Chapter 17: Pathetic End

Earlier, it felt like that little aftermath of pain he felt anytime he stumped his feet on a hard surface except that it was lasting a little longer this time.

He hoped that it was going to go away soon and since it wasn't that painful or affecting his play in any serious way, he kept on playing with it.

That was how things felt earlier, but right now, he felt like someone was constantly tapping a thorny club on his knee.

He thought it was just an immense amount of pain that would just come and go immediately but even after getting up on his feet, the pain was still there.

"I think I have a sprained ankle." The youngster muttered under his breath before slowly sitting down on the floor.

"Oh, it looks like Axel's down here, is it an injury?"

Paul passed the ball to Maxi at that time and just after quickly turning with the ball, he found the youngster sitting on the floor with both of his hands on his injured right knee.

"Huh?"

Davidson quickly rushed toward him from behind to try and take the ball off his feet but before he could get to him, the midfielder sent the ball rolling out for a throw-in before quickly calling the referee's attention to Axel.

The referee had to stop Arsenal from taking a quick throw as the youngster's teammates quickly made their way to him.

"Hey, are you okay?" Maxi asked as soon as he got close enough to him before squatting down beside him.

"Yeah, but I think sprained my knee, I don't think I can continue." He shook his head while pressing down on his right knee with his right hand. "I don't think it's anything that serious though."

"Then you have to leave before it becomes something serious," Merino said before turning to the sidelines to make the substitution sign.

Gregory caught the gist of what was going on in time and had already prepared someone to replace the young midfielder.

The official with the board raised it to show the number seven in green and the number twenty-eight in red as Maxi slowly helped Axel off the pitch.

Peterson was jumping up and down on the sidelines ready to spring into the pitch, but just before doing that, he gave Axel a tap on the shoulder.

"You did well, I just hope you're for the next match." He said before quickly making his way onto the pitch.

Maxi slowly dropped him on the bench after that before quickly making his way back to the pitch.

"Axel's day is over as he comes off with a sprained ankle, he played well today, I'm sure he would have done more if he didn't get injured, unfortunately."

Axel got immediate attention from the medical team who checked his knee for a while before they placed a pack of ice on it.

After that, he was provided with a stool to keep his leg elevated.

"Alright, you'll need to repeat this once you get home and also limit your physical activities if you wish to make a quick recovery." One of the medical staff instructed and he responded with a nod.

He didn't say anything and just watched as the three of them slowly walked away.

With them gone now, he slowly lowered his gaze before letting out a sigh.

'I guess my assumption of what the coach was thinking was right in the end, I wasn't able to complete ten minutes in this half. But this is for the best, if I had forced myself to continue then it would have gotten worse and that would put my career in greater danger.'

Back on the pitch, Arsenal were with the ball now and were lurking around Manchester City's box while being careful not to lose the ball carelessly.

Zafah received the ball from Mathys a little distance away from the box, and just before Terry could get to him, he sent the ball rolling toward the left wing.

"Zlensky."

Arsenal's thirty-year-old left winger got his foot on the ball and neatly got past Andrea with a roulette spin.

"They're onto something here."

Maxi quickly rushed toward him from behind with Rafa Miguel right in front of him. But just before any of them could get to him, he drilled the ball low into the box.

It evaded Paul to get to Mathys who wasted no time in striking it with his left foot just before Pierre could do anything to stop him.

"Mathys!"

He lifted the ball toward the right with just enough shot power to get it past the goalkeeper.

However, just before the ball could fly past the line, Moreno managed to get the tip of his left glove on it and that was all he needed to send it rolling out for a corner kick.

"Wonderful save from Moreno, Arsenal were so close to getting their equalizer," Tony commented.

"Yeah, that was a good save, a bit lucky I might add, he looked like he was heading toward the left but then he figured out where the ball was going and stretched out his hands toward it." Mike articulated. "The second half just kicked off and things are already getting difficult for them, they just lost Axel to an injury and now Arsenal are starting to get a bit more feisty with them."

Seeing Moreno make that save, Axel couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

'That was close.'

The corner kick was an easy catch for Moreno because the player taking it made the mistake of placing it too close to his range, and with his height, he didn't have any problem catching it.

"In the end, this was a really pathetic end to my second game as a pro, two matches, one goal, zero assists. If things keep up like this then this goal of mine will become nothing but a fantasy that only exists in my head." Axel muttered under his breath before folding both of his hands into fists.