God Of football

Chapter 216: looming Challenges

The debate unfolded during a popular football show, Fútbol Total, where the spotlight was firmly on Valencia’s upcoming fixtures: a high-stakes La Liga clash with Barcelona at the Mestalla, followed by the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao.

The central question? Should Valencia go all-out against Barcelona or prioritize resting players for the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao?

Pundit 1: Raul Gómez

”Look, Valencia can’t afford to back down against Barcelona, especially at the Mestalla. It’s not just about three points; it’s about momentum, belief, and showing they can compete with the very best.

Resting players before the final sends the wrong message to the squad and the fans. What if you rest players and still lose the final?

Then you’ve lost everything. Play your strongest XI against Barcelona, build confidence, and carry that into the final. Big teams play to win every game!”

Pundit 2: Carlos Sanz

”Raul, that’s idealistic but reckless. The Copa del Rey final is Valencia’s best chance to win silverware this season.

Athletic Bilbao is a strong team, and Valencia will need their key players fresh. Barcelona is a tough opponent—playing full strength against them risks injuries or fatigue ahead of the final.

You have to be pragmatic. Rotate the squad against Barcelona, focus on the cup final, and give your players the best chance to lift that trophy.”

Pundit 3: Andrea Molina

”I understand both perspectives, but why does it have to be one or the other? Valencia can field a mix of starters and bench players against Barcelona.

Keep key players like Izan and Gayà in for the first hour to stabilize the game, then sub them off if things are under control.

It’s about smart management. You can’t completely sacrifice a league game, especially against Barcelona, but you can’t risk the final either. Balance is the key.”

The debate spilled over onto social media, with Valencia fans passionately weighing in.

”You don’t rest players against Barcelona at the Mestalla. It’s an insult to the fans who show up for these big games!”

”Momentum matters! If we beat Barcelona, it’ll give us confidence for the final. We need to keep fighting on all fronts.”

”The final is the priority. A trophy is more important than three points against Barcelona. Rest Izan, Gayà, and the others!”

”We’ve waited years for silverware. Don’t risk it for one league game. Prioritize the final, no question.”

”Why can’t we play a mix? Start Izan but sub him out early. Same with Gayà. Protect them but don’t give up the game.”

”We need to trust Baraja to manage the squad properly. He knows what’s at stake.”

As the debate raged on, the host of Fútbol Total posed a final question to the panel:

”At the end of the day, Valencia fans want both—results against Barcelona and the Copa trophy. But if you had to choose, what would be more important for Valencia right now?

Three points to boost their league campaign, or bringing home the Copa del Rey?”

The camera panned to each pundit as they gave their final thoughts.

Raul Gómez: ”The league—it’s the backbone of the season. You don’t abandon it.”

Carlos Sanz: ”The Copa—it’s a tangible reward for the fans and the club.”

Andrea Molina: ”Both are important, but the Copa is history in the making. That has to come first.”

The show cut to a commercial, but the debate was far from over. Fans across Valencia continued to argue, knowing that the next two games could define their entire season.

Meanwhile, all eyes were on Rubén Baraja, who now faced one of the most difficult decisions of his managerial career.

...…

Rubén Baraja sat alone in his office at Valencia’s training ground, the light from his desk lamp casting long shadows on the walls.

The evening had been quiet until the phone call came. The club’s board representative delivered the message in no uncertain terms:

”Rubén, the Copa del Rey is the priority. We need that trophy—it’s been too long. The game against Barcelona is important, of course, but we cannot risk our best players ahead of the final. Find a balance, but don’t jeopardize the final.”

Baraja leaned back in his chair after hanging up, his mind racing. He had expected the conversation but still felt the weight of the directive pressing down on him.

As much as he valued the board’s input, he knew this decision wasn’t just about strategy—it was about the identity of Valencia CF, the fans, and his belief in what his team could achieve.

He stared at the tactical board in front of him, which displayed his lineup options. On one side, the full-strength XI stood bold and confident, featuring Izan, Gayà, Almeida, and Hugo Duro.

On the other side, a rotated squad was pinned, with key players either rested or set to start on the bench.

Baraja muttered to himself, ”Do I pull back against Barcelona? At the Mestalla? With 45,000 fans chanting our name? What message does that send to the players? To Izan, who thrives on challenges like these?”

