"This is what happens when you fight their press in the wrong areas," Gasperini continued while replaying the sequence, "because if you lose it here they’re already in your half with montum."
Several more clips followed showing Fiorentina’s patterns—how they defended, where they pressed, when they dropped off—and by the ti the video session ended thirty minutes later everyone had clear understanding of what awaited at the Artemio Franchi.
On the training pitch the drills replicated what the video had shown, and the coaching staff organized scenarios where Demien received possession with a defender already on his shoulder simulating Fiorentina’s aggressive marking.
During one repetition he collected the ball facing his own goal with Amrabat’s positional equivalent pressing from behind, and his first touch was ant to turn but the pressure arrived faster than expected and the ball squirted loose for a turnover.
The whistle blew imdiately and the coach’s voice ca sharp and imdiate.
"Again," he called without additional explanation because the error was obvious.
The sequence repeated and this ti Demien’s first touch took the ball away from pressure using his body as a shield, and his second touch released it to Koopiners before the secondary press could arrive, and the execution was clean enough that play continued without interruption.
The session lasted two hours and the intensity was higher than Monday’s work because understanding tactical theory was separate from executing it under physical pressure, and by the end Demien’s legs felt heavy in ways that suggested accumulated fatigue from multiple consecutive days of high-level training.
The system notification appeared as he walked toward the locker room.
「TRAINING SESSION COMPLETE」
「Quality: Tactical Replication Under Pressure」
「 10 TP」
「Current Balance: 530 TP | 3 SP | 314 MP」
Inside the locker room Lookman sat beside him while changing and his expression showed similar tiredness, and when he spoke his voice carried acknowledgnt rather than complaint.
"Three more days of this and we’ll be ready," Lookman said while unlacing his boots, "or completely cooked by Saturday."
"Probably both," Demien replied, and the comnt landed as truth rather than humor because preparation at this level always existed at the edge of productive stress and counterproductive fatigue.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Centro Bortolotti Training Complex
9:15 AM
Wednesday’s session was the sharpest and most demanding of the week, and the intensity showed imdiately in how the coaching staff organized the work—short bursts, high tempo, no full tackles but no space given anywhere on the pitch.
The warm-up was brief because the focus was execution under pressure rather than gradual preparation, and within fifteen minutes the squad was divided into match formations running through scenarios at near-ga speed.
Demien received the ball during one sequence just outside the penalty area with three opponents closing from different angles, and his first touch had to be perfect because any hesitation would result in dispossession, and his body positioning created just enough separation to release the pass to Højlund before the press arrived.
Gasperini’s voice cut across the pitch imdiately even though the execution had been successful, and his tone carried instruction rather than criticism.
"Good," he called while gesturing for play to continue, "but Saturday that sa pass cos under more pressure because their crowd makes everyone faster."
The point registered fully because hostile atmospheres affected execution in ways that training couldn’t replicate—timing windows shortened, decision-making compressed, mistakes amplified—and understanding this intellectually was different from experiencing it physically.
The session continued with pace for ninety minutes, and there were no breaks beyond brief water pauses, and by the end everyone was sweat-soaked and breathing heavily while their legs carried the accumulated load of three consecutive high-intensity days.
One sequence near the end saw Demien press an opponent aggressively in midfield, and the ball squirted loose but he had to sprint five yards to recover it before their counter could develop, and his lungs burned with the effort while his legs protested the repeated acceleration.
When the final whistle blew several players dropped to the ground imdiately while others bent over with hands on knees, and the physical cost was visible across everyone’s faces and body language.
The system notification appeared as Demien walked slowly toward the locker room.
「TRAINING SESSION COMPLETE」
「Quality: Peak Intensity Preparation」
「 10 TP」
「Current Balance: 540 TP | 3 SP | 314 MP」
Inside the locker room the atmosphere was quiet exhaustion rather than conversation, and most players moved directly to showers without the usual post-training banter because everyone understood what the week had demanded.
Demien sat in front of his locker for several minutes before standing because his legs needed those extra monts of stillness before transitioning to movent, and when he finally walked toward the showers his gait was slightly stiff in ways that would require tonight’s rest and recovery to resolve.
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Travel Day to Florence
No Training
Thursday brought no training session and the system registered no activity, and the day existed purely for travel and final ntal preparation before Friday’s light session and Saturday’s match.
Demien woke that morning to his phone buzzing repeatedly on the nightstand, and when he reached for it the screen showed dozens of notifications stacking one after another while ssages and social dia alerts flooded in because today was his birthday and people had started rembering at midnight.
Sophia:Happy birthday baby ❤️ Nineteen and already taking over Serie A. I love you so much. Wish I could be there with you today but I’ll be watching Saturday. Make it special.
He smiled while reading it and typed back imdiately.
Demien:Thank you. I love you too. Wish you were here.
Sophia:Soon. Focus on the match. We’ll celebrate properly after.
Demien:Can’t wait.
Luca:HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRO!! 19! Rember when we thought we’d never make it out of trials? Look at us now. You’re killing it at Atalanta, I’m at Braga living the dream. Couldn’t be prouder of you man. Let’s link up soon.
Demien:Thanks bro. Miss you. Yeah we need to et up after the season.
Luca:Definitely. Go show Fiorentina what they missed on Saturday.
Isabella:Buon compleanno tesoro! My baby is nineteen! I still rember holding you when you were born and now look at you—playing in Serie A, representing our family with pride. I’m making your favorite dinner for when you visit after the match. Ti amo più di tutto! ❤️
Demien:Grazie mamma. Can’t wait to see you. Love you.
Isabella:Play well sabato. Show them the man you’ve beco.
The team’s official social dia accounts had posted at eight AM—a photo of Demien from training with text overlay reading "Happy 19th Birthday to Demien Walter! 🎉⚫🔵 #AtalantaBC #ForzaAtalanta" and the comnts were already over two thousand with supporters from Italy, England, and across Europe sending birthday wishes.
@atalanta_ultras:Buon compleanno Demien! Keep making us proud! 💙🖤
@footballfan_uk:Happy birthday! England’s future right here 🏴
@calcio_daily:19 anni! Special talent. Happy birthday Walter! 🎂⚽
@demien_fanpage:HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST!! 🎉🎉
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