Morning at Paterna
The sun had barely risen over Paterna, but inside Valencia CF's training complex, the players were already awake, dressed, and gathered in the cafeteria for their pre-match meal. It was quiet. Unusually quiet.
There was no joking, no casual conversations—just the clinking of cutlery against plates and the occasional shuffle of chairs as players adjusted their seating. The tension was palpable.
Izan sat across from Hugo Duro and Pietro, staring at his plate. He had barely touched his food, picking at his eggs absentmindedly.
Across the room, José Luis Gaya, Valencia's captain, sipped his coffee in silence, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular.
The usual pre-match ritual was different today. They had been in big games before, but this? This was a final.
From the corner of the room, coach Rubén Baraja watched his players carefully. He knew what was running through their minds.
