The sun had barely risen when Luca arrived at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, home of FC Barcelona's elite. Not just La Masia — this was where the pros trained. The walls bore the club crest, the motto "Més que un club", and photos of legends who once walked the same halls.
His heart was pounding before he even got out of the taxi.
Today wasn't a scrimmage or a friendly.Today, he would train with Barcelona B.
A closed tryout, they called it.Luca saw it for what it was: his shot to rewrite his future.
Arrival
He entered the training facility quietly, wearing a plain Barça training tee, his boots slung over his shoulder. The air smelled like grass, sweat, and history.
A staff member greeted him with a nod. "Herrera, right?"
"Yes."
"Locker 27. Coach Serrano will speak to you before the warm-up."
He followed the hallway into the changing room. Inside were players he'd only seen on Barça B lineups or clips online.
Marc Casadó.Pau Prim.Diego Percan.Unai Hernández.Trilli, the newly signed right-back.
Luca kept his head down, respectful. He wasn't there to act like he belonged.
Not yet.
Pre-Training Chat
Coach Rafa Márquez, the legendary Mexican defender and head coach of Barcelona B, waited on the side of the pitch, clipboard in hand.
He turned when he saw Luca and smiled calmly.
"Buenos días, Herrera."
"Buenos días, míster."
"You've made waves in Juvenil. Now you're here. This isn't a test, but it is a chance. Train like a pro. Don't try to impress. Just play the way you know how."
Luca nodded. "I understand."
Márquez smiled. "Good. Let's see if the stories are true."
Warm-Up and Possession Drills
They began with rondos. Luca found himself in a group with Pau Prim and Marc Casadó, two of the best midfielders in the B squad.
The ball zipped faster than anything he'd seen at Juvenil level. Touches were clean. Movement constant. Pressure tight.
But Luca adapted.
He read passing angles faster than he ever had. His flair was subtle, controlled — a quick flick here, a drag there.
[SYSTEM ACTIVE – High Pressure Mode Detected]+10% to Decision Speed+5 Technique XP
"Welcome to pro pace."
One moment stood out: he received a pass under pressure, spun off the defender with a half-turn, and slipped a no-look pass to Pau Prim, who immediately broke the line.
"¡Buena, chaval!" Casadó called out, impressed.
Luca just nodded, hiding the grin building inside.
Tactical Positioning and Build-Up Play
Coach Márquez walked through tactical rotations, setting up mini-games that focused on transition and shape.
Luca played as a left interior, drifting wide and in between lines. He made space, kept his movements unpredictable. And when he received the ball?
He danced.
He weaved through tight pockets and delivered sharp, one-touch lay-offs.
One sequence ended with him splitting the defense and setting up Diego Percan for a clean finish.
Even Trilli, known for being quiet and serious, muttered, "This kid's got sauce."
Small-Sided Match
A full-intensity 8v8 on a half-sized pitch.
This was where tempo exploded.
Luca was kicked, pressed, shoved. But he didn't flinch. He cut past markers, floated into spaces no one expected, and when he pulled off a Ronaldinho-style scoop pass over two defenders to Unai Hernández, the sideline reacted with a collective "OHHHH!"
Coach Márquez jotted something on his clipboard.
Then, he walked over. Calm. Focused.
"You smile when you play," he said quietly.
Luca blinked. "Is that bad?"
"No," Márquez replied. "That's what made Ronaldinho impossible to stop."
Cool Down and Exit
Training wrapped up two hours later. Players joked and stretched. Some dapped Luca up casually, others stayed quiet. He hadn't dominated—but he'd shown something special.
As he packed his bag, Márquez approached again.
"You have talent. But more importantly, you have rhythm. Come back tomorrow. We're not done watching you."
Luca stood there, stunned. "Thank you, coach."
Márquez turned, smiling. "Make it impossible for us to ignore you."
Later That Night – System Update
At home, Luca showered, ate a quiet dinner with his dad, and then collapsed onto the couch.
His muscles ached, but it was a good kind of pain.
His system pinged:
[SYSTEM UPDATE: BARÇA B TRAINING – DAY 1 COMPLETE]
🔹 +7 Vision XP🔹 +5 Technique XP🔹 +3 Mentality XP🔹 +2 Strength XP
🔸 Signature Style Progression: Ronaldinho Template – 29%🔓 Next Unlock at 30%: Joga Bonito Flair Skill
CURRENT STATS – LUCA HERRERA
•Attribute
•Value
•Dribbling
•89
•Technique
•86
•Vision
•85
•Shooting
•78
•Passing
•74
•Flair
•77
•Pace
•71
•Strength
•68
•Mentality
•76
•Stamina
•70
•Overall
•79 🔥
Luca stared at the numbers, a quiet fire behind his eyes.
They saw him now.
Tomorrow, he'd make them remember.