**Monday, February 13, 2023

Centro Bortolotti Training Complex

9:47 AM**

The week continued with Demien training alongside the first team under modified conditions, and Monday's session focused on positional drills and ball circulation while physios remained close tracking his load.

He joined rondos in the center circle where the objective was simple—keep possession under pressure from two defenders—and his touch felt clean when the ball arrived though his movement speed was deliberately controlled.

Koopmeiners played a pass to him and two defenders closed immediately, and Demien took one touch to shift the ball right before playing it back to Pasalic, and the execution was efficient without being spectacular.

"Good," the lead physio called from the sideline, and his eyes stayed fixed on Demien's movement patterns.

The session progressed through various exercises—passing patterns, defensive positioning, tactical spacing—and when the intensity rose to include full-speed transitions, the physio gestured for Demien to step out.

He moved to a separate area where he continued with individual ball work while the main group ran eleven-versus-eleven sequences, and watching from distance felt less frustrating now than it had weeks earlier because progress was visible even if incomplete.

After training ended, the system activated quietly while Demien walked toward the dressing room.

「TRAINING SESSION COMPLETE」

「Modified Group Work: Approved」

「+10 TP」

「Current Balance: 165 TP | 102 SP | 199 MP」

The notification was simple and without ceremony, and he dismissed it with a thought while continuing inside.

**Tuesday, February 14, 2023

9:23 AM**

Tuesday's session brought a subtle shift in tone when contact was reintroduced during small-sided games, and the coaching staff watched carefully to see how Demien's body would respond.

The first challenge came during a six-versus-six possession drill when Højlund pressed him aggressively and their shoulders made contact, and Demien felt the impact but no pain, though his body tensed instinctively.

"You alright?" Højlund asked immediately.

"Yeah," Demien replied, and he received the next pass without hesitation.

The contact increased gradually throughout the session—shoulder-to-shoulder challenges in tight spaces, physical battles for loose balls, deliberate pressure when receiving possession—and each instance triggered brief hesitation as Demien's mind calculated risk before his body reacted.

De Roon noticed during one sequence when Demien received with space but checked his shoulder before turning despite no defender being close enough to contest.

"You're thinking too much," De Roon said afterward, and his tone was matter-of-fact rather than critical, "your body's fine—trust it."

"Working on it," Demien replied.

The physios observed without intervening because mental adjustment was part of the process, and the gap between what his mind calculated and what his body could handle would close with repetition.

The system logged another +10 TP after the session ended, and the pattern continued without fanfare while his stats remained stable at 78 overall with no drops and no spikes—just consistency.

**Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Post-Training

11:47 AM**

After Wednesday's session ended, one of Gasperini's assistant coaches pulled Demien aside near the equipment shed while other players filed toward the dressing room.

"Demien, we need to talk about your return timeline," the assistant said, and his expression was professional rather than concerned.

"Okay," Demien replied.

"You're progressing well with the group, but we're not putting you into Serie A minutes yet," the assistant explained, and he gestured toward the main pitch, "the intensity gap is still too large and we can't afford to risk re-injury."

"So what's the plan?" Demien asked.

"Friday you'll play for the U21s against Verona," the assistant said, and his tone indicated the decision was already made internally, "limited minutes, controlled environment, chance to regain match rhythm without the pressure of senior football."

Demien processed the information quickly, and the plan made tactical sense even if it meant stepping backward in competitive level.

"How many minutes?" he asked.

"We'll see how the match develops," the assistant replied, "but probably last fifteen to twenty minutes if everything's going well—no heroics, just play and listen to your body."

"Understood," Demien said.

"Good," the assistant said, and he clapped Demien's shoulder once, "you've done everything right so far—this is just the next step."

The conversation ended and Demien walked toward the building alone, and no announcement would be made to media and no promotional push would happen—he'd simply be listed in the U21 squad the same way he had been before the season began.

**Friday, February 17, 2023

U21 Training Ground

2:34 PM**

The U21 facility was smaller than the first-team complex with a single main pitch and a modest dressing room, and when Demien arrived most of the squad was already present.

The environment was familiar from his time before the season when he'd trained here while waiting for his first-team opportunity, and several players recognized him with brief nods while others continued their preparations without much acknowledgment.

No close friends remained because most players he'd known had either moved to other clubs or been promoted to the first team, and the faces around him were younger prospects still establishing themselves in the academy system.

Training was light because the match was in two days, and the session focused on tactical walkthroughs and finishing patterns rather than physical conditioning.

The U21 coach gathered the squad afterward and his instructions were straightforward.

"Demien will be available off the bench for limited minutes," he said, and he looked directly at Demien, "the medical staff have given clear parameters—no heroics, play within yourself, and come off immediately if anything feels wrong."

Demien nodded while the rest of the squad listened without particular interest because substitute appearances from recovering first-team players were normal in youth football.

"For everyone else, this is a normal match," the coach continued, "Verona will press high and be aggressive, so we need to be composed in possession and clinical when chances come."

**Sunday, February 19, 2023

U21 Match Day

Atalanta U21 vs Hellas Verona U21

3:00 PM — Kickoff**

The U21 pitch felt different from senior football but not smaller, and the stands held maybe two hundred people—mostly family members and scouts—while the atmosphere was focused rather than electric.

Demien sat on the bench in his warmup gear watching the opening exchanges, and Verona's pressing was aggressive and disorganized in the way youth teams often played—maximum effort with minimal structural coherence.

Atalanta controlled possession comfortably and built a 2-0 lead by the twentieth minute through clinical finishing from their striker and a well-worked team goal, and the match felt settled early despite Verona's energetic pressing.

By halftime the score was 4-0 with Atalanta adding two more goals before the break, and Demien stayed on the bench while the coaching staff decided when to introduce him based on how the second half developed.

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