Boom!
Reus suddenly unleashed a thunderous shot that nearly tore through Arsenal's goal.
The key detail was that this came from under Kai's defense, making it incredibly dangerous.
Kai pushed himself off the ground, eyes sharp and serious.
During that last move, Reus had gotten the earlier at a distance far off from the goal. Kai gave him the space, not wanting to leave gaps behind.
It turned out to be his folly, because a few seconds later, he saw the ball's path and had to close down immediately.
It was thanks to this pressure that Reus rushed his shot a bit and missed the goal by whiskers.
The shot made Kai break into a cold sweat.
He watched Reus retreat to his position, rubbing his knee. Twenty-three goals, twenty-three assists last season. Reus in 2013–14 had been terrifying, and even after his injury, this display surpassed his previous best.
Kai's expression remained serious. He had to be sharper next time.
Gary Neville called out, "A strike like that against Kai gives Dortmund hope against Arsenal's midfield."
Borussia Dortmund's attack finally had rhythm. Reus's long-range effort hinted at the possibility.
. .
Haaah!
Arsène Wenger let out the breath he was holding. Kai had always been the team's lynchpin. With him compromised, Arsenal's system teetered.
Wenger muttered, "How is his weight-loss plan coming along?"
Pat Rice answered, "Still no clear results."
Wenger nodded. It couldn't be rushed, but Kai needed to shed bulk and regain agility.
The game resumed. Dortmund's attacks became sharper. With Reus as a constant threat, Kai dropped deeper, drawing Dortmund's forwards closer to Arsenal's goal.
The visiting team pressed, forcing Arsenal into reactive play.
Kai studied Reus, waiting for the moment he might strike again. Then he gestured sharply, "Push out!"
Kai closed on Aubameyang, who had the ball. The striker hesitated, lacking Reus's finesse, and passed it back. The ball rolled to Reus.
Kai surged. Reus crouched, ready for another breakthrough, but Kai anticipated him, closing to just a meter. Reus tried to pivot left, but Kai's body blocked him, then a foot poked the ball free.
The ball wasn't recovered by Arsenal, yet Dortmund's rhythm broke.
"Kai! Tackle!" Martin Tyler said.
Neville added, "The ball didn't reach his teammates; the threat remains."
The ball fell to Reus, who passed left, eyes locking with Kai. Both knew the other's intent. One thought:
Don't let him through. The other: Must get close.
Immobile leapt for a header, colliding with Koscielny. Neither touched the ball. Chambers recovered and passed to Kai. Reus pressed.
Kai feinted left. Reus lunged, but Kai spun, hooking the ball through Reus's legs and breaking free.
"Counterattack!" Kai shouted. His eyes locked on Suarez charging into the box. Kai struck a powerful pass, arcing toward him.
Suarez, shoved by a defender, attempted an overhead kick. Bang! The shot went central. Weidenfeller caught it easily.
Dortmund launched the next counterattack. "Fall back! Defend!" Kai roared, retreating rapidly. Kanté and Kai organized the defense just in time.
Mustafi blocked a shot, the ball bouncing to Kanté. Flustered, he turned to Kai.
"Kick it forward!" Kai barked.
Kanté forced himself to be calm. He passed to Di Maria, the ball rough and underpowered, but play continued.
Le Kai then stepped forward without hesitation.
Arsenal fans were holding their breath.
One more goal to crush the opponent's last bit of will.
Borussia Dortmund was a formidable opponent and a measure of Arsenal's readiness for the finals. If Arsenal couldn't dominate here, they couldn't hope to challenge teams like Real Madrid, Juventus, or Barcelona.
Beat them. Destroy them completely. Every Arsenal player believed in that now.
Whoosh!
Cazorla ducked inside, avoiding Gündoğan while scanning the field. Suarez was poorly positioned, Di Maria was focused on defense, and Sanchez was tightly marked.
"No space!" Cazorla muttered, protecting the ball. Then a voice called out beside him.
"Here!"
Cazorla didn't even need to look up. He passed the ball immediately.
Le Kai pushed forward with his right foot, swinging his left in a low arc. He maneuvered the ball around Ginter, moving in front of Di Maria.
Di Maria tried a desperate shot after a slip, but Ginter reacted quickly, sliding to block the ball. Arsenal were awarded a corner.
Le Kai charged into the penalty area.
Cazorla watched Le Kai, confident as ever, signaling with his eyes for the pass.
The corner flew straight into Borussia Dortmund's box. Le Kai bypassed Ginter, attacking from the side. Ginter shoved, but Le Kai jumped, tilting mid-air.
Bang!
Le Kai's forehead met the ball. Barely, the bridge of his nose brushed it. Pain and focus mixed as he landed. Silence fell.
Then the net bulged.
"Le Kai's header!" Marti Tyler shouted, leaping to his feet. "Goal! The second! Arsenal leads Borussia Dortmund 3-0!"
At Emirates Stadium, the speakers blared his name.
"Kai! Kai! Kai! Kai!"
Over and over, his name rang out. Two goals in one match, both decisive. Arsenal had the advantage, and the last shred of Borussia Dortmund's hope was gone.
"This game is over! Kai has killed it! They were desperate to score, but Kai's goal tells them there's no chance!" Gary Neville roared.
"First season as captain, and he's proving he deserves it! Anything's possible for him!"
Sixty thousand fans erupted, chanting, cheering, waving flags. Le Kai was the captain, only 23, and he had just delivered a masterclass.
Arsène Wenger exhaled softly, clapping her hands. Beautiful. That goal shattered Dortmund's momentum.
Klopp's plan had been clever—force Arsenal to play conservatively—but Arsenal refused to back down, crushing Dortmund's will. Wenger glanced at Klopp on the bench. His hat pulled low, his expression bitter. Arsenal had seized control.
Three goals now made a comeback impossible. Every Dortmund player felt lost. Morale collapsed. Even Reus sighed.
"Over," he admitted quietly.
Substitutions came and went. Dortmund tried attacking, but the sharpness was gone. Arsenal strengthened its defense and maintained control.
Ninety minutes passed. The final whistle blew. Dortmund walked off with bowed heads.
The Emirates roared. Arsenal had won. Perfect record in all six Champions League group matches, 4-0 on aggregate against Dortmund. Clean sheets, attacking dominance, and full confidence heading into the next round.
At the post-match press conference, Klopp said:
"Don't blame the players. I take responsibility. Seven years together, from the Bundesliga to the Champions League—we've made miracles and left a legacy. Borussia Dortmund's future will be strong, and I thank everyone."
The words carried a sense of farewell, quietly noted by the media.
. . .
Please do leave a review and powerstones, which helps with the book's exposure.
Feel like joining a Patreon for free and subscribing to 30+ advanced chapters?
Visit the link:
[email protected]/GRANDMAESTA_30
Change @ to a