Mainz is Jürgen Klopp's home club, where he spent 12 years of his professional career. However, during his playing days, Mainz was always a second-division team in Germany, meaning Klopp himself never had the chance to play in the Bundesliga.
After retiring from Mainz, Klopp became the head coach in the 2000-2001 season. No one could have imagined that this man would go on to achieve the unthinkable!
In the 2003-2004 season, Klopp made history by leading Mainz to promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in the club's historyâdespite not even having acquired his top-tier coaching license at the time!
It's undeniable that Klopp is a natural as a coach.
Later, Bayern Munich showed interest in him, but he ultimately chose Dortmund.
Just last year, in the 2010-2011 season, Dortmund broke Bayern's monopoly on the league and clinched the championship.
However, the new season has gotten off to a rough start for Dortmund.
After six matches, both Dortmund and Mainz had identical records: 2 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses, earning 7 points each. Dortmund ranked 11th, while Mainz sat at 13th, though Dortmund had a goal difference of +1 compared to Mainz's -5.
In the fifth round, Mainz suffered a disastrous 4-0 loss to Hoffenheim, which wrecked their goal difference. Nevertheless, they still managed to score one more goal than Dortmund.
Dortmund, on the other hand, was winless in three consecutive matches: a 0-0 draw against tough opponents Bayer Leverkusen and 1-2 losses to both Hertha Berlin and Hannover 96.
Hannover is a mid-table team, while Hertha is battling relegation.
As a result, Klopp has been under immense pressure from public opinion latelyâafter all, Dortmund is the defending champion!
Such performances were far from satisfying for the fans.
This upcoming match was a must-win for Dortmund.
The media wasn't optimistic about Dortmund either. With Barrios sidelined due to injury, their frontline lacked firepower. Could they really rely on a backup striker who only scored eight goals in a season?
The day before the match, Klopp announced the starting and substitute lineup at Dortmund's training ground.
Ye Chen successfully made it into the substitutes.
For this match, Dortmund stuck to their usual 4-2-3-1 formation! Despite having a midweek Champions League game, Klopp still opted to field a full-strength lineup.
"Notice of Punishment for Wang Bo, Leader of the U17 National Team!"
The domestic football scene was rocked by a viral report!
The leaked recording from Ye Chen dealt a devastating blow to the Football Association's reputation!
Especially the phrase "My rules are the rules," which became a widely shared joke...
The notice primarily focused on punishing Wang Bo, with no mention of Ye Chen.
Wang Bo was dismissed from the U17 national team, banned from working in football-related roles in China for a year, and fined 50,000 yuan.
But was this punishment severe enough?
Netizens were outraged, protesting against such a light penalty for someone who had harmed young players, abused power, and accepted bribes.
The Football Association's attitude seemed to suggest they wanted to sweep the matter under the rug...
This blatant neglect of accountability fueled public frustration.
However, because of this incident, Ye Chen gained significant visibility.
Ye Chen had recently joined the reigning Bundesliga champions, Borussia Dortmund. Earlier this July, Hao Junmin terminated his contract with Schalke 04, leaving Ye Chen as the sole Chinese player in top-flight European football.
Ye Chen became the fourth Chinese player to play in the Bundesliga, following Yang Chen, Shao Jiayi, and Hao Junmin.
For Chinese fans disillusioned with their national football, Ye Chen's appearance brought a glimmer of hope. But no one was more thrilled than CCTV-5!
As the broadcaster holding live rights, they quickly arranged coverage of the match upon hearing Klopp confirm Ye Chen's inclusion in the squad during the press conference.
Additionally, Ye Chen's photo was featured prominently on their website's front page.
The headline was striking: "Chinese Talent Ye Chen's Dortmund Debut Is Imminent!"
Interest in the Bundesliga and this young player named Ye Chen surged overnight.
Yet Ye Chen remained oblivious to all of this.
The match, scheduled for 3:30 PM German time, would take place at 9:30 PM in Chinaâan ideal time for domestic fans!
Unlike late-night Premier League or La Liga games, Bundesliga matches adjusted their kickoff times to better accommodate Asian audiences.
That morning, Dortmund held a light recovery training session. Klopp also took the opportunity to have a brief chat with Ye Chen.
"Ye, how are you feeling? Think you can play today?" Klopp asked, wrapping an arm around Ye Chen's shoulders in a friendly manner.
"Of course, I feel great!" Ye Chen nodded enthusiastically.
He was eager to play his first professional match!
Klopp nodded. "Stay ready, Dortmund needs your cannon!"
"I'll make the most of the opportunity!" Ye Chen clenched his fists with determination.
After an early lunch, the team boarded the bus to Mainz.
Experienced fans know that pre-match press conferences are usually held the day before the game. Dortmund's away match against Mainz was no exception, with Klopp and captain Kehl addressing the media last night.
One reporter asked whether Ye Chen would make his debut.
Klopp responded, "Any player in the squad has the chance to playâstay tuned."
Reporter Li Xinran asked whether Ye Chen was ready for Bundesliga-level competition.
Klopp smiled, "Ye has the skills to play in any league. He'll prove it soon enough!"
The final question about Ye Chen was whether he could coexist with Shinji Kagawa.
Klopp, slightly puzzled, replied, "They're both professionals who won't bring off-field issues onto the pitch!"
As the bus pulled into the stadium, Ye Chen experienced the Bundesliga atmosphere firsthand.
Fans were everywhere, including many Dortmund supporters who had traveled at their own expense to cheer for the team.
Sitting next to Ye Chen, Mario Götze noticed something and asked, "Ye, your hands are shakingâare you nervous?"
Feigning a casual tone, he patted Ye Chen on the shoulder. "Relax. I was super nervous in my first match too. I couldn't even sleep the night before... Almost showed up late the next morning!"
But Ye Chen laughed, "My hands are shaking because I'm excited... I can't wait to play my first match!"
His eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Uh..." Seeing Ye Chen's expression, Götze facepalmed.
"This guy... is he a freak or something?!"