Rise of a Football God

From the beginning of the match, one thing was clear, Rayo Vallecano stood no chance against FC Barcelona at the Spotify Camp Nou.

At least, this was what people thought.

But well, when the game started, Rayo Vallecano showed grit.

The visitors embraced their place as the inferior side, playing a Jose Mourinho-style football, playing with 10 men behind the ball. And somehow, it was working, their low block keeping Barcelona's fearsome attack at bay.

With Sam not in the field of play, Ferran Torres took his place as the striker today and though the Spaniard was not as effective as the Nigerian International, he was still playing a decent game.

Behind him, and to his left and right, Gavi, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal played well, torching the Rayo Vallecano defenders at every given opportunity, stringing together impressive plays, but it was never quite enough.

That finishing touch was not just there.

FC Barcelona had a lot of shots, and yet, it was not until the 33rd minute of the match when Raphinha got the first shot on target, forcing the goalkeeper to make an impressive save.

And shockingly, that was the only shot on target in the first half.

It was one of the worst first halves to a game that FC Barcelona had played all season. And during halftime, Hansi Flick was understandably furious, having a go at his players.

But in the end, the coach didn't make a change, not yet.

He sent his players back to the pitch like that.

Just 3 minutes after the restart though, in the 48th minute of the game, the electric Brazilian winger, Raphinha roared to life.

It was a penetrative pass from Pedri that started the sequence and then taking the ball in his strides, with a body feint, double step overs, a nutmeg and an explosion of speed, Raphinha beat 2 players, charging into the box.

There, as the Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper charged out, Raphinha maintained his cool and unleashed a shot that flashed across the face of goal, towards the right corner post.

Bang!

It hit the bottom post, and snuck inside the net.

Silence, for about a second, then…

"GOALLLLLL…!!!"

The Spotify Camp Nou roared to life.

Ecstatic fans hugged each other, celebrating among themselves, acknowledging the Brazilian, Raphinha who charged towards the corner flag, doing the calma celebration.

The circumstances building up to that goal, after such a disappointing first half, everything made that goal just so iconic.

It was Raphinha's moment, and he basked in the attention.

After that goal, Rayo Vallecano now desperate for their own goal finally came out of their turtle shell and that decision opened them up even more, giving the fearsome Barca attack more freedom to express their talent.

Lamine Yamal stung first, dribbling past his marker, then cutting in before curling a lethal shot towards goal only for it to hit the post.

The teenage wonder placed his hands on his head, unable to believe that he just missed that chance.

And then, Lamine Yamal set Raphinha up again only for the Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper to pull off an amazing save.

For the next 20 minutes, FC Barcelona threatened without scoring and then in the 68th minute of the game, Hansi Flick finally made a double change.

He took off Gavi and Ferran Torres, introducing Dani Olmo and Sam.

That change killed off the game in imperious fashion.

Just 2 minutes after coming on, in the Rayo Vallecano 18-yard box, Dani Olmo received a pass from Pedri. Calmly, the attacking midfielder received the ball with his chest but he didn't just receive it.

With one movement, he received the ball and passed it on.

Cleverly placing his body at an angle, the ball hit his chest, then floated past his markers and landed in Sam's front.

It was an awkward angle but by now, Sam already mastered the technique to unleash lethal shots even from such awkward angles.

Leaning his body backwards, his right leg flung and struck the ball.

BAM!

From that awkward angle, he was able to apply enough force.

The Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper dived but then the ball hit one of the defenders' legs, causing a deflection.

From the right where Sam hit it towards, the ball bounced towards the left, leaving the Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper sprawling helplessly in despair.

It was a huge deflection, but the goal was still rewarded as a Sam goal since the initial shot was also goal-bound.

Jogging to the corner flag, Sam did Lewandowski's celebration, making a tribute to the FC Barcelona veteran striker who was still injured.

And just like that, FC Barcelona secured another La Liga win.

The game ended 2-0 at the Spotify Camp Nou.

And this time, Raphinha won the man of the match award.

…

(La Liga:)

(Elche – Barcelona)

(Date: 22nd February, 2026)

It was another game in away ground but once again, FC Barcelona was the overwhelmingly superior side.

FC Barcelona was slowly putting together an all-time great season.

They tore Elche apart in 90 minutes, securing a comfortable 0-3 victory.

This time, Sam's goalscoring and assist momentum was finally halted as he didn't register a goal or assist in this game but well, even without scoring, he was once again at his playmaking best.

