Chapter 28 : Sponsherships???

August 29, 2015 – Etihad Stadium. The atmosphere was electric as Manchester City prepared to face Watford. The fans were already in full voice, waving their sky-blue scarves, filling the air with chants and excitement. The stadium buzzed with anticipation, the supporters eager to see their team continue their dominant start to the season. 

Inside the locker room, Guardiola stood in front of the players, his intense gaze sweeping across the room. The tactical board behind him was filled with detailed instructions, arrows drawn in different directions, highlighting movements and passing lanes. 

"Watford will sit deep and defend in numbers," he began, his voice calm but firm. "They will try to frustrate us, close the spaces, and hit on the counter. That means we must be patient, move the ball quickly, and stretch them out wide." 

He looked at Silva and De Bruyne. "Find the pockets of space between their midfield and defense. Stay mobile, keep the ball moving, force them to chase shadows." 

Turning to the wingers, he continued, "Raheem, Jesús, stay wide, force their full-backs to commit. When the time is right, cut inside, combine, and attack the box." 

Then, his eyes landed on Nico. "Nico, you'll have more freedom today. They won't press as aggressively as Chelsea, so use that space. If you see an opportunity to break their lines with a pass, take it." 

Finally, he addressed the entire team. "We control the tempo. We dictate the game. And in the last fifteen minutes, if they are still holding on, we start drawing fouls near their box. Nico, Kevin—those free kicks could win us the match." 

The players nodded, absorbing every word. The intensity in the room was rising. The game was about to begin.

_________________

As the players walked out of the tunnel, the roar of the Etihad crowd filled the air. The sky was clear, the late August sun casting a golden hue over the pitch. The Manchester City players, dressed in their iconic sky-blue kits, exchanged final glances of determination. Across from them, Watford stood ready in their yellow and black, prepared for the challenge ahead.

In the commentary booth, Peter Drury's poetic voice carried through the broadcast.

"A beautiful afternoon in Manchester, and the Etihad is buzzing with anticipation. Manchester City, unbeaten so far, looking to continue their perfect start to the season. And what a team they have—Guardiola's influence is already clear in the way they move the ball, suffocating opponents with possession and precision."

Beside him, Martin Tyler added,

"Let's take a look at the starting lineups. For Manchester City, in goal, Joe Hart. The back four: Bacary Sagna, Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, and Aleksandar Kolarov. In midfield, Fernandinho holds the fort, with Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva pulling the strings. Out wide, Raheem Sterling and Jesús Navas provide the width, and up front, Sergio Agüero leads the line."

Peter Drury continued,

"And of course, all eyes on that young man—Nico Cruyff. Just fifteen years old, but already playing with the composure of a seasoned pro. Three assists against Everton, a match-winning free kick against Chelsea—this boy is special."

Martin Tyler nodded.

"Absolutely, Peter. He starts in midfield today, given more freedom by Guardiola to dictate the game. You can already see his confidence growing with each match."

Switching focus, Peter Drury introduced Watford's lineup.

"For Watford, in goal, Heurelho Gomes. Their backline consists of Allan Nyom, Craig Cathcart, Sebastian Prödl, and José Holebas. In midfield, Étienne Capoue and Valon Behrami provide steel, with Ben Watson supporting in the center. And up front, Ikechi Anya, Troy Deeney, and Odion Ighalo—Watford's main threats."

Martin Tyler concluded,

"A well-structured Watford side, physical and disciplined, but they'll have to work incredibly hard to contain this City team."

As the referee blew the whistle to start the match, the crowd erupted once more. The battle was underway.

___________________________

Manchester City were relentless from the very first whistle, launching wave after wave of attacks against a Watford side that was struggling to contain them. The Etihad crowd could sense blood, and City's players were moving with purpose, hungry for an early breakthrough. 

At the heart of it all was Nico Cruyff, orchestrating play with the vision and precision of a seasoned maestro. Every touch of his was calculated, every pass slicing through Watford's defensive lines with unnerving ease. It was as if he had a sniper's scope, dissecting the opposition with pinpoint accuracy. 

In the 9th minute, Kevin De Bruyne received the ball in midfield, scanning for options. Seeing Nico in space, he played a quick pass to the youngster. The moment the ball reached Nico's feet, he was already a step ahead of his marker. With a swift touch, he nutmegged the Watford midfielder and spun away, leaving his opponent frozen in place. 

The crowd gasped at the brilliance, but Nico wasn't done. Without even lifting his head for long, he struck the ball first-time with his right foot, launching a long, curling pass over the top of the Watford defense. The ball traveled like a guided missile, landing perfectly in the path of Sergio Agüero, who had already begun his run behind the defenders. 

Agüero didn't hesitate. As the ball dropped, he positioned himself and unleashed a venomous volley, his strike rifling into the top left corner of the net. The net bulged, and the Etihad erupted. 

Peter Drury's voice rang out. 

"Oh, that is pure class! Nico Cruyff with a pass of absolute genius, and Agüero makes no mistake! The vision, the execution—this boy is something else!" 

Martin Tyler chimed in. 

"That pass was unreal. The weight, the precision—it's like he placed it there with his hands. And Agüero, as lethal as ever, finishes it off in style. City take the lead, and Watford are already in trouble!" 

As Agüero ran towards the corner flag, pumping his fist, he turned and pointed at Nico, acknowledging the brilliance that set up the goal. Nico, ever composed, simply jogged forward, receiving pats on the back from his teammates. 

1-0 to City, and it was only the beginning.

__________

The game continued in the same relentless fashion, with Manchester City completely overwhelming Watford. Every attack seemed dangerous, and Nico was at the center of it all, dictating the tempo with an elegance beyond his years.

