God Of football - Chapter 123

Chapter 123: Another Great Performance Chapter 123: Another Great Performance The Estadio Los Nuevos Cármenes buzzed with activity as halftime began.

The score was level, and the air crackled with anticipation.

Fans adorned in Granada’s crimson and white waved flags energetically, their chants reverberating through the stands.

Valencia’s travelling supporters, though outnumbered, made their presence felt with rhythmic clapping and renditions of their club’s anthem.

Near the edge of the pitch, a local Granada youth team showcased their skills in a quick five-minute exhibition match, drawing cheers from the crowd.

In the stands, the announcer read out raffle winners, and lucky fans were handed signed jerseys and memorabilia from both teams.

Cameras scanned the audience, flashing faces on the big screen, evoking waves of laughter and cheers from spectators trying to catch their moment of fame.

…..

In one of the pundits box in the stadium, the scene captured the lively debate among football pundits during halftime of the match between Valencia and Granada at Los Cármenes Stadium.

The broadcast studio was buzzing with animated discussions about Valencia’s struggles in the first half without their wonderboy, Izan.

The host, a sharp-suited presenter with a calm demeanour, opened the segment: “It’s a goalless half here for both Valencia and Granada.

Valencia haven’t been the best we’ve seen but it’s clear they’re missing Izan’s magic.

How much of this performance boils down to his absence?” The first pundit, a former Valencia midfielder, shakes his head with a mix of frustration and nostalgia.

“It’s glaring, isn’t it?

Without Izan, they lack that spark, that unpredictability in the final third.

Granada has been compact, and Valencia just can’t break them down.” The second pundit, a tactician known for his detailed analysis, pointed to a touchscreen showing tactical diagrams.

“Exactly.

Look at this-Valencia’s build-up play is slower and predictable.

Izan offers verticality and confidence to take on defenders” “Right now, Granada’s defensive line isn’t being stretched.

Without him, Valencia’s wide players are isolated, and the midfield looks hesitant.” The third pundit, an ex-striker with a reputation for bold statements, leaned forward.

“But let’s be honest.

This isn’t just about Izan.

Valencia should have a plan B.

Relying so heavily on a 15-year-old, no matter how talented, is risky.

Where’s the leadership from the senior players?” The conversation continued, with each pundit offering their perspective, underlining Izan’s meteoric rise and his importance to Valencia’s strategy.

A few clips of his previous matches play on the screen, showing dazzling dribbles, incisive passes, and moments of brilliance that left defenders scrambling.

The segment concluded with the host summarizing, “Valencia’s struggles are undeniable, and Izan’s absence is sorely felt.

But as the second half approaches, the question remains-can Valencia adapt, or will Granada capitalize on their vulnerability?” ….

Granada: In their dressing room, Coach Paco López urged his players to stay compact and disciplined.

His job was on the line so he was doing everything to keep it.

“Valencia are dangerous in transition, but we’ve been holding our shape well.

Keep pressing high; we can force mistakes!” Captain José Callejón nodded, rallying his teammates.

The room was a mix of calm focus and fiery resolve, with players hydrating and reviewing set-piece strategies.

….

Valencia: In the away dressing room, Coach Rubén Baraja was animated, sketching tactical adjustments on the whiteboard.

“Granada’s pressing is leaving gaps.

We need to exploit the wings more and get those crosses in,” he instructed.

The team listened intently, their expressions a blend of concentration and determination.

Sitting quietly in the corner was Izan, his boots laced tight, awaiting his moment.

Assistant coach Moreno approached him, offering a few words of encouragement, “Be yourself out there.

Play your game.” Izan nodded at his words before proceeding to take his flask.

Joining the other bench players, he walked out of the tunnel and went to the bench.

After a while, the players of both teams walked out of the tunnel under the cheers of the fans.

Filling, their positions on the pitch, the referee soon blew his whistle.

The match restarted and the fans couldn’t wait to see what was on, especially the away fans who were waiting for their star man.

Granada came out firing after the break, spurred on by their fans.

They nearly scored in the 47th minute when Antonio Puertas struck a thunderous shot from the edge of the box, forcing Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili into a spectacular diving save.

Valencia struggled to regain control, and Granada capitalized on their sluggishness in the 51st minute.

Callejón threaded a perfect through ball to Lucas Boyé, who slotted it past Mamardashvili to put the hosts ahead, 1-0.

The Valencia fans showed signs of displeasure and they voiced out their frustrations.

After the restart, the fans kept mentioning Izan’s name.

The Granada fans, who had also come to see the new star boy in Spain, joined the fray in cheering his name, but theirs was more of a sarcastic chant.

In the 55th minute, Coach Baraja called Izan from the bench.

The away fans who saw this started cheering even before Izan came on.

The young prodigy adjusted his jersey, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the pitch after high-fiving Amallah who had been playing on the right wing.

The Granada defence, aware of Izan’s potential threat, targeted him aggressively.

Each time he touched the ball, he was swarmed.

