As Kai led the Arsenal players into the tunnel, the Anderlecht squad was already lined up on the other side.
Among them stood Youri Tielemans.
The young midfielder fixed his eyes on Kai without blinking. His expression carried a mix of pride and open provocation.
Several Arsenal players noticed it immediately.
Their reactions were far less calm.
One of them muttered under his breath.
"Just wait, kid."
Kai stepped to the front of the line and faced straight ahead.
Once he entered the tunnel, he pushed everything else out of his mind. The noise, the comments, the challenge from Tielemans. None of it mattered anymore.
Now there was only the match.
Soon, the referee signaled for both teams to walk out.
The players stepped onto the pitch of the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium as the crowd roared around them.
On the broadcast, Martin Taylor's voice carried the moment.
"Both teams are making their way onto the pitch now. Anderlecht will certainly feel this is a big opportunity tonight. Arsenal arrive in excellent form, but the home side will believe they can make life very difficult."
Beside him, Alan Smith added calmly.
"And there's been plenty of talk before kickoff about the midfield battle. Kai against the young Tielemans. It's an interesting storyline, although the experience gap is quite significant."
At the same time, the Belgian broadcast carried a far more patriotic tone.
The commentator De Liete sounded excited.
"Here come the Anderlecht players, walking onto the pitch with confidence. They want to defeat Arsenal at home and claim all three points."
He continued shamelessly.
"And of course, the biggest highlight tonight is the confrontation between Kai and Tielemans. Two talented midfielders. What kind of match will they give us?"
He turned toward his guest commentator.
"Rossman, how do you evaluate this duel?"
Rossman glanced at him calmly.
"Tielemans is clearly a talented player. He has great potential and a long career ahead of him."
He paused before continuing.
"But the current Tielemans should not be compared with Kai."
De Liete frowned slightly.
"But he is a genius."
Rossman almost rolled his eyes.
"One player is performing week after week in the Premier League. The other is playing in the Belgian league. That difference alone already explains a lot."
De Liete was still unwilling to concede.
"However, Tielemans had a brilliant Champions League performance last season. That world-class goal he scored was spectacular."
Rossman stopped responding.
There was no point in arguing.
Yes, Tielemans had produced a memorable moment in Europe.
But comparing that to Kai's influence was unrealistic.
Kai had been selected in the Champions League Team of the Season.
At defensive midfield, his performances had included marking players like Arjen Robben and competing physically with Cristiano Ronaldo without being overpowered.
Tielemans was talented. No one denied that.
But reaching Kai's level would take far more than potential.
Rossman stayed silent while De Liete, sounding pleased with himself, began reading the starting lineups.
Arsenal lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Goalkeeper: Keylor Navas.
Defenders: Bacary Sagna, Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs.
Def. Midfielders: N'Golo Kanté, Kai
Att. Midfielders: Ángel Di María, Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sánchez.
Forward: Luis Suárez.
Alan Smith commented on the Sky broadcast.
"That's a very strong attacking lineup from Arsenal. Plenty of creativity behind Suárez."
Martin Taylor continued.
"And Kai is again operating through the middle. He's been central to everything Arsenal have done this season."
Anderlecht also set up in a 4-2-3-1.
Goalkeeper: Silvio Proto.
Defenders: Anthony Vanden Borre, Chancel Mbemba, Olivier Deschacht, Frank Acheampong.
Def. Midfielders: Steven Defour, Youri Tielemans
Att. Midfielders: Andy Najar, Dennis Praet, Ibrahima Conte.
Forward: Ciriac.
After the coin toss, Anderlecht took the kickoff.
Arsenal players moved into position on the right side of the pitch.
The Anderlecht squad looked energized.
Facing Arsenal meant opportunity. A win here could bring instant attention across Europe.
A single goal against a team like Arsenal could change a player's reputation overnight.
Arsenal, in contrast, looked relaxed.
They remembered very well that Anderlecht had conceded three goals against Borussia Dortmund earlier in the group stage.
Several Arsenal players quietly wondered where the confidence to challenge their captain had come from.
The referee stepped away from the center circle.
The whistle blew.
The match began.
Ciriac tapped the ball backward.
The pass quickly rolled toward Tielemans.
Instead of sending it further back, the young midfielder chose to face forward. Ángel Di María pressed toward him immediately.
Tielemans feinted to the right.
Then he suddenly dragged the ball back.
Di María lost his balance for a split second.
Tielemans slipped past him.
Di María turned around with an irritated expression.
Tielemans calmly passed the ball into the center circle and then moved away, giving a short pass to a teammate before retreating.
As he jogged back into position, he shrugged his shoulders toward the Arsenal midfield.
Several Arsenal players noticed it instantly.
On the bench, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shook his head.
"That's ridiculous. I swear I want to slide straight through him."
A few substitutes beside him nodded.
Despite the irritation, Tielemans' action had an effect.
Arsenal's midfield pushed forward aggressively, which briefly disrupted their usual rhythm.
Anderlecht began circulating the ball confidently.
