blackout - Alexia Putellas

54.

enjoy chapter 54. ☕️✍🏼

"Everyone stop talking!"

Jonathan's loud, commanding voice echoed through the locker room, the harsh sound cutting through the half-time chatter like a knife through butter.

Immediately, the entire Barcelona squad fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air as they listened intently, everyone finding their cubby in silence.

"¿En qué estabas pensando? ¿Pensabas jugar como principiantes y ganar la final contra el Lyon?"

His tone was stern, laced with disappointment, while the players' heads hung low, some shuffling uncomfortably in their seats as they absorbed Jonathan's words. The frustration around the locker room was palpable, a collective sigh of disappointment reverberating through the room.

"I'm going to tell you something," Jonathan continued, his voice a tad softer now, morphing into one of encouragement. "The moment you go back out there in around 12 minutes, I don't want you to dwell on this first half. Forget it. It was bad. Horrible. The worst I've seen you play this season."

His gaze swept across the locker room, locking eyes with each player to ensure he's understood.

"We've all worked hard all year, day in, day out, and we haven't done it to hang our heads now. Use the next few minutes, drink enough and clear your head. And when we go right back out there, I want to see what we've been working for months."

As Jonathan made his way to confer with individual players and give some tactical instructions, the locker room still buzzed with nerves.

Players went through their half time routines, the weight of their head coach' words sinking in, fueling their determination to turn the game around.

They wanted, no, they needed to beat Lyon.

Amidst the chaos, Erin's attention was suddenly drawn to Alexia, who sat quietly inside her cubby, a mask of pure exhaustion clouding her features.

Immediately, the blonde's gaze locked with weary, hazel eyes, concern etching on her face as she heard the two time Ballon D'Or winner address her.

"Do you have a minute?"

Erin couldn't shake the unease that settled in her chest as she watched the midfielder shift in her cubby, her usually indomitable spirit dimmed by the weight of the first half's disappointments.

The captain's fatigue was evident in the droop of her shoulders and the weariness etched into her features.

"Are you... okay?" Erin's concern was palpable, her voice soft as she approached the athlete, the medical bag clutched tightly in her hand as she knelt before her.

A quick nod was Alexia's response, but it was far from reassuring. The urgency in her nod hinted at the turmoil beneath the surface, the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm her.

"I just... this first half was horrible," the two time Ballon D'Or winner confessed, her voice barely above a whisper as she sipped from the cool water of the bottle she held, before pouring some over her neck in an attempt to cool down.

The blonde felt her heart clench at the sight of Alexia's discomfort, her fingers itching to soothe the ache she saw in her girlfriend's eyes.

She couldn't bear to see Alexia like this, vulnerable and worn down by the game.

As the captain leaned forward to remove her jersey and change, Erin's gaze lingered on the scratches and bruises marking her skin, each one a testament to the intensity of the match.