The Utrecht training ground was unusually quiet on the morning of March 24th. While most of Europe's top players were representing their countries in international fixtures, Amani found himself in the unfamiliar position of being a spectator to his own career.
Dr. Marcus van den Berg, Utrecht's head of sports medicine, had been monitoring Amani's physical data for weeks. The numbers told a story that concerned him deeply - a sixteen-year-old body pushed to limits that would challenge players five years older.
"Sit down, Amani," Dr. van den Berg said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk in the medical facility. The walls were covered with charts showing muscle fatigue patterns, recovery rates, and injury prevention protocols. "We need to talk about your workload."
Amani settled into the chair, his internal system already processing the doctor's concerned expression and the data sheets spread across the desk. He had been expecting this conversation for weeks.
