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A week passed in a flash.
At the Bernabéu.
Messi and Lance were meeting for the fifth time this season, and for the ninth time in three years. Messi had zero wins. Lance had nine.
It had reached the point where, whenever they met, Messi couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge him, choosing to look straight through him entirely. Lance just chuckled, equally uninterested in paying Messi any mind.
Looking back at his own lineup, Gabi had pulled a thigh muscle in training, and backup defensive midfielder Thiago Mendes was out with a long-term injury. Saúl had to fill in as defensive midfielder, while young winger Ángel Correa took up the position on the right flank.
Lance's position shifted into midfield — the same role he had played for a time at Bayer Leverkusen. CMF/AMF, attacking midfielder. The corresponding world-class players at that position included De Bruyne, Modrić, Kroos, Iniesta, Pogba.
It could only be said that, working around injuries and other factors, Simeone had fine-tuned his tactics and put out the strongest lineup available to face Barcelona.
Lance had originally felt quite confident. But seeing the Barcelona players walk out with their heads held high, showing absolutely no trace of the four consecutive defeats Atlético had handed them, changed that.
Messi, Neymar, Suárez. The core players still had fire in their eyes.
"This is actually quite interesting."
Lance was intrigued. Had Barcelona been drilling new tactics during their closed training sessions?
He could never have guessed it: pushed into a corner by Lance, Luis Enrique had been forced to unlock a version of himself that would go on to lead Paris Saint-Germain to a Champions League title in 2025. The overall tactical details and player configurations differed from that future PSG side, but the general philosophy and the positioning of the forwards were fundamentally aligned with that approach.
He couldn't have known any of this then. Ten minutes in, though, Lance could already sense something was wrong.
Back home, there was still no official domestic broadcast channel for the Copa del Rey, and many fans had to dig up foreign streams through VPNs. In Europe, major Spanish-language TV stations and English-language platforms like Sky Sports all had live coverage of the final.
Sky Sports had specifically brought in renowned commentator Martin Tyler for the occasion, paired with the popular English duo: Manchester United legend Gary Neville and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.
The banter between the two old rivals in the studio was one of the highlights of the build-up.
"Judging by these opening minutes, Barcelona came prepared."
"That's for sure. Barcelona has been worked over by Atlético so many times this season; if they didn't change something, could they really call themselves a powerhouse?"
Carragher commented dismissively.
"Alright then, tell me — what's the secret behind this setup from Barcelona?" Gary Neville challenged, unconvinced.
Carragher smiled and said:
"Look at Barcelona's defensive shape today. They're pressing high and pressing decisively, more so than they ever did before. Suárez is constantly pulling out of the penalty area, and that's having a massive impact on both ends. That might be Luis Enrique's single most important adjustment."
Carragher had keenly spotted Suárez's positioning. A striker spending far more time outside the penalty area than inside it. Constantly receiving the ball out wide or in the channels, then distributing to Messi and Neymar, rather than lurking in the box waiting for a cutback.
"Suárez!! Surrounded by three defenders with his back to goal!! Excellent! He turns and feeds it to Neymar!"
Martin Tyler couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Suárez had once been Liverpool's talisman. During their lowest point, he briefly dragged them back toward their peak, laying some of the foundations for the revival that followed. Fans knew that chapter well, and the nickname "God Suárez" had stuck for a reason.
His ball-handling was plainly world-class. With Godín absent, it was very difficult for any other Atlético defender to dispossess him.
Instead, Suárez drew Giménez out of position, opening a gap in the penalty area. Neymar made a quick run to receive the ball, skipped past right-back Juanfran, turned, nutmegged the covering center-back Lucas, and fired a low shot.
"Neymar!!!!"
"Sensational save!!! A world-class save!!"
Goalkeeper Oblak continued his extraordinary form. He dove and punched the ball away with one hand, drawing a thunderous roar from the Bernabéu.
On the original timeline, the 2015/16 Copa del Rey Final had been scheduled for Atlético's home ground, the Vicente Calderón. But Lance's butterfly effect had brought Atlético to the final, and Barcelona pressured the Spanish Football Federation until the venue was moved to neutral ground: Real Madrid's home, the Bernabéu.
The split in the stands was almost even between Barcelona and Atlético fans, with a scattering of neutrals there purely for the spectacle. There were probably not many Real Madrid fans in attendance. No Real Madrid supporter wanted to watch two bitter rivals settle a cup final in their own stadium.
The fans hadn't had long to settle before a figure ghosted into the penalty area.
"Damn, Messi!"
Lance had been sprinting back to cover, hoping to get across in time. He was one step too slow.
The tempo Barcelona were playing at today was something else entirely. They looked like a completely different team.
Messi arrived at the landing spot in the penalty area, his feet shifting. Saúl and Koke lunged in to intercept.
But the reason Messi is Messi is that his greatest strength lies in reacting after the opponent commits. The moment they stuck out a leg, he changed direction. Messi cut right, then dragged the ball back to the left, using a stepover to split the double-team.
Low shot with the left foot.
Even Oblak couldn't save this one.
"Messiiiiiii—"
"Gooooooooal!!"
The passionate roar of the Spanish commentator ignited the stadium.
In the 14th minute, Messi scored. Barcelona led 1-0.
"Damn it."
Lance cursed under his breath, kicking at the grass. Saúl and Koke were pounding the turf in frustration.
How had they let Messi do that?
Watching the Barcelona players embrace and celebrate, the rest of the Atlético squad stood with hands on hips, feeling awful.
"Saúl, stop pounding the ground. Let's get it back."
"Mark him properly at the back! Messi is Messi — stop him before he even gets into the area!"
Goalkeeper Oblak, one of the team's key figures, quickly shouted to rally his teammates.
"That's right! We still have Lance! We can equalize. We can take the lead!"
Defender Giménez remained unconcerned. Lance had pulled off countless rescues before; this time would be no different, and they would win the Copa del Rey without any real drama.
But ten minutes later, in the 25th minute:
"Messi!!! A brace!!"
"Barcelona's dominance is finally being showcased on the Copa del Rey stage!"
"If they had played like this earlier! If they had played like this all season, they would already be La Liga champions!"
2-0. Barcelona led by two goals.
Lance himself was stunned.
"What the hell — isn't this just Paris Saint-Germain?"
He remembered the prophetic dream. He had seen the 2025 Champions League Final, where Paris Saint-Germain's false nine and high-pressing system had burned itself into his memory. French forward Dembélé kept pulling out of the penalty area, creating space for teammates and then cycling back to form the first press line in front of the box. In the end, PSG had produced the largest margin of victory in Champions League Final history, sweeping Inter Milan 5-0. Luis Enrique became a legend — a world-class manager who had led two different clubs to a treble.
"Wait..."
You're using tactics from ten years in the future to mess with me?
Lance looked around at his teammates. Their expressions had shifted from early dismissiveness to outright bewilderment. Morale was fraying. Barcelona were growing in confidence with every passing minute, and with Godín missing, a trace of panic had begun to creep into Atlético's defense.
Since that's the case...
Lance opened the system.
Equipped Template: Isagi Yoichi — S (Fusion Value 46%)
Equipped Template: Bachira Meguru — S (Fusion Value 100%)
Equipped Template: Mareto Shouei (Blue Lock) — B
Rage Value: 65%
Assist Character: Hyuga Kojiro — S (Fusion Value 100%)
Support Status: On
Facing the strongest version of this year's final boss, Barcelona, who had now revealed a second form — the corners of Lance's mouth curled into an almost imperceptible arc.
Sorry. You have a second form. But so do I.