Sunday, October 22nd, recovery ran lighter for him than for the players who’d completed ninety minutes at Bramall Lane — passing under pressure, short acceleration work, finishing, small-sided possession, more football than the heavy-minute group got.
Monday, October 23rd, Copenhagen preparation began in earnest.
The analysis screen showed Copenhagen’s compact mid-block, their front three narrow, pressing from outside toward the center to funnel United into predictable areas.
"You don’t carry into three defenders just because you can hold the ball under pressure," Ten Hag told him. "Pull one wide presser inward. Use the fullback outside you. Recycle if the center’s shut. Attack the second phase before they can reset."
「CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREPARATION MISSION ACTIVATED」 「MISSION: Break Copenhagen’s Mid-Block」 「Complete 5 Pressure-Release Actions」 「Create 3 Attacks Behind the Outside Press」 「Recover 3 Second Balls」 「Reward: +20 TP」
First repetition — Demien received centrally, beat the first presser, then carried straight into Copenhagen’s simulated second line.
The ball was stripped, and the training opposition broke forward.
Ten Hag stopped the drill. "Beating the first man doesn’t mean you have to beat the second yourself."
Restart.
Demien received again.
「TRAIT ACTIVATED」 「Press Resistant」
He released Dalot before the second presser arrived, kept moving, took Dalot’s return, and switched it toward Rashford while Copenhagen’s simulated block was still shifted the other way.
「LEGENDARY SKILL ACTIVATED」 「Toni Kroos — Metronome」
Two more repetitions ran clean after that, the pattern holding.
「CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREPARATION MISSION COMPLETE」 「Pressure-Release Actions: 6/5」 「Attacks Behind Outside Press: 3/3」 「Second Balls Recovered: 4/3」 「Reward: +20 TP」
Tuesday, October 24th, Old Trafford still carried tributes to Sir Bobby scattered around the stadium.
The Champions League anthem rolled out before kickoff.
United knew what the group table meant tonight.
Copenhagen arrived organized rather than overwhelmed.
「CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH MISSION ACTIVATED」 「Manchester United vs FC Copenhagen」 「Complete 6 Line-Breaking Actions」 「Create 3 Clear Chances」 「Record 3 Defensive Recoveries」 「Record 1 Direct Goal Contribution」 「Reward: +80 MP」
The first half stayed difficult, Copenhagen’s narrow mid-block absorbing everything United tried.
「TRAIT ACTIVATED」 「Press Resistant」
「LEGENDARY SKILL ACTIVATED」 「Andrea Pirlo — Deep-Lying Playmaker」
Demien moved United through pressure repeatedly, but Copenhagen kept recovering around their own box.
Højlund had a chance blocked.
Rashford was forced wide on a promising run.
One long Demien switch opened the pitch completely, only for the resulting cross to be cleared.
Halftime: 0-0.
United came out needing quicker switches and more urgency on second balls.
They found it.
In the seventy-second minute, a United corner was half-cleared, and Demien collected the second ball outside the box.
Copenhagen’s front player rushed him, expecting the shot.
Demien let him come.
「LEGENDARY SKILL ACTIVATED」 「Toni Kroos — Metronome」
One controlling touch, a beat to let Copenhagen’s line step out, then he curled it back toward the far side.
「STATS ACTIVE」 「Vision: 99 | Long Passing: 99 | Curve: 99」
Maguire attacked the space behind the recovering defender and headed it beyond the goalkeeper.
Manchester United 1 — 0 CopenhagenHarry Maguire (Assist: Demien Walter)
「MATCH MISSION PROGRESS」 「Direct Goal Contributions: 1/1」
Maguire’s celebration ran loud and emotional, the week’s weight behind it, and the cameras stayed with him rather than cutting to Demien.
United’s second came later, around the eighty-third minute, Copenhagen pushing numbers forward chasing an equalizer.
Demien won the ball and released the first transition pass, no assist attached to it, and Garnacho carried it into space before finding Højlund inside the box.
Højlund finished clean.
Manchester United 2 — 0 Copenhagen
Demien celebrated with him at the touchline, the goal entirely Højlund and Garnacho’s.
Copenhagen had one more chance near the end, a cross reaching the far post that drew a header just wide, enough to remind everyone they’d still been dangerous.
Full time.
Manchester United 2 — 0 Copenhagen
「CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH MISSION COMPLETE」 「Line-Breaking Actions: 8/6」 「Clear Chances Created: 4/3」 「Defensive Recoveries: 4/3」 「Direct Goal Contributions: 1/1」 「Assist: 1」 「Reward: +80 MP」
United’s group table now read a draw against Bayern, a win over Galatasaray, and a win over Copenhagen — seven points from three, a far stronger position than they’d have had otherwise. Post-match coverage had already shifted from talk of United surviving the group to whether they could challenge Bayern for the top spot outright.
Demien gave the mixed zone one short answer about the assist and Copenhagen’s block, nothing more, before the bigger story waiting outside Old Trafford took over completely.
The Manchester derby.
Wednesday, October 25th, the split-screen graphics took over Carrington’s television screens.
MANCHESTER DERBY — SUNDAY
UNITED vs CITY
HAALAND vs WALTER
OLD TRAFFORD: OCTOBER 29
PARIS: OCTOBER 30
"Haaland’s still the benchmark," one analyst said. "Fifty-two goals in fifty-three appearances during the treble season, a Premier League record of thirty-six, twelve more in the Champions League. He’s already won UEFA’s Player of the Year."
"Walter affects more of the pitch, though," another countered. "Progression, creation, recovery, finishing — he’s just delivered a ten-minute England hat-trick and then set up a Champions League winner four days later."
A third cut through both of them. "Sunday can’t rewrite the Ballon d’Or — that’s already a closed evaluation period. What Sunday changes is the conversation heading into Paris the following night, nothing more than that."
Beneath it all, the ticker kept running.
BALLON D’OR — MONDAY, OCTOBER 30
PARIS — THÉÂTRE DU CHÂTELET
Another panel widened the lens — City the reigning treble winners, United building real momentum in this version of the season, Kevin De Bruyne still out injured, Haaland still City’s central threat regardless.
Can United’s midfield escape City’s press. Does Demien play as the eight or drop deeper beside Casemiro. Who takes Haaland when City pin the center-backs. Can United hurt City when their fullbacks tuck into midfield.
Demien walked through Carrington’s lounge while one screen ran through all of it, slowing only when a graphic put his photo and Haaland’s side by side under the Ballon d’Or logo — Haaland’s column listing the treble and the fifty-two goals, his own listing Atalanta, the United start, the England rise, the hat-trick.
Højlund clocked him watching. "Planning on scoring three against City too? Seems like that’s just how you handle champions now."
"City aren’t Italy," Demien said.
"Haaland isn’t Scamacca either," Højlund said.
That brought it back down to football, where it belonged.
Marco’s message came through not long after — Paris travel being coordinated around Sunday’s derby, Isabella’s arrangements progressing, Sophia’s details passed along, formal confirmation to follow once everything locked in.
Demien read Sophia’s name in the message twice before locking his phone.
Wednesday morning, the day after Copenhagen, Demien walked into the analysis room and found the screen already changed.
The Copenhagen clips were gone.
A frozen frame of Manchester City’s buildup play had replaced them — Rodri underneath the ball, Bernardo Silva between the lines, Foden drifting inside.
At the top of the image, Erling Haaland stood positioned between United’s two center-backs.
Ten Hag waited until the room had settled, then pointed straight at him.
"Everything changes if he gets this space."
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