Chapter 897: Game Starts!

Soon enough, everyone was ready, waiting on the tunnel before the referee would lead them to get into the pitch. Just like the usual, Higo stood behind Omar Mascarell as the team’s captain, looking around to check on the situation there.

Just as he expected, Makoto Hasebe and Daichi Kamada were on the main roster, as they stood on the line next to Higo while still doing a little warm-up there. However, unlike before, there was no trace of politeness or friendliness on their face, just a pure focus and intention to kill.

Honestly, right now, their face resembled a fucking warrior that was ready to die or sacrifice their life for their kingdom. Higo was so sure, even without watching their game, that they were the type of players who didn’t like nonsense, just going straight to the point and killing everyone who was in their path.

Still, those two were not the most troublesome parts of the home team. No, it was the number 33 that Higo paid attention to the most. It was none other than Andre Silva, the Portuguese striker who came from AC Milan.

So far, he had already bagged 6 goals out of 9 games that he played, being third on the current list, only behind Lewandowski and Erling Haaland. Well, he himself was a mere mortal, not a fucking alien like them, so his achievement so far was already way better than any other strikers in the league.

As for Luka Jovic, it seemed that the team put the man on the bench, wanting to start him later. Not that Higo complained, of course, since one of them was enough to give him a headache.

Still, talking about Eintracht Frankfurt, the most dangerous player, surprisingly, was not the one Higo had been talking about. No, it was the tall and handsome wingback with the jersey number 10 who stood far behind on the line, warming up lazily before starting the game.

The person was none other than Filip Kostic, the Serbian engine who didn’t know what it meant to be tired.

He was a mobile and aggressive wing back on the right side, hogging that flank and controlling everything from that spot. His speed was explosive, his strength was good, and his stamina was infinite, making him an ideal horse to be forced to work.

However, the man’s biggest strength wasn’t that. No, it was the combination of brain and technique, as Filip Kostic always became the facilitator whenever the team needed to play a transitional counterattack game, managing to send the ball to any places that he wanted.

Not only that, his combination with any other strikers was quite lethal. He could whip the most dangerous through pass at high velocity with his eyes closed, and he would always be able to find Andre Silva or Luka Jovic instantly.

Honestly, it was as if the ball had a magnet in him once it was Kostic who was holding the ball.

’Yeah, he is going to be another troublesome matter to solve, right?’ Higo turned solemnly, not wanting to provoke the opponent too much before the game began.

Of course, the head coach had already devised a plan to stop that man, but honestly, Higo wasn’t so sure that Sebastian Rudy would be able to get the job done. Not when the man’s performance in the last couple of games had been quite lackluster.

Still, it was a matter for later, because now, the referee finally came to lead them onto the pitch. After a little bit of formality, like a group photo and something like that, Omar Mascarell and Frankfurt’s captain, David Abraham, a striker with the jersey number 19, stepped into the center spot of the pitch, ready for the coin toss ceremony.

Not that it really mattered, since right after that, Omar Mascarell was back to the little crowd where all the Schalke players gathered, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Sorry, everyone. I lost again."

This was followed by the simultaneous groans from everyone else.

"Oh, come on?! How could you never win even a single one in this kind of toss?!" Stambouli glared at him playfully.

"Yeah! God seems to hate you the most, you know?" Benito Raman nodded in agreement.

Still, no one was truly angry here, having already guessed that this was going to happen. In the end, they just went back to their own place quietly, getting ready to receive the first attack from the opponent.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Andre Silva had already stood with Daichi Kamada on the center circle, waiting for the referee to blow the whistle. Higo saw them from afar, but the boy was still on guard, not wanting to lower his defense even for a second.

’They are the type of team that could hurt me with their speed, so I have to be faster than usual today...’ He muttered under his breath.

The referee glanced around for a moment, wanting to check on everything first. Once the man got the nods from all of his assistants on the pitch, though...

FWEEE!

The long whistle was finally blown, starting the first half of the game!

The ball was sent back to the right side immediately, and before anyone could proceed, Filip Kostic suddenly pounced like a cheetah, going deep into the left side of Schalke’s defense.

"SHIT! Rudy, stop him!"

"Cover the middle! Cover the middle! Don’t let him pass!"

"Benjy-san, keep your eyes on behind you! He is going to pass it!"

Thud!

True enough, just like what Higo expected, before anyone else could get closer to that flank, Filip Kostic had already whipped a low, diagonal cross at high velocity. Then, from behind the scene, Andre Silva and one more Frankfurt player rushed toward the penalty box, and before anyone knew it, the ball was already there.

Seeing this, Higo couldn’t help but widen his eyes, and before he knew it...

’Shit!’

BAM!

The ball was launched with full power from such a close distance, enough to catch everyone off guard.