章 183: Chapter 183: Sweet Talk
Chapter 183: Sweet Talk
Mancini paced the sidelines, restless and anxious. He hadn't expected Udinese, known for their attacking football in Serie A, to play so defensively. Mancini had anticipated Guidolin would stick to his usual aggressive style. Mancini had thoroughly prepared for this match, confident in his strategies for an open, attacking game against Udinese. But Guidolin surprised him by playing cautiously.
Faced with Udinese's almost shamelessly defensive approach, Mancini and Inter Milan were struggling to find solutions. Thirty minutes into the match, the teams had only managed a combined total of five shots—one for Udinese and four for Inter Milan, mostly from long range, highlighting the lack of exciting offensive play.
"We need a goal," Mancini told his assistant. "We have to score before halftime; otherwise, it'll be even harder in the second half."
His assistant nodded in agreement. Udinese's defensive strategy clearly aimed to secure a point from an away draw. If the first half ended 0-0, it would only encourage Guidolin to continue his dull, defensive tactics.
Mancini called for a goal, and one came—but not from his team. In the 37th minute, Udinese scored with only their second shot on goal.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!!!!!" shouted the enthusiastic commentator Leotta. "Bruno Fernandes with a beautiful long-range shot! This is his signature goal style!"
"It's a surprise goal," said Stanković. "Widmer pressured Kovačić, who hurriedly passed the ball. As Kanté and Medel scrambled for it, Medel's sliding tackle sent the ball unexpectedly towards Inter Milan's half. Bruno collected the ball, advanced, and before Inter's defense could close in, unleashed a deadly long shot. Udinese takes a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute!"
As Udinese players celebrated, Bruno ran to the away fans, gesturing for more cheers before being swarmed by his teammates. The San Siro erupted in boos, hostile towards Bruno and Udinese. Amid the jeers, Bruno jumped and clapped excitedly, further riling the Inter Milan fans.
"There's no evidence Bruno is taunting Inter fans, but his celebration is clearly unwelcome here," commented Leotta.
Perhaps due to their 1-0 lead or the nearing halftime whistle, Udinese's players relaxed a bit. In the 44th minute, Inter Milan earned a free kick. Medel's delivery found Guarín, who flicked the ball on. Icardi, perfectly timing his run, volleyed it into the near corner from close range.
As Guarín jumped, Danilo failed to challenge him, merely watching as Guarín's header reached Icardi. Heurtaux, focusing on raising his hand for an offside claim, left Icardi unmarked.
Bruno, seeing Guarín's header, knew Icardi was onside but protested to the referee anyway—hoping the referee might reconsider. But the referee stood firm, confirming the goal.
Inter Milan's equalizer revitalized their spirits. Udinese opted for a full defensive stance to withstand Inter's final attacks before halftime. The match hit a stalemate in these closing minutes, ending the first half 1-1.
As the players walked off, Bruno continued to argue with the referee, insisting the goal was offside. The referee, unwavering, replied that he saw it clearly.
"Are you sure?" Bruno asked, feigning doubt.
"Absolutely," the referee affirmed sternly.
Bruno nodded, "Alright, I believe you. Everyone knows you're an excellent and trustworthy referee."
This flattery brought a smile to the referee's face. He appreciated the polite and well-spoken Portuguese player, liking him even more for his demeanor.
In the Udinese locker room, coach Guidolin expressed his frustration over the late first-half goal. He sternly rebuked his players, "What were you thinking? Did a dog take your attention?"
"Don't forget, we're up against Inter Milan. Just because we've beaten them twice doesn't mean we should underestimate them!"
Seeing some players smiling, Guidolin shouted, "What's so funny? I'm serious. Be more serious!" But he couldn't help but laugh too, easing the tense atmosphere.
Returning to business, Guidolin addressed the team, "That goal was due to our defensive lapses. We need to be more focused."
After criticizing his players, Guidolin laid out the second-half tactics. "1-1 is not satisfying for us, and Inter Milan will be even less happy. They'll keep pushing forward. We must stay solid in defense and hit them on the counter."
"Our main target—" Guidolin circled Medel's name on the tactics board, tapping it multiple times, "—press him, disrupt him."
Guidolin had studied Inter Milan closely, particularly focusing on Medel. The versatile midfielder was crucial to Inter's play, likened to Italy's Gattuso for his defensive prowess and tenacity. However, Medel also had weaknesses: inconsistent shooting, poor ball retention, slow decision-making, and a hot temper.
"Pressure him, disrupt him, force errors, and use any legal means to rile him up," Guidolin instructed.
With the tactics set, Guidolin smiled, "Beating Inter will put us at the top of the table!"
Before the match, Juventus had been held to a 0-0 draw by Fiorentina, leaving Udinese just one point behind with a game in hand. A win at the San Siro would see them leading by two points.
"We haven't topped the table in a long time!" Guidolin said seriously. "Of course, if we can't win, a draw is acceptable. But losing is not. We're contenders for the top spot, and losing to a lower-ranked team is unacceptable!"
The locker room erupted in laughter.
The second half began, and as expected, Inter Milan attacked aggressively. However, Udinese's solid defensive midfield held firm, thwarting Inter's advances.
Mancini glanced at Guidolin, frustrated by the ultra-defensive tactics. It seemed Guidolin was content with a 1-1 draw, not looking to counterattack.
"Guidolin and Udinese would be fine with a draw," Stanković commented. "Even a draw keeps them close to Juventus at the top of the table."
The camera panned to a blonde female fan yawning widely, nearly falling asleep.
"The match is so dull, the fans are dozing off," Leotta said, shaking her head. "This match is being broadcast to nearly eighty countries, but such a boring game will disappoint many."
While the game was dull, Guidolin felt at ease. Seeing Inter's futile efforts, he applauded Kanté's defensive work with satisfaction. The director gave him a close-up, likely making Inter Milan fans dislike him even more.
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