"Welcome everyone to Borussia-Park! The upcoming match is the 15th round of the Bundesliga between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund!"
"I'm your commentator for today, Kahn!"
"The Lion King Kahn!"
"The Lion King Kahn!"
"The Lion King Kahn!"
Before Kahn could finish his introduction, the crowd began chanting the name of his co-commentator.
"And next to me is someone you're all even more familiar with..."
"Stiel!"
"Stiel!"
"Stiel!"
The fans in the stands roared the name of the former team legend before Kahn could introduce him.
The Swiss player, Stiel, standing at only 1.80 meters tall, played 89 Bundesliga matches for Mönchengladbach between 2001 and 2004.
Known for his quick reflexes, the former Swiss national goalkeeper earned the love of Mönchengladbach fans during his time in the Bundesliga, even serving as the team captain. His predecessor, Kamps, also stood at 1.80 meters, representing the "Foals" in 390 Bundesliga and 67 Bundesliga 2 matches over 22 years.
Stiel's recent comments ahead of the match garnered attention, leading to his invitation as a guest commentator by the Bundesliga. Partnering with him was none other than the legendary "Lion King" Kahn!
"Hello, Mönchengladbach fans! I, Huhan... I mean, Stiel, am back!" Stiel said excitedly.
"Before the match, you mentioned that if Dortmund wins here, you'd pull a Robben celebration. Is that true?" Kahn asked with a grin.
"Absolutely. I was a little worried at first, but after seeing Dortmund's starting lineup, I feel completely at ease!" Stiel replied with a smile.
Kahn burst into laughter. "Let's take a look at the starting lineups!"
"Mönchengladbach is lining up in a 4-3-3 formation!"
"The goalkeeper is... oh, young lion Ter Stegen! This is a very promising talent; I have high hopes for him!" Kahn, now more personable than he was on the pitch, praised freely. His lively commentary style made him a perfect Bundesliga analyst.
"Mönchengladbach's back four consists of Daems, Stranzl, Dante, and Jantschke!"
"The midfield trio features double defensive midfielders Nordtveit and Jantschke, with Arango as the playmaker!"
"The front three are star player Reus, Argentinian striker Bobadilla, and youth academy product Herrmann!"
A solid and standard starting lineup, featuring two defensive midfielders to mark Yè Chén.
One tasked with man-marking, the other with intercepting.
Without a doubt, it would be another challenging match for Yè Chén!
"Now let's hear Dortmund's lineup, announced by Stiel!" Kahn said with a smile.
Stiel grinned. "No surprises in goal â it's still Dortmund's vice-captain Weidenfeller!"
"As for their defense... well, they really don't have any alternatives..."
"Left-back Schmelzer, center-back duo Santana and Hummels, and right-back Owomoyela!"
At 33 years old and 1.87 meters tall, Owomoyela was forced into the starting lineup.
They simply had no one else!
Putting him on the right flank was essentially conceding that side.
"The central midfield duo consists of 19-year-old Leitner and 32-year-old captain Kehl!" Stiel highlighted the age difference, emphasizing their inexperience and aging players.
"Young and old... how can they possibly keep up with us?"
Older players mean declining athletic ability, especially in midfield and full-back positions, which require extensive running...
Stiel could already imagine Dortmund's midfield being torn apart.
"Left winger GroÃkreutz, attacking midfielder GündoÄan, right winger Kuba!"
"The only standout in this lineup is the young Chinese forward, Yè Chén!"
"But really, what can one Yè do to stir up a storm?" Stiel remarked dismissively.
Kahn chuckled. "Jörg, what if Dortmund wins?"
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!" Stiel laughed loudly. "If this lineup wins, I'll pull a Robben celebration right after the match!"
Stiel wasn't afraid to make bold claims.
His outspoken comments pre-match were precisely why he was invited as a guest.
So, he doubled down.
However, Stiel wasn't foolish â he knew that bold predictions garnered attention, but Dortmund's lineup simply looked too weak!
To think they could win at Mönchengladbach's home ground? Impossible, as he said!
Players from both teams were now entering the pitch, cheered on by 54,000 roaring fans.
When Reus appeared, a wave of excited screams erupted from his fans.
Similarly, Yè Chén's appearance caused a stir.
"Is that the Yè everyone's been talking about?"
"I saw his ad on TV. He's so handsome!"
"He looks even better in person!"
"I heard he's really good at scoring goals. Is that true?"
"Of course! I heard he performs for two hours non-stop at concerts... oh my god, my boyfriend lasts only three minutes..."
"..."
The atmosphere was electric.
Yè Chén took a deep breath, checking his condition â outstanding.
Nearly flawless.
With such a great state, he was determined to perform well!
As pre-match preparations concluded, the referee blew the whistle â the match had officially begun!
"Thud!"
Reus passed the ball to Bobadilla and sprinted forward.
"The match is underway, and we see Mönchengladbach attacking from right to left, quickly advancing to Dortmund's penalty area!"
"Reus on the left... beautiful dribble! Owomoyela is too slow, like a statue, and easily beaten!"
"Reus shoots!"
"Oh, just wide! The ball grazes the crossbar!"
A brilliant opening attack by Mönchengladbach â a statement of intent!
"Yè, was that cut-in shot alright?" Reus jogged back to midfield, stopping by Yè Chén.
"Not bad," Yè Chén smiled.
He liked Reus â good-looking and talented, just like himself.
But Reus pouted. "Just 'not bad'? You should be praising me!"
Yè Chén raised an eyebrow. "I'll show you my cut-in next!"
His confidence had soared since upgrading his dribbling to S-rank.
Even if Robben stood in front of him, Yè Chén believed he could match him!