Chapter 72: Team Bonding?
The next morning arrived far too early.
Or at least, that was how it felt for everyone on Lecce’s squad.
The early hours crept in like a thief, silent and merciless, dragging sore bodies and foggy minds out of bed. Celebration, it turned out, had a price. And while none of the players regretted the laughter, the dancing, or the fizzy Gatorade toasts, it made waking up feel like an extreme sport. One by one, the players trickled out of their rooms, faces puffy from sleep, hair in chaos, voices raw from yelling.
Normally, they would have already been on a flight by now, heading back to Lecce with stiff necks and airplane breakfasts. That had been the original plan. Early morning flight, back in town by lunch, training the next day.
But sometime around midnight, while watching Banda perform a slow-motion cannonball into the hotel pool, Alex had sighed, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and muttered the words that saved them all.
"We’re not flying in the morning."
The travel staff, already watching the players slip into what could only be described as post-match delirium, nodded in relief and quietly reshuffled the schedule. The flight would now leave that evening. That meant one full day in Milan.
Alex figured they might as well use it.
By nine-thirty, the team had assembled in the hotel’s restaurant. Someone had reserved a private section just for them. Two large circular tables sat near the windows, where soft sunlight poured in through sheer curtains. The room was filled with the sounds of scraping forks, half-laughs, the clink of glass, and the occasional groan as someone sat too fast.
Staff and players sat together for once. Not just physically, but socially. There were no assigned seats, no careful separations. The table was chaos in the best way. Someone was showing highlights from last night’s game on their phone. Banda was arguing that he should have been given a penalty "on vibes alone." Even the quietest of the squad looked a little more alive with food in their stomachs and caffeine in their veins.
Alex took a sip of his second coffee and tapped the side of his mug with his spoon.