The Intra-Squad Training Match Officially Kicks Off
The two teams were divided into nine players each, with each half lasting 30 minutes.
Ye Chen was on the team wearing yellow bibs, which also included Shinji Kagawa.
Besides him, there were also future Manchester City redemption story İlkay Gündoğan and Ivan Perišić, who would later dominate Serie A!
It had to be said that Dortmund's attacking lineup during this period was truly dazzling.
Perhaps this was the key to breaking Bayern's dominance.
The players in the yellow team gathered in a circle, with the team captain, Kehl, speaking.
Kehl was a 32-year-old midfielder with high prestige in the team.
"You should all understand the significance of today's match. If Ye is in an open position, pass the ball to him immediately, got it?" Kehl said in a deep voice.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
At this moment, Shinji Kagawa also spoke in English, "You need to tell us about your technical characteristics. That will help us deliver you better passes!"
Ye Chen smiled and responded, "I have three main traits: great stamina, the ability to shoot from distance, and decent speed!"
Everyone nodded again, and Kehl placed his hand in the middle.
"Guys, even though this is just a training match, what is our goal?"
"Victory!"
"Exactly! We must give our all!"
"Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
All the players stacked their hands together and roared in unison!
For a moment, Ye Chen felt his blood boiling. He couldn't help but think—this is just a training match, do we really need this much intensity?
But as soon as the game started, he understood why Dortmund had risen so quickly in the Bundesliga.
Every training session was taken so seriously—how could they not succeed?
Moreover, the pace of this match was incredibly fast.
Ye Chen was doing his best to adapt to the game's tempo, while on the sidelines, Klopp carefully observed his performance.
Many players had good individual skills, but not all fit into different tactical systems.
What Klopp needed was a player who could integrate seamlessly. If Ye Chen failed to show certain qualities, he might be sent to the second team!
There, he could gain match experience and better adapt to the Bundesliga.
But just as Klopp was lost in thought, Ye Chen had already completed a shot on goal.
From 24 meters outside the box on the left side, he received a horizontal pass from Shinji Kagawa.
The shooting angle was tight, but Ye Chen seized the opportunity.
"Boom!"
It wasn't a powerful strike, but a clever shot.
The ball traced a beautiful arc in the air, heading toward the far post!
Goalkeeper and vice-captain Weidenfeller dived to save it. At 32 years old, he was still in his best form.
But this shot came too suddenly!
"Slap!"
Weidenfeller's fingertips brushed the ball, sending it narrowly past the post for a corner kick.
"Great save!"
Sven Bender from the red team cheered for Weidenfeller.
Meanwhile, the yellow team players praised Ye Chen.
Shinji Kagawa even gave a thumbs-up. "Ye, that was a fantastic shot!"
"Thanks," Ye Chen responded calmly.
Perhaps due to historical reasons, Ye Chen remained somewhat indifferent toward Shinji Kagawa.
But since Kagawa was being so polite, he couldn't just ignore him.
So, he simply replied out of courtesy.
The match continued!
Ye Chen gradually adapted to the team's rhythm and actively participated in the high press!
Now, everyone understood why he claimed to have great stamina.
Every time the ball was passed into the red team's half, he pressed aggressively, and his teammates followed suit.
This was the essence of the "Gegenpressing" tactic.
Of course, the red team didn't back down either, leading to rapid turnovers in possession.
The first goal of the match didn't come from the yellow team but from the red team's Robert Lewandowski.
With a low-driven shot, he broke through substitute goalkeeper Langerak's defense.
However, Ye Chen didn't have to wait long for his own goal.
At 24 minutes and 28 seconds in the first half, Ye Chen received a through pass from Shinji Kagawa inside the box and calmly slotted the ball past Weidenfeller with a precise finish.
After scoring, Ye Chen high-fived Shinji Kagawa, who ran up to celebrate with him.
He had to admit—Kagawa's passing was truly smooth.
Far better than Januzaj's, by a mile...
Perhaps this was the quality of a Bundesliga MVP!
The first half ended in a 1-1 draw, and the teams took a 10-minute break.
Gathering together, they discussed the first half's performance. Kehl gave Ye Chen some tips on positioning and pointed out the red team's defensive habits.
Meanwhile, Klopp was busy jotting down notes.
"What do you think? Can he stay?" Buvac asked, getting straight to the point.
Klopp nodded. "Of course! Right now, I'm thinking about what kind of salary we should offer to keep him at Dortmund!"
"His previous contract was just a youth apprentice deal," Buvac reminded.
"I know that, but his ability is worth a salary over 10,000 euros per week!"
"I think the first contract shouldn't be too high, or we'll have trouble negotiating renewals later," Buvac whispered.
"But if we offer too little, he'll be easily poached. We need to show our sincerity," Klopp replied firmly.
Although it was just one half of football, experts could see the deeper aspects of his game.
First, Ye Chen's adaptability.
In just a few minutes, he adjusted to the team's tempo. Moreover, he was willing—and very effective—at pressing the opponent!
This was a pleasant surprise for Klopp!
Second, his positioning and finishing.
While Kagawa's passing was sharp, Ye Chen's movement was equally unpredictable.
He managed to find space against Hummels and Subotić, Dortmund's title-winning center-back duo from last season.
And that final finish? Pure killer instinct.
Finally, his stamina.
Thirty minutes had passed, yet Ye Chen wasn't even gasping for breath.
And this wasn't a casual training session—it was intense and match-like!
Klopp had demanded a competitive attitude and tempo, and Ye Chen not only kept up but thrived under it.
This kid was like someone playing a game with cheat codes!
Most importantly, he was only 17 years old!
How far could he go in the future?
Perhaps... he was an even greater talent than Mario Götze!
Klopp had watched Chinese films before, so he knew an important lesson about working with Chinese people: earn trust with sincerity!
Heart to heart, sincerity for sincerity.
So, he decided to offer Ye Chen a generous salary!
As for the exact amount? That would depend on his second-half performance…
Now, Klopp was eagerly looking forward to what Ye Chen would show next.
Let's wait and see!