The Greatest Of All Time

by Stayrr

Dive into a novel about the rise of a legendary sportsman. Follow Zachary Bemba on his journey to become the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) in the soccer world. He travels back to a time in his past where opportunity abounds. Access to a system capable of propelling him to greater heights is just the icing on the cake. From a nobody born in one of the poorest and most remote pla

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Zachary wasn't aware of all the publicity efforts put in motion by the General Manager of Juventus since he had switched off his phone the previous night to avoid distractions. He had zero knowledge about how his incredible performance against Malmö was fast pushing him to global stardom. He was just in his own small world, trying to recover from his post-match fatigue without a care for anything else.

He spent a large part of his day off cooped up in his hotel room, going through light exercise routines to quicken his post-match recovery. He performed yoga in the morning, ate a sumptuous room service meal at noon, then went through another yoga routine before activating the GOAT Skills simulator to refine his ball skills. He spent hours practicing free kicks, step-overs, Marseille turns, shooting techniques from inside and outside the box, and other skills within the freakishly realistic virtual world of the system. He didn't stop training until late in the evening, long after sunset.

After stretching his body and going through a warming-down routine, he cleaned up and later feasted on another meal before jumping into bed for the night. He was soon deep in slumberland, dreaming about winning the Ballon d'Or.

The following morning, he woke up early as usual at around six. He was soon in autopilot mode, going through his yoga routine and then cleaning up and having breakfast before readying himself for Juventus' team training that day. And by 8:00 AM, he'd already donned his tracksuit, ready to head out of the hotel.

He scooped up his phone from a nearby table and booted it up for the first time since the night of the match. The next moment, it started vibrating with various SMS, WhatsApp messages, and voicemail alerts -- all tell-tale signs that many people had tried to contact him when his phone was off the previous day. But him being Zachary, he still ignored all the notifications and chose to call Angelo Mattiello, his guide and interpreter, first. He was eager to find out whether the Italian had already arrived to pick him up and transport him to the Juventus training center.

"Hello, Zachary," Angelo replied from the side of the line right after the call connected. "How's your morning?"

"Pretty good," Zachary responded. "Where are you? Have you arrived yet?"

"Yes," Angelo said. "I'm already here in the parking lot of the J Hotel, waiting for you."

"Okay, then," Zachary said. "Wait for me a little longer. I'll be down in five minutes."

Zachary immediately ended the call before shoving the phone into his tracksuit's trouser pocket. He then stepped into his glossy green Nike Flex sneakers before throwing his gym bag over his shoulder and exiting his hotel room.

A few minutes later, he had already descended the stairs and arrived at the reception area of the J Hotel. His gait exuded unbridled confidence as he walked towards the counter to hand in his room key. But on the inside, he was in a confused state. He couldn't understand why all the people he'd met on his way down the stairs had exhibited peculiar mannerisms.

For instance, the often mean-faced middle-aged waitress that usually dusted the walls flashed him a smile when he greeted her. Then, there were the other hotel workers who gave him slight bows when he passed by them. And now, after arriving in the hotel's lobby, the same scenario was playing out again, and everyone was stealing glances at him as if he was some tourist attraction. The whole situation was odd, especially since he was in the J Hotel -- a facility that usually hosted several famous names from Italy's football scene all year round. People at such a hotel should not have given him all that attention and respect even if he was a footballer under contract with Juventus.

"Zachary!" The familiar and beautiful waitress at the counter said, standing up on seeing Zachary arrive. "Good morning to you." She greeted in English as her face lit up with a smile. She was a brunette with a full figure, dimpled cheeks, and the brightest blue eyes that Zachary had ever seen.

"Good morning to you, too, Antonella," Zachary responded, flashing her a smile. "Here is my key. Please instruct someone to clean my room when I'm away."

"Don't worry. I'll surely do that," Antonella readily agreed and received the key from Zachary. "Are you heading out for training?"

"Yes," Zachary said. "I'm off to the Vinovo to attend the team training until evening."

"But you're very early today!" Antonella remarked. "Anything special going on at the training center?"

Zachary nodded. "We're starting preparations for the game against AC Milan today. So, I naturally have to go early."

"Aha!" Antonella exclaimed. "Now I remember. You play AC Milan on Saturday night. Do you think we will win?"

"Of course, we'll win," Zachary assured, grinning. "Make sure you keep your eyes on the screen on Saturday night. We will discipline those AC Milan boys at the San Siro until they start crying out to their mamas. You wait and see."

Antonella chuckled and said, "Then, I'll eagerly await the match on Saturday. Otherwise, I wish you luck in your training today. Have a good day."

"Have a good day, too," Zachary said and stepped away from the counter. He quickly walked out of the hotel before rushing to the parking lot.

A few minutes later, he linked up with Angelo, and off they went, cruizing into the wide streets of Turin. Angelo was, of course, the driver driving Zachary to the Vinovo for training. He was on the steering wheel while Zachary was in the back seat of the comfy Citroën.

"Did you watch the sports news yesterday?" Angelo asked after another few minutes of driving.

"Nope," Zachary replied and started going through the notifications on his phone. "I haven't watched the news like for forty-eight hours."

"Then, you missed out big time," Angelo said. "What were you doing? The whole of Italy and Europe was going on about your hattrick against Malmö yesterday. But you didn't bother to follow! You're one weird guy."

"It was a hattrick against a weak team," Zachary said. "I thought that very few people would care. That's why I didn't bother watching the news."

"You couldn't have been more wrong," Angelo pointed out. "You're now like a superstar in Italy. In fact, I would advise you to get some bodyguards soon. Otherwise, you won't get a moment of peace while moving around Turin. Fans will be lining up to acquire your autograph whenever they see you."

"So, that's why everyone at the hotel looked at me as if I was an alien," Zachary remarked, feeling a headache coming. He was beginning to understand that fame wasn't always a good thing. "I really need to hurry and purchase a house to escape the scrutinizing stares of all those hotel employees." He sighed.

"Indeed, you should," Angelo agreed while rounding a roundabout and steering the car into another street. "That reminds me. A good villa is up for sale in Pinerolo, in a locality just thirty minutes away from the Vinovo. It has a swimming pool and many other amenities that could suit your tastes. Moreover, the owner is selling it at a relatively low price as his company has just declared bankruptcy. So, I really hope that you spare some time to look at the villa and see if you like it."

"How much are they selling it for?" Zachary asked, glancing up from his phone.

"1.5 Million Euros," Angelo replied. "But it would even go for 2.5 to 3 million if the owners weren't desperate to sell. It is located in a good neighborhood in Turin."

"Oh, I see," Zachary intoned. "Then, let's look at it on Sunday afternoon. That will be the day after our match against AC Milan."

"Okay," Angelo readily agreed. "I'll schedule an appointment to look at the house with the real estate agents. They will be ready for you on Sunday afternoon."

"Good, I'll buy it if I like it," Zachary said and returned his attention to his phone. He was still going through the notifications, including an email from Emily about a new endorsement contract offered by Nike. So, he remained silent until he arrived at the Vinovo fifteen minutes later.

--

Zachary tossed everything else out of his mind and immersed himself into training after arriving at the Vinovo. He ignored all the attention he was getting from the media and spent the entire day going through team drills under the strict supervision of the coaches. And as usual, he didn't shortchange himself while refining his ball skills or training his physical fitness.

While training, Zachary also noticed that most of his teammates' attitudes towards him had changed. It seemed they had totally accepted him into the team after he scored the hattrick against Malmö. Unlike before, they all looked at him with respect and adoration. They were even eager to chat and get on good terms with him whenever an opportunity presented itself.

"Zachary!" Kingsley Coman intoned when the players were enjoying their lunch at the canteen. "Don't forget to pass to me during the match against AC Milan. I also want to rub off your glory and score some goals."

Zachary chuckled and said, "Don't worry. I'll pass the ball to you as long as I'm on the pitch and you're in a strategic position. You have my word."

"Excellent," Kingsley said, grinning. "Now, I'm eagerly waiting for the match on Saturday. I want to score a goal."

The rest of the players chuckled at that before starting to discuss other things. They talked about many concerns, including their objectives, the tactics used by their coach, and their upcoming fixtures. They were obviously using their lunch break to bond as a team.

The next few days passed quickly as the Juventus players went through strict drilling routines to hone their tactics. And soon, Friday, the eve of the day when they would face off against AC Milan, arrived with regal ease. It was finally time for the Old Lady players to test themselves against another top Italian team. As a result, the entire focus of the Italian football community was beginning to zero in on the famous San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy.

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Zachary was in high spirits as he stepped out of Angelo's Citroen after arriving in front of the J Hotel that Friday evening. He was just from the Juventus training center, where he had attended Coach Allegri's pre-match tactical briefing. And naturally, he had made Juventus' starting eleven for the second time in a row within a week.

He waved Angelo goodbye and took a moment to savor the refreshing sights in front of the J Hotel. He stood motionless, watching the horizon absentmindedly without minding anything around him. The dim moonlight shrouded the land, and a cool and refreshing breeze swept around him to wash away any remnants of heat from the day. However, he didn't move as if he hadn't noticed that dusk had already arrived.

The gears in his mind were stirring and turning as he set goals for the following day's game. He had messed up big time during the pre-season and caused his team to lose the game against AC Milan. Now that he was back to full fitness, it was time for him to make amends when he faced the Milan boys the following evening.

He was enjoying his time in Italy. He was having a blast playing for Juventus, one of the biggest teams in Europe. And as the highest paid player in such a famous club, he wanted to prove himself by using his skills to destroy his opponents. He would do his utmost to ensure that no one would stop him during his first game in the San Siro. He would do his best to convince his teammates and coaches that he deserved all the money he was getting from Juventus. He was focused on his goals.

"Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzt Bzzzt!"

At that moment, Zachary's phone vibrated within one of his tracksuit pockets, and pushed him out of his state of contemplation. He immediately fished it out and glanced at the screen. The next instant, his face lit up with a smile as he realized it was Camilla, his girlfriend, calling. Without hesitation, he pressed the accept button and held the phone against his ear.

"Hello, Camilla," he said, "It's nice to hear from you. How are you doing?"

"Honestly, I'm not okay," Camilla replied.

"Oh!" Zachary was a bit shaken. He braced himself and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Are you really going to pretend that you don't know?" Camilla questioned. "You switched off your phone and ignored all my calls for two days straight. What's up with that? Don't you think about me sometimes? Do I mean nothing to you?"

In response, Zachary was at a loss for words. He didn't bother to give Camilla excuses as he was sure she wouldn't buy them. He just replied, "I'm sorry."

Camilla sighed and switched the topic. "Let's stop with the annoying stuff. How are your preparations for the match against AC Milan coming along? Did you make the team?"

"Yes, I'm in the starting eleven," Zachary replied almost instantaneously. "I'm starting for Juventus for the second time in a row. Will you travel to Milan to watch our game? I can get you a VIP match ticket if you're to consider attending."

"Thanks," Camilla replied. "But unfortunately, I can't travel to Italy this weekend. I have a lot of deadlines coming up next week. So, I have got to stay home and try to finish my work."

"I see," Zachary said, feeling a bit sour. He had hoped he could link up with Camilla after the game against AC Milan to have some fun. But it seemed he wouldn't realize his wish, as Camilla had chosen to stay back in Trondheim with the excuse of finishing up her work.

"By the way, has Emily talked to you about the new contract offered by Audi?" Camilla asked as if in passing from the other side of the line. "My bosses should have offered your party a lucrative endorsement deal about three weeks ago! But your side is not responding! What's up? Are the terms of the contract not to your liking?"

Zachary felt a headache coming and said, "Honestly, I have chosen not to look at any endorsement contract proposals until I settle down in Turin and start playing consistently for Juventus. I wish to limit distractions during this crucial period of my career."

"Oh, I see," Camilla remarked from the other end of the line. "That's understandable. Anyways, Zachary, it was nice talking to you. Let me say goodbye for now. I know you have to go to bed early so that you can be in good shape for tomorrow's game. Just remember that I love you."

"I love you, too," Zachary responded. "Thanks for calling, and goodnight."

"Goodnight," Camilla said before ending the call.

Zachary sighed as he shoved the phone back into his pocket. He could tell that Camilla was a bit angry just from the tone of her voice. She was not her usual charming self — and as a result, their conversation had felt a bit dry. All that caused alarm bells to go off within Zachary's mind as he could feel the distance between them growing and widening. Their long-distance relationship would likely fail if he didn't put in some effort.

"What's meant to happen will happen," Zachary thought as he turned around and headed into the hotel. "I'll try to surprise her with a nice present on her birthday next week. Hope that raises her spirits."

Zachary tossed all the relationship issues to the back of his mind as he entered the hotel. As a one-track-minded footballer, he was once again soon contemplating the tactics for the following day's game against AC Milan. He continued pondering various match scenarios until he went to bed at ten that night.

Saturday, September 20th, 2014.

Time: 8:00 PM

--

The electric lamps hanging on the walls cast a misty glow upon Camilla's face as she lay on a sofa in her living room. She sighed for the umpteenth time that evening as she tenderly caressed her flat stomach. The next moment, she seemed to recall something and glanced at the big clock on the opposite wall.

"It's already time," she mumbled and sat upright on the sofa. She picked up the remote from a nearby table and pressed the red button to power up her 50-inch smart TV. She was, of course, getting ready to watch Zachary's match against AC Milan.

As the smart TV was in the process of booting up, she stared at it absentmindedly. Her mind started wandering, and jumbled thoughts about Zachary fleeted around her brain. Was he angry since she hadn't traveled to Milan to watch his match? Did he ever think about her while they were apart? Did he truly love her? After pondering various questions for a few seconds, she sighed while subconsciously caressing her belly again.

She was not in the best of moods as she could feel things weren't going right with Zachary. Over the past few days, he'd again returned to his old habits and started ignoring her completely. He could spend days without calling or even sending her a simple 'hi' on WhatsApp. Whether it was because he was busy or something else — Camilla didn't know. But all she knew was that his ignoring her hurt and confused her a lot. She was often left wondering whether he was serious about their relationship or if he saw her as a casual partner to have fun with and throw away later. She was in a dilemma.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the TV host's voice reverberated around the room after the TV finished booting up. "We're about to witness the battle between titans. Viewers! AC Milan will welcome Juventus to the San Siro for their first Serie A face-off this season. Both teams have won their opening two fixtures, and whoever wins the game today will end the night at the top of the table. With me here to analyze the game are three pundits, namely: Shaka Hislop, Steve Nicol, and Joshua Morales. Welcome to the ESPN Studios, gentlemen."

"Thank you," the three pundits replied, more or less in unison.

The host smiled as the cameras focused back on him. "Let's get right into it and start with your predictions. Gentlemen! Who do you think will win this game? AC Milan or Juventus?"

"I'll go with Juventus," Shaka Hislop was the first to reply. "The Old Lady players are on form this season. I don't think that AC Milan has what it takes to stop them at the moment. My prediction is 3:1 in favor of Juventus."

"I'll also go with Juventus," Joshua Morales said. "They have Carlos Tévez, Zachary Bemba, Andrea Pirlo, and Stephan Lichtsteiner. Those players are all on-form and have been impressive during the past few matches. They will help Juventus thrash AC Milan 2:0 in the game tonight. That's my prediction."

"I'll go with AC Milan," Steve Nicol said. "AC Milan has the home advantage and a crowd of enthusiastic supporters behind them. AC Milan also has a fairly strong squad that is shaping up well this season. If they can play their cards right, they can defeat Juventus by a goal to nil. That's my prediction."

"Thank you, gentlemen," the host said with a smile. "We'll get back to those predictions after the final whistle. But for now, let's talk tactics. Shaka! How do you think the two teams will shape up today?"

"Well," Shaka said as the cameras focused on him, "I think Juventus will use the same system they used against Malmo in midweek. They will play a back three, five midfielders, and two strikers. Two of the central midfielders will concentrate on linking play with the defense, while Zachary Bemba will play an advanced role as an attacking pivot or sometimes as a false nine, as we saw in the game against Malmo. As a unit, the whole Juventus team will try to build up play from the back with slow but steady passes as they search for opportunities. And when there's a chance, we might witness a moment of magic from the wing-backs, or we could see Zachary, the attacking pivot, dribbling forward or playing a forward pass to the two strikers."

"AC Milan, on the other hand, will most likely utilize a 4-3-3 formation and play a counterattacking game. Their three central midfielders will remain compact throughout the game to try and stop Juventus' fluid passing. As for their wingers, they will try to run into the spaces behind the Juventus wing-backs whenever there's a counterattacking opportunity. They will be looking to catch those Juventus attacking wing-backs off-guard before creating goals-scoring opportunities."

"Thanks for your analysis, Shaka," the host said before turning towards another pundit. "Joshua! Which players do you think will be most crucial in influencing the score at the end of this game?"

Joshua Morales smiled. "On Juventus' side, it will be Zachary Bemba, Andrea Pirlo, and Carlos Tévez. If those three perform at their best, I'm sure Juventus will win the game. On AC Milan's side, it should be Sulley Muntari, Nigel de Jong, and Stephan El Shaarawy. Muntari and De Jong, the two midfielders, have to stay on their toes to contain Juventus midfield which comprises the likes of Zachary Bemba, Andrea Pirlo, and Claudio Marchisio. El Shaarawy, on the other hand, has to take his chances well and ensure that AC Milan gets a goal on the counter. Otherwise, his team will lose to Juventus."

"Thank you, Joshua," the host said with a smile. "Let's first turn our focus to the San Siro Stadium, where the players of both teams are warming up. They are doing their best to prepare for the match that is about to commence. Will AC Milan overcome all odds and come out on top after the final whistle? Or will Juventus play as usual and win the game? Viewers! Stay tuned. We'll be back shortly to look at the line-ups of both teams."

In one of the famous neighborhoods of Milan stood one of the renowned stadiums in the world that had witnessed a large part of Italy's footballing history. It was known to many football enthusiasts as the San Siro Stadium, one of the legendary houses of the footballing world that housed two sporting giants - AC Milan and Inter Milan. It was one of the symbols par excellence of the city of Milan, which often attracted large crowds of supporters yearning to watch live Serie A matches on most weekends.

On match days, the atmosphere around the stadium was always explosive. Fans would start lining up at the gates hours before the kick-off, and when they finally got the chance to enter the stadium, most would immediately begin cheering at the top of their voices in support of their respective teams. Their support was what gave the San Siro life during football games.

That Saturday evening, business was as usual at this famous stadium. The fans were chanting at the top of their voices as they watched AC Milan, their local club, facing off against one of their fiercest rivals in Italy. It was only the ninth minute after kick-off, but the supporters were doing their utmost to boost the morale of their players. They were using their loud voices to support their team and ensure it defeated Juventus, the footballing powerhouse from Turin, Italy.

"El Shaarawy! El Shaarawy..."

The AC Milan fans started chanting again as their club initiated another counterattack against Juventus through Stephan El Shaarawy, their left-winger. El Shaarawy controlled the ball well close to the touchline and skipped past a sliding tackle from Stephan Lichtsteiner. Then, before any other opponents could close him down, he accelerated to top speed and raced towards the other side of the pitch as if his life was on the line.

MartÃn Cáceres, one of the Juventus center-backs, soon stepped towards the flanks to close down the AC Milan man. But El Shaarawy was cunning as ever on the ball. He didn't choose to take on the Juventus man -- but instead squared the ball into the middle, just into the gap left by Cáceres in the backline. And as expected, his brilliant pass also managed to find JÃrÃmy MÃnez, the AC Milan center-forward, lurking in that position.

"JÃrÃmy! MÃnez! JÃrÃmy..."

The cheers around the stadium hit another thunderous crescendo as JÃrÃmy MÃnez connected with the ball just before the box. The center-forward turned and twisted to escape from Leonardo Bonucci, the Juventus center-back, marking him. He executed a couple of body feints to draw the defender out of position and created a pocket of space to work with the ball. And at the right moment, he accelerated and rushed past Leonardo Bonucci to step into the box. He was almost one-on-one with the keeper and ready to shoot at goal.

But just then, the unexpected happened. Giorgio Chiellini, the other Juventus center-back, committed a mistake when he rushed in from the other side, trying to cover his teammate. The center-back stretched out his leg and attempted to clear the ball off JÃrÃmy MÃnez's feet. But luck seemed not to be on his side that day, and he caught the striker's leg just inside the box.

"Merda! Ma che cazzo!" Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus keeper, mumbled a few expletives as he watched MÃnez tumbling to the ground inside the box. The AC Milan striker's acting was good, and he rolled on the ground several times while contorting his face in pain. He was obviously exaggerating his reaction to influence the referee's decision.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee reacted as expected and immediately blew the whistle to award AC Milan a penalty inside the box. But he didn't just stop at that. He also fished out a red card from his shirt pocket and showed it to Giorgio Chiellini, the defender who had committed the foul. The referee had reduced Juventus to only ten men within the tenth minute of gameplay.

"Referee," Gianluigi Buffon yelled, rushing towards the scene. "That was Chiellini's first foul. Moreover, it wasn't intentional or malicious. How can you show him a straight red card? Isn't that too unfair?"

The experienced goalkeeper was performing his role as captain and trying to convince the referee to change the harsh decision against Chiellini. But his words seemed to fall on deaf ears as the referee only shook his head in response before signaling Chiellini to get off the pitch. His expression said it all, and he wasn't going to change his decision for anything in the world.

--

"Juventus is in trouble now," Carlo Vanzini, the commentator, yelled, allowing his voice to resound across the San Siro Stadium. "They have conceded a penalty and a red card within the tenth minute of gameplay. That means they might go a goal down in the next few seconds if AC Milan successfully converts the penalty. They will also have to play the next 80-plus minutes with only ten men. I can't picture them winning this game unless something unexpected happens."

"You're right," Pierluigi Pardo, the co-commentator, agreed. "Juventus has been playing possession football with a slow build-up from the back during the opening ten minutes. They have been passing the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, hoping to stretch AC Milan's midfield and defense. But now that they have lost Giorgio Chiellini, one of their most important center-backs, I also can't picture them building up slowly from the back to play possession football. They have to adapt and switch to defensive tactics, or else AC Milan will blow them away here at the San Siro."

"I'm sure that Coach Allegri should also see what the rest of us see," Carlo Vanzini said. "He should be making a few changes in the next few minutes. He will most likely take out an attacking player and bring on a defensive-minded player, preferably one who can play as center-back or a defensive midfielder. But who'll he take out? Zachary Bemba, Andrea Pirlo, Carlos TÃvez, or Kingsley Coman?"

"I think Zachary Bemba, Andrea Pirlo, and Carlos TÃvez are all out of the question," Pierluigi Pardo replied with a chuckle. "Those are players that make things happen for Juventus. I think Coach Allegri will take out Kingsley Coman and bring on Arturo Vidal, a defensive midfielder. The wing-backs can then push back to form a four-player defense with the two remaining Juventus center-backs. Then, in the middle, we might see Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo, and Zachary Bemba partnering up to make things happen for Juventus. And lastly, on striking, it will be Carlos TÃvez leading the attack."

"That's quite an impressive line-up," Carlo Vanzini, the commentator, said. "You might be right. But let's first return our focus to the field of play where AC Milan is preparing to take the penalty."

--

Coach Allegri was a bundle of nerves as he followed the proceedings on the pitch. He had wanted to utilize possessive football to whittle away AC Milan's tenacity. But his plan was up in flames after Chiellini got the unfortunate red card. The coach could not continue attempting to dominate possession with only ten men on the field. He had to formulate a contingency plan within the shortest time possible to handle the unfavorable situation and ensure his team came up with a result after the game. He had to make sure that his team didn't lose to AC Milan, one of their fiercest rivals, despite being a player down.

"What to do?" The coach mumbled as he watched Stephan El Shaarawy, AC Milan's left-winger, preparing to take the penalty. He really hoped that Gianluigi Buffon, his experienced keeper, would rise to the occasion and save the spot kick. Otherwise, Juventus would be in deep trouble for the rest of the game.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee's whistle sounded the next moment, and El Shaarawy started his angled run towards the ball. The AC Milan striker then opened his body and unleashed a grounded shot towards the inside of the left post. His attempt was well-placed and sure to find the back of the net if the keeper didn't save it. But El Shaarawy soon realized that he was out of luck as he was against Gianluigi Buffon, one of the most experienced keepers in the world.

Everything seemed to happen within a flash, and Buffon reacted by executing an acrobatic dive immediately after El Shaarawy took the penalty. On a full body stretch, he managed to cover a distance of meters within milliseconds and pushed the ball off its intended trajectory with his outstretched fingertips.

The experienced keeper had managed to save Juventus from conceding a goal from the penalty spot during the twelfth minute. But Coach Allegri was still tense as the danger was still at large in the box. The ball had altered its course slightly and smashed off the post before returning to the field of play.

"Damn it! Clear the ball away! Anywhere will do!"

Coach Allegri shouted from the sidelines as the ball bounced back into the box. The coach's heart raced with anxiety as he watched the players of both teams scrambling after the bouncing ball. He only calmed down after Kwadwo Asamoah, his left wing-back, got to the ball first and smashed it towards the touchline on the left to clear away the danger.

"Phew! That was close," Coach Allegri mumbled, letting out a breath. He angled his head and continued following the ball that was on a course towards the touchline on the left flank. And that was when he noticed the silhouette of a player in Juventus' black and white colors after it. It was Carlos TÃvez.

"Carlos! TÃvez! Carlos..."

The visiting Juventus fans started singing at the top of their voices as Carlos TÃvez leaped high and chested the ball to the green. Their voices soon combined to form a booming chorus that shook the San Siro stadium as TÃvez skipped past a tackle and took off towards the other side of the pitch.

The visiting supporters were obviously excited by Juventus' immediate reaction after conceding and surviving the penalty kick. As a result, they were soon on their feet in the stands as they watched their star player racing along the touchline to initiate a counterattack for Juventus. They couldn't hide their agitated emotions as they could smell that it was a chance for Juventus to outwit AC Milan for the first time that evening.

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The counterattack was on, and most of Juventus' attacking players reacted accordingly as Carlos Tévez sprinted with the ball along the touchline on the left flank. Kingsley Coman and Stephan Lichtsteiner darted across the pitch via the right wing while Zachary Bemba raced through the middle in sync with the lightning-fast Tévez. They were like four incarnations of Usain Bolt as they bore down on AC Milan's goal like a pack of wolves on the hunt. Anyone could tell they had only a single mission on their minds: They wanted to catch AC Milan off guard and score on the counterattack.

"It's Carlos Tévez on the ball," the voice of Carlo Vanzini, the commentator, resounded across the stadium in tandem with the thunderous cheers. "He has yards of space ahead of him on the left flank. But he chooses to pass to Zachary in the middle. It's now Zachary on the ball..."

Pierluigi Pardo, the co-commentator, followed the proceedings on the pitch with bated breath as his colleague gave the match commentary. His eyes narrowed into slits, and he watched Zachary connect with the short pass from Carlos Tévez. Zachary then twisted and turned to step away from an opponent before continuing toward AC Milan's box like a racing cheetah traversing the jungle. The young Juventus number 10 soon stepped into the final third and faced off against the only remaining opponent barring his way towards the goal.

At that moment, Zachary could basically choose to go at it alone and beat the final defender before trying to score. However, the young Maestro made a surprising decision instead. He held on to the ball for only a few seconds to draw in the remaining defender. And when the opponent took the bait and closed him down, he immediately unleashed a well-timed cheeky pass towards his right to find Kingsley Coman, the other Juventus forward.

"Oh, my God!" Carlo Vanzini, the commentator, continued yelling. "Zachary's sweet pass has managed to release Kingsley Coman on a straight course towards the goal. The young Frenchman takes a touch and steps into the box. No one can stop him. He shoots. He beats the keeper. Oh, my goodness me! The ball is in the back of the net."

"Goaaaal!" The commentator screamed in sync with the thunderous cheers around the stadium. "Kingsley Coman, the nineteen-year-old Frenchman, has bagged Juventus' first goal just seconds after El Shaarawy failed to convert AC Milan's penalty. We have just witnessed one of the best counterattacking goals in football history. Truly spectacular stuff happening on the pitch."

Pierluigi Pardo, the co-commentator, chuckled. "What's more interesting is that Zachary Bemba, one nineteen-year-old, linked up with Kingsley Coman, another nineteen-year-old, during the build-up that led to the goal. The young talents of Juventus are surely incredible."

"Now that you mention it," Carlo Vanzini said, "I'm surprised Zachary chose to pass the ball instead of trying to test the goalkeeper. He had all the space to shoot at the goal himself but provided an assist instead. He's a different version of the Zachary we witnessed during midweek."

"Yes, that's true," Pierluigi Pardo agreed. "There are many critics and pundits who expressed that Zachary was a very selfish player after Juventus' Champions League game against Malmo. Additionally, the critics claimed that his selfishness was what allowed him to score more than twenty goals during the Europa League last season. But I don't see it that way, and I can't relate to such harsh words concerning Zachary. Instead, I think Zachary is an uncommonly talented attacking midfielder with an impressive vision on the pitch. He's able to make the most appropriate decisions during critical moments."

"For instance, if he notices that the best chance for his team to score is having a go for himself, he will shoot. But if he happens to spot a teammate with higher odds of putting the ball into the back of the net, he will pass to that teammate to increase his team's chances of winning. He's the kind of midfielder who makes decisions based on the situation. And that explains why he passed to Kingsley Coman instead of having a go at goal himself."

"You do have a point," Carlo Vanzini, the commentator, agreed. "But, let's return our focus to the pitch where Juventus is preparing to make a substitution. Remember that Coach Allegri's men are already a player down, even though they are one goal ahead. They will have to play the remaining 80-plus minutes with only ten men. Can they protect their lead and go home with all three points after the final whistle? Let's continue following the match to find out."

--

Zachary relaxed a bit when he noticed that Coach Allegri had chosen to replace Kingsley Coman, a striker, with Arturo Vidal, a defensive midfielder. He could immediately tell that the coach was taking precautions by switching to defensive strategies instead of remaining hell-bent on playing possession football with only ten players on the field. If his guesses were correct, Juventus was about to switch to a 4-4-1 system that would enable them to endure and weather AC Milan's attacks after the red card.

"Coach's instructions!" Arturo Vidal, the just-introduced substitute, said after approaching Zachary. "You're to continue playing as the attacking pivot in charge of linking up play with Carlos Tévez, our only remaining striker. But you will also have to fall back whenever we're not on the ball to help in defense. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Zachary replied.

"Good. Let's do our best to protect our lead. We must not lose to AC Milan, even at the San Siro." Arturo Vidal said and stepped away, heading towards his position in defensive midfield.

Zachary watched the midfielder take his position at the border of the final third before returning his focus to the referee. His fighting spirit was already shooting into the skies as he readied himself for the restart of the game. He wasn't resigned to losing and yearned to do his utmost to help his team seal victory against AC Milan even with a one-player disadvantage.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and the game restarted. A few seconds elapsed, and the AC Milan players began launching endless waves of attacks on Juventus' box. While arrayed in the 4-3-3 system, they utilized their one-player advantage to outwit Juventus in the most crucial areas of the field and dominate possession. And it didn't take them long to start creating clear goal-scoring chances that tested Juventus' tenacity and defensive capabilities on multiple occasions.

Of course, many of AC Milan's attempts were off target, while only a few were on the mark. But even the few on target couldn't cause any harm to Juventus due to the impressive form of Gianluigi Buffon, the goalkeeper.

The experienced shot-stopper made six incredible saves during the first half and even came out on top after a one-on-one encounter with Jérémy Ménez, AC Milan's center-forward. His performance was out of this world, and he was by far Juventus' best player during the first half.

