Chapter 211: The Roar of the Fans
The away locker room was empty, and it smelled strongly of liniment and sweat. Niels followed his players down the concrete hallway to the main tunnel. The noise was so loud it made the floor shake and his chest thump.
The tunnel was narrow and dark, like a brief pause between two teams ready to clash. Niels walked behind Adam Fletcher, noticing the goalkeeper's broad back and calm focus. Dev Patel, just ahead of Thiago, looked serious with his jaw clenched.
The noise, the lights, the cameras, this was the moment Richard Langley had talked about.
Then they ran out into the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
The crowd was loud and full of color. The tall stands were filled with violet and white, and flares sent purple smoke into the cool night air. The Curva Fiesole was wild, shouting in a steady, powerful chant that drowned out everything else.
