From Reject to Legend

The stadium lights had barely dimmed when the critics began their relentless tirade. After the crushing loss against Real Betis—a match in which the once-vaunted Málaga side appeared to crumble without their talisman Adriano—and the nerve-wracking 1-1 draw with Mallorca, where Griezmann's last-second intervention saved them from an even bleaker fate, questions swirled around the identity of the team. Fans and pundits alike were whispering that Málaga had become nothing more than a "one-man show," overly reliant on the dazzling, yet isolated, brilliance of their 17-year-old midfield maestro.

In the quiet corridors of the training camp the morning after the draw, Coach Manuel Pellegrini's somber gaze met those of his disheartened players.

"I've seen your faces," he said in a measured tone, gathering the team in a huddle. "Today, we were criticized for relying on one star, but you all know that no matter how brilliant one person can be, a match is won by a team.

I need each and every one of you to believe in your own strength, and in the strength we have together. Let's not allow yesterday's setbacks to define us. We are much more than one man on the field."

Despite his impassioned words, the air was heavy with disappointment. Some players slumped in silence, others exchanged forlorn looks. Then, as if on cue, the door to the locker room swung open and Adriano stepped in. His presence was quiet, unassuming—but his eyes carried the weight of the criticism that had fallen on him, and more importantly, the understanding that he was not alone.

He paused, surveyed the room, and then, with a wry smile that displayed his inner turmoil, and the need to fix the atmosphere in the dressing room. he addressed his teammates.

"Listen guys," he said softly, yet with undeniable sincerity, "I know you're all feeling the pressure. I might get all the headlines, but I need each of you to play well.

No matter how many goals I score or how many times I pull off a spectacular play, I can't win matches by myself. Even the greatest musician can't perform an orchestra by himself! You are my strength, and together, we can be unstoppable. Trust in each other, and trust in our game."

His words, punctuated by a few self-deprecating jokes about how even the greatest musician can't perform without the rest of the band, slowly began to lift the collective mood. A murmur of agreement passed through the room, and for a moment, hope glimmered in the eyes of his teammates.

The atmosphere in the camp shifted noticeably in the days that followed. The players, motivated by Adriano's heartfelt pep talk, trained with renewed energy. Every drill, every passing exercise, carried a sense of unity that had been missing in recent matches. In the midst of this rejuvenation, the next challenge emerged—a Copa del Rey Quarterfinal away match against Villarreal.

The atmosphere inside El Madrigal was a cacophony of cheers and drums beating , charged with the raw energy of thousands of expectant Villarreal fans. The stands trembled under the weight of their chants, blue and gold scarves waving like banners in the wind. The home side had a reputation to uphold, and their fans believed this Copa del Rey quarterfinal would be a battle, a hard-fought war against a Málaga side that had struggled in recent matches. But they felt confident that the weakened Malaga could be overcome.

But as the game kicked off, something was different. Málaga, accused of being a one-man show, looked sharper, hungrier. Gone were the sluggish movements and hesitant passes from their last two outings. Instead, they moved like a unit, pressing high, shifting fluidly. The spark was back.

For the first twenty minutes, Villarreal stuck to their disciplined 4-5-1 structure, a tactical fortress designed to absorb Málaga's aggression. Every time Adriano touched the ball, two yellow shirts swarmed him. The full-backs pressed Málaga's wingers aggressively, while their midfield trio sat deep, cutting passing lanes and slowing the tempo. The home fans roared with every intercepted pass, with every Málaga attempt forced backward.

Coach Pellegrini, standing at the edge of his technical area, remained composed but watchful. His instructions were clear: don't panic. Keep moving the ball, stretch them wide, force gaps. He had seen Villarreal's resilience, but he also knew their weakness—once the first crack appeared, the whole structure could collapse.

Then, in the 27th minute, it happened.

Adriano, who had spent the first quarter of the game constantly harassed by Villarreal's midfield, finally found space. Dropping deep to collect the ball, he turned sharply, sending a perfectly weighted through ball splitting the Villarreal backline.

Joaquín, sprinting onto the pass, took one touch inside the box. The crowd held its breath.

Then, with the elegance of a seasoned artist, he bent a stunning curler into the top corner. The ball sliced through the air and crashed into the net.

