บท 153: Chapter 153: No Weak Teams in the Champions League
Chapter 153: No Weak Teams in the Champions League
At 8:45 PM local time in Italy on September 16th, 2014, the UEFA Champions League Group B match kicked off at the Friuli Stadium, with Udinese hosting Ludogorets from Bulgaria.
In the home team's locker room at Friuli Stadium, Coach Guidolin was giving a pre-match pep talk to his team. "I have only one requirement for this match," Guidolin stated emphatically, raising a finger, "Win!"
"This is our first Champions League match in nine years, and we need to do more than just win; we aim to win impressively!" Guidolin declared, visibly excited. "This is our first match of the Champions League group stage this season. Let's start it off with a bang!"
Captain Di Natale responded with a smile, "This match won't be easy, Coach. Ludogorets may be a fourth-tier team, but we are only third-tier, and we're a tired squad not in the best form. These kinds of matches are the hardest to play."
Hearing this, the players all laughed together. Over the past few days, Guidolin had consistently downplayed expectations in the media, saying that Udinese was new to the Champions League and aiming to learn. He had stressed that advancing to the knockout stage was not the current goal, given the presence of powerhouses like Real Madrid and the experienced Basel in the group.
Despite just coming off a tough match against Juventus, where the players had exerted a lot of energy, facing the group's perceived weakest team, Ludogorets, still presented a challenge.
The general sentiment among the team was that the coach was trying to take a humble approach to relieve pressure. Indeed, with the team's recent exhausting match against Juventus, their form was less than ideal. Plus, aside from Di Natale, the other players lacked experience in Champions League matches, adding to the pressure.
However, hearing such modest talk repeatedly made them uneasy: "We are a team that has consistently finished in the top four in Serie A over the years. To say we are just here to learn feels a bit demeaning."
"Who says that?" Guidolin shot back at Di Natale, glaring. "We are a strong Serie A team aiming for the knockout stages. Is it too much to ask for a resounding victory against a Bulgarian team?"
The locker room was initially quiet, then buzzed with agreement and excitement. "Not at all!" "Absolutely not!" "Watch us, coach!" "Exactly!"
The players were fired up, although they wondered why the coach had shifted from his usual "learning experience" rhetoric. Nevertheless, they were excited by his clear call to aim for the knockout stages.
The players, both starters and substitutes, headed to the tunnel and the bench respectively, energized and ready.
... At Friuli Stadium, Udinese vs. Ludogorets marked Udinese's "Champions League debut" after nine years.
Nearly forty minutes into the game, the match was intense. Udinese, playing at home, was on the offensive, but Ludogorets had a clear strategy of defending and countering. They knew even a draw would be a victory for them; a surprise win would be a gift from the gods.
Ludogorets defended as a unit, rarely venturing forward, even on counters. They always maintained a strong defensive presence at the back, as instructed by their cautious and pragmatic coach, Georgi Dermendzhiev.
For Ludogorets, getting out of the group was a long shot, but the Bulgarian team still dared to dream. To Dermendzhiev, the direct route to advancing included drawing or winning against Udinese, especially at home, and trying to secure wins against Basel in both legs.
As for their matches against Real Madrid, a draw at home or even a narrow loss would be acceptable. The plan was to then sit back and watch Udinese and Real Madrid battle it out.
"Who says minnows can't dream?" Dermendzhiev was bold in his ambitions.
... The odds from betting agencies favored Udinese, but not by a significant margin. Just three days after their hard-fought draw against Juventus in Serie A, Udinese's fatigue was apparent, which concerned the Italian media about their physical condition during the match.
Meanwhile, Ludogorets, having dominated the Bulgarian league, saw their football association postpone their weekend league match specifically to ensure they were well-rested for the clash with Udinese.
Dermendzhiev had meticulously studied Udinese's matches, especially their recent 2-2 draw with Juventus. His conclusion was clear: while Udinese was indeed stronger, particularly the phenomenally talented Bruno Fernandes, Ludogorets had the advantage of being well-rested and ready to exploit any physical weaknesses in their opponents.
The saying goes, "A desperate punch can knock out a master," and while Ludogorets lacked the hard power of Udinese, their stamina was a significant advantage. A few well-placed counterattacks could potentially turn the game in their favor, making it an even match.
... Moreover, Dermendzhiev was pleased to see his assessment was correct. Udinese, still reeling from their recent battle with Juventus, were not at their best. His plan was now clear: prevent Udinese from scoring and maintain a draw for as long as possible until Udinese's energy waned in the second half, opening up opportunities for Ludogorets.
As for Bruno, Dermendzhiev had a plan: the key to containing him didn't lie in marking Bruno himself but in suppressing the performance of the entire Udinese team. A tired Bruno would be less of a threat.
In their counterattacks, Ludogorets planned to exploit the inexperience of Udinese's defenders, particularly the English center-back Maquire, playing his first match for Udinese. His lack of coordination with his defensive partner and youthful naivety were all opportunities for Ludogorets to capitalize on.
... Guidolin was worried. With Danilo out due to a muscle strain during warm-up, he had to rely on Maquire, whose performance had not been reassuring. Ludogorets' limited counterattacks targeted Maquire, who struggled to cope.
In the 43rd minute, a tactical corner kick by Bruno to Di Natale, who tried to bypass Ludogorets' defense, ended in a turnover and a swift counterattack by Ludogorets. Their forward pace and coordination caught Udinese off guard, leading to a goal just before halftime.
0-1 to Ludogorets, with the visitors celebrating wildly as boos filled Friuli Stadium. The match underscored a harsh lesson for Udinese: in the Champions League, there are no weak opponents. Any lapse in concentration can lead to defeat, regardless of the opposition.
As the camera caught the jubilant celebrations of Ludogorets' coach Georgi Dermendzhiev, who ran past a stone-faced Guidolin, the message was clear: every team in the Champions League came prepared to fight, and even the underdogs harbored dreams of glory.
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