The story begins with the post-match interview after Manchester United's game against Norwich.
Ferguson's exact words were, "I've seen that kid's training videosânothing impressive. I didn't expect him to dominate the Bundesliga like this. Is the Bundesliga that weak? Can one of our random academy players score six goals in two matches there?"
These remarks instantly turned Ye Chen into public enemy number one in the Bundesliga!
The Premier League has always been regarded as the most competitive league in the world, solidifying its status as the top league today.
While Bundesliga fans do acknowledge that their league is not as strong as the Premier League, it doesn't mean an academy player can act like a king there!
The media further fanned the flames. Using Ferguson's words as a trigger, reporters approached Werder Bremen players to ask their opinions on the matter.
Naldo, the team's main center-back, commented, "The Bundesliga isn't a place where any academy kid can do as they please. I'll show him what impenetrable defense looks like!"
Sokratis Papastathopoulos, nicknamed "The Butcher," went even further, saying bluntly, "He should watch out for his legs!" He even made a bloodthirsty tongue-licking gesture during the interview.
Naturally, Werder Bremen's star player and German international Marko Marin also had his say: "I'll crush Dortmund with goals. As for Ye... honestly, he's not even on my radar."
"But you've scored the same six goals and are tied with him for fifth on the scorer's list," a reporter pointed out.
"Is that so? After the game, we won't be tied anymore," Marko Marin replied coldly before walking off.
To be fair, Marin, as a German international, had every reason to be confident.
Interestingly, Marin and Ye Chen are quite similar as playersâboth are fast and capable of scoring spectacular long-range goals.
Jürgen Klopp, while reading the news, couldn't help but sigh, "Truly, the older, the wiser!"
"What do you mean?" Zeljko Buvac asked curiously.
"Ferguson said that on purpose to make Ye Chen the target, turning him into the enemy of every team and fan in Germany," Klopp explained grimly. "Master tacticians always play dirty."
Buvac nodded in realization. "If Ye Chen weren't our player, we'd probably also focus heavily on shutting him down!"
Klopp agreed. "But if we don't play Ye Chen, who do we play?"
"Perisic. While his form isn't as good as Ye's, he's still a reliable option," Buvac suggested.
"We have no choice but to go with him. Ye should stay out of the spotlight for now," Klopp said with a sigh.
Playing Ye Chen now would be like sending him to the guillotine. Players, when provoked, can act recklessly, and Klopp didn't want to risk Ye Chen getting hurt.
Especially against Werder Bremen, who are no pushovers. After eight rounds, they've racked up five wins, one draw, and two losses, sitting second in the league, just three points behind Bayern Munich.
Clearly, they're formidable opponents.
"Everyone, gather around! Time to announce the starting lineup!"
Klopp removed Ye Chen's name and replaced him with Perisic, wearing number 14.
The players all crowded into the coaching area.
Mario Götze draped an arm around Ye Chen's shoulder. "You're in such great form lately. A few of the guys are running on fumes. Your chance to start is coming!"
"Thanks for the good vibes!" Ye Chen replied with a smile.
He felt confident in his performance during today's training session, scoring twice and assisting Götze for another goal. His sheer speed on the field was exhilaratingâit felt like lightning in motion.
"Don't worry; your talent isn't at an ordinary academy level," Götze said with a grin. He had clearly seen the news.
Ye Chen, on the other hand, was clueless. He'd been undergoing grueling training daily and only used his phone to chat with Lina, completely ignoring the news. Lina, although aware of the media frenzy, hadn't mentioned it, knowing the coverage was overwhelmingly negative toward Ye.
"The goalkeeper is still Weidenfeller!"
Once everyone was in position, Klopp began announcing the lineup.
"The five defenders are GroÃkreutz, Piszczek, SubotiÄ, Hummels, and Owomoyela!"
The named players acknowledged the announcement. While the regular starters remained composed, reserve player Owomoyela looked ecstatic. After all, more playing time meant more exposure, which directly impacted income and career prospects.
"The three midfielders are Götze, GündoÄan, and Sven Bender!"
All three raised their hands.
"The two forwards are Lewandowski and Perisic!"
This time, Klopp didn't play coy and revealed the lineup quickly.
Among the group, Ye Chen looked a bit disappointed. He had been in excellent form during training, so why wasn't he starting?
He concluded it was a matter of trust. The opponent was Werder Bremenâa title contender. If it had been a relegation-threatened team, he might have been given the nod. But against a strong opponent, the coach understandably preferred familiar faces.
"Now for the substitutes."
"Mitch Langerak, Kehl, Leitner, Kuba, Kagawa, Santana, and Ye!"
The substitutes were as expected. Though Kagawa hadn't been training, he would participate in light recovery work the next morning and join the team for the evening game, which kicked off at 7:30 PM.
Hearing his name on the bench, Ye Chen quickly adjusted his mindset.
The day's training ended, but Ye Chen didn't plan to leave. He wanted to put in extra shooting practice. His skill bar for shooting was almost full, just a sliver away from leveling up!
"Ye, there's a match tomorrow. Don't overdo it," Götze advised.
"No worries. I'm not starting anyway. One night's rest, and I'll be fine!" Ye Chen said with a grin.
Götze gave him a thumbs-up. "Just be careful and don't hurt yourself!"
Ye Chen grabbed a ball and headed to the shooting area to practice. He focused on perfecting the angles, the power, and the precision for each shot.
Klopp watched from the sidelines, sighing to himself. "I know you're eager to start, but I really don't want you to get injured."
Too many football prodigies had seen their careers ruined by injuries. Klopp wouldn't let that happen to Ye Chen.
But deep down, he was fuming. And that fury would be unleashed on Werder Bremen.
Second in the league? So what? We're the reigning champions!
Marko Marin? I'll crush you!
Every football fan knew one thing about Kloppâhe fiercely protected his players.