The ghostly outline of Erling Haaland's leg, poised to strike, hovered a split second before his physical form launched into the shot.
It was a new layer to Leon's unique sight, clearer, more precise than anything he'd experienced before.
Not just numbers, but intent. A transparent blueprint of what was about to happen.
Booom!
Haaland's thunderous strike was unleashed. But Leon, already anticipating, had thrown himself forward!
The ball slammed into his hip, deflecting wide for a corner. A sharp pain shot through him, but it was nothing compared to the exhilaration of the block.
"YES, LEON!" McGinn roared, running over to pat his back, his 'Current: 83' glowing brightly with appreciation.
Leon got to his feet, breathless, his mind reeling. He'd seen it.
He'd actually seen it before it happened. That fleeting image of the leg and ball.
It meant a shot. So, if he saw a ghostly foot pointed in a certain direction, it was a pass? An outstretched leg, a tackle? This was incredible.
This changed everything. His 'Current: 79' pulsed with a newfound energy, a surge of adrenaline and understanding.
The corner kick came in, but Leon, now alert to these new visual cues, saw a faint, transparent outline of Rodri's head, poised for a header.
He shouted a warning, pushing Ollie Watkins into position to challenge.
The header still came, powerful, but it was contested, flying just over the bar.
Leon felt a wave of cold clarity wash over him. The exhaustion was still there, the pain from the block throbbed, but his mind was sharper than ever. He began to actively seek out these spectral images above the City players.
When Kevin De Bruyne (Current: 91) received the ball again, Leon saw a shimmering, ethereal arc, a ghosted line stretching from De Bruyne's foot to Phil Foden's position.
A through pass! Leon immediately adjusted his position, anticipating the angle, and intercepted the ball, cutting off the supply.
The Aston Villa fans roared, sensing a shift, a spark of defiance.
Leon didn't hesitate. He looked up, spotting John McGinn making a run down the right. He saw a faint, open hand gesture above McGinn – a demand for the ball.
Leon hit a crisp pass, threading it between two City players, perfectly into McGinn's stride.
The commentator's voice rose in excitement "Leon Fischer with a fantastic interception in midfield! He drives forward… and finds McGinn! This could be a chance!"
McGinn surged, but he was quickly closed down by Nathan Aké, who, Leon noted, had an 'outstretched leg' shimmer above him – a tackle coming.
McGinn, unaware of this subtle warning, hesitated, and Aké won the ball back for City.
Still, it was a glimpse. A sign of what Leon could do.
He could see the future of the play, seconds before it unfolded. He had to learn to interpret these visions faster, to communicate them.
City, however, was still a machine. They regained possession, their passes weaving an intricate web. Leon saw Rodri about to make a short pass back to Ruben Dias.
He pressed, anticipating the simple layoff, forcing a slightly heavier touch from Rodri. It wasn't enough to steal the ball, but it disrupted City's rhythm, forcing them to regroup.
The half wore on, and despite Leon's newfound insights, City's relentless pressure was overwhelming.
He saw another ghostly leg and ball outline above Julian Álvarez as he received the ball just inside the box. Leon lunged, but he was a fraction too late.
Booomm! Álvarez struck it, a powerful low drive that whistled past Martínez.
GOAL! Manchester City 4 - Aston Villa 0!
A wave of deflation washed over Villa Park. Four-nil.
The scoreline was brutal, a stark reminder of the chasm between them and the champions. But Leon refused to surrender.
He looked at the scoreboard, then at the ball being brought back to the center circle. He had to make a difference.
His 'Current: 79' might be lower, but his 'Potential: 94' beckoned, urging him on.
The game restarted. Leon, despite the score, found a new gear. His 'sight' was working overtime, and he was beginning to recognize the patterns of the ghostly projections with startling speed.
When Bernardo Silva (Current: 88) cut inside, Leon saw the shimmering arc of a curling shot.
He immediately closed down the angle, forcing Silva to attempt a pass instead.
he pass was intercepted by Douglas Luiz.
Luiz, seeing Leon's constant movement and uncanny ability to intercept, played a quick one-two with him.
