Chapter 50 - 48 - Injury?

Chapter 50: Chapter 48 - Injury?

The pass travelled into the channel.

Rafael had read it early, but his first step came while his weight was still shifting from the movement he had made toward midfield.

Vasseur turned with him.

Rafael stretched for the ball, but the centre-back reached it first and cleared.

He slowed and returned toward halfway while the opposing team began another attack.

The next time Caron received facing forward, Rafael remained slightly side-on to the centre-back, keeping his weight balanced rather than beginning another movement toward midfield.

Hennequin checked short and returned possession.

Rafael accelerated.

This time, he reached Caron’s pass before Vasseur could recover, but the covering defender stepped across and forced him toward the right side of the penalty area.

Rafael attempted to square the ball toward Hennequin, only for the defender to block the delivery and send it behind for a corner.

"Unlucky, Rafa!" Hennequin called from the penalty spot.

Rafael raised a hand before moving toward the edge of the box.

The assistant supplied another ball, and the exercise continued after the corner had been cleared.

Their next few attacks passed without either striker getting a clear sight of goal, although Rafael had begun reaching the spaces he wanted without having to recover from an awkward first step.

Hennequin was also releasing possession earlier whenever he saw Rafael moving behind the defensive line, and on one occasion his return pass found Rafael near the edge of the penalty area before the covering defender forced him to play backwards.

The head coach eventually called for the final block.

"Come on, lads. Last few minutes. Keep it moving."

Rafael took a drink from the bottle near the touchline while the players collected themselves.

Hennequin approached him.

"Nearly had you in there."

"Yeah, defender got across before I could square it."

"Keep going. Caron’s finding the passes now."

Rafael returned the bottle and followed him toward halfway.

The following attack developed through Perrin, who received near the right touchline and carried possession forward before returning the ball inside.

Caron controlled the pass and looked toward Hennequin.

The striker checked away from the defensive line, drawing his marker several steps forward, while Rafael remained high enough to prevent Vasseur from following him into midfield.

Caron played wide instead, and Perrin’s attempted cross struck the full-back before travelling out for a throw-in.

Rafael recovered toward the touchline while Caron called for the next ball.

The attacking unit had begun moving more comfortably around Hennequin, although his combinations with Rafael still lacked the familiarity he enjoyed with the senior midfielders.

Rafael remained close to the defensive line as the next attack began.

Caron received possession in the attacking half and found Perrin, who carried the ball forward before returning it inside.

The winger’s movement drew an opposing midfielder toward the right touchline, leaving Caron with room to turn.

Rafael moved away from Vasseur and called for possession near the right corner of the penalty area.

Caron found him.

Rafael controlled the pass and turned toward goal.

Vasseur was several steps away, giving him enough room to prepare a shot, but the defender was already recovering across his right foot.

Hennequin checked toward Rafael from the middle of the penalty area, moving away from the second centre-back to offer himself for a short pass.

Rafael released the ball into his feet before Vasseur could close him down.

Hennequin returned it first time and immediately turned toward goal.

The return reached Rafael just outside the box.

Vasseur had continued forward to close his shooting angle, while the second centre-back had stepped toward the middle to prevent Rafael from driving into the penalty area.

Hennequin was already moving behind that second defender.

Rafael opened his body and slipped the ball through the gap between them.

Vasseur was still facing Rafael when the pass went past him, and Rafael continued his run across the defender’s outside shoulder, preventing him from turning directly into Hennequin’s path.

The second centre-back spun toward his own goal.

Hennequin had already accelerated beyond him.

He reached the pass inside the penalty area and struck low across the goalkeeper before the defender could recover.

The ball entered the bottom corner.

The coach’s whistle sounded.

Rafael slowed as Hennequin turned toward him.

"Good one, Rafa!"

The striker reached him and gave him a brief tap on the shoulder.

"Nice ball."

Rafael smiled.

"Good finish, mate."

Caron retrieved the ball from the goal while the other players began returning toward halfway.

The head coach looked toward Rafael.

"Good movement, Rafa. That’s the space I want you attacking."

