As the winter transfer window opened, Borussia Dortmund was actively making moves.
Langrof, who had limited playing time last season, transferred out, while Leitner was loaned to a Bundesliga 2 club for development. Meanwhile, the new signingsâAzpilicueta, Mane, Wang Chu, and De Bruyneâjoined Dortmund and attended the club's press conference for new arrivals.
Since none of them were major stars yet, the club held a modest event with some local media to make it official.
At this point, Dortmund had no idea what these four players would eventually mean to the team!
In fact, even the journalists showed little interest in interviewing themâafter all, they were just young rookies.
Even Azpilicueta wasn't seen as a big name. Otherwise, Marseille wouldn't have let him go so easily...
After the press conference, Dortmund's first friendly match took place at Signal Iduna Park.
On January 7th, after two quiet weeks, the stadium came alive again.
Of course, since it was just a warm-up game, the ticket prices were quite low...
Originally, the match was scheduled to be held at the training ground. However, thanks to the enthusiasm and sponsorship from China's Gugu Sports, the game was moved to the stadium!
By January 5th, the holiday season abroad had ended. People were back to work, while students... well, they had a little more time before school resumed.
But the stadium was already buzzing with excitement.
Dortmund was leading the league, and fans still hadn't forgotten their last German Cup match.
Now, with another chance to see Ye Chen play, fans eagerly flocked to the stadium!
In Europe, most people are loyal to their local teams.
If their home team isn't playing, they're rarely interested in watching others.
But when their team takes the fieldâeven for a friendly matchâfans show up in full support!
Especially in the South Stand of Signal Iduna Park, where 25,000 spectators had already taken their spots early.
They passionately sang team chants, hyping themselves up long before the match even started...
In the Dortmund locker room, Klopp reminded his players:
"Just focus on getting into form, keep things light, and avoid injuriesâboth for yourselves and the opponents. Got it?"
"Yes, boss!"
Ye Chen didn't gear up; he wasn't starting.
But Klopp had told him he would play in the second half at the right time. The exact moment? That would depend on the situation.
Meanwhile, back in China, Gugu Sports launched a live broadcast of the game.
Even though it was just a friendly, over three million viewers tuned in as the stream started.
"Welcome to Gugu Sports! I'm your familiar host, Wang Tao!"
"Before Christmas, we traveled to Germany and negotiated with Dortmund for the rare broadcasting rights to this friendly match! Additionally, we conducted exclusive interviews with Ye Chen and Wang Chu. Those interviews will air right after this match, so don't leave after the game!"
"Now, let's announce today's starting lineup..."
Neither team fielded their best players. Dortmund featured two new signingsâDe Bruyne and Mane.
Up front was substitute striker Kuba.
The match began.
De Bruyne showcased his form early, delivering three threatening passes.
But there's a reason Kuba is a backup...
His reactions were slow, his speed lacking, and his finishing inconsistent.
Mane, on the other hand, followed the coach's instructions diligently, tracking back on the wing and pushing forward for crosses when possible.
However, Mane's crosses often lacked accuracy...
The inconsistency was evident.
From the bench, Ye Chen watched his teammates and felt the itch to get on the field!
Friendly matches like these were prime opportunities to rack up goals.
If he wanted to chase the legendary 1,860-goal record of King Li, matches like this couldn't be wasted!
Technically, his goal count should include his Manchester United U18 goals.
Maybe he should ask his Instagram followers to help him tally up his total goals!
Since joining the Bundesliga, he had scored 26 goals in the league and 10 in cup matches. Plus, he had netted 2 goals with Manchester United U18, bringing his total to 38.
Thirty-eight goals in half a seasonâthat projects to 76 in a full season!
To reach 1,860 goals, it would take 25 years...
Wait a minuteâwas Li Huitang really a footballer? Are we sure he wasn't playing basketball instead?
Some Instagram comments even mentioned that their grandfathers had watched Li play, saying football back then was rougher, with players targeting ankles directly!
Maybe Li Huitang had steel ankles too?
Regardless, Ye Chen had scored 38 goals in the first half of the season, but who knew what the second half would bring!
Oh well...
Beating that record might be an impossible dream.
There's a fine line between ambition and fantasy!
"Hey Ye, are those custom Adidas shoes? They look amazing!" Shinj Kagawa's voice suddenly broke through Ye Chen's thoughts.
"Yeah, they're part of my exclusive Loong series!" Ye Chen grinned.
"I'm so jealous... I'm an Adidas athlete too, but not at your level!" Kagawa said with envy.
"No worriesâwhen these hit the shelves, I'll get you a signed pair!" Ye Chen responded generously.
He glanced down at his boots.
They really did look great!
Especially the golden dragon design at the frontâit looked like something out of a fantasy world!
But Ye Chen was most excited about the attributes these boots enhanced.
Burst +3!
Curve +3!
Finishing +3!
He had seen the stats on Predator boots, which boosted speed.
But his speed was already maxed out at 99.
Now, with three attributes upgraded, his Burst, Curve, and Finishing had all risen from 85 to 88!
Not only did these boots look good, but they packed performance too!
The match continued at a steady pace.
At 14:45, De Bruyne threaded a pass to Mane, who cut inside and crossed to the middle.
Kuba, after squandering two golden chances, finally found the net.
At 23:36, De Bruyne passed to GroÃkreutz on the left wing. After reaching the byline, GroÃkreutz delivered a perfect cutback to De Bruyne, who curled it into the top corner.
Klopp couldn't hide his excitement on the sidelinesâDe Bruyne was sensational!
The first half ended 2-0. At halftime, Klopp made wholesale changes, swapping all 11 players.
Ye Chen and Wang Chu took the field.
As the two Chinese players stepped on together, fans back home erupted with excitement.
In the live broadcast, Wang Tao's voice soared.
"They're on! They're on!"
"Ye Chen and Wang Chu are on the pitch together!"
"Can the Chinese duo spark some magic? Let's wait and see!"
Fans held their breath as the match resumed.
Ye Chen patted Wang Chu's shoulder.
"Relax, you've got the skills for the first team! If in doubt, pass it to meâI'll put it in the net."
"Got it, Chen!" Wang Chu nodded firmly.
For him, this wasn't just a friendlyâit was an exam.
He needed to perform well to secure his place, even as a reserve.
In football, it's better to be a small part of something great than the star of something lesser.
Ye Chen had one goal for the second halfâscore a hat-trick with his new boots.
Let's go!