Leon received the ball back, looked up, and saw a flickering 'open hand' projection above Ollie Watkins, calling for a through ball.
But he also saw a faint 'outstretched leg' from Ruben Dias (Current: 88) indicating an incoming tackle if he tried the obvious pass.
So, Leon did something audacious.
He feigned the through ball, drawing Dias in, then, with a flick of his foot, sent a disguised pass wide to Lucas Digne (Potential: 86, Current: 82) on the left wing.
It was a risky pass, but his 'sight' showed him the clear path.
"A brilliant disguised pass from Leon Fischer! He splits the defense, and Digne is in space down the left!"
Digne, a blur of claret and blue, surged forward, his 'Current: 82' reflecting his burst of energy.
He reached the byline, looked up, and Leon, already anticipating, saw the faint, ghostly 'open hand' projection above Ollie Watkins in the box, calling for a cut-back pass. Digne delivered, a low, inviting cross.
Ollie Watkins, quick as lightning, connected with it, redirecting it past the outstretched arm of Ederson (Potential: 89, Current: 88). ... .... ... ... .. . Boooomm!
GOAL! ASTON VILLA 1 - Manchester City 4!
Villa Park erupted, a mix of relief and renewed hope. A goal! Against City! The team rushed to Watkins, celebrating the hard-earned goal. Leon clapped, a triumphant smile on his face.
His first Premier League assist had been crucial, but this one, against City, after interpreting his new 'sight', felt even more profound.
The momentum, however, was short-lived. City, stung by the goal, immediately upped their game, passing with renewed intensity.
The final ten minutes became a relentless siege on Villa's goal.
Leon was everywhere, lunging, blocking, intercepting, his 'sight' working almost unconsciously now, reading the ethereal projections above the City players.
He saw a ghostly 'outstretched leg' from Rodri, signaling a tackle, and sidestepped it just in time, sending the midfielder sliding harmlessly past him.
Then, in the 89th minute, a moment of pure magic for Leon.
Aston Villa somehow won the ball back deep in their own half.
The ball fell to Leon. He looked up, the clock ticking down.
He saw the 'open hand' from McGinn, calling for a simple layoff.
But then, beyond McGinn, he saw a flickering series of movements: a 'ghosted foot' from a City defender showing him turning to cover a non-existent run, a 'transparent leg' from another moving to block a pass.
A tiny, unexpected gap opened up, a path that Leon's 'sight' highlighted with a vibrant glow.
He decided to go for it. He dribbled past one City midfielder, then another.
He kept going, accelerating into the final third. He saw a ghostly 'leg and ball' projection from a City defender, about to lunge for a tackle.
Leon shifted the ball, feinting, and the defender slid past him, beaten.
He was just outside the box, the goal looming. He saw the goalkeeper, Ederson (Current: 88), shifting his weight slightly, anticipating a shot to his left.
And above Ederson, a faint, translucent outline of his glove moving to parry. Leon's 'sight' showed him the other side of the goal, the narrow window of opportunity.
He unleashed a powerful shot, not to where Ederson was anticipating, but to the exact opposite corner.
The ball flew, a beautiful, powerful strike.
WHISSHH!GOOOAL!
The net rippled. Ederson lunged desperately, but it was too late.
GOOOAL! ASTON VILLA 2 - Manchester City 4!
Villa Park erupted! The sound was deafening, a roar of utter disbelief and joy.
The fans, despite the scoreline, celebrated as if they had won the cup.
Leon stood for a moment, breathless, watching the ball nestle in the net, a wave of triumph washing over him.
His first goal for Aston Villa. Against Manchester City!
The final whistle blew seconds later. The score was 4-2 to Manchester City. It was a loss, but for Leon, it felt like a monumental victory.
He had faced the best, and he had not only survived but had made a significant impact, scoring a goal and providing an assist.
As he walked off the pitch, exhausted but buzzing, he understood. This 'sight' of his, these ghostly projections of future actions, was growing stronger, more detailed, almost like a second pair of eyes, showing him the invisible lines of play. It was a powerful tool, a game-changer.
He had just scratched the surface of its potential. He wondered what else it could show him, what other secrets of the game it would reveal.