Chinese fans went wild.
The servers of the Football Association's official website were overwhelmed and completely crashed.
Controlled by such a group of people who don't understand football, when will Chinese football ever see the light of day?
And they dare accuse others of "worshipping foreign things"?
This is called facing reality!
It's a fact that Chinese football is lagging behind.
It's also a fact that European football is at the world's top right now!
A player who scores nine goals in three matches in the top five leagues, and you're telling me he's on par with domestic players?
Is it the fans who don't understand football, or is it the Football Association?
Fans were furious!
Tan Bing, head of the Football Association's PR department, broke into a cold sweat upon receiving a phone call.
"Brother-in-law, what should we do now?" Tan Bing hurriedly asked Liang Kailai, the U17 national team coach, standing next to him.
"Just ignore it," Liang Kailai replied calmly. "He won't last long."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I've reviewed Dortmund's schedule. They play Bayern in the 13th round and Schalke 04 in the 14th. Once these two matches expose his limits, Bayern and Schalke will surely figure out a way to contain him, and by then, he'll definitely be brought back to reality," Liang said coldly.
"But that's still half a month away!"
"No problem. By then, the national team will have played an away match against Iraq. As long as we secure the win, Ye Chen won't even have the chance to come back!" Liang said with absolute confidence.
"But what if... I mean, what if the national team loses again?" Tan Bing asked hesitantly.
Liang gave a confident smile. "Don't worry. The last loss was because of... never mind, I can't disclose too much insider information. Just rest assured."
Shortly after the Football Association released its statement, Dortmund announced their 18-man squad for the match against Cologne on their official website.
What happened next stunned everyone...
Lewandowski, who scored a hat-trick in the last match, was not on the list!
While everyone was curious, Klopp, during a pre-match press conference, provided an explanation.
"Lewandowski performed exceptionally in the last Champions League match, but the continuous games have caused muscle soreness. To be cautious, we've decided to rest him for one game."
Li Xinran directly asked Klopp, "Will Ye Chen start in the next match?"
"Why not?" Klopp replied with a smile. "Miss Li, you can start looking forward to your compatriot's first starting appearance at Signal Iduna Park."
In his previous substitute appearance, Ye Chen won over all Dortmund fans with a hat-trick.
The fan association even composed a "Song of Ye Chen," which quickly spread across fan groups.
Some die-hard Dortmund fans even compiled a video of Ye Chen's nine goals, set to the tune of this new "Song of Ye Chen"!
Of course, the lyrics were simple yet catchy:
"Ha-la-ha-la Ye Chen Ye Chen!
Ye Chen from Manchester United!
Our favorite Chinese boy, Ye Chen Ye Chen!
Our unstoppable Ye Chen!"
Just four simple lines, but with a great melody that sticks in your head after one listen!
As Dortmund's press conference concluded, Cologne also held their own.
"Dortmund confirmed that Ye will start. Do you have any countermeasures?"
"They have Ye, but we have Tomoaki!" Solbakken declared proudly.
"Are you suggesting this will be an 'Asian Derby'?"
"This is no Asian Derby; it's just a regular Bundesliga match. Besides, Dortmund also has Kagawa, another Asian player," Solbakken denied such a characterization outright.
But as the press conferences ended, chaos erupted in China.
The Football Association's server, freshly repaired, was once again overwhelmed...
"Are you serious? It's not even been a day, and he's already starting!"
"That slap in the face came faster than a tornado. So Ye Chen isn't just a substitute, huh?"
"He's just a benchwarmerâmy ass!"
The poor server maintenance team of the Football Association had a rough day!
Meanwhile, a post-match interview with Makino Tomoaki surfaced.
After training, he confidently declared, "Everyone knows Ye is currently a top striker in the Bundesliga, but I specialize in dealing with Chinese players. Every time I faced China while representing Sakura Nation, I defeated them and kept a clean sheet! I'll show the coach my abilities and become Ye's nightmare. Mark my words, even if he's the Monkey King, he can't escape my Five-Finger Mountain!"
Wow, the guy even reads Journey to the West...
Upon hearing this interview, Chinese fans couldn't sit still.
They flooded Dortmund forums with messages:
"Ye Chen, destroy this 'Life-is-Good' guy!"
"Smash that Tomoaki!"
"That name thoughâMakino Tomoaki? Why not just call him 'Makino Idiot'?"
"Is it your credit that Sakura Nation wins against China? That's just because Chinese football is weak!"
"Enough said. If Ye Chen crushes this Tomoaki, I'll become his die-hard fan!"
While forums in China were ablaze, the topic received little attention abroad.
Ye Chen himself had no time to follow the news.
On his way out of the training ground, he was cornered by Li Xinran for a brief interview.
"Cologne's Makino Tomoaki said he'll shut you down. What's your response?"
"Who is this Makino Tomoaki? Isn't Cologne's main center-back pairing Ritter and Sereno?" Ye Chen asked curiously.
Having attended Klopp's tactical meeting earlier that evening, Ye Chen was familiar with Cologne's usual lineup and playing style.
Li Xinran, momentarily at a loss for words, explained, "He's a player from Sakura Nation. He claims to have a unique way of dealing with Chinese players. He said he'll freeze you during the game, regain his coach's trust, and secure a starting spot at Cologne, leading to the peak of his career!"
Ye Chen couldn't help but laugh. "Haha, I suggest he give up football and try writing novels instead..."
"Pfft..." Li Xinran burst out laughing. "Can you make a prediction? Will you score against Cologne?"
"I'm in decent form recently. At least one goal, I think," Ye Chen replied modestly.
To be honest, as long as he plays, he's guaranteed a baseline of 1-0, barring injuries.
After all, his "Long-Range Shot Card" had evolved into the "Super Heavy Cannon." Just three shots, and he's guaranteed a goal!
"Thank you for the interview, and good luck tomorrow!" Li Xinran said with a sweet smile. "Oh, and all the fans back home are rooting for you to crush that... Makino Tomoaki. Go for it!"
"I will! And you should get some rest. Cheer for me tomorrow!" Ye Chen waved as he left the training ground.
Watching his departing figure, Li Xinran's smile grew even brighter.
During her time at Dortmund, she noticed Ye Chen was always the first to arrive and the last to leave the training ground.
If only all Chinese players were as dedicated as Ye Chen, how could they not thrive abroad?
Sigh...