Goaaallll ! 1-0 Málaga.

A moment of stunned silence, then an eruption of sound—from the away fans. Málaga's bench exploded in celebration, substitutes and staff leaping to their feet. Joaquín ran toward the corner flag, fists clenched, roaring at the Málaga supporters who had made the trip.

Villarreal's goalkeeper slammed his gloves against the turf in frustration. Their coach, pacing furiously on the touchline, waved his arms, shouting orders to his defenders. The well-drilled wall had cracked.

The goal flipped a switch in Málaga. Now, they attacked with unrelenting ferocity, their tempo rising like a symphony reaching its crescendo. Villarreal's defense, so resolute at first, suddenly looked vulnerable. The fear had crept in.

35th minute

A slick combination between Griezmann and Juanmi ended with Adriano sprinting into the box, meeting a pass with a thunderous strike. The ball smashed off the inside of the post and ricocheted into the net. The Málaga fans roared again. Adriano raised his arms to the sky, his name echoing through the night air.

Goallll! 2-0. Adriano opens his account, showing why he's being considered a superstar!

The Villarreal supporters slumped in their seats. Their energy had shifted—from defiant to anxious.

Then, just minutes later, another dagger.

42nd minute

A misplaced pass from Villarreal's rattled midfield gifted Málaga possession. Adriano pounced, darting forward like a predator. His feet danced over the ball, evading two challenges before rifling a clinical shot past the stranded goalkeeper.

Goalll! 3-0. Malaga and Adriano are playing with vengeance as they tear apart Villareal!

Villarreal's manager threw his hands in the air, his face contorted in disbelief. His assistant furiously scribbled on a clipboard, but there was no immediate solution. Málaga were ruthless now, and there was no stopping them.

As halftime approached, Villarreal's players trudged toward the tunnel, heads down, their fans eerily quiet. In contrast, Málaga's squad walked off with fire in their eyes. Pellegrini smiled slightly as he patted Adriano on the back. The message was clear: finish them.

The second half began with Villarreal attempting a desperate shift, their shape morphing into a more attacking stance. But it played right into Málaga's hands.

46th minute

Straight from kickoff, Málaga launched another assault. A rapid exchange of passes cut through Villarreal's midfield like a hot knife through butter. Adriano, already in full flight, ghosted past a defender and chipped the keeper with an audacious finish.

Goalll!! 4-0 , Malaga . The superstar returned from his injury with superb performance! A hat trick for Adriano in just 11 minutes! That's one for the record books!

The crowd gasped. Even some Villarreal fans couldn't help but applaud. This was football at its finest.

Then came the flood.

52nd minute

Joaquín, now playing with sheer confidence, sent in a looping cross from the right. Juanmi met it with a glancing header, directing it perfectly into the bottom corner.

Goaallll! 5-0. Not even surprised at this point. Villareal never put up any competition today.

63rd minute

A low, driven cross from Adriano found Griezmann at the back post. A simple tap-in, but the buildup was sublime.

Goaallll!! 6-0. Villareal is finished! What an utter disaster!

Villarreal's coach stood motionless, watching his team unravel. The home fans began trickling out of the stadium, unable to bear the humiliation.

In the 72nd minute, Griezmann, weaving past a tired defender, fired a venomous shot into the roof of the net making it 7-0. He celebrated wildly, with the teammates rushing to join him.

Gooaalll ! 7-0 . Malaga puts the final nail in the coffin for Villareal!

Málaga's bench celebrated wildly, players hugging each other. The traveling fans were in dreamland.

The referee's whistle blew. Full-time.

Malaga 7-0 Villareal

The Málaga players gathered in a circle, arms around each other, soaking in the unbelievable scoreline. Critics had doubted them, mocked them as a one-man show, but tonight they had proven themselves as a team despite the sheer brilliance of Adriano.

As Adriano walked toward the tunnel, he looked up at the VIP box. Blanca, dressed elegantly, clapped with a radiant smile. Their eyes met. Adriano, grinning, blew her a playful kiss.

The away fans cheered wildly—some even whispered that Blanca was Málaga's good luck charm. They were exhilarated by the fact that fact their team had made it to the semifinals of copa del rey for the first time in decades.

