By late February, Bayern was like a wild horse unbridled, leaving all others in the dust.
Everyone was watching to see how many rounds early Guardiola's Bayern would secure the title.
Of course, Bayern winning the Bundesliga title early was hardly news.
Not winning it would be news.
What various clubs were focused on was accumulating more points in the coming period to climb higher in the League standings.
It's worth mentioning that the early match of the twenty-second League round saw a major upset:
"Northern King" Hamburg defeated visiting "Little Hornets" Dortmund three-nil at home!
It should be known that Hamburg had been mired in the relegation zone this season, sitting at the bottom of the League.
And at this difficult time, Dortmund actually gifted them three valuable points, ending Hamburg's seven-game losing streak.
One has to say, Dortmund is a reliable brother!
When Mark Lane heard this news in the locker room, unlike his teammates' surprise, he merely smiled faintly.
When it comes to screwing up, Arsenal is first, and Dortmund is second.
Besides, football isn't about fighting to the death; it's about human relationships and social courtesies.
With no hope of winning the League, giving three points to brother Hamburg for their survival was like sending charcoal in winter.
Of course, these were just conspiracy theories among fans.
In reality, Hamburg has always been Dortmund's bane.
In the 83-84 season, Dortmund even suffered their biggest away loss to Hamburg in club history—seven-two!
Moreover, everyone knows that relegation-threatened teams in the top five Leagues are a tough nut to crack for anyone.
And the most anticipated match of this round was naturally the clash between League fourth Wolfsburg and League second Leverkusen!
Before this match began, Leverkusen was second in the League with 43 points.
Winning the championship was out of reach, but that didn't mean they were guaranteed a Champions League spot.
Dortmund, with a game in hand and only one point behind, was eyeing them hungrily, and Wolfsburg, in fourth, was also biding its time.
In this highly anticipated match about to kick off at Volkswagen Arena, both sides knew it was a six-point game.
Therefore, both sides fielded their strongest lineups!
"Welcome, everyone, to Sky Sports' coverage of the twenty-second League round, as Wolfsburg faces the challenge of Bayer Leverkusen at home..."
"League second versus League fourth, this might be a decisive clash for Champions League qualification this season..."
"Let's look at the starting lineups for both teams..."
"For the away team, Sami Hyypiä has set up a 4-4-2 formation, with the young goalkeeper Leno still in goal..."
"In defense, Spahic and Toprak form the center-back partnership, with Sebastian Boenisch and Hilbert on the flanks..."
"The four midfielders are captain Rolfes and Lars Bender in the center, with Castro and Sidney Sam on the left and right, respectively..."
"Upfront, it's still the partnership of Son Heung-min and Stefan Kießling..."
"As for Wolfsburg, they have maintained the same lineup as their last match against Hertha Berlin..."
"The goalkeeper is..."
Yes.
When the starting eleven were announced before the match, Wolfsburg fans, whether watching live at home or attending the game, were quite perplexed.
"Why isn't Mark Lane getting a starting opportunity?!"
"He's playing so well, why isn't the coach willing to start him?"
"Even as a reward, he should get a starting spot, right?"
"Or did he offend the coach?"
The live broadcast camera was also very understanding, first focusing on the black-haired teenager chewing gum on the bench, and then on head coach Hecking.
"After continuous substitute appearances and excellent performances, this eighteen-year-old Wolfsburg rising star has earned praise from both the media and opponents."
"His brilliant performance in the last round against Hoffenheim even earned him a spot in the German Cup Team of the Round, making him the only substitute to be included."
"However, he still hasn't made his first Bundesliga start..."
With a whistle from the head referee, this black-green battle officially began!
Perhaps Hecking's earlier instructions in the locker room had an effect, as the Wolfsburg players were fully focused from the very first second of the match.
And this mental state meant that their defense, despite being shaky under Bayer Leverkusen's opening onslaught, remained steadfast.
After weathering Leverkusen's initial barrage, they seized an opportunity: center-back Klose delivered a beautiful through ball to Perisic, who had surged up the left wing.
The latter crossed to the far post, and Dost arrived just in time to tap it in!
The home team took the lead at Volkswagen Arena!
Witnessing his team score first, Hecking on the sidelines also celebrated with an excited fist pump.
He then applauded his players' performance:
"Well done!"
