Paris — Full Time
The final whistle echoed across the Parc des Princes.Manchester United had advanced.
No wild celebrations.No choreographed celebrations.Just players breathing — exhausted, relieved, proud.
🔴 IN THE LOCKER ROOM
The dressing room was quiet at first.
Soaked kits were peeled off.Cracked voices traded short jokes.Muscles cramped under cold sprays and heated patches.
Then someone shouted from the showers:
"We're through, boys! Let that sink in!"
That lit the spark.
Laughter.Shoulder slaps.Casemiro whooping like it was a title match.Garnacho running around with his shirt on his head.
Amorim entered last, arms folded, a faint smile on his face.
He nodded toward the squad.
"That's the kind of night you train for."
He stopped by Mateo, who was cooling down quietly at the end of the bench.
"Solid performance," Amorim said."Games like this shape careers."
Mateo gave a simple nod, sipping water.
"And we're not done yet."
🎙 POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS
Bruno Fernandes stood under the lights.
"We stayed composed when it mattered.These knockout ties are about mentality. We showed that tonight."
Casemiro added:
"We had to dig deep. Everyone played their part."
Mateo, cool and collected, kept it short.
Reporter: "Big night. Your thoughts on the performance?"
Mateo: "It was intense. Full credit to PSG. But we stuck together. That's what counted."
Reporter: "Top scorer in the knockout stage so far — feeling the momentum?"
Mateo:"I'm in rhythm, yeah. But now it's about recovery. Big games ahead."
🧠 SYSTEM LOG
✅ Match Result: Victory🎖 Trait: Silent Anchor — Maintained
Team Morale +Fatigue Recovery +
✅ Champions League Progression🔜 Quarterfinal Draw Scheduled
📺 AROUND EUROPE — OTHER RESULTS
Champions League Quarterfinalists:
Manchester United
Real Madrid
Manchester City
Bayern Munich
Barcelona
Napoli
Benfica
Arsenal
Analysts had a field day.
"Every team left has the firepower to win it all."
"One of the most stacked final eights in recent memory."
The draw was set for the following morning.
🏡 BACK IN MANCHESTER
Mateo got home late. The city was calm, but his mind still replayed key moments.
At the door, Klara greeted him with tea in one hand, a smile in the other.
"You look like you went through five wars."
Mateo chuckled.
"More like two hours of nonstop pressure."
They curled up on the couch in silence.No phone. No noise. Just the occasional sip of tea and shared glances.
It wasn't celebration.
It was quiet recognition of a job well done — and a mountain still ahead.