The post-match press conference was a scene of pure celebration. Coach Pellegrini faced the media, his expression one of quiet satisfaction.

"This was a team effort," he stated firmly. "Adriano is special, that much is clear. But even he cannot win alone. Tonight, Málaga showed their true strength."

Then Adriano arrived, relaxed and smiling. The cameras flashed furiously, but some reporters noticed something amusing—lipstick marks on his neck and cheeks.

A journalist chuckled. "It looks like you had an exciting match and... post-match too, Adriano."

Laughter erupted in the room. Adriano smirked, running a hand through his hair.

"It's amazing," he said, "to have someone who loves, respects, and cares for you."

A reporter asked if his relationship could be a distraction from football.

Adriano spread his arms wide, his confidence unwavering. "You saw the result yourself," he said.

Outside, Málaga fans erupted into chants, singing his name into the night. They only cared about one thing, their team had won, and in style!

The morning after Málaga's 7-0 demolition of Villarreal, the football world was ablaze with reactions. Pundits, journalists, and fans flooded social media and sports networks with their analysis, opinions, and inevitable debates.

"Málaga Make History! Adriano Leads the Charge in a Stunning Copa del Rey Quarterfinal Victory!" screamed the headlines.

Football programs replayed the match highlights endlessly—Adriano's breathtaking runs, his perfectly weighted passes, and his four clinical goals were dissected and admired. Sports analysts marveled at the chemistry between him and Griezmann, a duo that had silenced critics who questioned their ability to work together.

Jan Oblak, too, received well-earned praise. Despite Villarreal's humiliation, they had still managed multiple attempts on goal, and if not for Oblak's quick reflexes and composure under pressure, Málaga's victory might not have been so one-sided.

But while Málaga fans celebrated and breathed a sigh of relief, not everyone was satisfied.

Despite the team's commanding performance, some pundits refused to be convinced.

"Sure, Málaga won," remarked one prominent analyst on El Chiringuito de Jugones, "but take Adriano out of that squad, and what do you have? A mid-table team. They still rely on him far too much. What happens if he gets injured? What happens when Real Madrid or Bayern Munich come knocking when he's not available ? Can Málaga really keep a generational talent like him for long?"

The debate raged. Some argued that Málaga's squad was underrated, that players like Griezmann, Joaquín, and Oblak had stepped up and deserved credit. Others insisted that Málaga was merely a stepping stone for Adriano and that it was only a matter of time before he moved to a European giant.

Meanwhile, in Villarreal, the mood was grim.

Villarreal fans were fuming. The sheer humiliation of the 7-0 loss left them reeling. Angry posts flooded club forums and social media.

"Why don't we have an Adriano?"

"This team is an embarrassment!"

"Seven goals conceded at home?! What a disgrace!"

Villarreal's management tried to calm the storm, but calls for changes—both in tactics and signings—grew louder. Some even sarcastically suggested they should put in a bid for Adriano, though everyone knew that was a fantasy.

While the world debated his future, Adriano himself couldn't care less.

He was lying comfortably in his home, his head resting on Blanca's lap as she absentmindedly ran her fingers through his soft curls. The television was on, broadcasting sports news, but neither of them paid much attention. The match was over. The noise from outside could wait.

Blanca's phone buzzed, and with a sigh, she picked it up. It was her agent.

"Blanca, you have to take this opportunity. There's a luxury fashion brand offering you a campaign. A week in Milan. It's a dream contract!"

She stifled a groan. "I told you, I'm taking time off."

"You can't just disappear from the industry!"

"I can if I want to."

"What if Adriano joins you for the shoot? A power couple feature—it'll boost both of your image even more!"

Blanca glanced down at Adriano, who had one eye open, watching her. With a smirk, he crossed his arms in an exaggerated 'nope' gesture.

Blanca chuckled. "Yeah, he's not interested."

Her agent sputtered in frustration. "Blanca, please, you—"

She cut him off. "I'm not missing out on my time with him just for some photoshoots. Call me when it's something actually worth my time."

As she hung up, Adriano raised an eyebrow. "You sure that's okay babe ?"

Blanca smiled, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Right now, I just want to enjoy this moment with you without any distractions ."

Adriano exhaled contentedly and closed his eyes again to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

For now, the world could wait.