Chapter 110: Who blinks first?
The drums in Bilbao shook the night sky as tens of thousands of fans in red and white turned the San Mames into a cauldron of noise.
When welcoming visitors at the caliber of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, it was paramount for home fans to do the needful and create a sufficiently loud and hostile atmosphere to tilt the scales in favor of their club, no matter how little.
Maybe, that way, their team could get a result.
Well, tonight, the Bilbao fans didn’t just turn the stadium into a cauldron of noise, they went a step further as racist chants began belting from certain corners of the stadium stands.
For the first time since Sam made the switch to Spain to ply his trade, he was subjected to racist chants.
Well, it was safe to say that he didn’t like it, and his teammates didn’t like it either. But there was nothing they could do about it.
Sam’s reaction?
Well, at first, he was caught off-guard by how far the home fans were willing to go, but once he realized what was at stake for them, he shrugged it off.
This season, Athletic Bilbao were having one of their worst season in years as they were closer to relegation zone than ever before.
To the home fans, any point mattered. It didn’t justify racism, but Sam quickly grew indifferent to it as he got support from his teammates on the pitch.
Lamine Yamal even almost confronted the home fans till Sam held him back.
Sam smiled at him. "No need to waste your energy. Instead, let’s show them the consequence of their actions on the pitch".
Understanding what he meant, Yamal smiled. "Yeah, let’s destroy them".
While the atmosphere in San Mames turned even more hostile due to what just transpired between the FC Barcelona players and the home fans, the Santiago Bernabéu shimmered on another part of Spain like a white temple.
Two battles, one question... who would stumble first?
[San Mamés: Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona]
Athletic Bilbao started in their typical 4-2-3-1 formation with Unai Simon in goal, while ahead of him was the defensive quadruple of Areso, Vivian, Paredes, and Berchiche. The midfield duo were Jauregizar and Ruiz de Galarreta.
Sancet played as the attacking midfielder, while flanking him on both sides were Navarro on the right and Nico Williams on the left who just recovered from an injury that sidelined him for months.
Inaki Williams led the line as the striker.
Bilbao started with a formation that gave the fans hope, and hence why they went to such lengths to get into the head of the FC Barcelona players.
For Barcelona, they started in the same 4-2-3-1 formation with Joan Garcia in goal, and a 4-man defense of Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, and Alejandro Balde.
The midfield duo comprised Pedri and Gavi. In attacking midfield was Fermin Lopez who returned from injury, while flanking him were Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, with Sam leading the line as the striker.
FWEEEE!
The game started, and the opening minutes were carnage.
Athletic Bilbao rode the energy of the home fans as they pressed high, snapping into every duel, the crowd roaring with every crunch of boot on shin.
Nico Williams especially was electric on the left as he torched Koundé on the flank, before firing a cross into the box that Iñaki Williams met, only for Joan García to tip it wide.
Barcelona wobbled under the stadium pressure, but they didn’t break.
Pedri and Gavi stitched together quick passes in midfield, carving open slivers of space with their technicality. Sam dropped deep, dragging defenders with him as he played with even more energy and drive today after the abuse.
In the 27th minute, it worked
Sam flicked a disguised ball into Yamal’s path, the youngster cutting in and curling a left-footer past Unai Simón.
0–1 Barca.
Barça could finally breathe.
Yamal’s celebration? He waved his hands provocatively at the home fans, screaming. "Talk now!"
"BOOOO!" The home fans drowned him in boos in return.
But San Mamés doesn’t forgive.
Right before halftime, a looping corner found Inaki Williams, who muscled Araujo aside and thundered a header into the net.
1–1.
BOOM!
San Mames erupted.
The second half started, and it was war.
Tackles flew, tempers boiled, and the air itself seemed to vibrate with tension. But then in the 71st minute, Raphinha ghosted into space, volleying home Balde’s cross with a rocket finish to give Barca the lead again.
1–2.
Athletic came again, savage and relentless, but Barcelona dug their studs into the turf as they defended brilliantly.
But Sam was still not satisfied with the result though, hence why in the 90th plus 3rd minute he received the ball all the way from his half and silenced the San Mames with an electric solo run.
Sam cut through 3 Bilbao players like they were not there on his way before chipping the ball above the goalkeeper to make it 1-3.
"..."
The stadium was as silent as a church.
To add salt to injury, Sam did the shush celebration and this time, the fans didn’t even have the energy to boo him.
He had the last laugh in San Mames.
When the whistle blew, it was Barça who had survived.
[FULLTIME: Athletic Bilbao 1-3 Barcelona]
...
[Santiago Bernabéu: Real Madrid vs Mallorca]
Unlike Barcelona, Madrid didn’t wobble, they roared.
From the first whistle, it was white waves crashing endlessly on red shores as they ran the Mallorca defense ragged.
As early as the 14th minute, the floodgates opened as Vinícius twisted inside, before rifling a shot that deflected into the path of Mbappé, who finished with the cold precision of a marksman.
1–0 Madrid.
Mallorca fought, but the Bernabéu was merciless. Valverde unleashed another thunderbolt from distance, the net bulging like a cannon shot in the 23rd minute of the game.
2–0.
By the second half, it was exhibition.
In the 54th minute, Rodrygo danced through two defenders, slipping the ball to Bellingham, who slotted calmly into the far corner to make it 3–0.
Madrid cruised, the scoreboard gleaming as the crowd chanted.
"¡Así, así, así gana el Madrid!"
[FULLTIME: Real Madrid 3-0 Mallorca]
...
Two stadiums, two titans, two victories.
Barcelona survived the Cathedral, while Madrid crushed in their fortress.
La Liga’s table didn’t move an inch. Barça and Madrid were still side by side, the rivalry burning hotter than ever.
The whole world sighed, then sharpened its gaze, because it was clear...
If either of these giants were to fall, it would take nothing less than war to make it happen.