Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 263: An Explosive Performance

In the remaining minutes of the first half, Manchester United didn't launch a furious attack as expected to equalize or turn the game around. Udinese, with Bruno's goal, led 1-0 at halftime.

Back in the dressing room, Udinese's players were visibly excited. Although Manchester United hadn't been as formidable since Ferguson's retirement, they were still one of the top clubs in European football. Leading at Old Trafford, known as the "Theatre of Dreams," was a dream-like result.

However, as the players chatted excitedly, Bruno suddenly stood up with a stern expression and halted all discussions: "Everyone, it's only 1-0. We still have the second half to play. We have nothing to be proud of yet."

Bruno's seriousness shocked everyone. They knew him to be a generally kind person, rarely so severe. More importantly, he spoke with the authority of a captain.

Everyone fell silent, attentively watching Bruno.

"You must have heard of the 'Miracle of Camp Nou.' Back then, Bayern Munich led Manchester United 1-0 at the end of regular time, but what happened next?"

...

Bruno's words brought the Udinese players back to reality. They were all familiar with the 1999 'Miracle of Camp Nou,' knowing that Manchester United was a team that couldn't be measured by normal standards. They had a knack for miraculous comebacks.

In that game, Bayern Munich led almost the entire match. But just when the Bayern players thought they had defeated Manchester United, and even the UEFA officials believed the trophy belonged to Bayern, United scored twice in stoppage time to snatch the trophy that had already been engraved with Bayern's name.

Bruno's loud voice intended to remind his teammates of the importance of staying alert. "This is Manchester United! They are like a sleeping tiger. We might take advantage while they sleep, but once they wake up, we won't stand a chance."

Udinese's players understood Bruno's point. Manchester United might not be as strong as before, but they still had to be vigilant. If they let their guard down and United woke up, they would be in serious trouble.

...

"Bruno is right," said coach Guidolin from the dressing room door. "In the second half, we must be even more focused. Until the final whistle blows, we must maintain absolute attention."

The players, now realizing the gravity of the situation, nodded in agreement.

"Manchester United's wings were quite active in the first half, with Lingard frequently pulling back. In the second half, we'll tighten our defense. Bruno, you will also drop back a bit. Focus on defending and counter-attacking when the opportunity arises."

The players nodded again.

"We'll continue our targeted defense strategy. Shut down Schweinsteiger and Rooney. Martial has started pulling back frequently, so keep him in check."

"United's full-backs push forward aggressively. Look for opportunities to exploit that in our counter-attacks."

Guidolin looked deeply at Bruno. "Bruno, your plays were excellent in the first half, but unfortunately, we didn't capitalize on them."

Adnan and Thereau felt a bit embarrassed, knowing they had missed their chances.

"In the second half, we'll count on you!" Guidolin said to Bruno, placing high hopes on him.

...

Throughout the 2014-2015 season, Rooney became the first player in Premier League history to score more than 10 goals in 11 consecutive seasons. However, due to his new midfield role, he took 560 minutes to score his first goal of the season.

Everyone knew that Rooney was most dangerous closer to the goal, but in the post-Ferguson era, his position on the pitch kept moving further back, diminishing his threat. Although he had good vision and passing abilities, his impact was weakened, even though he was still only in his early thirties.

In this game, Rooney was once again not in his favored position, playing as the team's attacking midfielder. Schweinsteiger was held back by Widmer, Rooney was restricted by Badu, and combined with Iturra and Adnan's efforts, Udinese's defensive strategy effectively stifled United's midfield.

With Rooney and Schweinsteiger unable to distribute the ball effectively, Schneiderlin stepped up as the midfield pivot for a while, but with poor results. This led to Lingard moving from the right flank to the center, further crowding an already congested midfield.

...

Udinese's youth, speed, and pressing severely restricted Manchester United's midfield. Even after halftime adjustments by Van Gaal, the inherent characteristics of the players remained unchanged. Van Gaal couldn't make Rooney and Schweinsteiger run and press like Badu and Widmer.

Seeing that the midfield couldn't deliver the ball and both flanks were being restricted, Martial grew impatient and started dropping back to receive the ball. But Udinese's midfield was a well-prepared trap, preventing easy ball movement.

Martial had already tried several times in the first half to drop back and organize the attack. In the second half, Udinese tightened their control over him.

In the 52nd minute, Manchester United had a throw-in on the right side. Seven minutes into the second half, neither team had produced a significant threat, leading to scattered boos from the Old Trafford crowd.

...

United took the throw-in, with Rojo moving up to midfield, attempting to pass to the retreating Martial, but Badu intercepted. Iturra received the ball and quickly sent a through pass to Bruno.

Bruno, always on the move, received the ball near the center circle, with Schweinsteiger nearby and Schneiderlin out of position. With no defenders close, he smoothly controlled, turned, and accelerated.

With Schweinsteiger chasing, Blind retreated, ready to assist in the double-team. They aimed to intercept or foul Bruno.

Bruno knew their intentions and needed to shake them off. As he entered United's 30-meter area, Blind closed in to use his body. But Bruno accelerated, nudged the ball forward, and shouldered Blind away.

As Schweinsteiger and Blind failed to intercept, Bruno burst past them. With no defenders left except Smalling, could he stop Bruno?

...

Bruno caught up to the ball, drove into the penalty area from the left. Smalling quickly moved to cover, blocking Bruno's right side and preparing to tackle. De Gea braced for a shot.

Despite Smalling's physical presence, Bruno managed to hold his balance and stopped abruptly. Smalling also stopped but had no time to react before Bruno restarted, creating a small gap.

Bruno shot with his left foot, aiming for the right corner. As Smalling slid in to block, he was too late. De Gea dived but couldn't reach the fast, precise shot, which hit the right side netting.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Bruno Fernandes scores again!"

"Bruno has netted twice!"

…

(End of Chapter)

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