With the UCL eight-quarter finals all but over.
The UCL Top 8 list was also released.
AC Milan knocked out Liverpool to advance to the last eight.
And somewhat surprisingly a strong Bayern was pulled down by Inter Milan and Dortmund was eliminated by Rome!
On top of that, Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, Bar?a, Manchester United, and Chelsea all took out their opponents to reach the last eight.
Across the Bundesliga, only the least favoured FC Schalke 04 remained in the top eight!
Inside the FC Schalke 04 club building.
Magath looks at the top eight list with a look of anguish as well!
UCL made it to the last eight which is good, but what he didn't expect was Bayern and Dortmund to be so unhelpful and lose all of them.
Was thinking Bayern and Dortmund might unexpectedly capsize in the league due to distractions on the UCL side, well now.
People have been able to play the league full time, and the double-header has backfired into his FC Schalke 04!
"Gaffer, what's the schedule for the race weekend?"
Magath's got a headache thinking about the weekend's games, too.
"How did Dortmund get eliminated! What a bunch of losers!"
The Bundesliga table now has FC Schalke 04 just one point above Bayern and one point below Dortmund!
Three teams biting off more than they can chew.
The slightest oversight is a recipe for disaster.
"On Bayern's side they're up against Mainz, which shouldn't be too much of a problem, so this is a game where if we lose, the title race becomes precarious!"
Hughes was also distressed as he held up the scoreboard.
While they know this game is crucial, it's seriously a bit too hard to take Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, and it's not even easy to get a draw!
That's the scariest home ground in all of Europe.
Ruhr Derby!
Fucking Ruhr Derby!
.........
Maybe it's all knowing how important this league is.
On the training ground on Monday, the originally cheeky players became silent one by one.
Even Annan, the livewire, kept her head down and trained carefully.
Though he's been rotated to the bench in the meantime, he knows it's all just a season away.
By the time the season is over, that group of starters will be absolutely flabbergasted, and FC Schalke 04 will still need him then.
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So, unlike Boujellab's anxious mindset.
Annan could have settled for being his replacement instead.
It took a while before Magath led Hughes to the training ground.
"The team goes to Bitburg Training Base for a closed training session before Ruhr Derby is over for the weekend!"
"You can tell your families now, we'll leave at 3:00 p.m. and the morning training will be cancelled for now! Remember, our intensive training is secret, don't say anything to the media!"
Magath's words came as a bit of a surprise to the FC Schalke 04 crew as well!
Keep in mind that Bundesliga teams generally don't have much of a concept of closed training.
Especially one like FC Schalke 04, where the team, when not playing, is like any other company at work, with players coming in the morning and leaving in the evening hours.
The last set was in 2005.
FC Schalke 04, who were on a three-game losing streak at the time, were in a secret training camp for a special four-day session.
The results of the intensive training were remarkable.
In the following match, FC Schalke 04 bloodied league table rivals Hertha BSC Berlin 5:0!
Is Magath trying to pull the same old trick?
Soon after, the first team players at the club returned home to pack their bags.
Despite some resistance, the entire FC Schalke 04 team was on the bus at 3pm on time.
Bitburg Training Base is affiliated with the German National Team.
Of course, when there are no national team matches, the place is rented out to the public.
As the exclusive training base for the national team, the facilities here are absolutely world-class.
And, one of the best things about a training base is the absolute secrecy!
No reporter can drill into Bitburg Training Base.
After more than two hours of driving, the entire FC Schalke 04 team was also in the Bitburg Training Base.
Perhaps to increase the bond between the players.
Magath has upset the accommodation arrangements this time.
Su and Uchida were both given a room.
And Hao is in a room with Baby Baumann.
After dinner, Schalke's entire team took a slightly more relaxed approach to the training ground.
This kind of closed training might be a bit of a novelty for others, but for Su and Hao this stuff is all too common.
It's just military training!
"Su-kun, I've already made the wash water for you!"
Upon returning to his room, Su had just laid down on his bed when Uchida Atsuto chuckled.
"Thank you, Uchida!"
"It's okay, a show of hands!"
Su has kind of gotten to know Uchida Atsuto a little better over the course of most of the season, and the guy is a great guy.
The ball skills are absolutely top notch for Asia, and he's also relatively mild-mannered, and in general, apart from his nationality, he's just a good old boy.
When Boujellab ganged up on him, the kid chose that side, but he didn't expect Boujellab's side to go down so quickly, which made Uchida Atsuto feel embarrassed to see Su and Hao a few times for quite some time afterwards.
"Su-kun, Shinji and I said that there is a possibility for him to go to Manchester United after the season, I wonder what are your plans after the season?"
After washing up and lying down on the bed, Uchida Atsuto made small talk with Su as well.
"He's going to Manchester United?"
Although Su knew that Shinji Kagawa historically went to Manchester United at the end of this season, he still had a surprised look on his face.
"Yes, that's what he told me, and of course, I know Su-kun will keep my secret!"
"Oh! That's for sure, Shinji Kagawa is still quite strong, but Manchester United's style of play might not suit him too well!"
"Hi! That's what I thought, he's too poorly for the Premier League, I've persuaded him to stay on at Dortmund but he says I don't understand his dreams!"
Perhaps thinking of something, Uchida Atsuto fell a bit forlorn all of a sudden!
"Dreams? Hey! It's not easy to realise sometimes, our dream is still to break out of Asia!"
"Out of Asia?Su-kun, I think it shouldn't be hard for the Chinese team to break out of Asia if you are there, I wonder why the Chinese team didn't draft you?"
"I don't know. After I was accidentally injured in the last recruitment, I don't know why after reshuffling the cards over there, there's not a single phone call from the recruitment, it feels like I'm being avoided!"
"Su-kun, sometimes I can't figure out why the Chinese Football Association is different from ours in Japan, where if there are talented kids, they'll be protected directly by the Football Association, and after competing in national competitions for each age group, they'll be Football Association! Each child has his or her own career plan, whether it's to stay abroad or pay to be sent overseas!"
"Oi! Can't compare, Uchida, the development of football in Japan is really enviable!"
"Su-kun, you don't know, now you're already the most popular star in our Japan, by the way, many companies want to negotiate a filming contract with you at a high price!"
"You go to hell you!"
"Haha! Su-kun, I was just joking!"
..........

