That soccer writes essentially the most lovely tales could also be one thing of a worn-out cliché—however it’s nonetheless true! Jae-sung Lee is an ideal instance. When the South Korean signed for Mainz in the summertime of 2021, it was something however deliberate. In actual fact, Mainz wanted a hefty slice of luck to land the person who now drives their midfield.
However first issues first: after a number of spectacular years at Holstein Kiel, Lee had lengthy been on Christian Heidel’s want listing. Mainz’s sporting director even informed 'Bild' on the time that the playmaker was his number-one goal. Nonetheless, with Mainz battling relegation, a transfer initially gave the impression to be off the desk. Lee was decided to play within the Bundesliga, one thing Mainz couldn’t assure him at that stage. As a substitute, all indicators pointed in direction of a transfer to TSG Hoffenheim—regardless that the membership later denied it.
ADVERTISEMENT: It doesn’t matter what garments Lennart Karl wears, so long as he performs good soccer! In TIPICO’s "Die Ansage", Frank Buschmann and Florian Schmidt-Sommerfeld talk about the talk—or non-debate—surrounding the Bayern teen.
Heidel had subsequently already given up on his switch goal. Till an opportunity dialog with an agent modified every part. The 63-year-old realized that Lee had not, in spite of everything, signed a contract that had reportedly already been agreed. As a substitute, his agent was negotiating with a Premier League membership on the time, believed to be Crystal Palace. Heidel promptly picked up the telephone himself and turned the deal right into a covert operation: a medical at a South Korean hospital, a digital contract signature, and it was executed. Their rivals by no means caught wind of it.
Lee has already tormented Bayern twice
An actual stroke of luck, as the next seasons would show. Mighty Bayern Munich felt that greater than most, with Lee changing into one thing of a bogeyman for them. Within the 2024/25 season, his brace virtually single-handedly sank Bayern and handed Mainz a sensational 2-1 victory. A yr later, he struck once more in a 2-2 draw. Within the return fixture, nevertheless, he was denied the possibility to repeat the trick: a toe harm briefly sidelined Lee in April.
That ought to make him all of the extra keen for an additional assembly on Saturday afternoon. The 34-year-old and his Mainz teammates are hardly brimming with confidence, although, following two consecutive defeats. A win would subsequently be a welcome tonic for the battered spirits of the membership from Germany’s carnival heartland. On the identical time, it might additionally shake up the title race significantly.
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As a result of Borussia Dortmund are lurking proper behind Bayern. Following the 2-2 attract "Der Klassiker", BVB are degree on factors with the document champions and host SV Elversberg this weekend. So if Lee turns into Bayern’s nightmare as soon as once more and Dortmund maintain enterprise, the Black and Yellows might truly leap to the highest of the desk.
From a switch that nearly by no means occurred to a possible kingmaker within the title race: Lee would absolutely don’t have any objection to including one other chapter to his personal private success story in opposition to Bayern.
This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence. .