(Early June 2020 — Serie A Resumes Behind Closed Doors)
The silence was louder than anything Enzo Sky Vito had ever heard.
The San Siro—once a coliseum of roaring tifosi, waving banners, and booming drums—now stood like a ghost arena.
Not even a single plastic chair dared to creak. Instead of human chaos, there was only the squeak of boots, the hum of LED boards, and the breath of footballers as they warmed up under an empty sky.
Enzo jogged past the center circle, Nike Mercurial "Fire Glow" boots glinting beneath the stadium lights.
He paused. Looked around.
"This is football now?" he thought.
It felt like a war won, but at a heavy cost.
For three months, the world had frozen. Italy—his beloved home—became one of the hardest-hit nations. Milan, his city, wept.
Streets fell silent, shutters closed, and hospitals overflowed. Enzo had trained alone on his apartment rooftop.
Drills with resistance bands. Juggling with fruit. Tactical study on his laptop.
And Zoom workouts led by Milan's staff, with Rafa Leão pulling faces to keep everyone laughing.
But today wasn't about laughter.
It was about remembrance, and revival.
Matchday: AC Milan vs. Roma
Venue: San Siro, Empty Stadium
Broadcast: Sky Italia, RAI Sport
"Benvenuti, signore e signori," the commentator began solemnly.
"Siamo tornati. Il calcio italiano, pur senza il suo cuore pulsante—i tifosi—riapre le sue porte alla speranza."
(We are back. Italian football, even without its beating heart—the fans—reopens its doors to hope.)
Kick-off.
The whistle echoed like a pistol shot through an alley. The ball zipped with a crispness that only quiet could allow. Every pass sounded surgical, every command audible.
"Leo! Dietro!"—"Vai Theo!"—"Enzo inside!"
The rhythm had returned, if only in fragments.
Milan lined up in a 4-2-3-1. Enzo started wide right.
His role tonight: break Roma's backline, isolate the left-back, and cause destruction.
By the 10th minute, he'd already drawn two fouls. The commentators noticed:
"Il ragazzo d'oro, Enzo Sky Vito, porta la tempesta nel silenzio... Guardate quei piedi: pura poesia sudamericana nata nel cuore di Milano!"
(The golden boy, Enzo Sky Vito, brings the storm into silence... Look at those feet: pure South American poetry born in the heart of Milan!)
Off the Pitch: One Week Earlier
Enzo had spent his mornings in meditation. He'd picked up the habit during lockdown.
It kept him centered. Then coffee—always black—while scrolling through Sky Italia and his mentions. The press loved him.
"Milan's Diamond Returns" — Gazzetta dello Sport
"Nike's Young King Ready to Shine Again" — CalcioMercato
"Enzo, il Fenomeno Moderno" — SportMediaset
He'd recently signed a lifestyle extension with Nike, becoming the youngest face of their new European Fire Pack.
At 18, he was also Milan's highest-paid under-21, and his YSL appearance at Milan Fashion Week—alongside Leão, both in shades and silk—had broken Instagram in Italy.
Still, what Enzo cherished most? FaceTime calls with his mother, now back modeling classic editorials, and his older brother—his rock—who'd returned to Milan to stay closer.
Back to the Match
Roma pushed. Pellegrini danced, Džeko held. But Enzo was hunting.
In the 38th minute, it happened.
Theo Hernández intercepted a sloppy ball. Passed it straight to Bennacer, who flicked it instinctively to Enzo, still hugging the right wing.
With one defender closing in and another reading the overlap, Enzo did what only
Enzo could: He danced.
A no-look chop inside, dragging the ball with his heel, then pirouetted through the legs of the sliding left-back. The bench exploded in shouts.
"Ma mamma mia! Ma che è questo?!" the commentator cried.
(But mamma mia! What is this?!)
Now central, Enzo shifted onto his left, paused, and curled it. The net rippled—side netting, top corner.
He didn't celebrate wildly. No fans to roar. Instead, he looked to the camera, touched the Number 19 on his chest, and kissed the Milan badge.
Then, calmly walked toward the corner flag and performed the Del Piero finger-to-temple salute.
"Un tributo perfetto. Un gol d'arte in un museo chiamato San Siro," the commentator whispered.
(A perfect tribute. A goal of art in a museum called San Siro.)
Full Time: AC Milan 2 - 0 Roma
(Goals: Enzo Sky Vito 38', Kessié 76')
As the final whistle blew, Enzo stayed a moment longer on the field. The other players walked off, but he turned a slow circle.
Looking around, he imagined the stadium full. Flares. Songs. His name chanted. It would come again.
But for now—this was the beginning of a different legacy.
Post-Match Interview: Sky Italia
"Enzo, your first match back. A goal. A moment of beauty. What does it mean to you?"
He smiled, sweat glistening.
"It means Milan is breathing again. And I'm just... I'm just the lungs today."