After introducing two famous fencing athletes from Baden-Württemberg to the players, Rangnick announced that they had only one training session on that day, that is, learn fencing with two famous fencing athletes.

"This is your training class today - fencing!"

Everyone was stunned after hearing head coach Rangnick say this.

What? Practice fencing?

Does this have anything to do with football?

It wasn't that we lost to Leverkusen and confused the head coach's mind, right? If we were to practice marathons, we could still understand it as punishment. But what is fencing? Is it punishment? It seems not... Chu Zhongtian was also surprised. This was the first time he heard such a training class. When Metz was playing in Ligue 1, Fernandez was a very skilled head coach, but there was no such a whimsical scene in his training class.

What is the relationship between football and fencing?

Chu Zhongtian couldn't figure it out.

It was Rangnick who solved the doubts in their hearts for them.

"I know you're all wondering why I'm doing this, because fencing and football seem to be completely unrelated. But I think since they are both sports, there will inevitably be connections. Fencing requires very fast reaction speed and quick movement of footsteps. I think it will be very helpful for you, especially the defenders. So I'm here to bring you here and hope to let you understand fencing and feel how to flexibly control and use your own pace."

After Rangnick finished his training purpose, he handed over the dominance of the training class to two "famous generals" Daniel Striger and Matthias Bell.

Striegel looked very kind and very good at communicating. He greeted everyone as soon as he came, while the older Bell seemed taciturn and serious. So the specific work of explaining the key points of fencing techniques was handed over to Striegel.

"Don't worry, gentlemen. I'm not a Stuttgart fan." As soon as Streiger came up, everyone made a knowing laugh.

Stuttgart is the capital of Baden Württemberg State where Hoffenheim is located. Stuttgart is the strongest veteran team in this state, with many fans. Stuttgart is also Hoffenheim's opponent in the next round of the league. Striegel said this to say that he would not deliberately mess with Hoffenheim's players for the sake of the team he likes, so they can train with confidence.

"I believe you must have seen a lot of fencing in TV, movies and novels. But now this has nothing to do with the romantic knight complex, you don't need to throw white gloves at each other before the game."

The team members laughed again.

Streiger began to introduce to the players what fencing is.

After a brief introduction, he introduced Mr. Bell next to him again. As an old senior, he respected him very much.

After that, two former fencing athletes began to demonstrate and explain some basic fencing techniques to everyone. The players followed them.

These professional players who can handle it easily on the football field now look like a group of elementary school students, with clumsy movements.

Of course, there are no exceptions, and some people seem to show their talent in this regard.

Brazilian midfielder Gustavo was considered a talented person by Stegriel. He was very proud and waved the floral sword in his hand and pulled out a sword flower: "It seems that if I had chosen fencing instead of football before, I would have been the world champion now! Haha!"

But Bell was optimistic about Chu Zhongtian: "You move very fast, which is a quality that fencing athletes have always been very important. When attacking, they are steady and accurate, which is also amazing."

Unexpectedly, the serious Bell praised others without hesitation.

But the reason for doing this is that Chu Zhongtian performed well.

Bell stared at Chu Zhongtian for a long time, then shook his head and muttered: "It's a pity that you are a football player..."

Chu Zhongtian shrugged and continued to do his sprint lunge. He did understand what coach Rangnick said from this exercise. He didn't know what others were like, but for him, fencing really benefited a lot from his reaction speed and foot movement.

Fencing requires that in a very narrow space, use pace movement to avoid opponents' attacks, and also wait for an opportunity to attack.

Rangnick thought it was especially useful for the defender, but Chu Zhongtian felt that it was very helpful for him to get his foot skills. He played four seasons in France before, and began to strengthen his foot skills training in the last two seasons. Now he has made great progress, but his skills belong to the category of big openings and closes, and in terms of delicateness, he is still not as good as those born skilled players. The use of steps in fencing has allowed him to understand something.

Although fencing and football are two completely different sports, they are different from each other. Some basic rules are still the same.

Fencing requires flexibly using his pace in a small space. On the football field, as a ball-controller, it is impossible for him to have a lot of space at all times to deal with it calmly. When facing two or three people scrambling, isn’t it just like fencing? He must flexibly use footwork to control the ball and break through. In that case, he must make his foot faster than everyone else, and fencing can help him exercise his abilities in this area.

During the practice, he suddenly had the idea: Why can't I use my spare time to practice fencing? He believes that this kind of practice is helpful to me.

During the morning training session, all players practice fencing under the leadership of two coaches.

After lunch, everyone rested in the fencing hall, but Chu Zhongtian did not go to rest. He found the old coach Bell and expressed his thoughts to him that he liked to practice fencing.

