Chapter 232: The Reputation of a Person
"Also, tell Pirlo to pay more attention to defending. Stabilizing our defense is the top priority," Allegri instructed.
Landucci nodded, quickly jotting down Allegri's instructions on a piece of paper and handing it to Coman. This method of conveying messages through notes is common on the field, with many instructions being simple and based on established understandings.
"Their midfield is outstanding!" Allegri sighed, shaking his head.
Kanté and Badu formed a solid double pivot in front of Udinese's defense, bolstered by the diligent defensive work of Guilherme and Widmer. This setup made Udinese's midfield incredibly strong, even managing to suppress Juventus's usually dominant midfield. Players like Vidal and Pogba struggled to make an impact, showcasing the strength of Udinese's midfield.
"The main issue is that Bruno keeps drawing our players away," Landucci added.
Allegri nodded frequently. Bruno alone required at least two Juventus players to mark him, which naturally put Juventus's midfield at a disadvantage. Even if Bruno hadn't scored the opening goal, just by occupying two defenders, Udinese already had a significant advantage.
Without Bruno, Udinese wouldn't have had such a clear edge in midfield. Yet even after 65 minutes of play, Allegri was still wary of Bruno. He was too dangerous to ignore.
"Add one more thing to the note: remind the players to disrupt the connection between Di Natale and Bruno. This is crucial!" Allegri said firmly.
In the past two seasons, Bruno and Di Natale had become one of Europe's best attacking duos, leading the continent in mutual assists.
A look of worry flashed in Allegri's eyes. He couldn't relax when it came to Bruno. In his view, Bruno was the most threatening player on Udinese's team. The more intense the match, the more dangerous Bruno became.
Bruno no longer needed goals or assists to prove his worth. His presence on the field was inherently threatening. Given the ball and an opportunity, he could shine. If Salah, Widmer, and Guilherme had been more clinical, Udinese could have been 3-0 up by halftime, given the numerous chances Bruno had created.
"Don't worry. He looks tired and seems to be struggling," Landucci observed, noting Bruno's visible exhaustion despite his continued effort.
"After all, he's only 20. Such an important final, the immense pressure, and the significant physical toll – it's understandable if he's struggling," Landucci speculated.
Allegri shook his head. "We can't be complacent."
Having closely followed Bruno's performances in Serie A, Allegri knew better than anyone how dangerous he was, especially in crucial moments.
Juventus quickly made their first substitution. Just a minute after Di Natale came on, Allegri replaced Evra with Coman. This move made Guidolin on the home bench tense, as he realized this was Allegri's plan to counter Di Natale.
Bruno, on the field, couldn't help but admire Guidolin's foresight. Everything was happening just as the coach had predicted. Guidolin truly lived up to his nickname, "Little Zhuge," seemingly able to foresee every detail, except for Juventus's fortunate goal. Guidolin was like a supercomputer, processing every possibility with robotic precision.
If Udinese's right side had been particularly active in the first half, with Widmer repeatedly creating threats, Juventus effectively closed that gap once Coman entered the field.
The clock kept ticking. After the first substitution, neither side seemed eager to make further changes. Time quickly moved into the 70th minute. With Coman on, Udinese's crossing threats were neutralized, and they struggled to recreate their first-half dominance. However, Juventus was also unable to launch any significant attacks.
Bruno glanced at the scoreboard – it was already the 75th minute. He could sense Udinese players beginning to tire. The sweltering heat in Berlin was taking its toll, especially on a team relying on high-press tactics. Without securing a lead, the outcome could be unpredictable and potentially disastrous.
As Udinese's energy waned, Juventus's counterattacks began to pose more threats. Pogba finally got his first shot on goal, a volley from near the penalty spot, but Kanté blocked it, preventing it from directly threatening the goal. Nonetheless, it was a wake-up call for Udinese players.
"We can't keep this up," Bruno muttered to himself.
They needed to find an opportunity. If there wasn't one, they had to create it forcefully. Throughout the season, Bruno felt his overall strength and confidence growing. On the field, he no longer doubted whether he could accomplish something but instead focused on how to do it. This represented a significant shift in mindset, marking his greatest progress this season.
When Juventus launched a counterattack that was quickly intercepted by Udinese's double pivot, Bruno sensed an opportunity and signaled to Di Natale. After two seasons of playing together, Di Natale instantly understood Bruno's signal and nodded quietly.
Udinese's defenders were clearly under pressure, struggling with possession play, which was never their strong suit. Juventus, sensing their desperation, attempted to press high.
Kanté quickly passed back to the goalkeeper. Karnezis, under pressure from Tevez, looked up and saw Di Natale raising his left hand, subtly indicating the left side. Karnezis understood immediately.
While Udinese's long passes typically targeted Di Natale, the specific flank could vary. After signaling, Di Natale quickly dropped back toward the left side. Barzagli anticipated this but didn't follow, instead signaling Pogba to track him while staying behind.
As a central defender, Barzagli knew it was risky to leave his position lightly.
A thud echoed in the Olympic Stadium as Karnezis, under pressure from Tevez, launched a long ball towards the left flank. Di Natale retreated rapidly, moving towards the left. Noticing Barzagli didn't follow, he carefully judged the ball's trajectory and positioned himself to flick it on with his head.
The ball glanced off Di Natale's head, directed behind Pogba. At the same moment, Bruno, initially positioned between Di Natale and Pogba, suddenly sprinted forward, breaking away from Marchisio and chasing the ball with incredible speed.
Pogba was caught off guard. He realized Bruno, who seemed exhausted in the second half, had been conserving energy for this explosive moment. Marchisio was left behind, and Pogba couldn't catch up.
"Watch out for Bruno!" Pogba yelled.
Bonucci, however, had already anticipated the danger, rushing forward to intercept. Di Natale's flick lacked power, causing the ball to drop quickly. Bruno and Bonucci, from different angles, raced towards the ball. Despite Bonucci's quick reaction, Bruno's understanding with Di Natale gave him the edge. He reached the ball first, deftly nudging it forward and accelerating.
Bonucci tried to clear the ball but couldn't do so and pull Bruno back simultaneously. Had it been possible, he would have opted for a foul, knowing how dangerous Bruno could be inside the box.
Barzagli, positioned nearby, immediately reacted, rushing to block Bruno on the left side of the box. Italian defenses were renowned for their resilience, always having a player ready to cover. Anticipating this, Bruno was prepared. He halted and controlled the ball, gaining an advantage.
Barzagli tried to block him, knowing reinforcements from Bonucci and Pogba were closing in. But Bruno anticipated this and quickly shifted the ball inside, looking to create a shooting angle for his right foot.
(End of Chapter)
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