During the second half, it was almost the same story as in the first. The Rossoneri attacked as if their lives were on the line, searching for that one goal that would put them back on level terms with Juventus. But alas, they couldn't break through Juventus' defensive formation supported by only ten players. They couldn't put a ball past Gianluigi Buffon, the shot-stopper, who was clearly at the top of his game that evening.

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As experienced professionals, the AC Milan players wouldn't give up the game easily. They continued attacking — and finally, a clear goal-scoring chance came their way during the 84th minute.

It all began with Nigel de Jong, the AC Milan defensive midfielder, winning the ball in the middle third. The Dutch midfielder expertly slid in to steal the ball from Andrea Pirlo before threading a pass to Sulley Muntari, his counterpart in midfield.

Sulley Muntari, in turn, controlled the ball well before passing into the wings to find Keisuke Honda, the AC Milan right-winger. Honda also worked quickly to control the ball and skip past Kwadwo Asamoah's sliding challenge. When the angle opened up, he immediately unleashed a curling cross towards the box from the border of the final third.

The attack was on, and many players in the box reacted to the incoming cross. The AC Milan attackers leaped up from the ground to attack the ball and try to score while the Juventus men tried their best to defend and clear the danger away from their box. But in the end, Jérémy Ménez, AC Milan's center-forward, came out on top.

The striker won an aerial battle against Martín Cáceres around the penalty area and planted a header towards the inside of the right post. His technique was perfect, and he almost caught Gianluigi Buffon off guard with his impressive effort.

But once again, the experienced Gianluigi Buffon was alert. He threw himself at the ball and stopped it from crossing the line at the last second. And before any AC Milan players could react, Leonardo Bonucci, the other center-back, smashed the loose ball away from the box to clear the danger.

Whoosh!

The just-cleared ball darted through the air and bounced in the 18-yard box's arc, close to where Zachary was lurking. It was like the perfect gift for him, and he reacted immediately and pounced on it as if there was no tomorrow.

His long strides covered about four yards in almost a second, and he got to the ball first before any other player. Heart racing, he stretched out his leg and expertly looped it over the approaching Sulley Muntari with the simplest of touches. He then exploded with speed and rushed past the helpless opposing midfielder before twisting and turning to dance out of the crowded space in front of the box.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Zachary's tricky side-steps worked wonders, and he skipped past two other AC Milan players before creating some space to work his magic. Then, in a flash, he surveyed the scene ahead of him with his eagle-like vision while prodding the ball forward to keep it away from the opponents. And after making his judgment, he unleashed a raking pass towards the other side with the outer part of his boot.

Whoosh!

Zachary's passing technique was spectacular as always, and the ball darted through the air, just out of reach of all the players that could potentially bar its way. It was like a remote-controlled drone as it made a parabola over the pitch and bounced in front of Carlos Tévez, the striker who had just initiated a run towards AC Milan's box.

The ever-alert Carlos Tévez, of course, didn't disappoint. He left his marker in the dust and exploded with speed towards the bouncing ball. The Argentine controlled it in his stride and continued his mad sprint towards AC Milan's goal. Without losing composure, he rounded the keeper, who had come out to meet him, before burying the ball into the back of the net. He had scored Juventus' second goal for the night during the 85th minute.

--

AC Milan 0 : Juventus FC 2

--

"Oh my goodness me!" The commentator's voice resounded around the stadium in sync with the thunderous cheers. "Another perfect counter has allowed Juventus to score their second goal for the night. Absolutely sensational! The pass from Zachary was timed to perfection, and Carlos Tévez's finish was on point. Simply world-class! Two great players have combined to create magic on the pitch."

Pierluigi Pardo, the co-commentator, sighed and said, "I'm at a loss for words after witnessing the build-up to the goal. Zachary Bemba was in a crowd of opposing players when he received the ball in front of his box. But the way he looped the ball over Sulley Muntari and turned and twisted away from the other opponents to create space for himself was the stuff of legends. But that wasn't all there was to his moment of brilliance. The young playmaker managed to link play with Carlos Tévez with that sweet ball over the entire midfield. His pinpoint pass took all the AC Milan defensive players out of the equation and released Tévez on a straight course towards goal. What exceptional vision! What an impressive passing technique!"

"That pass reminds me of Andrea Pirlo's passes when he's at his best," Carlo Vanzini, the commentator, remarked. "Maybe, Zachary has already begun taking lessons from the Italian Maestro."

Pierluigi Pardo, the co-commentator, chuckled. "Juventus is one step closer to beating AC Milan at the San Siro. They only need to defend well for the remaining four minutes and the added time. Then, they will return to Turin with all three points. They will also rise to the top of the Serie A table."

--

On the pitch, the Juventus players had just finished celebrating their second goal of the night. Like the rest of his teammates, Zachary was in high spirits as his team had overcome a numerical disadvantage and scored two goals against AC Milan. He couldn't contain his happiness as he walked back to his starting midfield position.

"Zachary!" A familiar voice called out to him.

"Carlos! Andrea!" Zachary exclaimed in response and slowed down. He fell into stride with his two teammates and asked, "What's up?"

Tévez grinned and patted Zachary's back. "That pass from you was sweet. It made my work easy and allowed me to score. Thank you for the assist."

"There's no need for thanks," Zachary responded with a smile. "It's my duty to supply you with balls whenever an opportunity presents itself. I'm glad you scored."

Andrea Pirlo smiled and asked, "Are you trying to take over my role on the team? Why is your playing style similar to mine during today's game? You copied that pass from me."

Zachary chuckled and chose not to answer. "The referee is about to restart the game. Let's hurry and take up our positions. We'll talk about other issues after the game."

"Why are you in a rush?" Pirlo asked. "We're leading by two goals. We need to waste some time before the restart, especially since we're a player down. We also need to take the sting out of AC Milan. That's why all the other Juventus players are taking their time to retake their starting positions. They are executing a proper endgame management strategy."

Zachary chuckled again and slowed down his steps. He didn't need to rush to retake his position after Andrea pointed out Juventus' endgame management strategy.

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The remaining minutes of the game were all about game management for Juventus. All the Old Lady players fell back to defend against AC Milan's continuous attacks after Carlos Tévez got them the second goal. They remained compact to prevent the opponents from creating goal-scoring opportunities and even resorted to time-wasting tactics to run down the clock. Overall, their defensive discipline was exemplary during the final minutes, and they managed to protect their lead until the final whistle sounded.

At that moment, when the game ended, the San Siro Stadium exploded with thunderous cheers that shook its foundation. The visiting Juventus fans took it upon themselves to overpower their rival fans with their deep and booming voices. They sang the Juventus anthem for minutes before chanting the names of each of their players. They were having a wonderful time in Milan after their club defeated one of their fiercest rivals by two goals to nil. Not even the loud booing of the few remaining AC Milan supporters in the stadium could deter them from expressing their joy.

In the meantime, the Juventus players were also making rounds around the pitch while waving to their jubilant supporters. Their wide grins were a testament to their delight after they overcame a red card disadvantage and overpowered a tenacious AC Milan side at the San Siro.

"You fulfilled your promise and passed me the ball at the right moment," Kingsley Coman said in French as he gave Zachary a celebratory hug. "Your assist allowed me to score my first goal against AC Milan. Thank you."

"No problem," Zachary said as he returned the hug. "I'm glad you scored. But too bad that we got that red card. Otherwise, we might have linked up to create a few more goals."

Kingsley Coman chuckled. "True! But what is important is that we won the game. We can relax since we're already leading the Serie A table."

"Who says you can relax?" The familiar voice of Coach Trombetta interrupted their happy moment. "We play Casena away from home on Wednesday before welcoming Atalanta to the Juventus stadium on Saturday! Those are two matches in a short span of four days! How can you think of relaxing?"

In response, Kingsley grinned sheepishly and chose not to respond. His expression was like that of a young student caught by a teacher committing a wrong.

Coach Trombetta smiled after noticing his reaction. "Guys! Even though we can't relax, we can still celebrate our victory today. Congratulations on defeating AC Milan today. Both of you were exceptional on the pitch."

"Thanks, coach," Both Kingsley and Zachary responded almost in response.

Coach Trombetta nodded and turned towards Zachary. "You're on press duty today along with Buffon. Head to the press area for the post-match interview. There are reporters ready to ask you questions in English."

"Okay," Zachary readily agreed. He knew that press duty was mandatory for every professional player, especially in big clubs. So, he had to go and face the journalists whether he wanted or not. "Anything I should watch out for?" He asked Coach Trombetta.

"Just be yourself," Coach Trombetta responded. "But don't cause any publicity issues for the club."

"Okay, I will take note," Zachary said. He nodded to Kingsley Coman before whirling around and jogging toward the press areas. A minute later, he was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Buffon in front of the cameras, ready and waiting for the post-match interview to begin.

"Welcome, gentlemen!" The Sky Italia reporter said, smiling. He held the microphone towards Buffon and continued, "You overcame a red card disadvantage and defeated AC Milan at the San Siro. How are you feeling?"

"Terrific," Buffon responded, shifting around. "It always feels good to defeat AC Milan at the San Siro. Moreover, we have also kept a clean sheet and ascended to the top of the Serie A table. That makes our win today even more satisfying."

The reporter smiled. "As a keeper, you were impressive today. You made many incredible saves to ensure that your team didn't concede a goal. You even came out on top after a one-on-one encounter with Jérémy Ménez. How did you manage that?"

"By remaining focused, of course," Buffon replied matter-of-factly. "My team was playing with a red card disadvantage. So, as a keeper, I had to do my best to prevent AC Milan from scoring even a single goal. With that resolve, things worked well for me, and I kept a clean sheet during the game."

"You're also the man of the match because of your incredible performance," the reporter reminded.

Buffon chuckled and shook his head. "I don't think so. The man of the match should be Zachary. He provided the two assists that resulted in our two goals. He deserves the honor, as we wouldn't have gotten any result out of the game without him."

"But we would have conceded several goals had it not been for your incredible saves," Zachary argued. "That's why the man of the match honor is yours to take home tonight."

Buffon chuckled and shook his head in response. But he didn't continue arguing, probably because he was in front of the cameras.

"Zachary!" The reporter said with a chuckle. "As Buffon said, your impact on the game was incredible. During the first half, you remained composed and set up Kingsley Coman for the first goal. But that wasn't as impressive as how you set up Carlos Tévez for the second goal. I thought you were going to lose the ball. But you surprised me. You surprised everyone and danced out of that crowd of opposing players before unleashing that sweet pass that set up Tévez for the third goal. How did you achieve all that within seconds?"

Zachary laughed and scratched his beard. "Honestly," he said, "I don't know. There was only one thing on my mind at that moment. That was to get the ball away from my box as soon as possible. So, I followed my instincts and found a way out of the crowd of opponents. I created some space for myself, and the rest was easy. I passed the ball to Carlos Tévez, who completed the rest and scored our third goal."

The reporter chuckled and said, "You make the entire process sound so easy. But if I may ask: Weren't you worried about losing the ball while dribbling through all those opponents in front of the box? During the pre-season game against AC Milan, that's what happened. You lost the ball to Sulley Muntari, who, in turn, initiated the counter that resulted in your team conceding a goal."

Zachary smiled and shook his head. "My error during the pre-season was only a one-time mistake. I learned a valuable lesson from the mistake and became a better player. I'm now more confident on the ball and unafraid while taking on opponents. I won't easily lose the belief that I'll come out on top, even against a crowd of opponents."

The reporter nodded and smiled. "Gentlemen! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I know you have to prepare to head back to Turin today. So, let's end the interview here. Once again, congratulations on winning the game today."

"You're welcome," Zachary and Buffon answered in unison before stepping away from the cameras. They were in a hurry as they had to quickly join their teammates and prepare for the return trip to Turin.

Emilia Vasquez once again hosted ESPN's post-match analysis show for AC Milan's game against Juventus. After watching Zachary's post-match interview, she faced the cameras with her signature smile and said, "That was an interesting post-match interview. Don't you think so, gentlemen?"

Shaka Hislop, one of the pundits in the studio, chuckled when the cameras focused on him. "I like how Zachary simplifies that whole build-up to Juventus' 2nd goal. He basically said that he unknowingly dribbled his way out of the crowd of opponents before providing a simple pass to Carlos Tévez. It was as if he was talking about something inconsequential, like going to McDonald's on the weekend to enjoy a burger."

"But jokes aside," Shaka Hislop continued, "Zachary is steadily growing into his role at Juventus. He's a very talented and freakishly versatile player who's quickly becoming a pillar that instills confidence in teammates. If he can maintain his form throughout the season, he might make it onto the list of Ballon d'Or nominees next year."

"Or he might just win the Ballon d'Or," Joshua Morales, the other pundit, chimed in. "Imagine a scenario where Juventus wins the Serie A, the Champions League, and the Copa Italia. Wouldn't Zachary win the Ballon d'Or if he helped his team win those three trophies?"

Steve Nicol, the third pundit, chuckled, shaking his head. "Gentlemen! I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here. The season has just commenced, and you're already debating next year's Ballon d'Or winners! We should instead discuss whether he will win the Golden Boy award this year."

"The Golden Boy award is a done deal for Zachary," Joshua Morales said matter-of-factly. "He has no competition for that award. He will take home the accolade if he remains consistent during Juventus' upcoming games."

"Speaking of which, when is the shortlist for the Golden Boy award coming out?" Steve Nicol asked.

"The nominee list should be out within the next few weeks," Joshua Morales said. "At least, by October 20th."

--

The following day, all Italian sports newspapers were full of details of AC Milan's match against Juventus. Their articles described all the crucial moments of the game that allowed Juventus to overpower the Milan-based club by two goals to nil. Additionally, the papers gave a detailed analysis of the on-pitch impact of all the players that played the game.

La Gazzetta dello Sport, an Italian daily newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports, named Gianluigi Buffon as the man of the match with a 10/10 performance. The La Gazzetta journalists explained that Buffon's incredible display, which included saving a penalty, was the crucial factor that allowed Juventus to maintain a clean sheet and overpower AC Milan by two goals.

The newspaper then rated Zachary and TÃvez 9/10 and gave a few other Juventus players, like Leonardo Bonucci and Arturo Vidal, an 8/10 performance for the night. The pundits were also not shy while showering the entire Juventus squad and their coaches with praise for how they handled the game after the red card. They applauded Juventus' defensive discipline that stopped AC Milan from creating many goal-scoring chances during the second half.

Angelo, Zachary's interpreter/driver, smiled after reading all those articles about Juventus. He was especially pleased with how the newspapers had pointed out Zachary's tremendous impact on the game.

"You seem to be in a good mood! What are you reading?" Zachary asked Angelo from across the table. The two of them were in the private booth of a cafe on the outskirts of Turin, waiting for the real estate agent who was supposed to take them to see the villa for sale. Angelo was, of course, passing the time, reading the newspapers while Zachary was enjoying his coffee and browsing the internet on his phone.

Angelo's smile widened on hearing Zachary's question. "I'm reading the sports news," he replied. He then told his boss about how the various newspapers had rated his performance a 9/10 and awarded Buffon the man of the match accolade with a 10/10 rating. Angelo was very detailed in his explanation and made sure that Zachary understood how the press had reacted to Juventus' win against AC Milan.

Zachary smiled and shook his head after hearing Angelo's response. "I'm surprised by the attention I'm getting from the Italian media. I have only played two full games for Juventus, but the press is already making me their focus. They have even begun comparing me to greats like Ronaldinho, Zidane, and Messi. Their reaction is too exaggerated."

"Welcome to Italy," Angelo said with a chuckle. "That's how the press reacts to all great footballers playing in the Serie A. It's even more so when a player joins a great club like Juventus for a record transfer fee."

"Like in my case?" Zachary said.

"Yes," Angelo confirmed. "The reporters and pundits will always analyze your games to verify whether your signing fee was worth it. Of course, if you're performing well, there won't be any problems as they will shower you with praise in their articles and make you a superstar in Italy. But if you're to perform poorly for some time, that's a different story. They will make you seem like the worst villain in Italian football. That's Italian media for you. You have to prepare yourself."

Zachary nodded and glanced at his watch. "Is your real estate agent about to arrive? We have already been waiting for like fifteen minutes!"

"He should be arriving anytime from now," Angelo said. "But to be sure, let me give him a..."

Angelo stopped mid-sentence as a couple of loud knocks sounded from the door. Before he could react, the door was pushed ajar, and an older gentleman with greying hair and a prominent beard stepped into the private booth. He looked elegant in his grey suit as he smiled at Angelo.

"Angelo, my friend!" He exclaimed in English. "How are you doing?" He extended his hand to Angelo.

"I'm doing okay," Angelo replied after standing up and taking the older gentleman's hand. "How about you?"

"I'm also doing fine?" The older gentleman replied before turning towards Zachary. "And this one here must be Zachary."

"Yes, he's Zachary Bemba," Angelo confirmed with a smile. "The one and only."

"Aha!" The older gentleman grinned and stepped forward to extend a hand to Zachary. "I'm Lorenzo D'Alessandro, your go-to guy if you need to purchase a house or any other piece of real estate. It's a real pleasure to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Lorenzo," Zachary said, standing up and taking the older gentleman's hand.

"You look different from how you appear on television," Lorenzo remarked and released Zachary's hand.

"Is it because of the cap? Or is it because I'm not in a Juventus jersey?" Zachary chuckled and settled back into his seat.

"Well," Lorenzo said, giving Zachary a once over, "Even though you are tall, you're not as intimidating as on television. To a certain extent, you seem like a friendly tourist."

Zachary chuckled and shook his head. He continued exchanging small talk with the real estate agent before breaching the main topic after a few minutes. "So," he said, "Angelo tells me that you have a villa for sale! Can you give me the details?"

"I can do better," Lorenzo said with a grin, "I can take you to see the villa, and then you can decide for yourself if you like it. It's located in the center of Pinerolo, just a few kilometers from here. We only need a few minutes to get there."

"That's even better," Zachary responded. "I wish to see the house. But we need to hurry as I don't have much time."

"Okay," Lorenzo said. "Let's go."

--

Twenty minutes later, Zachary's party of three arrived at the detached villa for sale in Pinerolo Turin. It was like a piece of art on the landscape as it stood there, towering above the surrounding trees in all its grand majesty.

On first impression, it was a beautiful piece of architecture that captured Zachary's undivided attention. Its windows were as shy eyes, large enough to welcome any ray of the sun, while its rock walls belonged right where it stood -- as if, by some chance, it had grown up right from that hallowed ground.

"How's it?" Lorenzo asked, glancing at Zachary. "Does it suit your taste?"

Zachary nodded after glancing around one more time. "I'm impressed by the exterior, the elegant driveway, the swimming pool, and the large and impressive gardens. It's huge. It's almost like a castle! How much is this piece of property?"

Lorenzo chuckled like a cunning fox and said, "Hold your horses. Let's first see what it has to offer on the inside. Then, we can talk about the pricing."

"Okay, let's take a look," Zachary agreed after taking a deep breath.

Lorenzo soon opened the door of the villa and led them inside. And once again, Zachary was dazzled by the villa's magnificent interior. It was so welcoming, from the enormous entrance to the wide hallway, causing his spirits to experience a sense of relaxation. He fell in love with everything about it, including the paintings adorning the walls, the old-fashioned parquet floor with a blend of deep homely browns, and the walls that were the greens of summer gardens meeting a bold white baseboard.

In terms of aesthetics, it was an impressive blend of uniqueness and magnificence from the inside out. But that was not all that captured Zachary's attention. He also liked the enormous interior space of the villa spread over three levels.

On the first floor: there were two large kitchens, the first one pleasing to the eyes, with a fireplace, while the second one was a service kitchen with a functional terrace and an adjacent laundry room. There was also a grand dining room, a large hallway, a living room, and a large guest bathroom on the same floor. Then after ascending the stairs to the second floor, one would find four enormous bedrooms with three bathrooms. And if one descended the stairs to the basement, one would find a garage, a cellar, and a fitness area.

Zachary was especially fascinated by the fitness area as it was sizeable enough to accommodate all the gym equipment he could conjure up in his mind. He could already picture himself spending many hours training in that space.

"So, what do you think?" Lorenzo asked after they returned back to the living room. "Do you like the villa?"

"Yes, I like it," Zachary replied. "So, can you tell me the price now?"

"Two million Euros," Lorenzo said. "You must remember that this villa would be much more expensive if the owners weren't in a rush to sell. It would even go for about four million Euros. So, two million is a very fair price."

Zachary creased his brows. "Why is it that Angelo told me that it was 1.5 million? Why are you increasing the price so suddenly?"

Lorenzo shot a helpless glance at Angelo before saying, "Angelo must have been guessing. 1.5 million is just too low. You have seen the property for yourself. It's ideal for those looking for privacy and tranquility but, at the same time; do not want to give up the comforts of the city. Don't you think that it deserves the two million price tag?"

Zachary shook his head in response. "I had only prepared 1.5 million, and that's the amount I'm prepared to spend. Otherwise, I will continue house hunting until I find a suitable and cheaper one."

"This is a bit hard," Lorenzo said, sighing. "1.5 million is just too low. Okay, let's do it like this. Make 1.8 million, and the property is yours. It is my final offer, as I don't wish to waste your time bargaining with you. Meet me in the middle, and let's conclude this deal."

Zachary thought for a moment and replied, "I would like a day to consider this deal. I'll give you an answer tomorrow by seven in the evening."

"Seven in the evening!" Lorenzo remarked with helplessness. "That should be okay. But I can't promise that this house will still be available. But I'll still try my best to wait for you."

"That's okay," Zachary said, smiling. "Thanks. You'll have your answer tomorrow evening."

Zachary had already decided to buy the villa. But he was holding out on finalizing the deal so as to create time to investigate the exact circumstances surrounding the property. He was that careful as he didn't wish to fall for a scum just because he was in a hurry to buy the house.

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Zachary called Emily after returning to his hotel room that evening. In as few words as possible, he told her about the villa he'd just seen and expressed his yearning to purchase it as soon as possible. He even mentioned how he'd promised to give an answer to the real estate agent in charge of selling the house by seven the following evening.

"I think you're so much in a hurry," Those were the first words Emily said from the other end of the line after hearing Zachary's narrative. "All deals require patience. To avoid getting scammed or cheated, we need to investigate the circumstances behind the deal before agreeing to it. You need to slow down."

"I get that," Zachary said. "But I really liked the house. I would be lying if I said I didn't wish to purchase it as soon as possible."

"I get where you're coming from," Emily said. "But I still implore you to first get in touch with another real estate agent who can show you other villas in the same price range. After taking a look at the various villas on sale in Turin, you'll be able to make a more informed decision on whether you like the first one. Additionally, you'll increase your bargaining power during negotiations after collecting more details about Turin's real estate market. There's simply no harm in waiting."

"I see," Zachary said, sighing. "Seems like I'll have to break my promise to the real estate agent. I won't be able to give him an answer tomorrow."

"That would be for the best," Emily encouraged. "There's no need to rush when buying such an expensive villa. Waiting a week or two to investigate the exact circumstances of the property is probably okay before making the final decision. If you find it hard to disappoint the real estate agent, you can give me his number, and I'll talk to him on your behalf. I'm sure I'll be able to convince him to allow you more time to consider the deal with my bargaining skills."

"Then, let's do that," Zachary said. "I'll text you the number of the real estate agent after the call. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Emily responded. "But in the meantime, don't forget to look at other villas for sale in Turin. You never know: You might find a better house in a better neighborhood."

"Don't worry," Zachary assured. "I plan on doing exactly that."

"Okay, then," Emily said. "I'll also work with my contacts in Turin to investigate the circumstances surrounding the villa you just mentioned. I'll have all information about it by the end of the week."

"Thanks," Zachary responded. "I guess we should end our conversation here. I have to go to bed early since we have training tomorrow, early in the morning."

"Okay, all the best. Keep me updated about the progress of your house-hunting."

"I will," Zachary said. "Have a good night."

"Have a goodnight, too," Emily responded and ended the call.

Zachary settled on his bed and decided to make another call. He dialed Camilla's number, and they spent minutes conversing about various topics, big and small. They only ended their call after Camilla claimed that she had to prepare for the following day's work before going to bed. She used almost the same excuse Zachary had employed to end the call with Emily a few minutes prior.

"Oh, my!" Zachary exclaimed after placing his phone on the bedside table. "I forgot to tell her about my house-hunting." He settled on his bed and considered calling Camilla again to tell her about the villa he'd just seen earlier that day. But after a few minutes of pointless contemplation, he sighed and abandoned the notion.

He figured that it was better to leave her alone since she had explicitly expressed that she had to do preparations for work and go to bed early. He would disclose the house-hunting news when he called her the following day.

"There's also her birthday coming up," Zachary thought with a smile. "I should surprise her with something nice."

Zachary had already noted Camilla's birthday in his phone's calendar. It was on Thursday, 25th September, the day after Juventus' mid-week game against AC Cesena. Since he would be free on that day, he planned on surprising her with a dinner date and some presents to celebrate her twenty-six years of life.

He'd also requested permission to travel to Trondheim and be with his girlfriend on her birthday. And since there were neither training nor any other team activities that day, the club officials had allowed him a two-day traveling window out of Turin. In his own way, he was going all out, trying to become a better boyfriend despite his busy schedule.

--

Over the following two days, Zachary returned his focus to training. He was always a focused participant in the team sessions as the Juventus players trained intensively to prepare for the game against AC Cesena. And as usual, he was impressive while going through the various tactical drills under the strict supervision of his coaches.

But that was not all there was to his schedule. During his free hours in the evening, he would attend his Italian language classes and also find an hour or two to go house-hunting. He was as busy as a worker bee over those two days before the game against AC Cesena.

Fortunately, his focus and hard-working attributes generated tangible results, allowing him not to feel depressed. He progressed well in his Italian studies and had already started pronouncing a few sentences. He could already exchange greetings or ask for food in Italian. He was taking the necessary baby steps toward achieving mastery of the language.

His house-hunting, however, wasn't progressing so well. He'd looked at three more villas during those two days but failed to find any among them that suited his taste. So, he was still in love with the first villa he'd seen in Pinerolo Turin even after taking the time to look at those houses.

--

Time would always pass by quickly when one was busy. In a blink of an eye, two days passed, and Wednesday arrived. It was finally the day when Juventus would face off against AC Cesena in their first battle of the 2014/15 Serie A season. As a result, all eyes were on the Juventus Stadium that evening.

In front of tens of thousands of enthusiastic supporters, the Old Lady players started the match on the front foot. They dominated possession from early on and created many goal-scoring chances by relying on their fluid passing abilities. And naturally, it wasn't long before they tore apart AC Cesena's defensive shape and scored their first goal.

Zachary, who had been as impressive as ever during the first few minutes, opened the goal fest. With machine-like precision, he converted a free-kick from just outside the right edge of the box to beat AC Cesena's keeper. The ball nestled into the top left corner, allowing him to score another stunning goal from a set piece. He had put Juventus ahead during the 13th minute of gameplay.

After the celebrations, Juventus' dominance continued, and it wasn't long before the ball made it into the back of AC Cesena's net for the second time that night. Arturo Vidal, the often defensive-minded midfielder, was the next on the score sheet. After exchanging a couple of one-twos with Zachary and Pirlo, his counterparts in midfield, he magically arrived before AC Cesena's box and pulled the trigger. He unleashed a missile of a shot from about twenty-five yards and beat the keeper to score Juventus' second goal during the 38th minute.

The second half soon arrived, and AC Cesena looked even more powerless to the attacking prowess of the hosts, who duly added another during the 57th minute. Once again, Arturo Vidal was the player who performed the magic. He found the back of the net with another heavy shot from outside the 18-yard-box to score Juventus' third goal for the night. The midfielder was on fire. He was showing exactly why the coach had selected him ahead of Claudio Marchisio for that game against AC Cesena.

With twenty-five minutes remaining, Coach Massimiliano Allegri turned to his substitute's bench, obviously with one eye on Juventus' packed schedule ahead. He introduced Simone Padoin, Ãlvaro Morata, and Simone Pepe in place of Zachary Bemba, Carlos TÃvez, and Stephan Lichtsteiner in a single go. But despite the changes, Juventus continued to dominate proceedings as they cruised to yet another comfortable victory. An injury-time goal from Ãlvaro Morata allowed them to extend their lead and beat AC Cesena by four goals to nil after the final whistle. They had further cemented their position at the top of the Serie A table with another overwhelming performance.

The man of the match for the game was obviously Arturo Vidal, the midfielder who had scored a brace for Juventus. The second-best player was Zachary Bemba, who had successfully converted another free kick before providing an assist that set up Arturo Vidal for his second goal. And lastly, the third best-rated player was Andrea Pirlo, the midfielder who had made the most forward passes during the game.

--

Zachary could hardly contain his happiness as he matched down the tunnel after waving to the enthusiastic home fans. He was in high spirits simply because he'd maintained his consistency and put up another solid performance for Juventus. He could sleep well that night, knowing he was making steady progress towards permanently sealing his place within Juventus' starting eleven.

"Zachary, my man," Patrice Evra called out to him as they were about to reach the dressing room. "I'm holding a dinner get-together with a few teammates at my house tomorrow night. Do you wish to come over and celebrate our win over Cesena with us?"

"Unfortunately, I can't," Zachary responded, shaking his head. "I'll be away from Turin tomorrow."

"For real?" Evra asked, stopping dead in his tracks to face Zachary. He continued after lowering his voice, "You know you can get in trouble if you travel without permission. Has the club agreed to this? Have they permitted you to travel out of Turin?"

"Yes," Zachary replied. "They have allowed me a two-day travel window. Is that surprising?"

"No," Evra responded. "If you've already gotten permission from the club, you can travel at peace. Just remember not to exceed the days of your travel window before returning to Turin."

"I'll take note of that," Zachary said with a smile. "Thanks for the advice."

--

---

The Greatest of all Time #Chapter 471 Unexpected Circumstances - Read The Greatest of all Time Chapter 471 Unexpected Circumstances Online - All Page - Novel Next

It was a relatively warm autumn morning, at least going by the standards of Norwegian weather. Camilla was browsing the morning sports news in the living room of her apartment in Trondheim. The peculiar blend of nerves and worry that had recently become a norm in her life was already taking over her mind like a tiny flying insect stuck in her ear. But she forced herself to continue focusing on the articles on her phone while occasionally sipping her coffee.

As usual, she was following the news updates about Zachary, the only guy she couldn't seem to push out of her mind no matter how hard she tried. "Zachary Puts Up another Incredible Display during Juventus' game against AC Cesena." Her eyes took in yet another catchy headline, and she couldn't help but smile despite her worries.

Her mood lifted, and her mind became perkier. She quickly started reading through the article and taking in all the details of Zachary's performance against AC Cesena. A few seconds later, her spirits attained an even higher level of brightness after she learned that Zachary had scored another goal from a free kick before providing an assist that set up Arturo Vidal for another. She was happy that her boyfriend was doing well in his new club. From the bottom of her heart, she wished he would continue shining like a star during Juventus' upcoming matches.

"If he could be as focused as he was on football in other aspects of life, he would be perfect," Camilla thought to herself with a sigh. "But I guess it's true what people say: Nobody is perfect, nobody is a superhero, and the ideal prince charming doesn't exist."

Camilla shook her head and took another sip of her coffee. Once again, her mind started wandering as she thought about her relationship with Zachary. He could be sweet and considerate at times. But most of the other times, he was annoyingly detached and uncaring as a lover. He had his imperfections as a person, but she still loved him.

"If only he could call or text more often, that would solve everything," Camilla thought and returned her attention to browsing the internet on her phone.

