March 5th, 2028. Ethan woke up on his twenty-eighth birthday to Lucas standing in his crib, holding onto the rails, bouncing excitedly.
"Dada! Dada!" Lucas shouted—his new favorite word, finally learned two weeks ago.
Sofia was already awake, filming the moment on her phone. "Happy birthday, old man."
"Twenty-eight isn't old."
"It is in football years. You're basically ancient."
Ethan got out of bed, picked up Lucas, who immediately grabbed his nose—still his favorite game.
"What do you want for your birthday?" Sofia asked.
"This. Just this."
"That's very sweet, but I already ordered you a watch."
"I have six watches."
"Now you'll have seven. One for each Ballon d'Or when you win number seven next year."
Ethan laughed, carrying Lucas to the kitchen for breakfast. Twenty-eight years old. Six Ballon d'Ors. Eight Champions Leagues. A wife he loved. A son who called him "dada."
Life was good. Really good.
But the season was entering its crucial phase. March through May—the three months where championships were won or lost.
Current Status (March 5th, 2028):
La Liga: Top of table, 7 points clear with 12 matches remaining Champions League: Round of 16 vs PSG (first leg in 8 days) Copa del Rey: Semifinal vs Athletic Bilbao (first leg in 6 days)
Three trophies still possible. The third consecutive treble within reach.
March 11th - Copa del Rey Semifinal, First Leg: Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao came to Camp Nou and defended brilliantly. Their 5-4-1 formation made the pitch feel tiny. Barcelona dominated possession—seventy-three percent—but struggled to create clear chances.
Fifty-sixth minute: Ethan finally broke through. A brilliant header from Kimmich's corner. 1-0 Barcelona.
Seventy-eighth minute: Athletic equalized against the run of play. A devastating counter-attack. 1-1.
The Camp Nou went silent. Barcelona were in danger of not having a lead to take to Bilbao for the second leg.
Eighty-ninth minute: Ethan delivered.
Pedri's brilliant through ball. Ethan's perfectly timed run. One-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Clinical finish. 2-1 Barcelona.
A crucial away goal—wait, no. Away goals had been abolished. But still, a crucial lead to take to Bilbao.
March 13th - Champions League R16, First Leg: PSG 1-1 Barcelona
The Parc des Princes. PSG vs Barcelona. Mbappé's former club against his best friend's current club.
The atmosphere was electric. Fifty thousand PSG fans creating a wall of noise. This was personal for many PSG supporters who felt betrayed when Mbappé left for Madrid.
PSG pressed high from the first whistle, attacking aggressively, trying to overwhelm Barcelona early.
Twenty-third minute: PSG scored. A brilliant team move ending with Gonçalo Ramos finishing clinically. 1-0 PSG.
Barcelona struggled to respond. PSG's intensity was suffocating. But Ethan stayed calm, waiting for his moment.
Sixty-seventh minute: It came.
Koundé won the ball in defense and played it immediately to Pedri. The Spanish midfielder turned beautifully, saw Ethan making a run between PSG's center-backs.
The pass was perfect. Ethan collected it, took one touch, and as the goalkeeper rushed out, he dinked it over him with outrageous confidence.
1-1.
Barcelona escaped Paris with a crucial draw. The tie was alive heading back to Camp Nou.
After the match, French journalists asked about his relationship with PSG.
"Ethan, you played at Monaco, not PSG. But many French players dream of playing here. Any regrets about never wearing this jersey?"
"No regrets. My path led me to Barcelona. And I'm happy with how that turned out."
"Your former Monaco teammate Mbappé played here for seven years. Did you ever consider joining him?"
"Kylian and I took different paths. Both paths were successful. That's what matters."
Professional answers. No controversy. Just respect.
March 20th - Champions League R16, Second Leg: Barcelona 3-0 PSG (4-1 aggregate)
Camp Nou was absolutely rocking. Ninety-five thousand people creating an atmosphere that made the stadium vibrate.
Barcelona needed to win. PSG needed to score at least twice. Everything was possible.
Twenty-third minute: Ethan scored. A brilliant solo goal where he beat two defenders before finishing. 1-0 Barcelona, 2-1 aggregate.
Fifty-sixth minute: Lewandowski made it 2-0, 3-1 aggregate.
PSG pushed everyone forward desperately. But it left space for counters.
Eighty-ninth minute: Ethan sealed it with his second goal. 3-0, 4-1 aggregate.
Barcelona were through to the Champions League quarterfinals.
Another step toward the three-peat. Another step toward immortality.
March 25th - La Liga: El Clásico at Camp Nou
The second Clásico of the season. Barcelona vs Real Madrid at Camp Nou. A chance to effectively end Madrid's title hopes.
Current La Liga standings:
Barcelona - 75 points (24-3-1) Real Madrid - 68 points (22-2-4)
Seven-point gap with ten matches remaining. A Barcelona win would make it ten points—essentially insurmountable.
The match was war from the first whistle. Both teams attacking relentlessly. Both knowing what was at stake.
Thirty-fourth minute: Mbappé scored. A moment of individual brilliance. 1-0 Real Madrid.
The Camp Nou fell silent. Madrid were leading in Barcelona's stadium.
