Zhejiang Player Gao Di: Leverkusen Took 88 Years to Win Their First Cup, Hope for Unwavering Support from Fans

In yesterday’s FA Cup Round of 16 match, Zhejiang FC lost 1-2 to Shanghai Port, causing disappointment among many fans. Today, a player from Zhejiang also posted on social media in response to the incident.

Gao Di wrote: Yesterday’s match did not stop Shanghai Port’s run of 13 consecutive wins across all competitions, and our team was eliminated from the FA Cup quarterfinals. I know that tonight, many people who share my love for Zhejiang’s vibrant green will be sleepless and frustrated. Shanghai Port displayed the same strong offensive performance as they have in the league, winning the match. Congratulations to them. Despite trailing 0-2 during the game, we didn’t give up and fought until the end. The self-sacrificing blocks by Tixiang and Lucas, and the cramping of Frank and Evra, who pushed themselves to exhaustion, show how much we wanted to win. But this is competitive sports, and there can only be one winner. We understand the disappointment and anger from the fans after the loss, and we are aware that some of your emotions stem from the team’s poor performance in the previous league match.

However, the whole team genuinely celebrated Guowen’s goal, truly happy for our teammate and the team. These moments are not staged. I hope everyone can view them rationally without malicious speculation or association. While we must reflect deeply after a loss, some negative comments online have caused deeper harm to the club than the defeat itself.

During the game, I protested to the referee about a visiting player receiving treatment one meter away from the sideline while still being carried off on a stretcher, which led to some visiting fans insulting my family. I couldn’t respond with an obscene gesture or throw a water bottle at their stand. As players, we accept criticism and abuse when we perform poorly—it’s part of the job. But criticism from our own supporters is something we can empathize with, and we need your unwavering support.

Bayer Leverkusen took 88 years to win their first cup title and 120 years to win their first league championship. The trophy may be there every year, but as long as everyone associated with Zhejiang’s vibrant green remains committed to winning titles and chasing victories, our golden dreams will soon become reality! Thank you for your support over the years. Let’s work together to build strength and fight for Zhejiang!