In the 19th minute, Sergio Agüero dropped deep to collect the ball and played a short pass to Nico. The moment the ball reached his feet, Nico raised his head, scanning the field, his mind already three steps ahead. He saw Agüero making a run toward the box and immediately gestured for him to continue.

Without hesitation, Nico struck the ball with the outside of his right foot, executing a stunning trivela pass. The ball swerved wickedly through the air, curling past two defenders before dipping right into the box. It was a pass of sheer artistry, bending in a way that left Watford's backline helpless.

Agüero, in full stride, met it perfectly, rising above his marker to connect with a powerful header. The ball flew past the helpless goalkeeper and crashed into the back of the net. The Etihad roared in appreciation as City doubled their lead.

Peter Drury's voice boomed over the speakers.

"Oh, that is simply outrageous from Nico Cruyff! A trivela of perfection, an invitation Agüero simply couldn't refuse! This boy plays with a genius far beyond his years!"

Martin Tyler followed up, his excitement evident.

"You don't see passes like that every day! The technique, the vision—it's breathtaking. And Agüero, as always, delivers the perfect finish. City are running riot!"

Agüero ran straight to Nico, pointing at him before embracing him in celebration. The two were forming a connection that was already devastating Premier League defenses.

With the score now 2-0 and barely 20 minutes played, it was shaping up to be a long night for Watford.

___________

The moment Watford restarted play, Manchester City pressed aggressively, forcing an error in midfield. The ball rolled straight into the path of Nico Cruyff, who controlled it effortlessly before lifting his head to scan his options.

Valon Behrami rushed toward him, looking to close him down quickly. But Nico was ready. With a swift flick of his right foot, he executed a perfect Marseille turn, spinning away from Behrami like a dancer evading a misstep. The Watford midfielder lunged but got nothing but air as Nico glided past him with grace.

Now in space, Nico took a touch forward before deciding to go for it. From 30 meters out, he unleashed a thunderous strike with his right foot. The ball soared through the air, swerving slightly before rocketing into the top left corner of the net.

The stadium erupted. The Watford goalkeeper barely had time to react. By the time he leaped, the ball had already nestled in the back of the net.

Peter Drury's voice boomed through the broadcast:

"Oh, take a bow, young man! Nico Cruyff—just fifteen years old—and he has just scored a goal that belongs in the history books! A Marseille turn to leave Behrami in the dust and then... that finish! Absolute sorcery!"

Martin Tyler was equally in awe.

"That is what you call a wonder goal! The confidence to take on a shot from that distance—at that age—is simply incredible! Manchester City are tearing Watford apart, and this boy is at the heart of it all!"

Agüero and De Bruyne rushed over, lifting Nico off the ground in celebration. The entire stadium was on its feet, applauding the young prodigy who had just scored one of the best goals of the season.

The scoreboard now read 3-0. Watford looked shell-shocked. They had no answer for Manchester City's ruthless attack, and especially not for the phenomenon that was Nico Cruyff.

______________

The match had ended with a dominant 4-1 victory for Manchester City. Nico had been substituted at the beginning of the second half, giving him a chance to rest after another masterful performance. His name was once again the talk of the football world.

Now back home, he was sitting on the lawn with Maria, the evening breeze gently rustling through the trees. The sky was painted in soft hues of orange and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Maria leaned back on her hands, a playful smirk on her lips. "You do realize you're turning into some sort of football prince, right?" she teased. "Everywhere I look, there are girls talking about you. It's actually insane."

Nico stretched his legs out, looking amused. "Oh? I hadn't noticed."

Maria rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up, you totally noticed. Don't act like you don't see all those signs at the stadium with your name and hearts drawn all over them."

Nico chuckled. "Alright, maybe I've seen a few. But I don't think about it too much."

Maria scoffed. "Right. That's why you have, like, a hundred Instagram fan pages already."

Nico smirked. "A hundred? That's an understatement. Marius showed me a Twitter thread the other day—it was a whole investigation about my 'mystery girl.'"

Maria sat up. "Mystery girl?"

"Yeah," Nico said, shaking his head. "Apparently, they saw me in the background of some pictures with a girl and started trying to figure out who she was."

Maria narrowed her eyes. "Wait… was it me?"

Nico nodded, biting back a grin.

Maria groaned, covering her face. "Oh my god. Now I'm going to have people stalking my social media."

Nico shrugged. "Welcome to my world."

Maria peeked at him through her fingers. "So… should I play along and make them think we're secretly dating?"

Nico laughed. "You'd enjoy that way too much."

Maria grinned. "Maybe."

He leaned back, staring at the sky. "It's kinda weird, though. All of this attention. Feels like just yesterday I was at La Masia, just another kid trying to make it."

Maria nudged him. "Well, now they do. And trust me, it's only going to get crazier."

Nico sighed. "Great."

Maria smirked. "Don't worry, 'mystery girl' will protect you."

Nico just shook his head, laughing.

As they continued talking, Nico's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Jorge's name flashing on the screen.

He answered, putting the phone to his ear. "Hey, Jorge."

"Nico, I've got some sponsorship deals I want to talk to you about," Jorge said, his voice calm but clearly businesslike.

Nico sat up a little. "Alright. Where should we meet?"

There was a brief pause before Jorge replied, "I'm just outside. Open the door."

Nico blinked in surprise, then glanced at Maria, who raised an eyebrow. He chuckled, shaking his head. "You really like catching people off guard, huh?"

Maria leaned closer. "Who is it?"

Nico covered the phone. "Jorge. He's outside."

She made a face. "Doesn't that man ever sleep?"

Nico laughed, then got up. "I'll be back."

As he walked towards the house to open the door, Maria called after him. "Hey, if one of the sponsorships is for a cologne brand, take it. You always smell the same."

Nico just waved a hand without turning back. "I'll think about it."