Chapter 65: Advancing to the Europa League Group Stage

Chapter 65: Advancing to the Europa League Group Stage

Today's game saw Di Natale scoring twice, bringing his total Europa League goals to 19, with four goals this season alone. He is now just one goal shy of his own record of five Europa League goals in a single season set in 2011-2012.

After subbing off Di Natale to give the veteran some rest, Coach Guidolin sat relaxed on the bench, confident that winning this Europa League playoff match should be straightforward. Furthermore, qualifying for the Europa League proper seemed secured. With a 4:1 lead, only a complete collapse in the Czech Republic in the second leg could possibly eliminate Udinese.

Guidolin continued to make tactical adjustments, replacing Pinzi with Mahrez and then Domizzi with Kanté, moving Basta to left-back. The departures of these veteran players were met with cheers and applause from the Friuli Stadium stands. These players, heroes of Udinese's rise in recent seasons, held a special place in the hearts of the fans.

The substitution of these three starting veterans did not stop Udinese's scoring. Substitute Muriel was very active, quickly drawing a yellow card on Liberec's central defender Kovačić due to his troublesome presence. In the 83rd minute, a through pass from Bruno led to a Muriel shot that the goalkeeper parried away, earning Udinese a corner. Bruno took the corner, and substitute Mahrez, having just come on ten minutes earlier, poked home from close range in the small box.

"goooooooooooooooool!!!!!!"

"5:1! Mahrez scores for Udinese, the Algerian midfielder just brought in from French Ligue 2's Le Havre for 300,000 euros, scores his debut goal for Udinese within ten minutes of entering the field. Just that goal alone makes Udinese's 300,000 euros spent seem worth it!"

"Udinese now leads Liberec 5:1, an astonishing scoreline!"

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Ultimately, the game ended 5:1, with Udinese securing a significant home victory in the Europa League playoff first leg. It could even be said that they had already virtually secured their spot in the season's Europa League proper.

Apart from the starters Bruno Fernandes and João Cancelo, who were impressive, substitutes N'Golo Kanté and Riyad Mahrez also made notable appearances within their limited time, with Mahrez even scoring a goal.

Others might not fully grasp the implications, but Udinese's new general manager, Giaretta, was thrilled. He hadn't expected the three young players Bruno had recommended he sign to be so promising. Initially, Giaretta was somewhat skeptical because, apart from João Cancelo, who had shown promise in youth tournaments, Kanté and Mahrez were just Ligue 2 newcomers without any notable professional track records.

However, considering Bruno's influence and the modest financial outlay, Giaretta had reluctantly made the effort to bring these three to Udinese. Until today, Giaretta had only heard from Coach Guidolin about the young trio's decent capabilities and potential shown in training, which hadn't meant much practically.

But today's match made Giaretta feel that these three signings might prove to be exceptionally valuable. He hadn't anticipated that Bruno, besides his outstanding individual performance of two goals and an assist on his debut, had such an accurate eye for talent, bringing three promising newcomers to the team.

If these players continue to perform well at Udinese, it could significantly boost Giaretta's standing in the eyes of owner Pozzo. After all, from the outside, it appears these three players were discovered by Cristiano Giaretta himself.

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When the referee blew the final whistle, the Friuli Stadium turned into a sea of cheers. Although this wasn't Udinese's first match of the new season, it was the team's home debut, and the resounding victory delighted the fans.

Especially the four youngsters, whose performances exceeded expectations. Bruno Fernandes, who created a transfer record for Udinese, showcased his talent and strength in this game with two goals and an assist, playing a direct part in two other goals, making him the direct architect of Udinese's significant victory.

Another Portuguese, young right-back João Cancelo, also performed well, contributing on both offense and defense. Substitute Mahrez scored within ten minutes of entering the game, proving his worth on the offensive end. Another new substitute, Kanté, showed his skill on defense, nearly covering the entire midfield and neutralizing Liberec's offensive threats in his twenty minutes on the field.

In the final twenty minutes, Liberec posed no threat, not only because they were a man down but also because of the defensive sweep by the 22-year-old Frenchman in midfield.

Truly, a new team, a new season, a new face!

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Three days after securing a victorious home opener for the new season, on the evening of August 26, Udinese faced Lazio away in the first round of the 2013-2014 Serie A season. At the pre-match press conference, Lazio's coach Petkovic initially praised his opponents: "Udinese played very well in their three Europa League playoff matches. Guidolin's team is impressive, clearly not easy to handle."

He then added, "But I am confident in my team."

However, when the referee blew the final whistle at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, boos filled the stands.

Udinese's coach Guidolin raised his arms in celebration of the victory, while a despondent Lazio coach Petkovic covered his face, ashamed.

The scoreboard faithfully recorded the final score: Lazio 2, Udinese 4. After a dream start by Lazio with veteran striker Klose's direct assist and a drawn penalty leading to a two-goal lead within 16 minutes, Udinese quickly demonstrated their formidable attacking prowess.

Di Natale scored twice, Bruno and substitute Muriel each added a goal, and Mahrez, making his first start for Udinese, contributed an assist, leading Udinese to another resounding away victory.

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In just his first two matches for Udinese, contributing two goals and an assist in his debut and following up with a win in his second game with one goal and two assists, the young Bruno Fernandes has shown Serie A his offensive flair.

If his first game victory over the obscure Czech team Liberec could be dismissed as a fluke, the substantial away win over traditional Serie A powerhouse Lazio shocked the entire league.

"Bruno is stirring up a youth storm in Serie A!" heralded the official Serie A website, heaping praise on Bruno's performance.

On the evening of August 29, the second leg of the Europa League playoff took place in Liberec, Czech Republic. With a substantial lead from the first leg, Guidolin rotated heavily, resting several veterans and starting a young lineup for Udinese.

Despite fielding a weakened team, Udinese managed a tough match, drawing 1:1 away with Liberec thanks to a goal by Lazari, and advancing to the Europa League proper with a 6:2 aggregate score. (End of Chapter)

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