Chapter 218: Shocking the Opponent

Chapter 218: Shocking the Opponent

Barcelona also arrived in Udine a day ahead of time, but it wasn't until the last minute before the match that Udinese, after finishing their pre-game warm-up and returning to the locker room, received Barcelona's starting lineup. It was the same 4-3-3 formation as the previous match. The goalkeeper was Ter Stegen, with Alba, Mascherano, Piqué, and Alves in defense. The midfield consisted of Busquets at the base, Iniesta on the left, and Rakitic on the right. Up front, the attack was led by the MSN trio.

Udinese continued with their previous tactics and also kept the same lineup. The goalkeeper was Karnezis, and the defense consisted of Cancelo, Maguire, Danilo, and Piris. In midfield, Guilherme, Kanté, Bruno, and Widmer formed a diamond shape, while the two forwards were Di Natale and Salah.

Udinese had a full squad available, but a few players, including Bruno, were on two yellow cards and risked suspension with another booking.

"Good evening to all the viewers! Welcome to Udinese's Friuli Stadium. We are about to witness the second leg of this season's Champions League semi-final."

"This is a highly anticipated clash, with Udinese hosting Barcelona. As we can see, the players of both teams are already in the tunnel."

"Led by the referee, both teams are now walking onto the pitch."

As Bruno and his Udinese teammates followed the referee onto the pitch at the Friuli Stadium, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers. Though fewer in number than at Camp Nou, the noise created by the home fans was no less intense.

The fans especially went wild for Di Natale, leading the team, and Bruno, bringing up the rear. These two were undoubtedly the darlings of the stadium.

Barcelona's star, Messi, walked at the back of their lineup, almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Bruno. Though they had faced each other twice before, they were not familiar and exchanged no words.

"These two players are at the top of this season's Champions League scoring chart. Bruno has scored 14 goals, while Messi has 10. Tonight's match will not only decide who goes to the final but might also determine this season's top scorer. Will it be the rising star Bruno or the established four-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi?"

During the coin toss, Di Natale won the right to kick off, which was part of Udinese's pre-match strategy.

The 8:45 PM kickoff time was neutral, not favoring either side, but gaining possession first was advantageous for Udinese's planned attacks.

"The Udinese players look very determined."

"This is their playmaker and the team's vital core, Bruno Fernandes!"

"He won't turn 21 until September, yet he has already scored 22 league goals in Serie A, tied at the top of the scoring charts with Udinese captain Di Natale."

"And in the Champions League, he has been even more impressive, scoring 14 goals in 11 matches, leading the scoring chart ahead of superstars like Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar!"

"As the midfielder with the most goals in a single Champions League season, Bruno is making history. Years from now, we will all be proud to say we witnessed the rise of such a player."

With the referee's whistle, the match began. Di Natale kicked off, passing to Salah, who quickly passed back to midfield before sprinting forward.

Udinese's midfield passed back to the defense, moving the ball to the right. Piris, advancing with the ball, saw Bruno signaling for it on the right side of Barcelona's 30-meter area. Piris passed the ball to Bruno just before Iniesta closed in.

Bruno, receiving the ball on the right touchline, quickly turned and dribbled diagonally, leaving Alba behind.

"Bruno's acceleration is incredible. Alba couldn't keep up."

"Let's see how this Udinese attack develops."

As Bruno drove the ball diagonally towards the box, he assessed Barcelona's defensive setup. He spotted a gap between Mascherano and Piqué, and noted Ter Stegen's positioning favoring the right side.

Bruno decided on his move. Sprinting towards the ball, he leaned slightly, planted his left foot, and swung his right leg, his whole body resembling a drawn bow, with the ball as the arrow.

The stadium held its breath as the ball thundered off Bruno's foot, rocketing towards the goal between Busquets, Piqué, and Mascherano, and dipping towards the left side of the net.

"Bruno takes a shot from distance!"

"Dangerous!"

The ball soared at tremendous speed, climbing then dipping rapidly. Ter Stegen reacted immediately but was just a fraction too slow. His positioning also left him at a disadvantage, and he could only watch helplessly as the ball curved towards the left post.

Unfortunately, the shot was just off target, skimming past the left post.

The entire Friuli Stadium let out a collective gasp, hearts pounding. No one expected Bruno to unleash such a powerful long-range shot so suddenly and accurately.

Had it been just a bit more to the right, it would have been a sure goal!

Bruno, frustrated at the miss, roared in disappointment but quickly turned back, urging the fans and his teammates to keep their spirits high.

Though he said nothing, his actions conveyed a clear message: Let's beat them!

The entire stadium erupted in cheers again.

Udinese's players swarmed Bruno, high-fiving him enthusiastically.

Such a shot was a huge morale booster!

At the visiting team's bench, Enrique was visibly shaken by Bruno's sudden long-range effort.

A shot from 27-28 meters, with such power and precision, nearly resulted in a goal. Enrique, clearly rattled, gestured frantically, shouting at his players to tighten their defense around Bruno and not give him such shooting opportunities.

That shot was a wake-up call. If Bruno had another chance or two like that, Barcelona could be in real trouble.

After just under a minute of play, the atmosphere at Friuli Stadium was electric, with every Udinese fan and player energized by Bruno's shot.

Bruno could feel the shift in the stadium and his team. The fans' enthusiasm was palpable, cheering every touch and pass.

The players, infected by the crowd's energy, ran with more vigor and purpose.

A notable change occurred soon after, when Barcelona, following their goal kick, quickly lost possession near the halfway line.

Udinese began to build another attack, their defense pushing forward, upping the game's tempo.

Bruno, too, felt the stadium's feverish atmosphere, his chest seemingly ready to burst with energy. This spurred him to run more, needing to release the pent-up fire within, making his movements even lighter and faster than usual.

With three years of professional experience, he recognized this as momentum, the surge of confidence when everything clicks.

He knew he wasn't the only one feeling it; the whole Udinese team was riding this wave.

Soon, Udinese launched another attack. Bruno, drifting to the right, received the ball and started dribbling diagonally, but this time Barcelona was prepared. Alba closely marked him.

Though Alba couldn't easily dispossess Bruno, his speed allowed him to stick tight. With Iniesta also tracking back, Bruno had no choice but to pass to Widmer and continue his run towards the top of the box.

Widmer advanced a few steps before passing to the right side of Barcelona's penalty area, where Di Natale, who had been lurking near the edge of the box, made a run to the right. However, Mascherano followed closely.

Di Natale attempted to outmaneuver Mascherano to cross but couldn't find space. He turned and shielded the ball, passing back to Piris, who had moved up to nearly the edge of the box.

Seeing no clear path and with Iniesta pressing, Piris feinted a move down the line before cutting inside. At that moment, Bruno, running back, signaled for the ball, clearly seeing an opportunity.

(End of Chapter)