The match resumed.

However, Inter Milan's players could no longer organize any effective attacks.

The first half ended after only two minutes of added time, with Dortmund leading 3-0 at home against Inter!

Nobody had anticipated such a scoreline before the match—not even Klopp!

So when the players gradually returned to the locker room, Klopp, without caring that Ye Chen was drenched in sweat, immediately embraced him.

"Ye, you were absolutely brilliant today!" Klopp exclaimed.

Hearing this, Ye Chen was momentarily stunned.

Lina had just said the exact same thing to him a couple of days ago!

Quickly recovering, he laughed and replied, "It was mostly luck, and honestly, they really are as you said, a bit past their prime!"

Klopp burst into laughter. "Go refuel! Do you want a banana or some chocolate? Or maybe you need a massage to relax your muscles?"

"No, no, I'm fine!" Ye Chen hurriedly declined.

"Boss, I want a banana!" Sven Bender raised his hand and called out to Klopp.

"Go get it yourself if you want one," Klopp retorted, rolling his eyes and ignoring him.

The entire locker room erupted in laughter.

Of course, this was the relaxed atmosphere after taking a lead.

"Alright, everyone, take a seat. Let's talk about the tactics for the second half..."

Despite the 3-0 lead in the first half, Dortmund couldn't afford to let their guard down.

After all, Liverpool had famously overturned a 3-0 deficit in Istanbul!

"Ye-kun is just too strong; I think I've fallen for him!"

"I started watching to see Kagawa, but now I'm completely captivated by Ye-kun. What should I do?"

"Wow, I didn't know Asians could be this incredible!"

"I used to think Kagawa was the pinnacle of Asian football. Now I realize Ye-kun is on another level!"

"I'll never underestimate Chinese players again!"

"Will another freak like Ye suddenly appear in China?"

On sports forums in Japan, Ye Chen became a sensation.

His popularity even surpassed that of Shinji Kagawa!

At this time, Kagawa was considered the top figure in Japanese football, with a high reputation for his looks, skill, and fame.

Yet, thanks to Ye Chen's outstanding performance this season, he had successfully won over a large number of Kagawa's fans.

While football is a team sport, the allure of individual heroism cannot be denied!

If Ye Chen was this popular in Japan, it goes without saying how much buzz he created back in China.

Several Chinese celebrities shared posts about him...

"I've always heard that guys who play football are super handsome. But in my mind, football players were dark and dirty. Today, my worldview has been completely overturned... ahhh, I'm officially a fan of Ye God @YeChen!" posted Yang Mi on Weibo, along with a picture of Ye Chen scoring a goal and a photo of herself with Dilraba Dilmurat.

Dilraba also updated her post: "ootd: New idol @YeChen."

Her post included several pictures: three of Ye Chen's scoring moments and a final one of her hugging Yang Mi. Both were dressed in pajamas.

[Note: "ootd" stands for "outfit of the day," commonly used on Instagram.]

Lu Han also updated his profile: "Ye Chen, yyds (forever the best)! The first Chinese player to score in the Champions League—and with a hat-trick! Bro Ye is unstoppable! My biggest wish this year is to play a game with Bro Ye! @YeChen"

It wasn't just these three celebrities.

Countless stars shared their thoughts!

The buzz was unrivaled, trending at the top.

Not only in Japan and China but also in Europe.

The most posts on Instagram came from Germany and Italy.

German fans eagerly anticipated seeing Ye Chen don the German national team jersey against France in the upcoming friendly. Meanwhile, Italian fans were left bewildered.

Many Italian fans didn't follow international news or watch the Bundesliga.

Although Ye Chen's previous "five goals in five minutes" performance had gone viral in Europe, few knew his true abilities.

This match thoroughly stunned Italian fans.

As a result, countless Portuguese, Dutch, and Danish fans voiced their dissatisfaction, with some complaining:

"Germany is already so strong, and now they've naturalized Ye Chen? Who can beat them in the future?"

"You might as well just play by yourselves!"

Meanwhile, Löw was beaming with joy in the stands.

Initially, he had some reservations about Ye Chen's inability to act as a traditional target forward, but those worries had vanished.

