Chapter 97: First Time as Captain

Chapter 97: First Time as Captain

The return leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 was scheduled for the evening of February 27th, with Udinese arriving in Alkmaar, a small coastal town in the northwest of the Netherlands, on the 16th.

The Netherlands has a long history of cheese production, with evidence of cheese making dating back to 800 BC found in pottery jars.

This rich history and high market demand have created a unique cheese culture in the Netherlands, making many small towns famous worldwide for their cheese industries.

Alkmaar, often referred to as a cheese paradise, has a population of about 80,000 people but hosts the world's largest cheese market. Among the few remaining cheese markets in the Netherlands, Alkmaar's cheese market is famous for retaining its traditional trading style, making it an excellent place to experience the longstanding Dutch cheese culture.

Today, Alkmaar's cheese market has become one of the town's most famous tourist attractions, drawing over 100,000 visitors annually and being one of the busiest spots in town.

Alkmaar also boasts numerous museums, including the Cheese Museum, the Beatles Museum, the National Beer Museum, the Dutch Oven Museum, and the Alkmaar City Museum, all significant places for visitors to explore Dutch and local history and culture.

Apart from cheese, canals and windmills are also iconic sights in Alkmaar. The town has 33 windmills, mostly located along the rivers outside the urban area.

Alkmaar is crisscrossed with canals, and boating is the best way to see the town. Canal tours offer guided explanations, making the historical legends of the town come alive. The picturesque scene of old windmills standing along the riverbanks adds to the charm of the place.

However, the Udinese team had no time for sightseeing upon their arrival. They went straight to the hotel to drop off their belongings and then headed to the AFAS Stadium for a training session to get used to the pitch.

After this session, they returned to the hotel for dinner and rest. The next day, they would go back to the AFAS Stadium for the match.

During the training, head coach Guidolin was interviewed by the media at the pitch side. They had only fifteen minutes before the stadium closed, which Guidolin used to practice some set-piece tactics.

Indeed, it's impossible to keep strategies completely secret at an away game. Scouts or coaches from Alkmaar would surely be lurking in some dark corner of the stands, recording Udinese's training.

Guidolin didn't try to hide anything; he trained openly. In the interview, he mentioned that Udinese aimed to secure a draw on away grounds.

This realistic goal was expected by everyone, especially since Udinese had won the first leg at home, and a draw would ensure their advancement to the last 16 of the Europa League.

While this might seem unambitious, professional football often values caution over aggression to secure wins.

Everything was normal for Bruno before the game, with no issues during training, rest, or meals. However, during the pre-game warm-up the next day, Dina Tale, while in high spirits and good form, shouted and attempted a powerful shot but missed the ball and hit the turf instead…

This amateur mistake initially caused laughter among the team, with Bruno even collapsing in laughter on the ground. However, the mood quickly changed when Dina Tale clutched his knee in pain.

The assistant coach rushed over to check on him, followed quickly by the team doctor who, after a brief examination, informed the assistant coach that Dina Tale couldn't play in the match.

The team doctor immediately applied ice to reduce the swelling in his knee.

"What is this?" the assistant coach exclaimed, shocked at the news. Dina Tale felt it was unfair, blaming the quality of the turf and insisting it wasn't his fault.

"You clearly got too excited during the warm-up," the assistant coach responded with a hint of resignation. Losing a key player before the game even started was not a good sign.

Seeing Dina Tale sidelined, his teammates gathered around, offering their well-wishes.

Dina Tale remained optimistic. Having risen from lower leagues to become a top Italian striker, his resilience and positive attitude were key to his success.

He jokingly told Bruno, "Hey Bruno, looks like you're on your own today, sorry. But as compensation, you get to wear the captain's armband!"

Udinese had two captains, a main and a vice. Dina Tale was the main captain, and Basta, the vice-captain, was not included in the squad for this game.

Coach Guidolin had left Basta back in Udine, and with the performances of Mahrez and Cancelo improving, the nearly 30-year-old Basta was finding it increasingly difficult to secure his usual positions.

Despite Dina Tale's comments, Bruno wasn't concerned about becoming captain since there were other players with more seniority at Udinese, like Domizzi, Danilo, and Pinzi, who had been with the team longer.

In the end, Bruno was more worried about the team's performance without Dina Tale, the only other reliable scorer.

Now, in addition to organizing the attack, Bruno might also have to shoulder the scoring responsibilities—a challenging task on top of captaincy duties.

After the warm-up, as the players returned to the locker room, the assistant coach informed Muriel, "Luis, you're starting today, taking Antonio's spot."

Muriel, already expecting to play more due to Dina Tale's injury, simply nodded in acknowledgment.

The assistant coach didn't elaborate further since coach Guidolin would cover everything back in the locker room.

Then, he turned to Bruno, "You're wearing the captain's armband for the match, Bruno!"

Bruno was genuinely surprised, not expecting Dina Tale's words to come true so soon. However, other senior players like Domizzi, Danilo, and Pinzi weren't surprised. They respected Bruno as the team's strongest player and main contributor to the season's successes.

When Udinese players finished warming up and returned to the locker room, Dina Tale's knee had been treated.

Seeing Bruno walk in, Dina Tale shrugged and shook his head, "Tough luck, looks like I'll be out for two to three weeks…"

Bruno felt helpless; this was Dina Tale's third injury this season, a bad sign for a player who had rarely been injured since joining Udinese.

Thankfully, each injury was relatively minor, usually requiring just a couple of weeks of rest.

Dina Tale's only major injury was back in March 2009, sidelining him for four months.

Bruno asked, "Did you damage any bones or ligaments?"

Dina Tale shook his head, "No, the doctor said it's a soft tissue injury in the knee, probably caused by hitting the turf, which indirectly impacted the joint."

"That's good," Bruno nodded.

"Give it your all, Bruno," Dina Tale said, extending his hand. Bruno slapped it in response.

(End of Chapter)

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