Chapter 10: The Draw Expert, Novara

Chapter 10: The Draw Expert, Novara

A week later, in the fourth round of the Italian Serie B, Novara hosted Spal at their stadium.

Although Paraviscini scored the opener for Novara in the 4th minute, kicking off a dream start for the team, Pablo González made a blunder by getting a red card in the 34th minute, putting Novara in a tight spot.

With the numerical advantage, Spal launched a fierce attack on Novara in the latter part of the first half, and in the 40th minute, their young forward, Ricardo Improta, leveled the score.

Fortunately, there was little time left in the first half, and the halftime whistle saved Novara.

After the break, Tesser made changes, bringing Bruno off the bench. Spal, with only 1 draw and 2 losses in the first three rounds, wasn't content with just a point at home and aimed for all three at the Piola stadium.

Bruno didn't disappoint Tesser, as he came on and helped Novara control the game, scoring a goal in the 78th minute to put Novara ahead.

Ultimately, the scoreline of 2-1 remained until the end of the match.

After four rounds, Novara, with 2 wins and 2 draws, is one of the six undefeated teams in the Italian Serie B, climbing to 4 points, moving out of the relegation zone and even reaching 11th place in the standings. This result came as a surprise to everyone!

On September 21, Novara visited Verona to face a tough opponent. Verona also maintained their undefeated streak in the first four rounds, with 2 wins and 2 draws, currently sitting in fifth place in the standings.

At the Bentegodi Stadium, Bruno made his first start in his professional career. However, this didn't help Novara secure an away win.

Verona is a strong team in Serie B, having finished fourth last season, although they failed to secure promotion in the playoffs.

This summer, Verona bolstered their squad with signings in the transfer market, aiming to return to Serie A after 11 years.

Novara's away game was challenging, as Verona was formidable at home. Novara was under pressure, and Verona seized the opportunity to score early in the 4th minute.

Bruno was particularly targeted by Verona, receiving the treatment of a key player.

However, despite conceding an early goal, Novara stabilized, and the game was evenly balanced. The scoreline of 0-1 remained until near the end of the match.

In the 85th minute, Novara finally found an opportunity, and in a quick counterattack, Bruno assisted the young Ghanaian Massahudu, who had just come on as a substitute, equalizing the score to 1-1.

The last weekend of September featured a double match week in Serie B.

On September 25, Novara hosted Spezia at home, with Bruno again in the starting lineup. Though he didn't score or assist, he helped Novara control the midfield and led the team to a 1-0 victory over Spezia.

On September 29, Novara continued their home streak against Ternana, with Tesser deciding to leave Bruno on the bench.

Novara found themselves in trouble during the match, first conceding a goal in the 13th minute and then another at the start of the second half.

Tesser couldn't stay put, and in the sixtieth minute, he decided to send Bruno onto the field.

This change had an immediate impact, as Bruno scored in the 68th minute with individual skill and then assisted Argentine forward Pablo González in the 77th minute, helping Novara equalize the score.

However, just as Novara fans hoped for a turnaround, a dramatic change occurred on the field. The Ghanaian forward of the team was provoked by the opponent and was directly sent off by the head referee after headbutting his opponent.

This was the third Novara player to receive a red card this season.

Bruno also felt frustrated, as just when the team was on the rise, it was halted by his teammate.

Subsequently, despite wanting to counterattack with a numerical disadvantage, Novara couldn't do so, and the scoreline of 2-2 remained until the end of the match.

After two consecutive draws, Novara once again tasted victory in the crucial ninth round of the league. At home against Brescia, González scored two goals, while Mohammedi and Barkley also found the net, leading Novara to a 4-2 win.

However, the standout player of the match was Bruno Fernández, who recorded three assists and was the main hero in the team's fourth victory of the season.

With this, Bruno became the assist leader in Serie B with 7, in addition to his 4 goals, making him the player with the most goals and assists in the league.

At the Piola stadium, Bruno became the fans' favorite player. Every time he stepped onto the field, scored a goal, or made a beautiful pass, he elicited the most enthusiastic applause from the fans.

With his outstanding performance, Bruno also caught the attention of the Italian media, and scouts from Serie A teams and even other leagues began to appear at the Piola stadium.

Novara fans found themselves in a dilemma, as Bruno's excellent performance helped the team reach the top ten of the Serie B table, but it also meant he wouldn't stay long in Novara.

Novara's temple was too small for a talented player like Bruno.

After a win, Novara once again experienced two consecutive draws in the league.

In the tenth round of the league, Novara faced Crotone away. Crotone is a typical Serie B team, with a history of maintaining stability in the league without worrying about relegation or promotion.

With their experience in Serie B, Crotone wasn't intimidated by Novara, who hadn't lost yet this season.

Novara took the lead in the second half with a goal from Simeoni Pesce, but Crotone soon turned the tide with two consecutive goals.

At a critical moment, Bruno once again stepped up, equalizing the score in the 87th minute with a long-range shot.

On the last weekend of October, Novara hosted Varese at home.

Varese, who had a good start to the season, had recently faltered, with 4 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses after 10 matchdays, sitting in tenth place in the standings. Novara, on the other hand, had 4 wins, 6 draws, and 14 points, occupying 11th place.

If Novara could win at home, they would surpass their opponent and enter the top ten.

However, at a crucial moment, the hero of the last matchday, Pesce, once again turned villainous by committing a foul in the 29th minute and receiving a red card, leaving Novara with ten players for over an hour.

In the end, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, and Bruno didn't score or assist.

After 11 matchdays, Novara had achieved 4 wins and 7 draws, becoming the only undefeated team in Serie B so far. Sassuolo, the league leader, surprisingly lost to Cittadella in matchday 10.

(End of Chapter)