God Of football

Chapter 215: Opportunist[Golden ticket chapter]]

As the players reset for the restart, Izan gave a quick nod to Hugo Duro and a sly smile to the Real Betis defenders.

They had tried to stop him, but Izan had proven once again that he was always a step ahead.

The second goal wasn’t just a moment of brilliance—it was a statement: Izan could adapt to anything.

With Valencia now leading 2-0, Real Betis knew they had to respond quickly. Their coach, visibly agitated, barked orders from the sidelines, urging his players to push higher up the pitch and commit more bodies forward.

The away side began to play with desperation, flooding Valencia’s half with numbers in search of a goal.

Valencia, however, stood resolute. Cenk and Mark marshaled the defense brilliantly, cutting off crosses and making crucial interceptions.

In midfield, Almeida and Pietro worked tirelessly to disrupt Betis’ rhythm, while Izan drifted in and out of the action, carefully picking his moments to influence the game.

In the 77th minute, the visitors found a breakthrough. A quick counterattack caught Valencia’s defense out of shape, and Betis’ star striker slotted home a low shot from just inside the box. The score was now 2-1, and suddenly, the Mestalla grew tense.

"Game on! Real Betis have clawed one back, and with just over ten minutes left, it’s anyone’s game now!"

As the Betis players celebrated, Izan calmly retrieved the ball from the net and jogged back to the center circle.

His face was stoic, his mind already racing through scenarios to close out the game. Gayà approached him, clapping him on the back. "Keep us steady, kid. This is where we show our mettle."

Izan nodded. "We’ll finish this."

From the restart, Valencia slowed the tempo, passing the ball with precision to frustrate Betis. Izan became the heartbeat of the team, dictating play from the center of the pitch.

Despite Betis pressing high, he rarely put a foot wrong, gliding past challenges and finding pockets of space to relieve pressure.

As the game entered stoppage time, Betis threw everything forward, leaving their defense exposed.

Izan, ever the opportunist, spotted the chance to seal the game.

After intercepting a loose pass near Valencia’s box, Almeida quickly fed the ball to Izan, who turned and sprinted up the field with breathtaking pace.

The Betis defenders scrambled to keep up, but Izan was unstoppable. As he approached the edge of the penalty area, he feinted a shot, drawing two defenders toward him, before slipping a no-look pass to Fran Pérez on the right.

Pérez blasted the ball into the roof of the net, sending the Mestalla into raptures for the 3rd time in the match.

"It’s Fran Pérez! GOOOOOOAL! Valencia makes it 3-1, and it’s that man Izan pulling the strings again! He’s unstoppable tonight! What a counterattack!"

"That’s the hallmark of a world-class player. He’s not just a goal scorer—he’s a game-changer. Valencia are going home with all three points!"

Moments later, the referee blew the final whistle, and the Mestalla erupted in celebration. The fans sang in unison, waving scarves and banners high in the air.

Valencia’s players embraced on the pitch, their hard-fought victory secured.

Izan, as always, was at the center of it all. As he clapped for the fans, they chanted his name with fervor:

"Izan! Izan! Izan!"

As always, the pundits couldn’t stop praising the young star.

"He’s only 16, but he plays like he’s been in the game for a decade. Izan didn’t just survive the pressure tonight—he thrived under it."

"If Real Betis thought they had him figured out, they’ve learned the hard way that you can’t predict genius. This kid is special."

As the team walked off the pitch, Gayà draped an arm around Izan. "You’re something else, you know that?" he said, grinning.

Izan laughed softly. "We all are. I just played my part."

In the tunnel, the Betis coach watched Izan disappear toward the Valencia dressing room, shaking his head. "Figured him out," he muttered to himself. "Yeah, right."

Valencia’s 3-1 victory solidified their standing in the league, and Izan’s performance left no doubt that the prodigy was destined for greatness.

