Lukas is introduced to his new teammates at Manchester City, including stars like Erling Haaland and İlkay Gündoğan. Gündoğan takes Lukas aside, sharing insights about the club's intense environment and the high expectations under Pep Guardiola. The next morning, Lukas experiences his first training session with the team at Lincoln Financial Field ahead of the Club World Cup.
Properly.
Not introductions.
Not greetings.
Football.
Kolo Touré was observed standing by the center circle, his whistle emitting a soft sound, as the players dispersed across the pitch.
"Alright, let’s get moving," the assistant coach announced. "Warm-up first."
The squad seamlessly divided into their warm-up groups.
Lukas found himself jogging alongside Gündoğan and Phil Foden, progressing through initial stretches and mobility drills.
The conversations were relaxed.
Loose.
Some players voiced complaints about the oppressive heat. Others commented on the condition of the pitch.
"It feels softer than I had anticipated," Foden remarked, testing the turf beneath his cleats.
"Still superior to some pitches we've encountered in preseason," Gündoğan responded with composure.
Nearby, Doku let out a hearty laugh after nearly losing his footing during a turn.
Nico O’Reilly promptly pointed at him. "Brother, the match hasn't even commenced yet."
Doku shook his head, still chuckling. "This American heat is attempting to defeat me."
Lukas offered a faint smile as they continued their drills.
Pep Guardiola stood further away, near the sideline, arms crossed, observing everything in silence. He spoke sparingly.
He didn't need to.
Every player remained acutely aware of his presence.
After approximately twenty minutes of warm-ups, passing exercises, and brief movement drills, Pepijn Lijnders blew his whistle with a sharp sound.
"Alright," he called out. "Short game. Thirty minutes. Six-a-side."
The players swiftly began forming teams.
Lukas was assigned to a side with Gvardiol, Aït-Nouri, Marmoush, Nico O’Reilly, Tijjani Reijnders, and Nathan Aké.
Facing them were Haaland, Khusanov, Matheus Nunes, Doku, Bernardo Silva, and Rayan Cherki.
The intensity subtly escalated once the game commenced.
Not a full-blown competition.
Yet, far from casual.
No one desired to perform poorly.
Especially not under Guardiola's gaze.
Initially, Lukas sensed a degree of hesitation.
Not antagonism.
Simply uncertainty.
A few instances occurred where he moved into open spaces near Bernardo Silva, subtly signaling for the ball with small gestures, but Gvardiol seemed reluctant to make the pass.
Too risky.
Too congested.
Bernardo was positioned too closely.
Lukas recognized this immediately and adapted, continuously maneuvering between spaces, at times almost intentionally positioning himself near pressure rather than away from it.
He was testing.
Learning.
Observing their reactions.
Then, the opportune moment finally arrived.
Gvardiol secured possession near the halfway line, facing mild pressure from Doku. He quickly scanned the field and spotted Lukas again, positioned almost too close to Bernardo Silva.
For a split second, he paused.
Then, he decided to trust the play.
The pass was delivered with pace.
Bernardo reacted instantly, lunging forward to intercept.
However, Lukas was faster.
His initial touch completely controlled the ball.
His second touch—a sharp turn executed with the outside of his boot.
Bernardo's momentum carried him past as Lukas cleanly spun into open space.
A single, fluid motion.
Executed with ease.
Effortlessly.
And before any other opponent could close him down, Lukas threaded a perfectly weighted pass between Khusanov and Nunes, finding Marmoush’s forward run.
Marmoush had already anticipated the pass.
Naturally, he had.
He latched onto the ball in stride and calmly slotted the finish low into the corner.
"YEAH!" Marmoush exclaimed immediately, pointing towards Lukas.
"Ay!"
"Okay!"
Nico O’Reilly chuckled heartily while jogging back towards the midfield.
"Yeah nah, I'm seeing it now."
Bernardo glanced back at Lukas, his eyes narrowed slightly, before breaking into a subtle smile.