While her eyes glazed over the same article repeatedly, without registering its contents, she heard the shy knocking echo in the dim and narrow hallway. She raised a brow and quickly noted the time indicated on her phone. It was only coming to 8:00 AM, but someone was already knocking on her door! Who could it be? Who was disturbing her peace that early in the morning? But all those doubts didn't stop her from getting off the couch and walking towards the front door. She reached it within seconds and then glanced through the peephole.

"OMG!" She muttered a silent exclamation and stepped back in surprise the next moment. She had gotten the shock of her life after noticing the person standing before her door. Her heart was racing, and she couldn't keep a lead on her volatile emotions for a few seconds.

"Knock! Knock! Knock!"

A couple of more knocks sounded, pulling her back to reality. She took a few deep breaths to make herself appear more relaxed and stepped forward to extend her hand toward the door knob. She was trying her utmost to conceal her eagerness as she slowly opened the door.

It finally opened with some slight effort on her side, and her eyes glowed with excitement as they took in the visage of Zachary standing at her doorstep. But they also contained a trace of puzzlement deep within them. His arrival was totally unexpected.

"Zachary!" She exclaimed, trying her best to sound nonchalant. But clearly, she was doing a shoddy job at it while fidgeting around like a little girl. "What are you doing here?" She asked. "Aren't you supposed to be in Turin, recovering from your post-match fatigue?"

"Ta'da!" Zachary replied, summoning a bouquet of red roses from behind him. "Happy birthday, babe!" He presented them to her with glowing eyes.

"Oh my God! You remembered!" Camilla exclaimed while receiving the roses. Her eyes moistened as she felt warm on the inside. A blissful sensation of sweetness flooded her entire being, and she couldn't help but jump into Zachary's embrace. "Thank you for this pleasant surprise. You have made my day." She whispered while burying her head into Zachary's chest.

--

Zachary had traveled to Trondheim specifically to celebrate Camilla's birthday. So, he spent the entire day hanging out with her. They started their day together with a sumptuous breakfast at home before heading out on a shopping trip around Trondheim. They soon began entering various malls and bought several items that interested them.

Camilla, on her part, had even excused herself from going to work by claiming that she wasn't feeling well that day. As a result, she was living in the moment and celebrating her birthday without any worries weighing down her mind. She felt as free as a bird traversing the expansive skies while spending time with her boyfriend.

"This watch will look good on your beautiful wrist," Zachary said after they entered a jewelry shop in City Syd, one of the biggest shopping malls in Trondheim. "It's for you." He smiled at Camilla while handing her an 8000 Euro PanthÃre de Cartier watch.

"Oh, thank you," Camilla responded and received the watch. She didn't try to put on any pretenses, like claiming that the gift was too expensive or saying anything else along those lines. She immediately wore it on her wrist before they continued their shopping spree.

The evening hours soon arrived, and they returned to Camilla's apartment. They had an intimate dinner together before falling into each other's arms and surrendering themselves to the sweet throes of passion.

The golden rays of the setting sun shone through the window and curtain, just the same, illuminating their tangled bodies as they gyrated and rose up and down with some uncanny rhythm. They were at the zenith of blissfulness for hours and didn't stop their age-old ritual of intimacy until long after sunset.

Zachary regained his wits minutes after the intensive love-making session. "I love you," he said, leaning over and kissing Camilla while she snuggled warmly under the duvet.

"I love you too," she responded, shifting slightly and meeting his gaze with her bright emerald-green eyes. "Thank you for today. I really had a good time."

"Don't mention it. It's what I should do. I'm sorry I haven't been communicating more often over the past few weeks. I always lose myself training."

Zachary reached his hand to her head and gently combed her tangled brown hair with his fingers. The dim artificial lighting in the bedroom made her emerald-green eyes brighter as she held his gaze. She looked so beautiful, so vulnerable, and so pure.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered, turning her gaze away.

Zachary's heartbeat accelerated within an instant. He thought he had misheard and asked again, "What did you just say?"

"I said that I'm pregnant," Camilla said in a louder voice. "And please don't act like most men and ask whether it's yours. I'm very sure that it's yours."

"Oh!" That was all Zachary could manage in response. He was so shocked. His heart jumped as the gears in his mind turned and churned, trying to attune to the unexpected situation.

If he were to be totally honest with himself, he would have to admit that he wasn't keen to commit to any girl yet. He was still nineteen in his new life and wasn't ready to surrender his freedom due to responsibility. He wanted to continue progressing in his career while enjoying life for a few more years. His plan was to succeed in other areas before considering the prospects of marriage or raising children.

Additionally, he was shouldering a few insecurities. He feared the notion of totally surrendering himself to another person due to experiences from his previous life. He was worried that he might experience the bitter emotions of heartbreak again if he was to love another person wholeheartedly without leaving any room for retreat. As a result, he had subconsciously always left some leeway for himself during his interactions with Camilla. He loved her, yes, but he'd not elevated her status to the level of his confidant within his mind. He hadn't told her everything, and he'd neither told her about his fears nor his vulnerabilities. He would even spend days without calling her simply because he had always rejected the idea of making her his wife on a subconscious level.

"Say something, babe," Camila said to break the silence. "Aren't you happy that we're getting a child?"

Zachary sighed. "Of course, I'm happy. But I am also shocked and surprised as well. The news came out of nowhere. How far along are you?"

"About two months," Camilla replied, sitting upright on the bed.

"That far!"

"Yes," Camilla confirmed. "But I only found out about three weeks ago. I have been meaning to talk to you about it, but there wasn't any right timing over the past few weeks. You know how we have been."

"I see," Zachary said. "I need to process everything. Give me some time." He jumped out of bed and went to pour himself a glass of water.

--

Zachary returned to Turin the following morning. He immediately headed straight to the Vinovo and joined in on Juventus' preparations for the weekend game against Atalanta BC. And as usual, he got into a consistent exercising rhythm in almost no time and immersed himself in the team drills under the strict supervision of the coaches.

As for his situation with Camilla, he had already resolved to handle it like a responsible man. Before he parted with her early that morning, he had apologized for his insensitive behavior right after he learned about her pregnancy. He had attributed all his callous actions to the shock he'd received the previous night, especially after finding himself in a situation he hadn't expected. Then, he ended their talk by assuring her he would be there for her throughout her pregnancy. He even promised to do his best to become an exemplary dad and care for the child when 'she' or 'he' finally arrived in the world. However, he didn't mention anything about the prospect of marriage. He would obviously go all out to care for her and the unborn child, but he wouldn't take that significant step forward to legalize their relationship. He just wasn't ready, especially with all that was going on in his life.

Camilla, being her usual understanding self, had listened to him attentively as he spoke. She had at times nodded, as if in agreement, when he said something nice. But most of the other times, she remained quiet and reserved as she took in his words. Then, when the time for parting finally arrived, she kissed him goodbye and wished him a safe journey. She even urged him to call her when he arrived in Turin. After listening to Zachary's assurances that morning, it was as if she had totally forgotten about his behavior from the previous night.

"Zachary!" Maurizio Trombetta, the assistant coach in charge of Juventus' first team, yelled when the Juventus players lined up to go through a speed and agility ladder drill on the training turf at the Vinovo. "You're up. Go first and lead the rest through the footwork drill."

"Aye, coach," Zachary answered while pushing all the distracting thoughts out of his mind. He immediately took off like the wind and started stepping through the ladders. His S agility worked like a charm, and he completed the drill without committing any mistakes.

"Bonucci! Sei il prossimo." Coach Trombetta shouted again while pointing at the center-back.

"Sì, allenatore!" Leonardo Bonucci answered with a loud shout. He also followed Zachary's example and started going through the ladder drill.

After the center-back, the remaining Juventus players did the same and commenced the agility training. They stepped through the various ladders arranged on one side of the training ground before moving on to another exercise routine.

The rest of the day's schedule was basically full of more intense training regimens. The team covered all aspects required to prepare adequately for the following day's away game against Atalanta. They performed passing exercises and honed their ball work and movements off-the-ball through tactical drills without raising a complaint. They ended their day with a pre-game tactical meeting chaired by Coach Allegri before dragging their tired bodies away from the Vinovo at dusk.

Zachary was also exhausted, especially after going all out to impress the coaches during that day's training. He desperately needed some sleep to recharge his energy and stamina reserves.

He feared he would fail to perform at his best during the following day's game against Atalanta if he didn't get ample rest that night. So, he quickly jumped in Angelo's Citroën and returned to the J Hotel, which had been his place of residence since he arrived in Turin.

After he returned to his hotel room that evening, he only gave Camilla a brief call before quickly washing up to refresh himself. Then, without losing any minute, he jumped into bed, ready to sink into the welcoming embrace of a sweet and deep slumber.

But just then, his phone started vibrating from a nearby table, its annoying sound shocking his mind back to full attention. He begrudgingly got up from the bed and scooped the phone up before accepting the call.

"Hello, Zachary," a familiar and vibrant voice sounded from the other end of the line when the call connected. "This is Emily. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," Zachary responded, sitting back on the bed. "And what of you? How are you doing?"

"I'm also okay," Emily responded. "Actually, I'm back in Turin. And I come bearing good news."

"Is that so?" Zachary's ears perked up as he became more attentive. He was even no longer feeling sleepy. "What good news? Go ahead and tell me. I'm all ears."

"First and foremost," Emily said, "My contacts in Turin investigated the circumstances of that mansion for sale in Pinerolo, Piedmont. They didn't find any issues with its ownership. So, you can go ahead and purchase it. That's if you still like it."

"Of course, I still like it," Zachary replied. "I have looked at a few more villas over the past week, but none of them can compare to that one in Pinerolo. I still want to purchase it."

"Then, you have the go-ahead from me," Emily said. "Do you need some help with the property transfer procedures?"

"I think I do. I need someone to handle the legal process of the property purchase. Can you help me out?"

Emily chuckled from the other end of the line. "You seem desperate. But I still have to disappoint you. I have no expertise or experience handling real estate deals, especially in Italy. The best I can do is recommend a suitable solicitor to help you out."

"Oh!" Zachary said, feeling a bit disappointed. He trusted Emily the most and would have liked for her to handle the legal process of the deal.

"You don't need to be worried," Emily said as if reading his mind. "The person I'm recommending is a solicitor and friend, skilled in handling real estate deals. His name is Matteo Tavano, and he operates in Turin. I think he's the ideal solicitor to help you complete that property purchase."

"Okay," Zachary said. "I guess I'll go with that one. How can I get in touch with him?"

"You don't need to contact him," Emily said. "I'll tell him to contact you. When do you plan to start the legal process of purchasing the villa?"

"Sunday afternoon would be fine. That will be the day after our game with Atalanta. I'll be free."

"Okay, then. I'll tell Matteo to contact you on Sunday morning. You can plan out the rest of the details with him. But remember to keep me in the loop so I can be ready to help you when a need arises."

"I'll do that," Zachary promised. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. House deals aside: there's a new big endorsement offer from a new company. It's called Vector X, an upcoming sports goods manufacturer from India. They have sent me a very lucrative offer, hoping to get you on board as their brand ambassador."

Zachary was a bit confused upon hearing that. "Don't we still have about two years on our deal with Nike? They have already increased the money they pay me annually to 1.5 million Euros. Why should we consider another footwear manufacturer when there are them?"

Emily chuckled from the other end of the line. "Before you say anything else, can you first guess the amount Vector X is offering to steal you away from Nike?"

"I'm not good at guessing," Zachary admitted. "Just tell me."

Emily chuckled again. "We're talking about a base income of six million Euros per year if you become a brand ambassador for Vector X. They also hinted at offering you more than 50 percent of profits from your own branded Vector X merchandise."

Zachary's mind went blank on hearing such offers. He was starting to get tempted by the promise of such a lucrative deal. "But we're still under contract with Nike," he reminded after thinking things through for a moment. "We can't just walk away from an endorsement contract after receiving another. Nike would sue us for breach of the contract terms."

"You don't have to worry about that," Emily assured. "There are always ways to walk away from a contract penalty-free. Just give me the go-ahead, and I'll handle the procedures for you."

"I see." Zachary took in a breath of air to calm himself down. As a professional footballer, he understood that he had only a small time window to make big money. He had to utilize all the opportunities to rake in ample savings so that he would be beyond financially stable and never have to face any hardships after his retirement. And as far as he was concerned, the Vector X deal was a chance to add more zeros to his bank account balance. He already knew he couldn't miss it.

"So, what's your decision, Zachary?" Emily asked from the other end of the line. "Should we consider the offer from Vector X? Or should we ignore them? It's your call."

"I think we should first look at the details of what they are offering," Zachary responded. "If their offer is one we cannot refuse, we can consider terminating our relationship with Nike."

"Good call," Emily praised. "Those are exactly my thoughts. I'll first meet the Vector X representatives and hear out the terms of their offer in detail. If the terms are lucrative enough and hard to refuse, I'll notify you, and we can start the process of ending our business relationship with Nike."

"Are you sure that walking away from Nike won't have any backlash on us?" Zachary asked worriedly.

"Nope," Emily replied, her voice filled with confidence. "The worst that might happen is we pay a reasonable penalty fee for terminating the contract. But even then, it won't be us paying that penalty. I'll make sure that the bill falls on Vector X. They will have to pay your breach of contract penalty fee if they wish to steal you away from Nike."

"You're evil." Zachary chuckled. "But I like it."

Emily laughed and said, "I guess we should end our conversation for today. I wish you all the best in the match tomorrow. By the way, I forgot to ask: Did you make the starting eleven again?"

"Yes, I did," Zachary replied proudly. "I'm once again in the starting eleven."

"It's your fourth successive start for Juventus. Congratulations. Your new coaches are starting to trust you more and more."

"That seems like it," Zachary said. "Emily. I need to go to bed now. So, let's continue our discussion some other day."

"Okay, have a good night."

"Good night to you, too," Zachary said before ending the call. He placed his phone on the nearby bedside table and jumped into bed. Before long, he was already fast asleep, dreaming about scoring goals during the following day's game against Atalanta.

--

Saturday, September 27, 2014.

Stadio di Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy.

--

It was a breezy evening in the scenic city of Bergamo, located in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy. Thick clouds blotted out the stars, and a chilly wind occasionally blew in from the north — all clear signs that it might rain anytime. But the promise of bad weather couldn't stop the enthusiastic Italian football supporters from heading to the Stadio di Bergamo to watch that evening's Serie A match between Atalanta and Juventus.

By 8:30 PM, more than twenty thousand fans had already taken up the seats in the stadium. They sang at the top of their voices as they awaited the match kick-off, which was only fifteen minutes away. Their enthusiasm was obviously already shooting into the sky.

Emily and Kristin, the two ladies who had journeyed all the way to Bergamo to watch Zachary play, were also among the group of zealous supporters. Their beauty made them stand out from the crowd as they craned their necks to watch what was transpiring on the field of play.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The Italian commentator's voice reverberated around the stadium when the teams started marching out of the tunnel. "Welcome to Stadio di Bergamo! We're about to witness this season's first Serie A battle between Atalanta and Juventus. Atalanta will be looking to overcome their poor start of the season, while Juventus will be looking to continue their winning streak and strengthen their position at the top of the Serie A table. So, sit tight and be ready for a tantalizing 90-minutes of football as both teams look forward to winning the game..."

"This Italian commentator is really boring. His voice makes me feel like sleeping. They should hire Peter Drury to do the commentary for the upcoming Serie A matches." Emily remarked in English after listening to the commentator for a few more seconds.

Kristin chuckled. "Maybe, you find him boring because you don't understand Italian that well. But according to the Italians, he might even be a more skilled commentator than Peter Drury."

Emily smiled but chose not to respond. She was fluent in many languages, including Italian, and had no trouble understanding and following the commentary in Italian. But that didn't mean that she found it engaging and fascinating. It was instead the opposite. It was monotonous and a bit too flat for her liking.

"I heard that Zachary traveled back to Trondheim a few days back," she said to Kristin. "Do you know what he was doing back there?"

Kristin shook her head. "I don't know. I even had no idea that he was out of Turin."

"Oh!" Emily said and turned her attention back to the proceedings on the pitch. The players of both teams had just finished their pre-game handshake routine. They were, at that moment, taking their position on the field of play. A few others were completing some last-minute preparation, like tying and tightening their shoelaces before kick-off.

-n0ve1、com Emily's eyes kept wandering the field until they lingered on the tall visage of Zachary. He looked more striking and imposing after changing his hairstyle to simple braids with a fading style on the sides. His eyes were darting around the pitch — a tell-tale sign that he was observing and analyzing his opponents. He was as focused as ever as he prepared to face off against the opponents.

"Let's hope everything is okay with him," Emily thought, turning his eyes away from Zachary. When they talked on the phone the previous night, she could sense that a little bit of something was off with his mood.

He hadn't even been overly excited after hearing that a new sporting goods manufacturer had offered him a hard-to-refuse endorsement deal. It was as if his mind had been elsewhere throughout the phone conversation — a signal that caused Emily to worry. But even after sensing all that, Emily had held herself back from asking what was on his mind. She had decided to first watch his performance against Atalanta before choosing a way forward.

--

On the pitch, Zachary was in an intense state of focus. He pushed all the distracting thoughts out of his mind as he settled into his starting position outside the center circle. In the meantime, his eyes were in constant motion, observing, analyzing, and assessing his opponents as he geared himself up for the action about to commence.

As a person living his second life, he understood that he couldn't let distractions off the pitch affect his performance during matches. If he wished to succeed, he would have to leave all his worries outside the stadium and focus only on defeating the opponent. So, not even Camilla's tricky situation could weigh down his mind while awaiting the kick-off whistle. He was as ready as he could be to play his heart out and help his team overcome Atalanta.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee finally blew the whistle to kick-start the game at 8:45 PM. Carlos Tévez immediately went into action. He unleashed a back pass into his midfield to find Zachary and kick off that day's battle between Atalanta and Juventus.

"Juventus! Juventus..."

The cheers around the stadium hit a thunderous crescendo for the first time that night as Juventus started controlling the game with their fluid passing. Zachary passed to Andrea Pirlo, who in turn passed to Claudio Marchisio to initiate a long spell of possession for Juventus. The football flowed like water, and soon, the Old Lady players started casting waves of attacks on Atalanta's defense.

It was only on a few occasions that they lost possession to Atalanta. But even then, they utilized high-pressing tactics to pressurize the opponents and win the ball back as quickly as possible. They were, for sure, the more dominant team during the opening fifteen minutes of the game.

However, even after dictating the tempo for all those minutes, they still couldn't find the back of the net. It was not that they didn't try to test the keeper with all the various tricks in their arsenal of tactics. They went all out while attacking but only failed to score due to the brilliance of Marco Sportiello, the Atalanta keeper, who made more than six saves during the first 45 minutes of gameplay.

Zachary tried his luck with shots from outside the box during the 20th and 24th minutes. But, on both occasions, the keeper negated his efforts by making incredible saves. But those weren't the only missed chances for Juventus. During the 32nd minute, Carlos Tévez beat the offside trap and connected with a pass from Andrea Pirlo. The Argentine forward controlled the ball well before riffling in a left-footed shot toward the bottom right corner. But alas, his efforts didn't bear fruit due to the inhuman reflexes of the keeper. The shot-stopper's performance was clearly the only factor preventing Juventus from scoring the opening goal.

As for the rest of the Atalanta players, they were harmless going forward. They only focused on weathering Juventus' unending barrage of attacks and didn't bother to create any significant chances on goal. Due to their docile approach to the game, they didn't manage to threaten Juventus' goal even once throughout the entire first half. And quite frankly, they were fortunate not to be behind at the break.

After the fifteen-minute half-time break, the game restarted. Everything went as expected, and the Juventus players continued to dictate the tempo with fluid passes. They seemed like a team on track to win the game and go home with three points at the end of the game.

But circumstances changed twelve minutes into the second half when the downpour started falling from the skies. They found it hard to continue playing their grounded and short passes in the heavy rain. As a result, they could only resort to changing their strategy and playing long balls to overcome the hardships posed by the wet playing surface.

Zachary, on his part, also found it a bit challenging to perform as usual in the rain. The heavy pelting of water constantly showered his already miserable frame with bouts of fresh and chilling torrents of merciless precipitation. He couldn't dribble with ease over the wet surface. He also couldn't see the ball clearly at times. But he still hardened himself and continued focusing on the game without minding the unfavorable conditions. He wished to win, and nothing could stop him from doing so, not even the rain.

"Zachary!" Coach Trombetta yelled from the sidelines when the ball went out of play for a Juventus throw-in during the 64th minute. "Move forward and play as a false-nine. We no longer need you in the midfield, as we can't play short passes in this weather. You need to be active in searching for the goal."

"Aye, coach," Zachary replied and raised his thumb to indicate that he had understood. He agreed with the coach's decision, as that was the only way to add numbers up front and increase his team's chances of scoring a goal.

He had to play as an attacker to help his team overcome the barrier of the wet surface with long balls. The rest would then fall in place, and he would find opportunities to connect with the defense-splitting passes from Andrea Pirlo and the crosses from the attacking wing-backs.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and motioned for the Juventus players to take their throw-in. Patrice Evra, Juventus' attacking wing-back, immediately made a short run toward the touchline on the left flank before throwing the ball into the pitch. His accuracy was spot on, and he found Claudio Marchisio, one of the Juventus midfielders.

Claudio Marchisio, on his part, controlled the ball while skipping away from an opponent. When an angle opened up, he squared the ball to find Andrea Pirlo in the space on his right.

Andrea Pirlo, being the Maestro he was, surveyed the entire situation on the pitch as he connected with Claudio's pass. He found the perfect outlet for the ball within seconds and unleashed a lofted pass toward the other side of the pitch. And with that single ball through the rain, he released Carlos Tévez on a straight course toward Atalanta's goal.

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Carlos Tévez could literally feel his heart hammering like a drum as he beat the offside trap and connected with Andrea Pirlo's defense-splitting pass. He was obviously aware that only less than 25 minutes remained before the 90-minute-mark. So, he was determined to do all it took to utilize the opportunity and put his team ahead before it was too late.

"Whoosh!"

Like a lightning bolt, he cut through the drizzle, his short strides eating up yards of space toward the goal like mad. His level of focus had already reached its zenith, allowing him to remain composed as he prodded the ball forward. And when he noticed the keeper stepping forward to meet him, he squared his body before trying to chip the ball into the inside of the far post.

But alas, luck wasn't on Tévez's side that day. Marco Sportiello, the Atalanta shot-stopper, was alert again. He brushed the ball with his fingertips, thus sending it off its intended trajectory. As a result, it could only smash off the post before bouncing back into the field of play.

"Damn it!"

Carlos Tévez cursed out loud and immediately reacted. He pounced towards the bouncing ball with all the zest he could muster. However, all his efforts were still in vain as an Atalanta defender swept the ball out of play to clear the danger before he could reach it. The Argentine could only place his hands behind his head after missing yet another clear opportunity to put his team ahead during the 67th minute. He was disappointed with himself.

"Don't mind! Don't mind! Let's stay focused and continue attacking. I'm sure that we'll score."

Tévez could not help but tremble after hearing Zachary's familiar voice sounding within his ear. His despondency immediately disappeared, and a yearning to score and make up for his missed opportunities swelled within him. He was once again ready to rumble and destroy the opponents.

"Thanks for the encouragement," he said, turning towards Zachary. "I needed that."

Zachary smiled and nodded back. "We all can miss sometimes," he said. "But what matters is to get our act together and score the next time."

A strange expression surfaced on Tévez's face after hearing Zachary's statement. But he immediately utilized his sleeve to cover it up while wiping the precipitation off his face. On the inside, however, weird thoughts were racing through his mind.

"We all miss sometimes!" He wondered. "How come I don't remember you ever missing a one-on-one with the keeper? Are you mocking me?" The Argentine shook his head, once again feeling frustrated.

"We need to get ready for the corner," Zachary said from beside him again.

"Yeah, yeah," Tévez agreed with a smile. "Let's get ready for the corner." He looked like an exemplary teammate consenting to his colleague's suggestion. But within his mind, he was thinking something else, "This bastard must enjoy poking fun at me whenever I miss an opportunity. I have to score more goals than him this season. Otherwise, his smirk would drive me insane if he were to bag more goals than me."

Tévez harbored no ill will against Zachary. In fact, he respected the young maestro and was happy to be on the same team as him. But that didn't mean he would sit back and let the 19-year-old run the show for Juventus. Tévez was also competitive by nature. He desired to score more goals and help his team win trophies before he retired. And that drove him to give more than a hundred percent during every match of the just-commenced Serie A season.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee finally blew the whistle to signal the taking of the corner kick after arranging the players in the box. The next moment, the cheers around the stadium hit another thunderous zenith as Andrea Pirlo, the Italian maestro, sent forth a lofted ball into the crowded box from the corner arc.

It was another chance for Juventus to try for an opening goal, and of course, most players went into action. Carlos Tévez ran toward the near post and tried to connect with the incoming ball. However, his height betrayed him, and he couldn't get to it. Then, Leonardo Bonucci also tried but also failed due to harassment from an opposing defender. And finally, it was Zachary's turn to act.

"Whoosh!"

Zachary pushed off the ground and rose into the air with unstoppable momentum. He battled an Atalanta center-back for aerial superiority before angling his head and directing the incoming ball toward the top right corner. The CR7 Aerial-finishing Juju bloomed in splendor, and his well-placed effort easily beat the keeper and nestled into the back of the net.

"GOAL!" Zachary yelled out loud after descending back to the ground. At long last, he had managed to break the deadlock and put his team ahead during the 69th minute. He couldn't contain his delight and rushed toward the touchline to celebrate with his coaches and teammates.

"This bastard has some dog shit luck," Tévez thought as he chased after Zachary to celebrate the goal. "He has scored another goal from a corner kick. Damn!"

The Argentine was complaining inwardly. But he was also relieved since his team was finally in the lead. He had been feeling the pressure, especially after missing two one-on-ones with the keeper. But after Zachary scored, he felt like he had unloaded a weight off his shoulders. He could finally concentrate on the game without any burdens weighing down his mind.

Atalanta BC 0 : Juventus FC 1

Diego Simeone, the head coach of Atletico Madrid, was watching the game between Atalanta and Juventus on a screen in his office in Madrid, Spain. Beside him were his two assistants - Germán Burgos and Juan Vizcaíno, who were also following the Serie A match. The three men were obviously not supporters of Juventus. But they were only doing research to prepare for Atletico Madrid's Champions League face-off against the Italian giants.

The diffuse light from the 50-inch flat-screen lit up Diego Simeone's face and highlighted the frown outlining his facial features. He was getting more worried, especially after assessing Zachary's and Andrea Pirlo's performances during the game. They were the playmakers for Juventus and would surely give his team a hard time come Wednesday night.

"We must find a way to prevent Zachary and Andrea Pirlo from creating chances for Juventus," he said to his assistants beside him. "Otherwise, Juventus will tear us apart on Wednesday."

"I agree," Germán Burgos, one of his assistants, said. "Andrea Pirlo is the deep-lying playmaker and can create goal-scoring opportunities out of nothing with his long passes. On the other hand, Zachary is the attacking pivot. He's a brilliant player who will cause problems for our defense during the game. We need to stop both of..."

The assistant coach stopped mid-sentence after realizing that there was another development in the game. He pushed the distracting thoughts out of his mind and started following the commentary and the action on the screen.

"It's Zachary on the ball," the commentator's voice sounded through the speakers. "He dribbles past one and jumps past another. He's approaching Atalanta's box at breakneck speed..."

Diego Simeone was also following the action while holding his breath. The coach got goosebumps all over his body as he watched Zachary wiggle and dance through a group of opponents. Then, like a magician, the young footballer sidestepped past an opposing defensive midfielder and continued bearing down on Atalanta's box like a raging Tsunami. He created ample space to work with the ball and then unleashed a missile toward the goal from outside the box.

"Zachary takes his chances from thirty yards away," the commentator's voice continued making its way into the ears of the three men. "He shoots. He finds the back of the net. Goal! That was a beauty from the 19-year-old playmaker. He has extended Juventus' lead against Atalanta to two goals during the 88th minute. It's now Atalanta zero and Juventus two. The Old Lady is surely in charge..."

Diego Simeone's frown deepened. He immediately picked up the remote and lowered the volume of the screen. In the meantime, his mind was racing and working at full throttle. But he still couldn't find ways to simultaneously contain Zachary and Andrea Pirlo, especially if both playmakers were at the top of their game.

"Why don't we treat them like how we treat Real Madrid and Barcelona?" Juan Vizcaíno, the other coaching assistant, suggested. "We play a defensive game against Juventus while waiting for opportunities. As for Zachary and Pirlo, we can tell the boys to be extra physical with them. I'm sure they won't be able to find their best rhythm if we rough them up a few times."

Diego Simeone sighed. "The first plan is okay as Juventus is a much stronger team than us, especially in midfield. We'll have to play defensively against them to get a result. However, roughing up Zachary and Pirlo might cause problems for us."

"Why?" Juan Vizcaíno questioned. "Is it because of Zachary's free kicks?"

Diego Simeone nodded. "The boy's conversion rate is insane. We can't gift him free kicks near our box."

"I think we need someone to watch him throughout the game," Germán Burgos said. "We need a player who's quick and versatile on the ball and with a lot of stamina to mark him."

"Like Saúl Ñíguez or Koke?" Juan Vizcaíno asked.

"I think Ñíguez would fit the role better," Diego Simeone supplied. "His athleticism and game-reading abilities are impressive. He should be able to keep up with Zachary throughout the match."

Juan Vizcaíno nodded, and the three men continued discussing various strategies they could employ against Juventus for a few more minutes. They only ended their talk after the game on screen ended with Juventus still leading by two goals to nil.

The day dawned crisp and clear. The morning sunshine wafted gently in, diffusing across Zachary's hotel room. The golden rays illuminated his face, and he turned and blinked twice before slowly opening his eyes.

"What time is it?" He mumbled while turning and focusing his eyes on the clock on the opposite wall. "9:24 AM! I have really slept today."

He was still fatigued, especially after playing another 90 minutes of the previous night's Serie A game against Atalanta. His joints ached, and he still felt drowsy, even after sleeping for more than eight hours.

But as a professional, he knew that he couldn't allow himself to continue dawdling in bed on his day off. He understood that he had to do his utmost to recover from his post-match fatigue before starting intense preparations for Juventus' midweek game against Atlético Madrid. Otherwise, if he was to relax, he might lose his just-gained place within Juventus' starting eleven.

"Time to rumble."

Zachary stretched and immediately jumped out of bed. He quickly began his morning routine, which included going through yoga exercises, cleaning up, and eating breakfast.

He completed everything he had to do by 10:30 AM and then sat in front of the TV to pass the rest of his morning free time. Soon, his entire focus was fully-attuned to that morning's ESPN daily sports show.

"Zachary scored yet another brace to give Juventus the edge to beat Atalanta in yesterday's Serie A game," Emilia Vasquez, the ESPN presenter, said. She smiled at the cameras and continued, "The young playmaker now has a tally of four goals in five Serie A matches and is just one behind the leading goal scorer, who happens to be his teammate - Carlos Tévez. For a midfielder, those are quite impressive stats."

"Yes, they are," Joshua Morales, the in-studio pundit, agreed. "Let's also not forget that he scored a hattrick in the Champions League game against Malmo. That elevates his tally to seven goals in six matches, which is a remarkable feat, especially for a midfielder. And what surprises me is that he's achieving all this while still at the tender age of nineteen. He's got so much potential, and I can't even imagine how he will evolve as a player by twenty-five!"

