After receiving a pass from Thierry Correia, Pérez cut inside, evaded two defenders, and unleashed a curling shot into the top corner.
The stadium exploded in jubilation. Fans jumped from their seats, waving scarves and roaring their approval. Izan clenched his fist slightly, "Fran is back!"
After Fran Pérez’s goal, not much went on in the first half leading to a one-all draw for the first half.
The second half began with both teams pushing for control. Valencia’s midfield, orchestrated by Javi Guerra, sought to impose their rhythm, while Girona relied on swift counterattacks.
In the 58th minute, Girona regained the lead. Eric García rose highest to et a corner from Arnau Martínez, his header thundering into the net.
The stalla groaned as frustration mounted. Izan buried his face in his hands, while Olivia tried to reassure him. "There’s still ti," she said with a determined smile.
"I’m not frustrated though. I just wanted to yawn without being seen" Izan thought as he looked up at her.
After the goal, it seed the hom eside had handed the steering wheel of the match to the away side as Girona continued attacking fiercely.
Valencia, however, regained their spirit through Sosa, who had co on as a substitute in the 68th minute.
The crowd cheered his arrival, sensing sothing special since they had seen glimpses during his previous stints with the senior team.
Sosa imdiately injected energy into the attack, linking up well with Fran Pérez and Diego López.
As the clock ticked into the 75th minute, Valencia pressed harder. Fran Pérez whipped in a dangerous cross, which Girona’s defence barely cleared.
The loose ball fell to Sosa at the edge of the box. The stadium watched on intently at what Sosa would do.
Without hesitating, Sosa took a touch and unleashed a low drive that arrowed into the bottom corner.
The stalla erupted in pandemonium with scarves and flags being waved around. Sosa slid to the corner flag, arms outstretched, as teammates piled onto him.
Izan sat still with a laugh, "That’s Sosa!" His voice was lost in the deafening noise of 40,000 fans celebrating the young player’s first goal for the club.
The equalizer sparked a frenetic final 15 minutes. Valencia pushed for a winner, their fans urging them forward with chants and songs.
Girona, however, remained dangerous on the break. Dovbyk ca close to scoring his second, his shot hitting the post and drawing gasps from the crowd.
Despite the relentless pressure from both sides, the match ended 2-2. As the final whistle blew, fans rose to their feet, applauding the players for their effort and entertainnt.
Izan and Olivia joined in, the adrenaline of the match still coursing through them. After the match, Izan and Olivia went onto the pitch.
"I’d say you are good for the Puskas, but my goals are better, ", Izan said from behind. Sosa turned around and smiled.
He tried to hug Izan after seeing him but the latter pushed him away. "You’re sweaty," he said. "Then hug . I didn’t play" Pietro said from behind with his arms wide open.
Izan moved out of the way, causing Pietro to hug Sosa. Olivia stood behind watching their weird interactions with a slight smile.
....
The bustling streets of Valencia humd with life as Izan stepped into one of the hotels near the training complex in Valencia.
Dressed in a casual yet stylish outfit, he felt a mixture of excitent and nervousness.
It wasn’t every day that a 16-year-old t a team dedicated to crafting his own signature football boots.
The team had accepted Miranda’s suggestion to co to Valencia and had imdiately flown over. The team in question where excited.
The number of young players like Izan getting signature boots was non-existent.
In doing this, Izan will have once made history again by becoming the youngest player to ever get his signature boots.
In a spacious conference room adorned with sketches, fabric samples, and a prototype of his boots on display, Izan was greeted warmly by the team.
Their lead designer, Carlos, introduced himself with a wide smile.
"We’ve been following your journey, Izan. You’ve inspired us with your style of play, and we want these boots to reflect that magic," Carlos said, gesturing to the prototype.
The boots, sleek and futuristic, bore the colours of white and subtle golden accents representing Izan’s teoric rise.
The team walked him through the creative process, seeking his input on design elents. Izan suggested a touch of orange to symbolize his roots in Valencia.
The team took his suggestions seriously, as they sounded very genuine.
"Seem like soone who would rember his roots," Carlos thought as he looked at Izan seriousness in the process.
