Chapter 113: Chapter 113: I'll Let Him Play at the Right Time

Ye Chen's performance record reads: 20 goals in 6 matches, averaging more than 3 goals per game.

The most impressive part? His playing time—out of the six matches, he came on as a substitute in four. In his last game, where he scored a hat-trick, he only played for ten minutes.

His efficiency stands unmatched in Europe!

But Klopp remains conflicted—should he start Lewandowski or Ye Chen?

Ye Chen's brilliant performances have once again drawn the attention of top-tier clubs.

Although Dortmund has risen to prominence in the past two years, their overall reputation and strength still lag behind the giants. Many clubs are confident they can lure Ye Chen away from Signal Iduna Park.

Manchester United scouts are still observing Ye Chen in the Bundesliga, eyes locked on him like hawks.

Real Madrid's Mourinho initially made a tentative offer, but this time is different—he's personally traveled to Germany to watch the match at Allianz Arena.

Not only that, but representatives from Milan, PSG, Manchester City, and Chelsea—managers or scouts—are all in the stands. Whether they are there specifically for Ye Chen is uncertain.

Even Germany's national team coach, Joachim Löw, is present.

To put it simply, the two teams in this Der Klassiker make up nearly half of Germany's national team.

Especially Bayern, who form the backbone of the German squad!

Mario Gomez, Thomas Müller, Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber, and Manuel Neuer...

Germany's starting eleven is practically built around Bayern players.

On the Dortmund side, Götze, Gündogan, Hummels, Schmelzer, and Weidenfeller are all regular national team players.

This is the real clash of titans!

Bayern's influence on the German national team cannot be overstated. After Guardiola joined Bayern and introduced a possession-based style, it directly impacted Germany's tactics, leading to a phase of inconsistency.

The relentless driving force of the German "Panzer" seemed to fade, and Germany's results took a nosedive during those years.

This highlights how significant Bayern's influence on the national team truly is.

A saying circulates in the Bundesliga—Bayern treats the rest of the league as its talent pool. If you show enough potential, you'll eventually find yourself at Bayern.

Just like Götze and Hummels, who would later transfer to Bayern one after the other.

A week ago, before a friendly match, Klopp had mentioned he would announce the starting lineup afterward.

In that friendly, Ye Chen played as a left winger, while Lewandowski occupied the forward position.

But Ye Chen played a bit selfishly—long shots, cutting inside, set-pieces...

You couldn't say he did it all, but he certainly scored at will.

The poor opposition ended up losing 8-0!

The next day at training, Klopp revealed the starting eleven, and Ye Chen felt a little disappointed.

But since the coach had made his decision, there wasn't much he could do.

As the match drew closer, the excitement for Der Klassiker gripped all of Germany.

Fans were the most excited of all.

Over 3,000 Dortmund fans managed to secure tickets at Allianz Arena—they were ready.

The match was scheduled for 1:30 AM in China.

Although consideration was given to Asian fans, domestic supporters always take precedence for Der Klassiker.

Tonight's match kicks off at 7:30 PM, Saturday, in Germany.

The Bayern and Dortmund buses arrived at the venue one after another.

Fans outside were already screaming before the game even started.

Naturally, tensions were high between the two teams pre-match.

Klopp confidently stated in the pre-match press conference, "Bayern is indeed strong, and Allianz Arena is intimidating. But we've already won here once—why not a second time?"

Reporters also asked if Ye Chen would start.

Klopp's answer was straightforward, "Ye just recovered from injury. I don't think starting him is the best option."

"But some players revealed Ye scored five goals in the friendly match. Doesn't such a performance warrant a starting spot?"

Klopp frowned. Weren't they told not to disclose the friendly match results?

"He's still young. I'll put him on at the right time," Klopp responded calmly.

On Bayern's side, Heynckes led the pre-match press conference with new team captain Philipp Lahm.

Former captain Van Bommel had transferred to AC Milan in 2011, and Lahm, the legendary dual captain for both Bayern and Germany, succeeded him.

At Lahm's peak, a famous phrase circulated:

When asked who the best full-back in the world was, the answer was—"It depends on which side Lahm plays."

This speaks volumes about Lahm's extraordinary abilities.

Heynckes, brimming with confidence, declared, "Yes, Dortmund has beaten Bayern twice in a row, but not under my watch. I believe this time Bayern will claim victory in Der Klassiker!"

Reporters pressed him for a Bundesliga title prediction.

Heynckes chuckled, "Isn't it obvious? Last season, the giant simply dozed off. This season, we're reclaiming our glory! Does Klopp think a 17-year-old can turn the tide? He'll have to get past me first!"

Everyone knew who the 17-year-old was—Ye Chen.

After all, Ye's performances had been sensational, securing last-minute victories against Werder Bremen and Stuttgart!

Those two games alone earned Dortmund six points.

"Has Bayern found a way to stop Ye Chen?" one reporter asked.

Heynckes smiled. "We do have a plan for Ye, but the real question is—will Klopp start a 17-year-old in Der Klassiker? Let's discuss our plan when Ye actually steps onto the pitch!"

Will Ye Chen play?

No.

Because 17-year-olds don't start in Der Klassiker.

At 6:30 PM, both teams warmed up on the field.

Fans had already packed the stands, eager and excited.

"There's Ye! It's Ye!"

"He's so handsome in real life!"

"Ye Chen! I love you!"

Ye, warming up, waved to the female fans—surprised to hear "I love you" shouted in Chinese.

The shout came from a Bayern-supporting fan...

This match felt different from any before.

Even before kickoff, Ye could feel the intense atmosphere.

For a week, the hype for this Der Klassiker had been building—not just in Germany but worldwide.

This match stood alongside Manchester United vs. Liverpool, El Clásico, and Inter vs. Juventus.

Ye used to watch these matches on TV—today, he was part of it!

"How are you feeling, Ye?" Götze grinned, leaning in. "Nervous?"

"It's amazing! I can't wait to start!"

"Haha, just don't wet your pants when you start!" Götze laughed and jogged away.

Yes—Ye Chen was starting!

At 17 years and 66 days, he was set to become the youngest starter in Der Klassiker history!