CH 5

Welbeck's Outburst—The Aftermath

Danny Welbeck's angry outburst was both irrational and foolish.

And in Ferguson's Manchester United, such behavior was suicidal.

The squad understood one simple fact—

Welbeck was sent to the reserves because of his own stupidity.

That was the consensus among the players.

However, his outburst had ignited an underlying tension within the squad.

Because whether they admitted it or not—

Matteo Conti didn't deserve a spot on the matchday squad.

At least, not yet.

Yet, he was there, on the list, while others who had been training with the first team for years were not.

Many players resented this.

Especially his direct competitors—Gabriel Obertan and Federico Macheda.

Before, they were already struggling for game time.

With Rooney and Berbatov securing the starting striker spots, and Owen as the first-choice backup, their only chance was being the second substitute.

Now?

Matteo had suddenly taken that spot.

Their frustration was obvious.

If Ferguson wasn't present, they probably would have mocked him outright.

Before, Matteo's teammates were simply cold and distant.

But now?

There was genuine hostility.

The pressure on him had doubled.

A Harsh Reality Check from Mike Phelan

After the team meeting, Matteo returned to training.

They weren't leaving for London until the afternoon, so he had a full morning to continue his specialized drills.

While overseeing his session, Mike Phelan spoke up.

"You didn't expect to be on the squad list, did you?"

Matteo answered honestly.

"No, I didn't."

Phelan sighed.

"To be frank, I don't agree with your selection either."

Matteo remained silent.

"You're not good enough yet."

"But Alex was firm on this. He had two reasons."

"First, it's a reward for your insane training and rapid improvement."

"He wants you to know that your hard work is being noticed."

"Second, it's about exposure. He wants you to start adapting to professional matches early."

Then, Phelan shook his head.

"Honestly, Alex has never treated a young player like this."

"Not even Cristiano was given this level of special treatment."

"The fact that some of your teammates are unhappy is also part of your growth process."

"Because no matter how good you become, there will always be voices of doubt."

"This is Ferguson's way of preparing you for the future."

Matteo pursed his lips.

Deep down, he knew—

This wasn't Ferguson's true opinion.

It was simply the Coach Love Card's effect.

Yet, he still felt grateful.

Because even if it wasn't 100% natural, Ferguson was genuinely committed to helping him improve.

And the only way to repay him?

Train harder.

Work tirelessly.

And one day—truly deserve Ferguson's trust.

Arrival in London—A First Taste of the Big Stage

That afternoon, Matteo and the squad boarded a high-speed train to London.

The journey took just over an hour.

After arriving, they checked into a luxury hotel before heading to Wembley Stadium for pre-match preparations.

For Matteo, this was an entirely new experience.

The process before a professional match—travel, lodging, warm-up sessions—was something he had only seen on TV.

And then, he saw Wembley.

The cathedral of football.

Newly renovated, Europe's largest professional stadium—90,000 seats.

And tomorrow?

Every seat would be filled.

90,000 fans.

Matteo couldn't even imagine that kind of atmosphere.

Just thinking about it made his heart pound.

Even though Ferguson had arranged for him to share a room with Gary Neville,

Even though Neville had done his best to reassure him,

Matteo couldn't shake his nerves.

And the next day?

Things only got worse.

Matchday—Overwhelmed by the Atmosphere

The moment he stepped onto the Wembley pitch for warm-ups,

Matteo felt his legs shake.

90,000 people.

It felt like all eyes were on him.

He had always thought being watched by so many fans would feel exciting.

Instead?

It felt terrifying.

The weight of expectation.

The sheer energy of the crowd.

Matteo had never experienced anything like this.

And Ferguson had been right.

No matter how much you train,

Nothing prepares you for the real thing.

Kickoff—From Nervous to Inspired

"Relax and adapt slowly."

Gary Neville patted his shoulder before returning to the pitch.

But Matteo knew—

No one could help him now.

Ferguson, Phelan, Meulensteen—no one tried to comfort him.

They wanted him to figure it out himself.

He clenched his fists.

"Matteo, get a grip. Don't embarrass yourself."

"Relax. Relax. Relax."

"Ferguson is watching. If I don't handle this well, I won't make the squad next time."

"I should be grateful! Not everyone gets this opportunity!"

Matteo took deep breaths.

It helped a little.

But the nerves were still there.

Only when he sat on the bench did he start to feel somewhat normal again.

And once the game began?

His excitement slowly overtook his fear.

Watching high-level football up close was breathtaking.

Matteo suddenly wanted to be out there.

He wanted to fight alongside them.

"Nervous? Screw that! I want to play!"

A Dramatic Turn of Events

First half:

Manchester United took an early lead in the 10th minute.

Nani's brilliant long shot from 23 meters out beat Petr Čech.

1-0.

The first half ended with United in the lead.

As the team walked back for halftime, Matteo re-entered the pitch for warm-ups.

And the nerves?

Still there, but weaker.

If he could just experience this a few more times,

He'd adapt.

Second half:

Chelsea turned the game around.

Ricardo Carvalho's header leveled the score.

Then Lampard's long shot put Chelsea ahead.

But this was Manchester United under Ferguson—

They never gave up.

In stoppage time—

Giggs delivered a perfect pass.

Rooney received it and struck a composed finish past Čech!

2-2!

Since the Community Shield doesn't have extra time,

It was straight to penalties.

At that moment, both teams began last-minute substitutions to prepare.

Matteo had been warming up the entire second half…

But he never expected to be called in.

And yet—

"Matteo."

Mike Phelan waved at him.

Matteo froze.

What?

He had been brought here just to observe, right?

There was no way he was actually playing.

And yet, Phelan's face was serious.

Matteo's mind went blank.

He was about to step onto the pitch.

For Manchester United.

At Wembley.

In front of 90,000 fans.

And he had seconds to process it.

This was real.