Visiting the Volkswagen Arena for the first time, Paderborn first felt the enthusiasm of the home fans.
The club anthem "Green and White VFL," sung by ten thousand voices, echoed over the entire stadium, creating a truly shocking atmosphere.
Stepping onto the pitch, the Paderborn players felt that even though they hadn't clashed yet, the aura of the Bundesliga leaders was already immense.
"Welcome to our broadcast. Sky Sports brings you the fifteenth round of the Bundesliga..."
"Wolfsburg hosts the newly-promoted Paderborn at home..."
"Let's first take a look at the starting lineups for both sides..."
For this match, Wolfsburg also implemented a certain degree of rotation.
However, the team's core, Mark and De Bruyne—the 'Wolfsburg Twins'—still started the match.
In Hecking's plan, Mark and De Bruyne would start for forty-five minutes, and after settling the battle, they could clock out and go home.
After all, in a few days, they would head to the most famous 'hell' stadium in the Bundesliga, the Westfalenstadion, to face another Bundesliga giant, Borussia Dortmund.
Therefore, rotation was necessary.
Even with the rotation, Wolfsburg, possessing Mark and De Bruyne, still completely suppressed Paderborn at home, while the visiting Paderborn very pragmatically retreated to their own half, letting Wolfsburg attack.
With one side attacking and the other defending, the match turned into a half-pitch attack-and-defense drill from the very beginning.
How to break through a packed defense is a subject that every strong team must study and learn.
When facing a weaker opponent, how to tear open the defense is also a mandatory course for top teams.
As for Paderborn's packed defense strategy, the method Wolfsburg adopted was to focus on the wings!
They gave the ball to the two wingers, Mark and Vieirinha, letting them draw the defense to the wings before using the full-backs' overlapping runs to create a local numerical advantage and break the deadlock.
Alternatively, they used runs into the half-spaces and Mark's individual brilliance to tear open the defense on the flanks.
Once there was an opportunity for a cross from the wing, they crossed decisively!
In this match, the starting center-forward was Bendtner.
Having been seasoned in the Premier League, Bendtner was not lacking in physical confrontation or heading ability.
However, he was also isolated and without support inside the penalty area.
Although Mark could use his individual ability on the left wing to attract opponents and create more space and opportunities for his teammates,
Paderborn's defensive formation in the backfield was simply too dense, leaving no room at all for a shot.
However, he did not get discouraged, instead repeatedly taking the ball to attract the defense, either dribbling past players or passing to teammates in open space.
No matter how strong a team is, it's the same when facing any opponent that 'parks the bus.'
Against 'bus' tactics, one must maintain enough patience!
When playing a low block, defensive players are often under high mental concentration, which only leads to greater mental and physical exhaustion.
Sooner or later, the opponent will make a mistake or fail to cover a position in time.
That will be the moment that decides the outcome!
Wolfsburg constantly pulled at Paderborn's defensive line through horizontal passing from left to right, occasionally letting Mark break through a couple of times to provoke the nerves of the Paderborn players.
Since the match was quite dull, the live broadcast cameras frequently cut to the spectators in the stands.
Soon, the camera focused on a blonde bombshell in the VIP section.
It was the dream goddess of half the men in England—Keeley Hazel!
Wearing Mark's number ten jersey, Jilly fully displayed her stunning figure.
Seeing herself appear on the stadium's big screen, she smiled radiantly and waved to the camera.
"This is the British model Keeley Hazel, who has previously been rumored to be involved with Lane."
"This is also the third time this sexy goddess has come to the home stadium to watch Lane's matches..."
"According to media reports, the two seem to be dating..."
"It's worth mentioning that this isn't the first model rumored to be with Lane..."
"Previously, Lane appeared at the German Grand Prix with the German supermodel Esther Hitsch, and the two seemed to have been framed together..."
"Some media have even reported that Mark is playing both sides..."
Her arrival quickly attracted the attention of the surrounding Wolfsburg fans.
It couldn't be helped; as the darling of Wolfsburg and the hottest Great German Star in German football today, Mark's every move off the pitch touched the hearts of millions of girls in Germany.
And as Mark's rumored partner, Keeley Hazel was also a well-known sexy goddess in the football world.