Emilia Vasquez smiled. "Indeed, he's an impressive and very clinical attacking midfielder, especially when it matters. His two goals have helped Juventus cement their place at the top of the Serie A table. He has also allowed his teammates to gain the momentum needed to head into Juventus' tricky Champions League fixture against Atlético Madrid."

"Yes, that is also an important point," Alessandro Costacurta, the other in-studio pundit, agreed. "The Old Lady players and coaches needed the win yesterday to raise the atmosphere around the club before starting preparations for the game against Atlético Madrid. Everything didn't go as planned in the beginning due to the defensive tenacity of Atalanta. But fortunately, their 80-million signing came through and scored twice during the second half to help them win the game. They are now in the best shape for the game on Wednesday, and I think they have a high chance of winning if they play their cards right."

"Atlético Madrid is not an easy team to beat," Emilia Vasquez pointed out. "They are the current champions of La Liga, and over the years, they have managed to frustrate footballing giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona on several occasions. It will be a tough challenge for Juventus to win against such a team."

"You're talking about Atlético Madrid's achievements but forgetting about Juventus' might," Alessandro Costacurta said with a chuckle. "Juventus won the Serie A last season, even before acquiring Zachary. They would have had a perfect season if they didn't mess up their Champions League campaign. Now, after signing Zachary, they are an even much stronger team. They have some of the most creative midfielders in Europe at this moment. There's the ever-creative duo of Zachary and Andrea Pirlo. Then, there's the ever-consistent support of either Claudio Marchisio or Arturo Vidal. All these guys shouldn't lose against Atlético Madrid unless Massimiliano Allegri messes up big time."

"I'm with Alessandro on this point," Joshua Morales, the other pundit, chimed in. "Atlético Madrid will likely start with the midfield combination of Koke, Ñíguez, Mendes, and probably Antoine Griezmann as an attacking pivot. Of course, all these are very tactical and skilled players in Europe. But against the midfield combination of Zachary, Andrea Pirlo, and Claudio or Vidal, they are simply lacking. The best they can manage is to play defensive football while waiting for an opportunity. But I can't picture them helping Atlético Madrid outplay Juventus, especially in midfield."

"You guys all seem sure," Emilia Vasquez said, smiling. "But I still think Atlético Madrid has a high chance of winning the game. The game is in Madrid. Moreover, Atlético Madrid has Diego Simeone, the miracle worker."

"I hear the miracle worker!" Joshua Morales chuckled and shook his head. "Should we have a little bet concerning who'll win the game between Juventus and Atlético Madrid?"

"Sorry, I don't bet," Emilia said. "But I still think Atlético Madrid has a good chance of winning the game..."

Zachary shook his head. He couldn't continue watching after the presenters started some pointless banter among themselves. He was also uncomfortable with watching the pundits put him on a high pedestal due to a single performance.

He picked up the remote and switched the channel. Very soon, he started following Sky Sports news while occasionally thinking about Juventus' upcoming Champions League match against Atlético Madrid.

Diego Simeone, Atlético Madrid's manager, was the type of coach who organized his tactics depending on the opponent. The man often lived off about 35% possession during matches. But even with that little bit of the ball, he would often outclass strong teams tactically and defeat them time and time again. It didn't matter whether a side had Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Lewangoalski. Diego would always try to find a way to win despite the odds against him. And considering all that, Juventus would find it challenging to play against a side managed by such a coach.

"Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzt Bzzzt!"

Zachary's phone started vibrating from the nearby coffee table while he was still following the Sky Sports news. He leaned forward and scooped it up before glancing at the screen. The next moment, his eyes narrowed with discontent when he realized the call was from an unknown number. But that didn't stop him from accepting the call and placing the phone against his ear.

"Hello," he said, speaking into the phone.

"Hello, to you too," a deep and vigorous voice, colored by a thick accent, sounded from the other end of the line. "I'm Matteo Tavano, a solicitor based in Turin. I acquired your number from Emily Anderson, the agent, and I'm supposed to be aiding you during your purchase of a villa in Pinerolo, Piedmont."

"Oh, Matteo Tavano!" Zachary exclaimed while quickly picking up the remote and lowering the volume of the screen. "Emily told me about you. How're you doing?"

"I'm doing fine," Matteo replied, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Zachary."

"No, no, no," Zachary said exaggeratedly, "The pleasure is mine. I really need your help while completing the purchase of the villa."

"Of course," Matteo said with a chuckle. "I'll do my best to offer you the best legal advice money can purchase. But it will cost you."

Zachary chuckled in response. "Emily should have already mentioned the remuneration details when she contacted you. She's the person that usually handles all my financial issues."

"I understand," Matteo said. "I'll discuss with Emily the issue of payment. Now, concerning the villa in question! When can we meet to iron out the arrangements for the property transfer?"

"Today, afternoon. It's my only free day for like the next seven days."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line before Matteo's voice sounded again. "The afternoon is fine with me. We can meet and travel together to the villa. Then, after seeing it and talking to the sellers, I'll immediately begin the legal process of the property purchase. If all goes well, I should finish all the procedures latest by Thursday. How does that sound?"

"Can't you complete everything sooner?" Zachary asked.

"That's a bit tricky," Matteo said. "You must understand that I'll have to do all the heavy lifting for the settlement, including preparing, reviewing, and lodging all required legal documents, such as the contract of sale and memorandum of transfer. Then, I'll have to deal with any issues related to a property inspection and read the property transfer agreement for any hidden clauses. Finally, I'll conduct a title and certificate search on the property to ensure everything is correct and in order before arranging a settlement between you and the seller. As you can see, I need time to complete all these procedures. Thursday is the best I can do."

"Okay, then," Zachary said. "Let's aim to complete the purchase by Thursday."

"That's for the best," Matteo said. "So, where do we meet up today afternoon?"

"Can you come to the J Hotel?" Zachary asked. "We can meet in the restaurant before traveling to Pinerolo to see the villa."

"What time would you like me to come?" Matteo asked.

"One o'clock," Zachary responded. "Is that fine by you?"

"1:00 PM is okay with me," Matteo said. "Let's meet then."

"Excellent," Zachary responded. "Then, see you later."

--

As planned, Zachary met up with Matteo Tavano at one o'clock. He was a lean middle-aged man with amber eyes and a receding hairline. He gave off a friendly vibe, and a smile was constantly plastered on his face while he greeted and introduced himself to Zachary.

The two men wasted no time on small talk after exchanging greetings. They immediately started discussing the nature of their business relationship while enjoying some afternoon tea. Their dialogue went well, and thirty minutes later, they traveled to Pinerolo to see the villa. There, they met up with Lorenzo D'Alessandro, the real estate agent in charge of selling the house, and Riccardo Costa, another older gentleman who seemed to be the seller. And from there on, everything was straightforward.

Zachary immediately voiced his intention to purchase the villa at the previously agreed price of 1.8 million Euros. After hearing his declaration, neither Lorenzo nor Ricardo bothered to bargain and hike up the price. They immediately consented to the deal and shook hands with Zachary to complete the initial verbal agreement for the transfer of the property.

They then spent a few minutes discussing and ironing out a few of the more crucial details of the deal under the legal guidance of Matteo Tavano. For instance, they talked about when Zachary would transfer the money for the house and specified when the previous owner would deliver the keys and the ownership papers of the villa. Their talk was fruitful, and they all left happy at dusk after taking another tour around the house and its gardens.

Zachary, on his part, was feeling quite fulfilled as he sat in Angelo's Citroën, heading back to the J Hotel. He was on cloud nine after completing a verbal agreement to purchase a mansion that he could only dream of during his previous life.

All that was left was for Matteo Tavano to conclude the legal end of the deal, and then Zachary would be able to live in the house of his dreams while also playing for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. The notion brightened his spirits, and he returned to his hotel room later that evening with a smile plastered on his face.

--

Zachary was without any worries after leaving the matters of purchasing the villa to Matteo Tavano, the solicitor experienced in handling real estate deals in Turin. He adjusted his mental state and returned his entire focus to training the following day.

As always, he woke up early, at around six, and went through his morning routine. He completed everything he had to do by 8:00 AM and then joined his teammates at the Vinovo, Juventus' training center, to commence preparations for the Champions League game against Atlético Madrid.

His motivation levels were at their best, and he was soon in full gear, training as always to gain tip-top match fitness before Wednesday night. However, that time around, he didn't forget his other responsibilities because of training. He continued attending his language classes and made sure to find time to call Camilla on a daily basis.

Aside from that, Zachary also made time to meet with Emily and Kristin after training on Monday afternoon. They met in a comfy cafe in the middle of Turin and spent a few hours catching up.

Kristin had already settled in well in the new city. She had already enrolled in the University of Turin and was always attending lectures whenever she wasn't handling Zachary's publicity matters. Emily, on her part, was as busy as ever. She had finally registered her own sports agency and was in the process of searching for new talents to represent. All in all, the two ladies seemed to be doing quite well in their respective fields.

--

Time would always pass by quickly when one was busy. Hours turned into days, and soon, it was Tuesday, the eve of Juventus' Champions League fixture against Atlético Madrid. And as always, Coach Allegri called all the Juventus first-team players into the tactics room late in the evening for the pre-game briefing.

The pre-match briefing proceeded well as Coach Allegri explained the tactics for the game against Atlético Madrid. He clarified everything in Italian while occasionally allowing Maurizio Trombetta, his assistant, to translate some important points into English. Then, after the tactics presentation, it was time to announce the squad heading to Madrid the following morning. And naturally, the coach named the starting eleven first.

Gianluigi Buffon would be in goal, while Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, and Martín Cáceres would play as the three defenders. Then, in central midfield, it would be Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo, and Zachary Bemba holding the reigns — while Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner would play on the flanks to complete the midfield of five. And finally, Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tévez would play as the two strikers to complete Juventus' 3-5-2 starting formation.

After naming the starting eleven, Coach Allegri then moved on to mention those that were on the bench. And without any surprises, Marco Storari, Angelo Ogbonna, Rômulo, Arturo Vidal, Kingsley Coman, Sebastian Giovinco, and Álvaro Morata were the names on the coach's list of substitutes. All those players had trained well over the past two days, and it was natural that they make his squad for the Champions League game against Atlético Madrid.

The naming of the line-up marked the end of the pre-game tactics meeting. As a result, the coach sent the players back to their homes to rest after repeatedly reminding them to be on time the following morning.

Their flight to Madrid was at 8:30 early in the morning. So, they had to arrive at Juventus' training center by 7:30 AM so they would have time to travel to the airport by bus.

--

After leaving Juventus' training center in the evening, Zachary returned to his room at the J Hotel. After cleaning up, he enjoyed a room-delivered dinner before brushing his teeth and jumping into bed. He was ready to enter into a peaceful slumber — and in so doing, allow his body to rest and be in the best shape for the following day's game against Atlético Madrid.

But sometimes, things would not proceed according to plan, and that night was as such for Zachary. He received an unexpected call just after entering between the sheets.

The call was from Camilla, and when he picked it up, his gut feeling immediately warned him that his night wouldn't go according to plan. But even then, he braced himself and decided to listen to what Camilla had to say.

"Hello, Camilla," he spoke into the phone after pressing the accept button. "How is your evening going?"

Zachary was trying to ease into the conversation. However, there was no response from the other end of the line. He could hear someone breathing... maybe Camilla, but she just remained silent. She wasn't saying even a single word!

"Hello, Camilla," he spoke again, sitting upright on the bed. "Are you there? Are you okay?"

"Hello, Zach," Camilla finally responded in a somewhat unnatural voice. She seemed to be sobbing.

"Are you okay?" Zachary asked again, his mind sobering up and losing all signs of sleep. He was worried.

"I'm really not okay," Camilla responded in between sobs after a few more seconds.

"What's the matter?" Zachary pressed, switching the phone to his other ear. He softened his tone and continued, "What's wrong?"please visit panda(-)N0ve1.co)m

"I lost the child," she responded with almost a whisper.

"What?"

"I said I lost the child," she said. "After I came back from work, I started doing some laundry. But that's when I got sudden cramps and abdominal pains and realized I was bleeding. I called an ambulance, and it rushed me to the hospital, only to find out I had had a miscarriage."

"Oh!" Zachary's mind blanked out after hearing her narrative. And for a few seconds, he didn't know what to say. His thoughts were muddled and all over the place.

He was confused as he should have been relieved after hearing such news. He should have felt relaxed as he had not been ready to have a child, especially at that early stage of his football career. However, the reality at that moment was totally different from what he expected. What he felt was the opposite of what he'd envisioned after hearing such unfortunate news.

The artificial lighting in the hotel room cast a glow upon his face, highlighting his listless expression. In the meantime, a sensation of emptiness flooded his mind, making him feel like he had lost something important. He regretted not treating Camilla right when he heard the news of her pregnancy.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled into the phone after collecting himself.

"You don't have to apologize," Camilla replied in a more relaxed tone. "It wasn't your fault. It just happened."

Zachary was at a loss for words after hearing that. He thought for a few seconds before asking, "Where are you now? Are you okay? Do you have any other complications?"

"I'm still at the hospital. But I have no other complications. At least the doctors haven't found any. Zachary! I have to go now. The doctors are here. They have to conduct more tests. We'll talk later." After saying that, she immediately ended the call before Zachary could respond.

Zachary sighed and immediately dropped the phone by his side. The sudden news from Camilla had caused his mood to sink and wallow in a whirlpool of wondering what could have been. He could finally relate to the saying - you only know how valuable something is after losing it.

The reality of losing a potential offspring hit him, and he couldn't help but sink into a period of self-introspection. He sat there on his bed, staring blankly at the opposite wall. And naturally, moments of his time in Turin flashed through his thought center, and he occasionally shook his head. He regretted a few things.

Ever since making his move to Juventus — no, that's not right. Ever since his grandma died, he had stopped being down-to-earth in everything he did. For instance, he wasn't training as much as he had during his initial days at Rosenborg. Additionally, he'd started putting money above everything else, including his love for football. He was even thinking of finding a way out of his contract with Nike in order to score a more juicy deal with another sportswear manufacturer. He'd somehow lost track of his goals along the way, thinking he would achieve greatness by exerting minimum effort, especially with the system as support. But that wasn't the end of his poor conduct.

There was also his lackluster treatment of Camilla, especially when he heard about the news of her pregnancy. He didn't comfort her or try his best to be there for her. He was unfeeling as he'd only thought about how Camilla's situation might mess up the progress of his career.

He'd forgotten the values his late grandma had instilled in him while growing up and become a total jackass. He hadn't acted as a real man and accepted his responsibilities. And now, it seemed like the ever-present karma had finally slapped him on the cheek due to his transgressions. As a result, he received the unfortunate news that sent him into a whirlpool of regret and self-introspection. Moreover, that was on the eve of the game against Atlético Madrid.

"It's not too late," Zachary mumbled to himself. "I can readjust and become a better person. I can become someone who makes my grandma in heaven proud. But first, I need to find out if Camilla is doing okay. I must make amends. I must apologize. I must be there for her this time around."

Zachary geared himself. He picked up his phone again and dialed her number. The dial tone sounded within his ear, and then the international call connected. But alas, she didn't pick up. It seemed like she was still going through medical tests, even that late in the evening.

"I should wait a bit," Zachary thought, checking the time on his phone screen. It was coming to ten in the night. So, he could wait one more hour before trying her number again.

The waiting time passed by slowly since he was a bit nervous. Eleven o'clock finally arrived, and he tried calling Camilla again. But once again, she didn't pick, causing him even more worries.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow."

Zachary decided to go to bed as he had to play an important match the following evening. After washing his face, he went in between the sheets, praying and hoping he would sink into a peaceful slumber in a few minutes. But as his mind was not in the right place, sleep didn't come to him until late in the wee hours of the morning.

--

Zachary woke up to the sound of his phone's alarm the following morning. As his slumber lifted, he opened his eyes, eager to take in the growing brightness of the rising sun. However, the next moment, he felt a sensation of tiredness creep all over him. His every eyelash seemed to weigh more than it should, while the gravity acting on his body appeared to have multiplied by a factor of ten overnight.

After spending hours worrying about Camilla's situation, he'd only managed to find sleep around 3:00 AM the previous night. Thus, his head was still foggy and yearning for more hours of rest. But as a professional footballer, he couldn't give in to that temptation, especially since he had to prepare and head to the Vinovo as soon as possible. Otherwise, he might miss the team bus to the airport and, in so doing, miss the opportunity to partake in Juventus' Champions League match against Atlético Madrid.

"What time is it?" He wondered while scooping up his phone from the bedside table. He glanced at the screen and immediately learned it was thirty-five minutes past six in the morning. He could thus relax since he still had close to an hour to prepare and get to the Vinovo.

"Oh right," Zachary thought, sitting upright on the bed, "I should try Camilla's number before anything else. Hope she picks."

He immediately dialed Camilla's number before holding the phone against his ear. The anxiety from the previous night came flooding back to him as the dial tone sounded. But he took a deep breath to calm himself down and continued waiting. He forced himself to remain patient until Camilla's voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"Hello," she said, sounding a bit sleepy.

"Hello, Camilla," Zachary responded, "How are you today? Are you already out of the hospital?"

"I'm okay, but still in the hospital. The doctors insisted on conducting a few more tests before discharging me."

"That should be good news. Right?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I have to wait for the results from the medical tests to understand my condition."

"Oh, I see," Zachary said and turned silent. He waited a few seconds before continuing, "I'm sorry to hear about your condition. And more than anything, I'm sorry I can't be there for you at this trying moment."

"I understand," she replied, "There's no need for apologies. I know you can't be away from the club, especially with all the matches coming up. And by the way, don't you have a game against Atlético Madrid today?"

"Yes, I do," Zachary responded.

"Are you ready?"

"I'm not sure. But I guess I'll manage."

"Why aren't you sure?" She asked. "Where's the ever-confident Zachary?"

"How can I be in top condition after knowing about your circumstances? I'm not a robot, you know."

Camilla chuckled. "You don't have to worry. I feel fine. I'll most likely be out of the hospital by noon today. So, focus, and prepare for your game. Don't get distracted. I'll feel guilty if you play poorly just because of me."

"I'll try to do my best," Zachary promised and continued conversing with Camilla. They exchanged more small talk for a few more minutes before they ended the call on a positive note.

"That went well," Zachary mumbled and placed the phone to the side before jumping out of bed. He was soon in autopilot mode, going through his morning yoga routine, then washing up and having breakfast before exiting his hotel room with his suitcase in tow. He boarded Angelo's Citroën a few minutes later, and the two of them commenced their short journey to the Vinovo.

Zachary's spirits had brightened up again after his phone call with Camilla. Even after not sleeping for almost the entire night, he was ready to head to Madrid, Spain, with his teammates and partake in Juventus' Champions League game. At least, that was what he thought despite his weary appearance.

--

Under the gentle glow of the just-risen sun, Coach Allegri's face was all smiles as he watched his players assemble in front of the team bus in the Vinovo's parking lot. He could tell that his starting eleven and substitutes were in good condition with one sweep of his experienced and discerning gaze. They all seemed to have rested well and were ready to head to Madrid and battle the tricky Atlético Madrid side.

"These players are really disciplined," he thought as he continued observing the players. His gaze darted around the place, passing over Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Buffon, and the other players. He was trying to ensure that all his starting eleven and substitutes were okay. But just then, he spotted someone sitting on the ground close to the railing demarcating the parking lot. When the coach focused, he realized that Zachary was the person in question, and he seemed fast asleep while leaning on the railing.

"Che cazzo..." The coach couldn't help but mumble a few expletives in his native Italian language. His eyebrows involuntarily knitted together, and he stepped through the crowd of players, heading towards Zachary. The glint in his eyes grew fiercer as he walked forward, and naturally, all the players made way for him. They didn't even dare to wake up their sleeping teammate as they seemed to fear the wrath of their coach.

"Zachary..." Coach Allegri yelled after finally reaching the young Maestro. "Zachary?" He shook him awake.

Zachary slowly opened his eyes the next moment. For a few seconds, he glanced about him, seemingly out of his wits. He was obviously still trying to escape the comforting sensation of his sweet and peaceful slumber.

"Zachary!" Coach Allegri shouted again.

"Yes, coach," Zachary replied almost by instinct that time around. He shook his head as if to clear his head — and immediately focused on the coach standing before him.

"Why do you seem like a person who didn't sleep yesterday night?" Coach Allegri asked in Italian while keeping his scorching gaze on Zachary's face. "Are you okay?"

In response, Zachary blanked out for a moment and turned to his teammates for help.

"Oh, damn it!" Coach Allegri sighed. "I forgot that he doesn't speak Italian." He turned to Maurizio Trombetta, his assistant, and said, "Coach Trombetta! Tell him to follow me. I need to talk to him before we depart for Madrid."

"Okay, I'll notify him," Coach Trombetta readily agreed. Without further ado, he approached Zachary and relayed the coach's instructions. His English was fluent, and he made sure that Zachary understood that the coach wanted to talk to him immediately.

--

Silence reigned supreme as Zachary followed the two coaches out of the parking lot. The rest of the Juventus players didn't say a word as they watched his receding back with weird gazes. It was only when his silhouette disappeared inside one of the buildings of the training center that they resumed their conversations. And naturally, the main topic of discussion was Zachary's strange behavior that morning.

"So," Fernando Llorente was among the first to break the silence. "What was up with Zachary?" He asked Evra.

"I don't know," Evra replied. "But if I may guess, he might just have been taking a small nap before the journey. I don't understand why the coach is making a big deal out of it."

"A small nap!" Fernando said, his tone skeptical. "He seemed so totally out of it. The coach had to shake him awake several times before he regained his senses."

"Indeed, that's strange," Evra said. "And I don't get why he didn't wait for us to board the plane before taking his nap. He would have avoided the coach's scrutiny that way."

"I think there is something wrong with him," Fernando supplied.

"Let's hope that's not the case," Andrea Pirlo, who was nearby, chimed in abruptly. "We need him to be okay. We need him in the evening against Atlético Madrid."

"True," Evra said. "Let's hope that he's okay."

--

In the meantime, Zachary was already facing the coaches in one of the tactics rooms at the Vinovo. Despite his circumstances, he was relaxed since he was sure he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Okay, Zachary," Coach Trombetta was the first to break the silence in the room. "We're just checking. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Zachary replied with a smile.

"Then, why were you fast asleep in the parking lot?" Coach Trombetta followed up with another question. "You seemed like you hadn't slept a wink in weeks. Why is that?"

Zachary thought for a moment and sighed. He took a deep breath and told the two coaches about the unfortunate news he'd received from Camilla yesterday night. He also mentioned how he couldn't sleep afterward with the intent to ensure they understood his circumstances clearly.

"I'm sorry to hear about your girlfriend," Coach Trombetta said after hearing his tale. Without further ado, he turned towards Coach Allegri and started translating Zachary's words. He spewed rapid Italian sentences for about a minute before turning to Zachary once again.

"So, Zachary," Coach Trombetta articulated, "We now understand your circumstances. And we must ask: Can you still feature in today's game against Atlético Madrid? Or do you need time to recover from this setback?"

"I think I'm ready to play," Zachary replied.

"You think, or you know?" Coach Trombetta pressed. "This is an important match. We can't mess it up."

Zachary thought for a moment and said, "As long as I sleep during the day, I'm sure I'll be able to perform in the evening."

"At a hundred percent?" Coach Trombetta asked again.

"I'm not sure about the hundred percent," Zachary admitted. "I can only answer that after stepping onto the pitch."

Coach Trombetta nodded and turned towards Coach Allegri. The two men then wasted no time immersing themselves in what seemed like another heated conversation in Italian. And finally, after about a minute, they seemed to come to an understanding and returned their focus to Zachary.

"So," Coach Trombetta said, "Coach Allegri has made a bold suggestion that will allow you to have a maximum impact against Atlético Madrid even if you're not at the top of your game. Do you want to hear it?"

"Of course," Zachary replied.

"You play as a striker in today's game," Coach Trombetta continued. "As a striker, you won't have to expend as much energy as you usually do while playing midfield. Your role will only be to apply pressure on Atlético Madrid's center-backs with just your presence while waiting for an opportunity. That way, you will be able to relax during most of the game and only spring into action when the ball comes your way."

"Do I have a choice in this matter?" Zachary asked.

"No, you don't," Coach Trombetta said, not mincing words. "Since you're not in your best condition, we prefer that you remain far away from our goal. We don't want to see you lose the ball close to our box due to a lapse in concentration. That would hurt us a great deal."

"Okay, I understand," Zachary said, taking a deep breath. "I'll follow your suggestion and play on the striking line today. Is there anything else?"

"No," Coach Trombetta responded. "You can now rejoin your teammates. But remember to get some sleep during the journey. Otherwise, we won't let you off if you mess up terribly during the game. Understood?"

"Yes, coach," Zachary replied. "I understand."

"Good." Coach Trombetta smiled and nodded. "Return to the bus. We'll be setting off for the airport in a few minutes."

"Okay," Zachary said and stood up. He nodded to the coaches before marching out of the room.

Naturally, Zachary couldn't help but think carefully about the actions of the two coaches while on his way back to the parking lot. They had been too eager to summon him just for the simple reason of sleeping before the journey. And then, they used his poor condition that morning as a convenient excuse to push him on the striking line. It was as if they had long thought about playing him in that position for the game against Atlético Madrid.

"The position doesn't matter at this point," Zachary thought. "I only need to ensure that I make a substantial impact on the pitch wherever I play. That's what's important." He geared himself up and immediately quickened his steps, eager to rejoin his teammates in the parking lot.

--

The Juventus squad's journey from Turin to Madrid was without any issues that morning. As planned, the Old Lady players and technical staff were on the 8:30 outbound flight from Turin. They spent two and a half hours in the skies before their plane descended and touched down on the runway of the famous Madrid–Torrejón Airport.

Coach Allegri was the first to set foot on Madrid soil. After breathing in to take in the calming Madrid breeze, he smiled and nodded to the nearby staff before turning to face the UEFA guide in charge of Juventus.

"I'm Pablo Rodríguez, your guide for this UEFA Champions League trip to Madrid," the middle-aged man said, extending his hand. "Welcome to Madrid. Welcome to the capital of European football, Coach Allegri."

"You're funny." Coach Allegri chuckled, taking Pablo's hand for a firm handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Pablo. But I'll pretend as if I didn't hear you call Madrid the capital of European football. Is our bus ready?"

Pablo smiled in response. "Yes, the bus is waiting in the parking lot. It is ready to ferry you to your hotel. We've also already handled the airport procedures in your stead. So you don't need to go through the hustle of airport lines."

"Thank you, Pablo," Coach Allegri said before turning back to face his players, who had already assembled behind him. With one glance, he could see signs of dullness and lethargy among their ranks. The short journey had worn them out, and they needed intensive exercise before returning to tip-top condition.

"Lads!" The coach said in Italian. "Here is our plan for today. We'll head to the hotel and enjoy a light breakfast. After that, all of us, except the sleepyhead Zachary, will go through some drills to warm up our muscles. We'll end our short training session at around 1:30 PM and then have lunch. Then, after lunch, we'll rest until 6:30 in the evening before having dinner and then heading to the Vicente Calderón Stadium for our game against Atlético Madrid. Understood?"

"Yes, coach," the players who could speak Italian replied in unison.

"Excellent," the coach said, nodding. "You can translate my message to your teammates who don't speak Italian. In the meantime, let's start making our way to the bus. We must hurry and put in a few hours of training before lunch."

With that said, the Juventus squad followed after Pablo, the UEFA guide, and they made their way out of the airport through a private exit. In a few minutes, they reached the arranged team bus and boarded it. Then after they all took their seats, the driver eased the bus out of the parking lot, and off they went, heading towards the Arganzuela district of Madrid, Spain. They were obviously on their way to the Riu Plaza España, the hotel which would be their home during their one-day stay in Madrid.

Madrid was, without a doubt, a beautiful city. It was a metropolis of elegant boulevards, expansive and well-manicured parks, plus breathtaking architecture. But all that couldn't intrigue Coach Allegri as he had already been to Madrid more times than he could remember. He also couldn't afford to waste time as he was still refining his game plan for the Champions League game against Atlético Madrid.

He had done his best to prepare his players over the past two days of training at the Vinovo. He'd also done the necessary to increase Juventus' attacking prowess by pushing the overly-clinical Zachary to the striking line. Everything was in order, and all that remained was to ensure that his other starting eleven were in tip-top shape so they could adequately execute his game plan during the match.

"Coach!" Maurizio Trombetta, his assistant, called from beside him.

"Yes," Coach Allegri replied.

Coach Trombetta glanced around before saying, "Fernando is not happy after you abruptly took him out of the starting line-up. He has been grumbling to the rest of his teammates throughout the journey."

"Just let him be," Coach Allegri said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I already explained to him that I made the switch for tactical reasons. He'll calm down after some time. That aside, you should ensure that Zachary gets some sleep during the day. We want him sharp during the game."

"I know," Coach Trombetta nodded. "I'll ensure he gets some rest when the others are training."

Coach Allegri nodded and returned his gaze to the scenery flashing outside of the bus window. He didn't say another word until the bus arrived at the Hotel Riu Plaza España.

--

After enjoying a late breakfast at the Hotel Riu Plaza España's restaurant, Zachary parted with his teammates. He went straight to his hotel room and changed into some lighter clothes. After switching off his phone, he jumped into bed and was soon fast asleep.

Unlike the previous night, his sleep was a peaceful one. He was deep in slumber for a good few hours and only managed to open his eyes when the clock hand was pointing to the three o'clock mark in the evening.

He stretched before jumping out of bed. As his body moved, his spirits brightened, and he felt full of energy. Gone was the tiredness of the morning, and his mind was so relaxed without any ounce of fatigue. A smile framed his facial features as he casually executed a set of yoga poses in his hotel room. He was focused on the exercising routine for a few minutes and only stopped when a few drops of sweat started dripping down his forehead.

"Now, I'm truly ready," Zachary thought. He'd been worried about messing up during the match due to fatigue. But after sleeping for a few hours, those concerns were all gone. He was in the best shape he could be and ready to execute his magic against the Atlético Madrid boys.

"I wonder if Camilla is out of the hospital."

Zachary immediately picked up his phone from the bedside table. He switched it on, hoping to dial Camilla's number and understand her circumstances. But right after the phone booted up, his eyes widened when he saw a message from her.

"Hello, dear," the message read. "Just wanted to inform you that I'm out of the hospital. The tests revealed that I'm very okay. So you don't have to worry about me. You can focus on preparing for your match without any worries. Love, Camilla."

After reading the message, Zachary felt like he'd unloaded another weight off his shoulder. He smiled and immediately typed a response, making sure to make her understand that he was thinking about her. Then, he threw the phone on the bed before heading to the bathroom for a shower.

"Knock! Knock!"

A loud knock sounded on his hotel room's door just as he stepped out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around himself and immediately walked towards the door. He opened it, only to find Coach Trombetta standing in the doorway.

"Hello, Zachary," Coach Trombetta said, stepping past Zachary and into the room. It was as if he was entering his own house. "Did you manage to find some sleep?" He asked.

"Yes, I did," Zachary replied with a smile. "I have just woken up." He closed the door behind him.

"That's good." Coach Trombetta smiled. "How are you feeling now?"

"I'm in good condition," Zachary responded. "Now, I'm sure I'll be able to perform at a hundred percent. Can you return me to the midfield?"

"Don't push your luck," Coach Trombetta said. "The coach has already been lenient enough by allowing you to stay in the starting eleven. Don't try to dictate what position he plays you in."

"I understand," Zachary said.

"Good." Coach Trombetta nodded with a smile. "You should head downstairs and eat something. You'll need plenty of nutrients and calories to burn during the match."

