BO4 (0 - 0) VFB 24th minute
Bayer play the ball around the midfield calmly, Halil gets the ball and passes another daggering pass through the midfield again.
But this time Stuttgart's defensive midfielder reads it and slides to block the pass, but he doesn't get the ball completely and it's a loose ball for their left winger and Stuttgart's right back.
The two collide after arriving at the ball at the time, the referee blows for a stoppage. Both players lie on the ground injured.
The game is stopped, and the assistant coach approaches the coach. They stand next to each other as watching the medics as they attend to the two players.
''I've told some of the players just to warm up...'' The assistant coach looks at him.
''Good.'' The coach says looking forward with his arms folded.
''We also might have a slight problem, I don't know how we haven't noticed this before. I'm sure you've notices them, I'm the one who probably hasn't... they have three playmakers out there.''
'' Yes, I have noticed, and it's not three... it's six playmakers.''
''What?! Six?!''
''Yeah. Both of their wingers, the three midfielders and the center back who's allowed to get into the midfield.''
''How is that even possible? At this level, to have six play makers in a team.''
''Yeah, it's hard to do something like that, especially when they are this young. But their coach... I know him, he's the type to do something like this.''
''Why would he do this, the amount of risk he is putting himself through. What do you think we should do against something like this?''
''Nothing... this something they should fight through themselves. Like I always tell you, our jobs are in the preparations, and our job is done. As a youth coach you're supposed to allow kids to figure things out for themselves, that's part nurturing.''
''I guess you're right.''
The assistant coach knew that the coach was right when it came to that, but he really wanted to win that match, and he believed that if he helped them with that. It would help the team get closer to a win.
''Do you want to tell them?''
''Honestly, yes.''
''You can do that if you like, but it won't help them fix the problem in any shape or form.''
''Yeah, but we should also be leading them through the things like these. They've never faced any situation like this before or even prepared for it. They deserve at least a piece of advice.''
''I'm not handicapping you from telling them, there's nothing wrong with doing what you think is right. You here to give a second opinion and if you think this is the right decision than, you should commit to it.''
The assistant nods at him and he calls over the defensive midfielder, he whispers to him and asks him to relay the message around the midfield and defense. He tells him everything about their playmakers.
The midfielder takes everything to note. Both players are back to their feet, and the referee blows his whistle to restart the game. The game restarts and Stuttgart get the ball.
They pass the ball around their right side of pitch; the ball is played to Speidel on the right wing. He plays the ball towards the attacking midfielder in the middle.
He passes the ball back to the defensive midfielder, who takes a touch and looks throughout the pitch for passing options.
Che drops deeper in the central midfield position followed by Halil, and the other two Stuttgart midfielders go into the spaces that Halil left open.
The player decides to pass the ball toward the left center back, who passes it to the left back. The left back takes the ball towards the midfield and passes it through Bayer's midfield towards the attacking midfielder has space and no one defending him.
He runs with the ball towards the defenders and finally passes it to Che who's on his way to running back towards the attacking position.
Che takes the ball and runs with the ball while Halil is next him, trying to get to the ball. Che has Halil hugging him on his right and another Bayer midfielder rushing towards him to his left.
While both of them are closing in on him, everything goes into a familiar place again. Everything slows down around him, but this time he is more aware of his surroundings.
Besides Halil and the midfielder approaching him, there's his attacking midfielder who running on his right. He is the closest to him but has Bayer's left back focusing on him.
And Speidel is on the far end of the right wing unguarded, but it'll be difficult to get the ball towards him since Che is surrounded by Bayer players trying to close his passing lanes.
To his left he only has the center midfielder who is open but will run into the center backs with no support around him.
Che makes his decision; he decides to pass the ball. Both Halil and the midfielder slide tackle trying to block the pass. He passes a through ball towards Speidel on the wing.
The ball drives through the grass, and Che passes it in the tight space between the center back and left back, where both of them attempted to block the pass by sliding at the ball.
The ball glides through both of them and Che put the right amount of spin on it as curls straight towards Speidel's feet.
After he received the ball, he runs into the open space behind going towards the penalty box. The center back catches up to him with quick recovery speed.
Before the defender arrives Speidel fakes out a cross towards the box, but the defender doesn't fall for it. Speidel looks up at the box and there's two of his midfield teammates in the box.
He puts the ball to his left foot and tries to cross the ball with it. But the cross is too soft, and the Bayer defender clears it out, but towards the opposite wing for Leon.
Leon calmly takes the ball and the defender on; he slowly approaches him and suddenly decides to stand still.
He does two calm and slow step overs with both his right and left, and after he does a rainbow flick over the defender's head.
The ball goes over his head while Leon is trying to run around him, the two of them tussle each other as they are chasing the ball.
Leon gets to the ball and sends a half assed cross towards the box, and the Stuttgart barely heads it and it's too soft having the keeper save it easily.
The keeper waits for his players to get into their positions. While jogging back, Leon's heart starts beating fast. He remembers that feeling, the feeling he used feel when playing football.
The keeper rolls the ball towards Halil who switched positions with the center back and passes it to him in the midfield.
The center back passes it to the other midfielder, and he passes it back to him. And passes it back to Halil and he returns it back to the center back in the midfield.
The defender slowly dictates the play as they pass the ball around while progressing up the field. They progress up slowly up the field.
The defender finally pulls out a long pass towards the left winger.
The coach watches the game silently with the assistant coach next to him.
''You see, telling them won't change anything. They might be aware of it, but they won't be able to do anything about it. Primarily because of how they found out about. I'm not saying this to spite you or anything. I know that you're planning on working as head coach one day, right? Coaching young learners is entirely different from coaching professionals. So, there's things you should consider when it comes to them.''
The two of them watch and the winger approaches the right back.