Bell looked at him for a long time and said to him: "If you plan to change careers, it's too late at your current age."

Chu Zhongtian quickly explained with a smile: "I'm not going to change careers to be a professional fencing athlete, I just think fencing will be of great help to my football career."

Hearing him say this, Bell looked him up and down.

Bale is over 1.9 meters tall, coupled with his long-term fencing training and three-time World Cup champions, he will give people a lot of pressure when staring at people like this.

Chu Zhongtian also felt this oppression, but he did not retreat, but bravely met him.

The two of them "confronted" with their eyes for a while, and then Bell nodded: "Okay, but my fencing club is in Tauberbischofsheim. If you are interested, come and call me before you come."

Bell took out his business card and handed it to Chu Zhongtian.

"If we win the ball, we will have a day off after the game. I will go to you at that time, okay?"

Bell curled his lips: "Whatever you want, young man. You have to give money anyway."

Chu Zhongtian smiled.

※※After the training restarted in the afternoon, the two coaches asked the players to review the fencing techniques on one side and decided to start a competitive game - the team's small challenge, with the players participating in the first team and reserve team.

Considering that the players are all beginners, the rules of using swords are decided to use swords, which means that not only effectively stabbing the opponent is counted as one point, but also chopping the opponent is counted as a score. This is obviously easier than those with heavy swords and foil swords to score only. Only by stabbing the opponent is counted as an effective part, so you can only slash the upper body.

Because there are many people and the time is effective, there is no round-robin match for the competition, and a single knockout match will be directly played.

The rules of knockout matches are the same as those of the official international competition. The first win is achieved in nine minutes, or the winner is calculated after the time is up. The sword emphasizes "hit priority", which means that the score of the opponent's effective part is calculated first, and even if the opponent hits in a very short time, it is not considered a score. This is different from the heavy sword. The heavy sword is a score if both sides concentrate each other within a quarter of a second. This is not applicable in the sword and the foil.

The players participating in the game put on regular fencing sportswear, put on helmets, and compete on the formal competition field. The points are calculated by wireless frequency detectors, which is fair and just.

After layers of knockout matches, Chu Zhongtian and second captain Per Nilsson came to the end. Chu Zhongtian eliminated Gustavo in the semi-finals, who had previously boasted that if he had chosen fencing, he was now the world champion. When Gustavo lost to Chu Zhongtian's sword, the onlookers burst into laughter. Some people were cheering: "Gustavo, didn't you say you could be the world champion? Why did you lose to Chu now?"

Gustavo was a little embarrassed and retorted: "I mean if I had chosen fencing from the beginning, I would have been the world champion now! But I have only been in contact with this sport for a few hours!"

The teammates burst into laughter again.

Salihovic was also in the crowd and laughed with everyone, because such a game was actually very easy, and everyone was also very happy to see Gusta as a clown.

After a crushing defeat to Leverkusen, this is a rare happy moment for the players.

Chu Zhongtian's opponent in the final, Per Nilsson was also a player Bale was optimistic about. He believed that Nilsson had long hands and feet, and he knew how to make full use of his physical advantages in the offense.

Compared with Nielsson, who was 1.90 meters tall, Chu Zhongtian was only 1.83 meters tall, seven centimeters shorter, and his hands and feet were not as long as the other party. However, his pace was more flexible and his attack accuracy was very good.

It's a close match.

The showdown between the two captains also attracted everyone's attention.

After the game began, everyone kept cheering for both sides.

Ibisevic is obviously a representative figure who firmly supports Chu Zhongtian's sect. Those who have received the favor of Chu Zhongtian's passing in the game are also happy to cheer for Chu Zhongtian. Nelson has received the support of many defenders, and there are also many fenceists who cheer on both sides and no one offends. Anyone who makes a wonderful attack or defense will give applause and cheer, and there are the most people like this.

Finally, after nine minutes of hard battle, Chu Zhongtian narrowly defeated Nilsson 14:12.

Nilsson's long hands and feet were very useful. He was one and a half steps up to Chu Zhongtian. Often, he was still at the farthest end. With a step, the 88-centimeter steel sword had been handed to his mask. This style of fighting made Chu Zhongtian feel embarrassed. However, when Chu Zhongtian adapted and used his flexible footwork to avoid it and engage in guerrilla warfare, Nilsson, who was too high, was defeated and defeated.

But what made Nilsson even more unable to adapt was the momentum that Chu Zhongtian suddenly burst out in the final. This momentum Nilsson is not unfamiliar with - anyone who longs for victory will naturally expose such oppression when facing such an opportunity. He just doesn't understand a confrontation match of entertainment, and is comparing with fencing that is not familiar to everyone. Why does Chu Zhongtian still have such a desire to win?

