46th Minute, Camp Nou
The whistle blew, and Ajax exploded out of the tunnel. The pitch felt like a furnace, and Femi Adeleye, barely able to settle into his position, was immediately on the move. Liam Janssen was already tearing down the right flank, leaving Sergio Calvo grasping at thin air. Yassine Bouali and Timo van Loon were everywhere—pressing, probing, snapping at Arnau Soler and Enric Vidal with relentless hunger.
Josip Van der Berg charged up and down the left, whipping in an early cross that Souleymane Traoré flicked just wide. Ajax were alive, their energy palpable.
50th Minute.
Barcelona, recovering from the shock of Ajax's early push, responded by slowing the tempo. Their passes were crisp, precise, threading through the lines like a masterful symphony. Enric Vidal and Victor Pardo exchanged quick passes through the middle, and Vidal spotted Bruno Peris on the edge of the box. Femi saw it coming. Anticipating the danger, he lunged in with a perfectly timed sliding tackle, taking the ball cleanly, not a touch on the man. The Camp Nou gasped as Femi sprang to his feet, waving his side forward. This was his moment—his response to every doubt that had followed him here.
Kenji Okoro launched a quick ball over the top. Liam gave chase, shrugging off Jordi Navarro, but Hugo Martínez was quick off his line to smother the danger before Liam could get a clean shot off.
57th Minute.
Ajax attacked again. Timo fed Yassine, who chipped a delicate ball to Jacek Kowalski on the right. The winger cut inside, his eyes scanning the space. In one fluid motion, he bent a right-footed shot toward the top corner—Martínez leaped to parry it over the bar.
Corner.
From the set-piece, Ramon Dekker rose highest. His header thudded against the crossbar, a sound like a drumbeat that echoed through Femi's chest. Chaos ensued in the box. Souleymane pounced, swinging his leg to volley the rebound, but Alex Rosas blocked it—his body an immovable wall.
Substitution Ajax: Timo van Loon OFF, Daniel Möller ON. Yassine Bouali moved further forward, now a true attacking midfielder.
63rd Minute. Goal Ajax (1-1)
The game swung back in Ajax's favor, sparked by Josip's crunching tackle against Victor Pardo in midfield. The ball broke loose, and Daniel Möller was off, releasing Jacek down the left. Jacek danced past Pablo Ruiz, his feet quick and sure. He whipped in a perfect, curling cross to the far post.
Liam Janssen arrived like a bullet, timing his run to perfection. One touch—a volley into the net.
The Ajax bench exploded. Femi let out a roar, pumping a fist into the air. Even Josip cracked a grin, momentarily dropping his usual icy composure.
But Barcelona, stung by the equalizer, roared back.
65th Minute.
Arnau Soler and Enric Vidal pulled the strings, sending sharp, incisive balls through the heart of the Ajax midfield. Guillén drifted centrally, Nico Galiano switched flanks, and suddenly the tempo picked up again.
68th Minute. Goal Barcelona (2-1)
Vidal spotted Nico Galiano on the right. A lofted diagonal ball landed at Nico's feet. He controlled it with a flick and beat Noah Willems down the line. Nico drilled a low cross into the box, right into the path of Guillén, who spun away from Femi's last-ditch attempt to cover. The Spaniard met it with a cool, side-footed finish that went past Daan Visser.
The stadium erupted.
Femi slammed the turf with his palm, frustration seeping into his bones.
75th Minute.
Josip clattered into Victor Pardo, earning a stern warning from the referee. The game was growing tense—every tackle was a battle, every pass felt like a risk. Barcelona stayed relentless. Bruno Peris chipped a delicate ball toward Visser, but Kenji Okoro, like a guardian angel, cleared it off the line with an acrobatic header.
81st Minute.
Ajax refused to die. Yassine Bouali surged forward, combining beautifully with Liam, before the ball broke to Souleymane Traoré. The striker took a touch, unleashed a ferocious shot from 18 yards—but it cannoned off the crossbar with a sound that cut through Femi like a knife.
A collective groan from the Ajax bench. That was the moment.
84th Minute. Goal Barcelona (3-1)
A counterattack from Barcelona was all it took to seal Ajax's fate. Arnau Soler intercepted a pass and sent a quick ball to Nico Galiano. Femi, caught pressing high up the pitch, tried to recover, but Nico was already clear. He sprinted down the field, deking Dekker with a quick shift of his hips, and finished past a stranded Visser.
It was over.
88th Minute.
Tempers flared.
Josip shoved Alex Rosas after a late tackle from the Barcelona man, earning a yellow card. The match had become a war of attrition. The emotions of the game were running high, and every tackle felt personal.
90th Minute.
One final clash. Guillén tried to dance past Femi, but this time, Femi barreled through him, taking the ball cleanly with a powerful, no-nonsense tackle. The crowd roared at the contact, a sound of approval or dismay—Femi didn't care.
Guillén lay on the turf, winded, but Femi didn't look back.
Final Whistle.
Barcelona 3-1 Ajax.
The players shook hands. Some didn't.
Josip stormed down the tunnel, shoulders stiff, jaw clenched. Liam stood by the sideline, applauding the traveling fans, his face a mask of stoic pride. Ramon Dekker kicked a water bottle in frustration.
Coach Bakker clapped his hands, rallying his team. "Heads high, boys. Tournament's not over."
Femi glanced at the Barcelona bench. Lars de Groot stood there, arms folded, unreadable. Their eyes briefly met, and Femi's chest tightened.
He clenched his jaw.
This wasn't over.
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To be continued...