Rise of a Football God

With Alaves out of the way, swatted away like a mere bug, FC Barcelona set their sights on the Copa del Rey quarterfinal.

It was a clash against Valencia.

(Copa del Rey:)

(Quarterfinal:)

(Valencia – Barcelona)

(Date: 6th February, 2026)

Despite being played in away ground, it didn't matter.

FC Barcelona blew their opponents away in a hurricane of Catalan energy, winning the Copa del Rey clash 0-5.

Sam didn't score a single goal but he won the man of the match award, why?

On this game, Sam embraced the nature of a false 9, torturing a Valencia defense that was set up to frustrate him.

Yes, thy frustrated him on the goalscoring front, but Sam ended up doing even more on the playmaking front, giving 4 assists in this game alone!

On that day, the Valencia defenders learned to fear the Nigerian International.

His first assist and FC Barcelona's first goal came from a backheel touch, a delicate flick of the ball that landed it perfectly in Lamine Yamal's path, enabling the Spanish teenage wonder to score an easy goal.

That first goal entered in the 12th minute.

11 minutes later, in the 23rd minute, Sam dropped deep and after receiving a pass from Pedri, he turned and hit it one time, sending an incredible trivela pass to Lamine Yamal's path a second time.

Their chemistry on the pitch was telepathic.

This time, the Spanish teenage wonder had to do more but Lamine Yamal was up to the job.

Blasting past his marker with speed, the teenage wonder took the ball on his lap, perfectly controlling it and taming its momentum and then with his right foot, he volleyed it past a sprawling goalkeeper.

Lamine Yamal whirled off towards the corner flag, sliding on his knees in celebration as the traveling FC Barcelona fans celebrated excitedly with him.

The 3rd goal came in the 39th minute, courtesy of Sam again.

This time, it was his dribbling that pried the tight Valencia defense open.

Turning the defenders here and there with his quick feet, penetrating into them with a devilish La Croqueta, he saw Raphinha's run and pushed the ball in his path, in time for the rapid Brazilian to whip a shot past the goalkeeper into the net, scoring FC Barcelona's 3rd goal of the night.

The first half came to an end 0-3 in Barca's favor.

And then, in the 2nd half, there was a personal record breaker.

Not with the 4th goal though. Gavi hustled the 4th goal of the game for himself, lashing into a loose ball in the box after a corner kick and rifling it into the roof of the net, leaving the goalkeeper no chance.

The 4th goal entered in the 61st minute.

But the 5th goal? It came in the 70th minute, and Sam got his 4th assist.

Guess who the goal scorer was?

Lamine Yamal.

After making his debut a few seasons ago, the Spanish teenage wonder finally scored his first professional hattrick.

Having dropped deep, Sam received a pass from Pedri and threaded it, cutting the Valencia defense open like a hot knife through butter, setting Yamal who did the rest, rounding the goalkeeper to score an amazing goal.

"GOALLLLL...!!!"

Once the realization hit him that he just scored his first professional hattrick goal, Yamal couldn't even celebrate, overwhelmed by emotion.

Sam ran towards him, hugging him and raising him above his feet.

Their teammates swarmed them, celebrating with them. And at the end of it all, having recovered a bit, Lamine Yamal finally celebrated.

Making a love fans towards the away fans, he stopped Sam who was about to leave and then placing one knee down, he took Sam's leg, wiping dust off it.

Sam assisted all 3 of his goals and Lamine Yamal acknowledged it.

The FC Barcelona fans went crazy in the away stands.

At this point, there was no way out for Valencia. Hansi Flick made changes, shaking his team up, resting guys like Sam and Lamine Yamal.

The game ended 0-5 in Barca's favor.

With that performance, Sam took his tally to 47 goals and 32 assists in just 32 f*cking games!

He was not slowing down at all.

Rather, he seemed to be accelerating even.

He was having a truly all-time great season if he continued at this pace. Hell, it was a great season already, it was a matter of how great he could go now.

…

(La Liga:)

(Sevilla – Barcelona)

(Date: 9th February, 2026)

Sevilla welcomed FC Barcelona.

Wary of the rampant Catalans, Sevilla played a very aggressive game and they targeted one player, Samuel Moses.

The defenders tackled him so hard, playing tactical fouls, dragging his chest, cleverly matching his leg that the FC Barcelona fans feared for his fitness, raining down boos and complaining to the referee.

In the end, one of those tackles attracted a red card eventually in the 71st minute of the game after Sam's right ankle started bleeding.

At that point, he was already bruised and battered.

But still, after that red card in the 71st minute, Sam still ended up scoring the game winning goal from the freekick that followed.

He played a perfect freekick, rounding the wall of players before sending it into the top right corner, leaving Sevilla's goalkeeper no chance.

"GOALLLLLLL…!!!"

The stadium erupted, passionate Barca fans roaring at the top of their lungs.

Concerned about his fitness, after that goal, Hansi Flick subbed Sam out of the game and FC Barcelona were able to see the game out.

Another 3 points bagged.

Sam won another man of the match award.

But after the end of the game, after a medical diagnosis, Sam was identified to have suffered a minor ankle injury.

FC Barcelona fans feared for their fate.

…

(La Liga:)

(Barcelona – Rayo Vallecano)

(Date: 17th February, 2026)

Before 17th, Sam already recovered but being cautious, Hansi Flick started him on the bench.

For the first time in a long time, Sam started on the bench.

But FC Barcelona fans didn't care. At the start of the game, his name was still the name that was being chanted at the top of their voices.

"Sam!" "Sam!" "Sam!"

It was a household name now.