Of course he wouldn't understand, because he knew nothing about Chu Zhongtian's past and did not know that Chu Zhongtian was the one who wanted to win no matter what he did.

One side just thinks it is a small game that ends the training and plays, while the other side is determined to win. The winner is easy to decide.

After defeating Nilsson, Chu Zhongtian won the team's small confrontation, and he even won a prize - a sword signed by Streiger and Bell.

Stirgreer smiled at Chu Zhongtian and said, "What a pity. If you chose fencing at the beginning, you might be able to participate in the Olympics this year."

Old Bell said nothing, just handed the sword to him, and Chu Zhongtian took over his prize with both hands, and was very happy. Just like his usual personality, even in a team fencing match, he wanted to win, and no matter what he did, he didn't want to be a loser.

After winning the prize, he raised the sword in his hand high, just like a champion trophy.

The teammates also cooperated and cheered and applauded.

"Thank you!" Chu Zhongtian expressed his gratitude to his teammates who are so considerate.

※※※Rangnick and the members of the coaching staff observed the entire training process and did not intervene. They recorded all the competition process, and after they returned, these videos will be saved as researchable materials.

Rangnick was pleased with the qualities Chu Zhongtian showed in training and competitions, but what made him most happy was the momentum Chu Zhongtian showed in the competition. This is a person who wants to win no matter what competition is. Such a person has a heart for a champion. Such a person is the kind of person he is looking for - who can lead the team to victory, from one victory to another, until the leader of the championship.

A person who does not have a strong desire to win or even pursues victory by any means cannot lead his teammates to achieve that goal, because he has no interest in himself and even thinks it is impossible to win the championship. How can he make his teammates believe that all this is possible? A leader himself is in a swaying and hesitating about the career he wants to strive for, and he absolutely has no ability to lead others.

Michael Jordan is a person who wants to win with his teammates and teammates. If you beat him in the above competition, you have to be prepared to bear his revenge and anger. But such a person led the Chicago Bulls to complete two three-game championships in the NBA.

A competitive spirit is a quality that any great player must possess. A person without a competitive spirit, even if his skills are excellent, he will at most be a first-class star, or become a world-class superstar. But there are so many superstars, how many can become superstars like Beckenbauer and Maradona?

In today's internal competition, Rangnick saw one of Chu Zhongtian's most valuable qualities. This qualities determine that he has the possibility of success. On the way to legend, he is far ahead of his teammates.

In fact, this is also why he chose Chu Zhongtian as the team leader rather than Per Nilsson or Salihovic.

Of course he likes Salihovic, because when he just took over the team and the team was still in the regional league, Salihovic came to this small team from Hertha Berlin. He has been helping him complete the triple jump for two seasons and is his right-hand man.

But Salihovic is an excellent player and lacks the ability to become an excellent leader. Because he just lacks the qualities of Chu Zhongtian.

Rangnick thought if Chu Zhongtian encountered something like Salihovic - a newcomer took away his core position, what would Chu Zhongtian do? It was probably because he was trying hard to show himself in the game, and he had to compete with the opponent for a big or bad situation, defeat his opponent in this kind of competition, demonstrate to him, the head coach, and let him choose Chu Zhongtian as the core again?

But what about Salihovic? He seemed to be invasive in this regard. Of course, he was not satisfied, and he did not have the excitement of this dissatisfaction in training and competitions to turn into a motivation for competition. He was in a weak position in the competition with Chu Zhongtian at the beginning.

Salihovic will be an excellent player but cannot become a leader. To compare it with a famous example, if Hoffenheim wants to become the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, then Chu Zhongtian must become Michael Jordan, and Salihovic's role model is Pippen.

There can be many excellent players, but there can only be one leader.

※※※After the special training class at the Fencing Hall in Sinsheim, the entire Hoffenheim team took a bus back to their training base in Hoffenheim. Then the players drove home.

Because of the national team competition, the next round of the Bundesliga will not start on September 13th.

After the last round of defeat, Hoffenheim had two weeks of rest adjustment time.

The next round will still face a strong opponent, Stuttgart. Not only that, in the next round, Hoffenheim will face Dortmund at home, and in the sixth round of the league, Hoffenheim will challenge Werder Bremen away. Starting from Leverkusen, he met with the strong team for four consecutive games, and the time to test Rangnick's team has come.

The moment to test Chu Zhongtian also fell. The German media opened their eyes wide and wanted to see if the Bundesliga summer transfer bidder is worth his 30 million euros.
Chapter completed!