With their combined fame and popularity, this rumor was spreading like wildfire.
Under the follow-up reports of the famous gossip newspaper The Sun, the love triangle between Mark, Keeley Hazel, and Esther Hitsch became a topic of conversation for countless fans after tea and dinner.
There were even three different factions: the Jilly faction, the Hisch faction, and the Single faction!
The Jilly and Hisch factions were easy to understand.
They were the fans who supported Mark being with either Jilly or Hisch.
As for the Single faction, it consisted of the vast majority of female fans and rational followers.
They believed that at Mark's current age and rate of growth, staying single and focusing on football was the best choice!
And now, seeing Keeley Hazel appear at Wolfsburg's home stadium again, many believed this was Keeley Hazel making a show of force to Esther Hitsch!
Looking at Keeley Hazel's presence, many fans supporting Esther Hitsch couldn't help but let their imaginations run wild:
If Hisch saw this scene, she would surely be thinking about why she wasn't there!
Of course, Mark, playing on the pitch, had no idea that his rumors with two women had already become a love-triangle soap opera in the eyes of the fans.
He was only thinking about how exactly to tear open Paderborn's defensive line!
However, as time passed, under Wolfsburg's patient passing and movement, Paderborn's defensive line finally loosened.
The defensive distance between players was no longer as tight as it was at the beginning.
When the match reached the thirty-eighth minute, Paderborn's goal was finally breached!
Mark received the ball on the left wing, and facing the defense of Paderborn's right midfielder, he easily bypassed him with a feint and a burst of Speed.
Immediately after, he dragged the ball with his left foot and flicked it out with his right, cutting inside with the ball to face Paderborn's defensive midfielder Bakarlorz.
Then, with a sudden stride and a Marseille Turn, he bypassed another man!
"That genius wearing the number ten is once again performing his elegant dance moves on the pitch!"
After beating two men in a row, Mark had already entered Paderborn's heartland.
However, he did not continue his solo run but instead passed the ball horizontally to the center, finding an unmarked De Bruyne.
The latter looked up to observe the opponents' positioning and suddenly flicked his toe, sending a perfectly weighted chip pass!
The ball flew right over the head of Paderborn center-back Strohdiek and landed in an unoccupied area on the left side of the penalty box.
A green figure arrived like a charging horse!
It was Mark, who shared a telepathic connection with De Bruyne!
"What a beautiful one-two!"
Mark controlled the ball with his chest, letting it drop in front of him.
At this moment, only Paderborn goalkeeper Kruse stood between Mark and the goal.
He gave Kruse no chance or time to rush out, executing a chip shot in stride!
Bang!
The ball traced a perfect arc in the air, sailing right over the fingertips of Paderborn goalkeeper Kruse!
With a "swish," the ball hit the back of the net, kicking up white waves!
The next second, the entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers!
"Goal!"
"After over thirty minutes of offensive suppression, Wolfsburg finally bears fruit at home!
"
"number ten... Mark~~~ Lane!"
"The one providing the assist for him is once again De Bruyne!"
"Truly the most synergistic attacking duo in the Bundesliga!"
The live broadcast camera first focused on Mark, the goalscorer.
Then, the scene shifted, very opportunely focusing on Keeley Hazel in the VIP section of the stands!
Seeing Mark score, this British goddess was jumping up and down with excitement, no different from an ordinary Wolfsburg fan.
"Hahaha, it seems Miss Hazel is very happy..."
"Yes, regardless, at least she knows her football..."
With Mark's goal, Paderborn's plan to hold out for a draw collapsed.
A short while later, the referee blew the whistle for the end of the first half.
Entering the locker room with a one-goal lead was definitely good news for Wolfsburg, who had been attacking fiercely for forty-five minutes.
This allowed them to control the match rhythm at home with more composure.
After the second half began, Paderborn also tried to push out and organize some attacks.
However, the gap in skill meant their attacks could not reach the danger zone.
Soon, their pushed-up formation was forced back by Wolfsburg's even more ferocious offensive.
When the match reached the sixty-second minute, Mark's breakthrough on the left wing drew a foul.
The referee gave the Paderborn player a yellow card and awarded Wolfsburg a set piece.
It was from this set piece that Ricardo Rodriguez's precise cross found Bendtner in the penalty area.
