August 15, 2023 - La Liga Season OpenerBarcelona vs Villarreal - Camp Nou
The 2023-24 season began with Barcelona as reigning La Liga and Champions League winners.
Expectations were sky-high. Could they dominate again? Could Ethan win a third consecutive Ballon d'Or?
Villarreal came to defend. Compact. Organized. Difficult to break down.
But Ethan was in sublime form.
He scored in the twenty-first minute. A brilliant free kick from thirty meters.
He scored again in the forty-third. A solo run from halfway, beating four defenders.
He completed his hat-trick in the seventieth. A tap-in after Lewandowski's shot was saved.
Final score: Barcelona 5-0 Villarreal.
Perfect start. Three goals on opening day.
August-December 2023 - Dominance
The first half of the season was pure domination.
La Liga (First 17 matches):
Barcelona: 16 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses 49 points from 51 possible Ethan: 28 goals, 12 assists
Champions League (Group Stage):
Barcelona topped their group with 18 points from 6 matches Ethan: 9 goals in 6 matches
By Christmas, Barcelona led La Liga by 11 points. They were steamrolling everyone.
Ethan was on pace for another 50+ goal season.
Personal Life - Proposal
On Christmas Eve, Ethan proposed to Sofia on a private beach in the Maldives.
"Sofia Martínez, you keep me grounded. You remind me there's life beyond football. Will you marry me?"
"Yes! Of course yes!"
They announced their engagement on social media. The football world celebrated with them.
End of Chapter 47