God Of football

Chapter 180: Against Las Palmas.

Izan’s life was a whirlwind of excitement and routine as he balanced his blossoming football career and personal life.

The morning after Valencia’s thrilling Copa del Rey victory against Real Sociedad, Izan woke up early, his body still humming with the energy of the match.

He pulled on his school uniform for the day —a crisp white shirt and navy trousers—and slung his backpack over one shoulder.

His love for football didn’t overshadow his education; Komi always reminded him of its importance.

At school, his classmates as always, treated him like a star, bombarding him with questions about the match and his thoughts on the upcoming fixture against Las Palmas. Izan laughed it off, keeping his focus on what he came to do.

The next day, after school, Izan hurried to the Valencia training grounds together with Sosa.

The session was intense as the squad started preparing for the crucial away game.

Izan trained with focus and determination, impressing both his teammates and coaching staff.

His close control and vision during practice mirrored the brilliance he had shown against Real Sociedad.

The Coaches and staff that looked on at him training, thought about the possibility of being able to clinch a trophy this season.

After the session, the players were made to undergo their usual recovery sessions.

After that, Izan joined Pietro in the parking lot, the latter dropping him off after passing by the mall for some stuff.

Arriving at home, Komi and Hori were already setting the table. As dinner ensued, the dining table buzzed with laughter with Hori teasing Izan about the post-match interviews where his modesty supposedly charmed the reporters.

As the weekend approached, Izan mentally shifted gears toward Las Palmas. He reviewed game footage late with his teammates, jotting down notes in his journal provided by the club.

When not training, Izan would spend his time, helping his mother in the kitchen sometimes or would check photos of shoes with Hori who was secretly a sneakerhead.

Despite the intensity of his schedule, Izan relished these moments with his loved ones—precious reminders of why he worked so hard both on and off the pitch.

....

The Valencia CF squad boarded their sleek charter plane at the crack of dawn, an air of quiet determination blanketing the team.

The jet, emblazoned with the club’s bat emblem, sparkled under the early sunlight at Valencia Airport.

Players dressed in matching black travel tracksuits with subtle orange trims moved in unison, wheeling their luggage towards the aircraft.

Inside, the cabin buzzed with low chatter and the faint hum of jet engines. Izan, sat by a window, his earbuds in place as he gazed out at the receding skyline.

Across the aisle, club captain José Gaya exchanged tactical banter with other senior players, but even they occasionally cast glances toward Izan.

There was something magnetic about the teenager—an aura of calmness mixed with a hunger that belied his years.

The head coach, pacing up and down the aisle, stopped by Izan’s seat before addressing the whole squad. ”Fight hard tomorrow because we are going up to 3rd place should we win?”

Izan pulled out one earbud and nodded at the coach’s word. ”Okay Coach” the squad shouted in unison.

As the plane ascended, the team settled into their routines. Some players scrolled through game footage on their tablets, while others joked around.

Izan, however, remained focused, flipping through the notes that had been given by Assistant Cicah Moreno on the home side.

The home side was formidable on their turf, and the island’s fervent fans were known to create a cauldron-like atmosphere at Estadio de Gran Canaria.

.....

The squad landed ahead of schedule, stepping into the mild island breeze. Cameras clicked and reporters buzzed around the team bus.

All eyes seemed drawn to Izan, whose composed stride and faint smile suggested a boy unbothered by the storm of expectations.

For him, this was another stage, another chance to cement his standing as a present football elite.

As the bus rolled towards their hotel, the city of Las Palmas stretched out before them, vibrant and alive.

Izan leaned against the window, his thoughts drifting to the game ahead. For him, this was more than just football.

It was a chance to etch his name deeper into the annals of the sport—a teenager on the verge of greatness.

...

The Gran Canaria Stadium buzzed with anticipation as Las Palmas hosted Valencia in a crucial La Liga fixture.

The home fans filled the air with songs and chants, their yellow flags waving fervently under the floodlights.

