Barcelona's morning broke beneath a suffocating sky. The kind of grey dawn that clung to the skin and made every movement feel loaded. Ajax U-23 filed into the hotel dining hall like battle-scarred survivors.
Femi Adeleye arrived last. His body ached from every challenge, but clarity sharpened his mind. Not relief. Not yet.
Josip Van der Berg cracked a grin as Femi sat. "Was starting to think you'd died in your sleep, Jet."
Femi shrugged, "Not yet."
Souleymane Traoré nodded a quiet greeting, but his gaze drifted to the television replaying his goal on loop. Jacek Kowalski sat nursing his bruised knee. And one seat remained conspicuously empty.
Bakker stood, clearing his throat. "Liam's done for the tournament. Rib damage worse than we hoped."
The words hit like a hammer. Josip forced a crooked smile. "Means one less bad haircut on the pitch." The joke died on arrival.
Femi touched the Lagos wristband on his arm, a tiny anchor in shifting waters.
From across the room, Kenji Okoro clapped Souleymane's shoulder. Yassine Bouali gave him an approving nod. Femi caught it—the subtle shift in locker room gravity.
**Kai Sterling's Meltdown**
Across town, in Arsenal's hotel suite, a storm raged.
Kai Sterling hurled a water bottle against the wall. His crown pendant chain snapped, clattering to the floor.
"Corrupt refs! Useless finishers! Joke of a tournament!"
His phone buzzed with headlines.
'Sterling's Arrogance Costs Arsenal — Pundits Rip Star Man'
His thumb hovered, then fired off a tweet: *"Another daylight robbery. Corrupt tournament. Pet clubs everywhere."*
The backlash came like a flood.
And alone, staring at his broken pendant, Kai whispered, "It wasn't my fault."
**Lars de Groot's Reflection**
At Barcelona's training ground, Lars de Groot rewound the same clip on his tablet.
Femi Adeleye's 93rd-minute block. The desperate, furious clarity on his face.
"Maybe we let him go too soon," Lars murmured.
Barcelona's sporting director appeared at the door. "We're short a left-center-back for next season."
Lars hesitated. "I might have someone."
**Squad Tensions: Liam & Souleymane**
Back at Ajax's hotel, the squad gathered for highlights.
Bakker gestured Souleymane over for a private tactics briefing. Josip and Dekker exchanged glances. Femi stayed quiet.
Liam, bandages peeking from under his collar, sat at the back, his eyes fixed on the screen replaying Souleymane's winner. His fist clenched.
*That should've been me.*
**Quarterfinal Results & Semifinal Draw**
That evening, the official results came through.
- Ajax 2-1 Arsenal
- Real Madrid 3-0 Inter Milan (Elias Rikken with a brace)
- Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United
- PSG 1-1 Bayern (PSG on penalties)
The semifinals:
- Ajax vs. Real Madrid
- Barcelona vs. PSG
Femi's stomach coiled.
**Elias Rikken's Press Conference Clip**
On TV, a calm Elias in Madrid white: "Ajax has grown. But some ghosts don't leave you."
The words lanced through Femi.
A memory crashed in—last year's final. Elias easing past him, scoring twice. The devastation.
Femi's hand brushed his wristband.
Josip's palm slapped his shoulder. "Time to fix that, Jet."
**Dekker's Confession**
Later, Dekker found Femi by the balcony.
"I froze up yesterday," Dekker admitted, voice low. "Nearly cost us."
Femi offered a small nod. "Then you don't freeze now."
Dekker nodded, weight visibly lifting.
**Josip's Promise**
Josip appeared, leaning against the rail.
"I say we bury Madrid."
Femi smirked. "Together."
Fists bumped.
**Liam's Quiet Breakdown**
In his room, Liam scrolled through Souleymane's highlights. The cheers muted. The screen a taunt.
A water bottle clattered against the wall. A tear followed.
*It should've been me.*
**Final Scene: Brothers in Arms**
Femi, Josip, and Souleymane gathered by the hotel pool. The Barcelona night stretched wide, thick with heat and promise.
Souleymane stared at the water's ripples. Josip broke the quiet. "Semis."
Femi looked up at the night sky. "One ghost at a time."
He didn't have to say Elias's name. They all felt it.
Barcelona's glow hung heavy, but the fire rising within them burned hotter.