"I was just planning to," Zachary said. "I'll head down for a meal in about fifteen minutes."

"Then, my work here is done," the coach said, standing up. "I'll see you again when we're setting off for the stadium. Don't be late." Without waiting for Zachary's response, he marched out of the room before closing the door behind him.

--

The time passed quickly, and soon, the sun sank below the western horizon of the city of Madrid. And just before the clock hand could point to the eight o'clock mark, both teams arrived at the Vicente Calderón Stadium one after the other.

Despite being the away side, Juventus arrived first. Under the insistence of their head coach, Massimiliano Allegri, they ignored the fans and rushed into the stadium, eager to begin their pre-match warm-up routine.

The Atlético Madrid delegation then arrived after a few more minutes and caused a big hoo-ha at the gates. The home fans started screaming the names of the Atlético Madrid players as they alighted from the bus. Some were even bold enough to ask for an autograph from Diego Simeone, Atlético Madrid's coach.

Diego Simeone, being the charismatic guy he was, was enthusiastic as ever while facing the Atlético Madrid supporters. He signed a few autographs before leading his players into the stadium. They walked quickly through the tunnel and arrived in their dressing room within a few minutes.

Coach Diego Simeone immediately instructed his players to hurry up and prepare for the pre-match dynamic warm-up. Then, he stepped towards his assistant and asked, "Has Juventus released their line-up yet?"

"Let me check," Germán Burgos, the assistant coach, replied. Then, he browsed for information on his tablet for a few seconds before turning to his boss again. "Their line-up is out."

"Good," Diego Simeone said. "Let me see."

Without waiting for the assistant to respond, he grabbed the tablet and focused his eyes on Juventus' line-up. The next moment, his expression turned serious when he noticed that Coach Allegri had chosen to play Zachary on striking. His mind went into overdrive, and he recalled many scenes from Zachary's past match videos. But even after contemplating for a while, he still couldn't gauge whether Zachary would do more harm upfront than he usually did while playing in the midfield. Additionally, he was at a loss for how to defend against his trickery close to their box.

"This is going to be tricky," he said to his assistant. "After preparing many strategies to handle Zachary in midfield, this bastard has chosen to play him on striking. Damn it. Why is he playing him out of his natural position?"

"But they are still playing a 3-5-2 formation," Germán Burgos, the assistant coach, pointed out. "Zachary won't have any impact up front as long as we play a solid game and prevent the Juventus midfielders from supplying him the ball."

"That may not be so," Diego Simeone said. "The guy is tall and as slippery as a loach. He might punish us by connecting with crosses and long balls to score goals. We must keep reminding the defenders to be on their toes while marking him."

--

The cheers around the Vicente Calderón Stadium hit a thunderous crescendo when the clock hands all around Madrid pointed to the 8:38 PM mark. Under the expectant gazes of the more than 40,000 supporters in the stadium, both teams followed the four match officials and slowly lined up in front of the tunnel.

The Atlético Madrid players were in their official striped red and white home jerseys matched with blue shorts. On the other hand, the Juventus players had donned their rare all-green away kits for that face-off against the Madrid side. They all looked dapper as they went through the pre-match routines before running off into the pitch to take their starting positions.

In the meantime, Coach Allegri also shook hands with Diego Simeone, the tactician who had guided Atlético Madrid to La Liga glory the previous season. Since only a few minutes remained until the commencement of the game, the two coaches only exchanged a few words before stepping back toward their respective technical areas. Then, they took their seats and patiently waited for the game to begin.

After occupying a position on the visitor's bench, Massimiliano Allegri began surveying the pitch. His eyes swept over the referee and then a few of his defenders and midfielders before settling on Zachary. The next moment, the coach's spirits lifted when he noticed that the young number ten was already warming up while assessing the opposition. He seemed as ready as ever to play the game and unleash his impressive skills upon the Atlético Madrid side.

"I really hope he can deliver," Coach Allegri thought. Over the past two weeks, he'd spent countless hours watching Atlético Madrid's previous match videos. His time before the screen was fruitful, and he'd eventually learned how scary Atlético Madrid could be on the defensive. You could dominate them in possession and other statistics, but in the end, they could still have the last laugh and defeat you just by relying on their tenacious defensive abilities. They were a scary team, and that was why Coach Allegri had come up with the idea of playing the overly clinical Zachary on striking.

The coach needed Zachary up front to apply pressure on Atlético Madrid's center-backs and hopefully score a goal or two. He needed the boy wonder's sharpness and clinicality to help Juventus win their first Champions League group stage fixture against Atlético Madrid.

--

The minutes passed quickly — and soon, the clock hands all around Madrid pointed to the 8:45 PM mark. Without further ado, the referee blew the whistle to kick start that evening's UEFA Champions League game between Atlético Madrid and Juventus.

"It begins."

Since Zachary was the striker, he was positioned over the ball at the center spot and responsible for kicking off the play that evening. After hearing the whistle, he reacted immediately and kicked the ball back into his midfield, hoping to find Andrea Pirlo. He then took off to the other side of the pitch, eager to take up his attacking position.

Andrea Pirlo, on his part, controlled the ball from Zachary with ease. Following that, he whirled around before passing to Claudio Marchisio, one of his counterparts in midfield.

Marchisio was also quick on the ball. He took a single touch while assessing the situation around him. Then, before any of the opponents could close him down, he unleashed a grounded pass toward the wings to find Stephan Lichtsteiner, Juventus' attacking wing-back.

Stephan Lichtsteiner was as impressive as ever on the ball. He controlled it with a single touch and immediately skipped past Koke, one of Atlético Madrid's midfielders. Then, before any other opponent could close him down, he took off and raced along the touchline, spearing deeper into Atlético Madrid's half. When the angle finally opened up, he squared the ball back into the middle to find Andrea Pirlo, the Juventus Maestro, who'd just run into an unmarked pocket of space close to the center line.

Andre Pirlo, on his part, connected with the ball from Stephan Lichtsteiner with ease. But before he could take a second touch, Saúl Ñíguez, one of Atlético Madrid's three midfielders, was on him, all guns blazing.

Saúl Ñíguez was merciless while approaching the Italian maestro. He slid forth wholesale, trying to tackle the ball off Andrea's feet. But his challenge was a bit late, and he missed the ball. Instead, he caught Andrea Pirlo on the ankle and swept him off the ground. He'd obviously committed a dangerous foul in the 2nd minute of gameplay.

"Ref! Foul!"

Arturo Vidal, who was in the vicinity, was the first to yell out after Andrea Pirlo tumbled down and hit the green. The Chilean midfielder rushed to the scene and was soon in the referee's face, complaining about how ruthless Saúl Ñíguez's foul had been. But Vidal wasn't alone while expressing his dissatisfaction with Ñíguez's challenge. The other Juventus players, including Zachary, showed solidarity at that moment. They arrived at the scene and started causing chaos while voicing their complaints. They were obviously exerting pressure upon the referee so he could consider offering a yellow card to Ñíguez.

However, the Juventus players soon realized that they were barking up the wrong tree. Felix Brych, the referee, turned a deaf ear to all their complaints. He only awarded Juventus a free-kick and then waved the medical team onto the pitch to provide first-aid treatment for the seemingly injured Andrea Pirlo. But he didn't bother to show Saúl Ñíguez, the player who had committed the dangerous foul, a yellow card.

"Referee! We're not happy with your decision."

Giorgio Chiellini, the vice-captain, grumbled after the referee refused to show a yellow card to Saúl Ñíguez. The center-back went on another verbal war with the referee while the medics tended to Andrea Pirlo. But once again, the vice captain's complaints fell on deaf ears.

The referee turned away and busied himself with marking out the spot for the free-kick. He was obviously not about to consider Chiellini's complaints.

"Let's ignore the referee and prepare for the free-kick," Zachary suggested, intending to cool down the heated atmosphere around the scene. He pulled Chiellini away from the referee and continued, "It's not good to anger the referee, especially so early in the game. Let's cool down and focus on the game."

"Okay." Giorgio Chiellini nodded. He seemed to have calmed down after voicing his dissatisfaction.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle after the medics finished tending to Andrea Pirlo. Claudio Marchisio immediately took the free-kick short, and Juventus resumed their attack. Over the next few minutes, the football was free flowing as water, as the Old Lady players moved the ball from one end of the field to the other as they tried to stretch Atlético Madrid's defensive shape. They arrayed themselves in their 3-5-2 system as they outplayed the Madrid side and hoarded over 70% of the possession.

The Juventus players with the most touches were obviously Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal, Patrice Evra, and Stephan Lichtsteiner, who were the five midfielders. They would form triangles and move the ball around the pitch while looking for an opportunity to thread a defense-splitting pass to Zachary and Tévez, the two strikers. And if there were no opportunities, they would instead play the ball into the wings for the wing-backs to deliver crosses into the box. Their versatility was top-notch that evening, and they further cemented Juventus' dominance during the first thirty minutes. But despite their exceptional performance, they still failed to break apart the tenacity of Atlético Madrid during the opening minutes.

The Atlético Madrid players, on their part, were exceptionally disciplined while alternating between a 4-3-3 and a 4-5-1 defensive shape. They remained compact and solid in their approach and didn't allow Juventus to break through their ranks. And if a need arose, they wouldn't hesitate to foul and bring down any Juventus player that tried to penetrate through their defense. They were ruthless individually and as a unit and thus prevented Juventus from scoring an opening goal during the first thirty minutes of gameplay.

But what was surprising was that the referee didn't show any of the Atlético Madrid players a yellow card, no matter how many fouls they committed. First, they fouled Andrea Pirlo during the 2nd minute. Then, they committed other ruthless fouls against Patrice Evra, Carlos Tévez, and Stephan Lichtsteiner. But the referee chose to remain silent and didn't caution them. As a result, they continued pushing the envelope and committing more dangerous tackles since there were no consequences for their actions so far. And that was the other reason they managed to keep Juventus at bay during the first thirty minutes of gameplay.

--

Zachary, on his part, had been following the coach's instructions to the letter. He had not once tried to fall back and help out his teammates. Instead, he'd positioned himself in the pocket of space between the center-backs while waiting patiently for an opportunity to test Atlético Madrid's keeper.

He hadn't seen much of the ball during the opening thirty minutes, especially since he was always tightly marked by two towering Atlético Madrid center-backs. He was bored and was just like a spectator, watching the rest of his teammates playing one-touch or two-touch football. He really missed playing in the midfield, where he could constantly be at the center of things.

"Oh, no!"

Suddenly, Zachary's heart went on a wild caper within his chest. He let out a silent yelp as he watched Saúl Ñíguez, Atlético Madrid's midfielder, slide in and win the ball from Arturo Vidal close to the halfway line.

At that moment, it was as if all the Atlético Madrid midfielders and attackers had just woken up. They swarmed forward like a pack of wolves while moving the ball quickly among themselves. Their one-two exchanges were lightning-fast and precise, and they managed to tear through Juventus' defense in mere seconds. They arrived in the final third, and the ball naturally found its way to Koke, Atlético Madrid's creative midfielder.

Koke remained composed as he controlled the ball and skipped past Martín Cáceres, one of Juventus' defenders. His impressive footwork and trickery opened a passing angle for him, and he unleashed a simple but deadly ball past the approaching Giorgio Chiellini. He beat the Italian defender with his well-timed through ball and released Mario Mandzukic, Atlético Madrid's center-forward, on a straight course toward Juventus' goal.

"Whoosh!"

Mario Mandzukic was like the wind as he beat the offside trap and connected with the well-timed pass. He controlled the ball mid-sprint and continued racing toward Juventus' box like there was no tomorrow.

Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus keeper, reacted as any keeper should. He raced out of goal, hoping to save the situation by intercepting the approaching Mario Mandzukic.

But Mandzukic, being the sharp striker he was, remained composed under such circumstances. He rounded Gianluigi Buffon with a deft touch before burying the ball into the empty net to score Atlético Madrid's 1st goal for the night. Then, without halting, he raced toward the sidelines to celebrate with the rest of his teammates.

--

"What a sensational finish!" The commentator's mellifluous voice resounded in sync with the thunderous cheers of the home fans around the stadium. "Mario Mandzukic, Atlético Madrid's Croatian center-forward, has scored the opening goal in the 34th minute. It's now Atlético Madrid one and Juventus nil. The Madrid side is ahead even after being on the back foot since the first minute."

"Really incredible stuff!" The co-commentator chimed in. "Juventus has been on the front foot and has dominated over 70% possession for most of the first half. But the Turin-based side still couldn't make anything out of their overwhelming statistics. Instead, it's the team from Madrid that has utilized its first chance on goal to find the back of the net in this highly-contested Champions League group game."

"That's Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid for you," the commentator said. "You can dominate them in possession and other statistics, but they will still defeat you at the end of the match. That's how they broke Barcelona and Real Madrid's dominance before becoming the champions of Spain last season. They're an incredibly tactically disciplined side under their passionate manager, Diego Simeone."

"That's true," the co-commentator agreed. "I'm sure Coach Allegri should be angry with Arturo Vidal for losing the ball that easily. Had he not lost possession, then Atlético Madrid would have found it hard to create any chance on goal during the first half..."

--

Paolo Favero, a staunch Juventus fan, was totally dejected while following the Spanish commentary in the visiting fans section of the Vicente Calderón Stadium. He was angry and disappointed as his ears took in the thunderous cheers of the Atlético Madrid fans.

Paolo had traveled all the way from Turin to Madrid — to watch his team put on a show and defeat the weaker Madrid side. Over the past few days, Paolo had constantly visualized Juventus putting three past the Atlético Madrid keeper within the first half an hour of gameplay. But during the 34th minute, his hopes had sunk down the drain after the Atlético Madrid side utilized their first chance on goal to score and gain an advantage during the heated Champions League group battle.

"Why did Coach Allegri play Zachary on striking today?" He grumbled after the cheers died down. "Why did he take him out of our midfield? I don't understand the coach's thinking?"

"I also don't get the coach's thinking," Giovanni Favero, his brother, replied from beside him. "Zachary should be the perfect person to break down Atlético Madrid's midfield. But the coach has played him out of his natural position. It's absurd."

Paolo Favero sighed and nodded while his eyes continued taking in the proceedings on the pitch. The goal celebrations had already ended, and the game had just restarted. Juventus was once again on the ball, playing patient — but short passes.

The Old Lady players were obviously trying to stretch and find a way through Atlético Madrid's 4-5-1 defensive system. They remained confident and passed the ball immaculately among themselves for the next seven minutes. Their teamwork was incredible, and they once again hoarded over 70% ball possession while sustaining pressure on Atlético Madrid's defense. But they still couldn't find a goal-scoring opportunity, despite their relentless efforts. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't break through Atlético Madrid's tenacious defense.

"I think Juventus is in trouble," Paolo Favero suddenly heard the commentator say. "Their passing is immaculate, and they are again dominating the possession. However, they are still far from breaking down Atlético Madrid and creating goal-scoring opportunities. They haven't involved their strikers in their build-up. Additionally, they have really not tested the Atlético Madrid keeper since the commencement of the game."

"That's right," the co-commentator agreed. "I think Coach Diego Simeone's tactics are spot on today. He has isolated Zachary and Tévez, the two Juventus strikers. And by keeping Andrea Pirlo, Juventus' deep-lying playmaker, in check, he has choked Juventus' transition from midfield to striking. That's why Coach Allegri's men have not managed to penetrate Atlético Madrid's defense. They even haven't had a single shot on target since the commencement of the game. Truly surprising!"

"True," the commentator said. "Let's return to the proceedings on the pitch. It's Patrice Evra on the ball. He races past Raúl García and passes to Claudio Marchisio, the Juventus midfielder. Marchisio is on the ball. He twists and turns away from Koke before passing to Andrea Pirlo."

"Pirlo receives the ball. He controls it and tries to skip past Saúl Ñíguez with his second touch. But, Oh my God! He has been robbed by Ñíguez, and Atlético Madrid wins possession..."

"Damn it!" Paolo Favero's mood sunk. He tightened his fists as he watched Saúl Ñíguez win the ball from Andrea Pirlo with a sliding tackle. Then, before the other Juventus players could react, Ñíguez picked himself from the ground and kicked the ball to Mario Mandzukic to initiate another counter against Juventus.

"It's another counterattack from Atlético Madrid..." The commentator's voice resounded in the stadium as the Atlético Madrid offensive players flew forward. At that moment, they attacked as a unit and exchanged lightning-fast passes. They tore through the field like a pack of wolves — and in a matter of seconds; they were bearing down on Juventus' box.

A second later, the ball found its way back to Mario Mandzukic, who had positioned himself, in an unmarked pocket of space, on the left edge of the box. The Croatian center-forward wasted no time controlling the ball mid-sprint before riffling in a carpet shot toward the bottom left corner.

--

Zachary, who was in the center circle, was nervous as his eyes followed the ball. With one glance, he could tell that Mario Mandzukic's effort was on target and headed toward the bottom left corner. It was obviously another chance for Atlético Madrid to score and extend their lead.

However, it seemed that the goddess of luck was with Juventus at that instant. Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus keeper, was alert. He reacted immediately and went into action with an acrobatic dive. He stretched forth and grazed the ball with his fingertips, thus sending it off its intended trajectory.

With that incredible save, the keeper managed to save Juventus from conceding a second goal during the 43rd minute. However, the danger was still at large within Juventus' box. That was because the ball smashed off the post before rebounding back into the box. It immediately induced a scuffle in the area as the players of both teams went after the ball with all the haste they could muster.

But luckily for Juventus, it was Leonardo Bonucci who got the last laugh. The center-back pounced forward like a raging beast and smashed the ball toward the other side of the pitch. His powerful and timely clearance managed to get Juventus out of a precarious situation right before halftime.

"Whoosh!"

Zachary immediately took off after the ball. His almost instantaneous acceleration allowed him to escape from his markers in the center circle. Then, he raced toward the left wing — towards the position of the descending ball as if his life was on the line.

After arriving close to the touchline on the left, he stretched out his leg and brought the ball under control with a deft touch. His immaculate ball control elicited cheers and gasps from the crowd. But he remained focused as he whirled around and accelerated towards Atlético Madrid's box like a bullet train on the rails.

His S Agility was on full display as his long strides ate up yards of space, and he stepped into the final third within seconds. But just as he was cutting into the pitch, on a straight course towards Atlético Madrid's goal, he ran into a roadblock in the form of Diego Godín, the opposing center-back.

The center-back was racing forward, all guns blazing, as if he wanted to murder Zachary. However, Zachary didn't choose to tango with the defender. He instead flicked the ball to his right to find Carlos Tévez, the other Juventus striker. Then, he immediately altered his running course to circumvent the approaching Diego Godín.

Carlos Tévez, on his part, was also quite impressive. He connected with the ball from Zachary mid-sprint and continued racing toward Atlético Madrid's goal like the wind. Then, when the keeper came out of the box to intercept his run, he selflessly squared the ball back to his left to find Zachary, who was running in sync with him.

Zachary was as composed as ever before the goal. He controlled the ball at the edge of the box before smashing it into the back of the empty net with his left foot. Then, without halting, he raced toward the sidelines to celebrate the equalizer for Juventus with his teammates.

--

"GOAL!" The commentator's voice reverberated across the stadium as Zachary raced to the sidelines to celebrate with his teammates. "Truly sensational! Zachary has linked up with Carlos Tévez to score an equalizer for Juventus during the 44th minute. With lightning-fast exchanges, they have managed to break down Atlético Madrid's tenacity, and the score is now back to square one. It's Atlético Madrid one and Juventus one. What a wonderful game of football!"

"Yes, truly sensational stuff from Juventus," the co-commentator chimed in. "Talk about being clinical! The Juventus strikers are as sharp as ever. They have created something out of nothing. With one opportunity, they have leveled the playing ground again."

"True," the commentator agreed. "It all began with Leonardo Bonucci's clearance. Then, Zachary controlled the ball with perfection before going at the Atlético Madrid defense like mad. He linked up with Tévez to beat the remaining center-back before burying the ball into the back of the net. We've just witnessed Juventus at its best. Truly amazing football!"

--

---

The Greatest of all Time #Chapter 481 Second Half Strategy - Read The Greatest of all Time Chapter 481 Second Half Strategy Online - All Page - Novel Next

The referee blew the whistle for half-time after two more minutes of gameplay. Without further ado, the players of both teams hurried to their respective dressing rooms for the fifteen-minute break.

"Man!" Patrice Evra patted Zachary's back as they entered the dressing room. "The way you controlled that ball from Bonucci was godly. Kudos to you for creating our equalizer."

"Don't forget about my contribution," Carlos Tévez hurriedly chimed in from behind Zachary. "Zachary would have found it hard to beat the Atlético Madrid defense alone if I hadn't helped."

Patrice smiled and stepped back to put an arm around Tévez. "Of course, I can't forget your contribution, Carlos. But I'm just saying Zachary might still have scored even if he was against four Atlético Madrid defenders alone. So, please don't get so full of yourself for making an assist." He added jokingly.

"Damn it, Patrice! That's mean," Tévez said, pushing away Evra. "Do you really have to state the obvious?"

The rest of the Juventus players laughed at that while settling down on the seats in the dressing room. They soon started gulping down some water while waiting for their coach's half-time address.

--

Coach Allegri was in a good mood when he stepped into the dressing room at half-time. His spirits were flying high since his players had scored an equalizer right before the end of the first half. As a result, he could be more flexible with his tactics for the second half since he only had to focus on remaining stable, performance-wise, and winning the game.

Coach Allegri took a deep breath and swept his gaze across the players in the dressing room. "Lads!" He said. "Can I have your attention?"

On hearing his voice, all the players stopped whatever they were doing. Then, they immediately turned their attention to their coach, ready to listen to his half-time address.

"Our performance during the first half was sub-par," Coach Allegri began. "First of all, our pass completion rate, especially while going forward, was below standard. Secondly, our reaction as a team after losing the ball had no sense of urgency. Thirdly, we only managed to have one shot on target even after dominating possession for the entire first half. What the hell were you guys doing on the pitch?"

Coach Allegri shook his head. "You're clearly a better team than Atlético Madrid on paper. But why are you playing a shitty type of football? What is stopping you all, especially our midfielders, from creating chances and providing good service to our strikers?"

Giorgio Chiellini raised his hand on hearing the question.

"Yes, Chiellini." Coach Allegri pointed at him. "What's lacking?"

"I think we lack team spirit," Chiellini replied. "We lack that competitive edge as a team to stake everything against Atlético Madrid and win the game. That's why we're playing shitty football."

"That's fuckin' right! Thank you, Chiellini," Coach Allegri said, clapping his hands for emphasis. "I don't know what has happened to you guys on the pitch. But I can see it in the way you handle the ball. I can see it in your reactions and runs off the ball. You lack the spirit to compete as professionals out there. It's as if you're playing a fuckin' training match without any drive and competitive edge. You guys tell me! How the hell are we supposed to take on bigger clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid later on in the competition when you're playing like this? How are we supposed to have a chance at winning the Champions League if we lack the drive to become the winners of our group?"

Coach Allegri sighed, sweeping his gaze across his players again. "This can't go on," he said, his tone softening. "We must go out there and play our hearts out during the second half. We must show Atlético Madrid that we mean business. We must show them that we're here to fuckin' compete and win the game. If we wish to have any hope of ever winning the Champions League, we must build our momentum starting here and now. We must defeat Atlético Madrid. Are you guys with me?"

"Yes, coach," the players roared back in unison.

"Good." Coach Allegri nodded and smiled. "Lastly, I'll talk a bit about the tactics. During the first half, Atlético Madrid's tactics isolated our strikers, and we couldn't link up play with them. That's why we had limited goal-scoring opportunities and almost no shot on target. We can't continue playing that way during the second half. We must involve our strikers, especially if we wish to win the game."

"So, here is our plan for the second half," Coach Allegri continued, "I want you to float in as many balls as possible towards Tévez and Zachary. I want to see crosses and defense-splitting passes flying toward Atlético Madrid's box and making their way to our strikers. I especially want Zachary involved in the game right from the first minute of the second half."

"Andrea!" The coach glanced towards Pirlo. "When you get the ball in midfield, your first option before anything else should be to look for Zachary. The same applies to you, Patrice, Claudio, Tévez, and Stephan. Float in as many crosses and lofted passes — to ensure that Zachary has good service. I can guarantee that he will fuckin' win the game for us if you follow those simple instructions. That is why I put him on the striking line today. Are we clear?"

"Yes, coach," the players replied without voicing any objections.

"Okay, then." Coach Allegri nodded, glancing at his watch. "It's almost time. Coach Trombetta! Try to translate my words to the none Italian-speaking lads as quickly as possible. We must be ready to head back to the pitch within five minutes."

"Okay, boss," Maurizio Trombetta, the assistant coach in charge of the first team, answered.

--

Zachary marched onto the pitch along with the rest of his teammates after the fifteen-minute half-time break. His yearning to perform was almost shooting through the stadium roof and into the night skies of Madrid. He desired to play his heart out and help his team overcome the tricky Atlético Madrid side.

"Zachary!" Andrea Pirlo suddenly called out to him as they were halfway into the pitch. "I hope you understood Coach Allegri's instructions for the second half. He wants us to supply you with as many balls as possible. Your only role is to connect with our passes and to test the Atlético Madrid keeper. So, you must remain sharp on the striking line."

"Don't worry. I'm aware of my role on the pitch." Zachary smiled while nodding. Coach Trombetta had translated Coach Allegri's tactics for him. So, he was aware that he would be the talisman during the second half, with the sole role of scoring goals. For the first time as a Juventus player, he would play as a true-blue center-forward.

"It's good that you understand," Pirlo said, patting his back. "Remember to remain alert. My passes will make their way to you when the opposing defense least expects them. Try to connect with them and, at the minimum, please ensure that you test Atlético Madrid's keeper. Okay?"

"Okay." Zachary concurred.

"Then, good." Pirlo smiled. "Let's take our positions and win this game. We'll celebrate in the hotel lobby after the match."

Zachary laughed in response and high-fived Pirlo before running to his position. He was ready to commence the second phase of the Champions League group stage battle between Atlético Madrid and Juventus.

--

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle, and the game restarted with Atlético Madrid's kick-off. Mario Mandzukic, Atlético Madrid's center-forward, reacted immediately and kicked the ball into his own half to kick-start the second half.

Koke, Atlético Madrid's right midfielder, connected well with the pass from Mandzukic. Then, without losing a second, he flicked it to his left to find Saúl Ñíguez, his counterpart in midfield.

Saúl Ñíguez, on his part, was a bit slow on the ball. He took a few more unnecessary touches, thus allowing the Juventus attacking players to close him down. And with no other options, he could only blast the ball toward the other side of the pitch to avoid losing possession in a dangerous area.

"Whoosh!"

The ball blasted by Ñíguez soared high into the night skies before descending towards Juventus' box under the influence of gravity. And without any surprises, it dropped into the outstretched and waiting hands of Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus goalkeeper.

"I need urgency on the ball!" Coach Allegri shouted in Italian from the sidelines. "Pass the ball forward. We must pressurize them and score as soon as possible."

After hearing Coach Allegri's shout, Buffon reacted with all the haste he could muster. He threw the ball towards Leonardo Bonucci, the defender waiting at the edge of the box.

Bonucci, on his part, controlled the ball well before flicking it to his left to find Giorgio Chiellini, his counterpart in defense. The latter received it and kicked it toward the left wing, hoping to find Patrice Evra.

From there on, the Juventus players started playing with more urgency on the ball. They formed triangles and interchanged lightning-fast passes with a clear intent to break through Atlético Madrid's defensive shape. And when angles opened up, they would float in crosses or lofted passes toward the opposing box, hoping to find Zachary or Carlos Tevez. They were more purposeful in their playing style, and it wasn't long before they created their first clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Naturally, Andrea Pirlo was the player to kick-start the magic during the 56th minute. The Italian Maestro happened to receive the ball in a strategic position before the box after a period of Juventus dominance.

His ball handling was brilliant and effective. He escaped from his marker with a single deft touch and opened up a shooting angle. Then, before any other opponents could close him down, he unleashed a curling and tricky ball toward the inside of the far post.

--

It was the first-clear goal-scoring opportunity for Juventus during the second half. As a result, Coach Allegri couldn't stop his heart from racing while watching Andrea Pirlo's effort darting towards goal. He was hoping and praying that the ball would make it past the keeper and home into the back of the net. He really wished that his team would score a goal within the opening minutes of the second half.

But unfortunately, his wishes couldn't come true due to the alertness and brilliance of Miguel Ángel Moyá, the Atlético Madrid keeper.

Miguel contorted his entire body and sprang into action. Just like an acrobat, he executed a spectacular dive before punching the ball away from his goal.

"Merda!"

Coach Allegri couldn't help but mumble a curse after seeing the Atlético Madrid keeper make the sensational save. The coach sighed with dejection while beginning the reflexive motion of placing his hands at the back of his head. At that moment, he really thought that another chance for Juventus to score had already passed and gone down the drain.

However, Coach Allegri couldn't have been more wrong. Just as his hands were halfway into the air, they froze abruptly. And just suddenly, his heartbeat quickened again as he noticed a tall silhouette in Juventus' all-green away kit pouncing towards the ball.

Of course, it was Zachary taking action, and before any of the opposing defenders could react, the boy-wonder rushed forward like the wind. Without even bothering to control the rebounded ball, he blasted it into the back of the net and then raced off to the sidelines to celebrate with his teammates. He'd just scored Juventus' second goal during the 57th minute.

"I'll be damned. Where the hell did he come from?"

Coach Allegri's jaw dropped as the cheers erupted all around the stadium. He even forgot to celebrate, and he couldn't hide the surprise in his heart. He stood stock-still, like a statue in a suit, as his eyes took in the sights of Zachary celebrating the goal with the other Juventus players.

"This guy has sharp instincts," Coach Allegri thought after calming his volatile emotions. "He's born to be a natural striker."

As an experienced coach, Coach Allegri understood how hard a feat it was to score a goal like the one that Zachary had just bagged. The player's positioning, spatial awareness, reaction time, and timing all needed to be spot-on to convert such an opportunity. In a nutshell, it all came down to instincts, whereby the player in question had to have the ability to sniff out a chance and be in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, that player would find it hard to convert such opportunities and score goals under pressure.

"It's a pity that Zachary is exceptional in midfield." Coach Allegri sighed. "Otherwise, I could have convinced him or even used my authority to turn him into a striker."

The coach shook his head, pushing the notion out of his head. Zachary was not just an exceptional goal-scorer. He was also a brilliant midfielder who could dribble and unleash defense-splitting passes that could result in goals. And due to those brilliant qualities, the best position for him was the number ten position, where he could play as an attacking pivot and utilize all his skills against the opponents. Thus, the coach would only consider playing him as a striker when Juventus faced off against tricky and defensively-disciplined sides like Atlético Madrid.

--

Atlético Madrid 1 : Juventus FC 2

--

Coach Diego Simeone frowned and shook his head after glancing at the stadium's jumbotron. He thought for a moment before turning towards his substitute's bench.

"Antoine Griezmann!" He said, glancing at the Frenchman. "Start warming. I want you on the pitch within ten minutes."

"Aye, coach," Griezmann replied with a smile. He quickly donned his match gear and began his warm-up on the sidelines. He was, of course, exercising urgency in his actions, especially since he wished to enter the game as soon as possible.

--

The game continued after Juventus' goal celebrations. After conceding a goal, the Atlético Madrid players stopped playing a defensive game. They became more active going forward and launched a series of attacks, hoping to score an equalizer. They took advantage of their versatile 4-3-3 formation to outplay Juventus and even dominate possession for the next ten minutes.

