God Of football

Chapter 122: First Half at the Estadio Nuevos Los Cármenes

In the quiet Andalusian morning hours, Valencia’s team bus wound its way through the streets of Granada, its sleek black exterior gleaming under the winter sun.

Inside, the players sat in focused silence, each immersed in their pre-match rituals. Some scrolled through playlists, earbuds in, while others exchanged murmured words of encouragement.

For head coach Rubén Baraja, this game was a must-win. Despite Valencia’s respectable position in La Liga, every point mattered.

He knew that it was nigh impossible to win the league despite their 2nd place ranking. Therefore all he was trying to do was to secure European qualification at the very least.

The team arrived at Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes to the jeers of Granada fans already congregating outside. Their chants, amplified by drums and megaphones, created a cacophony of noise meant to unnerve the visitors.

Security ushered Valencia’s players and staff into the stadium swiftly, shielding them from the fervent home support.

Inside, the team stepped onto the pitch for a brief inspection, the pristine grass slick from an early morning watering.

Baraja gathered his squad in the locker room shortly after, the atmosphere turning from casual to serious.

The walls of the room were adorned with Valencia’s crest and motivational phrases like ”Amunt Valencia!”

A tactical board stood at the centre, covered in neatly arranged magnets representing Granada’s likely formation.

”Granada are fighting for their lives,” Baraja began, his voice firm but calm.

”They’ll press hard, especially in the first twenty minutes. Stay composed, control the midfield, and look for quick transitions.”

”It’s easier to play against a first-place team than against a team battling relegation,” Baraja said, looking at the faces staring at him.

He turned to André Almeida, the midfield orchestrator. ”Almeida, you’re the pivot. Keep the ball moving and exploit the spaces behind their wingbacks.”

The coach’s attention shifted to Hugo Duro, Valencia’s 2nd top scorer. ”Duro, their backline struggles with pace. Test them early—force mistakes.”

Then came the subject on everyone’s mind: Izan. The prodigy sat near the centre, his face impassive but his eyes focused.

Despite his youth, Izan had already become a game-changer, capable of altering the dynamics with his presence.

”You’re starting on the bench today,” Baraja said, addressing Izan directly. ”We’ll need you fresh in the second half when the game opens up. Be ready to deliver.”

Izan nodded his composure a stark contrast to his age. The room buzzed slightly as teammates exchanged glances, knowing the young star could be their ace in the hole.

With the tactics laid out, the players began their individual preparations. The team’s veteran goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, went through a meticulous stretching routine, his towering frame a reassuring presence at the back.

José Gayà, the experienced captain, paced the locker room, rallying the younger players with quiet words of encouragement.

The players donned their training kits: a striking combination of black and orange.

The jersey, emblazoned with the Valencia crest and the sponsor’s logo, symbolized pride and resilience.

As they laced up their boots, the sound of Granada’s fans grew louder outside, a constant reminder of the hostile environment awaiting them.

After a while, the players walked through a series of hallways before arriving at the tunnel.

As they emerged onto the pitch, a chorus of boos greeted them from the Granada faithful.

Valencia’s travelling fans huddled in a distant corner of the stadium, responded with chants of their own, waving their flags proudly.

The warm-up began, with players stretching and passing the ball in crisp sequences.

Izan jogged along the sideline, drawing cheers from Valencia fans and a few taunts from the Granada supporters.

He waved a few times at the travelling fans before proceeding to ignore the granda fans.

Back in the locker room for final preparations, Baraja’s voice cut through the tension.

”We know what we’re here for. Be smart, be aggressive, and don’t let this crowd get into your heads.”

The referee’s whistle echoed through the halls, signalling the players to take their positions. Valencia was ready.

As the game began, they knew that their composure, tactics, and moments of brilliance—perhaps from their young star—would determine the outcome on this crucial matchday.

....

The Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes, nestled in the heart of Granada, was alive with energy as fans streamed into the stadium under the Andalusian sun.

Red-and-white Granada flags fluttered in unison, creating a sea of vibrant colours in the stands.

Valencia fans, fewer in number but no less vocal, huddled together in their corner, dressed in their iconic orange and black.

The game held high stakes, with Granada battling relegation and Valencia looking to keep its place in the top 2.

The pre-match buzz centred around one name: Izan. The 15-year-old sensation, Valencia’s rising star, was on the bench, fueling speculation and excitement.

Fans whispered and debated his absence from the starting XI. Was it a tactical ploy? A nod to his youth?

The fans knew it was probably the former since every Valencia fan knew that Izan’s youth wasn’t a disadvantage to his game.

Rather it was the opposite. Izan maturity in games surpassed his years so it was an advantage that he could be effective for them despite his age.