And the Wolfsburg fans in the stands waved their scarves and team flags, cheering enthusiastically for the players battling on the field:
"Hecking might be right!"
"They don't need Mark Lane to start; they can still score goals and win the game..."
However, this joy lasted only ten minutes before abruptly ending!
"Son Heung-min with the ball, facing Ochs..."
"Beautiful dribble!"
"Pass... Stefan Kießling!!!"
Although Leverkusen had been heavily defeated by Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in their midweek Champions League match, their morale was low.
However, the reason Leverkusen has remained stable this season is entirely due to their sharp offense.
While their overall form was average, their attacking players were full of desire, wanting to vent their inner frustration on Wolfsburg.
Just ten minutes later, Son Heung-min broke through on the wing, dribbled past right-back Ochs, and then delivered a cross, with Stefan Kießling arriving to tap it in and equalize the score!
And after equalizing, Bayer Leverkusen pressed on.
Leverkusen's 4-4-2 formation is balanced in attack and defense.
Especially when attacking, the formation transforms into a 4-2-4, with the two wide midfielders pushing up along the flanks to support the forwards.
The main attacking threat, however, still lies on the left wing, where future Korean star Son Heung-min operates.
Left midfielder Sam repeatedly overlapped and assisted, with him and Son Heung-min taking turns to assault Wolfsburg's right flank defense.
It's worth noting that in Wolfsburg's starting lineup, center-backs Naldo and Klose are both tall and strong but slow to turn, while the two full-backs Ricardo Rodriguez and Ochs frequently push forward to assist the attack.
This leads to a situation where once a full-back pushes up, if possession changes in the attacking third and the opponent launches a quick counter-attack, the two full-backs cannot recover in time, leaving their own center-backs exposed to the opponent's offensive.
Especially when facing a speed-based forward like Son Heung-min, neither Naldo nor Klose can keep up with his sudden bursts of acceleration and changes of direction.
Fortunately, Ochs's ability to run up and down the flank is quite good.
Coupled with Gustavo's timely defensive support and Fill in in the middle.
Otherwise, Bayer Leverkusen would have breached Benaglio's goal for a second time... However, Wolfsburg, with the home advantage, was not to be outdone, also utilizing quick counter-attacks after turnovers, with De Bruyne constantly delivering dangerous vertical passes.
They were just a bit unlucky; Dost and Caligiuri missed two good chances in front of goal.
Finally, as Gustavo's long-range shot from outside the box sailed slightly high, the referee blew the whistle for halftime.
Both teams were tied at one-all in the first half, a truly even contest.
However, upon returning to the locker room, Caligiuri felt a slight discomfort in the back of his left thigh.
After examination by the team doctor, it wasn't a major issue, just a minor strain, and he could continue.
However, considering the player's health, and the fact that Bayer Leverkusen was dominating the game, Hecking, after discussing with his coaching staff, made a decision:
"Mark Lane, go warm up, prepare to come on!"
Hearing this, Mark Lane nodded and immediately stood up, following the team's assistant coach out of the locker room.
As he watched Mark Lane leave the locker room, Caligiuri couldn't help but open his mouth, yet didn't utter the words that were already at his throat:
"Coach, I can keep going!"
Although he felt somewhat unwilling about the coach's decision to substitute him.
However, if continuing to play were to worsen the strain, it would be even more counterproductive.
In that case, lying in a hospital bed, he would have already lost this battle for the winger position... And the other substitute winger, Vieirinha, also had his eyes darken when he heard Hecking call out a name that wasn't his.
In his opinion, he had many advantages over Mark Lane.
Whether it was his range of movement or defensive ability...
However, from recent form, Mark Lane was indeed on fire.
Every time he came on as a substitute, he changed the tide of the game and created goals.
So, even though he was very unwilling, he could only admit the fact that Mark Lane was more effective than him in attack... During halftime, many fans took the opportunity to go to the restroom or buy some beer and snacks.
However, when the away fans in the stands saw the black-haired teenager wearing a substitute bib come onto the field to warm up, a burst of cheers immediately erupted!
"The little dancer is coming on?!"
"Go, young man!"
"Mark Lane, you're so handsome!"
Mark Lane waved to the stands while approaching a football.
He stood to the left of the ball, pulled it to the left with his right foot, and simultaneously flicked his left toe slightly, causing the ball to obediently jump up and then be firmly controlled on his instep.
