God Of football

Izan darted across the training pitch, laughter bubbling in his chest as Saka, Martinelli, and Zinchenko stormed after him, their shouts ringing through the cool morning air.

"You're dead, bro!" Saka barked, pumping his arms furiously.

Martinelli, breathing hard but determined, cut across the grass, trying to intercept Izan's path. "I swear if I get my hands on you—!"

Zinchenko, despite his exhaustion, managed a grin. "You've got nowhere to run, hermano!"

Yet, every time they lunged, Izan twisted, sidestepped, or feinted, his movement almost instinctive.

He juked Zinchenko with a quick shift of his weight, then sent Martinelli stumbling with a sharp cut before spinning away from Saka like a seasoned midfielder under pressure.

The players watching from the cafeteria were in pieces. Some were laughing so hard they had to hold onto their chairs.

Ødegaard had his arms crossed, shaking his head with a small smile. "They never had a chance."

Declan Rice leaned forward, entertained. "This is the most effort I've seen them put in all preseason."

Back outside, Zinchenko came to a dead stop, hands on his knees. "This… this is not worth it."

Saka threw his hands up. "How is he still running?!"

Martinelli groaned. "He's mocking us, bro. Look at his face!"

Indeed, Izan was barely breaking a sweat, grinning as he jogged backward, watching their misery unfold.

He tossed them another water bottle. "Here. You guys need it more than me."

Zinchenko caught it but didn't drink. Instead, he stared at Izan with squinted eyes. "This isn't over."

Izan smirked. "Of course not."

Saka, still panting, pointed at him. "We'll get you back, man. Just wait."

Izan chuckled, turning away. "I look forward to it."

As he walked off, the trio sat down, catching their breath. A moment passed before Martinelli turned to Saka.

"You know what the worst part is?"

Saka exhaled. "What?"

Martinelli sighed. "He was right."

Zinchenko looked between them. "About what?"

Saka groaned. "If we're ever sneaking out again…"

Martinelli nodded, wiping sweat off his forehead. "We're bringing Izan with us."

As the trio finally caught their breath, Arteta walked onto the pitch, hands behind his back, his usual composed demeanor intact.

He glanced at Saka, Martinelli, and Zinchenko, still on the ground, sweat dripping from their faces.

"Have you learned your lesson?" Arteta asked, his tone calm but firm.

The three nodded vigorously, too exhausted to offer any sarcastic responses.

Arteta let the silence stretch before giving a small nod. "Good. Now, go join your teammates for lunch."

Zinchenko, with what little energy he had left, managed a wry smile. "You're not making us run back to the cafeteria, are you?"

Arteta's lips twitched, but he shook his head. "No. But if I catch you sneaking out again, you won't be running—you'll be crawling."

Saka groaned Martinelli chuckled weakly, and Zinchenko muttered something in Ukrainian under his breath.

With that, they pushed themselves up and trudged toward the cafeteria, where the rest of the squad had already gathered.

As soon as they stepped inside, a round of laughter erupted.

"Welcome back, lads!" Declan Rice called out, smirking.

"How was the morning cardio?" Ødegaard added, leaning back in his chair.

The trio slumped into their seats, grabbing water and food, while Izan—sat across from them, a knowing smirk on his face.

Saka shot him a glare between bites of his meal. "We're still getting you back, bro."

Izan simply shrugged. "I'll be waiting."

.....

"Good evening folks, and welcome to BBC Sports' preseason special as we take a deep dive into how the top Premier League clubs are shaping up ahead of the new season.

With the league campaign just around the corner, teams have been fine-tuning their squads, making crucial signings, and testing their tactics on the pitch.

But one preseason match in particular has caught everyone's attention—the showdown between Arsenal and Liverpool in Los Angeles.

We'll get to that shortly, but first, let's take a look at how some of England's biggest clubs have been preparing."

The screen shifted to a newsroom set, where host Gary Lineker sat alongside analysts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, both dressed sharply for the broadcast.

Behind them, highlights from various preseason matches played across the world flickered on the screen.

"Let's start with the champions," Lineker began. "Manchester City have had a fairly quiet transfer window by their standards.

Ilkay Gündogan is back from Barcelona, a move that surprised many, and they've signed Savinho from Girona.

But on the other side, they've lost Julián Álvarez to Atlético Madrid and João Cancelo to Al-Hilal. Alan, do you think City will still be the team to beat?"

Shearer nodded. "Absolutely. They still have Pep Guardiola, they still have Erling Haaland, and they still have that ridiculous midfield.