The fans were down about it, but the fact that the little boy from Alboraya could be a game-changer in the second half made them forget their worries.

As the match kicked off, the stadium erupted in a cacophony of cheers and chants.

Granada, feeding off the energy of their home crowd, pressed high and fast, forcing Valencia onto the back foot.

By the fifth minute, Granada’s captain, Antonio Puertas, curled in a teasing cross that caused chaos in the Valencia box.

The crowd gasped collectively as the ball ricocheted off a defender and narrowly missed the post.

The commentary captured the urgency:

”Granada are relentless early on. Valencia needs to settle or risk conceding!”

Valencia, under pressure, relied on their midfield maestro, André Almeida, to calm the tempo. Almeida’s deft touches and precise passes allowed Valencia to regain possession and threaten on the counter.

7 minutes after the first chance from Granada, Hugo Duro broke free on the left wing, his pace leaving Granada’s defenders scrambling.

His shot, however, was smothered by Granada’s keeper, Raúl Fernández, who received rapturous applause from the home fans.

”It’s end-to-end football here at Los Cármenes! Neither side is holding back,” the commentator remarked, capturing the essence of the opening exchanges.

The fans were deeply engaged, their emotions swinging with every tackle and pass.

A group of Granada supporters near the Valencia bench began chanting taunts about Izan.

Despite his age, he was already becoming a divisive figure in Spanish football.

Valencia’s travelling fans responded by singing his name, a playful yet defiant counter to the home crowd.

By the 20th minute, Granada earned a corner, and the stadium vibrated with expectation. Brian Zaragoza, Granada’s diminutive winger, whipped the ball into the box.

Amid a tangle of bodies, defender Jesús Vallejo rose highest, his header crashing against the crossbar. Gasps turned into groans as Valencia scrambled the ball away.

Granada’s coach gestured animatedly from the sideline, urging his players to stay composed.

But Valencia began to grow into the game. In the 27th minute, a quick one-two between Almeida and José Gayà split the Granada defence.

Gayà’s low cross found Duro, who struck fiercely from close range. Fernández, however, pulled off another miraculous save, palming the ball wide.

”Oh, what a save! Raúl Fernández is keeping Granada in this match,” the commentator exclaimed.

The fans cheered Fernández like a hero, chanting his name rhythmically. Amid the chaos, the cameras panned to Izan on the bench.

The teenager sat calmly, his expression unreadable, but his name was chanted louder by the Valencia supporters.

”Why do they keep panning the camera to me? I’m not even playing” Izan said. Pietro and Sosa, who sat beside Izan, smiled at his remark.

”Maybe, they want to gauge a reaction out of you,” Sosa said. ”Or maybe they are too shy to put the Camera on Pietroninho, so they settled for less,”, Pietro said with a grin.

Izan and Sosa, watching Pietro’s antics shook their heads and focused on the match.

The match’s intensity hadn’t wavered. Granada, spurred on by their resilient defence, launched an attack of their own in the 35th minute.

Sergio Ruiz threaded a pass through Valencia’s high line, sending Myrto Uzuni clear on goal.

The Albanian forward’s effort beat Valencia’s keeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, but trickled agonizingly wide of the post.

The crowd groaned in unison, heads in hands. A Granada fan yelled, ”Come on, lads! We can’t waste these chances!” His frustration resonated with the entire stadium.

As halftime approached, both teams seemed determined to break the deadlock.

Valencia nearly did so in the 42nd minute when Almeida unleashed a thunderous strike from 25 yards.

The ball swerved dangerously but was tipped over by Fernández. The Granada keeper had become the undisputed star of the first half, his heroics keeping Valencia at bay.

In the final moments, Granada pushed one last time. Zaragoza danced past two defenders and unleashed a curling shot that had Mamardashvili beaten, but the ball clipped the bar and went over.

The referee’s whistle blew shortly after, signalling halftime.

”And breathe! What a first half we’ve witnessed. Granada has been fearless, but Valencia, even without Izan, has shown their quality.

Still goalless, but you sense something has to give in the second half,” the commentator summarized.

As the players walked off, the fans applauded the effort. Conversations in the stands turned to tactics and substitutions.

”Do you think Izan will come on?” a young Valencia supporter asked his father, his eyes wide with excitement.

”I hope so,” the father replied. ”This game needs a spark, and Izan can deliver it.”

With the match perfectly poised, the second half promised even more drama.

All eyes remained on Izan, whose introduction could very well be the game’s turning point.

A/n: Sorry for the single release guys. I’m having a bit of trouble over here so all I can do for now it at least one chapter a day.

I’ll try to upload twice a day but if it doesn’t happen, I’m sorry. Anyways, thanks for the support and I’ll see you tomorrow.