September 7, 2003 — Serie A, Matchday 2: AC Milan vs. Perugia – San Siro
It was ninety minutes before kickoff, and the locker room had transformed into something electric. Not loud, but alive. Shirts hung in neat rows. Tactical diagrams were taped to the walls. And somewhere between the smell of leather boots and eucalyptus oil, the heartbeat of the club pulsed through every man present.
Luca sat in his usual corner, his hands wrapped around a water bottle he'd barely touched. His name was printed cleanly above his locker now: BELLINI – 13. The number of defenders. Of legacy.
Ancelotti stood in the center of the room, his voice steady.
"We don't underestimate Perugia," he said. "They'll press. They'll rotate their front three. Stay compact. Stay calm."
He paused, then looked directly at Luca.
"You'll come on in the second half. Expect pressure. You hold the line, we hold the game."
It wasn't just tactical.
It was trust.
---
🎙️ RAI Sport Live Commentary:
> "We're live from the San Siro on a perfect Sunday evening in Milan! Matchday 2 of the Serie A season sees AC Milan take on a feisty Perugia side known for its bold attacking structure."
> "Ancelotti fields his strongest eleven again tonight. Milan line up in a 4-3-1-2: Dida in goal, Cafu and Pancaro as full-backs, with Nesta and Maldini anchoring the center of defense. In midfield, Gattuso, Pirlo, and Seedorf hold down the core, with Kaká in the playmaker role. Inzaghi and Shevchenko start up top."
> "Perugia responds with an aggressive 4-3-3: Kalac in goal; Ze Maria, Di Loreto, Zanchi, and Grosso at the back; Obodo, Tedesco, and Blasi in the midfield; and a dangerous front three of Miccoli, Zalayeta, and Giovanni Tedesco."
---
The game kicked off at high tempo. Perugia came out fearless, pushing high, with Miccoli cutting in dangerously from the right, just as Ancelotti had warned.
Luca watched from the bench, legs bouncing lightly. He couldn't hear the crowd anymore. Just the sound of his own breath and the rhythm of the game.
In the 38th minute, Milan struck — Kaká glided past two defenders and slipped a perfect pass into Inzaghi's feet. One touch. One shot.
1–0 Milan.
---
At halftime, Ancelotti's voice was calm but urgent.
"They're going to overload left now," he said. "Watch Miccoli's drift. We can't give them space. Nesta—short shifts only. You'll rotate out."
Luca looked up. Nesta met his eyes, nodded once, then turned back to the board. No resentment. Just professionalism.
Minutes later, Luca stood at the touchline.
---
> "Here comes Luca Bellini — the 19-year-old making only his second appearance. He'll replace Alessandro Nesta and slot alongside Maldini once again."
> "Big test ahead — Miccoli's been electric tonight."
---
The first ball came fast. A long diagonal. Miccoli tried to chest it down and spin past him, but Luca anticipated, stepped into the pass, and cleared it down the line before contact.
Simple. Precise.
The second play came on a through-ball. Zalayeta tried to break through with sheer power, but Luca shadowed him shoulder-to-shoulder and muscled him off balance before calmly laying it back to Dida.
"Bellini reads the game like a veteran," the commentator said. "You'd think he's been doing this for years."
---
By the 80th minute, the score was still 1–0. Perugia pushed. Their coach screamed from the sideline. And in a dangerous corner routine, Miccoli found space near the back post.
Luca saw it late.
He lunged — not for a tackle, but to cover the line. And as Miccoli's shot bent around Dida, Luca's right foot blocked it on the goal line.
Cheers erupted. His name rang from somewhere in the Curva Sud. Not many. But enough.
---
Milan held firm. Final whistle.
AC Milan 1 – Perugia 0
---
In the locker room, there was music playing from someone's phone. Inzaghi danced for two seconds before Gattuso shouted at him. Kaká tossed Luca a towel as he entered.
"Big foot!" he laughed. "You owe that right boot a pizza."
Maldini walked by and said only, "That was smart. Not just fast."
Luca let it sink in. Compliments came quiet in this team — but they meant everything.
---
Later that evening, Luca stepped out of San Siro to see Sofía waiting by a lamppost. She wore a black jacket and Milan scarf he'd never given her.
He grinned. "Fan now?"
She shrugged. "Only if they keep playing you."
They walked side by side toward a café still open near Porta Romana. The city buzzed — scooters, laughter, late dinners.
"You looked… different today," she said.
"Focused?"
"No. Lighter."
He thought for a moment. "Maybe I'm starting to believe I belong."
"About time," she said, and bumped his shoulder with hers.
They ordered cheap pasta, talked about her studies — she had a mock ER exam in two days — and shared a bottle of water that she refused to let him pay for.
"You save your salary for your therapist," she joked.
"I don't need one. I have you."
Her expression flickered just slightly — the kind of look that lived between friendship and something else.
But neither said more.
Not yet.
---
That night, in his apartment, Luca laid back on his bed with a copy of La Gazzetta dello Sport. One line stood out:
> "Bellini doesn't just defend. He absorbs."
He smiled.
It wasn't about glory. It was about rhythm. Belonging. Step by step.
He opened his notebook and wrote:
> September 7 — Milan 1, Perugia 0
Minutes played: 45
Interceptions: 4
Blocked shot: 1 (goal line)
Communication level: improving
Recognition: Maldini. Curva Sud. Kaká.
Personal: Gelato still better than glory.
I'm ready for more.
---
Let me know when you're ready for Chapter Nine — we can build toward his first press conference, more starts, his evolving friendship with Kaká, or even a cup match where he starts for the first time.