At around 9 p.m. that night, the large dining hall at Manchester City's training base was still lively.
Some players had already finished eating and left for their rooms, but most of the squad remained inside, gathered around the giant television screens mounted across the hall as Chelsea faced Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarterfinals.
The coaching staff occupied one of the larger tables near the front. Pep Guardiola sat there with Pep Lijnders, Kolo Touré, and several analysts, quietly discussing things amongst themselves while occasionally glancing toward the screen.
The players were scattered around in smaller groups.
Lukas sat with Phil Foden, Nico O'Reilly, and Cherki, trays half-finished in front of them as they watched the match begin.
The atmosphere inside the hall shifted slightly whenever something dangerous happened on the screen. A few players would react loudly while others barely looked up from their food.
Then, around the 15th minute, Chelsea struck first.
