Che finds himself staring at his boots, while the rest of the locker room is also quiet. Everyone is either focused or scared. Leon looks over at Che while he is still focused on his shoes. His heart starts beating faster and he finally decides to break the silent.
''You nervous?''
''No.''
''Scared?''
''Never.''
''Yeah.''
''Don't be though.'' Che stares at him.
''Don't be what.''
''Scared or Nervous.''
''That's sound like something I'd be?'' Leon scoffs. ''Being scared sounds more like your thing.''
''Not anymore. Everyone I've known that was great, and since the beginning of time has never been scared of anything. So, I can't be scared or nervous, because I have a goal to reach.'' He looks at Leon with a smile.
''Leon, I was serious you know... I'm aiming for the top. And believe you have the ability to also go there with me.''
Leon just sat taking it all in, he didn't answer what Che said and just sat there thinking about how the two of them have change in contrast to each other these past few weeks.
Che was now aiming to be the greatest footballer of all time, the very top. While he was suffering from fear that he created for himself.
''Hey gentleman. I hope you've slept well and are prepared for what's to come today. I surely hope so because I want each of you at the top of their game, all of you.
I don't have much to say to you as your coach. The only thing I have to say is that go work your hardest out there, make sure you leave that pitch with no regrets of your performance as a team.
And I'm proud of you for coming so far, but we're done yet. There's still one more race to finish before we go over the finish line.''
The players start clapping for the coach and hyping themselves up.
VfB Stuttgart Lineup (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper
#1 Ioannis Kechlimparis
Defenders:
#2 Nikolas Matic – Right-back
#4 Luc Holzwarth – Center-back
#5 Gabriel Zarrella – Center-back (Captain)
#3 Collin Schramm – Left-back
Midfielders:
#6 Ertugrul Yigit – Defensive mid
#8 Enis Redzepi – Central mid
#10 Sohrab Samandari – Attacking mid
Forwards:
#7 Leon Sonnenblick – Right wing
#19 Che Louw – False Nine
#11 Kian Speidel – Left wing
Bench Vincent Huber (#12), Neo Jeggle (#14), Mykola Petrovskyi (#15), Jeremy Noah Djeukui Yomba (#16), Brayann Kenmoe (#17), Mohamed Drammeh (#18)
Meanwhile the Bayer Leverkusen locker room is players are conversating about their personal things. Everyone is smiling, while others are getting themselves prepared.
Their coach goes to stand in front the whole.
''Alright boys. You know what I expect from you every match, but mostly I'd like for you to stay calm and make sure you guys are ready for the game. Our opponents are strong, but we know our game and you should play that. This is like every other game we've played this season, and like every other game we plan to win it. So go out there and win!''
''Leverkusen!''
''AWOO!''
''Let's go!'' The players go around the lock room fist bumping and chest bumping each other. Hyping themselves up for the match.
Bayer Leverkusen Lineup (4-2-3-1 )
Goalkeeper
#1 Julian Leuchter
Defenders
#2 Luan Hucke – Right-back
#5 Ben Hawighorst – Center-back
#4 Max Wrobel – Center-back
#3 Felix Fink – Left-back
Midfielders
#6 Halil Koç – Defensive mid (Captain)
#8 Emiljano Malko – Defensive mid
#10 Rayan Zidane – Central attacking mid
#7 Andriy Gamzyk – Right attacking mid
#11 Ivan Massek – Left attacking mid
Forward
#9 Berkan Ermec – Striker
Bench Elias Bürger (#12), Simone Cannizzaro (#13), Alpha Barry (#14), Mick Azizmohammadi (#15), Jonah Berghoff (#16), Jeremiah Mensah (#17), Yegor Koshchyi (#18)
DFB-Pokal U17 Final: Bayer Leverkusen U17 vs VfB Stuttgart U17
Both teams now are on the pitch in their respected positions and are just waiting for the referee t blow the whistle.
Before the game starts Halil Koç looks at Che and thinks about how he should watch out for him, and he was instructed that he should be looking after the whole of this match.
''I'll keep you to myself this game.'' He smiles after whispering himself.
The referee blows the whistle and the game starts.
Bayer pass the ball around and the Stuttgart start their defense with average amount of pressure. Bayer's passing doesn't look threatening, and it looks like they are just trying to get themselves into the game with no means of forcing an attack at Stuttgart.
They pass the ball out the wing, the left winger grabs the ball and dribbles forward with the ball, facing the right back. He attempts to dribble past him, but the defender tackles the ball off him and Stuttgart have the ball.
Stuttgart also passes the ball around calmly, by starting play back at the goalkeeper and the keeper passes it to the opposite wing towards the left back.
The left back passes it to Leon and Leon gets pressed by the right back. He looks at him and flinches twice, before passing the ball towards midfield.
The midfielder looks around for passing options and realizes that Che is being followed around by Halil and he avoids the progressive pass.
He passes back towards the left center back, and he plays it to his center back partner. Bayer slowly change their formation to a 3-4-2-1.[1] Forcing the defender to avoid passing the middle and pass the ball to the right back.
The right back passes it over the left back's head towards Speidel who is running in behind. Speidel chases the ball in the open space in the wing.
Space on the wing is open of him, and Che goes closer to him for support. But Speidel chooses to run on his own in the space, seeing Che is still guarded by Halil.
He faces one of the center backs covering the space he is running towards, he's not concerned and continues his run down the wing. Until he starts slowing down when the defender is finally in front of him.
Speidel with no means of passing the ball, faces the defender.
[1] A 3 - 4 - 2 -1 is basically a 343. Where there's three center backs and two wing backs. with two attacking midfielders instead of three (like the 343)
It's famously used by Xabi Alonso.
This is how it looks if you still don't understand:
GK
CB CB CB
WB DM DM WB
AM AM
ST
Hope it was helpful