Forty-fifth minute, stoppage time: Ethan equalized just before halftime. A header from Raphinha's cross. 1-1.
The second half was chaos. Both teams creating chances. Both smelling blood.
Seventy-eighth minute: Ethan scored again. Another brilliant solo goal. 2-1 Barcelona.
Eighty-ninth minute: Vinícius equalized for Madrid. 2-2.
The match ended in a draw. Frustrating for Barcelona, who'd been so close to victory.
But they were still seven points clear with nine matches remaining.
The title was almost theirs.
April 3rd - Copa del Rey Semifinal, Second Leg: Athletic Bilbao 0-1 Barcelona (1-3 aggregate)
The trip to San Mamés was always difficult. Athletic's passionate fans, their physical style, their never-say-die attitude.
But Barcelona defended brilliantly. Professional. Organized. Clinical.
Sixty-seventh minute: Ethan scored the only goal. A counter-attack finished with precision. 1-0.
Barcelona were through to the Copa del Rey final.
Two trophies still possible. La Liga and Champions League. The treble was alive.
April 10th - Champions League QF, First Leg: Barcelona 2-2 Bayern Munich
Another epic battle with Bayern. This rivalry was becoming legendary.
Bayern came to Camp Nou and attacked fearlessly. They were brilliant—fast, aggressive, technical.
Twenty-third minute: Harry Kane scored for Bayern. 1-0.
Forty-fifth minute: Ethan equalized just before halftime. 1-1.
Sixty-seventh minute: Jamal Musiala put Bayern ahead again. 2-1.
Eighty-ninth minute: Ethan saved Barcelona with a stunning equalizer. 2-2.
The tie was perfectly balanced heading to Munich. Everything to play for.
April 17th - Champions League QF, Second Leg: Bayern Munich 1-2 Barcelona (3-4 aggregate)
The Allianz Arena. 75,000 hostile fans. Bayern needing to win. Barcelona needing to survive.
The match was brutal. Physical. Tactical. Both teams at their absolute limit.
Fifty-sixth minute: Bayern scored. Müller with a header. 1-0 Bayern, 3-2 aggregate.
Barcelona were in danger. One more Bayern goal and they were out.
Seventy-fourth minute: Ethan delivered when it mattered most.
A Barcelona corner. Chaos in the box. The ball fell to Ethan at the edge of the area.
He struck it first time with his left foot. The ball flew through a crowd of players, deflected slightly, and nestled into the bottom corner.
1-1, 3-3 aggregate.
Away goals didn't exist anymore, so extra time loomed.
But in the ninety-third minute, Ethan struck again.
Bayern had pushed everyone forward desperately. Left huge spaces in behind. Barcelona counter-attacked.
Pedri to Gavi to Ethan. One touch. Clinical finish.
1-2, 3-4 aggregate.
No time for Bayern to respond. The referee blew the final whistle seconds later.
Barcelona were through to the Champions League semifinals.
The three-peat was still alive.
April 24th - La Liga Title Clinched
Barcelona didn't need to do anything dramatic. They just needed to keep winning while Real Madrid dropped points.
April 24th - Barcelona 3-0 Sevilla: Ethan scored twice. Professional victory.
Real Madrid played simultaneously and drew 1-1 with Atlético Madrid.
The gap was now ten points with six matches remaining.
Barcelona were La Liga champions. Eighth consecutive title.
The celebration at Camp Nou was joyous but muted. They'd won so many Liga titles that it was almost routine now.
But Ethan knew what it meant: eight consecutive Spanish championships. A dynasty that might never be matched.
In the locker room, Flick addressed the team:
"Congratulations on La Liga. But we're not done. Champions League semifinal next week. Copa del Rey final in two weeks. We can still win the treble. Don't lose focus now."
April 30th - The Realization
Late at night, after the Liga celebration had ended, Ethan sat in his home office updating his journal:
April 30th, 2028
We've won La Liga. Eighth consecutive title. That's one trophy.
Champions League semifinals coming up - vs Manchester City. If we win, that's the final.
Copa del Rey final on May 18th - vs Real Sociedad.
Two more matches could give us the third consecutive treble. Something no team has ever done in football history.
But here's what's crazy: I'm not as excited as I should be.
Don't get me wrong - I want to win. I'm a competitor. But the obsession isn't there anymore.
Because I know what I'd be missing. Lucas's bedtime stories. Sofia's company. Normal life.
I've played 38 matches this season instead of my usual 50+. And I'm happier. More balanced. More human.
Stats: 37 goals in 38 matches. Down from my usual 60+. But I don't care.
Because I've been there for Lucas. Seen him grow. Been present.
Three moves ahead:1. Win the treble (two matches left)2. Summer with family - no international tournaments this year3. Next season - continue this balance
I'm 28 years old. I have 282 chapters left in my career. But I also have a son who's only 14 months old.
The balance is working. And I'm not going back.
He closed the laptop, feeling at peace with his choices.
Tomorrow, Barcelona had training. Then the Champions League semifinal first leg against Manchester City.
Then the Copa del Rey final. Then the Champions League final if they made it.
Two more trophies. Two more opportunities to make history.
But after that? A summer with Lucas and Sofia. No World Cup this year. No Copa América. Just family.
And Ethan couldn't wait.
End of Chapter 78