Chapter 20: Building Foundation
The morning protocols had evolved. Che's alarm still went off before dawn, but now the System guided him through circuits designed specifically to address what the Maldonado match had exposed. Five-hundred-meter sprints followed by thirty seconds rest. Repeated six times. Burpees until his legs burned. Box jumps on the concrete steps outside his building. Core work that left his abdomen trembling.
Stamina Development Protocol: Week 3
Morning session: Cardiovascular conditioning + explosive powerTarget: Increase aerobic threshold, reduce fatigue onset during match conditions
His body was adapting. The shaking that had consumed him after thirty-five minutes at Maldonado was taking longer to arrive now. In training, he could maintain high intensity for full ninety-minute sessions without the same catastrophic decline.
On the pitch at Escuela Técnica Superior, Tuesday afternoon, Ramón ran the squad through possession drills. Eight versus eight in a condensed space, high pressure, constant movement. Che was positioned centrally, receiving the ball from Matías under immediate press from two defenders.
His first touch took him away from the pressure—clean, economical. He played it forward to Roque with his second, then immediately repositioned himself to receive it back. The sequence completed in four seconds. Ramón's whistle stayed silent, which meant the execution met standard.
But it was the small adjustments Che was noticing now. Roque's tendency to hold the ball a fraction too long when receiving with his back to goal. Cabrera's habit of checking his shoulder twice before making a forward run, telegraphing his intention. Silva's preference for cutting inside rather than taking defenders on the outside.
Teammate Analysis: Tactical Tendencies Identified
Roque (ST): Holds possession 0.8 seconds longer than optimal when pressured from behind. Prefers right foot for control even when left is better positioned.
Cabrera (RM): Pre-movement shoulder checks visible to defenders. Predictable cutting pattern (inside 73% of occurrences).
Silva (LM): Avoids one-on-one situations on touchline. Success rate in wide dribbles: 31%.
The System was cataloging everything, building profiles that would help Che understand not just where his teammates would be, but what they'd do when they got there.
"Che!" Ramón called from the sideline. "Hold your position longer before making the support run. Let Roque establish the hold-up, then move."
Che adjusted. The next sequence, he delayed his movement by two seconds. When the ball came to Roque, Che's supporting angle was better positioned. The striker could lay it off cleanly instead of being forced into a contested turn.
Ramón nodded. "Better. That's awareness. Not just where you are, but when you arrive."
After training, while most players were heading to the changerooms, Ramón gestured for Che to stay. They stood near the center circle, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the grass.
"Your conditioning has improved significantly," Ramón said, arms crossed. "I'm seeing full ninety-minute capacity in training now. First touch quality hasn't declined even at the end of sessions."
Che waited. There was a "but" coming.
"But I'm not starting you yet."
Che's jaw tightened. He kept his voice level. "Why not?"
"Because you're thirteen. Because you've played one competitive match. Because I need to manage your development carefully." Ramón's tone wasn't dismissive—it was clinical. "You proved at Maldonado that you have the quality. But proving it once isn't the same as sustaining it. I'm bringing you on as an impact substitute. Twenty, thirty minutes where you can change the game. That's your role right now."
"I can handle more," Che said.
"I know you think you can. But what you think and what your body can sustain over a full season are different things." Ramón's expression softened slightly. "You're improving faster than any player I've coached at this level. But if I burn you out by February, you're useless to us in March. Understand?"
Che understood the logic. Didn't agree with it, but understood it.
"Next match is Saturday," Ramón continued. "Home game against Club Atlético Rivera. They're mid-table, technically sound, nothing spectacular. You'll come on second half. Prove you can replicate what you did at Maldonado, and we'll talk about more minutes."
Thursday's training focused on tactical shape—specifically, how to maintain defensive structure when transitioning from attack. The squad was arranged in their 4-4-2, working through scenarios where possession was lost in the attacking third.
Che was positioned left midfield, with Silva playing the same role on the opposite flank. When Roque lost possession to a center-back during a drill, Che's first instinct was to press immediately—close down the defender, try to win it back.
"Che, hold!" Ramón shouted. "Don't chase. Recover your position first. Let Roque press, you cut off the passing lane."
Che adjusted, dropping back instead of forward. When the center-back tried to play out, the passing option Che would have vacated was now blocked. The defender was forced into a riskier pass that Matías intercepted.
"That's it," Ramón said. "Your instinct is to attack everything. But sometimes the smarter play is to control space, not challenge the ball."
The System was processing this in real-time, overlaying Che's positioning with optimal defensive zones.
Defensive Positioning Analysis: Transition moments
Current tendency: Over-aggressive pressing (67% press rate on turnovers)Optimal tendency: Selective pressing based on passing lane availability (42% press rate, higher success rate)
Recommendation: Prioritize space control over ball challenges when defenders have clear outlets.
It made sense tactically. Che had been playing with the instinct of someone who'd grown up in small-sided games where pressing everything was viable. But at this level, with better players, smarter players, aggressive pressing just created gaps.
He was learning restraint. Not passivity—restraint. Knowing when to explode and when to contain.
During a water break, Matías approached, breathing hard from the conditioning work they'd been doing.
"You're different since Maldonado," Matías said. "More... controlled, I guess?"
"Trying to be smarter," Che said.
"You were already smart. But yeah, I see it. You're reading us better too." Matías paused. "It's kind of annoying actually. You know what I'm going to do before I do it."
Che smiled slightly. "You check your shoulder twice before making runs. Always twice."
"Seriously?"
"Every time."
Matías laughed, shaking his head. "Okay. I'll work on that."
Roque joined them, drinking deeply from his water bottle. "Coach says you're not starting Saturday. That's bullshit."
"It's his decision," Che said.
"Yeah, but you're better than half the starting lineup already. Better than me probably."
"You're a striker. I'm a midfielder. Different roles."
"Still." Roque's frustration was genuine. "We'd be better with you playing from the start."
"Maybe," Che said. "Or maybe I'm more effective coming on when defenses are tired. Ramón knows what he's doing."
He didn't entirely believe that—part of him was still frustrated at not starting—but saying it out loud helped him accept it. This was part of the process. Prove yourself in limited minutes. Earn more. Eventually, start. It was a progression, not an instant arrival.
Ramón's whistle cut through the conversation, calling them back for the next drill. Che jogged into position, feeling the strength in his legs that hadn't been there three weeks ago, understanding his teammates' patterns in ways he hadn't during the Maldonado match.
He was building something. Not just skill, but foundation. The kind that would sustain not just one brilliant thirty-five-minute performance, but a career.