Rafael raised a hand in acknowledgment and started back toward the centre circle, but he had barely taken a few steps when Hennequin slowed behind him.

The striker stopped near the edge of the penalty area and pressed a hand against his leg.

Rafael turned.

"Jérôme, you all right?"

Hennequin looked down.

"Hang on a second."

He tried walking another few steps, then stopped again and shook his head.

The assistant had already noticed.

"Jérôme? What’s up?"

"Felt something when I went for that ball."

The assistant signalled toward the performance staff, and a physio approached from the touchline.

Rafael remained nearby while Hennequin spoke quietly to the physio and indicated where he had felt the discomfort.

The physio asked him to try walking a few steps before speaking to the assistant, who called for another player to take Hennequin’s place.

Rafael watched the striker walk toward the changing building with the physio before returning to his position.

The coach called for play to resume, and Rafael joined the replacement forward for the remaining minutes.

Their first attack ended when Caron attempted to find Rafael near the edge of the penalty area, only for Vasseur to step across and intercept.

The opposing team counterattacked immediately, forcing Rafael to recover toward midfield while his teammates reorganised behind him.

Another possession ended with Perrin sending a cross beyond the far post, and the coach eventually called an end to the exercise.

Rafael collected a bottle and took several drinks as the familiar panel appeared before his eyes.

[TRAINING MISSION COMPLETED]

[Play Beside the Standard]

[Objective: Completed]

[Reward: Decision-Making +0.2]

[Decision-Making: 60.0 → 60.2]

[ALL REWARDS COLLECTED]

[CLOSE]

Rafael dismissed the panel and followed the others toward the cooldown area.

Renaud was already sitting on a recovery mat when Rafael approached.

"What’s happened to Jérôme?" he asked.

"Felt something in his leg. The physio took him inside."

Renaud glanced toward the changing building.

"Ah, shit. Same injury?"

"Don’t know. He just said he felt something."

Renaud shook his head before returning to his recovery work.

Rafael joined the others, occasionally glancing toward the building as the players finished their cooldown.

Nobody from the medical staff returned to explain Hennequin’s condition, and the coaches continued supervising the group until the session was complete.

Afterward, Rafael headed inside to shower and change.

Most of the players had already left the changing room by the time Rafael collected his bag.

He was heading toward the main exit when he saw Hennequin emerging from the treatment area with the physio who had taken him inside earlier.

The striker was carrying his training bag and walking without assistance, although he was moving more slowly than he had before the session.

The physio said something Rafael could not hear before returning through the treatment-room door.

Hennequin adjusted the strap of his bag and began walking toward the exit.

Rafael slowed as they approached each other.

"Hey, Jérôme. How’s the leg?"

Hennequin looked up.

"Not sure yet. They’re sending me for a scan tomorrow."

"Ah, shit. Same place?"

"Yeah."

Hennequin glanced toward the treatment room before looking back at Rafael.

"Felt it when I pushed off for that last run."

"Hopefully it’s nothing serious."

"Yeah, hopefully. I was feeling good out there as well."

Hennequin shook his head and shifted his bag onto his other shoulder.

They began walking toward the exit together.

"Been looking forward to getting back with the lads," Hennequin said. "Now I’ve got to wait for another bloody scan."

Rafael glanced toward him.

"At least they’ll know more tomorrow."

"Yeah. Hopefully it’s just a precaution."

They reached the main entrance, where Hennequin stopped and looked toward the car park.

"Anyway, I’ll see you around, Rafa. Good work out there today."

"Cheers, mate. Hope it goes well tomorrow."

Hennequin gave him a brief nod before continuing toward the car park.

Rafael watched him leave, then adjusted the strap of his bag and headed outside.

The striker had completed the opening exercises without difficulty, but the acceleration that carried him onto Rafael’s return pass had brought back pain in the same area that had kept him out of training.

He had finally returned to unrestricted team work, only to leave the pitch before the session was finished.

Rafael glanced toward the car park, where Hennequin was making his way toward his car.

Tomorrow morning, the club’s first-choice No. 9 would undergo another scan.