Rise of a Football God-Chapter 299: Defiant will of the Catalan Giants

Sevilla came to Spotify Camp Nou to cause an upset.

They came to defy the Catalan giants, but FC Barcelona was a club with a defiant will, especially this version of the club under Hansi Flick.

Raphina’s form from last season clearly extended into this new season as the energetic Brazilian became the one to open the game up.

Taking a defense-splitting pass from Pedri, Raphina bombed towards the Sevilla goal with the ball but meeting opposition, he slowed down, weaving through challenges with his quick feet and strength as he pushed the ball towards the goal line, cleverly protecting it so he would not be dispossessed.

That way, Raphina was able to drag the attention of 3 Sevilla players onto himself and just as the ball seemed like it would go out for a goal kick, he hit it…

Bam!

Like a specter, the ball squirmed through the block of multiple Sevilla players, ghosting into the box even as an alert Robert Lewandowski pounced.

"…!"

The Sevilla defenders were at alert but the Polish marksman’s reactions were faster, pouncing as he stuck his left leg out, hitting the ball with the heel of his boot even as he pushed it into the net.

Sevilla’s goalkeeper reacted, diving but the ball just squirmed past his grasp.

"GOALLLL…!" Spotify Camp Nou erupted.

Charging towards the corner flag, Robert Lewandowski crossed both of his arms together, doing his iconic celebration even as the fans also celebrated.

In the 51st minute of this game, Barca finally went ahead.

FWEEE!

The referee’s whistle sounded to continue the game and trust Barca, they rode on the momentum that was provided by that goal.

And like that, just 4 minutes later, the 2nd goal entered.

And this time, Sam was at the center of it.

After tracking back to win the ball, Sam regained possession and all the way from deep in his half, he went on a rampaging run.

Abusing his physicality and technical brilliance, Sam slalomed through the middle of the pitch, skipping through one challenge after the other even as fans in this stadium rose to their feet, their eyes wide in anticipation.

From 30 yards out, Sam had free rein in front of him as the Sevilla players miscalculated his solo run but instead of shooting, Sam passed the ball.

Again, his play confused the Sevilla players who tried to predict him.

A few Sevilla players already dove in his path, trying to block his shot only to discover that it was a shot as the ball rolled through the ground with speed, cutting the Sevilla defense open like a hot knife through butter.

Bam!

Raphina got the ball in a position where he had only Sevilla’s goalkeeper remaining to beat.

"…!"

Time seemed to freeze, then…

Thud!

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The huge goalkeeper charged out aggressively, making himself big.

Raphina had no time to think but he was composed. Everyone expected him to shoot but instead of shooting, having noticed another blue and red jersey to his right, Raphina pushed the ball to his right with the outside of his boot, away from the sprawling lunge of the Sevilla goalkeeper.

Lurking on the right was a certain Polish striker, Robert Lewandowski.

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Bam!

One touch to calm the ball, then…

BAM!

Another to rifle it into the net with venom!

"GOALLLLL…!!!" The Spotify Camp Nou erupted for the 2nd time in just 5 minutes as the home supporters roared at the top of their lungs in celebration.

Sam didn’t get the assist for the goal, but his imprint was all over that goal.

For the next few minutes, FC Barcelona went on a riot, terrorizing the Sevilla defense even as Sam made his presence known in this game.

He created 2 more deadly chances, 1 for Lewandowski and another for Lamine Yamal as the goalkeeper made incredible saves.

In the 66th minute, he decided to go at it alone again but luck seemed to be teasing him today as Sam’s lethal shot ended up hitting the bar and ricocheting off for a goal kick.

"F*ck!" Sam grabbed his head, not believing his missed chance.

At this point of the game, Sevilla was just holding on for dear life but then, piling on to Sevilla’s misery, Lamine Yamal turned the game on its head with a moment of individual brilliance.

Robert Lewandowski set up the young Spaniard and as soon as Yamal’s leg touched the ball in the 70th minute on the right side of the pitch, he entered the zone state.

Like a prime Neymar Jnr, he weaved through the Sevilla defense from the right, recreating an iconic moment of his relatively short career as drifting in and skipping past another challenge, he hit the ball with his left foot…

Bam!

Yamal didn’t hit the ball with too much power, rather, he wrapped the inside of his left boot around the ball, perfectly sending it on a deadly curving trajectory.

Nyland, Sevilla’s goalkeeper reacted, desperately diving after the ball but like an automated missile, the ball moved, just curling past his grasp and into the net.

"…!" For a few seconds, the Spotify Camp Nou could not react, then…

BOOM!

The iconic old stadium exploded!

"Yamal!" "Yamal!" "Yamal!"

Yamal chants started around this stadium even as the young Spanish winger ran towards the corner flag with a carefree smile on his face.

On arriving at the corner flag, he emulated his idol Neymar, doing the Brazilian dance celebration.

Sam and a few other FC Barcelona players joined him in dancing.

Sam could not dance so it was awful to the eyes, but he danced still.

Sam thoroughly enjoyed himself this game.

In the 75th minute, he was subbed out of the game alongside other superstars in the squad, giving others the chance to shine.

Barca saw the game out, winning 3-0 at home after a second half onslaught.

In this game, Sam’s drought continued, he didn’t get a goal or an assist but his performance today was more like the Sam that FC Barcelona fans watched in highlights back in England.

It was clear that he was still the same player and that he was drawing increasingly closer to regaining his form.

Robert Lewandowski won the man of the match award for this game after his 2 goals and assist display.

It was a vintage FC Barcelona performance.

Sevilla wanted to cause an upset but they could not…, this was the defiant will of the Catalan giants.