Chapter 124: The Final Almost Canceled
Chapter 124: The Final Almost Canceled
Just as the Udinese players were about to take the field, unexpected news arrived: a shooting incident had occurred outside the stadium, and the match might be canceled and rescheduled. Over 30,000 fans from both Udinese and Napoli had poured into Rome to watch the Coppa Italia final. During the entry of fans into the stadium, some Napoli fans tried to break through the police barricades, leading to a shooting incident.
Reports indicated that four people were injured in the incident, including two Napoli fans, one police officer, and one passerby. Following the shooting, clashes erupted again between the fans of both teams near the stadium, with some Roma and Lazio fans also joining in as troublemakers.
Due to the chaotic situation, the organizers considered canceling the match and rescheduling it. Udinese was happy with this potential arrangement as it would give them more rest time. However, Napoli opposed the postponement. In the league this season, Napoli had been defeated twice by Udinese, which made them somewhat insecure. Now, just two days after a grueling 90-minute battle at Juventus's Allianz Stadium, many of the Udinese players, despite some rotation by Guidolin, had not fully recovered their stamina. This situation was undoubtedly advantageous for the well-rested Napoli, who naturally did not want to postpone the match.
After negotiations, it was finally decided to delay the match, originally scheduled to start at 9 PM, by 45 minutes to allow the situation to stabilize.
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At 9:40 PM, after a polite handshake and greeting with Napoli's coach Rafael Benitez, Guidolin returned to Udinese's bench, hands in his pockets, looking up at the stands of the Stadio Olimpico. The announcer was reading out the names of the players from both teams, with each name receiving loud cheers from the crowd.
The commentators were also introducing the starting lineups.
Napoli's lineup (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: No. 25 Reina
Defenders: No. 4 Henrique, No. 21 Federico Fernández, No. 33 Raúl Albiol, No. 31 Faouzi Ghoulam
Midfielders: No. 88 Gökhan Inler, No. 8 Jorginho
Forwards: No. 7 José Callejón, No. 17 Marek Hamšík, No. 24 Lorenzo Insigne
Striker: No. 9 Gonzalo Higuaín
"This match is Jorginho's first final. Winning the Coppa Italia would be a huge achievement for this young midfielder," said RAI commentator Gerardo Benini, who was broadcasting the game. "There are many rumors about Hamšík transferring to the Premier League after this season. His agent has been frequently visiting London and Manchester recently. Some angry Napoli fans even booed him at the Maradona Stadium in the last league game. However, Benitez still chose to trust Hamšík today," added the guest commentator Benedetta Masola.
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Udinese's lineup (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: No. 22 Simone Scuffet
Defenders: No. 2 João Cancelo, No. 5 Danilo, No. 75 Thomas Heurtaux, No. 11 Silvan Widmer
Midfielders: No. 3 Allan, No. 12 N'Golo Kanté
Forwards: No. 13 Riyad Mahrez, No. 18 Bruno Fernandes, No. 66 Gianpiero Pinzi
Striker: No. 10 Antonio Di Natale
"Udinese rotated heavily in the second leg of the Europa League semifinal two days ago, giving their key players more rest. However, their midfield core, Bruno Fernandes, did play, which might affect today's game. This Golden Boy award winner has a significant impact on Udinese's performance," commented Benini. Guest commentator Benedetta also praised Bruno: "This Portuguese talent, for whom Udinese spent €25 million last summer, was once doubted as potentially the biggest flop in Serie A history because he had only played one season in the professional league with Novara before his transfer. But after nine months, his outstanding performance has silenced the critics."
"This season, the 19-year-old Golden Boy award winner has played 51 games for Udinese across all competitions, scoring 28 goals and providing 32 assists. In Serie A, he has played 33 games, scoring 17 goals and providing 21 assists, nearly achieving double 20s. This is the first time in Serie A history that someone has achieved such a performance."
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In the player tunnel, standing at the end of Udinese's lineup and waiting to enter the field, Bruno kept his eyes on Napoli's starting players, looking for Jorginho. When he finally spotted Jorginho in the Napoli lineup, a smile appeared on his usually calm face.
Bruno was naturally familiar with the Italian midfielder, who almost won the European Golden Ball. He knew Jorginho's strengths well. While Jorginho's excellent interception and precise passing might threaten Udinese's goal, Bruno believed that Jorginho's defensive weaknesses could be more beneficial for Udinese.
The camera captured a close-up of the players in the tunnel, showing Bruno's smile to all the television viewers. "Bruno Fernandes is smiling. It seems he is very confident about this match," Benini commented. "Before the match, this young Portuguese midfielder repeatedly expressed Udinese's desire to win the championship, showing great confidence. Perhaps leading the team to eliminate Juventus and reach the Europa League final has given Bruno and Udinese immense confidence. We look forward to seeing this season's biggest dark horse in the Coppa Italia deliver a spectacular performance today," added Benedetta with a smile.
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"Dad, Mom, look! It's Bruno!" Isabella Ricci, now a graceful young lady, cheered in the VIP box at the Stadio Olimpico. The Ricci family had come to watch the game in person, with tickets sent by Bruno. Udinese provided ten final tickets to each first-team player. Bruno sent five to his family, one to Vanessa, and four to the Ricci family.
The Ricci family was thrilled to receive the tickets and drove to Rome. Bruno's family, including his agent Mendes, were also in attendance, sharing a box mostly occupied by the families of Udinese players. However, Vanessa had informed Bruno over the phone that she couldn't attend, which disappointed him. Her explanation, though, made him understand.
Three years ago, Vanessa, once a famous supermodel in European fashion, had made some statements that upset the Western powers, leading to her being blacklisted by official Western institutions. This caused her to disappear from the public eye and become the owner of a small café on the outskirts of Milan. Vanessa had also advised Bruno over the phone to consider their relationship carefully, as media attention could negatively affect him.
Learning this, Bruno was taken aback, having not known about Vanessa's past. He was familiar with the hypocrisy of Western nations and agreed with Vanessa's views. However, given his current situation, he had to be cautious about many things.
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Udinese captain Di Natale, along with the referees and Napoli captain Hamšík, exchanged handshakes before returning to his team's half and signaling his teammates to gather around. "Guys, we're making club history!" Di Natale said, extending his hand. "Champions! We want the championship!" veteran player Domić added, putting his hand on top. At nearly 34 years old, he was at the twilight of his career, still without any significant honors.
"Yes, champions!" Pinzi echoed, adding his hand to the pile. Pinzi, just under a year younger than Domić, was in a similar situation, equally hungry for glory. "Champions!" Danilo said, pressing his hand down. "Champions!" shouted Cancelo. "Champions!" Kanté added loudly. "Champions!" "Champions!" ...
Bruno was the last to add his hand. With all eleven Udinese players' hands stacked, captain Di Natale looked at his teammates, feeling deeply moved. He had never imagined Udinese reaching the finals of major tournaments, let alone two finals. "It's an honor to play, fight, and compete for the championship with you all," said the 37-year-old Udinese captain. "I hope this championship is not the end but the beginning of our pursuit of glory!"
After a brief pause, the late-blooming Italian striker shouted, "Champions!" Everyone, filled with emotion, pressed their hands down and shouted together: "Champions! Champions! Champions!" They genuinely believed they could win. At the very least, they had the fighting spirit and courage to strive for the championship and were willing to put in the hard work! (End of Chapter)