He didn't claim any of the 3 assists but his prints were all over all 3 goals, either starting the creativity with an amazing pass, or claiming the pre-assist.

After another impressive performance, despite not getting a goal or assist, he ended up winning another man of the match award.

FC Barcelona secured another 3 points.

…

(Copa del Rey:)

(Semifinal- Leg 1 of 2:)

(Barcelona – Atletico Madrid)

A blockbuster game!

Having missed the La Liga game against Atletico Madrid due to his international obligations, a game which his club ended up suffering in, Sam finally got his chance to exert revenge on one of the La Liga heavy hitters.

The first leg of the clash was at the Spotify Camp Nou, and the whole squad was determined to demolish Atletico Madrid.

But things didn't go exactly to plan though.

Straight from the first minute, things started going awry as Julian Alvarez received a dangerous pass from deep, outsmarting FC Barcelona's high line defense, going behind them and scoring a smart goal past Ter Stegen.

And just like that, Atletico Madrid were ahead in this semifinal clash.

1 minute, 0-1…

That goal stunned the hosts.

But FC Barcelona drilled under Hansi Flick already developed a thick skin and fearsome mentality. They quickly shook off the shock of the goal and focused on their game, executing the gameplan.

But then, it all went awry again.

In the 18th minute, Rodrigo De Paul, the Argentine International and Atletico Madrid midfielder scored a screamer of a volley from outside the box.

The ball flew with venom, beating Ter Stegen and nestling into the top corner to score Atletico Madrid's 2nd goal of the game.

18 minutes, 0-2…

FC Barcelona was stunned; the Spotify Camp Nou was silenced.

For a brief moment, FC Barcelona's unbreakable carapace finally seemed to have cracked, their fearsome form dipping, fear seeping in but then Sam erupted.

"Come on guys! We can do it!"

The voice was already rearing in his head.

'Win!' 'Win!' 'Win!'

Sam grinned. 'Ah…, it's been long since I felt like this'.

'The feeling of being the one chasing the winner'.

It made him feel a sense of déjà vu, remembering fond memories back in Fulham and Enyimba FC. Days when he strived for every single win.

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

And so, Sam embraced the moment.

Atletico Madrid held on with their fearsome defense throughout the first half. The second half started just like the first, Atletico Madrid being the superior side, but then…, FC Barcelona had Samuel Moses.

And Sam struck, like fire!

In the 53rd minute of the game, he unleashed a thunderous shot from over 30 yards out having observed Jan Oblak slightly out of position.

The Atletico Madrid goalkeeper tried to recover but it was already too late.

53 minutes, 1-2…

But then, the Madrid side struck again just 5 minutes later.

Julian Alvarez got his brace, lashing into an Antoine Griezmann perfect cross and heading the ball across goal and into the net.

58 minutes, 1-3…

FC Barcelona didn't give up though.

In the 69th minute, Sam breezed into the Atletico Madrid 18-yard box, skipping past challenges like they were not there and just as he was about to shoot, someone tripped him from behind, entangling his leg.

It was Cesar Aspilicueta, the Spanish defender.

"Arghhhh!" Screaming, Sam clutched his leg and collapsed in the box in pain, and then…

FWEEEE!

The referee blew his whistle, awarding a penalty and also fishing out a straight red card for the defender.

The Madrid side tried to protest the decision but the referee didn't change his mind. And so, Cesar Aspilicueta trudged out of the field.

In the 69th minute, Sam took the penalty, and scored.

69 minutes, 2-3…

Diego Simeone, the Atletico Madrid coach made changes, taking off Julian Alvarez and putting in the big man, Alexander Sorloth.

FC Barcelona continued toiling, pressuring Atletico Madrid but then in the 76th minute, against the run of play, Sorloth scored from a devastating counterattack that left the Catalan giants exposed.

76 minutes, 2-4…

FC Barcelona seemed done, totally out of the game, till they were not.

The Catalan defiance reared its head.

In the 80th minute of the game, Pedri slipped in a past for Lamine Yamal, the teenage wonder leaving multiple players in his wake before sneaking a shot into the bottom right corner and into the net.

80 minutes, 3-4…

Could Barcelona do it? Could they?

Yes, they could?

In the 89th minute, Sam entered the battle, leaping highest to power a header into the net from a Lamine Yamal cross.

"GOALLLLLLLL…!!!"

The Spotify Camp Nou turned upside down!