Chapter 227: The Championship Battle

Chapter 227: The Championship Battle

Compared to Udinese, who could afford to lose, Roma was in a much more desperate situation. Before this match, the Wolves were third in the league with 61 points from 35 games, just one point ahead of Lazio and Fiorentina. They could easily slip to fifth place.

Even though Serie A had regained its third place in the UEFA coefficient rankings, giving it four Champions League spots next season, finishing fifth would still mean no Champions League for Roma. Lazio had already beaten Sampdoria 1-0 away, pushing Roma down to fourth in the live standings. Napoli, who were set to face relegation-threatened Cesena at home the next day, were expected to win. So, if Roma lost to Udinese, they would drop to fifth by the end of the round.

The financial rewards and prestige of the Champions League were immense. Roma, having participated in recent seasons, knew its value well and didn't want to miss out. Motivated by this, Roma fought with great intensity.

In the 44th minute, Pjanic stopped the ball at the right byline and passed back to Totti, who crossed to Nainggolan. Nainggolan volleyed the ball into the top of the net, equalizing the score.

Early in the second half, Udinese nearly regained the lead, but Bruno's free kick hit the crossbar after curling over the wall.

The saying "narrowly escaping disaster brings good fortune" proved true for Roma. In the 65th minute, they took the lead. Udinese defender Herteaux failed to clear Nainggolan's cross, and Widmer missed the ball entirely. Torosidis capitalized, scoring from 4 meters out to make it 2-1.

That was the final score. Roma held off Udinese, preventing them from clinching the league title at the Stadio Olimpico.

Despite the setback, Udinese didn't dwell on it too much. With a four-point lead over Juventus, they only needed to win their next home game to secure the Serie A title and celebrate at the Friuli Stadium.

Thus, the eyes of Italy turned to the Friuli Stadium on May 24th.

On May 23rd, Juventus faced Napoli in a crucial match at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. Both teams desperately needed a win. For Juventus, a loss would hand the title to Udinese. For Napoli, competing for Champions League spots with Roma and Lazio, losing meant relinquishing control over their fate.

After a hard-fought match, Juventus triumphed 3-1 over Napoli, with goals from Pereyra, Sturaro, and Pepe, completing their task.

With Juventus' victory, attention shifted to Udine, where Udinese hosted Sassuolo. A win would secure the Serie A title for Udinese, a team with a 119-year history that had never been a contender for the championship.

While teams like Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma, and Napoli were traditionally seen as title contenders, Udinese had always been considered an also-ran. Despite consistently competing in Serie A, they were never viewed as a serious threat for the title.

However, in the 2014-2015 season, Udinese defied expectations with a strong start, particularly after defeating Inter Milan at the San Siro in the 14th round to top the league standings, a position they never relinquished. At one point, they even led by a double-digit margin.

Now, after overcoming numerous challenges, they stood on the brink of a historic achievement, with the world watching.

FIFA's official website also highlighted the match, stating: "On May 24, the small northeastern Italian town of Udine could witness one of the most incredible achievements in Italian football history. Current Serie A leaders Udinese are on the verge of securing the championship in a decisive match. Stay tuned."

"After 119 years of waiting, today we will see a result," said Tomori, a leader of the Udinese fan base, to reporters.

"And how do you feel now?" asked a reporter.

"Excited!" Tomori exclaimed. "Even more so than my first time."

Udinese fans laughed heartily on camera.

The Italian Football Federation announced that the league trophy had already been transported to Udine and would be brought to the Friuli Stadium on match day.

Despite all the talk of Udinese's impending title, their opponents, Sassuolo, were determined not to be mere background players in this historic moment.

Sassuolo's attacking star, Domenico Berardi, declared in a pre-match press conference that they would fight hard to spoil Udinese's celebration.

"Udinese wants to win the title in this match? They have to get past us first," Berardi stated seriously. "For us, it's just another game, but I'm sorry to say, Udinese's celebration will have to wait."

Bruno heard Berardi's words, smiling politely but inwardly scoffing.

To be fair, Bruno didn't like Berardi's boastful talk, but he also didn't mind it too much. In fact, he appreciated Berardi's straightforwardness. It was better than dealing with deceptive compliments followed by unexpected tricks. Berardi's open challenge served as a reminder for Bruno and Udinese to stay alert and fight hard.

Before the match, after Guidolin and his coaching staff finished their pre-match preparations and left the locker room, Bruno stood up to address his teammates.

"A while ago, my old friend Domenico Berardi said his Sassuolo team plans to ruin our championship celebration," Bruno began.

Udinese players looked at him, surprised he would bring this up now. They had heard Berardi's remarks, but didn't expect Bruno to mention them.

Bruno smirked. "Who does he think he is? How dare he talk like that? A joke. A failure, a team languishing in the lower half of the standings, thinks they can stop the league leaders from winning the title."

He clicked his tongue for emphasis.

The locker room erupted in laughter.

Udinese players were well aware of the history between Bruno and Berardi. Their rivalry began in Serie B. In the 2012-2013 season, Sassuolo led the standings for most of the campaign, with Berardi a favorite for Player of the Season. However, Bruno and Novara's remarkable second-half surge, including a record 21 consecutive wins, saw them snatch the title from Sassuolo. Bruno's outstanding performance also earned him the Player of the Season award over Berardi.

Since then, the two had been at odds. In Serie A, their encounters continued, though Bruno's rise to stardom had far outpaced Berardi's steady progress as Sassuolo's attacking linchpin. Despite recent good form, including a hat-trick against AC Milan, Berardi's standing was still far below Bruno's.

After Berardi's remarks, the mood in Udinese's camp had been a bit tense. Playing at home, they were eager to win and celebrate the title. Sassuolo's strong words had caused some worry.

Some players began to overthink. Sassuolo, despite their modest league position, had a knack for surprising stronger teams, having previously held Juventus and Roma to draws.

Could Udinese really stumble here?

Usually, against a mid-to-lower table team, Udinese wouldn't worry. But under these special circumstances, the mind tends to wander.

Bruno's speech cleared the air. He addressed the fears directly, dispelling them like sunlight banishing shadows.

With Di Natale on the bench due to fitness concerns, Bruno wore the captain's armband and rallied his teammates.

"Guys, earlier my friend Berardi claimed Sassuolo would ruin our celebration," he said. "But who are they to stop us? They're a mid-table team, and we're the league leaders. Let's go out there, crush Sassuolo, score, and keep scoring. Victory and the title are at our feet!"

Sassuolo's coach, Di Francesco, wasn't entirely rigid. Despite his team's fierce pre-match talk, once the game began, it was clear they aimed to hold Udinese to a draw.

But Udinese had no intention of playing along. Their relentless attack overwhelmed Sassuolo's defense, which held out for just 21 minutes.

"GOOOOOOOOOLLLLLL!"

"Bruno Fernandes! Bruno Fernandes!" shouted commentator Diletta Leotta. "The Portuguese star opens the scoring once again for Udinese. What a strike from outside the box, leaving Sassuolo's goalkeeper with no chance."

"That's his 23rd league goal this season, putting him ahead of his teammate, captain Di Natale, to lead the Serie A scoring charts."

Guidolin applauded from the sidelines. With Bruno's goal, the match would be easier. Against a team determined to draw, the first goal was crucial.

(End of Chapter)