The sun blazed high over the training grounds of Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper, where a few hundred fans gathered in the stands for the friendly between Barcelona Juvenil C and Valencia Juvenil C. The tension buzzed in the air. It might've been "just a friendly," but both squads knew—it was a statement game.
Luca Herrera stood at the edge of the pitch, warming up with quick shuffles and short sprints. His golden brown eyes scanned the opposing team. Valencia's players looked focused. Mean. One of them, the center-back with a shaved head and a scowl, didn't break eye contact when Luca looked his way.
Coach Ortega clapped his hands. "Luca! False nine today. Float between the lines. Keep them guessing."
Luca nodded, tying his boots tighter. "Got it, coach."
Kickoff
From the whistle, Valencia came out aggressive—pressing hard, double-marking Luca, bodying him every time he got close to the ball.
Within the first five minutes, a rough shoulder charge knocked him down.
No call.
Luca got up, brushing off the dirt. A quiet smirk.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]Stat Awareness TriggeredAggression Level Detected: HighDecision-Making Boost Activated – 10% improvement under pressure
15th Minute – Dance Begins
With a quick one-two from the midfield, the ball found Luca just outside the box. Two defenders charged at him.
He feinted left—a Ronaldinho-style elastico—then cut right, leaving them frozen.
Crowd gasped.
Another defender slid in late. Luca poked the ball forward at the last second, absorbing the contact as he spun to the ground.
Still no whistle.
Coach Ortega barked from the sidelines. "Ref! That's three already!"
Luca stood, stretching his neck. His vision flicked toward the system HUD.
[New Prompt Unlocked] — "Silent Performer"Endure 5 fouls in one match without retaliating → Bonus XP
32nd Minute – The Goal
It started with a clearance from the keeper. A midfield duel won by the Barcelona pivot. One touch. Then another.
The ball found Luca near the halfway line.
He turned, saw space, and took off.
One defender. He tapped the ball past him with a flick.Two more closed in. A sharp roulette spin, dazzling.A last defender dived in.
He chipped the ball. A perfect lob. Keeper frozen.
GOAL.
The net rippled. 1–0.
The crowd exploded. Even some Valencia fans couldn't help but clap. One kid in a Messi shirt shouted, "¡Qué golazo!"
On the sidelines, a man with a Barcelona B badge made a note in his book. Then circled Luca's name.
Second Half – They Want Blood
Valencia came out angry.
The tackles turned sharper. The grabs more blatant.
Luca got dragged down in the 52nd minute.Elbowed in the ribs in the 59th.Tripped after releasing a pass in the 65th.
The ref blew the whistle a few times now—but too late.
Coach Ortega looked at his assistant. "They're targeting him."
By the 70th minute, Luca was limping. Still fighting. Still dribbling, passing, drawing three players with every touch.
But Coach Ortega had seen enough.
He signaled the sub.
Luca jogged off, chest rising and falling, dirt smudged across his cheek. The crowd gave a standing ovation. His father, watching in the stands, clapped with tears in his eyes.
He might have only scored once—but it was the only goal.The winning goal.
Post-Match
Coach Ortega patted him on the back. "We'll get you checked tomorrow. But you showed heart today. That was a war. And you won it."
One of the younger teammates, wide-eyed, asked, "How do you do that thing with the spin? I swear the guy's ankles snapped."
Luca chuckled softly, still catching his breath. "Just feeling the rhythm."
Inside his system interface, a notification popped up:
[NEW ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED]"Marked Man" – Score while being fouled 5+ times in a match+2 Technique+1 StrengthReward: Signature Animation Unlocked – "Ronaldinho No-Look Pass"
He smiled to himself. They could foul him all they wanted.He was only just getting started.