The team leader, Carlos, also suggested putting Izan’s initials on it, which was well-received by both the team and Izan himself.
As the session ended, the team presented him with a frad sketch of the finalized design.
"We’ll refine these based on your feedback, but we’re confident these will beco a symbol of your journey," Carlos said.
After the eting, Izan returned to Valencia’s training ground, focusing on his recovery.
His coach, Javi, oversaw the recovery exercises, pushing him to balance patience and determination.
"You’ve got ti, Izan. Trust the process," Javi reminded him as he completed a light jogging circuit.
His physical therapist, Marta, worked ticulously to strengthen his ankle. The sessions were gruelling, but Izan remained committed.
Each stretch, each rep brought him closer to returning to the pitch. His teammates often dropped by to check on him, boosting his morale.
After the session, doctor Luis Navarro entered the room and inspected Izan’s recovery charts, and the doctor was shocked, to say the least.
Izan injuries were healing at a faster rate than how a normal person should heal. He inford Izan of it but only got a slight smile and nod.
"It’s probably due to the conditioning and recovery fluids," Izan thought as he got down from the bed.
...
Valencia’s recent 2-2 draw with Girona had sent ripples through the fanbase. Online forums buzzed with debates.
So fans celebrated the hard-fought point that kept them in contention for European football, while others lanted the missed opportunity to climb higher.
Izan’s na trended on social dia, with fans eagerly awaiting his return. "We need Izan back to push us to the next level," one tweet read, while another posted: "Imagine Izan and this team firing together. UCL dreams incoming!"
The draw left Valencia in 5th place, just a point behind Athletic Bilbao in 4th, who had the sa number of points as Atlético Madrid in the 3rd position.
Real Madrid sat in 2nd, 3 points ahead of Valencia with Barcelona on top, ahead of Valencia with 5 points.
Despite the competitive table, Valencia’s young squad showed promise.
Fans clung to the hope that Izan’s eventual return would be the spark needed to ignite a strong finish to the season.
On the top scorer table, Izan sat 3rd, his 12 goals behind, Dovbyk’s 13 and Lewandowski’s 14.
Hugo Duro also followed behind Jude’s 11 with 9 goals, tied with Athletic Bilbao’s Inaki and Atlético Madrid’s Griezmann.
As Izan scrolled through the comnts that night, he felt the weight of expectation but also the unwavering support of the community.
"I’ll be back soon," he whispered to himself, vowing to give everything for the badge, the fans, and the team.
...
In the brightly lit dical office at Valencia’s training complex, Ruben Baraja leaned against the wall, arms folded, a concerned look etched on his face.
Across the room, Dr. Luis Navarro sat at his desk, glancing at a series of scans on his computer screen.
The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the silence before Baraja spoke.
"How’s he doing, Doc? Is his recovery going well?" His voice carried a blend of worry and urgency.
Dr. Navarro adjusted his glasses and turned to face the coach. "No need to fret. He’s almost healed. It’s just so slight muscle strain for not doing what he does for a while..I’d say he’ll be completely healed within the week, as long as he sticks to the plan."
Baraja exhaled, visibly relieved, but the doctor wasn’t done. Navarro leaned forward, his tone more serious now.
"But Ruben, you’ve got to be careful with him. Izan’s young, still growing. Pushing him too hard, too fast, could lead to sothing more serious.
His body needs ti to recover properly, even if his spirit says otherwise."
Baraja nodded slowly, the weight of responsibility pressing on his shoulders.
"I understand. He’s special, Luis. The whole world’s watching him, but I don’t want to ruin the kid. Thanks for the heads-up."
Dr. Navarro smiled faintly. "You’ve got a gem on your hands, Ruben. Protect him." Ruben Baraja nodded at the doctor’s words before stepping out of the room.
He walked around the complex for a while before returning to his office. He sat down in his chair, his eyes settling on the match schedule he had done himself.
"Haaaaaaaahhh, Barcelona " he muttered before returning to his work.
A/n : Another chapter for today so tomorrow is going to be a single release. rry Christmas
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