But alas, their efforts couldn't bear fruit due to the outstanding display by the three Juventus defenders. The Juventus defenders worked hard and thwarted Atlético Madrid's efforts to score a goal by making timely interceptions and winning all of the aerial duels that came their way. As a result, the score remained 2:1 in favor of Juventus until the 67th minute.

But in-game circumstances are never constant during competitive matches. That night, the situation changed rapidly, starting from the 68th minute, just after Coach Diego Simeone introduced Antoine Griezmann as a substitute. The Frenchman was on a roll within minutes after entering the pitch, and he soon went into action and helped Atlético Madrid create their first clear goal-scoring chance during the second half.

Griezman picked up a loose ball close to the center line before exchanging a couple of quick one-twos with Koke. Their immaculate give-and-go lightning-fast exchanges allowed them to spear deeper into Juventus' half, and before long, they were bearing down on Juventus' box with unstoppable momentum.

The ball naturally arrived back at the creative Griezman's feet, and without losing composure, he executed his magic. The Frenchman skipped past Giorgio Chiellini with a skillful couple of touches and raced into the box like a true-blue incarnation of Usain bolt.

However, as a renowned no-nonsense defender, Chiellini couldn't allow the Frenchman to beat him that easily. The Italian whirled around with all the haste he could muster before stretching out a hand and tugging at the sprinting Griezman's shirt.

Chiellini was obviously acting reflexively, without an ounce of ill intent. But that one action of taking the sting out of Griezman's momentum was what put Juventus in a precarious situation.

As soon as the defender's hand made contact with the jersey, Antoine Griezmann acted as any cunning forward would by tumbling to the ground right after stepping into the penalty box. The Frenchman's acting was at Hollywood level, and he rolled down on the green while holding his head. It was as if he was in great pain and holding on for dear life.

"Penalty! Foul! Penalty..."

A commotion broke out on the pitch immediately after, and the Atlético Madrid players, coaches, and fans started shouting at the top of their voices. They went all out as they tried to coerce the referee to give the penalty.

FWEEEEEEE*

However, the referee clearly didn't need their reminders to make his decision. Within a few seconds, he blew the whistle and pointed at the penalty spot. But he didn't just stop at that. He also showed Giorgio Chiellini a straight red card for committing a last-man foul within the box. The referee had just condemned Juventus to play with only ten men for the remainder of the game.

--

"Dannazione! Che diavolo..." Coach Allegri couldn't help but mumble a couple of expletives in his native Italian language as he watched Chiellini matching out of the pitch. At that moment, his mood hit an all-time low that day, especially since he was clearly aware that his team was in a very precarious situation. His players were in a tight spot as they had to play the last twenty or so minutes while only ten men. Moreover, that was after conceding a penalty, which was the perfect opportunity for Atlético Madrid to score and bring back proceedings to level terms. They were in deep shit as a team.

--

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle after organizing all the players outside the box. Then, without further ado, he signaled Antoine Griezmann, who was already standing on the ball, to take the penalty.

Antoine Griezmann, on his part, seemed composed as he made an angled run toward the ball. Then, he opened up his body and sent the keeper the wrong way before unleashing a shot toward the bottom left corner.

Griezmann had obviously tried his best to convert the penalty. However, it was unfortunate that the goddess of luck seemed to be against Atlético Madrid that evening. Just at the last moment, the ball bounced and swerved inexplicably. Then, to the gasps of many in the stadium, it blasted off the post before rebounding back into the box.

"Quickly clear the ball away..."

"Hurry! Go after the ball for the rebound..."

A couple of loud shouts immediately reverberated across the pitch. But, of course, the players of both teams didn't need reminders from their coaches and fans. They reacted like a pack of starving wolves chasing prey and pounced toward the bouncing ball. Then, what followed was a commotion in the box for a few seconds — but at the end of it all, Patrice Evra, the Juventus wing-back, got the last laugh.

Patrice Evra lunged forward and cleared the ball with an acrobatic move that resembled fictitious karate. With a powerful bicycle kick, he sent it flying toward the night skies of Madrid, thereby saving Juventus from conceding a goal during the 71st minute.

"Excellent!"

Zachary's spirits lifted after Patrice Evra made the timely clearance. But that didn't stop him from taking off and racing after the ball like the wind. His long strides covered dozens of yards within a few seconds, and he got to it just before it could bounce on the ground. Without losing even a second, he controlled it with his chest on the left wing before flicking it forward with his head and then chasing after it.

The lightning-fast solo counterattack was on, and Zachary continued flicking the ball forward with his head. Then, seconds later, he slowed down slightly and finally utilized his boot to flick the ball over the approaching Tiago Mendes. The next moment, his S-graded agility bloomed in great splendor, and he easily circumvented the Atlético Madrid defender and beat him for pace.

From there on, Zachary continued bearing down on Atlético Madrid's goal like a raging Tsunami, his heart and lungs expanding rapidly to supply his body with oxygen. Surprisingly, there was nothing flashy about his moves as he cut across the field. But with just a pure explosion of pace, he managed to cut back into the pitch before bolting past Diego Godín, the final defender between him and the goal.

A few seconds later, Zachary was one-on-one with the keeper, who had come out of the goal to meet him. But he remained composed and dug his left boot under the ball before expertly looping the ball over the head of the approaching keeper and directing it into the back of the net.

"GOAAAL..." Zachary couldn't help but yell out after the ball nestled into the back of the net. He was on cloud nine as he'd just managed to turn the precarious situation of Juventus around with one lightning-fast solo counter.

He'd scored the third goal for Juventus during the 72nd minute while also completing yet another hattrick. As a result, he couldn't contain his happiness as he raced toward the sidelines to celebrate with his teammates.

--

After the goal celebrations, the game continued. And without any surprises, the Atlético Madrid players relied on their numerical advantage to outplay Juventus and dominate proceedings during the final twenty or so minutes of gameplay. They were relentless on the offensive and even scored a consolation goal through Arda Turan during the 88th minute. But that was all they could manage due to the tenacity of the Juventus team.

The ten men of Juventus defended as a unit and thwarted most of Atlético Madrid's attempts to create goal-scoring opportunities. Their tactical discipline was outstanding, and they remained aggressive while covering the spaces and marking the opponents during the final minutes. As a result, they held on for dear life and won the game by three goals to one after five minutes of added time.

"Yeah!"

Coach Allegri couldn't help but pump his fists repeatedly after the referee blew the final whistle. His heart throbbed with happiness after his side defeated Atlético Madrid, the reigning Spanish Champions and the runners of the previous season's Champion League. He couldn't contain his emotions, and he hugged all the members of his technical staff to celebrate. After that, he waved to the fans before heading toward Atlético Madrid's bench to shake hands with Coach Diego Simeone.

"Congratulations," Diego Simeone said in fluent Italian while smiling and extending his hand. "You got me by switching Zachary Bemba to the striking line this time. It's your victory."

Coach Allegri smiled in response and took the other man's hand for a firm handshake. "Thanks. Your team also played well. But we were just lucky to win."

Diego Simeone's eyes narrowed a bit as he released Allegri's hand. "Indeed, count yourself lucky. You're lucky to have a player like Zachary in your squad. Otherwise, you wouldn't have won tonight's game."

"You're right." Coach Allegri nodded with a smile. "But don't forget that he's a player I signed."

"That's true." Coach Diego Simeone sighed. "But we'll still have the last laugh after the second leg of this fixture in December. Not even Zachary Bemba will be able to save you from losing that game."

"Let's wait and see," Coach Allegri said before turning away and heading into the playing field. Very soon, he started moving around and hugging his players to congratulate them upon winning the match.

--

Zachary, on his part, was still overflowing with happiness as he left the pitch and walked down the tunnel with the match ball in hand. Under the guidance of a UEFA official, he took a different route from his teammates and headed to the press area to partake in the post-match press conference.

"Zachary!" The beautiful female reporter said after he stepped before the cameras a few seconds later. "Congratulations upon winning the match."

"Thank you," he replied with a smile.

The reporter smiled back and said, "You were outstanding on the pitch today and managed to score your second consecutive hat trick in the Champions League. That implies that your tally in the Champions League is six goals in two matches. How are you managing to score such an insane number of goals in every game?"

"I guess I could say I'm lucky," Zachary responded with a shrug.

"Really?" The reporter pressed with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess so," Zachary said. "Aside from being lucky, I also have skilled teammates who are good at creating chances. That also helps."

The reporter smiled. "You played as a center-forward in today's game," she stated. "So, most of us are just wondering. Are you thinking of switching positions from midfield and playing as a striker from now on?"

"Of course not," Zachary said. "I love playing in midfield. That's my natural position, especially since I love making runs from the back. But even then, I will not hesitate to play striking or any other number as long as it helps my team win the game."

"There's also another matter I'm curious about," the reporter continued, "After Antoine Griezmann missed the penalty during the 71st minute, you reacted so fast and chased after the ball cleared by Patrice Evra. How were you able to achieve that? Could you have anticipated that Antoine would miss beforehand?"

"Of course, I wasn't sure he would miss," Zachary replied with a hearty chuckle. "But I knew there was a chance as he was against the best goalkeeper in the world. So, I bided my time and remained alert while waiting for an opportunity to counter. And as luck would have it, Buffon saved the penalty, and then Patrice cleared the ball, sending it my way. From there on, I only had to remain composed and control the ball before initiating the counterattack."

"Well, thanks, Zachary, for answering our questions," the reporter said in a conclusive tone. "Congratulations upon winning today's game, and I wish you all the best in your upcoming matches. Have a good night."

"Have a good night, too," Zachary responded before stepping away from the cameras.

"Well, well, well," Emilia Vasquez, the ESPN presenter, said, smiling at the cameras in the studio. "That was Zachary, the hattrick hero, talking to Rebecca, one of our reporters at the Vicente Calderón Stadium. His second consecutive hattrick in the Champions League has helped Juventus overcome Atlético Madrid and ascend to the top of Group A. It's another phenomenal performance by the 19-year-old playmaker."

"Indeed," Alessandro Costacurta, one of the in-studio pundits, said as the cameras focused on him. "You know what: I was worried at the start of the match when I noticed that Coach Allegri had played him as a striker. I thought to myself: What the hell? Why is he playing him out of his natural midfield position? I even believed that Coach Allegri had messed up big time and was only waiting to criticize his tactics at the end of the game."

Emilia and the other pundits in the studio laughed at that.

"But you guys know what?" Alessandro continued without minding the laughter of the others in the studio. "Zachary Bemba went out there and proved me wrong. He proved that he's a highly versatile player who can play striking as well as he can play midfield. This guy is a phenomenon. He is slowly ascending to the ranks of the best players in the world."

"We also learned another thing about Zachary today." Joshua Morales chuckled. "His instincts for goal are inhuman, and he's the type of player who's a nightmare for defenders. You cannot lose track of him, even for a second, while defending against him on the field of play. Otherwise, he will punish you."

Emilia Vasquez smiled and said, "Aside from Zachary, most of the other Juventus players were a bit sub-par today. They dominated possession, yes. But they still couldn't link up play with Zachary and Tevez, their two strikers."

"You're right, Emilia," Joshua Morales, the other in-studio pundit, concurred. "Yes, the Juventus midfielders, especially Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio, were not at their best today. Their service to Zachary and Tevez was not that good, and that's why Juventus didn't have many shots on goal, despite dominating possession. Fortunately for Coach Allegri, Zachary came through and delivered when it mattered. He scored those three goals, allowing Juventus to win the game."

"I think you guys are forgetting to give credit to Diego Simeone and his players," Alessandro Costacurta reminded. "Atlético Madrid is the team that outsmarted both Barcelona and Real Madrid to win La Liga last season. So, it's understandable that most Juventus players didn't perform at their best today."

"You do have a point," Emilia immediately agreed. "In fact, I thought the Atlético Madrid players were pretty unlucky today. They hit the post like three times and even missed the penalty. Had it been their day, maybe they would have converted all those chances and defeated Juventus."

"But it wasn't their day, and there are no ifs in football." Joshua Morales hurriedly corrected. "They lost 3:2 to Olympiacos during their first group fixture and have now lost 3:1 to Juventus. They are in trouble as they are at the bottom of group A."

"It's just two matches," Alessandro chimed in. "There are still four Champions League group matches remaining. So, Atlético Madrid still has a high chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages."

"Are you forgetting that they still have to face Juventus in Turin on 9th December?" Joshua Morales questioned. "Their chances of qualifying are minimal after losing today's game."

"Gentlemen!" Emilia hurriedly chimed in. "The match aside, let's talk about Zachary. After watching his performances this season, do you think he can win the Golden Boy award?"

"I think he's the undisputed player to win the Golden Boy award," Joshua Morales replied.

"I'm with Joshua on this one," Alessandro Costacurta also concurred. "Frankly, his level is way above that of the other players within his age group. He even has the potential to make it in the top ten players of the world if he can continue putting up such outstanding performances. He's the real deal."

"I wonder who else will be on the Golden Boy award nominee list!" Emilia commented. "Can you guys guess?"

"Well," Alessandro Costacurta replied, "there's Kurt Zouma, John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Divock Origi, Adnan Januzaj, Luke Shaw, Eric Dier, Aymeric Laporte, and Saúl Ñíguez, among others."

"I think Alessandro has forgotten the names from the Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1," Joshua Morales hurriedly chimed in. "For instance, there's Kingsley Coman and Mateo Kovacic from Serie A. Then, from Bundesliga and Ligue 1, I can name Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Marquinhos, Adrien Rabiot, Benjamin Mendy, and Lucas Ocampos. All those players have been exceptional this year — but they are still not at Zachary's level. They can't outcompete him for the Golden Boy award."

--

It was already way-past midnight by the time Zachary returned to his room on the fourth floor of Madrid's infamous Hotel Riu Plaza España. He felt exhausted physically and mentally after playing more than 90 minutes of Champions League football against the tenacious Atlético Madrid side. He was eager to jump into bed and enter a long and peaceful slumber.

However, something unexpected but pleasant happened the next second to interrupt his plans. The all-familiar system notification resounded in his mind immediately after he finished locking the hotel room door behind him.

"DING"

"Congratulations to the user for unlocking and completing a hidden system mission associated with the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League," the system AI's apathetic voice sounded immediately after. "The user can check the mission completion details and rewards associated with the mission completion on the system interface."

"Eh!"

Zachary's heart immediately skipped a bit, and the feeling of exhaustion faded from his mind. A shaky smile slowly outlined his face as the surprise sunk in. He switched on the light and instructed the system AI to display the hidden mission completion details.

3 New Messages

--

CONGRATULATIONS

-You have scored a hattrick against Atlético Madrid, a top-level team in the Champions League, and completed a Hidden System Mission.

-You're one step closer to cementing your name on the list of the most exceptional players of the generation.

--

-Mission Rewards

1) A total of 10,000 Juju points

2) A chance to draw a skill shard from the system lottery that will allow the user to initiate a serial mission to learn a random GOAT skill

"A shard, not a skill?" Zachary was a bit confused after reading the system completion notification. "System! What is this about?"

"DING"

A chime rang in his mind immediately.

"A shard is a fragment of the total memory and associated system packages needed to learn a skill," the system AI replied. "By drawing a specific shard from the lottery, the user can trigger a serial mission to collect the other fragments needed to learn the specific GOAT Skill. Does the user wish to draw the shard right away?"

"Yes, this should be simple." Zachary agreed. He still didn't understand the whole shard thing and how it worked. But he was sure the reward would benefit his career since it was from the system. Thus, agreeing couldn't bring him any harm.

"User's command received," the AI intoned after a few seconds. "System lottery coming up."

No sooner had the system AI's voice sounded than a big spin-lottery-wheel filled up the translucent blue screen before Zachary. It was the all-familiar wheel with small squares depicting various images of famous players around its perimeter. Its surface glowed with shiny lights, and there were two purple arms originating from its center and pointing towards one of the squares. And surprisingly, that square contained an image of the legendary Argentine player - Lionel Messi, with the ball at his feet.

"This might be a surprisingly great reward," Zachary thought with a smile. He then turned his attention towards the two buttons on the side of the wheel with the phrases 'spin-and-win,' '*3 chances,' and 'confirm lottery' inscribed below them. Settling down on the bed, he carefully studied their set-up and understood that he had three chances to spin the wheel.

"Great. I should be able to obtain a great skill with these three chances."

Zachary's hopes soared. Without dilly-dallying, he pressed the spin-and-win button, and the wheel spun for a few seconds before slowing down. Its velocity gradually reduced until the purple arms halted while pointing to the square depicting Thierry Henry, the legendary French striker, with the ball at his feet.

"This makes life difficult," Zachary thought, shaking his head. "But I think I should try again. Maybe, I might get something better."

The spirit of gambling flooded Zachary's entire being, and he chose to tap on the spin-and-win button again. The next moment, his heartbeat accelerated as the wheel spun faster and faster. Then, after what seemed like weeks to Zachary, it slowed down before coming to a complete halt. But unfortunately for Zachary, the pointer had pointed to a square with an image of Jaap Stam, the legendary Dutch and Manchester United defender, heading the ball.

"Damn! I might have messed up big time." Zachary shook his head, a feeling of regret flooding his spirits. He'd just let go of a great chance to draw a Thierry Henry skill shard, hoping to get a better one. But Zachary had instead gotten an opportunity to obtain a Jaap Stam skill shard after spinning the wheel for the second time. As far as he was concerned, it was a total loss, especially since he'd never considered playing as a defender.

"I still have one chance," Zachary consoled himself. "God! Please help me get a good skill this time around."

Zachary even turned religious at that moment and mumbled a silent player. Then, he took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together before tapping the spin-and-win button again.

"Whoosh"

That time around, the wheel seemed to spin faster than the previous two times. It rotated for a good four or five seconds before eventually slowing down.

Naturally, Zachary's eyes were on the wheel at that instant. He watched with bated breath as the pointer slowly moved past the squares with the images of Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, and Andres Iniesta before moving towards another photo of a player with long hair in a Barcelona shirt. It was a picture of Ronaldinho Gaúcho, the Brazillian legend, and former Ballon D'or winner.

"Please stop! Please stop..."

Zachary prayed and willed the wheel to stop when the pointer pointed to Ronaldinho's square. He clenched his fists as his eyes remained glued to the slowly moving lottery wheel.

The experience of waiting was unnerving due to the tension. But it was worth it as the pointer finally came to a halt at the last moment, just when it was about to move past Ronaldinho's square.

"Thank God," Zachary mumbled, his spirits brightening. A soft smile slowly framed his facial features as he'd finally managed to obtain an opportunity to draw a hidden shard from Ronaldinho, one of the greatest players that ever played the game. But that didn't stop him from tapping the confirm-lottery button to approve the result.

"DING"

The familiar system notification sounded in Zachary's mind as his finger left the system interface. Then, with an explosion of digital aesthetics, a glittering image of Ronaldinho popped out of the wheel and slowly floated forward. It soon hovered in front of everything else on the crystal-like display that was the system interface.

"DING"

"Congratulations," the AI's voice intoned right after. "The user has won the lottery and obtained one of the twelve shards required to learn Ronaldinho's Step-Over and Feint Kingly Magic."

"Associated system mission initiated to help the user obtain the remaining eleven skill shards," the AI continued. "Please review the details on the interface to understand the mission."

Zachary expelled a lungful of air and focused on the translucent crystal-like display before him. Then, without further ado, he started perusing the mission details.

--

GOAT MISSIONS

--

#NEW MISSION: Giant-Killer Hattrick Challenge

-Score more hattricks against top-level teams within the next two years to acquire more skill shards of Ronaldinho's Step-Over and Feint Kingly Magic.

--

#NB

-The system will award a skill shard for each hattrick scored against the top four teams of the best European Leagues, including the Italian Serie A, the English Premier League, the French League 1, the Spanish La Liga, and the German Bundesliga within the next two years.

-For this mission, multiple hattricks against the same team will also be considered. However, the user must complete the mission target and score eleven more hattricks against top-level teams within two years before obtaining all the twelve skill shards of Ronaldinho's Step-Over and Feint Kingly Magic. Otherwise, the user won't be able to meet the requirements to learn the skill."

--

-The user can choose not to accept the mission.

Accept *Reject

--

Remarks: The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible. And that's also the way of the greats.

"This is tough. But I'll accept it and try my best."

Zachary thought for a bit and then accepted the mission. He knew that scoring eleven more hattricks against the best European teams was an almost impossible feat. But since there was no penalty for failing the system task, there was no harm in trying. He only needed to do his best over the next two years — and just maybe, he could complete the mission and obtain all the shards required to learn Ronaldinho's Step-Over and Feint Kingly Magic.

"Phew."

Zachary breathed out and closed the system interface after accepting the mission. He then quickly went through his planned pre-bedtime routine, including taking a shower, brushing his teeth, and sending Camilla a message before jumping into bed.

The intense fatigue kicked in right after he went under the covers, forcing his mind to descend into a sweet and welcoming embrace of slumber. In a matter of minutes, he was fast asleep, dreaming of himself winning the Ballon d'Or.

--

The following day, the Juventus team returned to Turin in a jubilant mood. All the players were brimming with excitement and positive energy after defeating Atlético Madrid. Their euphoria was infectious, and their bright smiles lit up Juventus' training center as they alighted from the bus.

"Juventus! Juventus..."

"Tevez..."

The fans waiting eagerly beyond the railings started singing to welcome their stars back to Turin. They chanted all the players' names for the next few minutes and caused the atmosphere around the gates of the Vinovo to become more electrifying. And when they finally got to vocalizing Zachary's name, they became even louder. They were like a bunch of madmen as they yelled phrases like "Zachary, the hattrick hero," "Zachary, the nemesis of Madrid," "Zachary, the phenomenon of the Champions League," and so on, and so forth. Anyone watching from the side could clearly tell that they really adored Zachary.

"The fans are really starting to fall in love with you," Patrice Evra said to Zachary as they started making their way into the training center. "If you continue scoring goals, you might become as famous as Messi and Ronaldo in no time."

Zachary chuckled and shook his head. "That's not easy," he said. "Moreover, I don't really care about fame. I only care about winning as many trophies as possible."

Patrice gave Zachary a sideways glance and whistled. "Someone is being really humble today afternoon. He doesn't want fame — but wants to win many trophies. He's really modest and unpretentious."

"Don't misinterpret my words," Zachary said with a smile. "I was only saying that I don't play football for fame. I only play football because I love it. Fame is just a bonus for me."

"No worries. I get you." Patrice smiled and patted Zachary's back. "Football aside, how are you planning to spend your day off? Do you want to come to my place to hang out?"

"Nope," Zachary said. "I will be holding a series of meeting with one of my lawyers to complete the procedures to purchase a house today. On top of that, I have to train and attend language classes. So, I have no time to hang out over the next three days."

On hearing that, Patrice seemed stunned. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face Zachary. "Bro!" He said. "You're buying a house? Where?"

Zachary smiled and told him about the house in Pinerolo, Piedmont. He described the 14-bedroom villa in vivid detail and then disclosed the money he'd spent to purchase it.

"Cong's, man," Patrice said with a smile after hearing Zachary's description. "You seem to have gotten yourself a good deal. 1.8 million is really not that expensive, especially for the house you just described."

Zachary blanked out on hearing Patrice describe 1.8 million Euros as not expensive. The corners of his mouth twitched ever so slightly, and he couldn't help but recall details from his previous life.

Before his rebirth, he'd once played for TP Mazembe, one of the biggest clubs on the African continent. At one point, he was a key member of their squad and was earning what he thought was good money at the time. But even then, he could never afford to buy a house valued at a million Euros. The hell: He couldn't even afford to purchase one at 50,000 Euros even after saving a year's income. So, when he heard Patrice commenting on how 1.8 million was really not expensive, feelings of melancholy threatened to overwhelm him.

But aside from that, Zachary also felt proud of his achievements. He took defiant joy in the fact that he had escaped a life of struggle and joined the ranks of the privileged in the world. He could even afford to splash 1.8 million Euros on buying a house without batting an eye.

"Does this mean you'll soon leave that crappy hotel room of yours?" Patrice asked, clearly unaware of what was on Zachary's mind. "When do you plan to move into the house?"

"I'm not sure," Zachary replied, shaking his head. "After completing the transfer procedures for the property, I'll have to hire an interior designer to work on the house. I can only move in after the interior designer finishes work on the house."

"Okay," Patrice said. "But you should know that interior designers work fast. A good one should complete the work on your house within four or five days. Do you wish for me to recommend you one? She handled the interior design of my mansion right after I moved to Turin."

"Oh!" Zachary's curiosity was piqued. "How much would I need to spend to hire her?"

Patrice smiled. "Most interior designers charge for their time by the hour, anywhere from 50 Euros to 500 Euros, depending on their experience. A good interior designer such as her will, of course, charge higher fees. She might charge you roughly 100,000 Euros, plus a few other expenses, to work on your 14-bedroom villa."

"That's expensive," Zachary exclaimed. "I can basically buy a good new house with that 100,000 Euros."

"You have to spend to get the good stuff," Patrice said with a shrug. "There's no way around it."

"Okay, then," Zachary said, nodding. "Give me her number. I'll contact her and see if we can come to an agreement."

"Good choice, my man," Patrice said. "You won't be disappointed."

Zachary smiled in response. He planned to call the interior designer after returning home that very day. He was hoping to have her start interior design work on his soon-to-be mansion immediately so he could move into it at the beginning of the following week.

--

The following three days went according to plan for Zachary.

On the first day after playing against Atlético Madrid, he met Mateo Tavano, the solicitor, and completed the required legal procedures to purchase the 14-bedroom villa in Pinerolo, Piedmont.

On the second day, just before going for the team training at Juventus' training center, he wired the 1.8 million Euro house purchase fees to the seller's account, thus becoming the legally recognized sole owner of the villa in Pinerolo, Piedmont. He was ecstatic after completing the deal and immediately hired the interior designer recommended by Patrice Evra to work on the house.

As expected, the interior designer was a greedy vulture. She asked for a fee of 115,000 Euros to decorate and furnish the entire place. But even then, Zachary still chose to go with her after she promised to finish all the interior design work on the house within five days. He could afford to spend the money as he wanted to vacate the hotel room and move into the house as soon as possible. He was eager to have a place of his own.

On the third day, after paying an advance fee to the interior designer, Zachary returned his total focus to the team training. He forgot everything else and immersed himself in the team's preparations for the following day's Serie A game against the tricky AS Roma side. He was as hardworking as ever while going through the team drills, as he wanted to make the starting line-up for the team once again. And not even the intense precipitation on that Saturday could affect his motivation.

--

The time passed quickly as the Juventus players went through drills to prepare for the game against AS Roma, and soon evening arrived. Everything went as planned, and Coach Allegri, who had been keenly supervising the training since morning, immediately called the players into the tactics room for the pre-match tactical meeting.

After the players took their seats, the coach wasted no time before starting to explain the tactics. Illuminated by the soft rays of the setting sun streaming in through the open window, his face was stern as he presented the game plan to be used against AS Roma. And as usual, he spent roughly an hour describing formations, player off-ball movements, and marking strategies before reading the starting line-up.

"Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Martín Cáceres, Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo..."

The coach vocalized the names of the starting eleven almost in a single breath. But what surprised many in the room was that he'd decided not to include Zachary in the first eleven for the game against AS Roma. Zachary was instead on the bench with the likes of second-string players such as Marco Storari, Angelo Ogbonna, Rômulo, Kingsley Coman, and Sebastian Giovinco.

"As you all know, our game against AS Roma is a late kick-off scheduled to be played tomorrow at 9:00 PM in the Olimpico di Roma," Coach Allegri said after reading the line-up. "But even if it's a late kick-off, we still have to set off for Rome early in the morning. That way, we'll have ample time to rest after arriving."

"So, here is our schedule for tomorrow," the coach continued. "We should all be here at the Vinovo by 9:30 AM. Then, we'll take a bus to the airport before boarding an 11 o'clock flight to Rome. After arriving in Rome, we'll have lunch and rest for two or three hours. Then, we'll go through a mild exercising routine to refresh our bodies before heading to the Olimpico di Roma to defeat AS Roma. That's our plan for tomorrow. Any questions?"

The coach glanced around. However, all the players remained silent and didn't raise their hands. They clearly had no questions for their coach.

"I'm glad we're on the same page," the coach said. "Let's call it a day and head back to our homes. But remember, AS Roma is a tricky opponent. So, I want you all to have ample rest tonight so you can be at the top of your game tomorrow evening. I don't want to see players dozing off early in the morning before we set off for Rome tomorrow. Clear?"

"Clear, coach," the players replied in unison while trying to suppress their chuckles. They'd obviously recalled the amusing incident when the coach caught Zachary napping.

--

At exactly 9:00 PM, the referee blew the whistle, and the highly anticipated Serie A battle between AS Roma and Juventus commenced.

Tévez kicked off the proceedings with a back pass into his midfield with a clear intent of finding Arturo Vidal. From there on, the Juventus players started passing the ball immaculately among themselves and showcased a hunger to dictate proceedings on the field.

The Old Lady players were brilliant on and off the ball. They played with conviction, covering spaces and closing down the opponents as if their lives were at stake. They thus dominated possession in the opening minutes, and it didn't take long for them to create their first real goal-scoring opportunity.

It all started with Roberto Pereyra, the freshly-introduced face in Juventus' midfield. Roberto won an aerial duel against the shorter Miralem Pjanic close to the border of the defensive third during the 13th minute. He towered over the AS Roma man and headed the ball to Andrea Pirlo, who was strategically positioned in an unmarked pocket of space close to the center circle.

Andrea Pirlo, on his part, was as brilliant as ever while connecting with the ball. He calmly controlled it while assessing the situation on the other side of the pitch. Then, before any of the opponents could close him down, he drew his leg back and unleashed a hell of a pass toward the other side of the pitch.

"Whoosh"

Tévez was akin to an unstoppable tempest as he cut through the pitch, chasing after the ball. His short strides covered yards of space within seconds, allowing him to connect with the long-range defense-splitting pass from Andrea Pirlo.

At that moment, Konstantinos Manolas and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, the two AS Roma defenders, were already closing him down, all guns blazing. They were trying to sandwich him and stop him from threatening their goal.

However, the action of the AS Roma center-backs didn't ruffle the experienced Argentine's feathers. After controlling the ball, Tévez skillfully faked going right before abruptly altering his center of gravity and whirling around toward the left. And before the two center-backs could react, he exploded with speed and rushed into the box with an indomitable impetus.

"Tévez! Tévez! Tévez..."

The traveling Juventus supporters in the stands behind the goal started chanting Tévez's name as he approached the goal at breakneck speed. Their cheers seemed to boost his confidence, and he rounded the keeper with a couple of deft touches. Before any of the opponents could close him down, he buried the ball into the back of the net to score Juventus' 1st goal for the night.

"Oh my goodness me!" The commentator's voice resounded across the stadium as Tévez ran off to celebrate the goal. "Juventus is flying again. Through the phenomenal Carlos Tévez, they've broken the deadlock. They have broken through AS Roma's tenacious defense and scored their first goal for the night during the 14th minute. What a wonderful start for the visitors!"

"It all began with Andrea Pirlo," the co-commentator chimed in. "The Italian Maestro looked sharp since the start of the game, and it didn't take him long to find an opportunity to punish the opponents. With a single unexpected and brilliant ball, he managed to take the entire AS Roma midfield out of the equation while also setting up Tévez for the goal. And Tévez, being the experienced striker he is, didn't waste the opportunity. He remained composed and skipped past the two center-backs before burying the ball into the back of the net. What an incredible game of football!"