After showing off Ronaldinho's signature fancy ball-juggling, Mark Lane also received rounds of applause from the away fans.
For Mark Lane, who possessed Ronaldinho's ball control skills, various tricks came naturally, as effortless as breathing.
Next, under the guidance of his coach, he performed various warm-up exercises.
And the short fifteen minutes quickly passed... "Welcome back to Sky Sports' coverage of the Bundesliga twenty-second round, the second half of Wolfsburg's home match against Bayer Leverkusen..."
"The first half ended in a draw, and the second half is about to begin..."
"Oh, the home team Wolfsburg has made an early substitution..."
"Number 7 Caligiuri is off, and Number 45 Mark Lane is on!"
The live camera also focused on Mark Lane, who was about to enter the field.
The black-haired teenager looked spirited, staring straight ahead, still chewing gum, appearing very calm and collected.
And such a sight was already familiar to Wolfsburg fans and Bundesliga viewers.
Of course, chewing gum while playing football wasn't because Mark Lane liked to show off; it had a significant reason.
On the football field, it's common to see players chewing gum while playing.
It's not because their lunch tasted too strong, requiring gum to remove the odor, nor is it to relieve tension, or even to plot to secretly stick gum on an opponent when they're not looking.
It's because they are chewing caffeine gum.
Different brands of caffeine gum contain between fifty and one hundred milligrams of caffeine per piece.
Even if one consumes two or three pieces at once, it still falls within the safe limit of four hundred milligrams of caffeine per day recommended by the European Food Safety Authority for ordinary people, with no issues whatsoever.
The performance-enhancing effect of caffeine on athletes is mainly reflected in reducing fatigue.
During high-intensity exercise, the human body secretes a chemical called adenosine, which causes feelings of fatigue.
Caffeine can block adenosine receptors in nerves, thereby reducing the pain and fatigue perceived by the brain, which helps athletes to persevere longer on the field.
Since caffeine was removed from the banned substances list, it has become a staple for athletes.
Today, caffeine has been integrated into the regular pre-match routine, becoming an essential pre-game practice for players, just like carbohydrate supplementation, applying pain relief cream, and listening to the coach's pre-match motivational speech.
Of course, apart from taking one piece before a match, Mark Lane does not chew caffeine gum during daily training or in his daily life, to avoid developing tolerance or even dependence.
And seeing Mark Lane prepare to come on, Bayer Leverkusen's coach Sami Hyypiä, on the sidelines, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
As the rising star who had emerged in German football over the past month, he had naturally heard Mark Lane's name.
In fact, during the preparation phase, Sami Hyypiä had specifically studied Mark Lane as a key player.
This eighteen-year-old kid had excellent footwork, but his physique was relatively slender, and his speed wasn't particularly fast.
They had even predicted before the match that if Wolfsburg got into trouble or their offense faltered, Hecking would definitely bring on Mark Lane.
Indeed, they were right.
After Mark Lane came on as a substitute, he took up the position of right winger.
He was directly matched against left-back Sebastian Boenisch.
This strong full-back was a former Germany U21 international and a member of the Germany team that won the U21 European Championship in 2009.
Although he mostly served as a substitute for Schmelzer, his attacking ability was good, and he had a powerful long-range shot.
The only criticisms were his defensive attitude and overly simplistic passing choices.
And Sebastian Boenisch, who was over 1.9 meters tall, stood more than a head taller than the 1.75-meter Mark Lane.
However, after being tested by Süle, who was like a Leopard 2 tank, Mark Lane was not at all afraid of such tall and strong full-backs.
If even the eighteen-year-old Süle couldn't defend him, what about an opponent like Sebastian Boenisch, who couldn't even be called a star?!
However, what he didn't expect was that this guy came on with a mission!
After coming on as a substitute, he raised his hand for the ball near the touchline on the right wing.
Midfielder Arnold passed the ball directly to him; he stopped it with his first touch, and as soon as he turned around, he saw the tall and strong Sebastian Boenisch charging at him!
Just as he flicked the ball with his instep, sending it through Sebastian Boenisch's legs, he didn't expect that the opponent would use the momentum to directly knock him down!
With a "thud," Mark Lane fell heavily to the ground!
The moment he collided with the turf, he felt a ringing in his ears and heard a sharp whistle.
In that instant, Mark Lane had only one thought:
So, this was the 'welcome gift' Bayer Leverkusen had specially prepared for him?