Chapter 92: The Safest Way to Advance in Knockout Matches

Chapter 92: The Safest Way to Advance in Knockout Matches

On the first day of February, Udinese visited Bologna. The once mighty Serie A club, known as the Red and Blue, has been in decline in recent years. Currently, Bologna is just one point above the relegation zone, sitting in 17th place, constantly at risk of dropping further.

Facing such an opponent, Udinese was not about to back down. Despite focusing primarily on cup competitions, this didn't mean Udinese would neglect their Serie A matches. For this game, Coach Guidolin only made limited rotations in the lineup, ensuring that the team's core players, captain Di Natale and midfield maestro Bruno, both started. Unexpectedly, 17-year-old goalkeeper Scuffet made his Serie A debut after Burkič was injured during warm-up.

At the Dall'Ara Stadium, Udinese took the lead in the 15th minute. Pachienza committed a foul in the box against Lazari as he was preparing to chest the ball, leading to a penalty. Di Natale confidently converted the spot-kick.

1-0!

However, it wasn't until stoppage time that Udinese secured the victory. Taking advantage of Bologna's all-out attack, Udinese intercepted the ball in front of their own box and launched a quick counter-attack. Bruno passed the ball from the flank to Nico López in the middle of the box, who slotted the ball in with his left foot.

This victory ended Udinese's four-match winless streak in Serie A since the winter break and got their challenging February schedule off to a good start. The next day, Napoli suffered a heavy defeat at Atalanta, which solidified Udinese's third place in the league. However, both Juventus and Roma won their matches, with Juventus beating Inter Milan 3-1 and Roma defeating Parma 4-2, leaving no room for Udinese to close the gap.

On the evening of February 4th at 8:45 PM, just 15 minutes before the start of Udinese's home game against Fiorentina in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals, Coach Guidolin was giving the final tactical briefing in the locker room at the Friuli Stadium.

Guidolin's goal for the team was clear: win the home game and try to secure a substantial lead. The safest way to advance in a two-legged knockout tie? It's not just about winning at home or scoring away goals, but turning the two legs into a decisive single game.

"I don't want to see us passive on the pitch after taking an early lead like we did last time. This time we're at home, and we shouldn't give them any chance to breathe! We need to control the game completely, no matter what the score is," Guidolin emphasized, glancing at Bruno. This directive was especially meant for Bruno, as controlling the game was his responsibility.

For this match, Guidolin set up the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Cancelo, Eder, Danilo, and Silva forming the defense. Kanté and Allan were the defensive midfielders, with Bruno, Mahrez, and Pereira lined up in front of them, spreading across the pitch. Bruno was central, flanked by the other two. The lone striker up front was Di Natale.

After the coin toss, Udinese kicked off with Bruno and Di Natale starting the play. Di Natale gently pushed the ball into Fiorentina's half, and Bruno quickly passed it back.

The game proceeded with both teams adjusting their formations, and soon the ball returned to Bruno's feet. He passed it to Mahrez on the wing, who faced strong defensive pressure and had to pass back to Bruno. Bruno then switched the play to Pereira on the other side. As the game unfolded, Bruno continually analyzed the situation, planning his next moves.

Pereira's attempt to cross met a block, and the ball was headed out by Fiorentina's central defender Savic, but fortunately, it went to Allan instead of a Fiorentina player. Bruno called for the ball from Allan, already figuring out his attack plan.

As the crosses from the wings were not the best option given Udinese's lone striker formation, they still played a significant role in Guidolin's tactics, which is why Fiorentina focused heavily on defending the flanks.

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