Capítulo 77: Chapter 77: The Devil’s Schedule Begins
Chapter 77: The Devil's Schedule Begins
As Portugal secured their ticket to the World Cup by defeating Sweden away, Bruno turned his attention back to the league, which was resuming shortly. Udinese was about to face a grueling schedule: from November 24 to the winter break's last match on December 21, they would play seven games in just four weeks in Serie A and the Europa League, many against tough opponents.
On November 24, Udinese would host Fiorentina, who were currently sixth in the league, at the Friuli Stadium. This match would be followed by a Europa League group stage game on November 28, where they would face Freiburg from the Bundesliga at home.
The schedule then intensified further:
On December 1, they would visit Turin to play against Juventus at the Allianz Stadium, the current powerhouse of Serie A.
On December 7, back at home for the fifteenth round against Napoli, currently third in the league standings.
On December 12, they would travel to Portugal to face Estoril in the sixth round of the Europa League group stage.
December 15 would see them host Torino.
After this continuous stretch of games, they would finally have a week's rest before their last match of 2013 on December 21, when Bruno would return to the Piola Stadium to face his former team, Novara.
Such an intense frequency of matches was truly exhausting for the players, both physically and mentally. Even for clubs traditionally known for their depth, such a challenging sequence of games was formidable.
For Bruno, this was his first real "devil's schedule" in his professional career. He had already experienced back-to-back weekly games since joining Udinese, but the quality of the upcoming opponents during this devilish period was significantly higher.
So far this season, the only formidable opponents Udinese had faced were Roma and Inter Milan, against whom Udinese had a mixed record of one win and one loss. Such results had led many to question Udinese's current league position and results, suggesting that as the season progressed, Udinese's true level would be revealed—likely only good enough to compete for a spot in European competitions rather than contending for the league title.
The upcoming devil's schedule was a real test for Udinese!
On November 24, for the thirteenth round of the league, Udinese hosted Fiorentina, who had been performing well over the past few seasons. The good news for Udinese was the return of their captain Di Natale from injury, and Alan, who had resolved his differences with coach Guidolin, was back in the squad.
For this match, Guidolin set up a 4-2-3-1 formation: Bürki in goal; a defense line of Basta, Heurtaux, Danilo, and Domizzi; a midfield duo of Pizarro and Kanté; and an attacking line of Bruno, Mahrez, and Roberto Pereira, with Di Natale as the lone striker.
Fiorentina responded with a 4-3-3 setup, fielding Neto as goalkeeper; a backline of Tomović, Rodriguez, Savic, and Pasqual; a midfield trio of Aquilani, Pizarro, and Borja; and an attacking trident of Joaquín, Rossi, and Cuadrado.
The game started with Udinese on the offensive, but Fiorentina's defense held firm, and by the 30th minute, Udinese had not managed to score. Fiorentina's young manager Vincenzo Montella sat confidently, even as his team was under siege; he was not perturbed, knowing that Udinese struggled in games that required breaching a dense defense.
Bruno maneuvered in midfield, trying to find an opening in Fiorentina's tight defensive setup. Di Natale came out to support, receiving a pass from Bruno.
"Di Natale controls the ball outside the box; the striker isn't just waiting in front of the goal, he's pulling out to help," noted the commentator from Sky Sports Italy.
Guidolin had rotated his squad slightly for this match, anticipating Fiorentina's conservative strategy. Even with Di Natale just back from injury, Guidolin started him, betting on his captain's ability to seize any opportunity.
To stretch Fiorentina's defense, Guidolin instructed his forwards to keep moving, searching for gaps to exploit.
Di Natale once again pulled out of the box. Fiorentina's centre-back Savic stepped up to meet him at the edge of the box, trying to block any potential threat. Savic, known for his confidence and aerial prowess, was crucial in maintaining Fiorentina's defensive integrity.
Di Natale feigned a pass to lure Savic, then suddenly attempted a break. Savic, thinking he could use his physical strength to dispossess Di Natale, soon realized his opponent's skill at shielding the ball.
After a couple of failed attempts to steal the ball, Di Natale spun, pulling the ball away to the other side, pushing past Savic with a hip twist.
Rodriguez rushed over to cover, recognizing the danger. The 29-year-old Argentine, who had been stellar at Villarreal before moving to Fiorentina, was quick to position himself as a key defensive pillar for his team.
Di Natale waited for this moment. Before Rodriguez and Savic could close him down, he passed the ball through a gap between them.
"Beautiful through ball!"
"Bruno!"
Bruno received the ball on the right, chose not to dribble or shoot, but instead curled it to the left side of the box.
"Roberto Pereira!"
Fiorentina's defense, drawn by Di Natale's penetrating pass and Bruno's possession, was caught off guard. Everyone expected Bruno to either drive forward or shoot; none anticipated his cross to the left.
The ball crossed in front of the goal.
Pereira surged forward, breaking past Fiorentina's entire backline, appearing suddenly behind them.
"Pereira! He's not offside!!" the Sky Sports Italy commentator screamed, his voice hoarse with excitement. (End of Chapter)
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