Mainz

📅 November 16, 2019 – Matchday vs Mainz

📍 Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany

The Morning – Silent Rituals

Karl woke up just before sunrise.

No alarm.

Just instinct.

He sat upright in bed, the weight of the match already present in his chest — but not anxiety. Not fear.

Focus.

He brushed his teeth while replaying Mainz's press shape in his head. Their fullback, Brosinski, liked to cut in when defending — that left space on the outside. Karl's space.

Shower. Cold rinse finish. Wake the nerves.

Breakfast was the same as always: three eggs, half an avocado, rye bread, chamomile tea. His mother smiled gently across the table, wearing a grey sweater.

"Don't overthink it," she said in German, placing a hand on his. "You've already made me proud."

"I haven't won anything yet," Karl replied, buttering his toast.

"You were born to bloom under pressure," she said. "Like I always told you. My Blue Rose."

10:00 AM – Departure to the Stadium

At the training facility, players filtered in dressed sharp in the black and yellow club suits. Karl rolled in quietly with earbuds in — Chopin's Raindrop Prelude in his ears.

Sancho greeted him with a clap on the shoulder. "Today's your Game, bro."

Reus, already lacing his boots, nodded as Karl approached. "You ready?"

Karl met his eyes. "I've been ready. I just needed someone to say 'go.'"

They boarded the team bus. The ride to Signal Iduna Park was 30 minutes of quiet energy. Fans lined the streets.

Karl looked out at the massive Yellow Wall in the distance like a soldier approaching battle.

11:30 AM – The Tunnel

Inside the stadium, the pulse of 80,000 hadn't yet hit its peak — but the hum was unmistakable. Karl stood in the tunnel, kit on, boots double-knotted, black gloves pulled tight.

Number 13 on his back.

Reus approached. "Play the game your way. But remember — this shirt doesn't demand perfection. Just heart."

Karl nodded. "Then I'll give it my all."

The door swung open. Music. Lights. The roar of the Yellow Wall.

And then, they walked.

First Half – Reality Bites and Lessons Learn

Kick-off.

Karl took his first touch on the left wing with a Mainz defender already on his back. He didn't panic — just shielded the ball, dragged it out, and passed back.

First play. Safe.

Ten minutes in, Sancho switched flanks with him. Now Karl operated on the right. He made a darting run between the fullback and centre-back. Witsel saw it — played the through ball.

Karl hit it first time. The shot curled wide.

Close.

Dortmund dominated possession, but Mainz were compact — frustrating.

By the 30th minute, Karl was pressed aggressively. He got shoved, fouled, clipped.

It wasn't dirty — it was calculated. Welcome to the league.

One moment stuck out: a long switch from Hummels came toward him. He brought it down with a velvet touch, beat two men, then stumbled as a third brought him down.

Free kick.

Reus took it. Just over the bar.

At halftime, Dortmund led 1-0, courtesy of Sancho's individual brilliance.

In the locker room, Favre spoke calmly.

"More off-the-ball movement. Karl — don't hesitate. Commit them."

Reus chimed in. "You've got it now . Now finish it."

Second Half – Breakthrough

In the 52nd minute, it clicked.

Karl peeled wide, received deep from Brandt, burst down the wing, and cut inside with a signature feint — Kaiser Impact.

He looked up once.

Low cross. Haaland met it.

Goal. 2–0.

Signal Iduna Park erupted. Karl didn't scream. He pointed at Reus. Then at the fans.

That was his message: I see you. I hear you.

The next 25 minutes, he played like a man possessed. Every touch cleaner. Every run sharper. He dropped into midfield to link play, rotated flanks with Sancho, defended when needed.

In the 82nd, he was subbed off.

Standing ovation.

Reus gave him a pat. "That's how you play the game."

Post-Match – Media, Moments, and Messages.

Dortmund won 3–1.

In the mixed zone, reporters huddled around him.

Sky Deutschland: "Karl, your first Bundesliga start. What was the feeling?"

He replied in measured German. "Incredible, the Stadium, the Fans, absolut Incredible. But the Season is long. I'm walking it one match at a time."

Kicker: "That assist — perfect weight. Did you plan that?"

Karl smiled faintly. "The game speaks for itself . I didn't think about that until it happened."

Home – Mother and The Moment

Later that evening, Karl returned home.

His mother was sitting on the couch, eyes misty. She stood up and embraced him for a long while.

"You did it," she whispered. "I saw my son on the same field I used to dream about watching as a girl."

He pulled back and smiled. "And next time, you'll be there. Live."

They shared a quiet dinner. No talk about fame. No comparisons. Just two people who had climbed a quiet mountain together.

Instagram Post

He lay on his bed, scrolling through notifications. Thousands. Journalists, fans, messages from old coaches.

He picked one photo — taken during his run for the assist. Boots off the ground. Face calm. The crowd a blur behind him.

He captioned it:

"Flow Stat. ✨

Bundesliga Debut — 3 Points.

More to come. #BVB #Heinz13"

He turned off his phone

Tomorrow was a new battle.