The stadium was in delirium. The Yellow Wall was a sea of bouncing bodies and waving flags, their chants echoing around the ground with a ferocity that was almost frightening. On the pitch, the Dortmund players celebrated with a mixture of joy and determination.
They knew the job was not done, that Chelsea were a team of champions who would not go down without a fight. But they also knew that they had the momentum, that they had the belief, and that they had a sixteen-year-old maestro who was playing the game of his life.
Chelsea threw everything at Dortmund in the final thirty minutes. They pushed forward with desperation, their attacking intent leaving them vulnerable at the back. But Dortmund, marshaled by Hummels and inspired by Mateo, held firm. They defended with discipline, they counter-attacked with purpose, and they managed the game with a maturity that belied their youth.
Mateo's performance in those final minutes was a masterclass in game management.
