With the draw concluded, online discussions have taken off.
Many believe that despite the abundance of top clubs, there aren't many heavyweight clashes.
Of course, Arsenal vs. AC Milan and Inter Milan vs. Borussia Dortmund are the most anticipated matchups.
However, Dortmund's players are feeling the pressure.
After all, Inter Milan won the Champions League in the 09-10 season, with Mourinho leading them to a dominant victory over Bayern Munich in the final.
Upon returning to the Bundesliga, Klopp held a team meeting, expressing optimism about the draw.
He emphasized that Dortmund are the reigning Bundesliga champions, while Inter, after losing Mourinho and several key players, are no longer a top team in Serie A.
Moreover, Serie A now resembles an aging veteran, while Dortmund represents a vibrant and energetic force.
Klopp exuded absolute confidence heading into the upcoming Champions League knockout stages.
Klopp's mastery of psychological tactics was evident.
This meeting solidified the team's morale, which had been slightly shaky.
Meanwhile, Dortmund's three friendly matches had officially concluded.
Against La Liga's Elche, Dortmund secured a dominant 5-1 victory at home.
De Bruyne continued his stellar form with one goal and one assist.
Lewandowski scored twice.
Ye Chen netted a long-range shot, while the final goal came from Mané, who scored his first goal for Dortmund.
Wang Chu also maintained his impressive form from the previous match, delivering a hat-trick of assists.
One assist found Lewandowski, while another set up Mané.
In their third match, Dortmund defeated Oberhausen 4-0.
Wang Chu's goal and assist helped him secure a place in the first team, although Klopp clearly told him he would serve as an emergency substitute.
When not involved in matches, Wang Chu would play for Dortmund's reserve team to maintain match fitness.
Wang Chu was content with this arrangement.
For Klopp, Wang Chu had an edge over Leitner, mainly because of his chemistry with Ye Chen â something Leitner lacked.
Wang Chu consistently found Ye Chen in crowded situations.
However, teams had started to figure out how to defend against Ye Chen by blocking his shooting lanes.
Several of his shots were repeatedly blocked.
Nevertheless, Ye Chen always found a way to score.
Over three matches, Ye Chen scored four goals and registered one assist, maintaining his fiery form.
With the friendlies wrapped up, the team was in excellent shape as they headed to Hamburg to face their first opponent of the second half â Hamburg SV!
After 17 rounds in the Bundesliga, Hamburg sat in 13th place, just three points above the relegation zone.
In the first half of the season, Hamburg lost 3-1 at Dortmund's home ground, with Götze contributing a goal and an assist, earning MVP honors. GroÃkreutz scored twice.
At Hamburg, the rising star of Asia, Son Heung-min, was present.
Like Dortmund, Hamburg played five friendlies during the winter break.
Son Heung-min shone brightly, scoring seven goals in five matches.
Ahead of the match, Hamburg's head coach, Thorsten Fink, stated at a press conference that he was ready to see the "Asian Derby" unfold.
China and Japan would unite to face South Korean international Son Heung-min!
Son Heung-min remained humble, saying, "Although I performed well in friendlies, official matches are completely different. I heard Ye also did well in the friendlies. I look forward to the challenge."
Son Heung-min was one of the few Korean players that Ye Chen genuinely admired.
Son's humility and low profile set him apart.
Not to mention, Son Heung-min had a discipline even Ye Chen couldn't match â he never dated or partied during his playing career.
He was a pure football fanatic.
Son Heung-min eventually became the only Asian player to win the Golden Boot in one of Europe's top five leagues â and he did it without taking any penalties.
A true powerhouse.
Ye Chen recalled how, after Son won the Golden Boot, Wu Lei faced heavy criticism.
As fellow Asian forwards, Son was winning Golden Boots, while Wu Lei struggled for game time.
Despite becoming Espanyol's captain through experience, Wu Lei couldn't match Son's performance, which had attracted the attention of Real Madrid.
Nevertheless, Wu Lei remained a beloved figure at home, and fans accepted reality.
But now, the tables had turned completely.
Half a month ago, Shinji Kagawa's shoe-polishing celebration for Ye Chen stirred controversy in Japan, with fans demanding Kagawa's removal from the national team.
Kagawa apologized in a video, explaining it was merely a celebratory gesture and urging fans not to overreact.
While Japanese fans criticized Kagawa, Chinese fans rallied behind him, calling for his naturalization.
After all, the shared bloodline between China and Japan dates back thousands of years.
Of course, the football association stayed silent during the controversy.
As Ye Chen's performance improved, the association grew quieter.
They knew Ye Chen's form would eventually dip.
Fatigue was inevitable, and with teams studying him, restrictions would follow.
When that happened, the association would strike back, waiting for Ye Chen's form to drop.
In Korea, Son Heung-min carried the hopes of the nation.
Having secured a starting spot at Hamburg, fans rejoiced â until Ye Chen emerged.
Suddenly, Son faced endless comparisons.
Comparison can be demoralizing.
Previously adored by fans, Son found himself harshly criticized.
Online criticism grew relentless.
But the fans couldn't be blamed â Ye Chen's goals had sparked intense frustration.
As a result, Son Heung-min became an easy target.
This affected Son's mentality, leading to average performances late in the first half of the season.
Fortunately, Son's father remained by his side, enforcing strict discipline and cutting off his internet access.
During the winter break, Son underwent rigorous training under his father's supervision.
Thanks to his strong showing in the friendlies, Son earned his starting spot.
There wasn't much excitement before the match â until a training video surfaced.
It showed Son practicing penalties against an advanced robot goalie with Ye Chen's face taped onto it.
Rather than aiming to score, Son seemed determined to kick Ye Chen's face.
Remarkably, the video was posted by Son's father, Son Woong-jung.
"The moment of truth has arrived!" he wrote on Instagram.
He hoped this would motivate his son to rise to the challenge against Ye Chen.