Chapter 53 - 51 - When It Counts

Chapter 53: Chapter 51 - When It Counts

By Monday morning, the Kaiserslautern match had already been reduced to recovery data and a handful of clips for the analysts.

Metz had used three forty-five-minute periods on Saturday to spread minutes through the squad. Rafael completed the block assigned to him without scoring or assisting and came through healthy, which was all that mattered from the final afternoon of preseason.

His phone vibrated while he was changing at Frescaty.

The email came from the club administration, confirming that the remaining formalities around his stagiaire agreement had been completed and the contract homologated.

Rafael opened the attachment, checked his name and registration details, then put the phone away. He and his mother had already spent enough time reading the agreement before signing it; there was nothing left for him to reconsider.

Outside, Hennequin was working on the far side of the training area with two members of the rehabilitation staff. He completed a controlled run, slowed beside one of the physios and listened while the man checked something on the monitor beneath his shirt.

Rafael glanced across as he passed, then joined the available forwards.

The organisation of the morning was different from most of preseason.

Renaud stayed with Caron, Perrin and the same core of senior players through the tactical work, while Vautrin moved through his established attacking role. Rafael rotated between centre-forward and the left when the coaches wanted another option in either position.

The main block dealt with progressing possession into the attacking third and recovering shape when the ball changed hands.

During one repetition from the left, Rafael received with the full-back already closing him, returned possession inside and continued forward. The midfielder chose another route, so Rafael adjusted with the attack rather than chasing a run that was no longer useful.

Later, he replaced Renaud through the middle for several repetitions before moving back outside when the striker returned.

The exercise continued without anyone stopping to discuss Rafael’s work.

When the whistle ended the block, players started toward the recovery area.

"Rafa, stay there."

Rafael stopped.

The assistant called several more names, and a smaller group began forming near the centre circle. Renaud remained with Caron and Perrin, while Vautrin and several senior defenders and midfielders joined them.

A few players who had spent much of preseason with the first-team group continued toward the building after members of staff told them where they would report the following morning.

Rafael joined those who remained.

The head coach waited until everyone had gathered.

"This is the group we’re taking through the Guingamp preparation this week. It isn’t Saturday’s squad, so don’t treat it like one."

Most of the players simply listened.

"We’ve still got the rest of the week, medical checks and Friday’s session. Things can change. If you’re here, prepare like you’re involved."

He looked toward his staff.

"Same reporting time tomorrow."

The players began dispersing.

Renaud caught up with Rafael as they headed inside.

"You back tomorrow?"

"Looks like it."

Renaud nodded. "Good."

Rafael glanced at him. "Good?"

"Means I’m not the youngest-looking striker here."

Rafael laughed. "You’re on your own with that."

Renaud smiled and pushed through the door ahead of him.

The morning’s groups had already shown enough. Renaud was receiving most of the work through the middle with the likely starters, while Rafael remained among the alternatives being prepared for more than one role.

He followed Renaud inside.

His mother came home that evening already irritated about Saturday.

Rafael heard the front door open while he was in the living room, followed by her keys landing on the small table near the entrance.

She appeared moments later, pulling her hospital badge over her head.

"Someone wants me to swap Saturday again."

Rafael lowered his phone. "Again?"

"She has something with her family, which is fine, but apparently she only remembered tonight."

She dropped the badge beside her bag and sat down.

"When did she ask?"

"Twenty minutes before I left."

"Good timing."

His mother gave him a tired look. "Don’t encourage her."

Rafael smiled and moved his legs so she had more room.

She leaned back against the sofa for a few seconds before looking toward him.

"How was training?"

"Fine."

"You always say fine."

"Nothing went wrong."

"That’ll do."

Rafael looked toward the phone she had left beside her.

"What hours are you doing Saturday?"

His mother turned her head.

"Why?"

"No reason."

"Rafael."

He tried not to smile.

She studied him for another second.

"Is Saturday the first league match?"

"Yeah."

"Guingamp?"

He nodded.

His mother waited.

"They cut the training group down today. I’m still with the players preparing for it."

Her expression changed immediately.

"For the match?"

"Potentially. They don’t confirm the squad until Friday."

She nodded slowly. "But you’re still there."

"Yeah."

"And if the week stays the same?"

"I’ll probably be one of the substitutes."

His mother reached for her phone.

Rafael watched her unlock it.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You’ve gone straight to your rota."

"I was already thinking about Saturday."

