The Match Starts

The matchday air was thick.

Not with rain, or wind, or any tangible weather, but with something else entirely. A tension that could not be seen, only felt. It hummed through the walls of the locker room like static, as if even the bricks themselves knew that today's match would be a test unlike any other. It wasn't just another game on the calendar. It was Lecce versus Atalanta. A clash that had become the talk of the city, the whispers of fans in bars and cafes, the lingering suspense on every local news channel and football podcast.

And for the first time since Alex had taken charge, his players were not bouncing off the walls before kickoff.