Crimson Wall: The Last Defender

November 2, 2003 — San Siro, Matchday 8

The sky over Milan had shifted. November clouds floated heavy and gray, casting long shadows over the red-brick facades of the city. San Siro stood solemn and proud in the cool morning, its circular towers disappearing into the mist like stone sentinels.

Luca Bellini zipped up his warm-up jacket and stood at the top of the player tunnel. The smell of fresh-cut grass drifted up from the field. This was home — the theater of his youth, the place where he'd watched legends as a boy. Now, he wore the colors they once bore.

Today's match against Lecce was expected to be routine. But Luca didn't believe in routines. He treated every fixture like it was the final of the Champions League.

He turned to Kaká as they jogged down to the field. "They haven't scored away in three games. They'll want to make a statement."

Kaká nodded. "You've been reading again."

"Every stat. Every shift."

"Relax, professor. Let's win first."

—

The past week had been filled with praise. The media had anointed Luca as the new heir of Italian defense. The Corriere dello Sport headline after the Roma match read: "Luca Bellini — A Wall Cast in Steel."

Ancelotti warned him not to read too much.

"You're only as good as your next match," he said after training. "Keep climbing. Don't look down."

Luca took that to heart. He doubled his reps in gym sessions. Stayed late to review footage. Pirlo, seeing his hunger, offered to walk him through positioning during set pieces.

"You're already good," Pirlo said. "But the game is like chess. Think five moves ahead."

—

Outside of training, life moved in quiet rhythm.

Sofía was working night shifts at the hospital now, part of her new rotation. She'd fall asleep on late-night calls with him, her voice drifting off mid-sentence. Luca didn't mind. Her presence, even tired, grounded him.

He still hadn't told her how he felt. It gnawed at him in quiet moments.

One night, after dinner with Kaká and Gattuso, Luca stared at a message draft: "Can we talk? Just us?"

He deleted it.

Soon, he told himself. After the next win.

—

Sunday morning.

In the locker room, the tension was mild but focused. Lecce wasn't Roma, but complacency was the enemy.

Ancelotti spoke calmly. "Lecce will press high early. They're light in defense. Let's break them wide."

Gattuso pounded a fist into his palm. "Let's finish this in the first half."

The team nodded.

The lineup:

Dida in goal. Cafu and Pancaro on the flanks. Nesta and Luca central.

Pirlo in the pivot. Gattuso to his right, Seedorf left. Kaká linking midfield and attack.

Inzaghi and Shevchenko up top.

Lecce countered with a 3-5-2: Sicignano in goal. Lanna, Stovini, and Bovo in defense. Cassetti and Tonetto wide. Midfield anchored by Ledesma, with Giacomazzi and Dalla Bona in support. Chevanton and Vučinić up front.

—

Kickoff.

The match started with pace. Lecce surprised early, pressing with energy. Chevanton forced a save from Dida in the 6th minute — a stinger from 25 meters.

Luca responded by tightening the line. He tracked Vučinić's drifting runs, calling out cover to Pancaro, guiding Nesta in shadowing Chevanton.

In the 12th minute, Pirlo pinged a pass to Cafu, who cut inside and fed Kaká. The Brazilian slalomed through two defenders, shot low — saved.

Milan turned up the heat. In the 18th minute, Seedorf lofted a cross into the box. Inzaghi timed his run perfectly — header. Bar.

The rebound spilled. Shevchenko charged.

1–0 Milan.

The Curva Sud erupted. Luca pumped his fist. But he didn't celebrate long.

Lecce responded. In the 23rd, Giacomazzi curled in a free kick. Bovo rose — and Luca leapt.

Header clear. Luca landed hard, rolled, and popped up.

Nesta clapped him on the back. "That's how it's done."

In the 30th minute, Chevanton fired again. Low. Dida parried. Luca cleared.

Kaká found him later and said, "You've got a magnet in your boots today."

Luca smiled, short and silent.

—

Second goal came just before half.

Seedorf switched flanks, found Cafu sprinting. The Brazilian swung in a cross. Inzaghi nodded it down. Kaká volleyed it in.

2–0 Milan.

At halftime, the mood was steady.

Ancelotti reminded them, "Stay sharp. Don't let them back in. Control the ball, dictate the game."

Gattuso leaned over to Luca. "Don't let that Chevanton breathe."

Luca nodded. "He won't."

—

Second half.

Milan dropped the tempo but maintained control. Pirlo orchestrated. Nesta anchored.

Luca continued to read every pass, stepping up when Lecce tried to float long balls.

In the 57th minute, Vučinić broke through on a mistake from Cafu. One-on-one. Luca chased, slid — clean.

Crowd roared.

Commentator voice over the broadcast: "That's not just youth, that's brilliance. Bellini with yet another textbook challenge."

Ancelotti made changes in the 65th. Ambrosini for Gattuso. Rui Costa for Kaká. Tomasson for Inzaghi.

In the 71st, Rui Costa danced past two and laid it off to Shevchenko. He hit it first time. Goal.

3–0.

Luca exhaled.

The match quieted. Lecce pushed no longer. The final minutes passed with calm.

—

Final whistle.

Milan 3 – Lecce 0.

Clean sheet. Commanding win.

In the locker room, Gattuso slapped Luca's shoulder. "That's how you lock the house."

Pirlo added, "Good reading today. Even Nesta's impressed."

Nesta grinned. "He's making my job easier. That's dangerous."

Kaká walked over. "Let's get dinner this week. You, me, and the usual troublemakers."

Luca nodded. "Let's bring Sofía."

They froze.

Gattuso smiled wide. "Look who's brave now."

—

That night, Luca went home and opened his notebook.

November 2 — Milan 3, Lecce 0

Minutes: 90

Clearances: 8

Interceptions: 6

Blocks: 2

Passing accuracy: 94%

Rating: 8.2

Team shape: stable

Confidence: growing

Sofía: smile in my mind

Tight. Sharp. Ready for the next hill.