God Of football

Chapter 90: First half against Atletico

The Wanda Metropolitano, Atlético Madrid’s fortress, buzzed with a mix of excitement and tension as fans of Valencia and Atlético Madrid gathered in the stands.

The atmosphere was a mosaic of red-and-white and orange-and-black, the two clubs’ colours vividly displayed through scarves, flags, and jerseys.

In one section, Atlético Madrid fans, known for their intense passion, chanted their traditional war cries.

The Frente Atlético waved their massive flags and beat their drums in unison, creating a deafening roar that echoed through the stadium.

On the other side, Valencia fans held their own. The traveling supporters, though fewer in number, were no less vocal.

They chanted songs of defiance and pride, waving their Senyera flags high. A group of Valencia ultras unfurled a large banner that read, ”Siempre Amunt” (”Always Upward”), signaling their unwavering support.

The interaction between the two fanbases was a blend of rivalry and mutual respect. Isolated pockets of playful banter turned into bursts of singing competitions, each side trying to outdo the other in volume and passion.

While the tension of a crucial match was palpable, security personnel stood watchful, ensuring the spirited rivalry didn’t escalate into anything more.

Despite their differences, moments of camaraderie emerged.

The referee’s whistle pierced the air, and the game was soon underway game. Atlético pressed aggressively from the start, their players embodying the never-say-die spirit instilled by manager Diego Simeone.

Valencia, known for their flair and technical skill, countered with precision passes and swift movement. The midfield battle is fierce, with every tackle drawing cheers or groans from the crowd.

Early on in the game, Atlético got a chance.

Thomas Lemar weaved through the Valencian defenders with mesmerizing footwork, drawing gasps from the fans.

After getting away from the encirclement, Leamr threaded a pass to Griezmann who smacked the ball against the post after taking a touch.

’Ooooooooooooooooouuuuhhhhh’ the fans exclaimed. The missed shot didn’t dampen the mood of the Atléti Fans but rather caused them to make more noise.

The Atlético Ultras drummed like their lives depended on it. Although this wasn’t a match against Barcelona or Real Madrid, it was still impressive as it was against the current leader of Laliga.

On the other end, Valencia’s captain José Gayà orchestrated his team with calm authority, his crosses threatening to unlock Atlético’s defence.

Each shot on goal is met with a collective intake of breath, the crowd holding on to every moment. Izan, who had been in a spectating role earlier, finally found out how Atlético were playing.

Using the Atlético youngster Pablo Barrios, Diego Simeone aimed to draw the Valencia midfield towards the former, who would partner up with Marcos Llorente to prevent any mishaps while creating space for Thomas Lemar centrally.

Izan, after noticing Atlético use this plan twice in a row, prepared to intercept. He approached a few of his players and told them about his plan.

In the 13th minute. Marco Llorente got the ball from Cesar Azpilicueta on the right.

After taking hold of the ball, the midfielder followed his Coach’s directives and laid the ball off to Pablo Barrios.

The latter didn’t even have to do anything with the Valencia players approaching as soon as he got the ball.

”Coach is a tactical genius”, Barrios thought before sending the ball into space for Thomas Lemar without even looking around.

Thomas Lemar, who was looking forward to the ball, saw a shadow flash in front of him and take hold of the ball.

Without wasting time, Izan sent the to Pepelu, initiating a One-two pass with the latter, with Izan being the last to hold the ball.

After getting to the arc of the box, the Atlético defenders began to approach him proactively unknowingly creating space for Sergio Canos on the left side.

Izan looked away to his right to prevent the opponents from guessing where he was going to pass to and it worked.

The Atlético defence began leaning a bit more right when they saw his eyes, but Izan passed the ball to Sergio Canos, completing the no-look pass.

The Atlético defenders, seeing how they had been tricked, quickly scrambled back to defend against Sergio Canos.

Diego Simeone, who stood on the touchline, could only watch as the number on the scoreboard changed.

”Goooooaaaaallll Valencia. Izan the little Orchestrator of Valencia tricked the Atlético defenders into committing before sending the ball the other way and Sergio Canos made no mistake slotting the ball past Oblak to score his first goal of the season ”

Sergio Canos, after scoring, rushed towards the boyish face in front of him and hugged him. ”Thanks, Izan, for that pass”, Sergio said, but Izan said nothing and just smiled.

