Sam felt the stadium tilt, like a carousel slowing. The panic had bled from Barca's limbs, and in its place, that terrible calm you only see in killers and kings settled.
And so, Samba started in Lisbon.
Sam checked his shoulder twice, then drifted left, dragging both center backs with him. Frankie winked and split Benfica with a dead-eyed vertical into the vacuum.
Gavi, of course, was already there.
Gavi didn't settle; he whipped an early ball across the six. Trubin came, but he hesitated. Raphinha did not.
He arrived like thunder, hammering a one-time volley into the far side netting.
2-4 Barcelona.
Raphinha slid on his knees into the away fans, head back, fists clenched. Two goals, one assist, and the look of a man who had shrugged off a season's worth of almosts.
The Luz finally, finally dimmed.
DING!
~----~
[Combo Chain Achieved: Triangulation Mastery]
Gavi ~ De Jong ~ Sam ~ Raphinha
[Team Tempo: +3% for 10 minutes]
[Stamina Efficiency: +2% (Sam only)]
~----~
