Chapter 84: The European Golden Boy

Chapter 84: The European Golden Boy

Defeating Juventus away was Guidolin's first victory against them in nearly three years. The last win was on January 30, 2011, during the 2010-2011 Serie A season's 22nd round, when Udinese triumphed 2:1 at the Olympic Stadium in Turin. That had been Guidolin's first victory as the coach of Udinese, and until today, his only one.

After the match, the Italian media widely reported on this highlight game. Many outlets described the result with one word: upset. Despite it being a direct confrontation between first and third in Serie A, most believed Udinese's victory over Juventus was a major surprise. This match marked Juventus's second defeat of the season in Serie A.

Like the earlier game against Fiorentina, where Juventus led by two goals at halftime only to collapse mysteriously in the second half and concede four goals, today's game saw Juventus dominate the field without ever leading the score, managing only a consolation goal at the end.

In the match against Fiorentina, the once Ferguson-favored talented forward Giuseppe Rossi became the hero, experiencing a career highlight. Today, another hero emerged: Riyad Mahrez, a young winger in Udinese's ranks. This Ligue 2 player, brought in by Udinese for €300,000 during the summer, shined brightly in this game. The Algerian single-handedly dismantled Juventus's left flank, paving the way for Udinese's victory.

Many media sources stated that even if Mahrez's performance today was a one-hit wonder, Udinese's €300,000 was well spent. This key clash was seen by many as a duel between the top contenders for the European Golden Boy award, Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba. However, no one anticipated that Mahrez would steal the spotlight from these two talents.

Nevertheless, this did not alter the outcome of this year's European Golden Boy award, as Mahrez, at 22, was not eligible. Moreover, the results, set to be announced next Wednesday at noon, were likely already decided.

In what was essentially a crowning match for the winner between the two, an unexpected interloper stole the show, probably leaving both players feeling less than pleased. Bruno was somewhat better off, being Udinese's offensive linchpin and leading his team to an away victory over Juventus while scoring a goal himself.

Pogba, on the other hand, lacked standout moments throughout the game. His frequent long shots only highlighted his frustration and lack of clutch finishing. In this direct matchup with Bruno, Pogba was decidedly outplayed.

This round of Serie A was a mixed bag for the top teams. The Juventus vs. Udinese game was a missed opportunity for the other top teams, especially second-placed Roma, who could have reclaimed the top spot had they won their game. However, Roma only managed a 1:1 draw against Atalanta in an away match, missing the chance to lead the table.

Inter Milan also failed to seize the opportunity to gain points, settling for a draw against relegation-threatened Sampdoria, which helped their opponents secure a vital point.

On the other hand, Napoli and Fiorentina both secured victories in their games, with Fiorentina overcoming Verona 4:3 at home and Napoli defeating Lazio 4:2 in an away match.

After 14 rounds of matches, Juventus still topped the table with a record of 11 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses, despite their defeat. However, Juventus's lead was now just one point, with Udinese rising to second place with 11 wins and 3 losses, totaling 33 points.

Roma and Napoli, both with 31 points, followed closely, with Roma taking third due to a superior goal difference.

On December 4th, local Italian time, the renowned "Turin Sports Newspaper" announced the winner of the 11th European Golden Boy award. Bruno Fernandes of Udinese was named, marking the first time a Portuguese player had won this award.

Previously, the best a Portuguese had managed was Cristiano Ronaldo's second place in 2004, behind teammate Wayne Rooney. In the nine years that followed, no Portuguese young player had made the top three.

This year's European Golden Boy award was not initially expected to go to Bruno, but his performances at the Toulon Tournament and the U-20 World Cup, where he led Portugal to victory against Pogba's France, marked a turning point in the award's consideration.

Following that, Bruno's transfer to Udinese for €25 million during the summer transfer window quickly established him as the team's offensive core, enhancing Udinese's performance.

By the eve of the Golden Boy award announcement, Bruno had led Udinese to an impressive Serie A record of 11 wins and 3 losses, surpassing traditional powerhouses and securing second place in the standings.

With 9 goals and 6 assists in 14 league games, and his contributions in the Europa League where he scored 7 goals and made 3 assists in 7 matches, Bruno's performances were nothing short of spectacular, firmly establishing him as one of the elite players in Italy and Europe.

Ranked second in the voting was Pogba, followed by Belgian talent Lukaku. High expectations were set on Varane and Draxler, who finished fifth and fourth, respectively.

Despite his stellar performance, Pogba's achievements in a less favorable year were overshadowed by Bruno's sensational play.

(End of Chapter)

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