The sixty-eighth minute arrived with the scoreline locked at 2-2 and the tension in the Westfalenstadion reaching a crescendo that seemed to make the very air vibrate with anticipation.
Both teams had thrown everything at each other, creating a spectacle worthy of the greatest stages in world football, but neither could find the decisive breakthrough that would claim the first trophy of the season.
On the touchline, Jürgen Klopp paced like a caged lion, his tactical mind working overtime as he searched for the key to unlock Bayern's increasingly desperate defense. Then, as if struck by divine inspiration, his eyes fell on the figure he had been saving for exactly this moment.
"Mateo!" Klopp's voice cut through the stadium noise like a thunderclap. "This is your time! Show them what we saw in you from the very beginning!"
Mateo's heart exploded into overdrive as he sprang from the bench, his legs feeling light despite the magnitude of the moment.
