Free Web NovelChapter 18: Superliga Resumption
March, 2024.
The Superliga was stirring back to life after waking up from a short sleep. The weather was getting warmer because spring holidays were right around the corner, and everyone was excited to be back after the February break.
On Friday, the league kicked off the resumption with a big game between Leganés and Periso CF U14. It was a stunning 2-0 win that rejuvenated the whole division.
On Saturday, there were two more big matches fixed on the schedule. First, EDM San Blas had to play against CD Móstoles from the southwest of Madrid. The other game was Getafe U14 against Rayo C. Alcobendas, a club from the Alcobendas area where these youth leagues were first premiered.
It was hard to believe that this was indeed official football. Even though it wasn’t a pro league, having three big divisions like U12, U14, and U16 made the RFFM feel packed with the future of football. Every team was fighting for points like they hadn’t won a game in years. Diego felt a knot in his stomach realizing that the games were finally starting for real, and his team was already right in the middle of the action.
By noon, the Ciudad Deportiva de Canillejas was buzzing with families, friends, relatives, and residents. This was the kind of attendance at youth leagues.
Since Diego was a player for the home team, he wasn’t sitting in the bleachers with the fans. It felt more formal to sit at the dugout under a shade, facing the rising, glittering bleachers.
The atmosphere was electric, the sun burned bright. Retailers garrisoned at every corner of the venue, selling refreshments and hats to those who needed them in the heat, adding to the wholesome atmosphere of the youth league match.
With most of the team gathered out on the touchline to listen to Coach Nick and Coach Carl, Diego stayed behind in the uniform room. He was alone, pulling on his gear even though he wouldn’t be playing. He was just going to warm the bench while wearing one of those bright neon bibs that subs wear. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
"If I can’t even show a hint now," he muttered under his breath, eyes on the floor, "then actually playing is far. I’d have to start showing something first."
He finished lacing his boots, stood up, and the number 66 settled flat against his back. Frankly, it was his best football look ever. Compared to the old, raggedy Barca jersey he used to wear for practice, the official EDM San Blas kit made him look like a real athlete.
Diego put his hands on his waist and let his eyes roam around the uniform room of twenty-six boys.
Twenty-six names fighting for minutes.
And beyond this room? Maybe three hundred boys across the division all trying to achieve the same glory.
How does one become the greatest of all time here?
EDM San Blas had recruited seven boys mid-season. In football, that usually translates to an unstable team. An unstable team is not a winning team. That means EDM San Blas wasn’t the best team in the league, which could make Diego’s goal even harder to achieve.
But even if the team was actually the best, then he would stand no chance because the coaches already know exactly who they want to play, and he’d be just an extra!
Taking a deep breath, Diego decided to just let time speak for itself.
He adjusted his shin guards and headed out.
On his way to the noisy sideline, his eyes caught a newly pasted printout on the wall. It was finally the Superliga table he’d been looking for!
Diego scanned the list and immediately spotted his team, EDM San Blas, sitting in 7th place in a 16-team league standings.
7. EDM San Blas | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 17 | +5 | 26
Being right in the middle wasn’t bad, but then Diego traced his finger up to the number one, second, and third spots.
1. Real Madrid U14 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 12 | +20 | 36
2. Atlético Madrid U14 | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 10 | +18 | 34
3. Getafe U14 | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 13 | +12 | 32
Diego gulped.
"We’re cooked."
If these were the teams at the top, he wondered if his team was even allowed to win any trophy in such a competitive division!
Back outside in the field, the loud sound of an announcement through a microphone roused a small cheer from the crowd. Diego stepped away and turned to leave, but he noticed a tiny door slightly open to his left.
It was the Technical Room.
His curiosity drew him inside. There were papers everywhere, filled with team strategy data and complicated drawings of plays. Diego noticed Atlético de Madrid’s logo appeared everywhere: on binders, doors, even some of the desk stationery. But EDM San Blas was independent, so the reason was that they had a special deal to lease Atlético’s U14 equipment and even use this specific field.
Diego decided to take a closer look while he heard more announcements echoing from the distance.
He saw a big paper showing the formation for today: a 4-4-2. Right next to it was the predicted 4-3-3 formation for Móstoles, with lines drawn everywhere to show how the two styles would collide. Theoretical play lines were circling certain areas of the pitch and notes about the same star players Diego had already been watching.
It looked like a giant chess match. Seeing his coaches’ secret notes made him realize how much work went into every game. He saw his own name way down at the bottom of a list, and it made him want to get out there even more.
But his name wasn’t just at the bottom of the list. When Diego looked closer, he saw circles and weird notes written all around his name! He couldn’t believe it. He leaned in further, trying to connect the lines and thinking like a real analyst would.
The lines were all twisty and kept pointing from his name and his position over to another kid named Bernard. Then there were big circles and parts that were crossed out with a pen, like the coach was totally unsure about what to do. It was super confusing, especially since there were duplicate files everywhere.
Quickly, Diego looked behind him to make sure no one was coming, his heart thumping against his ribs like a drum.
He grabbed another pile of papers that looked like a clearer draft. The more he read, the faster his heart pumped. But something felt really off.
None of the names of the opponents on these papers matched the team they were playing today. He didn’t recognize any of it. Eventually, he dropped that batch and went back to the very first page to read the bold scribbling at the top.
Mth Day 17, v Vallecano
"Yes!" Diego exclaimed.
Today was only Match Day 16. The coaches weren’t just thinking about today—they were planning ahead!
He saw the notes for the next game and realized what it meant.
He was actually going to get subbed in for the next match against Rayo Vallecano U14!
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A/N: Thanks for reading!
