"You are nervous, Professor," Antoine said, not looking at him. He was just smiling at the crowd.
"I am... excited," Alex said, trying to stop his leg from shaking.
"Good," Antoine said. "Me too."
Across the tunnel, the Chelsea team was watching them. They were all superstars. They were not smiling.
Alex saw him. James. The U21 striker. He was on the bench, but he was warming up. He saw Alex. He just sneered and mouthed two words.
"You are dead."
Alex just nodded. Be a rock. Be a shield. Be stable.
The whistle blew. They ran out onto the grass. The noise was a physical thing. It was magic.
Steve, the manager, had been right. Chelsea had a plan.
Their coach was a genius, and he had seen the Newcastle game. He was not going to be fooled.
The first half was a tactical nightmare.
Chelsea was not pressing high. They were not sitting back. They were... a monster. A smart, blue, choking monster.
Their plan was simple, and it was brilliant.