Even if Ye Chen couldn't play up front, he could dominate on the left wing.

With his performance today, comparing him to Cristiano Ronaldo wouldn't be an exaggeration!

The 15-minute halftime break passed quickly.

Ye Chen had captured global attention...

Numerous European models and actresses set their sights on him, planning to "host concerts" or find other excuses to meet him.

Of course, Ye Chen had no idea.

Since Dortmund had a 3-0 lead in the first half, Klopp instructed the team to pull back slightly and focus on counterattacks.

The plan was to hold off for the first ten minutes, tire out the opponent, and then resume attacking with the left flank as the focal point.

Given Ye Chen's stellar form, he was the natural choice to exploit their advantage.

Even though a hat-trick was already impressive, who would complain about scoring more goals?

Not to mention, Ye Chen still had his "long-range guaranteed goal" card unused!

After transitioning to a winger role, Ye Chen's opportunities for long-range shots had decreased. His three first-half goals were all scored inside the penalty area.

He was determined to go for four goals this match...

Inter Milan made two substitutions at the start of the second half.

Chivu replaced Maicon at left-back, while the reliable Yuto Nagatomo shifted to right-back.

Maicon's performance had declined significantly after being outpaced by Bale in the past. Facing Ye Chen in the first half, he conceded three goals, earning a dismal rating.

The other substitution saw Zarate come on for Forlán.

Zarate, a forward on loan from Lazio, was known for his selfish playstyle and nicknamed "Zara Never Passes" and "Zarate the King."

This substitution showed Ranieri's intent: Maicon was blamed for defensive woes, and Forlán for offensive struggles.

The two scapegoats sat on the bench expressionless, clearly frustrated.

Their only hope now was for Ranieri to leave quickly and stop sabotaging Inter Milan!

When Ye Chen saw Nagatomo in front of him, a playful smile appeared on his face.

But Nagatomo felt uneasy under Ye Chen's gaze.

What kind of expression is that? Why does it look so ominous?

In Ye Chen's eyes, Nagatomo was even less of a challenge than Maicon.

But he would let the game decide...

Inter pressed hard at the start, fully committing to attack.

Their momentum was strong right out of the gate.

But Dortmund was ready, positioned to counter every move.

Without a "long-range guaranteed goal" card, breaking through such a defense was nearly impossible.

Moreover, with Ye Chen and Lewandowski lurking up front, Inter couldn't afford to push up entirely.

Nagatomo and Zanetti stayed within 3-4 meters of Ye Chen, keeping a close eye on him.

At 47:19, Inter created their first great opportunity.

Sneijder, showcasing his midfield mastery, sent a perfect through ball to Zarate.

Zarate burst past Subotić and fired a half-volley at Weidenfeller, only for the keeper to tip it away...

At 49:42, Inter earned a throw-in on the left.

Chivu threw it to Poli, who passed to Stanković. A quick switch to the flank found Zarate, who sent a curling cross into the box.

Despite being just 183 cm tall, Milito found the perfect spot and powered a diving header into the advertising board!

Weidenfeller restarted play with a short pass to Hummels under heavy pressure from Inter.

Out of options, Hummels passed back to Weidenfeller, who launched a long ball toward Lewandowski.

Lewandowski controlled it, laid it off to Kagawa, who then played it wide to Ye Chen.

Nagatomo immediately closed in on Ye Chen.

Seeing the two face off, Kagawa couldn't help but sigh.

"Stay strong, senior... Don't end up like Maicon."

Ye Chen approached with deliberate slowness.

Nagatomo's 170 cm height gave him a low center of gravity and quick footwork, qualities that once frustrated even Zlatan Ibrahimović.

But Ye Chen, knowing Nagatomo's strengths, chose speed.

With a burst of acceleration, Ye Chen surged past him.

Despite Nagatomo's quick reaction, Ye Chen was ready.

A quick toe-poke nutmegged Nagatomo, leaving him flat-footed.

Ye Chen dashed past and whipped in a precise cross with his left foot.

Lewandowski rose above the defense and smashed a header...

"Bang!"