Izan, You Cheeky Boy

The ball came from Pedri—a perfect, lofted pass into the danger zone.

Izan was inside six yards.

Donnarumma's trait activated instantly.

[Aegis Reflex—Engaged]

Time slowed.

To everyone else, the ball was dropping in at normal speed.

To Donnarumma, it was as slow as a drifting feather.

He saw everything.

Izan's angle. The potential shot choices. Every possible outcome.

And then he moved—before Izan even made contact.

A textbook reaction save. His left hand already shifting toward the bottom corner, where a volley would likely be struck. 

His right foot, adjusting mid-air in case Izan went near-post.

It was over before it even started.

That's what Donnarumma thought.

Until Izan did something that broke the sequence.

He let the ball drop.

Donnarumma, mid-air, already diving, had anticipated a first-time shot.

But Izan hadn't shot at all.