Sergio knew Izan could have shot the ball but the latter chose to pass. Sergio Canos, who had been used sporadically this season, could now have hope.

The Atlético Madrid fans didn’t like the scenes on the pitch nor the change on the scoreboard. The ultras even started making a few chants which were uncalled for.

The stewards around quickly called them to order but deep down, they understood the anger of the fans.

Coach Baraja, who saw his team lead first, almost hugged the fourth official but couldn’t as Assistant Coach Moreno pulled him back before he could.

”Ahem, thank you,” Baraja said calmly before returning to his polished demeanour. After the goal by Valencia, Simeone didn’t make any change but Atlético didn’t lie down and take the attacks that came their way.

Izan the subject of their rough play, attracted 7 fouls in 10 minutes. Coach Baraja, who had already expected this, couldn’t help but feel his chest tighten the moment the Atlético players started with this shrewd tactic of theirs.

He looked towards Diego Simeone but the latter just shrugged. ”I’m not the one playing am I?” He added, adding insult to injury.

The match went on for a while with Atlético seeing more of the ball as Valencia had abandoned their possession tactic for fear of players getting injured.

With many shots at Valencia’s goal, a breakthrough was going to eventually come.

Atletico got the ball in the 28th minute. A quick break saw Antoine Griezmann dart into the box, connecting with a perfectly weighted pass.

After seeing numbers behind him, Griezmann fainted a cross, causing Marmadashvil’s attention to temporarily focus on the players inside the box.

After seeing Marmadashvili’s action, Griezmann adjusted his body and slotted the ball past the Valencia keeper.

The stadium erupted. Fans leapt to their feet, screaming and hugging strangers, united by the sheer joy of the moment. Red-and-white confetti rains down from above, creating a festive haze.

Izan watched on as the opponents celebrated. The players had kept him out of the match with their fouls but the players had also gotten in trouble as a result of that.

Due to this Izan pushed for a foul as soon as the match restarted. After getting the ball from Javi Guerra, Izan went on a darting run.

He sprinted across the pitch with a focused intensity, his eyes scanning for openings. The ball seemed glued to his feet as he executed rapid dribbles, weaving effortlessly past defenders with sharp turns and quick flicks.

A few Atlético players tried to halt his attack by holding his shirt but the latter’s speed was too electrifying.

His movements were smooth and calculated, like an eel, showcasing his mastery of ball control. The floodlights glinted off his jersey as he accelerated down the wing, leaving opponents struggling to keep up.

The Valencia fans stood up as they watched their little magician perform. The Atlético fans and Coach alike were screaming for the players to stop Izan at the top of their lungs.

Under the watchful eyes of the whole stadium, Izan cut inside and tried to enter the box but Azpilicueta dragged him back by the scruff of the neck.

The referee quickly sounded his whistle upon seeing this and showed Azpilicueta a yellow card. ”Sorry Izan, I’ll buy you dinner, don’t hate me too much”, Azpilicueta said.

Izan just looked at the latter and smiled thanking him for the freekick. He knew he couldn’t score even if he entered the box because of the opposition numbers in the box.

Izan’s determination was palpable as he pushed towards the goal, embodying both skill and passion for the game and the fans knew it.

After the referee was down with the Atlético wall, Izan stood poised at the edge of the penalty area, the perfect picture of focus and determination.

His personalised Adidas cleats dug slightly into the grass as he adjusted his stance, one foot slightly behind the other.

Izan took a deep breath, his eyes locked on the ball as he took his signature steps.

The Valencia fans could feel their hearts’ palpitations at this moment. They knew what Izan could do with a dead ball, and they prayed he could do one last trick before half time.

All Izan heard was a whistle prompting him to ran towards the ball.

A/N: Feeling good because of a conversation I had with a reader I decided to release this one which was meant for tomorrow. Don’t worry I won’t release less tomorrow. Anyways, Thanks Tadeas_ Manzel for the gift and thank you guys for ready. All right imma head out.