God Of football

Chapter 141: Recovery

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the training ground as Izan arrived at the rehabilitation centre adjacent to the main pitch.

His gait was steady but cautious, a testament to the recovery regimen he had been following religiously since his ankle injury.

Dressed in a plain hoodie and joggers, he made his way past familiar faces who greeted him with smiles and pats on the shoulder.

The Complex was looking warm with a sunny atmosphere. Their recent loss hadn’t dampened the mood but had served as a fuel as the players prepared for the match.

”Looking sharp, Izan,” one of the physios remarked as he checked in. Izan smiled back politely, his mind already wandering to the action unfolding on the field nearby.

Through the clear glass windows of the facility, Izan could see the main team preparing for their upcoming clash with Girona.

The sharp whistle of the head coach cut through the air as the players worked on tactical drills and situational plays.

Izan felt a pang of longing, the itch to be out there with his teammates growing stronger with every passing moment.

After finishing his prescribed exercises, Izan limped over to a small set of bleachers overlooking the training field.

He lowered himself carefully, his eyes fixed on the scrimmage. The main team players moved with purpose and precision, their chemistry on full display.

Pietro orchestrated the midfield with his usual flair, while Sosa darted up and down the wings like a whirlwind.

Izan couldn’t help but admire their craft, imagining himself back in the thick of things.

The final whistle blew, signalling the end of the training session. The players began to disperse, some heading toward the showers while others lingered to practice set pieces.

Pietro and Sosa noticed Izan and jogged over to him, both dripping with sweat but smiling broadly.

”Hey, young prodigy!” Sosa exclaimed, ruffling Izan’s hair. ”What’s it like being a spectator for a change?”

”Not as fun as being out there,” Izan admitted with a grin.

Pietro sat beside him, tapping his cleats on the ground. ”Patience, hermano. You’ll be back soon, better than ever.”

Both Izan and Sosa stared awkwardly at Pietro, who seemed to be getting wiser, by the way.

”Speaking of getting back,” Sosa interjected the silence ”how about coming with me to the mall? I need some new sneakers, and I could use the company.”

Izan hesitated for a moment but then nodded. ”Sure. I’ve been meaning to grab something myself.”

”Oh, let me guess,” Pietro teased. ”The new FC 24 game, right?”

Izan smirked but didn’t answer, his silence confirming Pietro’s suspicion.

At the mall, the electronics store was bustling with activity. A large poster of the FC 24 cover athlete adorned the entrance, and Izan felt a small thrill as he spotted his name listed among the top-rated wonder kids on a promotional stand.

Sosa accompanied him to the counter, chatting animatedly about the sneakers he had just purchased.

Izan purchased the game, and as soon as they found a quiet spot, he popped the disc into one of the display consoles to check his rating.

His heart raced as the player card loaded on the screen.

83 OVR.

Izan blinked, momentarily stunned. He knew he had made waves with his recent performances, but this was beyond his expectations—an elite rating for someone who had just turned 16.

Sosa let out a low whistle. ”An 83 already? You’re breaking records, kid.”

Izan couldn’t help but grin, though he tried to play it cool. ”Not bad, huh?”

Fan Reactions on the EA Community

Back home, Izan couldn’t resist scrolling through the online EA forums and social media. His rating had sparked a frenzy among the game’s community.

Sowhat13: ”83 for a 16-year-old? That’s insane. Valencia is now the team to use for me just because Izan’s there.”

BigDBee2: ”He’s got the stats to back it up. His pace and dribbling are ridiculous in-game.”

Charlton346: You guys are all about pace. His free-kick accuracy is 88 rated. This kid is like an overpowered character.

Ligma34: ”Izan’s 83 OVR after the update makes him the highest-rated teenager in the game. Unreal!”

Genjeti4: ”I have started using him in Career Mode. Kid’s unstoppable, even in the game!”

Izan chuckled at the comments, his confidence bolstered by the overwhelming support.

As much as he appreciated the hype, he reminded himself to stay grounded.

The journey back to the pitch wasn’t over yet, and he had more to prove—both in real life and in the digital world.

....

”What did they want to say?” Izan asked after Miranda hung up the phone. ”Well, nothing much. They just said it’d be better if you could join them in the creative process of your signature boots”.

