A Bet That Changed Us ︱Pablo Gavi

119: Coach for the day

The sun was just starting to rise over the Ciutat Esportiva as I arrived at the training grounds, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. It was supposed to be a regular training day, but everything had changed this morning when I got the call. Xavi was sick and couldn't make it to training. Usually, one of the assistant coaches or fitness staff would step in to run the session, but to my surprise, Xavi had asked me to handle it.

"Isabella, I need you to take charge today," Xavi's voice crackled over the phone, sounding rough and congested.

I almost dropped my phone. "Me? Xavi, I'm a physiotherapist, not a coach. What about the other assistant coaches?" I asked, genuinely bewildered.

"I know, Isa, but I trust you. You know the boys well, and they respect you. You've got this," he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

And you did play football as a teenager, right?"

"That was ages ago," I muttered, still trying to process this.

I was a physiotherapist, not a coach. Sure, I had played football as a teenager, but that was years ago. I wasn't exactly qualified to lead a group of professional players, let alone some of the best in the world. But here I was, standing at the edge of the pitch, trying to calm my nerves and remind myself that I could handle this. After all, it was just one session.

As I looked out at the field, the boys were already gathered, chatting in small groups, stretching, and kicking balls around lazily. Marc, Hector, Pedri, and Pablo were standing together, joking around as usual. Marc and Hector, always the jokers, were making some kind of exaggerated gestures as they spoke to Pedri and Pablo, who were shaking their heads with amused smiles.

I took a deep breath and walked over, trying to channel my inner "coach" voice. "Morning, boys! Ready to work hard today?" I called out with more confidence than I felt.

Marc grinned at me, immediately sensing my unease. "Look at this, lads! We've got a new coach today!" he teased, nudging Hector. "You think she'll go easy on us because we're her favorites?"

"Favorites?" I laughed, rolling my eyes. "More like my least favorites if you keep talking like that. Now, listen up! Since Xavi is out, I'll be leading today's session. I know I'm not your usual coach, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you slack off. Got it?"

The boys nodded, some of them smiling, others pretending to groan. Hector crossed his arms, looking at me with mock skepticism. "Oh, come on, Isa. You can't be serious. We're going to run drills like we're back in youth academy or what?"

I smirked. "Oh, I'm dead serious, Hector. And just for that little comment, you and Marc can start us off with three laps around the pitch. Go on, off you go!"

The group erupted into laughter as Marc and Hector groaned dramatically, but they knew better than to argue. "Alright, alright, we're going!" Marc said, nudging Hector. "Let's get this over with."

As they jogged off, still grumbling under their breath, I turned back to the rest of the boys. "Okay, the rest of you, we're going to start with some agility drills. I want to see quick feet, sharp movements, and no lazy steps. Let's go!"

The group split up into pairs, and I watched as they started the drills, moving between them to offer pointers and encouragement. I could feel my confidence growing a bit as I got into the rhythm of things. The boys were responding well, and I could see they were putting in the effort.

I walked over to Pedri and Pablo, who were working together. They were focused, moving through the cones with precision and speed. "Good job, Pedri. Keep your center of gravity low. And Pablo, don't forget to pivot on your back foot when you change direction," I said, giving them a thumbs-up.