He knew the fans wouldn’t take kindly to fielding a weakened side against Barcelona. The Mestalla was a fortress, and the pride of Valencia demanded they fight, no matter the opponent.

But the Copa final against Athletic Bilbao was tantalizingly close—a chance to end the trophy drought and etch this team’s name into the club’s history.

Baraja stood up and began pacing the room, weighing his options. After a few moments, he returned to the tactical board, picked up a marker, and started scribbling changes.

”We keep Izan in,” he decided aloud. ”But we manage his minutes. Gayà starts—we need his leadership—but we’ll sub him off if the game drags. Almeida and Hugo Duro… they’ll rotate in depending on how the match unfolds.”

He stepped back and surveyed the adjusted lineup. It wasn’t full strength, but it wasn’t surrender, either. It was a calculated risk.

...

The next morning, Baraja gathered his coaching staff in the briefing room. The atmosphere was tense as they waited to hear his decision.

”Here’s the plan,” Baraja began, pointing to the board. ”We’re going to balance this. The board wants us to prioritize the Copa final, and we will.

But we’re not rolling over for Barcelona. We’ll field a mix of starters and reserves. Izan will play, but I want him off after 60 minutes if the situation allows or he’ll come off the bench.

Gayà starts, but we’ll rotate him, too. We’ll fight to stay in the game and, if the opportunity comes, we’ll go for it. This isn’t about giving up—this is about being smart.”

The staff nodded, some looking relieved, others still processing the challenge of facing Barcelona without going full throttle.

”One more thing,” Baraja added. ”Make sure the players know this is not a step back. This is about making every moment count, whether it’s Barcelona or the Copa final. They need to be sharp, focused, and ready to adapt.”

The staff nodded at Baraja’s last words before they dispersed to fulfill their various activities.

...…

The Valencia squad’s WhatsApp group was usually filled with lighthearted banter—jokes, memes, and the occasional complaint about training.

But with the matches against Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao looming, the mood had shifted. The players were buzzing with speculation about what Rubén Baraja’s plan would be.

José Gayà: ”Alright, boys, who wants to bet Baraja starts rotating the squad against Barça? You know the board’s probably breathing down his neck about the Copa.”

Izan: ”If he rotates, he’s definitely keeping me in. Can’t risk taking a break when we’re up against Barcelona. That’s the game where I shine.”

Hugo Duro: ”Oh, come on, Izan. We know you love playing against the big teams, but what about the final? You want to limp into it because Barça’s midfield decided to smash your legs for 90 minutes?”

André Almeida: ”True. Those guys don’t hold back, especially when they know how important you are to us. I wouldn’t mind sitting this one out a bit if it means going full gas in the final.”

Pietro: ”Come on, André. It’s Barcelona! Who doesn’t want to play against them? I don’t care if I have to run myself into the ground, I want to be out there at the Mestalla.”

Gayà: ”We all do, but let’s not kid ourselves. The Copa is our biggest shot at a trophy. We win that, and we make history. The board knows it, and Baraja knows it too.”

Izan: ”But what about the fans, though? Imagine rotating against Barça at home. The Mestalla will go crazy if we don’t show up with everything we’ve got.”

Hugo Guillamón: ”He’s got a point. The fans won’t forgive us if we don’t at least try to beat Barcelona. They see that game as just as important as the final.”

Javi Guerra: ”Yeah, but they’ll forgive us if we win the Copa. Lose the final and they’ll forget whatever happened against Barcelona. It’s about the trophy, man.”

Cenk Özkacar: ”Here’s the real question—do we think Baraja will try to balance both? A mixed lineup maybe? Rotate some of us but keep the core guys in?”

Gayà: ”He’s probably thinking about that right now. You know how he is. He’ll want us to stay competitive but protect the players he knows he’ll need against Athletic.”

Thierry Correia: ”Okay, but what if he rests Izan? Think about it: no crazy flicks, no dribbles, no risky runs into three defenders. What will we even do with the ball?”

Izan: ”Haha, very funny, Thierry. I’ll make sure to nutmeg you in training tomorrow for that one.”

Gayà: ”Settle down, kids. Let’s focus. No nutmegs until after we beat Barcelona and Bilbao.”

With the tension a bit reduced, the players readied themselves for the preparations ahead.

A/n: sorry guys for the late releases. My lectures have been a bit awkwardly placed so I’m suffering but there will be changes soon