiming to challenge Bayern and other strong clubs again. But their fighting power isn't what it used to be. In this Champions League clash, they'll face arguably the strongest team in Europe right now—AC Milan—so the pressure on them is immense. Upon arriving in Germany, Suker gave Mandzukic a call. "Hey! Suker, I already bought tickets for tomorrow's match—I'll be there to cheer you on!" Mandzukic's voice was full of excitement. Suker blinked. "You're going to the Schalke 04 stadium to cheer for me?" Mandzukic: "That's right!" Suker: "Did you forget you're a Dortmund player? You could get beaten to death!" "I already bought a Schalke 04 jersey. I'll disguise myself—no one will recognize me!" Suker was speechless. "If Dortmund finds out, you'll be beaten anyway!" Suker: "Got any inside info you can share?" Mandzukic: "Nothing major. Even though they're our rivals, Schalke 04 is strong. Every time we play them it's tough, and very intense. Their midfield pressure is high, and they love physical battles. Be careful." Mandzukic kept talking, though nothing he said was groundbreaking. "Alright, I have to get on the bus. If there's time, let's meet up!" "Sounds good. Thanks, and good luck!" said Mandzukic. Suker nodded and hung up the phone. Kaká leaned over. "Girlfriend?" Suker turned: "Guess." Kaká shook his head. "Sounds like a guy friend." Suker kicked Kaká's rear playfully as the latter ran off laughing and hopping onto the team bus. The Ruhr region, as Germany's industrial heart, is full of factories. On the roads, trucks, bulldozers, and other heavy machinery are a common sight. The whole city gives off a rugged, tough feeling—like a wooden bed. Suker sat on his hotel bed and pushed down on the mattress—it creaked loudly but hardly budged. "What kind of mattress is this?" He pressed down again. It was as hard as a wooden board. Just as he was about to go ask others if they had the same issue, he heard a loud crash—bang!—and the next second, Pirlo burst out of his room and sprinted down the hall. There was no doubt about who was chasing him. "You bastard Pirlo, get back here!!" Gennaro Gattuso stormed out of his room in rage, chasing after Pirlo like a madman. Suker peeked into their room and saw that one of the beds had collapsed. Pirlo's pranks on Gattuso were getting more and more extreme. Eventually, the team manager got the hotel staff involved. After some negotiation, all the mattresses were replaced. They had no choice. AC Milan directly stated: Change the mattresses or we'll change hotels. The hotel had hoped to gain publicity from hosting AC Milan—this is the power of a big club. While changing the mattresses wasn't part of their regular service, the hotel complied. After that, the whole team headed to the training ground for pre-match preparations. Pre-match training mainly consisted of light tactical drills. Kaká stood out with his effort. Having been benched for two matches by Ancelotti, he felt it was time to prove himself. Plus, he believed his form had improved. He was ready to fight for Milan. The next day, all eyes turned to Veltins-Arena. Just like the nearby Westfalenstadion, this stadium was known as a "devil's lair"—Veltins-Arena once hit 129 decibels of crowd noise. That gives you an idea of how loud it can get! Under the stadium lights, the entire venue shone brilliantly. Over 50,000 Schalke 04 fans erupted into thunderous cheers, creating a wave of sound that roared through the stadium and pounded the eardrums. On the pitch, players from both teams were warming up. In a corner of the stands, two men in Schalke 04 jerseys looked suspicious. "I'm crazy for coming with you. If we get recognized, we're dead!" One of them, smaller in size, had a hat pulled low over his head, clutching the brim to hide his face. The taller one was similarly dressed. Both wore Schalke 04 jerseys. They were none other than Mandzukic and Nuri Sahin, players from Borussia Dortmund. "Keep your voice down! Just enjoy the game!" Mandzukic whispered. Sahin anxiously looked around. They were surrounded by Schalke 04 fans in blue jerseys. If anyone realized they were Dortmund players... the consequences would be unthinkable. Mandzukic kept his eyes glued to the pitch. Soon, both teams finished warming up and returned to the locker rooms—a sign that the match was about to begin. "You're too tense. You look suspicious," Mandzukic muttered. Sahin, still hiding his face, was constantly looking around nervously—making him even more suspicious. Of course, Mandzukic wasn't much better. After a while, realizing no one was paying too much attention to them, Sahin finally relaxed a bit. "Schalke 04 is strong, and they're playing at home. Can AC Milan really win?" Sahin asked. Mandzukic: "Of course. You've no idea how good Suker is." Sahin rolled his eyes. While he acknowledged Suker's Golden Boot performance in the Champions League, he didn't believe he'd reached elite status just yet. To him, this match would be tough. Sahin had just made his debut for Dortmund this season, becoming the youngest player ever to feature in the Bundesliga. He had already experienced a Ruhr derby against Schalke 04—and it was a disaster. The match felt more like wrestling than football. Several key players were injured in that game. Even so, they still lost at home to Schalke 04. Dortmund was still rebuilding and didn't have much competitiveness in the league. Having experienced it firsthand, Sahin knew how strong Schalke could be. Sure, AC Milan was stronger—maybe even Europe's best—but it was still Schalke's home turf. Winning here wouldn't be easy. Just then, the starting lineups took the field. Schalke 04 (4-4-2):GK: RostDefenders: Rodriguez, Rafinha, Bordon, KrstajicMidfielders: Lincoln, Poulsen, Ernst, KobiashviliForwards: Kuranyi, Larsen AC Milan (4-3-2-1):GK: DidaDefenders: Cafu, Nesta, Stam, MaldiniMidfielders: Gattuso, Pirlo, SeedorfAttackers: Kaká, Shevchenko, Suker "This is the second round of the 2005/2006 UEFA Champions League group stage: Schalke 04 versus AC Milan!" "Germany's proud club faces a mighty Italian giant—can they defend their pride at home?" The German commentators' passionate voices echoed throughout the country. After the captains exchanged sides, AC Milan won the coin toss and would kick off. They'd had good luck lately—constantly winning the toss. "Schalke is tough and physical—don't try to fight them head-on," Maldini advised Suker and Kaká, slinging his arms around their shoulders before the whistle. Both nodded earnestly. From the stands, Mandzukic watched this scene with envy. He dreamed of the day he'd be surrounded by legends, with Maldini mentoring him. Sure, Dortmund was nice—but it was no AC Milan. "Game's about to start," Sahin whispered. Both teams stood in formation. Suker and Shevchenko took their positions at the center circle, ready to kick off. The referee checked with the goalkeepers and forwards. Once everything was set, he backed out of the penalty area and blew the whistle decisively. BEEP!!! The shrill sound pierced through the noise. "The match is underway! This is the second round of the 2005/2006 Champions League group stage—Schalke 04 vs AC Milan. The first half begins with AC Milan kicking off." Amid a deafening roar from the crowd, the battle officially began.

Chapter 220: Facing Schalke 04

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