The latter scored with a header, adding another goal.
Seeing they were already two-nil up, Hecking substituted both Mark and De Bruyne to let them rest.
In fact, Hecking's tactical board featured four different tactics.
One was the tactic with both Mark and De Bruyne on the pitch;
One was the tactic with Mark on the pitch but De Bruyne off;
One was the tactic with De Bruyne on the pitch but Mark off;
The last one was the tactic with neither Mark nor De Bruyne on the pitch!
In order, they were A, B, C, and D.
Now that Mark and De Bruyne were substituted, the team's tactic was Tactic D!
Although the team's control and creativity dropped sharply after Mark and De Bruyne left the pitch,
The gap in raw strength still allowed Wolfsburg to keep the match firmly under control.
Finally, the referee blew the whistle for the end of the match.
With goals from Mark and Bendtner, Wolfsburg took down the newly-promoted Paderborn two-nil at home!
The next day, at the Wolfsburg team base.
Inside the tactical room.
The Wolfsburg players and the coaching staff were quietly watching the projection screen.
The reason they were gathered was to watch the upcoming Europa League Round of 32 draw ceremony!
..
This season's Europa League Round of 32 draw ceremony was held at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Watching the broadcast, Malanda, sitting to Mark's left, couldn't help but nudge Mark with his elbow and whispered, "Mark, who do you think would be a better draw for us?"
Hearing this, Mark raised an eyebrow and replied casually, "It doesn't matter who we draw."
"Why?"
"Because if we want to win the championship, we must defeat every opponent!"
"Whether they are strong or weak!"
"So, it doesn't matter who we draw."
As soon as he said this, both Malanda and De Bruyne, sitting on the other side, were stunned.
Seeing Mark's calm expression as he spoke such confident words, Malanda and De Bruyne didn't doubt for a second that Mark was just acting cool.
"Truly the man who scored the winning goal in the World Cup final!"
"That answer was so damn cool!"
De Bruyne also felt a ripple of emotion in his heart: "That's just like you!"
As the draw began, the first team to be drawn was the Serie A team, Torino.
Then, they drew La Liga's Athletic Bilbao!
Next were the defending champions Sevilla and the Bundesliga's Mönchengladbach.
Everton... Ajax... it wasn't until the eighth matchup that Wolfsburg was finally drawn!
Among the remaining teams, there were still strong sides like Napoli, Liverpool, Roma, Tottenham, and Inter Milan.
Of course, there were also weaker teams like Olympiacos, Guingamp, and Red Bull Salzburg.
Under everyone's expectant and anxious gazes, the draw guest pulled out Wolfsburg's opponent: "BSC Young Boys!"
Wolfsburg's opponent for the Europa League knockout stage would be the Swiss Super League team, BSC Young Boys!
BSC Young Boys had entered the Europa League qualifiers last season as the third-place team in their League.
After defeating Debrecen, they successfully entered the Europa League group stage.
After advancing as the second-place team in Group I, they successfully made it to the knockout stage.
Among the many teams in the Europa League, BSC Young Boys was definitely one of the weakest.
For Wolfsburg, drawing this opponent was absolutely an excellent draw!
Consequently, everyone couldn't help but break into smiles.
Finally, as the draw concluded, the fixture list for the Europa League Round of 32 was officially released:
Torino vs Athletic Bilbao; Sevilla vs Mönchengladbach; Everton vs Schalke 04;
Ajax vs Legia Warsaw; Aalborg vs Club Brugge; Anderlecht vs Dynamo Moscow; Wolfsburg vs BSC Young Boys; Dnipro vs Olympiacos; Trabzonspor vs Napoli; Guingamp vs Dynamo Kyiv; Villarreal vs Red Bull Salzburg; Roma vs Feyenoord; PSV Eindhoven vs Zenit Saint Petersburg; Liverpool vs Beşiktaş; Tottenham Hotspur vs Fiorentina; Celtic vs Inter Milan. With the draw results out, major betting companies also adjusted their odds.
However, they weren't much different from the previous odds.
Wolfsburg, having secured an excellent draw, continued to be favored, sitting at the top of the championship odds.
Many professional football analysts believed the Bundesliga leaders could at least reach the Europa League semi-finals!
Or even the final!