In the 58th minute, he tried a quick turn only to be clattered by a crunching tackle from Facundo Pellistri, a loanee from Manchester United leaving him grimacing on the turf.

The referee waved play on, much to the frustration of Valencia’s bench.

Izan shook off the challenges, but his passes were intercepted, and his movements were stifled by Granada’s disciplined marking.

The players of the home team had been using sly fouling tactics ever since Izan came on.

Ruben Baraja, who was on the touchline, appealed to the fourth official, but his words were ignored.

Assistant Coach Moreno pulled Rubén Baraja back after the latter showed a tendency to explode in anger, saving him from a punishment.

The camera panned to the stands, where fans huddled together, their faces etched with concern.

Conversations buzzed in worried tones, their words almost drowned by the roaring crowd.

“He’s just 15!

They’re targeting him because of his skill.

Old men targeting a kid, football really is fun” a young fan said, shaking his head.

“Look at that-again!

That defender just shoved him like he’s nothing,” another exclaimed, gripping the railing in frustration.

A woman in an Izan jersey winced as she watched him hit the turf yet again.

“He’s got talent, but they’ll injure him if this keeps up,” she said, glancing at her companions for agreement.

An older man chimed in, his voice a mix of admiration and worry.

“The kid’s got heart, though.

Keeps getting up, even when they knock him down.” Another supporter sighed deeply.

“They need to protect him.

We don’t want to see him broken before he even starts.” Their voices blended into a chorus of anxious chatter, their love for Izan evident in every word.

The boy on the field wasn’t just a player; he was their hope, their future-and right now, he was being thrown into a storm too fierce for his years.

The Granada fans, on the other hand, roared with derision, their jeers echoing through the stadium like a wave crashing over the pitch.

Every misstep by Izan was met with exaggerated laughter and mocking chants that seemed to grow louder with each passing second.

“¡Vuelve a la escuela, niño!” one shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth.

A group of fans in red and white scarves banged on the metal barriers, their mocking claps timed to Izan’s every stumble.

“Is this the prodigy everyone’s talking about?!” one yelled, drawing chuckles from the crowd around him.

When Izan misplaced a pass, a mocking cheer erupted, with some fans sarcastically applauding as if he had done them a favour.

A particularly vocal supporter leaned over the railing, pointing aggressively.

“You’re in the big leagues now, niño!

This is Granada’s football at its best!” Despite the jeers, Izan kept his head down.

If the fans could see him now, they’d see a grin displayed on his face.

For Granada’s fans, his struggles were fuel for their taunts, a chance to rattle the young talent who had yet to find his footing under the stadium’s glaring lights.

The Granada fans who had been able to shut Izan down began getting complacent.

There was no way they could mark him fully since their focus was also on attacking.

This proved an opportunity for Izan who had been limiting himself.

He had wanted to find out how it would be if this happened in their next match against the Los Blancos.

“Well, playtime is over,”, Izan said as he moved into space.

By the 68th minute, Izan began to adapt.

A clever one-two with Pepelu allowed him to evade a sliding tackle before surging forward at a blistering pace.

The crowd gasped as he danced past two defenders, his confidence growing with every touch.

He slid a through pass through the legs of a Granada defender, getting the ball to Diego López who sent the ball wide.

The fans groaned but they were happy that Izan seemed to be back in the game.

The Granada players who had let Izan free refocused their attention on him again but Izan slipped through their grasps again.

In the 72nd minute, Izan whipped in a cross that found Hugo Duro, whose header forced a fantastic save from Granada’s goalkeeper, André Ferreira.

The fans could feel it.

A goal was beckoning.

Valencia equalized in the 78th minute.

Izan, deep on the right flank, delivered a curling pass into the box.

The ball fell to Javi Guerra, who smashed it towards goal but the keeper pulled off another save.

The Granada fans didn’t celebrate for long as Gaya pounced on the loose ball sending it into the top corner, silencing the home crowd.

The away fans erupted in cheers, celebrating their team’s hard-earned goal.

With momentum on their side, Izan took control.

In the 86th minute, he picked up the ball near the halfway line, drove through the midfield, and threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Almeida.

Almeida squared it for Duro.

The pass from Almeidawas was too close for comfort, and fans felt it but they could only watch as López slotted home Valencia’s second goal.

The away section erupted in celebration.

“Izan is starting to impose himself on this game,” the lead commentator observed as the 15-year-old skipped past another challenge.

“What a pass!

This young man has vision beyond his years,” his co-commentator added after the assist for the equalizer.

As the final whistle blew, sealing Valencia’s 2-1 comeback victory, the commentator declared, “What a performance from Izan!

This lad is something special.

Valencia fans will be dreaming of great things to come.” The cameras zoomed in on Izan, who, though drenched in sweat, smiled as he exchanged jerseys with Granada’s captain, José Callejón.

The applause from both sets of fans was a testament to a performance that would be remembered for weeks to come.

A/n: Had some free time so I decided to whip this one up for you.

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