Chapter 57: The Day Before
Alex woke before the sky had even begun to change color, long before the soft blue of morning touched the horizon. The darkness clung to the windows, and for a few seconds, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling. His heart was already beating too fast. Not from fear, not from dread, but from the kind of anticipation that churns deep in the gut, reminding you that today isn’t just any day.
It was the day before one of Lecce’s biggest matches of the season, a Coppa Italia knockout clash against giants AC Milan.
There were no snowflakes outside, no heavy fog, just the crisp air of December, pressing softly against the town. Lecce still held that festive charm, twinkling lights on the streets, and garlands decorating store windows, but inside Alex’s world, there was no time for holiday magic. Inside the training ground, inside his mind, it was all business. All focus.
He dressed in silence, pulled on his warm black jacket, and left the apartment. His steps echoed against the pavement. Not many people were out this early. By the time he entered the training ground’s main building, the light buzzed overhead, and he could already hear the first pair of boots tapping against the tiled floor.
He didn’t need to speak to anyone yet. He just stood in the hallway for a moment, letting the air settle. The smell of grass from the pitch, the faint aroma of strong coffee from the break room, the muffled voices of staff, it all told him the same thing. Today mattered.
This wasn’t the time to experiment. Not like he had done with the hybrid 4–2–3–1 against Inter. That formation had worked, had brought a thrilling game to life. But today was a cup tie. Win or go home. Knockout football. One mistake could be fatal. So the 4–2–3–1 would wait.
Instead, he would return to the system the players trusted most. The 3–5–2 counter-block. They had bled in that formation. They had grown through it. Three central defenders at the back, wing-backs hugging the sidelines, two enforcers in midfield to do the dirty work, and two forwards ready to spring forward at the first sign of weakness.
It was no frills. No glitter. But it was what got them here.
By the time Alex walked out to the edge of the pitch, the first players were filtering in. Their black warm-ups caught the morning light as it crawled over the stadium roof. There was no loud music. No banter. Just short nods of greeting, firm handshakes, and the quiet focus of professionals ready to do their job.
Captain Marin Pongračić caught his eye and gave him a short, steady nod. There was something in the way he did it that calmed Alex more than any data analysis or heat map ever could. It said, we’re with you. We understand.
"Morning, lads," Alex called out, his voice strong, though not loud. "Today’s not about heavy drills. It’s about clarity. Positioning, discipline, knowing your roles. We’ve been here before. You know what’s coming tomorrow. Let’s make sure your minds and bodies are tuned."