"We lost two-nil," Djimsiti replied cheerfully. "I played terribly. But I learned that the stadium doesn't play football. Once you get past the initial shock, it's just another pitch."
De Roon spoke up from the head table, his captain's voice cutting through the ambient conversation. "My first San Siro match was Europa League. We were terrible. Lost three-nil. Couldn't complete a pass to save my life."
He paused, making eye contact with several younger players including Demien.
"But I learned something important that night. The grass is the same size everywhere. The goals are the same height. The ball bounces the same way. Yes, the crowd is loud. Yes, the pressure is intense. But fundamentally, football is football. You do what you've trained to do, you trust your preparation, and you play for the man beside you."
The room went quiet for a moment, the captain's words settling over everyone.
