Ye Chen is a bigger threat than Kagawa.

Dortmund's next match was against Olympiacos, a Greek powerhouse. However, compared to football, their basketball team had been far more successful.

Interestingly, Marin, who had been completely overwhelmed by Ye Chen in the last match, would be playing for Olympiacos in the future.

This was a testament to how badly Marin's career would turn out…

It also reinforced the idea that choices matter more than effort!

As Einstein once said, success is 99% hard work and 1% inspiration.

Without that 1% inspiration, no amount of effort would make a difference.

However, this match had nothing to do with Ye Chen. His focus was on the next league game.

Ye Chen watched the post-match press conference, where Klopp confirmed that he would start in the next league match. However, his position and tactical role would only be determined in the final strategy session before the game.

Meanwhile, their next opponent was already holding a tactical meeting!

The core topic of their discussion was simple: how to contain Ye Chen.

Nine goals in three matches—if they didn't plan for a player like this, they didn't deserve to call themselves professional coaches.

At Cologne's training facility, head coach Ståle Solbakken and his tactical team were intently watching a video on a large screen.

The footage analyzed Ye Chen's movements and goal-scoring moments from his match against Werder Bremen.

"My God, how could Manchester United terminate the contract of such a brilliant striker? What were their executives thinking?"

"Ferguson actually claimed his training performance was mediocre… Just look at his pace—it's already among the best in Europe!"

"He's definitely fast, but his explosiveness seems a bit lacking."

"True, and considering Klopp has only used him as a substitute in the last three matches, maybe there's a question about his stamina?"

"I can comment on that! I've watched many Chinese teams play in the AFC Champions League. They can only perform well for about 70 minutes—stamina is their biggest issue!"

"I remember that South Korean players are known for their endurance, right?"

"Yes, and Japanese players also struggle with stamina. Just look at our own player, Tomoaki Makino."

"Oh, come on, Makino isn't even in the same league as Ye Chen—he's way too weak!"

"Agreed!" Everyone nodded.

Solbakken interrupted their discussion. "Alright, let's stay focused on analyzing Ye Chen's strengths."

"He's very fast but lacks explosive acceleration."

"His ball control is excellent, and he's a skilled dribbler!"

"His long shots are deadly, and his set-piece ability is top-tier!"

The more they discussed, the more they realized how formidable Ye Chen was.

How could a club release such a talented player?

Perhaps this was the true depth of Manchester United's squad. Even a generational talent like Ye Chen was considered expendable.

Solbakken nodded. "Now, how should we contain this guy? Polak, you go first."

Polak, Cologne's assistant coach in charge of pre-match analysis, spoke up.

"I think the best way to handle a player like Ye Chen is to double-mark him. Werder Bremen did this well in the second half of their match—Naldo blocked his inside cuts, while Papastathopoulos focused on intercepting the ball. We could learn from that approach."

"But Ye Chen likes to drop deep to receive the ball. If our defenders follow him out, our formation will be disrupted!" Another defensive coach, Schiel, frowned.

"Then what do you suggest?" Polak asked irritably, unhappy that his idea was challenged.

"I think we should prioritize zonal marking!" Schiel insisted. "If we must use man-marking, it would be better to assign a defensive midfielder to track him."

"That's ridiculous!" Polak sneered. "If our defensive midfielder focuses solely on Ye Chen, it will leave a huge gap in the middle. Don't forget, Dortmund still has Kagawa, who is a major attacking threat!"

"But right now, Ye Chen is a bigger threat than Kagawa!" Schiel argued.

"Kagawa can still decide the match!"

The two coaches began to argue heatedly…

If Ye Chen were present, he would have told them it wasn't that serious.

After all, it was just three points at stake!

Solbakken cut in before things got out of hand. "Calm down, both of you. Let's not lose our composure before the match even starts!"

"Yes, and don't forget, we have Podolski!"

Lukas Podolski—the man currently second in the league's top scorer rankings.

Nicknamed "Prince Poldi," he was fast, powerful, and had a rocket shot.

Cologne had spent a hefty €10 million to bring him back from Bayern Munich, and in March 2010, he had smashed a 25-meter free-kick past Bayern, securing a draw for Cologne and earning the Man of the Match award.

This match would be a battle of elite strikers!

"So, are we going to play an attacking game against Dortmund? Keep in mind, the match is at Signal Iduna Park…" Polak hesitated.

Signal Iduna Park—the very name of Dortmund's fortress sent shivers down their spines.

Solbakken sighed. This Dortmund team was terrifying.

Kagawa, Götze, Perišić, and Gündoğan were already hard enough to handle.

Now, they also had the goal machine, Ye Chen…

The coaching staff was at a loss.

"For now, let's all take time to think about how to stop Ye Chen. If anyone comes up with a solid strategy, report it immediately!" Solbakken instructed gravely.

Damn David Gill.

If only he hadn't terminated Ye Chen's contract, the kid would still be playing in England.

Then, Cologne wouldn't have to deal with this nightmare…

"Don't worry, Ståle, we'll find a way!"

"Yes, we can't let a 17-year-old run riot in the Bundesliga!"

"If all else fails, we could have our players tackle him aggressively…" Schiel muttered darkly.

But Solbakken immediately snapped, "Schiel, watch your words! Football is a sport, not a platform for violence!"

Schiel smirked. "Of course, we can't have our own players foul him. But don't forget, we have a Japanese player. And from what I know, there's quite a bit of historical tension between Japan and China…"

Solbakken's stern expression wavered.

"You're saying… we could make it look like an accident?"

Schiel lowered his voice. "Makino is already sidelined because his defensive play is too rough. If we send him in to mark Ye Chen… well, if something happens, it's just bad luck, right?"

A clever use of "killing with a borrowed knife."

Meanwhile, Ye Chen had no idea he was being targeted…

Knowing his weaknesses, he was working hard on training.

As a believer in total football, he was practicing defensive play with Kagawa.

And soon, he realized just how terrifying Kagawa was.

Too fast, too agile, and his footwork was incredibly smooth.

No wonder people called Japan the "Brazil of Asia"—they definitely had the technical skills to back it up!

This translation preserves the tone and intent of your original text while making it natural and engaging in English. Let me know if you'd like any adjustments!