For a short period, they actually controlled possession.
The home crowd responded with excitement.
On Belgian television, De Liete raised his voice.
"Look at that movement. Anderlecht are passing the ball very well inside Arsenal's midfield."
Rossman simply shook his head.
Anyone watching carefully could see that Arsenal were probing and observing.
But the excitement in the stadium made people ignore that detail.
Suddenly, the ball reached Ciriac near the edge of the box.
Bang.
He struck it first time.
The shot flew just over the crossbar.
Martin Taylor reacted on the Sky broadcast.
"That's the first effort of the match. Ciriac tries his luck from distance."
Alan Smith nodded.
"Not a bad strike at all. But Arsenal won't be too worried yet."
It was a dangerous moment.
Laurent Koscielny had pushed too far forward and was beaten, which briefly left Arsenal exposed at the back.
Fortunately for Arsenal, the Anderlecht forward had not quite found his rhythm yet.
The shot flew over the bar.
Still, it was enough to serve as a warning.
Then a voice thundered across the pitch.
"Wake up! If you want to sleep, go sleep outside the pitch!"
Kai's roar cut straight through the tension.
Several Arsenal players instinctively stiffened.
It was not the first time they had heard their captain raise his voice like that, but the effect was always the same. When Kai shouted, everyone listened.
The warning worked.
Arsenal's focus immediately sharpened.
Play restarted with Arsenal in possession, and the ball quickly reached Kai in midfield.
Anderlecht striker Ciriac sprinted straight toward him, trying to apply pressure.
Kai did not bother with tricks.
He stood his ground and waited for the contact.
Thump.
Ciriac ran straight into him.
For a moment, it felt like colliding with a wall.
His entire body jolted with the impact, while Kai barely moved. The Arsenal captain only shifted slightly, his boots still planted firmly on the grass.
Ciriac stumbled back two steps.
By then, Kai had already nudged the ball sideways, creating space.
The next pass rolled cleanly to Santi Cazorla.
Cazorla did not hesitate.
He turned and immediately launched the attack.
Arsenal's passing began to flow.
Short combinations, quick movement, and constant rotation pulled Anderlecht's midfield apart. The ball moved rapidly between red shirts, darting through the gaps like a series of sharp flashes.
From the Sky Sports commentary box, Martin Taylor's voice rose slightly.
"Arsenal is moving the ball very well here. That's the kind of rhythm they enjoy."
Alan Smith nodded.
"Yes, once they start passing like this, it becomes very difficult to stop. Quick movement, one-touch football, and suddenly they're right on top of you."
To the Anderlecht players, it felt as if they were chasing shadows.
Within seconds, Arsenal had pushed the ball to the edge of the penalty area.
Alexis Sánchez spotted a narrow opening and tried his luck from distance.
The shot dipped toward the corner, but goalkeeper Silvio Proto reacted quickly and held onto it.
Proto immediately looked up.
Seeing space for a counterattack, Tielemans raised his hand and called for the ball.
Although officially positioned as a defensive midfielder, he had drifted into the left attacking channel.
Proto launched a long kick upfield.
Tielemans walked calmly toward the dropping ball, glancing upward as he judged its flight.
But just as he reached the spot where it would land, something stopped him from moving.
Someone had positioned himself directly behind him.
Tielemans turned his head.
Kai.
Tielemans tried to push backward and claim the space.
Kai did not move.
Tielemans frowned and pushed harder.
Still nothing.
Kai stood like a pillar, completely unmoved.
Tielemans tried again, this time with all his strength.
But Kai had already secured the best position.
As the ball dropped, Kai leaned slightly backward and nodded it away with a controlled header.
First contact, Arsenal.
Kai then stepped back, brought the ball under control, and calmly began organizing the play again.
Tielemans watched him with a tight expression.
He felt frustrated.
Aerial duels were never his strongest area, and he convinced himself that this did not prove anything.
There would be other moments.
Kai, meanwhile, showed no interest in rushing forward.
Instead, he slowed the tempo.
From his position in midfield, he guided the rhythm, making sure Arsenal settled down.
Several teammates were still eager to charge forward after the earlier provocation.
Kai wanted to calm them first.
If everyone attacked at once, someone had to protect the back line.
Arsenal began circulating the ball patiently.
Kai became the central pivot, shifting passes from one side of the pitch to the other.
Anderlecht players tried repeatedly to press him.
But every time they closed in, one of two things happened.
Either Kai released the pass before the challenge arrived.
Or he simply held them off with his body.
One Anderlecht midfielder tried to shoulder him off the ball.
Kai barely reacted.
From the commentary box, Alan Smith spoke with a small laugh.
"You can see the difference in physical strength there. Once Kai plants himself, he's very hard to move."
Martin Taylor agreed.
"Absolutely. He shields the ball extremely well, and it allows Arsenal to control the tempo of the match."
The Anderlecht players were clearly uncomfortable with this style of play.
Arsenal's calm circulation forced them to chase continuously.
Minute by minute, their patience began to wear thin.
. . .
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