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The day of the friendly match against Espanyol arrived. Mateo sat quietly on the team bus, his earbuds in, blocking out the chatter around him. His mind replayed everything he'd worked on in the past week—dribbling, passing, positioning. Every improvement felt like a step closer to proving he belonged.
The system chimed softly in his mind:
Special Mission Reminder: Earn the coach's praise during the Espanyol match. Reward: 3 Stat Points + 10 System Points.
Mateo clenched his fists. This was it.
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The Locker Room
Inside Espanyol's academy stadium, the Barcelona youth team gathered in the locker room. The atmosphere was tense but electric. Coach Marc stepped in with a clipboard and began reading the starting lineup.
Mateo's name wasn't called.
"Alvarez, you'll start on the bench," Marc said. "Be ready to come on in the second half. I want fresh legs to test their defense late in the game."
Disappointment washed over Mateo, but he masked it with a nod. Starting on the bench wasn't ideal, but it was still a chance.
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The Warm-Up
As the starters jogged onto the field for their warm-up, Mateo stayed back with the substitutes, going through light drills. He activated the system's Opponent Analysis to observe Espanyol's players warming up.
His eyes locked on Jaime Moreno, the opposition's midfield anchor:
Pace: 60
Dribbling: 58
Defending: 64
Composure: 52
Moreno looked strong, commanding, but his sluggish turns during agility drills confirmed what the system had noted—his Agility: 55 wasn't his strength. Mateo filed this away for later.
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Kickoff
The match began with Espanyol dominating possession. Barcelona's starters struggled to break through Espanyol's organized defense, and Lucas Vargas, the star striker, was visibly frustrated, gesturing wildly after every misplaced pass.
On the bench, Mateo studied the game closely. He noticed Espanyol's right-back, David Nunez, liked to push high up the field, leaving gaps behind him.
"Remember that," he muttered to himself.
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The Call-Up
By halftime, the score was 0-0. Coach Marc gathered the team for a quick pep talk.
"We're too predictable in the attack," he said. "We need more urgency and creativity in the final third."
Turning to Mateo, he said, "Alvarez, warm up. You're going in at left wing."
Mateo's heart pounded. This was his moment.
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The System Activates
As Mateo jogged to the sideline, the system chimed again:
New Task: Create one scoring chance within 15 minutes of entering the match. Reward: 2 Stat Points.
He took a deep breath and glanced at his stats one last time:
Main Attributes:
Pace: 59
Dribbling: 56
Passing: 54
Agility: 55
Positioning: 50
He stepped onto the field with the substitution board showing his number. The crowd, though small, applauded politely.
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The First Touch
Mateo's first involvement came quickly. A long ball from Alejandro Gutierrez landed near him on the left wing. He controlled it with his chest, turned, and sprinted down the line.
David Nunez, Espanyol's right-back, closed in. Mateo slowed, baiting him into a tackle, then flicked the ball through Nunez's legs, earning a cheer from the crowd.
The system chimed:
Dribbling +1.
Mateo didn't let the moment distract him. He kept driving forward, looking for an option in the box.
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The Turning Point
Mateo sprinted down the left flank, scanning the box for options. Lucas Vargas was positioned near the penalty spot, marked tightly by Espanyol's center-back. Mateo faked a cross, cutting back sharply to create space for himself.
The system chimed again:
Agility +1.
He delivered a low-driven cross into the six-yard box. Lucas lunged, but the ball was intercepted by Jaime Moreno, who cleared it with a commanding header.
"Better delivery next time," Lucas barked. Mateo nodded, unfazed.
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The Battle in Midfield
Minutes later, Mateo dropped deeper to help regain possession. Espanyol's Jaime Moreno received the ball, and Mateo anticipated his movement.
Using the system's insight into Moreno's low Composure (52), Mateo pressed aggressively, forcing a rushed pass. He intercepted the ball cleanly, sprinted forward, and combined with Alejandro Gutierrez in a quick one-two.
The system chimed:
Interceptions +1.
Vision +1.
Mateo surged into the final third, but Espanyol's defense regrouped. Instead of forcing a shot, he played a clever through ball into the path of Lucas Vargas.
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The Assist
Lucas took the pass in stride, feinted past the goalkeeper, and slotted the ball into the net.
"GOAL!" the commentator shouted, as the Barcelona bench erupted.
The system chimed again:
New Task Completed: Create one scoring chance within 15 minutes.
Reward: +2 Stat Points.
Mateo grinned as Lucas ran to celebrate. For the first time, he felt like he truly belonged.
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Growing Confidence
The assist boosted Mateo's confidence. With the clock ticking, he focused on maintaining possession and exploiting Espanyol's defensive lapses.
In the 82nd minute, Mateo found himself in a one-on-one situation against David Nunez again. This time, he used a step-over to cut inside, drawing a foul just outside the box.
The system chimed:
Dribbling +1.
Composure +1.
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The Final Moments
Barcelona scored from the resulting free kick, sealing a 2-0 victory. As the referee blew the final whistle, Mateo was swarmed by his teammates.
"Well done, Alvarez," Coach Marc said after the match. "That assist was top class. Keep this up, and you'll earn more minutes."
The system chimed:
Special Mission Completed: Earn the coach's praise.
Reward: +3 Stat Points + 10 System Points.
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Post-Match Reflection
Back in the locker room, Mateo reviewed his updated stats:
Main Attributes:
Overall Rating: 53 → 54
Pace: 59
Dribbling: 57
Passing: 54
Agility: 56
Vision: 53
Composure: 51
System Points: 10
Alejandro clapped Mateo on the back. "Told you, didn't I? Keep playing like this, and you'll be unstoppable."
Lucas, however, was less enthused. "Don't get cocky, Alvarez," he muttered, walking past. "One assist doesn't make you a star."
Mateo ignored the remark. He had bigger goals in mind.
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