Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 302: Turning the Game Around

Griezmann was shocked and quickly reacted, trying to use his body to block Bruno. With only two defenders behind him, he couldn't let Bruno pass. But when he collided with Bruno, it felt like hitting a wall; Bruno didn't budge at all. As Bruno suddenly accelerated and chased the ball, Griezmann almost lost his balance again. Only then did he realize the physical disparity between himself and Bruno. But he had no time to dwell on this and immediately started to chase back.

"Udinese intercepts the ball!"

"Bruno steals the ball from Griezmann and swiftly moves forward!"

"Griezmann is chasing hard behind Bruno, but Bruno is very fast with the ball, taking long strides."

...

Dribbling felt almost instinctive for Bruno. He moved forward at top speed, heading directly towards Gabi. Atlético's captain was the last line of defense, constantly retreating. Griezmann kept chasing from behind. Further back was the referee in black.

Bruno sped across the midfield line, through the center circle, and into Atlético's half.

...

Bruno's speed kept increasing. Gabi realized he couldn't retreat any further; if he did, Bruno would just take a shot. Especially as they approached Atlético's 30-meter zone, Gabi knew he had to make a move. He slowed down and turned to challenge Bruno. If he could entangle Bruno, he could stop him, even if it meant risking a yellow card.

But to Gabi's surprise, Bruno didn't slow down at all. A fake move with his right foot made Gabi think Bruno was cutting to the center, but Bruno then used his left foot to push the ball outward, using his speed to bypass Gabi's defense. With a simple yet effective move, Bruno left Gabi behind and continued into the penalty area. Griezmann, despite his best efforts, couldn't catch up and watched as Bruno entered the box and faced the advancing goalkeeper Oblak. With a calm right-footed shot, Bruno sent the ball past Oblak into the bottom right corner of the net!

Griezmann slowed down, stunned as he watched Bruno. The Udinese captain, filled with excitement, ran off the pitch again, seemingly tireless. Griezmann could hear the entire Friuli Stadium chanting Bruno's name. Bruno had become the hero once more!

...

"1:1!"

"Bruno equalizes for Udinese in the 64th minute!"

"What a crucial goal!"

"Bruno dribbled 80 meters and finally scored to level the game for Udinese!"

"1:1! Both teams are back on equal footing!"

...

Bruno didn't celebrate. He quickly retrieved the ball from the net and ran back to the center circle, signaling his teammates to return to their half. On the way, he high-fived each teammate who came to celebrate with him.

Bruno's goal significantly boosted Udinese's morale. For the rest of the match, the cheers from 40,000 Udinese fans never ceased, and the players on the pitch seemed to move with newfound energy.

With renewed vigor and the numerical advantage, Udinese besieged Atlético. In the 74th minute, they broke through Atlético's defense again. Immobile attracted the defenders and passed the ball to Bruno, who then passed to Cancelo. Cancelo's cross found the unmarked Bruno, who headed the ball into the net from 12 yards out.

2:1!

Udinese took the lead!

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!"

"Bruno! Bruno!! Bruno!!!"

"In the 74th minute, Bruno Fernandes helps Udinese take the lead!"

"He seems like a war god on the field, never giving up until the last moment!"

"The 21-year-old player, with his seemingly frail shoulders, has carried Udinese to the Champions League quarter-finals, showing their toughest side against the mighty Atlético Madrid."

"But it's regrettable that Bruno will miss the next match due to accumulated yellow cards, which will be a huge blow and loss for Udinese."

"Nevertheless, we must congratulate Bruno!"

"With fourteen Champions League goals, he surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo and becomes the top scorer in the Champions League this season!"

...

The match ended!

The referee blew the final whistle, and everything came to a halt. The scoreboard at Friuli Stadium displayed the final score: 2:1! Udinese, thanks to Bruno's double in the second half, had turned the game around.

Bruno's 13th and 14th goals of the season in the Champions League made him surpass Cristiano Ronaldo's 13 goals. The entire Friuli Stadium seemed to go crazy. Although a 2:1 scoreline was far from guaranteeing Udinese's advancement to the Champions League semi-finals, defeating the defensively renowned Atlético Madrid was a joyous moment for the fans.

Bruno became the focus of all Udinese fans' cheers, his two goals preserving a glimmer of hope for Udinese. However, the unfortunate part was that he would miss the second leg due to yellow card accumulation, which was a significant blow to Udinese.

But despite this, a 2:1 home victory over Atlético Madrid meant that as long as they didn't suffer a heavy defeat away, it was worth it.

...

News of Udinese's 2:1 victory over Atlético Madrid quickly spread worldwide, sparking heated discussions among football fans globally. Bruno was named the Man of the Match for his double, leading Udinese to victory. However, his accumulated yellow cards would keep him out of the second leg, blending joy with sadness and earning him both admiration and pity from countless fans.

Scoring twice against a team like Atlético Madrid, known for their defense, showcased Bruno's skill and form. Before this match, Atlético had conceded only three goals in eight Champions League matches. Bruno's two goals almost doubled that tally in one game.

What fascinated people the most was Bruno's long solo run. Many media outlets highlighted Griezmann's failure to catch up with Bruno during the 80-meter sprint. This not only raised doubts among global fans about the talented Atlético forward but also surprised Atlético's own supporters.

Responding to the news of Griezmann being outpaced by Bruno, Atlético's coach Simeone explained that Griezmann had been carrying an injury and wasn't in top form. Others argued that Griezmann's strength wasn't his speed but his positioning, so it was normal for him not to outpace Bruno. "The only surprising part is that he couldn't catch up with a dribbling Bruno, which is a bit embarrassing."

...

Madrid-based media quickly offered explanations, concluding that Bruno's dribbling was very clever. "While sprinting, Bruno often used his body to block Griezmann, making it difficult for him to overtake. Combined with not having a speed advantage, Griezmann couldn't catch up."

Despite these explanations, external criticism persisted. As one of Europe's hottest and most sought-after forwards, Griezmann had again come up short against Bruno, raising concerns about his development and progress. After all, at 25, Griezmann was supposed to be at his peak.

"Although we can't yet determine which player will achieve greater success in the future, currently and in terms of potential, the younger Bruno is clearly ahead of Griezmann."

Marca also reiterated Real Madrid's interest in Bruno, with President Florentino reportedly pledging to bring the superstar to the Bernabeu at all costs this summer.

"In the new season, we might see Bruno donning Real Madrid's white jersey in La Liga."

But media in Italy and the UK continued to speculate on Bruno's transfer, a recurring theme in European media. Each time Bruno scored or performed well, transfer rumors took center stage, becoming a soap opera familiar to all football fans. This time, everyone believed that the Bruno transfer saga, which had lasted two years, would finally conclude this summer.

(End of chapter)

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