The air in the players' tunnel at Stamford Bridge was thick with the scent of freshly cut grass and nervous energy. Leon Fischer stood shoulder to shoulder with Chelsea's captain, Enzo Fernández (Current: 87). The roar of the crowd above them was a physical force, vibrating in his ribs, each cheer and chant for the home side threatening to break him apart.
He closed his eyes for a split second, and his mind flashed back to his own Premier League debut, a nervous bundle of excitement and fear. That day, the roar of Villa Park had been overwhelming, but this… this was different.
This was Stamford Bridge, a fortress, and the stakes were astronomically higher. The gulf between that first tentative step and this colossal moment felt massive, yet deep down, he still felt like that same scared boy.
