Not long after Kai entered the room, Wilshere followed with his luggage.
They exchanged a brief greeting. Wilshere wheeled his bag into the bedroom without another word.
Kai stayed in the living room, shifting on the sofa, never quite finding a comfortable position.
He could not understand Wenger's thinking.
Was saving a bit of money really worth this arrangement? Or was something at play?
After unpacking, Wilshere came back out and sat down across from him.
Neither of them spoke.
Wilshere picked up his phone and began scrolling.
Kai cleared his throat, then lowered his head and checked his own phone.
The silence stretched.
After a while, Wilshere answered a call. He spoke quietly as he walked back into the room. A few minutes later, he returned holding several photos.
They were family pictures. His wife stood beside him, holding their young son.
When the call ended, Kai broke the silence.
"How old is your son?"
Wilshere froze for a moment, then smiled.
"Three. A little rascal."
Kai laughed softly.
"Boys are all the same. The more you try to control them, the more they push back."
Wilshere nodded, clearly agreeing.
"Every time I go home, I just want five minutes of quiet. That feels impossible."
Kai chuckled.
"Does he play football?"
"Yes," Wilshere replied, pride creeping into his voice. "He just joined Arsenal's youth setup."
"He'll be as good as his father," Kai said.
"Thanks," Wilshere replied, though his smile tightened. He sighed. "Honestly, I hope he becomes someone else."
Kai frowned slightly.
"Have some confidence in yourself."
Wilshere nodded.
The conversation faded, and the room fell silent again.
Kai could not handle the atmosphere. He found an excuse and returned to his room.
He spent some time watching footage of Borussia Dortmund, had dinner later that evening, and went to bed early.
Wilshere did much the same.
. . .
The next afternoon, around five o'clock, Arsenal set off for Westfalen Stadium.
The city of Dortmund had turned into a sea of yellow and black.
Borussia Dortmund's home ground was famous across Europe, loud, intense, and unforgiving. Der Tempel, another name used for the stadiumby fans due to its status as a footballing fortress
Arsenal had suffered a painful defeat here last time in the group stages. This time, they wanted a different outcome.
Amid loud boos, Arsenal's players stepped into the stadium and began their preparations.
. . .
Inside the dressing room, Arsène Wenger announced the starting lineup.
"Goalkeeper, Navas. Defenders, Sagna, Koscielny..."
"Midfielders, Cazorla and Kai."
Wenger paused and looked up.
"N'Golo Kanté."
Kanté's eyes widened in surprise. Kai and the others immediately started clapping.
"I tell you, you deserve this."
"Champions League debut as a starter. Big up."
"Congratulations."
Kanté nodded repeatedly, clearly excited.
Only after Wenger finished did the squad head out to warm up.
At seven o'clock sharp, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund walked out onto the pitch.
Kai led the team and glanced at Dortmund's lineup.
Compared to last season, many familiar faces were missing.
Some had left. Others were sidelined by injury.
Klopp and Dortmund were under serious pressure.
Even at home, they had to cope with a weakened squad.
Still, Dortmund were far from harmless.
Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, and several key players remained. This was not a full-strength Dortmund, but it was still a dangerous side.
After his teammates backed toward their half, he completed the coin toss.
Once again, he won the choice of ends.
Since becoming captain, he had only lost the toss once.
A small detail, perhaps.
In the end, results came down to strength, not luck.
Players from both sides lined up on the pitch. The atmosphere tightened as the opening match of Group D in the 2014–2015 Champions League was about to begin.
Martin Taylor's voice came through on Sky Sports.
"This is Group D of the Champions League. Borussia Dortmund at home against Arsenal. Dortmund remains a strong side, even with two key players missing through injury, Arsenal cannot afford to relax tonight."
Alan Smith followed calmly.
"And let's not forget, Martin, Arsenal faced Manchester City just three days ago in the Premier League. That kind of fixture takes a toll. The question is how much energy they still have, both physically and mentally."
Referee Olegário Benquerençajogged into the center circle and blew the whistle.
The match was underway.
Suárez kicked off and immediately drove forward into Dortmund's half.
Kai played the ball back to Koscielny, then dropped deeper to receive it again.
Dortmund's press was intense from the opening seconds. In terms of pure high pressing, they were sharper than Arsenal.
But Arsenal were not trying to win a pressing contest. Their focus was on movement, angles, and circulation.
Kai received the ball with his back to the goal. Before his first touch, he sensed Aubameyang closing in fast.
Aubameyang wanted to trap him.
Kai stepped forward instead, rolling the ball across his body and using his movement to open space. Aubameyang had no choice but to pull out.
Kai slipped the ball to Cazorla and glanced sideways.
N'Golo Kanté was exactly where he should be.
The two midfielders stayed level, keeping a distance that allowed clean passing lanes and immediate defensive cover.
Kai nodded slightly.
As Kai advanced, Kanté adjusted with him every time. That spacing meant Arsenal were not afraid of pressure. Even if they lost the ball, they could press back instantly.
Kanté excelled at these details.
Kai glanced over his shoulder. Behind him, Koscielny was organizing the line while staying aware of Kai's position.
After two full seasons together, no instructions were needed. Koscielny read the situation on his own and synchronized naturally with Kai.
Arsenal's structure and cohesion had long been established.
Kai turned forward and pushed up decisively.
As he crossed into Dortmund's half, Kanté dropped into a more central holding role. The defensive line curved slightly, forming a compact arc behind them.
Martin Taylor picked up the moment.
"Arsenal are stepping higher now. You can see Kai already operating in the Dortmund half. This season, he's taken up these advanced positions far more often. Under his direction, Arsenal's attacking play has become sharper and far less predictable."
Alan Smith added,
"The key is balance. Kai goes forward, Kanté holds. The back line stays connected. That makes Arsenal very difficult to break down."
Dortmund were under immediate pressure.
They had to track the individual threats of Suárez, Sánchez, Di María, and Cazorla.
At the same time, they could not lose sight of Kai.
Everyone in yellow remembered him well.
They knew he could split a defense with one pass.
Kai operated in the half-space, acting as Arsenal's hub and organizer. The ball flowed through him again and again, shifting lines, testing gaps, searching for weaknesses.
If an attack stalled, Kai dropped back quickly, rebuilding the defensive shape alongside Kanté.
Dortmund tried to bypass him with longer passes.
That approach brought no relief.
Arsenal's other holding midfielder was relentless.
Kanté might not have Kai's build, but his timing was exceptional.
Aubameyang received the ball once and barely had time to turn. Kanté burst out from his blind side and poked it away cleanly.
It happened again minutes later.
With Kai pushing forward, Kanté quietly took over his defensive responsibilities.
The back line stayed solid.
With that stability behind them, Arsenal attacked with growing confidence.
Kai played without restraint. He even tried his luck twice from a distance.
The pressure became suffocating.
Westfalen Stadium, usually deafening, grew noticeably quieter.
Martin Taylor summed it up.
"Ten minutes gone, and Arsenal have taken control. Nine shots already, six on target. That is a remarkable start here in Dortmund."
Alan Smith nodded in agreement.
"Borussia Dortmund are hanging on at the moment. This is serious pressure."
. . .
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