Golden days☀️

Chapter sixteen

Wow. That was a week.

They were getting ready for the derby against Milan and the sessions were really hard.

Individual and groups, couples and teams.

Conte wanted to bring out the best in all of them, he wanted to use all the resources they have. That meant Chris too, that meant that he wasn't gonna be in the starting eleven, but he would have to be ready for whatever the coach needed.

The team was really focused, so it was all in all a pretty uneventful week.

A couple of comments by Brozo (not even close to the comments he did early on) and some time spent with the group during their day off.

Now the day is here, and Chris can't really wait to get to the stadium.

He heard stories about this particular match and he even saw one or two of them on tv. The way the fans care about this game, the pride in representing a side of Milano, is something you don't usually find in England.

The atmosphere is pure electricity as they get on the bus to the stadium. Chris exchanges a few words with Lukaku, both players too lost in their thoughts to really start a conversation.

They walk to the dressing room and already hear the first fans, the others they saw from the bus just outside S.Siro.

Chris builds enough courage to go around the dressing room and high-five his teammates, wanting to support and encourage every one of them.

The team finally exits the tunnel, and everything stops for a second. Voices screaming, loud music and amazing visuals are all they can think of.

After a few seconds to appreciate how much love,pride and excitment fills the air, they start their warm up.

Milan does the same.

The ref blows, the ball is kicked for the first time in this magical night.

Chris is on the bench, following every single movement of the ball and of the players.

The first goal is after 40 minutes, Rebic scores.

1-0 Milan.

2-0 arrives with Ibrahimovic, who scores with his head.

The second half starts with a new spring in his teammates step, he sees their determination and their will to win despite the disadvantage.

Candreva shoots, the ball arrives to Brozo who shoots again and scores a beautiful goal from just outside the box.

The fans scream, starting (with the team) to believe that they can really make it.

The next goal is a great team work by Sanchez and Vecino, who ultimately scores the goal.

2-2, the stadium is so loud, his ears feel almost numb.

The match is immensely intense now, yellow cards are given to both teams.

Candreva crosses from the corner, De Vrij launches himself towards the ball and turns his head.

The ball passes Donnarumma's outstretched hand and collides with the net.

3-2 for The Neroazzurri. Chris is sure the stadium is gonna crush from how much the fans move, jump and scream.

Chris is called by Conte, who tells him to warm up. On the 72nd minute, he subs Sanchez.

He tries to play for the team and for the fans, he's gonna fight for this jersey. Especially in a match like this.

After a few minutes, there's the chance he had been waiting since his arrival.

A freekick. One of his favourite things. He likes them more than penalties, they are more complicated and precise. It's his specialty.

He's far from the goal, about 30 meters.

He reaches the ball, his teammates not even trying to get close. It's his.

He takes a deep breath, looks at the box full of players and at the goalkeeper.

He shoots. The fans hold their breath while the ball flies towards the goal, maybe too high; a few seconds later the ball lowers, hitting the crossbar by a few cm.

Barella and other players can't quite believe what he just did, and throw their arms in the air in frustration.

Chirs shoves this thing in the back of his mind and keeps going, he can't think about it now.

Just a few minutes before the end, Ibra is able to hit another ball with his head, which ends on the poast.

Lukaku closes the match with another head ball, officially declared king of Milano.
4-2, final blow from the ref.
They made it.

Celebrations, hugs and loud screams all go by in a blur for Chris, who's jut too happy to think about anything.

When he's finally in bed, he thinks about his freekick and smiles. Apparently his anxiety decided to take a day off today, because he can only see a silver lining.

He's gonna shoot so many freekicks, this is just the beginning.