As the fans filtered out of the Mestalla, one thing was clear: the future of Valencia might be brighter than ever, and its glow came from the young star at the heart of it all but the brighter it shined, the sooner it died out and with other top clubs on the hunt for their "Game changer", Izan could soon be snapped up.

...…

Rubén Baraja entered the room filled with reporters, still visibly pleased from the 3-1 victory over Real Betis.

The flashes of cameras lit the room as he took his seat, Valencia’s emblem glowing behind him on the backdrop. The coach adjusted his microphone and gestured for the reporters to begin.

A journalist from Marca started: "Rubén, congratulations on the victory. What are your thoughts on the team’s performance tonight?"

Baraja smiled. "Thank you. I’m proud of the team. Real Betis is a tough opponent, well-organized and dangerous on the counter, but we executed our game plan well.

In the first half, we controlled the tempo and took our chances. The second half was more challenging—they adapted, and we had to dig deep.

But we showed resilience, and our quality came through in key moments. I think the fans enjoyed what they saw."

Another reporter from AS jumped in: "Real Betis tried to target Izan specifically in the second half, but he still managed to deliver two decisive assists. How do you assess his performance tonight?"

Baraja leaned forward. "Izan is… a phenomenon, isn’t he? He’s only 16, yet he reads the game like someone with years of experience.

Betis tried to shut him down, but great players always find solutions. What impressed me the most was how he stayed calm under pressure, made adjustments, and played for the team.

That through ball for Hugo Duro’s goal? Pure class. And his involvement in the third goal showed his ability to lead counterattacks.

He’s a special talent, but we must protect him and keep him grounded."

As the questions flowed, a reporter from El País asked: "Your next game is a big one—Barcelona at the Mestalla. They’ve been in great form. How do you approach a game like that?"

Baraja’s expression grew more serious. "Yes, Barcelona is one of the best teams in the world, and they’re always a challenge.

They have players who can change the game in an instant, so we’ll need to be at our very best. But we’re playing at the Mestalla, and that gives us an edge.

Our fans are incredible—they create an atmosphere that pushes the players to another level.

We’ll study Barcelona carefully, look for their weaknesses, and prepare to exploit them. We’ll need to be disciplined defensively and clinical in attack."

He paused, then added, "Matches like this are also a chance for players like Izan to test themselves against the very best. These are the games where you grow."

"Rubén, speaking of Barcelona, one of their standout players this season has been Lamine Yamal.

At just 16 years old, he’s making waves, much like Izan. What’s your assessment of him?" a reporter followed after Baraja finished.

Baraja leaned back, a thoughtful smile crossing his face. "Lamine Yamal is an extraordinary talent.

It’s rare to see a player so young with such confidence, technique, and ability to influence games at the highest level.

Watching him play, you can see he has that natural flair and creativity that makes defenders nervous every time he gets the ball."

He paused before continuing. "I admire how mature he is for his age. Barcelona have done well to trust him and integrate him into their team.

It’s not easy to perform consistently at that level when the spotlight is on you, but Lamine handles it well.

He’s already a decisive player for them, whether it’s his dribbling, his eye for a pass, or his ability to score in big moments."

Baraja tried to cut the interview short after that but before he could do so, a follow-up question came: "Do you see similarities between Lamine Yamal and Izan?"

Baraja, already up, sat back down and nodded. "In some ways, yes. Both are incredibly gifted and have a natural understanding of the game that you can’t teach.

They also share that rare ability to decide matches despite their young age. But they’re different types of players.

Lamine is more of a creative winger, someone who thrives in one-on-one situations and loves to take risks in the final third.

Izan, on the other hand, is more versatile. He can play deeper, dictate the tempo, and still be decisive in the final third.

"What they both share is a bright future, and I think it’s exciting for football fans to witness two young stars rising at the same time."

After this Baraja ended with a compliment: "Lamine Yamal is a great player, and I look forward to seeing him and Izan on the same pitch. Matches like this, with players of such talent, are why we love football."

After his words, Baraja got up, with the moderator ending the session.