It was that specific smile footballers share when they recognize immediate quality.
And by the sideline, Guardiola remained standing silently, arms folded.
Observing.
The small-sided game grew noticeably sharper after the initial goal.
The opposing team equalized almost instantly when Cherki dropped deep into midfield, received the ball with his back to goal, and then miraculously flicked a blind pass through two defenders without even looking.
Haaland had already begun his run.
The Norwegian striker surged into the space vacated behind Aké, took a single touch, and powerfully struck the ball past the small training goal.
Even in a light session, his finishing sounded ferocious.
A few minutes later, Cherki repeated his brilliance.
This time, he received the ball near the touchline with O’Reilly applying aggressive pressure, but instead of turning away, Cherki dragged the ball back with the sole of his foot before threading an astonishing outside-of-the-boot pass between Reijnders and Aït-Nouri.
Doku exploded onto the pass instantly.
One touch.
Rapid acceleration.
Clinical finish.
Score: 2–1.
"Ay nah," O’Reilly muttered while jogging back. "That's ridiculous."
Cherki simply offered a casual shrug.
By the sideline, Guardiola continued his quiet observation, speaking little.
Just watching.
Always watching.
The game maintained a high tempo as the final minutes drew near.
Then, Aït-Nouri received possession near the halfway line and played a swift pass to Reijnders, immediately continuing his forward run.
Reijnders made an immediate first-time pass.
Aït-Nouri, with minimal control, swiftly shifted his gaze upwards before launching a diagonal ball towards the far side of the field.
The ball ascended through the warm Philadelphia atmosphere, heading directly for Lukas.
Khusanov mirrored his movement without delay.
The instant Lukas controlled the ball with his chest, Khusanov collided with him, shoulder first.
It wasn't a foul.
Purely physical.
Exceptionally physical.
And Lukas felt the impact immediately.
The disparity in sheer power was undeniable.
The forceful contact almost sent him tumbling to the ground.
His body swayed precariously to the side as the ball threatened to slip away, but Lukas reacted with surprising speed. He briefly placed a hand on the turf for balance while simultaneously dragging the ball forward with his foot.
For a fleeting moment, the maneuver appeared chaotic.
Unsteady.
Spontaneous.
Yet, by some means, he maintained his footing.
Khusanov attempted to intervene once more, but he was too late.
Lukas had fully recovered his balance, stopped the ball dead, and then executed a sharp inward cut just as Matheus Nunes sprinted towards him, aiming to narrow the angle.
The ball deftly slipped through Nunes' legs.
A nutmeg.
Nunes immediately snapped his legs shut, clutching his head as nearby players erupted in laughter.
But Lukas was already in motion again.
Positioned near the boundary of the practice area, slightly to the left of the goal, he opened up his body and struck the ball with the outside of his boot.
The shot curved low and powerfully into the bottom corner.
The score became 2-2.
The referee's whistle sounded almost immediately after.
"Ayyyy!"
Marmoush exclaimed, laughing heartily as he jogged towards Lukas.
Gvardiol approached, shaking his head in amusement, before draping an arm around Lukas's shoulders and ruffling his hair vigorously.
"What kind of finish was that?" he chuckled.
Nearby, even Doku wore a wide grin, while Nunes still appeared disgruntled by the nutmeg.
A few steps away, Phil Foden observed the scene quietly, his hands resting on his hips.
He was smiling.
But he was also thinking.
The previous season had not been his best, a fact he readily acknowledged.
And now, despite De Bruyne's departure, the club had reinforced its squad with more technically gifted players.
First Cherki.
And now Lukas.
Two players capable of operating in the very dangerous areas he favored.
Foden watched Lukas sharing a laugh with Marmoush and Gvardiol, while Guardiola observed silently from the sidelines.
A realization gradually solidified in the back of his mind.
If he intended to remain a central figure within this team—
he would need to elevate his performance once more.
