Chapter 245: Luke Shaw's Leg Break
"The key will be Bruno," Guidolin said, frowning.
This is currently Udinese's main issue with their attack - they are too reliant on Bruno.
This can be both good and bad. The good is that the more influential Bruno is, the more Udinese has a solid core to play around. However, the bad is that if Bruno is effectively marked by the opponents, Udinese will struggle significantly, especially in this match without Di Natale.
"F**K!"
Thinking about Di Natale, Guidolin felt helpless. Udinese's honorary captain was about to turn 38 next month, an exceptionally old age for a football player. Despite Di Natale maintaining decent form, he ultimately could not defy the natural laws of aging.
"Schweinsteiger performed excellently last season, which is why Van Gaal dares to adopt this strategy. He clearly believes that Bruno, having played many matches recently, will not be in top physical condition, and Schweinsteiger can contain him," Portoluzzi said.
After saying this, he exchanged a glance with Guidolin, and both laughed.
...
"Bruno receives the ball on the left, facing Ashley Young, he attempts to break through..."
"He pulls back and sends the ball into the box..."
"The ball is cleared out, it's a throw-in for Udinese."
"Pirris throws in, Théréau wins the header..."
"Bruno with a beautiful touch, gets past Ashley Young, cutting inside..."
"A through ball into the box, Théréau holds off Smalling and shoots!"
"Udinese's first shot from inside the penalty area, Théréau didn't handle it well, just wide. But this attack from Udinese was well-crafted, especially Bruno, who is very active."
...
"Passed to Bruno on the left again, right along the touchline, facing Ashley Young once more..."
"One-on-one, Bruno drives towards the byline..."
"Ashley Young sticks close, not giving an inch..."
"They reach the byline... Bruno..."
"A beautiful nutmeg!"
"Bruno gets past Ashley Young, and a quick cutback past Schweinsteiger..."
"Bruno goes down in the box, Schweinsteiger raises his hands, signaling he didn't foul."
"The referee signals to play on, no foul given."
"Bruno looks frustrated, getting up and pointing at his shirt, seemingly indicating it was pulled."
"Haha, you have to say that was very quick, and Schweinsteiger's action was subtle, the referee missed it. Bruno's frustration is understandable; the replay shows it was indeed a foul."
"Guidolin looks furious on the sideline, while Van Gaal applauds. It's a top-tier clash on the pitch and a tactical duel between two world-class managers on the sidelines."
...
"Bruno again, alone on the right flank this time."
"Luke Shaw and Herrera come to double-team, but Bruno, with a series of skillful moves, breaks free..."
"A truly daring play, Bruno bursts out of Manchester United's double-team and crosses."
"Oh, Adnan! If he was just a bit quicker, that would've been a goal!"
"Udinese is pressing hard, especially Bruno in the attack, creating numerous threats. However, Udinese's finishing is lacking, repeatedly missing good chances."
"Bruno looks quite frustrated. Despite facing heavy marking from Manchester United, he shows world-class skill, but his teammates are struggling to keep up."
"If Udinese's players could finish better, the score should be level or even in Udinese's favor by now."
...
During this period, Udinese, fueled by Bruno's energy, gradually began to suppress Manchester United with the support of their home fans. Nevertheless, Manchester United still managed to create two dangerous counterattacks, threatening Udinese's defense.
In the 15th minute, a significant incident occurred on the field.
During a fast counterattack initiated by a midfield interception, Herrera passed the ball to the left wing where Luke Shaw sprinted to retrieve it, aiming to charge into the box. Piris made a sliding tackle, knocking the ball out for a corner and also taking down Shaw in the process.
The referee awarded Manchester United a corner.
However, Shaw remained on the ground, clutching his leg in pain. Seeing this, Bruno, who was nearby, felt a jolt of fear. Could it be that even with different opponents, Shaw couldn't escape this fate?
Thinking this, Bruno quickly ran over to Shaw, asking him a couple of questions before signaling for a stretcher. The referee also realized the severity of the situation and stopped the game, calling for Manchester United's medical team.
The game was paused, and Manchester United's medical team swiftly moved in to stabilize Shaw's leg.
Replays showed that Shaw had pushed the ball a bit too far ahead, and Piris's sliding tackle, though clean on the ball, had caught Shaw's leg solidly afterward. The slow-motion replay clearly showed Shaw's leg bending unnaturally, confirming that he had broken his leg.
...
The treatment took almost ten minutes before Shaw was finally stretchered off. During this time, Bruno stayed by his side, offering words of encouragement to keep Shaw's spirits up.
The fans at Friuli Stadium rose in unison, applauding Shaw as he was carried off the field.
After a ten-minute pause, the game resumed, with Manchester United bringing on Rojo to replace the injured Shaw.
However, Manchester United's players were unhappy with the referee's decision not to book Piris, only awarding a corner.
The commentators expected this outcome. The replay showed that Piris had cleanly tackled the ball before colliding with Shaw, with a clear attempt to pull out of the challenge. Penalizing Piris and awarding a penalty to Manchester United would have been unjust.
Unfortunately, it was just bad luck for Shaw.
...
When the match resumed, Udinese continued to control the tempo while Manchester United, affected by Shaw's serious injury, appeared less spirited.
"Bruno on the left couldn't find a way through, forced to pass back to midfield."
"Manchester United have heavily fortified their defense, especially after taking the lead. Udinese's attacks are relentless, with Bruno posing significant threats, keeping Schweinsteiger pinned down and forcing Ashley Young and Depay to help in defense."
"Badu with the ball, passes back to the middle, to Iturra. Let's see, Udinese are pressing forward again."
"Bruno with a wide range of movement, suddenly cuts inside."
"Iturra with a forward pass, Bruno lays it off..."
"A beautiful one-two, Iturra shoots from the edge of the box..."
"Manchester United's defense holds firm, the ball deflects off Blind, bouncing towards the right."
"Still with Udinese, Widmer collects the ball..."
...
Widmer, unmarked, received the ball, took a glance at the box, seeing Théréau, Bruno, and Cancelo. The most threatening was Théréau, positioned perfectly in the middle.
The Swiss midfielder stopped the ball and without hesitation, sent a cross into the box. The ball sailed over Rojo, heading towards the center.
Théréau, holding his position firmly, fended off Smalling and moved towards the ball.
But just at the crucial moment, De Gea rushed out, leaving his line to punch the ball away.
The Spanish goalkeeper clearly didn't trust himself to catch the cross under Théréau's challenge.
...
The ball didn't go far, landing towards Ashley Young.
Young focused on the ball, waiting to clear it as it fell awkwardly. Just as he prepared, a voice from his teammate warned, "Watch out!"
Before Young could react, a blur in black and white darted in, heading the ball away before him...
Young realized too late, seeing only the back of Bruno Fernandes sprinting away, his number 8 jersey clearly visible.
"Damn!" Young was shocked.
Bruno reacted faster, heading the ball forward, chasing it down, controlling with his right foot, and striking with his left in one fluid motion. The ball swiftly evaded both Blind and De Gea, nestling into the unguarded net.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!"
"In the thirtieth minute, Udinese finally equalize!"
"Bruno! It's Bruno who scores!"
"This is a crucial goal, Bruno has been the most threatening player on the pitch, bringing Udinese level."
"1:1, the teams are back on equal footing."
(End of Chapter)
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