The Coface Arena in Mainz was a vibrant, noisy stadium, but it lacked the sheer, intimidating scale of Bayern's Allianz Arena or the raw passion of Schalke's Veltins-Arena.
It was a place where good, honest football was played, and Mainz 05, Klopp's former club, were known for being a well-drilled, hard-working team. They would not be intimidated, but they could be outclassed.
From the first whistle, it was clear that Mateo was a man on a mission. The week of intense, focused work had not only recalibrated his body; it had honed his mind. He was bursting with a pent-up energy, a desire to unleash his new capabilities on the world.
His first goal came in the 12th minute, and it was a perfect synthesis of the old Mateo and the new. He received the ball 30 yards from goal, in a central position.
