Lukas tumbled forward, landing hard on the slick grass. The whistle shrieked before the boos did.
"That's a poor challenge. You could see it coming; Fred just couldn't handle him anymore."
Fred immediately raised a hand, apologetic but unconvincing. The referee jogged over and showed him a yellow card to the roar of the Frankfurt supporters. Lukas sat up, rubbing his leg, testing the impact. After a brief moment, he stood, waved to the fans to show he was fine, and offered a faint grin.
On the sideline, Toppmöller gestured toward the bench. Knauff was already warming up. It wasn't worth the risk, not with the game settled and the young star's legs having done enough magic for one night.
"And that looks like it'll be the end of the evening for Lukas Brandt. What a performance he's given us again tonight — three assists, moments of pure brilliance, and the composure of a player twice his age."
