Chapter 696: El Fantasma del Campo
Chapter 696: El Fantasma del Campo
Even with a one-goal lead, the Atletico supporters were anxious. They could palpably feel the building pressure inside the venue.
The opposing fans' chants of support were intimidating. Their voices blended to create a powerful symphony of support and intimidation.
As if they were chanting Haka, those chants were packed with power and intimidation.
Truly, at this moment, those supporters had become their twelfth player on the field.
Even if they tried to fight back, their voices would be devoured by the symphony of opposing fans. Most of them could tell that they were disadvantaged at this stage.
The faltering state of their players only worsened their already faltering morale.
"Just you wait," one of the Los Colchoneros supporters gnashed his teeth. "Next time, we'll let you taste your own medicine."
"It doesn't look good for Los Colchoneros," the commentator commented.
The pressure kept piling up, and the air kept getting denser. As the pressure increased, the atmosphere started to feel suffocating.
Beep!
"Goal"
Finally, they succumbed to the pressure and ended up conceding a goal. The lead they had taken from Alvarez's goal was lost.
Andre Silva, the Portuguese predator equalized the score with an outstanding shot from outside the box. Against Silva's fearsome shot, Oblak stood no chance at all.
The stadium erupted in cheers, the atmosphere of the stadium jubilant.
Simultaneously, cries of disappointment echoed throughout the stadium. The hard-earned lead had been blown away.
Witnessing the build-up that led to this goal, they could tell the game would get even more difficult. The struggling state of their players was evident to them.
'So, we've blown the lead huh?'
Hiro stood on the sidelines preparing to head inside. He had already finished warming up. Due to the ongoing state of the match, he had gone unnoticed.
It was as if he had no presence at all.
Well, he couldn't blame anyone though.
While the opposing players celebrated their goal, he rechecked his shoelaces. He made sure, he had tightened it properly. The boot nebula was designed for him. It fit him comfortably and it also looked appealing to the eyes.
Upon confirming he had tightened his laces properly, Hiro glanced at the scoreboard. The score read 1-1.
Though they were level in terms of goal, Hiro knew the momentum was with the opposing team right now. Riding on the fervorous support of their fans, the opposing players carried the momentum.
However, it wasn't just the support from their fans that helped create this change.
Hiro was aware of something the naked eye wasn't.
He retracted his gaze from the scoreboard and rolled his eyes at one particular individual. A sharp glint flashed past his eyes as he narrowed his eyes on a tall, blond individual- Benjamin Hendrich.
A red arrow hovered above his head. Even the aura around him felt different than what he could feel from other individuals.
It felt as if the space around him seemed to warp and he could spot flashes of red lightning emitting from him.
Hiro could tell that this individual was threatening.
Even now, they conceded the goal because he managed to carry the ball from their defensive third to the attacking third.
They wouldn't have managed to score if it weren't for Benjamin's excellent solo run.
Though small, some fans became hopeful upon seeing Hiro. Well, he had changed the entire flow of the game previously.
If only he could do the same now.
However, they knew it would be too much to ask for. They knew they shouldn't burden him with their expectations.
After all, the atmosphere of the venue was evident to them.
However, he was able to do it against Real Madrid. Perhaps, he could do it again.
With their hopes rekindled, they watched him enter the field.
"They're tough," Lino said, his voice tinged with worry. "Be careful out there."
Lino was one of the wingers of Atletico Madrid. He had a lean and athletic build, and he was quick on his feet. In the entire team, he was one of the fastest.
Well, until Hiro showed up.
Lino's interest in Hiro was piqued when Hiro outran him in a sprint challenge. He was confident in his speed. But when he came against Hiro, he found himself inferior.
This further motivated him to push himself.
In the first round, he didn't take the challenge seriously. Due to this, he lost by a huge margin. However, even after taking the challenge seriously, he found himself unable to surpass this eighteen-year-old kid.
Even so, he didn't feel threatened by him.
Just like there were things Hiro was good at, he also had areas he excelled.
Hiro clasped hands with him before entering the field, "I'll be careful. Good game."
Hiro didn't want to sound too confident. Thus, he didn't say anything excessive. "Atletico's new number 10 has arrived. The latest talk of the town, the Mr. Hot Topic, and as people have started to call him lately, El Fantasma del Campo, the phantom of the field."
"With the debut he had, I'm sure the fans are expecting great things from him. Will, he be able to deliver against an in-form Bulls?"
Though he had gone unnoticed during warm-up, Hiro's presence had again started to spark
the interest of the people now that he was on the field.
Well, it was all thanks to the hype around him lately.
Perhaps, it would have been different if his debut wasn't against Real Madrid.
With how fluidly he moved on the field like a phantom, the Atletico supporters had started calling him by the name El Fantasma del Campo.
Though Hiro replaced a winger, they didn't change their formation. Instead, Griezmann moved up the field to the wing.
Positioning himself, Hiro swept his glance, identifying the threats.
The gazes of the opposing players felt sharp. Hiro could tell they were hungry for another
goal. Well, they had the momentum. So, it wasn't that surprising to him.
However, the moment he swept his eyes to Benjamin, the opposing right back, he found Benjamin glaring at him.
Hiro squinched his eyes, unafraid of his sharp glares.
As the two locked eyes, engaging in a silent battle of wills, spark flew wildly.