Chapter 196: Ready to Play
The team bus arrived at the hotel just after sunset.
The hotel was quiet and clean. Nothing fancy, but good enough for one night.
The players stepped off the bus slowly, stretching and yawning after the long ride.
So rolled their shoulders, others cracked their necks.
Max looked up at the building and smirked. "Hope the pillows aren’t flat."
Dev smiled. "You’ll be asleep in no ti, so you won’t even notice."
A few players chuckled.
The mood was light, but you could feel the tension under it.
They all knew what tomorrow ant.
Inside, they got their room keys and took the elevator in small groups.
Most of the players went straight to their rooms to drop off their bags and rest for a bit.
Dinner was at 7:30, in a small dining room near the hotel lobby.
The players arrived quietly, still in their travel clothes.
So looked a little tired, but most were calm and focused.
The room was warm and slled of fresh food.
The al was simple pasta, grilled chicken, rice, salad, and vegetables.
Just what they needed before a big ga.
They sat at two long tables.
The room wasn’t loud, but there was so soft talk and quiet laughs.
Max picked up his fork and said, "If I score tomorrow, I’m gonna run straight to our fans, hold my arms wide, and soak it all in. That’s how you do it."
Dev shook his head. "You’ll trip over your own feet."
Max grinned. "Nah, I’ve got this. Gonna run to the fans and celebrate big."
Jamal looked up from his plate. "Just make sure you score first."
A few players laughed.
At the other end of the table, two younger players were talking quietly.
"Do you think the stadium will be full?" one asked.
"Probably," the other said. "Heard their fans don’t stop shouting."
Niels sat nearby with Emma, quietly eating and listening.
He didn’t say much.
He just watched the team.
They looked calm, focused and ready.
No one was joking around or acting nervous.
It was the night before a big ga and the team was in the right place.
Niels sat nearby with Emma, looking over so notes but still watching the team.
When everyone finished eating, Niels stood up.
He didn’t need to raise his voice, everyone was listening.
"Alright, boys. That’s all for tonight. Get so rest. Tomorrow’s a big day. Stick to the plan and trust yourselves."
He looked around the table, making eye contact with several players.
"You’ve done the hard work. Now it’s just about going out there and doing it. Sleep well."
The players nodded and stood up, thanking the staff as they headed for the elevators. So walked in pairs, others went alone. No one needed to be told twice.
Niels stayed behind for a mont, finishing his water.
Then he stepped out onto the balcony.
The evening air was cool and calm.
Below him, the city lights twinkled softly.
Above, the sky was dark, with a few stars starting to shine.
Niels leaned on the railing, taking a deep breath.
He watched the quiet city for a mont, feeling the calm before the big day.
After a few monts, Niels stepped back inside and headed to his room.
He changed into his pajamas, feeling the tiredness settle in.
He got into bed and closed his eyes.
He needed to be ready for tomorrow.
Morning ca quietly.
Niels woke up early, just as the first light started to peek through the curtains.
He sat up in bed, stretching slowly and taking a deep breath.
The day of the big match was here.
He got dressed in his usual training clothes and headed to the hotel gym.
The room was empty and calm, the perfect place to clear his mind.
After a few minutes of light exercise and stretches, Niels looked at his watch.
Ti to get the team ready.
He left the gym and made his way to the dining room.
The players were already there, eating breakfast in small groups.
So looked focused, others talked quietly.
Niels gave a nod of encouragent as he passed.
Today was the day.
The test they had prepared for.
And Niels was ready to lead them through it.
After breakfast, Niels called the team together.
"Let’s go to the gym for so light stretching," he said.
The players followed him down the hall.
In the gym, Niels led them through easy stretches to warm up their muscles.
"Take it easy," he said. "We don’t want to get tired before the ga."
The players moved carefully, paying attention.
Niels watched to make sure everyone was ready.
"This is not just about your body," he said. "Get your mind ready too."
After stretching, the team looked more focused and awake.
Niels smiled. "Good job. Keep this focus today."
They went back to their rooms to rest and get ready for the big ga.
By noon, Niels called everyone together in the hotel lobby.
"Ti to get moving," he said. "Let’s head to the stadium."
The players grabbed their bags and followed him outside.
The bus was waiting, engines running.
The ride was quiet. Everyone stayed focused, thinking about the ga ahead.
Niels sat near the front, watching his team.
As the bus got near the stadium, they heard a loud noise.
Fans were shouting and singing.
The players looked out the windows, feeling the excitent.
The sound was strong and clear.
Niels saw the team’s faces, focused and ready.
The ti had co.
The bus stopped outside the stadium.
The players gathered their bags and stepped off quietly.
As they walked toward the entrance, they noticed a small group of Crawley fans cheering for them near the gate.
The players smiled and waved, so even stopped to say a quick hello and thank them.
The fans shouted words of encouragent, making the players feel the support.
Inside, the team made their way to the locker room.
The room was cool and calm.
Everyone started getting ready changing into their kits, putting on boots.
Niels moved around, checking on the players, offering quiet words of encouragent.
Niels gave them a mont to focus. He looked at each player, seeing their quiet nerves and concentration.
When the ti was right, he stepped to the center of the room.
Everyone looked up and gave him their full attention.
"Alright, listen up," he began, his voice cutting through the silence. "We’ve done sothing special. For a club like ours, reaching the Europa League round of 16... that’s historic."
He paused, letting the statent sink in.
"But that was the last ga. This is a new one.
A tough league match.
Every mont, every tackle, every decision counts. Our opponents, they’ve played at this level before. They’ll be physical, they’ll be tactical. They want to take points from us."
He paced slowly, eting each player’s gaze. "Don’t let them set the pace. Our strength is in who we are fast, precise, and united.
We’ve worked hard to get this far. Now it’s ti to defend our ga and push forward."
He lowered his voice, intensity building. "We belong here. Now let’s show it on the pitch. Get out there and play like the team I know you are."
The room was quiet for a mont.
Then the players nodded one by one.
Max smiled a little and tightened his captain’s armband. Dev looked focused. Jamal sat up straight, ready to lead.
"You got this," Dev said quietly.
So players looked at each other, feeling more confident.
Niels nodded. "Alright, let’s get ready. This is our ti."
The team stood up together, full of quiet energy, ready to go.
After one final cheer from the team, Max took a deep breath and tightened his captain’s armband again. He looked at everyone, then stepped forward.
"Let’s do this," he said.
Max led the team as they walked toward the tunnel. The noise from the crowd grew louder with every step.
Together, they disappeared into the tunnel, ready for the ga ahead.
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