The UEFA headquarters in Nyon hummed with anticipation, the Europa League round of 32 draw reaching its second half.
The polished stage gleamed under bright lights, the large screen behind displaying the matchups so far—
Benfica vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Bordeaux vs. Dynamo Kyiv
Chelsea vs. Sparta Prague
FCSB vs. Ajax
Fenerbahçe vs. BATE Borisov
Hannover 96 vs. AZ Alkmaar
Liverpool vs. Zenit
Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Levante
Napoli vs. CFR Cluj
The crowd of officials and media shifted in their seats, their murmurs a steady buzz. Marco Rossi stood at the center, his suit crisp, his smile unwavering. Luis García and Pierre van Hooijdonk flanked him, their hands ready over the glass bowls.
In Benjamin's apartment, the air was thick with excitement. The red and white AZ Alkmaar scarf on the couch seemed to glow under the TV's light, the half-eaten pizza on the coffee table forgotten.