Chapter 28
Chapter 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Revenge
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sergi Darder.
A player with exceptional forward dribbling.
Decent physicality and work rate, plus ball control that's a bit rough around the edges but solid enough.
He anchors the midfield reliably, handles passing with ease, and knows when to unleash a powerful mid-range shot.
An appealing talent who could thrive even in the top flight.
But sadly, when Espanyol got relegated, rumors linked him to several clubs, and he ended up transferring to Mallorca.
Fans understood on some level but were pretty furious all the same.
It's the natural order of things when a team drops down, but actually living through it as a fan? Tough to swallow.
Especially for a midfield ace who'd carried the team for years.
Of course, that's exactly why he had suitors lining up and had to leave.
And on top of that, he came through the club's youth academy.
You can't help but feel extra attached to homegrown talent.
So when the youth academy ace bailed right after relegation, it hit Espanyol fans like a massive betrayal.
Still, plenty of fans said to send him off with smiles—he'd given the club years of his best.
But then the very next season, Mallorca got relegated too.
💬 Comments — Fan1 If you left, at least be happy... Got relegated again... — Fan2 If you're gonna do that, you should've stayed with the team. With Darder, we could've promoted. Even if not, he'd be a club legend. — Fan3 Wrong choice in the end, but staying back then would've been weird. He actually put up solid numbers at Mallorca. — Fan4 Demotion specialist lol — Fan5 Reverse Mourinho lol The vibe back then was mostly one of regret.
Sure, there was mockery, but most lamented that he hadn't stuck around.
And now, here we were facing Sergi Darder's Mallorca.
In a direct promotion battle for second place, no less.
So fans were dying to see us win this one decisively.
Maybe they hated him for jumping ship, or maybe they just wanted him to regret it.
Either way, I had to win this match no matter what.
Nothing beats the thrill of revenge against a traitor.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Number 9 is open. Mark him!"
Right from the kickoff, both teams' players were scrapping fiercely for position to defend the corner we'd conceded.
I was out on the edge of the box, marking Darder while prepping for a counter.
"So you're the new kid this season? Impressive stuff so far."
Darder suddenly pipes up.
No need to dignify that with a response, so I ignored him.
Preeeep—
Luckily, the corner's trajectory was off.
Straight into a safe spot our keeper could claim easily.
"Focus!!"
Our keeper punches it clear, and it rolls to the edge of the box.
"Pass it!!"
Pablo Ramon—signed alongside me—picks it up.
With me in midfield today, he'd naturally slotted in at right back.
Spotting him with the ball, I call for it and sprint forward.
This was heading straight to a 1v1 chance.
"Ah!"
The pass I expected up ahead came a touch behind me instead.
Too late to turn properly—I was already at full speed, no choice.
Thwack—
"Ha..."
Sergi Darder latches onto the loose ball and rifles a shot.
No stopping that.
Our keeper had crept out, convinced of the counter, leaving the angle wide open.
Rooooaaarrrr—!!!
Darder jogs past me, frozen in disbelief.
"Guess you can't replace me just yet."
He drops the trash talk and saunters back to his half.
"Hah..."
Espanyol fans, oblivious to the jab, applaud him for respecting the home club with no over-the-top celebration.
What a crappy feeling.
I'll make him pay before the final whistle.
1-0 down, but this wasn't over by a long shot.
We'd gotten complacent on a sneaky long ball, lost the aerial duel, conceded the corner.
Regained possession, only to botch a crucial pass and gift another mid-range chance—and the goal.
'Hmm...'
He finished well, sure, but our handling was sloppy.
And partly my fault for not being back in the defensive line.
If I'd been in Ramon's spot, no way I'd botch a pass that badly.
So I had to justify starting in midfield over fullback.
"Dolan! We'll fix this before halftime."
"Damn right."
Maybe because the goal came so early, it hadn't rattled us—Dolan looked sharp.
"Pass it here!"
After kickoff, I call early and take the ball.
Perfect timing for a certain play.
Conceding after barely two minutes in the first half?
Both teams had to be shell-shocked.
They probably figured no more big mistakes, and they'd cruise to victory.
I dribble forward immediately, modulating my pace.
Tap.
A slight shift in direction shakes the attacker off my hip.
They weren't expecting a burst, and even if they let it happen, it wasn't dangerous—so no pressure.
Now they'd think they had to shut me down.
A midfielder rushes in to mark me desperately.
The rest fan out to cover my passing options.
I explode forward, ramping up speed in an instant.
The guy closing me down gets faked out cold, caught flat-footed.
Suddenly, only the left center-back and fullback stand between me and goal.
I don't slow down, darting into the gap between them.
Caught off guard by the sudden break, both lunge to block me.
I glance the opposite way, then swing my right foot at the ball.
"Block it!!"
Shhhwick...
My whipping foot never touches it. No time to stop, so I drop to the turf instead.
"Ugh..."
Pain shoots through me from slamming the deck, but I pop right back up.
Beside me, the center-back and fullback—who'd slid in panic despite no teammate incoming—were tangled and struggling to rise.
I scan our positions again.
This time was different.
Adam Dolan.
Slow to accelerate, so he missed the first timing.
But he read the path like I did, arriving just a beat late.
The ball had stopped while my body flew ahead, leaving it to my left now.
Perfect for the ideal pass timing.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 💬 Live Chat "Whoa! How far is Lee Si-eon gonna take this?!" "He's shredded two defenders back-to-back! Just two left in front!" — Chat1 Wtf — Chat2 Where you getting off? — Chat3 End of the line. — Chat4 They can't even keep up lol "Looks like a pass now... Oh!! He keeps charging!" "No one's caught him yet! Don't cross now!!" "Ah, he's going for the cross!!" — Chat5 Lol can't see straight rn — Chat6 Damn, knew he was quick, but no one can touch him. — Chat7 Si-eon just busted like 38km? — Chat8 Whoa... that's top-tier league speed? — Chat9 Yeah, second division lol "Ahh! Not a cross—fake! But he can't brake!" "Dives right over without hesitation. Might as well fall and recover fast!" "That fake has the center-back and fullback still down. Opportunity!" "Whoa! Whips in the cross right away!" "GOAL!!! Adam Dolan was right there! Slots it home clean!!!" "That was a rabona pass, right?" "Yep. Ball was on the left, so he timed it perfectly for Dolan's run." "His right-foot technique is near flawless. Infront, outfront, rabona—all perfect!!!" "Dolan sprints over to Lee Si-eon—they're celebrating together." "Score's back to 1-1!" Of course, only Adam Dolan had trusted me enough to follow.
Makes sense.
Who could've predicted a dribble from midfield would go all the way?
I should praise Dolan for reading it and showing up.
Heading back to our half, I make a point of veering toward Darder.
"Abandoned the team and ran off, only to get relegated there too. At this point, aren't you the problem?"