Fever Dream ~ Neymar Jr

Chapter 69

2018

"I cannot believe we're at the semifinals of Champions League, for the first time in our history." Marlena said, referring of course to the men's team and the game versus Real Madrid that was about to begin.

We were already 3 – 1 behind on aggregate, but that meant that two goals only would send us through to the next stage, since we also had an away goal.

The referee blew the whistle and the game started. Real went on the offensive right away, almost scoring if it wasn't for Thiago's last second successful tackle.

"This is going to be a good game." Clara said and I agreed.

From the corner of my eye I saw Julian and Saad coming into our box with two other men and a woman and joining Valentine. I turned my attention to the game again. I hadn't spoken to Saad since the men's previous game, when I ran out of the box quickly to go to the bench and help with 3P. He had called me a few times but I hadn't returned the calls, which explained why neither he nor Julian came to greet me now.

I got up and went towards them.

"Hey guys."

"Hi stranger." Saad said as I sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry for not calling you back. It hasn't been a good few days."

"That is why I was calling. To check on you." Saad said. I felt like an ass, because I thought it was probably for a party invitation or something like that.

"I'm okay now." I said, smiling at him. "Thanks." I turned my attention to the game again, but Julian decided to intervene.

"What's going on with you lately? We rarely see you anymore."

"Leave her alone Jules." Valentine told him.

"I'm trying to lay low. Until the season ends." I said.

"Oh, I see." Julian said. "I saw the articles. But there is not a lot of truth in them, is there?"

"No, there's not." I told him, finally turning back to the game.

A few minutes later, Real Madrid scored and that automatically made things a hell of a lot harder. PSG started to push, but it seemed almost impossible to win now, they needed three goals for victory and Real to not score again.

"What the hell!" I yelled getting up from my seat, as a defender brought down Neymar. "Ease up a little won't you!" Saad, Julian and Valentine all turned to look at me. "What? They're trying to take him out of the game." I said. It was getting really old to see that in every match, the opponents thought that if they can't beat him, they can instead try to beat the crap out of him.

I went back to my previous seat next to Marlena and my brother, with Clara and Peter seating next to them. "Did you see that?" I asked, sitting down.

"It's the third time they've fouled him."

"They're ahead in the score. PSG needs a miracle anyway. I don't get why they have to be so vicious."

"Neymar is PSG's designated scorer. Don't you remember that game he won versus PSG, while he was still in Barcelona?"

I nodded. "La remontada." It was Neymar's last season at Barcelona and they were 4-0 behind from their away game with PSG on the round of 16 in Champions League. No one thought they'd turn it around it. Yet they did, scoring 6 goals to PSG's 1 and advancing to the next stage. It was the largest comeback ever in Champion's League history and Neymar had been named Man of the Match, scoring an impossible goal from a free kick, as well as a penalty and providing an amazing assist in the last seconds of stoppage time. Probably one of the best matches of his career. "1% chance, 99% faith." I said out loud, which was what he had said before the match.