Harbinger Of Glory

While he sat with his thoughts, the door to that same executive room opened.

”Welcome,” one of the staff said as he looked at the two women entering!

Vittoria returned the greeting with a small smile and then moved first, followed closely by Gianna, who hadn’t been able to keep quiet for the better part of half an hour.

”Imagine if my boyfriend wasn’t also playing in this game,” she said, putting her palm across her chest like she had been shot there.

”You didn’t even tell me you were coming and only informed me of your arrival just this morning! What has love done to you, my friend!”

Vittoria sighed as she walked toward the seats.

”It seems Carlo indulges in your drama and little acts,” she said and then shoved Gianna slightly.

”Yes, he does. Have I improved?” Gianna muttered sarcastically and then huffed.

Vittoria ignored her again as the two came up to their seats, with Gianna sitting down first while Vittoria leaned forward and looked down toward the pitch.

”They must not be out yet,” she muttered to herself, but Gianna caught it anyway.

”No. Just United at the moment,” she observed as Vittoria finally settled into her seat, eyes still locked on the scene beyond the glass expanse.

.....

Below them, Manchester United continued their warm-up, and with how they were moving, they had every right to be confident.

Onana, who was being tested in goal, was looking sharper than ever, something that had become a rare sight for the Manchester United fans who thought they were getting the second coming of Peter Schmeichel when they signed the UCL finalist the past season.

The first few games had been okay, with very good performances in between, and that had been some dreadful ones.

For that evening, the United fans were hoping that whatever dice had been rolled was going to land on a strong performance from their keeper after the season had seen them begin off the wrong foot.

They had climbed back to the eighth position in the league table and another win was going to push them into the top six, even if just for a while before the Sunday games were played.

While the United team stayed with their business, movement rose at the entrance or exit of the tunnel, depending on where you were coming from or going, a few minutes later.

Whatmough stepped forward first, leading the pack into the territory of the red devils, who, despite their form, could prove detrimental to any side if things clicked!

He turned and beckoned the rest of the Wigan players along before looking ahead!

”Come on guys!”

One after another, they followed him toward the pitch.

Leo emerged among them in his warm-up kit, and he stopped for barely a second.

His eyes moved across the stands, and the sheer size of Old Trafford hit differently from the pitch.

The 74,000+ crowd was vocal.

He looked toward the home fans and then the opposite stand before his gaze settled right above the higher stands in the stadium, where one of the various executive boxes sat!

For a second, he seemed to smile slightly before he eventually stopped, lowered his gaze and jogged toward his teammates.

The fans took their time with Leo, watching the so-called ”boy wonder” of the league walk in their yard, and it was hard not to be gutted.

From what they had seen, the boy was really good, and could have been someone they could have called their own, but thanks to their club’s mismanagement and crappy system, they had seen the academy product walk away, and they were watching him flourish somewhere else.

For some fans, it was hard to hate the kit, especially after hearing about the whole situation!

For some, though, nothing could make them keep their mouths to themselves!

They had spent the week hearing about his return, and when he touched the ball for the first time, they immediately made it clear that it wasn’t going to be a comfortable evening.

”booooooooooooooo!” ”Boooooooooooo!”

Hearing all that hostility, Leo raised an eyebrow right as the ball came to his feet.

”This early,” he muttered and then returned to rolling the ball at his feet before playing it on.

The reaction grew again, though not everyone joined in.

There were supporters watching him with a different expression, people who never knew him but couldn’t let go of what could have been.

For them, seeing him in Wigan colours was less about betrayal than a reminder of what had gone wrong with the club!

And so although others clearly felt differently about Leo’s presence at the Theatre of Dreams, they weren’t going to harass him.

Either way, Leo had become part of the story before the game had even started.

Across the pitch, Dawson was speaking to Nolan when the noise caught his attention.

He looked toward the stands and then toward Leo.

Leo was already moving again, apparently content to let the supporters say whatever they wanted.

Dawson watched him for another second before turning back to Nolan, continuing the talk with his assistant coach as the warmup continued away from them.

Eventually, the final drills came to an end, and the players began heading back toward the tunnel.

Leo slowed when he spotted Rashford near the tunnel.

The Manchester United winger had just finished his own warm-up and was walking off when Leo approached, and he also slowed.

They exchanged a brief hug as Rashford smiled slightly.

”It’s not going to be easy tonight,” he said the second the crowd’s noise died down slightly.

Leo nodded and then looked back at the stands.

”It was never going to be, but I am glad it is happening.”

Rashford held out his hand and then nodded at Leo’s words.

”Then let’s have a good game, shall we?” he said as Leo took his hands in his.

”Let’s do so,” he said as Rashford nodded once more and then turned away!

Leo turned back toward the tunnel and jogged after his teammates as one by one, the Wigan players disappeared from the pitch.

At the far touchline, Erik ten Hag remained where he was, watching them leave.

His eyes stayed on Leo for a moment longer before he finally turned back toward his own players.

It was time for the talk that counted!