For Advance/Early Chapters:
patreon.com/Shadownarch_
The damp winter air clung to the Camp Nou grass but the atmosphere inside was a different climate entirely. Ninety-five thousand people who had just watched a ball curve through the air and pin Petr Čech to his own netting were in a state that was somewhere between celebration and disbelief.
Busquets Intercepted the ball after Chelsea's kick-off and fed it immediately to Iniesta. The carousel reassembled. Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, the triangle that had dictated the tempo of European football for six years, moved the ball through its familiar rhythm, drawing the Chelsea midfield into horizontal chases that opened the lanes behind them.
"They're moving the ball with the particular patience of a side that knows the result is settled," Santiago said from the booth. "Madrid, PSG, and now Chelsea, every side that has faced this rhythm this season has ended up chasing it. The question for the second half is how many more goals Barcelona add."
Iniesta and Xavi exchanged passes near the centre circle, drawing Lampard forward. Before the press closed, Iniesta struck a vertical pass into the channel.
Lorenzo dropped to receive, using his shoulder to hold Ramires. He jumped, a backward header, a flick with his neck rather than his forehead, redirecting the ball left without breaking the movement. Ramires, tracking the expected hold-up play, was caught on the wrong foot.
Neymar collected on the left and drove at Azpilicueta. The Belgian-era Hazard aside, Neymar at this point in his career was the most technically unpredictable wide player in the world at his best, and tonight was his best. He cushioned the ball on his chest and flicked it over Azpilicueta's head with the outside of his boot in one motion.
"THE FLAIR!" Inés called. "Neymar is in a different register tonight!"
Neymar collected on the other side of Azpilicueta and drove toward the penalty area. David Luiz came across, the only option he had was the body rather than the ball.
CRUNCH.
Neymar went down clutching his ankle.
Fweet—!
Yellow card for David Luiz. The Chelsea players protested. The referee was unmoved.
Neymar, being pulled up by Lorenzo and Messi, looked over his shoulder at Luiz. "We were friends before this match, David."
David Luiz held his hands up with the specific expression of a man who knows he was wrong and is choosing not to argue about it. "It was the only option. Sorry."
"You're going to have to buy me dinner."
"Fine."
Free kick. Left flank, thirty-five yards.
"Settle the shape!" Puyol called. "Don't let them find a quick counter if it breaks down."
Behind the ball: Iniesta and Lorenzo. The Chelsea wall — Terry, Cahill, Ramires. Čech on his line, adjusting his positioning after the lob.
Lorenzo looked at the geometry. The wall, the angle, the gap between Terry and Cahill on the right side. Messi had drifted into the half-space behind Terry's shoulder, not running yet, but reading.
The referee blew.
Iniesta made a dummy run. Lorenzo received the lay-off from Busquets — one touch, ball moving and without stopping or looking directly at Messi, flicked the ball behind him with the inside of his right foot.
A chip pass, no-look, carrying the exact amount of spin to curve through the gap between Terry and Cahill and drop into the space Messi was already entering.
"THE SCALPEL!" Santiago roared. "A blind pass through the eye of the needle! Messi is through!"
Messi took it on his thigh, killed it in one touch, and was inside the area before Terry could recover. He saw Čech shifting to the near post. He went to the far corner with his right foot.
Low. Precise.
SWISH.
2-0. (5-1 on aggregate.)
The Camp Nou went up for the second time in twenty minutes.
"MESSI!! THE LMN TRIANGLE IS COMPLETE!" Santiago called. "Iniesta draws the press, Lorenzo finds Messi with a blind chip through a gap nobody else sees, and the King does the rest! Barcelona are five goals ahead on aggregate and this tie is over!"
Inés checked her notes. "Lorenzo's assist, a no-look delivery through the tightest gap in the Chelsea defensive shape. His reading of Messi's run had to begin before the ball arrived at his feet."
Messi jumped on Lorenzo's back, laughing. "I knew where the ball was going before you kicked it."
"I know," Lorenzo said. "That's why I kicked it there."
Busquets arrived in the group, arms spread. "Excuse me. I won the ball back. I played the lay-off. Why is no one acknowledging the defensive midfielder?"
Puyol came over from the back, gave Lorenzo a firm pat on the shoulder. "Good pass. Now get back, we have a clean sheet to protect."
The second half continued in Barcelona's possession rhythm. Chelsea tried twice more — Hazard with a driven shot in the 62nd minute that Valdés caught cleanly, and a Terry header from a corner that went over. Neither threatened seriously.
In the 78th minute, Martino made his substitutions, Xavi and Alves rested to warm applause, younger legs coming on to see out the game.
Chelsea 0 — Barcelona 2. (5-1 on aggregate.)
Plz Drop Some Power Stones.