Baria

Chapter 15: Baria

The first half concluded with Porto leading Benfica 1-0 thanks to Quaresma's goal.

Walking off the field, Quaresma struck up a conversation with Benfica's left-back, Giwano, recalling that Giwano had experienced a similar fate to his own—being ousted by Barcelona.

In the 2001-2002 season, Giwano and Saviola were brought in as the future of Barcelona, only for Giwano to face a fate akin to Quaresma's. After just one and a half seasons, the Brazilian was offloaded by Barcelona and landed at Benfica.

While Quaresma wasn't sure if Giwano held any grudge against Barcelona, he certainly had no intention of revisiting the club.

Sometimes Quaresma even mused that if all the players Barcelona had discarded were assembled to form a team against Barcelona, they might not reach the pinnacle of skill, but with sheer will and Barcelona's blood on the line, they could undoubtedly give them a run for their money—perhaps even trouncing them outright and sending a few of their own packing on the spot.

After a brief chat, Quaresma headed back to the locker room, where his teammates naturally celebrated him.

"Ricardo, it's a crime how you shine and score!"

"Yeah, I'm starting to think it defies the laws of physics!"

"Barcelona really made the most brainless decision!"

Several teammates chuckled, while even the veterans in the locker room looked at Quaresma with admiration. After all, Quaresma's goal was a thing of beauty!

Just as Quaresma was about to respond, the seasoned goalkeeper Baia chimed in seriously: "If I were a Benfica fan, I'd file a lawsuit against Ricardo. Our Portuguese legal system is both robust and user-friendly. Perhaps the judges would truly ban you from scoring such criminal goals again!"

Everyone was taken aback by Baia's tone, but his words soon brought raucous laughter to the room.

Quaresma rolled his eyes. He wondered how Baia could joke so seriously.

"Ricardo, you might not know this, but Vitor here is a law doctor!" Captain Ricardo Costa explained with a smile.

Quaresma was surprised. Baia, a school bully?

Disrespectful!

Disrespectful!

"Yes, I am a law doctor. I even run a law firm with some buddies. If any of you have legal questions, feel free to come to me!" Baia boasted, patting his chest confidently.

Well, looks like we're saving on legal fees!

"I specialize in defending innocent criminal suspects. If you're ever in trouble, just give me your case!"

Quaresma widened his eyes. Baia's confidence was something else.

"Give me a case, and can you guarantee I'll be acquitted?" Quaresma asked in disbelief. He knew even the best lawyer couldn't promise that!

"Not a chance!" Baia shook his head vehemently. "But I do have some connections in prison. I can at least guarantee you won't end up in a cell full of perverts. Unless that's your thing, then I can arrange that too!"

Quaresma's face twitched. He couldn't believe the seemingly serious Baia had this kind of humor.

Even though Baia's old teammates were accustomed to his jokes, Quaresma's incredulous expression was contagious, and soon everyone was laughing.

"Hehehe, time flies!" Quaresma chuckled. "Let's get ready for the second half."

...

In the first 20 minutes of the second half, Porto struggled to find their rhythm and were constantly thwarted by Benfica. Quaresma, too, found it difficult to make an impact.

However, Mourinho's defensive tactics from earlier in the match paid off unexpectedly, as Porto weathered the storm and maintained their lead.

Around the 70th minute mark, as physical exhaustion began to set in, Benfica also took a breather, unable to sustain their attacking pressure.

It was at this moment that Del Neri, standing on the sidelines, issued a new instruction: unleash an attack!

Previously, Porto had tried to attack but were stifled by Benfica's strong defense. Now, with Benfica's offense not as potent as before, Porto saw an opportunity to strike back.

Quaresma had been itching to unleash his attacking instincts again. Glancing at Rocha, who looked wary, Quaresma bared his teeth once more.

Baia's goal kick defied the principles of law, landing precisely and unexpectedly at Fabiano's feet.

Though not a classic target man, Fabiano occasionally acted as a pivot, and this time he didn't bother controlling the ball, swiftly passing it to his teammate.

Diego made a swift move to the left, evading close defense, but Benfica had already regrouped defensively. Diego sought out Costinha, who passed the ball to Quaresma after seeing his raised hand on the right.

Perhaps inspired by Quaresma's miraculous first-half goal, his teammates expected nothing short of greatness from him. With no better offensive option available, Costinha passed to Quaresma.

The stadium erupted in cheers as Porto and neutral fans alike anticipated another moment of magic from Quaresma. Benfica's fans, on the other hand, nervously prayed they wouldn't witness a repeat.

Quaresma received the ball, accelerated forward with staggering speed, and Rocha misjudged his initial movements. Expecting Quaresma to employ a series of feints, as he had studied pre-match, Rocha was unprepared for the raw power and speed with which Quaresma surged forward.

Just as in his first-half goal, Quaresma didn't play by the book. He bypassed Rocha effortlessly, leaving him dumbfounded. The other Benfica players were equally stunned—weren't there supposed to be a few step-overs first?

It defied all reason!