Chapter 146: Chapter 146: An Unexpected Udinese
Chapter 146: An Unexpected Udinese
When Kanté and Allan saw Bruno charging towards Bale with the ball, they instantly understood his intentions. This time, it was Allan who found himself in the best position, quickly advancing towards the edge of the penalty area. He trusted that Bruno had the skill to maneuver the ball out and pass it to him. This trust was a testament to their year-long partnership, and indeed, Bruno rarely disappointed.
As Allan entered the thirty-meter zone, he saw Bruno shake off Bale and get the ball past Kroos right into his path. If it were anyone else, they might have cursed for a closer pass, but during the match, Allan had no time to think; he just dashed forward at top speed.
Allan's faith in Bruno's passing abilities was validated when he caught up with the ball and realized why Bruno had directed it there. At that moment, Allan found himself ideally distanced from Modric. Pepe and Ramos were preoccupied with Di Natale, pulling apart Real Madrid's central defense and opening up a channel.
With a swift control and chase of the ball, Allan unleashed a powerful right-footed shot. The stadium echoed with the sound of the strike, and before anyone could react, the ball had flown past Real Madrid's goalkeeper Casillas at an alarming speed.
Casillas barely had time to adjust his stance before the ball was in the net. The crowd erupted:
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!" "Allan!" "It's a goal!!!" "1:0! A swift counter from Udinese, with Bruno assisting Allan to break the deadlock!" "An incredible long shot from over twenty meters out!"
The Brazilian felt a strong sensation as he kicked the ball; he knew it was going in! As the ball hit the back of the net, he rushed towards the left, ran up to Bruno, scooped up his young teammate, and carried him to the sidelines to celebrate their goal. It was not just any goal; it was the first goal of the season for Udinese, scored against Real Madrid!
Allan was ecstatic. The rest of the Udinese players crowded around Bruno and Allan, celebrating the midfield's crucial goal that significantly relieved Udinese's pressure.
After the successful play, Bruno's confidence soared. He told his teammates, "They'll focus on marking me, I'll draw their defense. You guys run. Just like that, let's finish them off!" His teammates nodded in agreement, realizing the opportunity before them, especially as Real Madrid had pressed high up the field.
... After conceding the goal, Ancelotti's demeanor darkened. Despite dominating the first ten minutes, Real Madrid had unexpectedly fallen behind. Now what? Retreat? They had been so close to scoring, and retreating now would waste all their efforts. But if they didn't pull back, what if they conceded again?
Against top teams like Barcelona or defensively solid teams like Chelsea, Ancelotti might have chosen to stabilize. However, facing Udinese, he didn't believe Real Madrid had any reason to play it safe.
Ancelotti had thoroughly analyzed Udinese; known for their offensive prowess last season, their defense was notably weak. Confident in overpowering Udinese in a shootout with his team's formidable attacking lineup, including the BBC trio and the World Cup Golden Boot winner, how could Udinese's attack compare?
The Real Madrid players, fueled by the frustration of conceding after dominating, initiated an even more intense counterattack without restraint from their coach.
... The match was intensely thrilling. Fans were captivated as the game reached the fifteen-minute mark with the score still 1:0, but the teams had combined for a total of 11 shots—7 from Real Madrid and 4 from Udinese.
Fouls were high too, totaling 13, showing the fierce level of competition. Udinese, having scored first, could have played more conservatively, but Guidolin chose an aggressive stance, matching Real Madrid blow for blow.
Guidolin was determined to win, to claim the championship, and he hoped his team would triumph in this uncompromising clash. Udinese, a young team, was forging its style and confidence through such matches. Without a long history or past glories, they relied on their talented squad.
Facing a lesser-known Udinese, Real Madrid could not afford a conservative approach, or they would face the wrath of fans from both sides. For the romantic supporters of Real Madrid, failing to win convincingly against a weaker opponent was unacceptable.
... "Oh God, this is definitely one of the most exciting Super Cup matches in recent years," exclaimed Martin Tyler of Sky Sports. "Both teams have contributed to 27 shots and three goals. It's been spectacular."
"I'm surprised by Udinese. I thought I understood them and Coach Guidolin well, but even now, I can hardly believe—" Tyler continued, his expression one of genuine astonishment, "—that Udinese held their own in a shootout against Real Madrid. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they perform in the Champions League this season."
His co-commentator added, "Yes, Udinese's performance has been unexpectedly strong. They could be the biggest surprise of this Champions League season."
As the commentators discussed, the first half came to an end with the score displayed on the scoreboard at Cardiff City Stadium: 2:1!
Real Madrid had equalized in the 30th minute with a cross from Bale to Ronaldo, who scored from close range. But just ten minutes later, Di Natale assisted Bruno to score, giving Udinese the lead again.
2:1 was the score at halftime, leaving the media booth abuzz with discussions about Udinese's shocking performance.
To many, Udinese seemed a clear underdog against the La Liga giants. Without external factors, it was assumed that Real Madrid would easily dominate. However, the halftime score and the shot count of 12:15 showed a different story: Udinese was not only unexpectedly leading on the scoreboard but also matching Real Madrid in gameplay.
Moreover, the performance of Udinese's young midfielders, Kanté and Allan, both 23 years old, stunned many. They had constructed a formidable barrier in front of Udinese's penalty area. Without their interceptions, Udinese might have been overwhelmed.
"A reporter from Marca noted, "This game, those two midfielders from Udinese really made a name for themselves! I heard one cost Udinese only 500,000 euros and the other 3 million euros. Their performance was no less than Modric and Kroos, who cost Real Madrid 65 million euros. It's unbelievable!"
... During the halftime break, Guidolin praised his players' performance. Whether it was their display on the field or the scoreline, he couldn't have asked for more from Udinese.
"Well done, keep playing like this in the second half," Guidolin encouraged.
Before the second half started, he took Kanté aside in the tunnel, "N'Golo, you've taken on too much defensive responsibility in the first half. Real Madrid might lower their guard against your offensive threat. In the second half, feel free to advance closer to their penalty area."
"Try taking more long shots when you get the chance. You might find success," Guidolin advised, patting the French midfielder on the shoulder.
Kanté nodded, although he was skeptical. Did the coach really think he'd become a long-shot specialist after one lucky goal last season?
But he respected his coach's instructions. As the second half commenced, Udinese continued to press hard, not intimidated by Real Madrid's renowned midfielders or their famous BBC front line.
Guidolin had quickly identified Real Madrid's biggest issue: a thin midfield defense. Modric and Kroos were not pure defensive midfielders, and with James Rodríguez, who had almost no defensive capabilities, this midfield trio couldn't halt Udinese's assaults.
(End of Chapter)
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