Valencia’s travelling supporters, fewer in number but equally passionate, gathered in one corner of the stadium, their voices piercing through the cacophony.

Among them was a growing faction of fans holding banners for Izan, the sensation who had taken the football world and the hearts of the Valencia fans by storm.

Valencia, fourth on the table needed a win to move up to third place to not risk falling out of the top 6 because there wasn’t much point difference from 4th place to 7th place.

Las Palmas, battling to escape the relegation zone, had everything to play for. The stakes were high, and the stage was set for a thrilling encounter.

After the opening pleasantries were done away with, the referee blew his whistle to signal the start of the match.

The opening exchanges were cagey, with both teams testing the waters.

Las Palmas pressed high with the desperation of a relegation-battling team, looking to unsettle Valencia’s rhythm, while the visitors sought to control possession.

Izan, playing in his now-familiar attacking midfield role, was heavily marked but showed glimpses of his class with quick touches and clever movement.

In the 22nd minute, Valencia broke the deadlock in an unusual fashion. A hopeful cross from the right by Thierry Correia caused panic in the Las Palmas defence.

Under pressure from Hugo Duro, Las Palmas defender Saúl Coco inadvertently headed the ball into his own net.

The home crowd groaned in disbelief as Valencia celebrated their fortuitous lead with their away fans.

Las Palmas responded with urgency, creating a flurry of chances.

Their winger Kirian Rodríguez was particularly dangerous, forcing a brilliant save from Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 35th minute.

Valencia’s defence held firm, with Mouctar Diakhaby marshalling the backline effectively with Cenk Ozkacar.

The first half ended 1-0 in favour of the visitors, but the match was far from over.

Las Palmas came out with renewed energy after the break, and their persistence paid off in the 54th minute.

A quick counter-attack saw Jonathan Viera unleash a powerful shot from the edge of the box.

The ball took a deflection off Cenk, wrong-footing Mamardashvili and nestling into the net.

The defender seeing as he had caused two goals in two matches in a row fell to the ground.

The stadium erupted as Las Palmas drew level, their fans sensing a turnaround.

”Come on Cenk, it’s just a rough patch of form, you’ll get over it,” Izan said as he bent to help Cenk up.

The defender sighed seeing the youngster in front of him try to comfort him.

After the restart, las Palmas sought to capitalize on their momentum. Valencia, however, refused to be rattled.

Ruben Baraja made a tactical adjustment, instructing his players to sit deep and exploit the spaces left by Las Palmas’ high pressing by sending long and sharp balls.

Izan began to find more freedom, drifting into pockets of space and linking up play.

In the 72nd minute, the moment of brilliance arrived. Izan received the ball just inside Las Palmas’ half, evading two defenders with a deft turn.

He drove forward, his eyes scanning the field. Spotting Hugo Duro’s run, Izan delivered a perfectly weighted through ball that split the defence.

Duro latched onto it, took a touch, and calmly slotted the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper to put Valencia ahead.

The Valencia bench erupted, and the away fans celebrated wildly. Izan’s assist was met with awe both in the stadium and online.

The stadium erupted with praise for Izan’s pass and Duro’s finish. After the goal, the home fans started scrambling for a goal which led to their setup being broken but Valencia failed to take advantage of it.

Las Palmas pushed for an equalizer in the dying minutes, but Valencia held their ground as Mamardashvili made another crucial save, denying Viera from close range.

As the final whistle blew, Valencia players embraced each other, celebrating a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Valencia’s travelling fans chanted Izan’s name as he applauded them while walking around the stadium.

In the post-match interview, Hugo Duro was quick to credit the youngster for his assist.

”He’s unbelievable,” Duro said. ”The way he reads the game at such a young age is incredible.

I’m just hoping he can stay here for a bit longer and help me add to my goal tally. His passes are that easy to score.”

”Then why do you keep missing them” Pietro who was near said from behind the reporter causing the latter to break in small laughs while Hugo Duro stood still with a wry smile on his face.