"You were complaining about Saturday."

"That doesn’t mean I can’t use the swap."

Rafael laughed.

She opened the conversation with her colleague and began typing.

"What time is kickoff?"

"Quarter to nine."

"At Saint-Symphorien?"

"Yeah."

His mother changed something in the message before sending it.

Rafael looked back toward the television.

The reply came less than a minute later. She checked it, typed again and then placed the phone on her lap.

The smile stayed.

Rafael left it there.

Tuesday passed without changing his position in the group.

By Wednesday, the likely starters were spending longer periods together while Rafael and the other alternatives prepared for the roles they might be needed to cover. He continued working both centrally and from the left.

Thursday brought a shorter session and the same hierarchy.

Renaud remained ahead of him through the middle, and nothing happened that gave the staff a reason to change that.

Each afternoon Rafael left Frescaty with another day’s work completed and instructions to return the following morning.

Friday arrived with his name still inside the group.

The final session began after the warm-up.

The expected starting eleven completed most of the open-play work together before the coaches moved into set pieces. Rafael received several repetitions from the left and another short spell through the middle when Renaud came out, but the workload stayed controlled with the league opener little more than a day away.

The head coach checked his watch after the final set piece.

"That’s enough. Inside."

Players returned the nearest balls before heading back toward the building.

Rafael had showered and changed by the time phones began vibrating around the room.

Someone farther down checked his screen.

"Match pack’s through."

Several conversations quietened as players reached for their phones.

Rafael opened the team application.

FC METZ v EA GUINGAMP — MATCHDAY GROUP

The starting eleven appeared first.

He moved through the names until he found Renaud among them.

Rafael continued scrolling.

The substitutes followed.

Vautrin.

Several defensive and midfield options.

Then:

Rafael Morales.

His thumb remained still against the screen for a moment.

He had seen his name on academy squad lists countless times, and later in his first life he had gone through seasons where another team sheet hardly deserved a second glance.

This one did.

Across the changing room, another player who had spent the week with the preparation group checked his phone, slipped it into his bag and quietly finished packing. An assistant spoke to him near the doorway a minute later, and he nodded before leaving.

Rafael looked back at his own screen.

Renaud was starting.

Vautrin was available from the bench.

So was Rafael.

Renaud passed behind him while pulling on his jacket.

"You get it?"

"Yeah."

Renaud glanced at the phone. "Bench?"

Rafael nodded.

"Nice. See you tomorrow."

"See you."

Renaud continued toward his locker.

Rafael looked at his name once more before locking the phone.

Blue light appeared across his vision.

[NEW MISSION]

[CROSS THE PROFESSIONAL LINE]

[Objective: Make your competitive first-team debut for FC Metz.]

[Deadline: Final whistle vs EA Guingamp.]

[Reward: Free Attribute Points ×2]

[ACCEPT MISSION]

[DECLINE MISSION]

Rafael’s gaze paused on the reward.

Two free attribute points.

He selected the first option.

[MISSION ACCEPTED]

The panel faded.

A place in the squad had given him the opportunity. Nothing more.

Rafael returned to the club message.

FC Metz vs EA Guingamp

Stade Saint-Symphorien

Saturday, August 8

20:45

The fixture information matched the club’s opening Ligue 2 home match at Saint-Symphorien.

He saved the details and sent his mother a message.

Official. I’m on the bench.

Her reply arrived before he finished gathering his things.

Saturday sorted. I’ll be there.

Rafael smiled and put the phone away.

His mother was still at work when he returned home.

Rafael went upstairs, checked the match instructions and packed what he needed for the following evening. His boots went into the bottom compartment with the few personal items the club expected him to bring, while the rest of his equipment would be waiting at Saint-Symphorien.

He zipped the bag and left it beside his desk.

By the time his mother came home, there was nothing else they needed to discuss about Saturday. She called upstairs to ask whether he had eaten, Rafael answered, and the house settled into its usual evening.

Later, when everything had gone quiet, Rafael picked up his phone again.

The official squad had not changed.

Renaud remained among the starters.

Vautrin and the other attacking alternatives were listed with the substitutes.

Rafael opened the System once.

[CROSS THE PROFESSIONAL LINE]

[Objective: Make your competitive first-team debut for FC Metz.]

[Deadline: Final whistle vs EA Guingamp.]

[Reward: Free Attribute Points ×2]

He closed the panel.

Tomorrow, the coach still had to call his name.