Even with a slow summer in the market, you can't write them off. They'll be right up there again."

Micah Richards, a former City player himself, smirked. "People always try to find reasons to doubt them, but trust me, Pep's been cooking up something. They'll be fine."

The conversation then shifted to Manchester United and Chelsea, two clubs looking for consistency after turbulent seasons.

"United have had an interesting preseason. Erik Ten Hag is still figuring out how to get the best out of his squad, and some of their younger players have been impressive.

Chelsea, on the other hand, are still going through a rebuild," Lineker summarized.

Shearer sighed. "Every season we ask the same question about Chelsea: 'Is this the year they finally click?' I still don't know the answer."

Before the United-Chelsea talk could settle, the pundits moved to Newcastle's recent rise had been one of the biggest stories in English football.

With European football on the horizon again, expectations were high.

"Eddie Howe has built something solid," Shearer, a Newcastle legend, said proudly. "They won't just roll over. They've made smart signings, and I think they'll push for the top four again."

But as the segment moved on, the focus shifted to the real main event—the upcoming clash between Arsenal and Liverpool in Los Angeles.

A slow-motion clip of Arsenal's training in California appeared on the screen—players jogging onto the field, Arteta issuing instructions, and the team's new signing, Izan, standing among his teammates.

"Arsenal have had an incredible preseason," Lineker said. "Undefeated so far, playing brilliant football. But Alan, the real story is Izan, their new record signing."

Shearer grinned. "Yeah, the kid's something special. There's a lot of hype around him, and rightly so.

He's already linking up well with Odegaard and Saka. He's got that confidence, that arrogance you need at the top level."

Richards chuckled. "He's got that sauce, man! Watching him play, you can tell he's enjoying himself.

But Arsenal aren't just about one player. Arteta has built a proper squad. They're playing with swagger, and I genuinely think they'll be title contenders this season."

The broadcast cut to Liverpool's camp, where the team was deep in training, adapting to life under new manager Arne Slot.

"It's a strange sight, isn't it?" Lineker remarked. "Liverpool without Jurgen Klopp."

Shearer nodded. "It's a massive change. Klopp was everything to that team. Arne Slot has big shoes to fill, and you can already see the shift in tactics.

There's less chaos and more control. He wants them to dictate games rather than just outfight teams."

"But will it work?" Richards questioned. "Preseason has been a mixed bag for them. In some games, they've looked brilliant. Others, not so much. Arsenal will be their biggest test yet."

With both teams set to face off in LA's biggest stadium, excitement was reaching its peak. The analysts took turns offering their final thoughts.

Shearer: "For Arsenal, this is about continuing their momentum. For Liverpool, it's about showing they can still compete at the top level."

Richards: "I want to see how Izan handles a big opponent. If he shines here, the hype will only grow."

Lineker smiled at the camera. "One way or another, we'll get answers. Arsenal. Liverpool. Two giants. It's all happening in LA. And we'll be here to break it all down."

The screen faded to black, and the broadcast cut to commercials. The stage was set.

...…

The Los Angeles morning carried a warm breeze, but it did little to settle the rising tension around SoFi Stadium.

Fans had already begun to gather, decked out in Arsenal red and Liverpool crimson, buzzing with anticipation.

This was the biggest preseason match of the summer, a true test before the Premier League's return.

At Arsenal's team hotel, the mood was lighter.

Inside the lobby, players moved casually, exchanging light-hearted jokes while staff members carried last-minute equipment to the bus.

"I swear, this feels like a Champions League night," Martinelli said, glancing at the number of cameras already tracking their movement.

"We'll get there soon enough," Saka smirked, tapping his suitcase before turning to Izan. "But first, our boy has his first 'big' game for Arsenal. How are we feeling?"

Izan adjusted the strap of his bag, a small smirk forming. "It's just another game."

Zinchenko let out a dramatic sigh. "Listen to this guy. He wins one Euros and now every game is just 'another game.'"

The group laughed as they stepped outside, where a crowd of Arsenal fans were waiting, holding up scarves and jerseys.

Some chanted Arteta's name, others sang player chants, but many locked their eyes on Izan.

The cameras were already fixated on him, flashing non-stop as he walked toward the Arsenal team bus.

A few fans near the front held up a banner:

"IZAN, OUR NEW STAR. TAKE US TO GLORY!"

Izan glanced at it before stepping onto the bus, feeling the weight of their expectation.