The ball came from Pedri—a perfect, lofted pass into the danger zone.
Izan was inside six yards.
Donnarumma's trait activated instantly.
[Aegis Reflex—Engaged]
Time slowed.
To everyone else, the ball was dropping in at normal speed.
To Donnarumma, it was as slow as a drifting feather.
He saw everything.
Izan's angle. The potential shot choices. Every possible outcome.
And then he moved—before Izan even made contact.
A textbook reaction save. His left hand already shifting toward the bottom corner, where a volley would likely be struck.
His right foot, adjusting mid-air in case Izan went near-post.
It was over before it even started.
That's what Donnarumma thought.
Until Izan did something that broke the sequence.
He let the ball drop.
Donnarumma, mid-air, already diving, had anticipated a first-time shot.
But Izan hadn't shot at all.
Instead, with a delicate touch, he flicked the ball backward with his heel.
A blind pass.
A hesitation trap.
