Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 247: A Worthy Captain

"Wow!!!" "Oh my God, what an incredible goal!" "Bruno, in the 57th minute, has broken through Manchester United's defense with a fantastic offside run." "This is a truly remarkable and morale-boosting goal!" "It's simply unbelievable!" "I can't even begin to describe my feelings right now. Bruno keeps delivering surprises."

...

After scoring, Bruno clenched his fist and roared inside Manchester United's penalty area. He then turned and dashed out of the penalty box, running towards the Udinese supporters' section, stopping at the advertising boards, and roaring up at the fans.

The ecstatic Udinese fans responded with a wave of cheers, as those in the front row reached out to touch him, some even grabbing his legs. His teammates quickly followed, surrounding him in celebration.

The Udinese players were wildly celebrating.

...

"Udinese's attack was well-organized, but the key was Bruno's superb control," Andy Gray commented on the live broadcast, repeatedly showing slow-motion replays from various angles of Bruno's ball control.

"You can see he made a clear cushioning movement when controlling the ball. This was crucial, making the ball appear heavy and preventing it from bouncing away. Bruno's quick reaction to poke the ball away from De Gea sealed the deal."

"The touch and the subsequent poke were the key to this goal."

"This goal is not only crucial for the match but also a massive morale booster for Udinese. It restores confidence to all Udinese players and fans."

...

While Andy Gray praised Bruno on Sky Sports, the entire Friuli Stadium echoed with chants of Bruno's name. Four thousand fans were united in calling his name, filling Bruno with immense pride.

Manchester United pressured the referee to cut Udinese's celebration short. The referee had to remind Bruno and his teammates to get ready for the restart.

This drew laughs from the Udinese players.

...

When the game resumed, Udinese kept pressing forward. They knew that with Manchester United's strength, a 2-1 lead was far from secure. The match was not yet won.

As Manchester United was Udinese's main rival for the top spot in the group, they needed to secure three points in this match to keep their hopes alive in the "Group of Death."

"Look at this Udinese attack, a pass to the right." "Who's this player?" "Maguire!" "Oh my god, Maguire is attacking down the right flank and sends the ball into the box." "Théréau takes a shot... oh, just missed! That was an awkward attempt by Théréau." "Maguire is waving at Théréau as if saying, 'Mate, I don't get many chances to make such a perfect pass, and you wasted it. Remember that!' Haha..." "Since taking the lead, Udinese has been playing quite relaxed, controlling the game firmly."

...

"Here's another Udinese attack from midfield, Iturra passes to Bruno..." "A direct shot... what a scare! Bruno unexpectedly strikes from thirty meters out with high quality." "De Gea must have been caught off guard, what a sudden shot." "Bruno has been very active throughout the match, scoring twice and helping Udinese lead 2-1." "It looks like he's aiming for a hat-trick now." "Udinese is performing strongly this season, showing championship potential." "Despite losing Salah, Guilherme, and Kanté during the summer transfer window, Udinese's start to the season has surprised many, leading Serie A with three straight wins and now outplaying Manchester United in this key Champions League match." "As Udinese's coach Guidolin said, keeping Bruno was their best signing of the summer. As long as Bruno is around, Udinese remains highly competitive in both Serie A and the Champions League."

...

Andy Gray's commentary on Sky Sports wouldn't have reached Van Gaal, but the situation on the field was clear to him. He knew his team was in a precarious position, with Bruno playing a pivotal role.

Van Gaal had to admit his misjudgment. He thought Bruno would be exhausted after six matches for Udinese and the Portuguese national team in three weeks. But now, in the 60th minute of the match, Bruno was still energetic and relentless.

"Is this kid made of iron?" Van Gaal sighed and called out, "Get Fellaini warmed up, be ready to go on anytime."

Fellaini soon began warming up under the assistant coach's watch.

In the 75th minute, during a stoppage, Manchester United substituted Herrera for Fellaini, clearly aiming to bolster their defense.

Van Gaal was worried that Udinese's relentless attacks would eventually break Manchester United's defense, causing them to leave the match empty-handed. If Fellaini could stabilize the midfield and strengthen the defense, they still had a chance.

...

While Van Gaal had used two substitutions, Guidolin had not made any changes, yet Udinese still dominated the match. This showed how much control Udinese had.

Three minutes after Fellaini came on, Udinese's attack saw an error as Widmer misplaced a pass, allowing Depay to intercept and take a 25-meter shot, forcing a save from Karnezis.

But Udinese kept up the pressure, particularly Badu. The Ghanaian midfielder, who was once a fringe player, was a solid defensive force in this match.

In the 82nd minute, another Manchester United midfield mistake saw Badu intercept and charge down the right flank, reaching the byline and outmuscling Rojo. Badu's unexpected forward run stunned the Udinese fans, who couldn't believe their eyes.

However, his cross was easily blocked by Smalling, but Théréau quickly regained possession and passed to Bruno on the left side of the goal.

Bruno effortlessly slotted the ball into Manchester United's bottom left corner from the edge of the six-yard box. 3-1! A hat-trick!

...

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!" "Bruno again!" "This is his first hat-trick of the season and his ninth goal of the campaign! It's also his 20th Champions League goal!" "Bruno's performance tonight has been phenomenal. He single-handedly carried Udinese, helping them defeat the mighty Manchester United and win this crucial match." ...

Bruno, after completing his hat-trick, was even more ecstatic, racing across the pitch with his teammates unable to catch him.

He stopped at the corner flag, laughing heartily with his arms open towards the Udinese fans.

The crowd chanted his name in unison, marking the nth time that night. Udinese's performance was excellent, and Bruno's contribution was nothing short of perfect. Everyone realized once more how crucial he was to Udinese's success.

He was the team's most valuable asset and their core strength.

He was also a strong contender for this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or.

After Bruno's hat-trick, Guidolin used two substitutions in the 85th minute. He replaced Widmer with Heurtaux and took off Bruno for Di Natale.

When Di Natale embraced Bruno on the sidelines and Bruno handed back the captain's armband, the entire stadium erupted in cheers, chanting Bruno's name. Many even called him "captain."

Clearly, they believed Bruno's performance had earned him the right to wear the captain's armband.

(End of Chapter)

Happy New Year friends, thank you for your support this year, I hope to continue counting on your support this new year.