Chapter 109: The Match Begins

Chapter 109: The Match Begins

Boavista's youth team coach, Martelinho, wasn't with his players; instead, he joined Bruno's family in the VIP box to watch the game. Seeing Bruno at the end of the Udinese line-up brought mixed feelings. Just two years ago, this young man, who couldn't make it into Boavista's first team and had to move to Italy for opportunities, had now become a renowned star in European football.

As Udinese's performance has improved this season, Bruno's remarkable plays have drawn attention from major European clubs, increasing his recognition. Martelinho felt a pang of regret thinking about Boavista's management's failure to recognize such talent, which led them to miss out on a great player.

In fact, Martelinho wasn't the only one feeling this pain; the Boavista management also regretted their decision. If they had kept Bruno for one more season, they could have earned an additional 25 million euros. For a club that had fallen to the third tier of Portuguese football, that amount was astronomical. Yet, they had sold this super talent for a mere 40,000 euros.

Martelinho wasn't surprised by Bruno's rapid rise. He saw it coming when Bruno used to train for hours extra each day. It would be unjust if such dedication didn't lead to success.

—————

Unaware of his former teammates from Boavista who came to watch him play, Bruno also didn't know how they felt seeing him now or the regret within Boavista's management. As usual, after posing for media photos with his Udinese teammates, he prepared to start the match.

The Estádio da Luz, as a renowned five-star European stadium, didn't turn into a mud pit after half an hour of warm-up, likely because Benfica didn't see the need to create difficulties for Udinese through the pitch conditions, making it fair for choosing sides.

Dinatale lost the coin toss but won the kickoff. Having the ball at the start was crucial for an away team needing goals.

After choosing sides, teams shook hands with the referees and posed for photos before returning to their formations.

"We kick off," Dinatale told his gathered teammates. "Be careful with your passes, minimize mistakes, and quickly recover if we lose the ball. Let's be proactive, guys!"

As they dispersed to their positions, the referee blew the whistle to start the match amidst a drizzle.

At the whistle, Dinatale passed the ball to Mahrez, who then passed it back to Bruno. The match was underway!

—————

Bruno, standing outside the center circle, received a forceful pass from Mahrez. Forgetting the slippery conditions which made the ball roll faster, Mahrez passed it quicker than usual, and it reached Bruno sooner than expected.

Bruno stretched to control the ball, but it bounced off his foot due to the pass's force. He had to adjust quickly to settle it down.

Just as he controlled the ball, jeers erupted from the stands. Benfica fans were booing him, stemming from a clash with Benfica players in the first leg that nearly escalated into a brawl. At that away game, Benfica's fans were outnumbered, but now at Estádio da Luz, they had the upper hand.

Benfica fans had decided to boo every time Udinese's number 18 got the ball—to boo him into submission.

What they didn't realize was that Bruno thrived under such hostility; it affirmed that he was a significant threat, which only spurred him on.

—————

Due to his initial fumble, Bruno lost some time, and by the time he looked up to assess the situation, the opponents were nearly upon him. He turned and passed the ball back.

Considering the wet conditions, Bruno didn't use too much force in his pass, ensuring it wouldn't be easy for opponents to intercept. He was more concerned about making it easy for his teammates to control the ball.

If his center-backs struggled with his pass as he had with Mahrez's, under pressure, they might make a costly mistake.

As expected, Udinese's center-back Danilo controlled the ball well and passed it to Silva on the flank, who tried to advance but slipped due to the wet field. Benfica's right winger, Salvio, had just come up to pressure and was surprised to find Silva slipping, presenting him with an unexpected opportunity to seize the ball and drive towards Udinese's box.

—————

Seeing their team gain such an advantageous position early in the game, the crowd at Estádio da Luz erupted in cheers.

"Go, Eduardo, go!"

Bruno, known for his habit of preparing for playbacks, had already moved to support Silva. He didn't anticipate the ball loss but reacted swiftly to counter Salvio's advance.

Salvio intended to cut inside towards the Udinese box. However, seeing Bruno block the path, he reconsidered his options. Rather than risk losing possession, he chose to control the ball and wait for support, turning a potential quick break into a strategic setup, thus maintaining control and advantage.

Bruno signaled to Silva, instructing him to cover the back while he pressured Salvio, focusing on preventing any dangerous passes.

This tactical positioning forced Salvio to pass the ball back, waiting for his teammates to join the attack, while Bruno prepared to counter any moves, ensuring that Udinese could regain possession and launch their counter-attack.