Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
Atlético Madrid's go-ahead goal came in the 63rd minute.
From the start of the second half, both sides had been locked in a fierce battle, and Manchester City had looked dangerous enough to level the tie at any moment. The fans had barely been able to breathe.
Then Lance's Rabona assist had cut right through all of that.
Manchester City's momentum collapsed. The fans exhaled. The neutral supporters, particularly those from Real Madrid and Barcelona, had been hoping for a grinding, brutal war of attrition, ideally one that left both sides battered and several key players suspended. That scenario never materialised.
Manchester City, as if raising a white flag, fell apart.
In the 77th minute, Lance was surrounded by three players, held the ball up under pressure, and managed to work it out to Griezmann. Griezmann played it centrally. Torres arrived from behind and slotted it into the net.
3-1.
Aggregate 6-3. The tie was settled.
With no more fight left in Manchester City, Atlético Madrid shifted into conservation mode. Simeone brought off the double-scoring Torres and Lance, both of whom had played twice in a week, bringing on defensive cover to reinforce the back line.
The moment Lance left the field, Manchester City's players seemed to find a small second wind. Unfortunately for them, the defensive wall they now faced was impenetrable. Oblak formed his own personal Wall of Sighs, and as Agüero's frustrated late effort was comfortably gathered, every Manchester City player heard the three whistles with the same expression.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
"It's over!!! The match is over!!"
"In the standout tie of the Champions League quarter-finals, Lance led Atlético Madrid to a 3-1 victory over Premier League powerhouse Manchester City!!"
"Aggregate score 6-3!! Atlético Madrid advance to the semi-finals!!"
After the match, Lance, still in his substitute training kit, was picked out by the director's close-up camera. Man of the Match. He was presented with the hollowed-out Champions League logo trophy by UEFA officials.
Honestly, Lance was running out of shelf space at home. A few more seasons of this and he could open an online store.
Meanwhile, PR manager Hanna Müller scrolled through social media, checked the coverage, and closed her phone with quiet satisfaction.
After the doubts of the early season, nobody was questioning Lance anymore. Nobody dared. A player operating at the level of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, delivering performances like these in knockout football, was beyond criticism. Even fans in the Barcelona and Real Madrid camps struggled to find fault. Their only complaint was that Lance played for the wrong team.
The occasional extreme voice online bringing up appearances and skin colour was buried under an avalanche of replies within seconds.
As for Manchester City supporters and the English media, beyond giving Lance grudging credit, most of the fire landed on Pellegrini and Sterling. Sterling had been hammered by outlets like The Sun and the Manchester Evening News for days. Pellegrini was reportedly on thin ice with the Manchester City hierarchy, his position under serious threat.
The Guardian had run a detailed piece on Manchester City's pursuit of Guardiola.
"...It is reported that current Bayern Munich manager Guardiola is strongly expected to take over at Manchester City. The Mansour family have offered a substantial contract to the six-trophy winning manager, promising a blank cheque in the transfer market. If Manchester City win nothing this season, significant investment is expected in the summer window..."
Before flying back to England, De Bruyne quietly made his way to Lance's house for dinner. Going to a restaurant after losing to the man you had just faced would have meant paparazzi photos and an avalanche of criticism from Manchester City fans. The only sensible option was to visit discreetly.
Lance had arranged for a Michelin-starred chef from one of Madrid's finest restaurants to prepare a proper spread. He had also invited Griezmann, Koke, Torres, and a few others. De Bruyne brought Kompany along.
He had thought about inviting Agüero, but Agüero had no stomach for a social gathering after the defeat and politely said no.
They had been fighting each other on the pitch a few hours earlier. Around this table, everyone was relaxed, drinking, talking, laughing.
"Do you fancy your chances against Barcelona?" Kompany asked, with a smile.
Before Lance could answer, Griezmann cut in.
"Barcelona? Just a side we've beaten before."
"Listen to you. Pretty bold for someone I was shutting down all match. Let's see you say that again at the Euros."
"Fine, big man. I'll still get past you at the Euros."
Kompany had made Griezmann's life extremely difficult across both legs. The peak Manchester City centre-back, physically imposing and tactically shrewd, had been a real problem. Kompany was not threatened by the boast. He simply smiled.
"Don't forget. Lance will be on our side."
"Hiss."
Griezmann had instinctively thought of Lance as his teammate for a moment. Then it hit him. At Euro 2016, Lance would be playing for Belgium. France would be facing a Belgian side featuring Lance, De Bruyne, and Hazard.
France had quality too: Giroud, Pogba, Kanté, Evra, Martial, and rising talents like Mbappé. But up against that Belgium lineup?
The Euros were being held in France. Getting beaten on home soil by Belgium would be a disaster.
With two months to go before the tournament, Griezmann was already anxious.
"Antoine, why are you panicking?"
Lance was genuinely amused.
Working himself up before the battle had even started. In the original timeline, France had actually reached the final. They had come within one match of the title, falling short against a Portugal side that had stumbled and ground their way to the trophy. That tournament had been a step in France's gradual development toward the 2018 World Cup. They were not a weak side.
Belgium, on the other hand, for all the quality across their squad, had in that same original timeline been knocked out 3-1 by Wales in the quarter-finals. A Wales side built largely around Gareth Bale. For a squad that looked on paper like one of the tournament favourites, it had been a spectacular underperformance.
With Lance now in the picture, perhaps Belgium's fate could be different.
They talked late into the evening before De Bruyne and Kompany headed back to the hotel. Manchester City left Madrid the following morning to refocus on the Premier League.
For Atlético Madrid, the Champions League was just one front. The most important thing right now was not to let the focus drop.
La Liga Matchday 33: with Lance on the bench to manage his workload, a rotated squad beat Granada 2-0 comfortably. Still just one point behind Barcelona.
"At the top of the La Liga table, leaders Barcelona and second-placed Atlético Madrid are separated by a single point with five rounds to go.
The direct head-to-head in Matchday 35 could well decide who lifts the title this season.
Tune in to CCTV5 for live coverage."