"This Juventus team is in incredible shape," the commentator said. "Even without Zachary Bemba, their undisputed star player, they still manage to play brilliant football. They are totally destroying AS Roma, which by the way, is the second-placed team on the Serie A table."

"Indeed," the co-commentator agreed. "Coach Allegri's men have been in fine form ever since the start of the game. During the opening fourteen minutes, they dictated the proceedings on the field of play by utilizing their signature passing to dominate possession. I'm particularly impressed by Roberto Pereyra, the new face in Juventus' midfield. He was relentless in the middle of the pack and has won most of his aerial duels against the AS Roma midfielders. He's really doing great out there."

The commentator chuckled. "He should be really motivated. He has to utilize the opportunity to impress his coaches. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to make it back into the starting eleven, especially with phenomenal midfielders like Zachary, Vidal, Pirlo, and Marchisio present in the side."

"True," the co-commentator agreed. "Speaking of which, I wonder why Zachary is on the bench today. He scored those impressive three goals against Atlético Madrid during midweek. But Coach Allegri has decided not to include him in the starting eleven! Truly baffling!"

"It's a long season of football," the commentator said. "So, I'm guessing the coach is only rotating his squad to allow his star players some time to rest."

"That makes sense. But isn't Coach Allegri taking the Serie A lightly? How can he bench his star player when playing the second-placed team on the Serie A table?"

"Those are the advantages of having great depth in a squad. Coach Allegri can even field the second team, and it will still put on a competitive display against the second-placed AS Roma side."

--

AS Roma 0 : Juventus FC 1

--

The game continued after the goal celebrations, and as expected, the AS Roma players responded almost immediately. They utilized their highly-versatile 4-3-3 formation to launch waves of attacks on Juventus' defense. They were amazing on the offensive and came close to scoring on several occasions. However, the ever-brilliant Buffon came alive in goal and made several saves to deny AS Roma a chance to bag an equalizing goal. As a result, the score was still 0:1 in favor of Juventus when the referee blew the half-time whistle.

After a fifteen-minute break, the game recommenced, and the AS Roma players relaunched their offensive. With the words of Rudi Garcia, their passionate manager, doubtless still ringing in their ears, they were like a totally different team. They utilized high-pressing and wing-play tactics to outplay Juventus on the field of play. Then, when an opportunity would present itself, they would rely on their highly-agile wide players to send crosses into the box. They were obviously trying to link play with Francesco Totti, their star striker.

As an experienced player, Francesco Totti's movements off the ball were tricky and brilliant. During the 56th minute, he escaped the notice of the Juventus defenders and connected with an incoming cross from Gervinho. He leaped high and headed the ball toward the bottom left corner, with the clear intent to score the equalizer for AS Roma.

However, his efforts were once again fruitless due to the alertness of Buffon, the highly-experienced Juventus keeper. Buffon immediately executed a full-body dive and punched the ball out of play. His acrobatic effort saved Juventus from conceding a goal during the 56th minute.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and pointed to the corner spot. And without wasting much time, the AS Roma players quickly took the corner.

Miralem Pjanic, AS Roma's highly-tactical midfielder, sent forth a curling ball from the corner flag into the box. His delivery was spot-on, and he linked play with Seydou Keita, his counterpart in midfield.

Seydou Keita, on his part, was brilliant in the air. He towered over the players in the box before connecting with the corner ball and planting a header toward the goal from around the penalty spot. But fortunately for Juventus, Patrice Evra was present at the far post, and he managed to blast the ball away from the goal. And that timely clearance once again saved Juventus from conceding during the 58th minute.

--

"This can't go on."

Coach Allegri frowned after watching his side survive yet another attack from AS Roma. His players had looked sharp in the first half and even scored a goal. But during the second half, they were the opposite. They could only be described as second-best on the field of player since they were not giving their all to go out and take on the AS Roma players. They had decided to sit back and defend instead of attacking the opponent. For sure, they were not following the game plan.

"Damn it!"

Coach Allegri couldn't help but mumble a curse once again. He was frustrated after watching Álvaro Morata lose the ball close to the center circle. The Spaniard had just gifted AS Roma another chance to counter and launch another offensive against Juventus by pointlessly holding on to the ball a little longer than necessary.

"Terrible! Terrible..." Coach Allegri mumbled while following the proceedings on the field. He watched with bated breath as Miralem Pjanic, the AS Roma midfielder, picked up the loose ball and unleashed a grounded pass into the left wing to find Gervinho. And from there on, the counter was on, and the AS Roma players flew forward.

Gervinho was like the wind while cutting through the left flank. He skillfully exchanged a couple of one-twos with Seydou Keita, the AS Roma midfielder, before unleashing a cross toward Juventus' box.

"Whoosh"

Within the box, Francesco Totti responded and went into action once again. At just the right moment, he pounced forward and inched past Leonardo Bonucci with an explosion of speed.

Totti's positioning and movements were spot-on, and he connected with the incoming cross just close to the edge of the penalty box. He effortlessly outsmarted the defenders and headed home to guide the ball beyond the reach of the helpless Buffon. After that, he raced toward the sideline to celebrate AS Roma's 64th-minute equalizing goal against Juventus.

"Terrible!" Coach Allegri shook his head and immediately turned towards Maurizio Trombetta, his assistant. "We need to shake up things on the field to regain momentum. Otherwise, we'll lose this game."

"That's true," Coach Trombetta agreed. "So, what's your plan, boss?"

Coach Allegri smiled cryptically and said, "Let's summon the big guns and see if AS Roma can handle it. We must win this game."

Coach Trombetta smiled back. "Should I tell Zachary to warm up?"

"Yes." Coach Allegri nodded. "I want him ready to enter the pitch within five minutes. And let's also add Fernando Llorente into the mix. He's hungry to play. Maybe, he can also create a difference on the field of play."

--

The illumination from the Olimpico di Roma's bright floodlights lit up the faces of Zachary and Fernando Llorente, highlighting their intense facial expressions as they warmed up on the sidelines. The two Juventus players were quite focused as they prepared to enter the game. Not even the loud jeers of the hostile AS Roma fans could disturb their concentration as they went through the light warm-up routine.

"Zachary! Fernando!" Coach Trombetta, the assistant coach in charge of Juventus' first team, yelled out after the two men completed another repetition of the warm-up routine. "That's enough warm-up. Finish putting on all your gear and come here for your instructions."

"Aye, coach," Zachary and Fernando Llorente responded in unison.

After hearing the summon of the coach, Llorente readily completed his warm-up and returned to the bench to finish his preparations. Zachary, however, didn't immediately answer the assistant coach's summons. Instead, he followed his own pace and completed a couple of more stretches to ensure his body was in great shape. Then, after confirming his condition, he hurriedly returned to the bench and changed into his match jersey before rushing toward Coach Trombetta for his match instructions. His eyes shone with immense hunger to enter the game as he stepped before the assistant coach.

Unsurprisingly, Zachary wasn't alone in his eagerness to enter the game and perform. Fernando Llorente, the striker who'd finished his pre-game preparations, also exuded an intense fighting spirit as he strode toward Coach Trombetta to receive his match instructions.

With one glance, Zachary could tell that the striker was starving for game time. Most probably, his last-minute drop from Juventus' squad that faced off against AtlÃtico Madrid during the midweek had awakened an intense desire to fight for a number in the starting eleven. He looked eager to perform, thus giving Zachary a feeling that his fate might change for the better.

If the striker maintained his fighting spirit, he might soon evolve into a much more clinical version of the Fernando Llorente that Zachary knew from his previous life. He might mature to become a lethal box assassin, capable of competing with phenomenal strikers like Lewangoalski and Luis Suárez.

"Zachary! Fernando!" Coach Trombetta said, interrupting Zachary's musings. "How do you feel? Are you ready to enter the game?"

"Yes, of course," Zachary and Llorente responded in chorus, their voices filled with unwavering conviction.

"Good." Coach Trombetta nodded, leaning closer. "Listen, the both of you! We're in trouble as AS Roma has started overpowering us in midfield. They are dominating possession and creating more chances on goal. We can't let this go on, especially if we wish to win the game. So, this is where you two come in."

"Zachary!" the assistant coach continued after taking a deep breath. "You'll enter the game in place of Roberto Pereyra. After you step onto the pitch, try to be more active. Play intelligent football, filled with conviction and purpose, and help us dictate the tempo again. You must have already noticed that Miralem Pjanic and Seydou Keita, the two AS Roma midfielders, are moving forward a lot. Try to exploit the spaces they leave behind and run at the opposing defenders. If there's a chance, try to shoot from outside the eighteen to test the keeper. But if the situation is not right, you can link play with our strikers to advance play and create goal-scoring opportunities. Clear?"

"Yes, coach," Zachary replied. "I understand."

"Good," Coach Trombetta said and immediately turned to Llorente. Patting the Spanish striker's back, he continued, "Fernando! You'll enter the game in place of Ãlvaro Morata. You're our second striker, and your only role on the pitch will be to score. So, position yourself well and remain alert on the striking line. Always be ready to convert opportunities that come your way. Understood?"

"Yes, coach," Llorente replied, balling his fist.

--

On the pitch, AS Roma was still dictating the tempo by relying on their brilliant zonal and man-marking strategies. They were totally outplaying Juventus with their intensity and hunger to win. They even resorted to brutal tackling when proceedings on the field didn't go their way.

The AS Roma players that performed the best were Miralem Pjanic, Daniele De Rossi, and Seydou Keita, the three central midfielders. If a Juventus player happened to receive the ball in the middle, the three AS Roma midfielders would turn into predators, hunting down the player in question to win back possession almost immediately. As a result, sliding tackles, fifty-fifty challenges, and ruthless fouls reigned supreme on the football field as the men in maroon colors showed Juventus that football was a physical game. They were obviously not about to entertain any sort of nonsense from Juventus.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle after Seydou Keita slid forward and brought down Andrea Pirlo close to the center circle. But that time, the referee didn't let off the AS Roma man but instead showed him a yellow card for repeatedly pushing the envelope and committing borderline challenges.

"I got the ball first," Seydou Keita obviously tried to protest the caution. "That can't be a yellow card."

In response, the referee just smiled and shook his head. And without bothering to argue with the AS Roma midfielder, he pointed toward the sidelines to signal a Juventus substitution.

It was obviously time for Zachary and Fernando Llorente to enter the game. As a result, the fourth official readily put up the board to confirm the substitutions. Without dilly-dallying, the two substitutes ran onto the pitch while Morata and Roberto Pereyra exited the game and took their seats on the sidelines. And in a matter of seconds, the game was ready to restart with Juventus' freekick.

--

"De Rossi!" Rudi Garcia, the AS Roma coach, yelled in Italian right after the substitutes stepped onto the pitch. "You're in charge of marking Zachary Bemba. Don't allow him to do as he pleases in midfield. Okay?"

"Okay," De Rossi replied with a thumbs-up. The AS Roma midfielder immediately left his holding midfield position close to the border of the defensive third and then started shadowing Zachary.

De Rossi was, of course, happy with his coach's arrangement. His fighting spirit was overflowing as he yearned to compete with Zachary and teach him that the Italian Serie A was no joke. He wanted to show the budding playmaker the way of Italian football.

--

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle, and the game continued. Andrea Pirlo, Juventus' deep-lying playmaker, immediately took the freekick short to find Claudio Marchisio, his counterpart in midfield. The latter controlled the ball while surveying the situation around him to look for options that could be the outlet for the ball.

"Whoosh!"

Zachary immediately took off like a rocket right after Claudio Marchisio took a second touch on the ball. In almost an instant, Zachary exploded with speed, thus leaving De Rossi, his marker, in the dust. And before any other AS Roma players could react, he was already bolting into an unmarked pocket of space toward the left side of the pitch.

All midfielders playing on the professional stage had four underlying attributes. They possessed excellent foot-eye coordination, superior peripheral awareness, impeccable vision-balance integration, and superb dynamic visual acuity. They could track the movements of other players and the ball while they (themselves) were in motion or under pressure. And, of course, Claudio Marchisio, a brilliant and renowned midfielder all over the world, possessed all those qualities. He spotted Zachary's run almost instantaneously and passed the ball to him.

"Sweet!"

Zachary's mood brightened as he noticed the ball making its way to him. He slowed down slightly and controlled it with an outstretched leg before whirling around to face the other side of the pitch. He was ready to take off toward the other side of the pitch to initiate an attack. But he had to halt his actions the next moment as he noticed that De Rossi was already strategically positioned to block his potential run toward AS Roma's box.

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"This guy is fast!" Zachary was surprised as he quickly took note of De Rossi's position. But his surprise didn't delay his actions in the slightest.

He faked going right before altering his center of gravity and going left. But surprisingly, his feint didn't manage to throw off De Rossi. The Italian midfielder remained on Zachary like superglue, harassing him physically to stop his run toward AS Roma's side of the pitch.

However, Zachary, being a 6'4-foot giant, couldn't allow a 'small man' of 6 feet to bully him physically. With a sudden jerk of his shoulder, he shrugged off De Rossi before exchanging lightning-fast one-twos with Patrice Evra on the left flank. His give-and-go passing strategy worked wonders, and he beat De Rossi and two more AS Roma players before quickly arriving in the final third. And in some magical way, he cut into the pitch with an explosion of pace and soon started bearing down on AS Roma's box with unstoppable momentum.

The cheers of the traveling Juventus supporters hit another high as Zachary quickly approached the box. His incredible spatial awareness worked like a charm, and with a single glance, he took note of the position of the players between him and the goal. Be it the center-backs, the goalkeeper, and his teammates — they were all crystal-clear in his mental map, allowing him to decide on a shooting angle. He drew back his leg before swinging it hard and fast at the ball.

"BAM!"

The sweet sound of his left boot connecting with the ball was audible as the Rocket Launcher Steven Gerrard GOAT Skill activated automatically. And without fear or favor, he blasted the ball and unleashed a powerful shot toward AS Roma's goal.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Zachary had smashed the ball with a low spin, thus sending it on a zig-zag trajectory toward the far post. It tore through the air like a lightning bolt, swerving left and right before dipping slightly and homing into the top right corner. Due to its unpredictable movement, the AS Roma keeper couldn't even react and remained stock still until it had long flashed past him and nestled into the back of the net.

--

AS Roma 1 : Juventus FC 2

--

"GOAAAL!" The commentator yelled as the score on the stadium's jumbotron switched to show Juventus' lead. "It's another goal for Zachary Bemba, the phenomenal 19-year-old in a Juventus shirt. His impact is immediate. Just seconds after stepping onto the pitch, he has already found the back of the net, putting Juventus in the lead again. Truly sensational stuff from the young playmaker!"

"Yes, Zachary is proving to be a truly amazing player," the co-commentator chimed in. "He brilliantly escaped the notice of De Rossi to receive the ball from Claudio Marchisio. From there on, it was pure magic on the pitch. Zachary exchanged a couple of one-twos with Patrice Evra on the left flank — and before long, he was in the final third. He beat the keeper effortlessly with an outside-of-the-eighteen shot to score Juventus' second goal within the 74th minute. Truly amazing skills!"

"This is a great player in the making," the commentator said with a sigh. "He has all the qualities to make it in the ranks of the greats. His dribbling skills are monstrous, his vision on the pitch excellent, and his finishing superb. If he continues like this, we'll have to start debating whether he can win the Ballon d'Or."

In response, the co-commentator laughed but chose not to comment on such a tricky topic.

--

The game continued after the goal celebrations. And as expected, the AS Roma players reacted by going on the offensive again. They repeatedly flew forward while using wing-play tactics to create goal-scoring chances. As a result, crosses into the box became the order of the night as Gervinho and Adem Ljajic, AS Roma's wide players, worked their magic. They worked hard over the next few minutes, hoping to create opportunities by linking play with Francesco Totti, their highly-experienced center-forward.

But their efforts were not successful that time around. The highly-tactical Juventus players remained alert and thwarted all the crosses coming their way. They remained steadfast while defending and ensured that AS Roma didn't get any chance to test Buffon, the Juventus keeper.

"Juve! Juventus! Juve..."

Slowly but steadily, the game headed into the final five minutes, and the atmosphere around the stadium became more electrifying. An escalating number of traveling Juventus fans started singing, causing the thunderous cheers within the Olimpico di Roma to reach a new level. The Juventus fans could obviously sense that their team was about to overpower AS Roma, another strong opponent in the Italian Serie A.

--

Morale was quite crucial for a team to win a game. So, when the fans started singing, the Juventus players became more energetic. They were more aggressive on and off the ball, and it didn't take long for them to create another goal-scoring opportunity.

It all started after a failed AS Roma corner kick during the 87th minute. After picking up the loose ball from the edge box, Andrea Pirlo hurriedly passed the ball to his left, hoping to find Zachary Bemba and initiate a counterattack.

Zachary, on his part, remained composed as he adjusted his position and controlled the ball. With a single abrupt turn, he skipped past Adem Ljajic before moving right and sidestepping past De Rossi to create a pocket of space to work with the ball.

The next moment, his S-graded agility worked wonders, and he accelerated to top speed and jumped past another sliding tackle from an opponent. Then, without halting, he continued his mad dash toward the other side of the pitch to advance the counterattack.

Most AS Roma players had been attacking the corner kick only seconds ago. So, they were out of shape and not yet back in their half to defend. As a result, Zachary had yards and yards of space to run with the ball before unleashing a simple pass to his right to find Fernando Llorente, one of the two Juventus strikers.

Fernando Llorente, on his part, was also fast on the ball. He controlled the ball mid-stride and then exchanged a couple of quick one-twos with Carlos Tevez. He circumvented Miralem Pjanic, the last remaining opposing player, and received an excellent return ball from Tevez.

From there on, everything was easy for the sharp Spanish striker. Fernando skillfully bolted around the keeper and buried the ball into the net. He then raced towards the sidelines, screaming at the top of his lungs to celebrate Juventus' 3rd goal during the 88th minute.

--

After Fernando Llorente scored the third goal for Juventus, the game's tempo slowed down considerably. Of course, the AS Roma players continued attacking, hoping to get another goal and reduce their losing margin. However, the highly tenacious and disciplined Juventus players didn't let them.

The Old Lady players played brilliantly during the final minutes and thwarted all of AS Roma's attempts to create goal-scoring opportunities. Additionally, they utilized clever game management strategies, including time-wasting and borderline fouls, to take the sting out of AS Roma's attacking tempo on multiple occasions. As a result, they effortlessly held on to their 3:1 lead until the game ended after five minutes of added time.

After the final whistle sounded, the Juventus players ran around the pitch celebrating. They were on cloud nine as they had just attained their sixth consecutive win of the recently commenced Serie A season. They had already amassed a whopping 18 points and were thus the undisputable table leaders of the Italian Serie A. They were already having a great season, for sure.

"I can't even begin to express how disappointed I'm with our performance today."

After the game, Rudi Garcia, the AS Roma coach, took the press conference with a cold expression. He glanced into the cameras and continued, "We started slow and allowed Juventus to dictate the tempo during the opening minutes. As a result, we quickly conceded the opening goal, which put us on the back foot. We were also not at our best in our marking during the latter part of the game. We allowed players like Zachary and Claudio Marchisio a lot of room in the midfield, permitting them to punish us. All in all, our performance was below standard tonight."

"Coach," the reporter said, "You just mentioned Zachary Bemba, the young Juventus playmaker. He has been in good form over the past few weeks. He was again the difference in today's game. What's your impression of him?"

"Well," Coach Rudi Garcia said with a sigh, "All I can say is that Coach Allegri is a lucky manager to have such a talented player in his squad. Zachary is just so good on the field, with an uncanny ability to take hold of the ball, control games, run at players, pass and score, and be the difference in any competitive game. Up close or in one-on-one situations: you can't touch him since he's always in control. If he has the ball at his feet, he determines everything around him, including the opponent's decision-making. He's just so hard to mark, and being his opponent is a hard place to be."

"However," the coach quickly continued, "we shouldn't use his brilliance as an excuse to lose. No disrespect to Zachary, he's a great player, but we could have limited his influence on the field if we had utilized proper man-marking and zonal marking strategies. At least, we would have stopped him from scoring the second goal and prevented him from advancing the counter that resulted in the third. But we didn't try hard enough, and he punished us. And that's why we lost to Juventus by three goals to one."

"The loss today was your first this season," the reporter chimed in. "That implies that you now have 15 points, placing you in the second spot behind the table leaders - Juventus, who, by the way, have won all their games this season so far."

"Yes," Coach Rudi Garcia agreed, "It's a pity as the loss today puts us three points behind Juventus on the Serie A table. But again, the season has just begun. We have many games ahead of us, and anything can happen along the course of the season. If we work hard and win most of our upcoming games, it's highly possible to overtake Juventus on the Serie A table and even win the title. We only have to believe in ourselves."

"One last question, Rudi," the reporter said with a smile. "Juventus has already won all their six opening games this season. Do you think they can maintain a perfect winning streak or, at the very least, an unbeaten run until the end of the season?"

"You're funny." Coach Rudi Garcia laughed on hearing the question. "Do you really think it's possible for a team in a highly competitive top league, such as the Serie A, to achieve an unbeaten run? Let's take a look at Juventus, for instance. They still have to face off against other top teams like Fiorentina, AC, Milan, Inter Milan, and their local rivals - Torino. Do you really think they will come out of all those games unscathed?"

"I think it's possible, especially since they have great depth in their squad," the reporter argued.

"Then, your understanding of football and top-level competitive matches is quite limited," the coach said with a scoff. "In football, many things can happen during a season. Injuries can happen, the team's morale might also dip at certain times, and the opponents might be more prepared than you during some games. Tell me! With all those factors in play, do you think a team can achieve an unbeaten run or a perfect winning streak? Moreover, is that possible in today's Serie A?" The coach looked at the reporter as if he was a clown.

"You never know," the reporter answered meekly.

The coach shook his head, feeling exasperated. "Then, let me tell you this: There isn't a possibility of Juventus achieving a perfect winning streak or an unbeaten run this season. No disrespect to Juventus — they are a great side filled with many talents. However, let's also not forget that the Italian Serie A has grown more competitive over the past few years. Many dark horses are waiting to upset the big names. So, considering all that, I can say that Juventus will lose a game at some point in time. They will drop three, six, nine, or even more points long before the end of the season, and we'll be able to catch up with them on the Serie A table. We might even beat them to the title."

The reporter laughed on hearing that. "You must have very great belief in your players, then."

"Of course," Coach Rudi Garcia concurred with a nod. "AS Roma is a side filled with many talents this season. We can compete for the title."

"Okay," the reporter replied, smiling. "Rudi! Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us. I wish you the best in your upcoming games."

"Thank you," Coach Rudi Garcia replied, and the interview ended.

The following day, Andrea Agnelli, Juventus FC's president, arrived early in office, at around eight. After signing a few documents on his table, his morning schedule opened up, and he decided to watch the sports news on the big screen in his office.

Switching on the TV, the speakers came alive with the voice of Rudi Garcia, the AS Roma head coach. "You're funny." Coach Rudi Garcia laughed on hearing a reporter's question. "Do you really think that it's possible for a team in a highly competitive top league, such as the Serie A, to achieve an unbeaten run? Let's take a look at Juventus, for instance..."

President Andrea Agnelli's ears perked up after hearing the word Juventus from a rival's mouth. Then, with utmost concentration, President Agnelli listened to Rudi Garcia's interview until it ended a few seconds later.

"Does this guy think he's God?" The president scoffed after hearing the declaration of the AS Roma coach, claiming that Juventus couldn't achieve an unbeaten run. The whole interview had really left a sour taste in his mouth.

"Can we really not achieve an unbeaten run, even in the league?"

The president started drumming his fingers on his office table until he made a decision. Frowning a bit, he immediately picked up his phone and dialed Fabio Paratici's number.

"Good morning, Fabio," the president spoke into the phone after the call connected. "Thanks for a good job with the first team. I'm glad we defeated AS Roma yesterday night."

"There's no need for thanks, Mr. President. It's my duty." Fabio Paratici, Juventus' sporting director, replied with a chuckle from the other end of the line. "I have a feeling that we'll go places with the current squad of ours. We might even become major contenders for the Champions League title?"

"Really?" President Andrea Agnelli's eyes lit up. "Can we also achieve an unbeaten run in the Serie A this season?"

"Eehh!" There was an exclamation followed by a few seconds of silence before Fabio's voice sounded again. "Mr. President! Did you happen to watch Coach Rudi Garcia's post-match interview yesterday?"

"I just did today morning."

"Of course." Fabio didn't sound surprised. "That explains everything, and that's why you're calling me today instead of yesterday night."

"So, Fabio," the president said, without minding his subordinate's reaction. "The whole Rudi Garcia interview left a sour taste in my mouth. I wish we could prove him wrong in some way."

"But he was right to a certain extent," Fabio reminded. "It's almost impossible for a team to achieve an unbeaten run in today's Italian Serie A."

"I like your words," the president said excitedly. "I'm glad you said 'almost impossible,' but not 'impossible.' It indicates there's a possibility."

"You can say that," Fabio replied. "But even teams with great squads need heaven-defying luck to achieve the feat."

"Then, let's become that team that makes history," President Agnelli chimed in again. "We've many talented players in our squad, including Andrea Pirlo, Zachary Bemba, Claudio, Tevez, and many others. Let's focus on achieving an unbeaten run this season. What do we need to do to achieve this?"

"We need to talk to Coach Allegri about the issue," Fabio responded. "He's the only one who can answer your questions? But don't get your hopes up, as an unbeaten run is difficult to attain over a long season of thirty-eight games. Everything has to be perfect for every game, including squad selection, tactics, and player condition."

"Isn't that what we've been doing over the past few years?" The president questioned. "We only need to step up a little and aim for a slightly more strenuous goal. We must play every game as if it's a final — and just maybe, we can go into the history books of the Italian Serie A. We can even ride that momentum and outcompete the best European teams in the Champions League, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. We only have to ensure that we don't lose a game."

"Okay," Fabio said with a sigh. "Being realistic, the task is almost impossible. But I will still talk to Coach Allegri about the issue today. I will get back to you with a response tomorrow morning."

"Okay, then. I will be waiting for your feedback tomorrow. Have a good day." The president said before ending the call.

--

In another office at the Juventus headquarters, Fabio Paratici, Juventus' sporting director, sighed after ending the call with his boss. The morning sunrays streamed in through the big window on the opposite side, highlighting the helpless expression plastered on his face. He was at his wit's end as he considered how to fulfill President Agnelli's request.

"Let's talk to Coach Allegri first," he thought, standing up from his seat. "He's the only one who can determine whether the current Juventus squad can achieve an unbeaten run this season."

After donning his overcoat, he quickly walked out of his office and headed towards the exit of the building. Along the way, many of the Juventus staff greeted him, while a few others nodded to him with smiles. Of course, he responded to their salutations politely, sometimes with a nod, before continuing on his way. And very soon, he exited the main Juventus office building at Corso Galileo Ferraris and walked into the heartwarming autumn sunshine of Turin.

Standing before the entrance of the head office, Fabio quickly called his driver, who arrived within a few minutes. After exchanging a few words with the middle-aged driver, Fabio boarded his shinning Maserati Quattroporte, and off they went, driving off into Turin's morning traffic and heading to the Juventus Training Center, also known as the Vinovo. They arrived within 30 minutes, and Fabio alighted from the vehicle and walked into the training center.

On passing by the gym a few seconds later, Fabio was amazed. Through the crystal-clean window glasses, he could see players working out that early morning, even if it was a day off for the Juventus squad. Second-string players like Kingsley Coman, Paolo De Ceglie, and Simone Pepe were already working with the weights or breaking a sweat on the treadmills and cycling machines. But that was not what shocked the sporting director. Instead, what caused his eyes to bulge out was when he noticed Zachary Bemba, Fernando Llorente, and Álvaro Morata working out in the gym. After playing a game yesterday, the three players didn't utilize the day off to rest. Instead, they had already hit the gym and were busy executing stretches and going through light body-strengthening workouts. As far as the sporting director was concerned, those three players were not humans, but machines, who didn't have the word post-match fatigue in their vocabulary.

"Director!" A familiar voice sounded behind Fabio as he was still peeking into the gym. "To what do we owe the pleasure of having you here today morning?"

On hearing the voice, Fabio immediately whirled around with a smile. And as he expected, he came face to face with Massimiliano Allegri, the head coach of Juventus. The head coach looked all dapper and fit in a tracksuit with the label of Juventus on his chest.

"Coach Allegri!" Fabio exclaimed, still maintaining his smile. "I was just about to look for you. How's your morning?"

Coach Allegri laughed. "The team is in fine form, and we just defeated AS Roma in Rome yesterday. So, my morning is as good as it can ever be. What about you, director? How's your morning?"

"My morning is also great," Fabio replied. "Thanks for a good job yesterday, by the way. The 3:1 victory over AS Roma really lifted the spirits of the fans. But coach! I have to ask. Is it okay for players like Zachary and Fernando to be training the morning after the match? Don't they require some rest to recover from post-match fatigue?"

Coach Allegri smiled and said dismissively, "Let them be. They know their bodies best. Moreover, they didn't play the full 90 minutes yesterday. So, they should have some fuel left in their reserves to do some training today. There's no need to worry about them."

"Okay, if you say so," the sporting director said, casting one more glance into the gym. "But I hope they can remain fit throughout the season. We wouldn't want our key players getting injured even before the middle of the season. That would be too unfortunate."

"Light gym workouts won't cause injuries," Coach Allegri remarked. "But director! What brings you to the Vinovo today morning?"

Fabio smiled, turning his attention from the gym and back to the coach. "We need to talk. Let's head to your office first."

"Okay," Coach Allegri said.

Turning around, the coach led the way toward his office while Fabio followed him closely. They quietly traversed the spotlessly clean hallways of the Vinovo until they arrived at a large glass door with Coach Allegri's door label sign. After opening it, they quickly headed inside before taking their seats.

"So, Mr. Director!" Coach Allegri said, leaning back in his seat. He narrowed his eyes and continued, "What do you need to talk about today?"

In response, Fabio smiled and told the coach about President Agnelli's ambition to accomplish an unbeaten run in the Italian Serie A that season. After that, he asked what was required to achieve such a feat.

"You guys are really setting very high goals for the team," Coach Allegri said with a bitter smile after hearing Fabio's question. "But worry not. If we play our cards right, we can really achieve an unbeaten run this season. As the president said, we only need to play every game as a final."

"Hearing your words brightens my spirits," Fabio said with a hearty chuckle. "So, what's needed?"

The corners of Coach Allegri's lips lifted, and he leaned forward. "I only have one request. That's for the club to sign another lethal striker and a solid center-back. I'm talking about promising names like Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Romelu Lukaku on striking, and players like Nicolas Otamendi, Diego Godin, and Jose Fonte. Get me two of those players, one a defender and another a striker, in the January transfer window. Then I'll have all the tools to aim for an unbeaten run during the latter half of the season. As for staying unbeaten during the first half of the season, that will have to depend on our luck."

"Those are some big demands you're making," Fabio said, narrowing his eyes. "Don't you already have enough defenders and attacking players?"

"But they are not enough when targeting an unbeaten run," the coach argued. "To win every game, we must have unbelievable squad depth and lethal options on our bench. For instance, if the going gets tough, we can bring in a lethal striker to shake things up. And in case of injuries, we must replace the injured players with those of the same quality. That's how we can play all the games in a season without losing."

"Could you be hoping to exploit the president's ambition and sign more players?" Fabio narrowed his eyes while looking at the coach.

Coach Allegri laughed, shaking his head. "You're the one who came to me, asking the requirements needed to accomplish an unbeaten run. All I did was answer your questions."

