The morning air was crisp and sharp in his lungs as Thiago stepped onto the training pitch. The grass beneath his cleats was still damp with dew, each blade glistening under the pale September sun that struggled to break through the Dortmund clouds. His breath came out in little white puffs as he tugged his gloves on tighter, the leather creaking slightly from the cold. Around him, teammates were slowly trickling onto the field. Some still yawned and rubbed sleep from their eyes while others were already warming up, lazily juggling balls or jogging in slow circles to shake off the morning stiffness.
"Looks like someone finally slept in his own place, eh?" Sven Bender said as he came up beside Thiago with a slight grin.
Thiago smirked. "Yeah. Still feels weird not hearing hotel doors slam shut every five minutes."
Bender nodded knowingly. "You'll get used to the quiet. Just be careful. That's when the homesickness sneaks in."
