March 2020 | Milan, Italy
The world was loud just days ago.
Screaming fans, camera flashes, the roar of San Siro under floodlights—it all felt infinite.
And now?
Silence.
A strange, eerie silence Enzo had never known.
March 6th, 2020 – Milanello
That Friday morning started like any other.
The sky over Milanello was crystal clear, the spring air sharp with energy.
Enzo woke to the sound of birds outside his window—an unusual change from the usual buzz of traffic or his brother's music thumping from the living room.
He sat up, checked his phone.
"BREAKING: COVID-19 cases rise in Lombardy. Serie A under review."
He blinked. Refreshed Twitter. Refreshed again.
Sky Italia was already flooding with headlines.
🎙️ "Uno scenario mai visto: Serie A a porte chiuse?!"
🎙️ "Enzo Sky Vito e i giovani del Milan potrebbero affrontare un mese di stop."
At breakfast, his mother was quiet, her coffee untouched.
His father wore that look—the serious one. The businessman in him could read patterns.
And the pattern now… was chaos.
"We might need to cancel the event with YSL next week," his father said.
Enzo just nodded.
March 8th, 2020 – Matchday Cancelled
The match against Genoa was postponed hours before kickoff.
The squad had arrived, boots laced, kits folded, Enzo's Number 19 shirt draped across the bench like it was waiting for battle.
Instead, they were sent home.
It was Donnarumma who broke the tension on the ride back.
"First time I've ever left San Siro dry. Not even a warm-up."
Hakan patted Enzo's knee. "Strange times, fratellino."
Enzo smiled faintly but said nothing.
Inside, his chest felt tight—and it wasn't from fitness drills.
March 9th, 2020 – Lockdown Begins
The government declared a full lockdown in Northern Italy. Training sessions were halted. Players were sent home indefinitely.
Enzo watched the announcement on Sky Italia from his living room.
🎙️ "Il calcio si ferma. Ma la speranza no."
All his routines collapsed overnight.
No Milanello. No stadium. No press conferences, no fans chanting his name, no Leão making wild dance videos in the locker room. Just silence.
The Off-Field Life Slows Down
Enzo began creating a routine.
8:00 a.m. — wake up, journal his thoughts.
8:30 a.m. — workout on the terrace, skipping rope, resistance bands.
10:00 a.m. — breakfast, then hours on PlayStation or watching old R9 footage.
Afternoons were for FaceTimes with his brother, family check-ins, Sky Italia breakdowns, and reading through YSL's fashion drafts they sent digitally.
A Call with Leão
Leão FaceTimed one afternoon wearing sunglasses indoors, as always.
"Yo bro, you good?"
Enzo was lying on his floor doing crunches.
"Just missing the pitch."
"Same. I miss scoring in training and watching you try those crazy no-look goals like a telenovela star."
They laughed.
Then silence.
Then, Leão said something soft:
"Sometimes… I think the world needed to breathe, you know?"
Enzo nodded. "Yeah. Maybe we all did."
Media, Hype, and Pressure
Sky Italia began re-airing Milan matches from the season.
Every game where Enzo had started now played like a prophecy. Commentators gushed over his acceleration, the flicks, the magic. In reruns, his Del Piero celebration after the goal vs. Juve looked like cinema.
🎙️ "Guardate! Guardate il ragazzo con l'anima brasiliana e il cuore milanese! Questo è calcio!"
But with the spotlight came pressure.
Pundits asked: Will he stay grounded? Will fame swallow him?
Enzo heard every word.
But instead of replying with interviews, he replied with sweat.
Every day, he trained.
March 20th, 2020 – Alone at San Siro
Milan gave special permission for one player per day to visit San Siro for filming a lockdown awareness campaign. Enzo volunteered.
He arrived alone, masked, gloved, escorted by one staff member.
He stood in the center circle—alone under the towering red seats.
His breath echoed.
He took it all in.
This place... it's nothing without people.
Without the voices. Without the drums. But even empty... it's still holy.
He closed his eyes, imagined the crowd, the banners, the chants. He stretched out his arms like he did every game, spinning slowly.
He wasn't playing.
But he was feeling.
Final Notes of the Chapter
By the end of March, Italy was in full lockdown. The death toll had shocked the nation. Football was no longer the heartbeat.
Enzo, still just 18, became a voice for youth during the silence.
He posted a video:
"Stay safe. We'll play again soon. But for now… dribble fear. Pass love. Score hope."
Stats Update (as of March 2020):
Appearances: 31 (Serie A, Coppa Italia, Europa League)
Goals: 8
Assists: 10
MOTM awards: 5