"Well, that's true," Fabio said, sighing resignedly. "I'll communicate to the president your demands. But don't hold much hope, as all the players you've mentioned are expensive. In the meantime, utilize your current squad to win every game. With Zachary and the rest, there's a possibility."

"Yes, there's," Coach Allegri answered. "And for your information, I'm always working hard to win every game. It's just that factors out of my control, like injuries and player morale, come into play and cause me to fall short at certain times. Otherwise, I would also love to make history by not losing or winning all the games in a season."

"By the way, what's with Zachary?" Fabio asked. "He played as a striker and performed incredibly against Atlético Madrid. Can't we convert him into a center forward? I'm sure he would do wonders on the striking line."

Coach Allegri shook his head and said, "I have already thought about that on several occasions. However, if we convert Zachary into a forward, we'll be losing one of the best midfielders in the world. If he plays as a striker, we'll obviously be underutilizing his vision, passing range, creativity, tactical awareness, and dribbling skills during crucial games. As you can see, the gain doesn't equal the loss in such circumstances."

"Okay, I understand," Fabio said, standing up. "I'll communicate to the president about your demands. Otherwise, thanks for the incredible work with the team, and have a good day."

"You too," Coach Allegri said and shook hands with the sporting director. "Have a good day too."

---

The Greatest of all Time #Chapter 491 Zachary's New Mansion - Read The Greatest of all Time Chapter 491 Zachary's New Mansion Online - All Page - Novel Next

When the sporting director ended his talk with Coach Allegri, Zachary was also finalizing his post-match recovery workout session in the gym. He went through one more repetition of crossbody mountain climbers, followed by starfish crunches and side planks, before concluding his session with a few yoga poses. After wiping his face with a clean towel, he chugged down some water before picking up his gym bag and heading toward the gym's exit.

On the way out, Zachary took a cursory glance around the gym. He noticed that Fernando Llorente was still working out with weights on the other side of the room. Meanwhile, Álvaro Morata, Kingsley Coman, Paolo De Ceglie, and a few others were on the treadmills and the cycling machines. They were all working hard. Most likely, their minds were all full of thoughts of improving their fitness and making it into Juventus' starting line-up as soon as possible.

After nodding to a few of the players more familiar to him, Zachary quickly exited the gym. He entered the showers a few minutes later and took a cold bath.

The shower was quite enjoyable, making him feel quite refreshed after it. Maybe it was because Juventus had defeated AS Roma yesternight or because of the very productive morning gym workout, but Zachary was in a good mood. He couldn't help but hum The Script's famous 'Hall of Fame' hit as he dried himself and organized his hair.

Briefly admiring his reflection in the bathroom mirror, he saw a face that had grown more austere compared to a year ago. His facial features looked sharp, and the muscles over the rest of his body were well-built and defined as if carved from stone. His hard work in the gym over the past few months had obviously paid off, and he was in the best shape he'd ever been.

After getting dressed, Zachary heard the phone ring. Picking it up, he realized the call was from his interior designer. He immediately pressed the accept button and held it against his ear.

"Hello, Zachary!" A vibrant feminine voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"Hello to you too, Sofia," Zachary replied. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," she answered. "I'm calling to inform you that I have already finished work on your villa. You can come to look at it at any time. And please don't forget to prepare the rest of my payment. Thank you."

"Okay," Zachary answered, feeling his spirits brighten. "I'll wire the money immediately after looking at the house. Thanks for the hard work."

"You're welcome. So, when are you free to look at the house?"

"I would like to look at it today," Zachary said. "If it's okay with you, I can come to Pinerolo and look at the house in about one and a half hours."

"That's perfect," she intoned. "Let's meet at the villa at around 10:30 AM. I can hand back the keys to you, and then you can prepare to move in."

"Excellent!"

--

Zachary was quite eager to move into the house. So, after ending the call with the interior designer, he quickly wrapped up everything and exited the training center.

Outside, in the parking lot, he linked up with Angelo Mattiello, his driver/interpreter. The two of them then wasted no time driving out of the Vinovo and heading to Pinerolo, Piedmont. They arrived one and a half hours later and found the interior designer eagerly waiting for them in front of the house.

The interior designer was a tall, middle-aged beautiful lady with short blonde hair and a huge bust. Her chest was for the world cup, so potent and threatening to burst out of her tank top. Zachary even suspected that she had artificial implants.

"Thank you for coming quickly, Zachary," she said with a smile. "As I said, I have already completed everything. The villa is ready for your viewing."

"Thank you," Zachary said. "Let's take a look at it."

"Okay."

With that said, their party of three quickly headed into the house. After stepping inside, Zachary was shocked and speechless, even though it wasn't his first time in the villa.

By sheer reflex, his eyes lit up after they took in the sparkling old-fashioned parquet floor that had been polished beyond measure. And then, there were the lustrous walls adorned with various paintings. They were like something out of a world-famous art exhibition. They reflected the morning light and caused the entire place to glow and exude a refreshing feeling. Then, moving on to the furnishings, including the elegant furniture, the chandeliers, the beds, the woolen carpets, the curtains, and the flower vases — everything had been well selected, cleaned, smoothened, and placed immaculately all around the house.

Just walking through the 14-room villa and allowing his eyes to expand and take in the magnificent ambiance of the place, Zachary could feel a real sense of peace flooding his soul. The interior designer had really outdone herself within a short period of five days. With a touch of her skilled hands, she had magically transformed Zachary's villa into a palace. It was like one of those celebrity cribs that Zachary had only seen on TV during his previous life. It was so homely, stunning, and pleasing to the eyes.

"So, how do you find the place," Sofia, the interior designer, asked as they walked into another bedroom.

"Quite good," Zachary replied honestly. "You've really transformed the place. I'm more in love with it. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Sofia replied as they walked out of the well-furnished bedroom. As they started descending the stairs, she continued, "By the way, your fitness trainer was the one that installed all the equipment in the fitness area. You should also look at it."

"Okay, let's head to the basement," Zachary agreed. He wasn't surprised as he was the one that sent Bjørn Peters, his fitness trainer, to install the fitness equipment a few days ago.

The party of three quickly descended the stairs before arriving at the door of the fitness area. On pushing it open, Zachary's spirits immediately brightened again.

The gym was luxurious and well-equipped with all the machines that could satisfy any professional footballer out there. Be it dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls, cycling machines, treadmills, etcetera — they were all in the room. Just looking at them, Zachary could feel his heart racing as he imagined the productive hours he would spend working out in the comfort of his own home. He no longer needed to spend long hours in external gyms but would perform most of his physical workouts in his own house. He couldn't help and sigh, again and again, feeling that being rich was the best sensation in the world.

"That should conclude the tour of the villa," the interior designer said, interrupting Zachary's musings. "If everything is to your satisfaction, please transfer the rest of my money to me, and then we can conclude this deal. Is that fine?"

"Yes, of course," Zachary said with a smile. "I really like what you have done with the place. Give me a few minutes to wire your money."

"Okay, thanks," she replied cheerfully and clapped her hands.

Her reaction amused Zachary, but he chose not to comment. Instead, he returned to Angelo's car and quickly worked on transferring the money to her. He wanted to conclude the deal immediately. Then, he would have all the freedom to vacate his hotel room and shift to his new 14-room mansion the following day after training. He was really looking forward to living in a mansion that he could only dream of during his previous life.

--

After wiring the money to the interior designer, Zachary felt like he'd unloaded a heavy load off his shoulders. He eagerly shook hands with her before saying his goodbyes and sending her out of the villa. He then returned to the villa's sitting room and settled in one of the comfy and lavish sofas before contemplating his next course of action.

Coach Allegri had allowed all the team players a day off after their victory against AS Roma the previous night. So, he had an entire day ahead of him without team training. He figured he could use all that free time to purchase a few more necessities before moving house.

Thankfully, the interior designer had done most of the required furnishing. Electronics like fridges, microwaves, cookers, washing machines, television sets, and other essentials like crockery, and beddings, among others, were already in the house. So, Zachary only needed to purchase a few minor stuff, like toiletries and towels, and then he would be set and ready to enjoy his new life in his brand-new home.

Additionally, Zachary thought of how he had discarded most of his training gear, clothes, and shoes before he left Trondheim to join Juventus. Thus, he reasoned that he needed to urgently buy new items if he wished to live comfortably in Turin. And being a day off for the squad, he could also utilize it to complete that very task he'd been putting off for quite some time.

"So, I guess I have to spend a good number of hours shopping today."

While considering the long hours of shopping he had to endure, Zachary also quickly thought of Camilla. She was so good at selecting great items from shops, and she would be of great help if she had some time. She would be the best person to offer great advice and help Zachary purchase quality items.

"I wonder how she's doing," Zachary wondered, fishing for his phone from his pocket. "I better call her and tell her about how I finalized the mansion purchase procedures. Maybe, she will agree to come over and help me out while I settle in the new place."

Zachary immediately dialed Camilla's number. However, the international call didn't connect. Only the electronic voice rang into Zachary's ears, mentioning that: "the number you're trying to reach isn't available at the moment."

Zachary, of course, didn't give up after one try but quickly dialed her number through WhatsApp. And voilà, the call indicated that it had connected the next moment. He waited for a few seconds, and Camilla's voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"Hello, Zach!" She said. "How's your morning?"

"My morning is fine. What about yours?"

"My morning is also going well."

"Are you okay? Have you recovered?"

"I think so," she said, sounding a little strange. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm doing okay."

"Okay," Zachary said.

"By the way," she said before Zachary could continue, "I'm glad you called. I also wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay. Shoot! I'm all ears."

"My mom was worried about me. You know, with all that happened."

"Yes..." Zachary was a bit lost with where the conversation was going.

"So, she came over to visit me — and off base, without making plans, we up and decided to go on the trip. As I speak, we are now in Prague, visiting my childhood neighborhood. After departing from here, we might tour a few other places before returning to Norway."

"Oh, okay," Zachary said. "A trip should be good for you. You need time to unwind, especially considering what you've been through."

"Exactly."

"But what about work?"

"I filed for a leave of absence. My bosses were understanding, and they readily agreed. So, I'll be away from work and Norway for quite some time. That also means we won't be able to talk quite often over the next few weeks."

"Okay, so that also explains why I couldn't reach your number."

"Yes."

"How long are you planning to spend traveling with your mom?"

"Not sure yet," she replied a bit hesitantly. "But my leave of absence only lasts two months. So, my travels won't last longer than that."

"Okay," Zachary said, letting out a breath. "I have also just completed the purchase of a mansion and was planning to invite you for a visit. But it seems that's no longer possible."

"So, you're finally moving out of the hotel room," Camilla said with a chuckle. "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"But unfortunately, I can't visit your new mansion any time soon. That'll have to wait until after my trip."

"That's okay. Just focus on enjoying your travels. I'll also be busy with the club over the next two months. But, of course, I'll still miss you."

"Is that so?" Camilla chuckled. "I'll also miss you. Anyways, I'm still on the road. Let's end our conversation for now. Love you."

"Love you too," Zachary responded. "Remember to tap on me when you're available to talk. Okay?"

"Okay, goodbye," Camilla agreed and ended the call.

Zachary glanced at the phone for a few seconds before shoving it back into his pocket. His gut feeling was telling him that there was something off about Camilla's abrupt decision to travel with her mom. But after a few seconds of contemplation, he decided to push the negative feeling to the back of his mind. Then, without further ado, he stood up from the sofa and exited the house through the side exit.

"Boss!"

On seeing Zachary emerge from the house, Angelo Mattiello, who had been waiting by his white Citroën, smiled. He stepped forward and asked, "Have you finished organizing everything here?"

"Yes," Zachary replied, smiling back. "The interior designer completed everything. So, all that is left is to buy some clothes, toiletries, and shoes. Then, I'll be set and ready to shift into the new house."

Angelo took a glance at the house and nodded. "What about the security system? Did you have one installed?"

"There's one already installed," Zachary replied. "As you can see, there's a CCTV camera at the gate and all the entrances. That should be enough to scare off the thieves."

"But to be on the safe side, you should still have the system updated," Angelo advised. "You can hire a security company to upgrade the entire system, and then you can be sure you're safe whenever you're in your house."

"Do you know how long this takes to upgrade the security system?"

"I'm not sure," Angelo answered, shaking his head. "You need to call a security company, and they will give you all the details."

"Okay, I'll do that later," Zachary said. "I hope the security system upgrade doesn't affect my schedule. I really wish to move into the house tomorrow."

Angelo smiled. "You must remain patient as security is a must, especially for homes of prominent professional footballers in Italy. Spending just a few more days in a five-star hotel won't kill you."

Zachary chuckled after hearing that. "Indeed, you're right. I'll wait for the security company's verdict before deciding when to move into the house. That aside, I also need to hire a maid to work as the housekeeper, a security guard to man the gate, and another male laborer to manage the gardens and clean the pool regularly."

"That's easy," Angelo said. "You can search on the internet for people that fit your criteria. I'll also keep a lookout for any trained house helpers over the next few days. If I find some, I'll inform you."

"Thanks," Zachary said with a smile. "Since we have finished everything here, let's head out and do some shopping."

"Okay," Angelo agreed. "We can go to malls like Parco Dora Centro Commerciale and Area 12 Shopping Center. You'll find everything you need there."

"Great. Let's go."

With that said, Zachary immediately boarded Angelo's Citroën, and off they went, heading back towards the center of Turin. Roughly forty minutes later, they arrived at Parco Dora Centro Commerciale and thus officially started their day's shopping trip.

While wearing a hood, a cap, and dark shades to keep his identity a secret, Zachary moved from shop to shop, buying clothes and other essentials. Although he didn't manage to conceal his identity the entire time, he still utilized his shopping time well and bought various sets of designer clothes, shoes, training gear, and other stuff for the house. And by evening, he had already filled Angelo's car with shopping bags.

He ended his shopping spree feeling accomplished and had Angelo drop him at his hotel. The hotel staff helped him carry his shopping bags to his room as he enjoyed an early dinner. Then, after completing his meal, he exercised for a few minutes in the gym before returning to his hotel room for the night.

--

Over the next few days, Zachary returned his focus to training. He spent most of the time at the Vinovo, attending team sessions under the strict supervision of his coaches.

As for the plan to move into the new villa, Zachary had postponed it to Friday, which was the day when the security company had promised to finish installing the security system. He was patient since he didn't wish for any disturbances after he'd shifted into his brand-new house.

Aside from training, Zachary didn't forget his language classes. Every evening, he would head to the language school and spend hours cramming and trying to pronounce Italian words. He was really focused on his language studies as he wanted to learn the language as soon as possible.

Due to the busy schedule, the days passed quickly for Zachary as he trained and studied Italian. He didn't even have time to meet Emily, his agent, who had been asking him for a meeting. He was so fixed, and before he knew it, it was Thursday, the eve of the day he would shift into his new house.

Fortunately for Zachary, there were no scheduled Italian Serie A matches for that weekend. There was also no team training starting Thursday, as most Juventus players had already departed to play the Euro Championships and international friendlies. So, Zachary, being a player without international duties, eagerly welcomed the time off and decided to utilize it to settle into his new home.

After waking up early on Friday morning, he quickly arranged his belongings before checking out of the hotel. He then had Angelo hire a small van that transported his stuff to his villa. As for him, he traveled in Angelo's Citroën and also arrived at his new home by 9:00 AM.

Standing before his house again, he could hardly contain his happiness. A soft smile outlined his face as he really felt blessed to be a highly-paid professional footballer playing for Juventus. He was glad that he no longer had to fit himself in a small hotel room but would instead start enjoying life while staying in his 14-room villa.

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493 Thoughts about which Country to Represent

The following day was a Saturday. And being a weekend without Italian Serie A matches, it was a relaxing one for Zachary, who had just moved into his new mansion.

He awoke to the rays of the already-risen sun streaming through the shy gap of the window curtain and shining into his eyes. Squinting slightly, he pivoted his gaze on the elegant clock hanging on the opposite wall as he shook off the remaining dregs of sleep.

The next moment, his heart shook with amazement as he learned it was already 10:00 AM. It seemed the comfort afforded by the new mansion was already impacting his work ethic. Without realizing it, he'd slept for so long and even delayed his morning exercise routine.

"Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzt Bzzzt!"

Zachary's phone started vibrating from the bedside table, breaking him away from his thoughts. Picking it up, he realized the incoming call was from Emily, his agent. He immediately pressed the accept button and positioned the phone against his ear.

"Hello, Emily..." Zachary spoke into the phone a bit hesitantly. He felt guilty, especially after putting off the meeting with Emily for quite some time.

"Hello, Zachary!" Contrary to Zachary's expectations, Emily's voice was as vibrant and sweet as ever over the phone. With a light chuckle, she continued, "How is the morning of my most important client? Everything going on well?"

"My morning is fine, and everything is okay on my side," Zachary responded, a relaxing feeling sweeping over him. "How about you, the best football agent in the world? How are you doing?"

Emily chuckled again. "My morning is fine as well. Did you finally move into your mansion?"

"Yes," Zachary responded. "I moved in yesterday."

"So, I guess congratulations are in order."

"I guess so. Thanks."

"How's the new place?"

"It's great," Zachary said. "However, it's also a bit too quiet as I'm still alone in the house."

Emily laughed. "Just get a wife," she said jokingly, "The place will no longer feel lonely."

Zachary replied with a chuckle but chose not to comment.

"Anyways," Emily continued, "We need to meet ASAP. I need to talk to you."

"Okay. Can we meet at my house? Is that okay with you?"

"Yes, that's okay," she replied.

"Excellent! I will tell Angelo to pick you up. Where are you at the moment?"

"BB Hotel Torino. I'll be ready to head out at around eleven."

"Great," Zachary said. "Then, I'll tell Angelo to pick you up at 11:00 AM. See you in about an hour."

"Just a moment before you hang up!" Emily hurriedly said. "I'll be coming with Kristin. She's your publicity secretary, and we need to start involving her in some of our work-related conversations. Don't you think so?"

"Good idea," Zachary said. "I have no problem with her coming here. And that reminds me: Coach Bjørn Peters, my fitness trainer, and his wife, will also be coming here around midday. Maybe, we can all have lunch together and celebrate my moving into the new house."

"Coach Bjørn Peters!" Emily mumbled. "The coach from Norway, whose wife you hired as a chef?"

"Yes," Zachary intoned, "They'll be staying with me, just for convenience. With them around, I also won't have to stay alone in such a big house."

Zachary had already requested his fitness coach and newly-hired chef to move in and stay with him in the new mansion. And fortunately, Coach Bjørn Peters and his wife agreed to the invite after insisting on taking a pay cut as the coverage for rent. They had thus officially become the other occupants of Zachary's brand-new mansion and would stay with him until further notice.

"I think that's a great idea," Emily said after a few seconds. "Having your fitness trainer and chef staying with you will make life easier. They will be in an excellent position to manage your diet, sleep, and training regimens better."

"That's the whole idea," Zachary agreed. "Having them here is a blessing for me. Moreover, they will only be occupying a small section of the house. They won't inconvenience me in any way."

"Great!" Emily said. " I have to dress up and prepare for our meeting. Let's talk more when I arrive. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

--

After hanging up, Zachary jumped out of bed. He quickly went through his fifteen-minute morning yoga routine before washing up and donning a fresh and brand-new Nike tracksuit.

Zachary then enjoyed a quick breakfast, which included nutritious foods like milk, cereal, fruits, and bacon. After completing the meal and placing the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, he settled on one of the comfy sofas in the living room to await Emily's arrival.

Leaning back into his seat, he took a moment to admire the lavish sitting room of his new home. The next moment, he felt completely relaxed as his eyes took in the sight of the morning sunrays dancing off the paintings, the vases, and the elegant furniture. And once again, his entire being swelled with satisfaction at the realization that he was already one of the few proud owners of mansions priced more than a million Euros in Italy.

"I can't be satisfied with only this," Zachary reminded himself. "I have got to keep on working hard. I must make more money and buy more assets around the world."

Smiling slightly, he decided to watch TV while awaiting Emily and Kristin's arrival. He picked up the remote and immediately switched on the TV. And just then, the speakers came alive with the sound of ESPN's eleven o'clock sports show.

"In other news," the beautiful sports presenter said, "There will be no matches for the English Premier League, the Italian Serie A, the Spanish La Liga, and other top leagues in Europe, as players take on international duties this weekend. In the Euro Championships, scheduled to be played later today, Poland will play Germany, Finland will face Greece..."

Zachary wasn't so focused as the presenter read out the fixtures for international matches. His manner was calm and relaxed as all the mentioned football games had nothing to do with him - a player yet to decide which country to represent. But just as he was about to switch the channel, a specific detail in the fixtures caught his attention.

"In the African Cup of Nation qualifiers," the TV presenter intoned, "The Democratic Republic of Congo will be facing off against Ivory Coast in Kinshasa at 4:30 PM Central African Time..."

Zachary's heart immediately skipped a beat. "DR Congo is playing against Ivory Coast," he thought. "That's my dad's country against my biological mother's country. I can technically represent either of the two."

While bathing in the warm autumn sunshine streaming through the wide door and the large windows, Zachary sat there and continued watching the sports show. But his thoughts were in turmoil as he entertained the idea of quickly selecting a country to represent.

As a footballer with the support of the system, Zachary desired to win every major title out there. He wanted to win the Champions League, the Italian Serie A, the English Premier League, and above all, the World Cup.

He obviously understood that he could win most of the club football titles by joining great sides. For instance, he could try to win the Serie A and Champions League with Juventus. And if he needed a change and wished for another league title, he could sign with another club from another top European League.

However, in the case of the World Cup, Zachary had limited options. He didn't just hope to represent any team in any part of the world but a country from Africa. His wish was to once upon a time make history by helping an African side win the World Cup. At one point during his career, he yearned to stand on the World Cup podium and hold the trophy with African teammates. That was his innermost desire — a yearning that caused him to be reluctant to commit to DR Congo, his homeland with limited prospects.

As a person with knowledge of the future, Zachary knew well that the prospects of Congolese football were grim. The management of the country's football team would remain sub-par, and the quality of the squad would decline over the next few years. And due to those considerations, Zachary couldn't picture himself winning any title while representing his country of birth.

However, Ivory Coast, the birth country of his biological mother, was a different story. In the present and the future, the Ivorians had talented footballers like Nicolas Pépé, Wilfried Zaha, Ibrahim Sangaré, Eric Bailly, Salomon Kalou, Serge Aurier, and the highly experienced Yaya Touré in their squad. And with such deadly and highly tactical options in their line-up, Zachary could picture himself accomplishing something with them if he represented Ivory Coast.

He was confident that with the addition of his skills aided by the system, the Ivorian squad would gain the necessary firepower to qualify for the World Cup a few times and move far within the world-famous FIFA tournament. The possibility was definitely there as the Ivorian side had more prospects as a team compared to DR Congo, his homeland.

"But how do I get in touch with the Ivorian Football Federation? Do I write them an email, or do I call

them?"

Zachary shook his head and cast out the notions from his head. Then, after leaning back into the sofa, he quickly thought of his former teammate Eric Bailly, whose fate had taken on a different trajectory, especially after signing for Rosenborg.

"That guy is also going places," Zachary thought. "His fate has surely changed for the better."

Everything started at Rosenborg.

Influenced by Zachary, a training maniac, Eric Bailly had begun working hard during his first months in Trondheim. His commitment to football had paid off quickly, and he had attracted the attention of Tottenham after winning the Europa League the previous season. But that wasn't the end of his success story. After signing with Tottenham, the Ivorian quickly won a starting position and continued performing impressively. He was even already listed among the most promising young defenders in the premier league.

"He should be able to help."

Zachary decided to call Eric Bailly after the conclusion of the AFCON qualifiers the following day. He hoped his former teammate would link him to the Ivorian Football Federation. And if they accepted him as a player, Zachary would be able to kick-start the international side of his career. He would no longer have to stay home during international breaks since he would have a country to represent.

"Ding! Dong! Ding..."

The doorbell rang, breaking Zachary out of his musings after a short while. It seemed that Emily and Kristin had finally arrived. So, without wasting time, Zachary quickly walked to the door to let in his beautiful agent and publicity secretary. He was eager to have a heart-to-heart, especially with his agent, concerning the new endorsement deals that had just been offered to him by various international brands.

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494 A Relaxing Day with Acquaintances

On opening the door, Zachary's eyes lit up as they took in the visages of his two beautiful visitors. As expected, it was Emily and Kristin on the doorstep, glowing with warmth under the rays of the morning sun.

"Welcome, ladies," Zachary quickly said with a smile. "It's nice to see you again." He stepped forward and hugged the two ladies one after the other. Then, after exchanging some inconsequential small talk, he invited them to enter his new home.

Just in passing, Zachary gave them a once-over as they walked by him and entered the house. As usual, Emily looked gorgeous in a formal grey lady's suit and a blue blouse that emphasized her elegance as a lawyer and football agent. On the other hand, Kristin had gone casual and donned a long-sleeved pink blouse, tight denim jeans, and white sneakers. But, even in those relaxed clothes, the Norwegian girl still looked stunning, especially with her cheerful smile that was as bright as the midday sun.

"This place looks really amazing," Kristin said after stepping into the living room a few seconds later. "The furnishing is just right, and the ambiance superb. You even have a Victorian Viennese Carved Clock on your wall! Truly extravagant! How much did you spend on the interior design of this place?"

Smiling slightly, Zachary said, "Most things were originally in the house. I only hired an interior designer to do the final touches. So, I didn't spend much."

Kristin chuckled and inclined her head to hold Zachary's gaze. "It seems you don't wish to disclose the money you spent. But I can still gauge that you coughed out a lot."

"Not necessarily," Zachary argued with a slight shake of his head. He then turned towards Emily, who was all along standing quietly by the side, and asked, "Do you want a tour around the house?"

"Not yet," Emily hurriedly said. "I'll tour the house after we finish our meeting. Let's start with the important matters first."

"Okay," Zachary agreed.

Emily nodded with a smile. Then, turning towards Kristin, she hurriedly said, "Kristin! You can take some time to tour around the house as I discuss some issues with Zachary. We'll call you when we require your input."

"Okay," Kristin replied, her eyes lighting up. She then turned towards Zachary and asked, "Are there any places around the house that are off limits?"

"None." Zachary shook his head. "Treat this as a home away from home and move wherever you want."

"Okay, thanks," she said excitedly. "Then, I'm off. Enjoy your discussion." Without waiting for a response, she quickly walked out of the living room and disappeared through the exit leading to the kitchen area.

"She seems to be in a good mood," Zachary said after seeing Kristin disappear. "It seems she's adapting well to life in Turin."

"Yes, she is," Emily agreed with a nod. "She had an easy time fitting into the communities in Turin as she speaks Italian well. From what she has told me, her studies are also progressing well. Her only complaint is that she has little to do as your publicity secretary."

"Oh!" Zachary was surprised. "Does she require more tasks in addition to managing my social media accounts? And will she have more time to complete the additional tasks?"

"Yes, to all questions," Emily said. "Before she left Trondheim, you had promised to make her your personal assistant, with additional tasks that included managing your schedule. Knowing all that, she applied for a part-time program at the university to create more time for more responsibilities. But you, as her employer, have not fulfilled your promise. You have not given her additional tasks that fit her role as a personal assistant."

"Oh, okay." Zachary nodded. "So, what do you suggest?"

"Let's just give her the additional responsibilities," Emily proposed with a smile. "For instance, you mentioned that you're looking for house helpers, such as a maid and a security guard. With Kristin working as your personal assistant, you don't need to search for them yourself. You can delegate the task to her instead of wasting your valuable time on it. I'm sure she will be able to complete it diligently with her skills."

"Is that so?"

"That was just an example," Emily quickly continued, "but there are many more ways a personal assistant can help you out. She can help organize your schedule, arrange meetings, remind you of important tasks, act as your first point of contact for callers, deal with emails, manage your mansion, and pay the necessary bills on time. As you can see, you, a professional footballer with a tight schedule, definitely need a personal assistant to handle all those miscellaneous tasks. There's no way around it. Otherwise, you'll tire yourself out if you try to do all those small tasks yourself."

"I understand," Zachary said, nodding. "Then, it's okay to give her more responsibilities. Let her start her job by searching for skilled and reliable house helpers to work in this villa. After completing that, she can slowly take on the rest of the miscellaneous tasks around me. But one question. Now that she's my personal assistant, does she have to stay here?"

"That's not necessary," Emily hurriedly said. "She's your personal assistant, not your wife. She can just come here whenever there's a need. Other times, you can communicate remotely, for instance, by phone, when assigning her tasks."

"Okay, I understand," Zachary said.

"Great," Emily said. Turning around and settling down in one of the sofas, she continued, "That's that. So, let's quickly talk about the endorsement deals. I previously communicated how Vector X, a sportswear manufacturing brand, was willing to endorse you. As I said, they are serious about stealing you from Nike. So, tell me! Do you still want us to consider their proposal?"

"No!" Zachary shook his head. "Let's not consider it."

Emily's eyes widened. Then, her eyebrows twisted together, and she asked, "Why?"

"We still have a contract with Nike," Zachary answered, holding his agent's gaze. "Let's be patient until we complete our remaining two years with them."

"Oh!" Emily seemed disappointed. "Do you understand that you're losing out on a deal with an approximate base income of six million per year? Moreover, there are other benefits that come with the endorsement deal. For instance, the company promised you a 50% offer of all the profits from your 'very own' Vector X branded merchandise sales. Do you understand how much that money is?"

"Yes, I do," Zachary said, sighing. "I'll probably be missing out on a few hundred million Euros. But I still don't want us to jump ship and abandon Nike in the middle of our contract. Let's be patient for the moment, and see how things develop. Maybe, Nike may offer us a better deal in the near future."

On hearing the response, Emily observed Zachary for a few seconds before sighing and nodding. Forcing a smile, she said, "Okay, let's hope you're right, and Nike will give us a great offer soon. Otherwise, we'll regret not taking this deal."

"Fear not," Zachary consoled, his voice softening. "As long as I continue performing well on the pitch, more juicy endorsement deals will come our way. For now, I'm just preventing us from turning into unreliable jerks who abandon partners abruptly before the end of the contract duration."

"Okay," Emily said, nodding. "I understand. I'll stop all dealings with Vector X with effect from now."

"Thanks," Zachary said. "And I'm sorry for abruptly changing my mind."

"It's okay," Emily said, her smile turning more natural. "I'm your agent, and my only role is to execute your will. So, you don't need to feel sorry after changing your mind over any particular deal. It's your right as my client."

"Okay, I understand," Zachary said, nodding. He then continued discussing a few other issues with his agent while waiting for the arrival of his other guests.

--

As planned, Zachary welcomed Coach Bjørn Peters and his wife to his home at midday. After greeting the others, the Peters couple quickly got into the groove — and together with Emily and Kristin, they agreed to celebrate Zachary's completion of the purchase of his house that very day.

For that occasion, Inger, Coach Bjørn Peters' wife, was the chef. She prepared a wide array of exotic and delicious dishes, which the others enjoyed at lunchtime. Then, after lunch, they all returned to the living room and spent the rest of the evening there.

While within the comfort afforded by Zachary's lavish seating room, they enjoyed drinks and talked about many goals, big and small. They even made plans to start a gym in Turin, hoping to attract clients by relying on Zachary's fame.

Their discussions were quite enjoyable, and they only managed to exhaust most topics long after the sun had set. They then called it a day, and with that, Emily and Kristin said their goodbyes and left the villa, intending to return to their respective places of residence for the night. The Peters, on the other hand, immediately occupied one of the rooms and thus commenced their agreed-upon habitation of Zachary's villa. And that was how Zachary's relaxing day with acquaintances ended.

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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