The international break following the Vitesse fixture offered a rare pocket of calm in the relentless rhythm of the football season.
For most players, these periods represented a welcome respite from club duties, a chance to reset mentally and physically.
For Amani Hamadi, however, the break presented an opportunity of a different kind, the chance to address the growing complexity of his life beyond the pitch.
The meeting with Sophia van der Meer had been arranged for Tuesday morning at a quiet café near St. Bonifatius College, timed carefully to follow his morning classes.
Kristen Stein had suggested the location, a neutral ground that would allow for a relaxed conversation away from both the professional intensity of Sportcomplex Zoudenbalch and the academic environment of his school.
