8:30 PM - Second Half

The second half continued similarly through the opening fifteen minutes, and Atalanta pushed higher while Monza defended deeper, and the match felt like it was heading toward a frustrating draw unless something changed.

At the sixty-second minute, Gasperini turned toward the bench and gestured for Demien to warm up.

"You're going on in five minutes," the assistant coach said. "Replace Malinovskyi. Instructions are simple—no forcing, find pockets, move the ball faster than their block can shift."

Demien nodded and jogged along the touchline to loosen his legs while the match continued, and at the sixty-seventh minute the fourth official raised his board.

Number 28 coming on. Number 18 coming off.

Demien entered at the right side of midfield and Malinovskyi jogged off while offering a quick fist bump in passing, and immediately Demien checked toward the ball where Koopmeiners had possession.

His impact wasn't immediate, but it was noticeable.

The tempo lifted because his movement created different passing angles than Malinovskyi's had, and Atalanta's circulation found better rhythm as the ball moved quicker from side to side without getting stuck in predictable patterns.

At the seventy-third minute, the decisive moment came from patience rather than brilliance.

Atalanta had been attacking Monza's left side when the ball was cleared only as far as De Roon, and the Dutchman recycled it backward to Tolói who played it across to Djimsiti, and the center-back's pass found Demien checking toward him from the right half-space.

Demien received with his back partially turned toward goal, and two Monza midfielders closed immediately to prevent the turn, but instead of trying to spin Demien simply laid it off first-time to Lookman who had shown for support.

Lookman drove forward three steps before playing it back to Demien who had already adjusted his position, and now he received on the half-turn facing Monza's penalty area with space opening because the recycled attack had pulled their defensive block slightly out of shape.

His eyes scanned once and saw Højlund making a diagonal run from central to right across the face of Monza's defensive line, and the passing lane existed for maybe two seconds before it would close.

Andrea Pirlo: Deep-Lying Playmaker activated and his right foot struck through the ball with precision—weighted perfectly into the channel, placed where only Højlund could reach it—and the Danish striker's first touch took him clear of his marker.

Højlund drove toward the penalty area while the goalkeeper rushed out to narrow the angle, and when he struck the finish was simple and low into the bottom corner before the keeper could set himself.

1-0.

The Gewiss Stadium crowd responded with relief more than euphoria because the goal had broken resistance that had lasted seventy-four minutes, and Højlund ran toward the corner flag while teammates chased after him.

Demien jogged back toward the center circle without celebration, and he clapped his hands once before resetting his position because there were still sixteen minutes remaining and protecting the lead mattered more than acknowledging the assist.

90'+3' - Full Time

Atalanta saw the game out professionally through the final fifteen minutes plus added time, and when the final whistle blew the scoreline read 1-0 and the three points were secured without drama.

The system notification appeared as Demien walked toward the tunnel.

「MATCH MISSION COMPLETE」

「Performance: Substitute - 23 Minutes」

「1 Assist」

「Role: Changed Game Tempo」

「+20 MP」

「+5 TP」

「Current Balance: 65 TP | 102 SP | 199 MP」

Post-match interviews were conducted quickly, and analysts reviewing the match called it a "mature cameo" rather than a match-winning performance—no headlines, no hype, just professional execution that achieved the required result.

That was exactly what the club wanted.

***

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Centro Bortolotti Training Complex

10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Thursday brought Juventus into full view.

The media tone sharpened when Demien arrived at the training complex and found eight journalists stationed near the entrance rather than the usual three or four, and cameras tracked him from his car to the building entrance while questions were called out that he didn't answer.

Training became more tactical and more closed than earlier in the week, and media access was restricted to the first fifteen minutes of the session before the coaching staff asked them to leave.

Inside, Gasperini organized patterns specifically designed to counter Juventus' defensive shape, and the intensity was higher than Wednesday's match preparation because Sunday's fixture carried significance that Monza hadn't.

Questions about England started appearing more frequently during the brief media window before training closed.

"Demien, have you heard anything from the FA about a potential call-up?"

"Demien, what would it mean to represent England?"

"Demien, did you know Gareth Southgate was at the Inter match?"

He answered none of them beyond shaking his head and walking past, and Gasperini shut it down when one journalist tried to approach during a water break.

"We're here to prepare for Juventus," Gasperini said calmly but firmly. "England is not today's topic. Thank you."

The system notification appeared at the end of training.

「TRAINING SESSION COMPLETE」

「Quality: Tactical - High Intensity」

「REWARD: +10 TP」

「Current Balance: 75 TP | 102 SP | 199 MP」

***

Friday, November 4, 2022

Centro Bortolotti Training Complex

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

By Friday, the atmosphere had shifted.

This wasn't about form anymore—it was about status.

Training was lighter than Thursday's intensity because the final preparation day prioritized sharpness over exhaustion, and when Gasperini organized the eleven-versus-eleven tactical drill Demien was positioned in the starting group rather than with the reserves.

During pressing pattern work, the coaches used him as a reference point for trigger timing, and when circulation drills began he was expected to set tempo rather than follow it, and the subtle shift in responsibility was clear even if nobody stated it explicitly.

Commentators reviewing Atalanta's recent form talked about his consistency rather than his potential, and predicted lineups for Sunday included his name without debate.

At training, nobody said it out loud, but he was a starter now.

There was no debate about that.

The system notification appeared as the session ended.

「TRAINING SESSION COMPLETE」

「Quality: Match Preparation」

「REWARD: +10 TP」

「Current Balance: 85 TP | 102 SP | 199 MP」

***

Saturday, November 5, 2022

Centro Bortolotti Training Complex

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Saturday was quiet.

Final preparation stayed light—activation drills, set-piece reviews, brief video analysis of Juventus' recent matches—and the session lasted only one hour before Gasperini dismissed everyone to rest for the remainder of the day.

No drama occurred. No system notifications appeared beyond the standard training reward. Just routine.

The noise stayed outside the training ground gates where media had gathered again, but security kept them at distance and no interactions happened.

The system notification came as expected.

「TRAINING SESSION COMPLETE」

「Quality: Light Activation」

「REWARD: +10 TP」

「Current Balance: 95 TP | 102 SP | 199 MP」

***

Sunday, November 6, 2022

Centro Bortolotti Training Complex

10:15 AM

The squad list for Juventus was posted in the dressing room at quarter past ten on Sunday morning.

Demien walked in after arriving early for pre-match preparation, and the printed sheet was already taped to the wall near Gasperini's office with STARTING XI and SUBSTITUTES listed in clear sections.

His name was there under the starting group—WALTER, D. - #28 - CAM—where it had been most weeks now.

He took it in without reaction, and his face stayed neutral while he turned away from the board and walked to his locker where his match kit was already hanging.

He pulled on his training top and laced his boots, and when he finished he stood and walked toward the exit where the training pitch waited beyond the doors.

Juventus was next, and this time, there was nowhere to hide

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