Chapter 79: Rematch with Pogba

Chapter 79: Rematch with Pogba

On Thursday evening, in the fifth round of the Europa League group stage, Guidolin made extensive rotations to the Udinese lineup, as they were set to face Juventus at the Allianz Stadium in Turin that weekend. Players who participated in the match against Fiorentina were mostly rested, with Bruno being the only one starting.

In the Europa League, Udinese was ranked second in their group, tied with Sevilla with 8 points, while Freiburg and Estoril were behind with only 2 points each. Given this situation, Udinese only needed one more point from the last two matches to secure advancement. Even if they were to lose all remaining games by a one-goal margin, they could still potentially advance. This confidence allowed Guidolin to field a reserve lineup against Freiburg.

Moreover, the round of 16 in the Europa League does not separate teams into seeded and unseeded, instead matching the top two teams from each of the twelve groups with the eight third-place teams from the Champions League group stage. The draw is made under the conditions that teams from the same football association and those from the same group cannot meet in the first round.

Thus, Guidolin did not aim to contest the first place in the group against Sevilla. As expected, the reserve Udinese team lost 1-2 at home to Freiburg, with Bruno scoring the only goal for Udinese. Despite the loss, Udinese quickly turned their focus to the upcoming match against Juventus.

On the evening of December 1, 2013, a high-profile Serie A match took place at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, with first-place Juventus hosting third-place Udinese. This was a true clash of titans.

Before the match, Italian media focused on the young stars of each team: Udinese's attacking core, Bruno Fernandes, and Juventus' midfield maestro, Paul Pogba. The announcement of the 2013 European Golden Boy was scheduled for the following Wednesday morning.

According to the odds from major European bookmakers, Bruno was the favorite to win, followed by Pogba. Although Bruno had performed better over the past 11 months, the battle for the Golden Boy award was far from decided, especially since Pogba's prominence at a top club like Juventus gave him significant media influence. The head-to-head matchup between the two would greatly impact the award results.

However, to the disappointment of Juventus fans and Pogba enthusiasts, Coach Conte chose not to start Pogba, who was instead listed as a substitute. If Pogba were to lose the Golden Boy award, many would blame Conte.

Pogba did not start but was brought on early in the game. The match began intensely, especially in the midfield, leading to numerous hard tackles and players frequently on the ground.

In the 5th minute, Pirlo was injured in a clash with Lazzari, prompting Pogba to warm up. Although Pirlo returned after treatment, he couldn't continue for long and was substituted by Pogba in the 14th minute.

Pogba's entry into the game placed him directly against Bruno, who was playing as Udinese's advanced midfielder. This setup promised an exciting confrontation.

Juventus, known for their dominance in Serie A, held a clear advantage in strength and home-field play, gradually pushing Udinese back into their half and intensifying attacks on their goal.

Pogba was particularly eager, often pushing forward from his defensive midfield position to threaten with long-range shots. Shortly after coming on, Pogba attempted a solo effort from the left flank, cutting through three Udinese defenders to create a shooting chance from 26 meters, though his attempt went just wide of the far post.

Later, Vidal made a run down the right, pulling away from Silva and setting up Pogba for another long-range effort, which this time was comfortably saved by Udinese's goalkeeper Burki.

Another couple of minutes passed, and Pogba again broke through the center to fire a shot from the edge of the box, which was deflected out for a corner. The resulting set-piece saw Udinese prepared and successfully clearing the danger.

Juventus maintained tight control over the ball, with Conte deploying heavy resources in midfield to try and overwhelm Udinese and take complete control of the game. Despite Pirlo's substitution, Juventus' formation remained unchanged with a strong backline supported by midfielders Pogba and Marchisio.

After reorganizing, a cross from Vidal found Tevez in the box, who missed a volley from 12 meters.

The relentless Juventus at their home ground seemed nearly unstoppable. Even Udinese, ranked third in the league, had to resort to staunch defensive tactics to fend off the onslaught.

Guidolin's defensive setup, honed over three years, proved effective at this critical juncture. Juventus dominated possession but struggled to capitalize on their opportunities.

Guidolin fielded a pragmatic 4-3-1-2 formation for the away game, with Burki in goal, and a backline comprising Basta, Heurtaux, Danilo, and Domizzi, supported by a midfield trio of Allan, Kante, and Lazzari, with Bruno ahead, orchestrating play just behind strikers Pereira and Di Natale.

With seven defensive players, Guidolin's commitment to defense was clear. The midfield trio formed a concrete barrier that Juventus struggled to penetrate.

Maintaining tight defense and looking for opportunities upfront, Udinese was not only defending but also pressuring Juventus' midfield and backline.

Bruno, known for his tireless running and exceptional stamina, showed no signs of fatigue despite playing in the Europa League just three days prior. His relentless energy and strategic movements kept Udinese's hopes alive, as they awaited an opportunity to exploit any weakness in the Juventus setup.

As the match wore on, it was clear that Udinese was well-prepared for a tough battle, aiming to secure a favorable result at the Allianz Stadium against a formidable Juventus side.

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