The days following the Bundesliga opener were a study in contrast. The media continued to build the legend of Mateo Alvarez, the silent prodigy who could change games at will. But within the Dortmund training ground, it was business as usual. Klopp was relentless, pushing the team harder, demanding more focus, more intensity.
"One win is nothing!" he roared during a training session. "We have thirty-three more matches to play. We cannot afford to be complacent. We must be hungry, we must be ruthless, we must be Dortmund!"
Mateo embraced the intensity. He thrived on the challenge, on the constant pursuit of perfection. He spent hours on the training pitch, working on his passing, his shooting, his tactical awareness.
He and Aubameyang continued to develop their partnership, their on-field chemistry becoming almost telepathic. They would stay late after training, running drills, practicing movements, building an understanding that went beyond words.
