Expect The Unexpected (Alexia Putellas x OC)

Chapter 11

April 22nd, 2023, London, Stamford Bridge

41,000 fans reunited in Stamford Bridge stands. I shiver at the sound of their screams. I will never get enough of this. Neither will I of them yelling our names during the team presentation. I bet the fact we've just qualified for the FA Cup Final against City and our top position in the league helped attracting all those fans, who know us by heart now. I'm starting in goals as usual. Our defense is the same Eve – Millie – Kadeisha – Magda, Sophie – Guro – Grace in the midfield, Pernille – Sam – Fran in front. For Barcelona, Paños in goal, Lucy – Irene – Mapi – Nuria in defense, Keira – Patri – Aitana in the midfield, Rolfo – Oshoala – Graham Hansen in front. They let Alexia on the bench as she just came back last weekend for her first minutes since July. As we go back to the locker-room after the warm-ups, I take time to applaud our fans. I obtain a huge reaction and smirk widely. We must show them. I walk to my locker and motivate my teammates. I feel everyone is ready, super focus, and in a great mood. We need to take an advantage tonight.

"Ready?" Sam wonders as we exit the locker-room.

"Always." I nod.

We walk together to the tunnel, and I see the Barca girls are there already. Lucy is staying behind as always so I hug her on our way, and she seems happy to see me. I tap Patri's shoulder softly earning a smile from my friend, I hug Keira, and I stand next to Sandra. She shakes my hand, and we hug quickly. Magda walks in front of me and we wait for the referees. We can hear the fans from here and I mentally take note of the feelings I have right now. As I am deep in my thoughts, I feel someone's hand on my shoulder.

"Enjoy every second of it." Alexia smiles and hugs me.

"I hope you'll get to play." I whisper in the hug.

"You don't know what you wish for." She chuckles.

"Probably." I smile. "I just miss you on the pitch."

"Very nice of you." She winks at me. "Don't be too good."

"I can't promise." I smirk as she goes to her bench.

The referee walks past us, and we enter the stadium. The sound of the fans and the flags everywhere make me realize there is no coming back. It's now or never. We align and then shake our opponents' hands. There is no more smile, no more friends, just concentration and will to win. We huddle near Emma, and she gives us one last pep talk. If everything we've worked on is done successfully, we'll be winners tonight.

"Remember, Jay." Stuart hugs me. "You're our first attacker."

"Got it." I nod. "No one will blame a goalkeeper for being the best assist maker of the tournament, right?"

"Exactly." He chuckles.

I run to my goal under the fans' encouragements. I put my towel and bottle near the net, walk to my six-yard box, kiss my gloves, and point at the sky. This is one for you, Pops. The referee starts the game and Barcelona players get in their usual style quickly getting the ball and building from behind. We let them do until they come to our 30 yards. Then, we press the hell out of them, and we manage to take some balls. At the 14th minute, Sophie recovers the ball in the middle and sends Fran in deep. Our winger runs with the ball and provokes Mapi before giving the ball to Sam between the defender's legs. Sam, who crossed her run, is on her right foot and lets no chance to Sandra. 1-0. The stadium erupts and I yell to my teammates to stay calm and keep going. As soon as the game restarts, we can feel Barca players getting stronger, and they attack almost non-stop. I don't have much to do though, mostly communicating with my defenders to prevent them from making mistakes.

We are defending a corner at the 31st minute, I position my teammates as well as I can and ask Sam to stick to the left side of the pitch very far in our half. Mapi takes the corner, Irene is blocking me, but I manage to jump over her. I take the ball and get up quickly sending a cut volley straight in Sam's run. She made sure not to be offside and she kills Nuria Rabano on the run. Keira tries to run back while Sandra steps up. Sam takes the opportunity to lob the Catalan goalkeeper. I watch the ball slowly getting down in the net. 2-0. Hell yes! I raise my arms in victory and Millie lifts me up from behind.

"Genius!" She yells.

"Just like that, kid!" Stuart shouts from the bench.

I watch Sam doing her famous celebration and running to the fans. I turn around to see the madness behind my goal, everyone is jumping around and hugging each other. This is something I want to see every day. The end of the first half is long and painful as we are always defending, but we go back to the locker-room with this score. Emma gives us advice and motivates us as much as she can. We all know it'll be very hard not to take a goal, but this is when we will see if I can be useful. We gather in the middle of the room and Emma looks at me.

"Jay?" She asks.

"Right." I think quickly. "We can all feel what this is all about. This is more than a first leg game, it's the proof we are one of the best teams in Europe. We can do it, girls. Look around you, we are all warriors, we'll give our lives for one another, we're a family, and we'll do it together!"

"Together!" Millie shouts.

"Together!" All the girls scream.