”It would only last a week in Madrid and wouldn’t be that much of a hustle but I told them you’re healing.

If you only had about a week till recovery, I’d consider it, but this week is the most important time of your recovery”.

”Wait, wait, Signature Boots!” Izan exclaimed. ”Yeah, those guys at Adidas got millions in unpaid media because of your recent ascent in fame.

The boots you wore against Madrid are selling so they wanted to capitalize on that and create your very own signature boots for you since the euros is next year” Miranda said as she sat down.

”Isn’t that blind faith? No one even knows if I’ll go to the euros,” Izan said, a bit concerned.

”Well guess they believe.They only wished you could move to a big club to fire it up, but we already took our stance, so they’re not pushing,” Miranda said sharply as Izan raised his brows.

”Why don’t they come here? Just the important ones can come so that I’ll be able to do it while recovering.” Izan said.

”Well, I told them, and they said they’d have to check back with the director of football before they can make a decision”.

”Miura, can you check who is at the door?” Komi interrupted as the duo spoke. Izan smiled but not before throwing a slight jab.

”Sure, I mean, I’m only just injured, right?”.

Komi’s laugh came out of the kitchen but she didn’t say anything.

Izan, who had gotten to the door, looked at the screen beside it and smiled. ”I thought you left already,” Izan said as he opened the door.

Olivia stood in the doorway with a smile on her face.

”Well, I don’t have much to do back at school, plus the semester ends in a couple of weeks. I’ll just have to go and finish a few things before coming back” she said while entering.

Izan closed the door behind after Olivia entered before heading to the couch where she was.

For a while, the house became lively, with Izan, Hori, and Olivia engaged in a few games while Miranda helped Komi in the kitchen.

...

[Friday]

The Mestalla was alive with anticipation. Valencia was hosting Girona in a pivotal La Liga clash, and the air buzzed with excitement.

The streets around the stadium were a sea of black and orange, Valencia’s iconic colours. Vendors shouted, selling scarves and jerseys, while fans chanted club anthems.

Izan and Olivia weaved through the bustling crowd, finding their seats in the upper tiers, which offered a panoramic view of the field.

The two had opted to watch the match in the stadium, while Komi and Hori had done the opposite, settling down on their couch while watching at home.

The two settled in as the teams emerged from the tunnel to thunderous applause.

Fran Pérez, returning from a long injury layoff, was greeted with deafening cheers. Izan couldn’t help but grin. ”He’s been missed,” he said, leaning toward Olivia.

On Girona’s side, Savinho, Dovbyk and Eric García stood out, both players in scintillating form and eager to spoil Valencia’s night.

Izan, who was sometimes crouching throughout the pleasantries, underestimated the power of the cameramen as one of the cameras eventually fell on him.

He smiled wryly and waved under the cheers of the crowd. ”This guy wants to steal our thunder even if he’s not on the pitch ” Pietro said from the pitch while looking at the screens that had Izan’s face on it.

”Izan, a player Valencia would have loved to be available for this match” the commentator slipped a word or two in.

---

First Half: Girona Strikes First

The match began with Valencia showing early intent. Fran Pérez darted down the right wing, his first touch in weeks drawing applause.

He combined with Hugo Guillamón, sending a dangerous cross into the box, but Girona’s defence held firm.

A back-and-forth battle ensued but Girona struck first in the 17th minute. Dovbyk, their Ukrainian striker, latched onto a through ball from Aleix García.

With a burst of pace, he shrugged off his marker and fired a clinical finish past Valencia’s goalkeeper.

The Mestalla fell silent for a moment, then erupted in frustrated murmurs.

The mischievous cameraman panned the camera to Izan, wanting to capture his emotion, but Izan showed no such thing but rather smiled and pointed to the pitch.

After the restart, Valencia responded with urgency, Fran Pérez leading the charge.

His weaving runs caused problems for Girona’s defence, and in the 35th minute, his persistence paid off.

After receiving a pass from Thierry Correia, Pérez cut inside, evaded two defenders, and unleashed a curling shot into the top corner.

The stadium exploded in jubilation. Fans jumped from their seats, waving scarves and roaring their approval. Izan clenched his fist slightly, ”Fran is back!”

A/n: Second of the day. Have fun Reading.