Chapter 591: Mentality
The Manchester United players were overjoyed, celebrating as if they had already won the championship. In contrast, the Real Madrid bench was silent, and Zidane had a stern look on his face, biting his lower lip.
There was no excuse for this conceded goal; the opponent had meticulously planned and exploited the defense's mistakes.
Such opportunities don't come often, but Manchester United seized this one and scored.
However, would Real Madrid admit defeat? No way!
This setback was just a minor hiccup. With their immense strength, a one-goal deficit was nothing.
Yet, Zidane noticed an issue from this goal. He walked to the sideline and shouted Ramos' name, signaling him to stay back and not rush forward recklessly as he did earlier.
The match had just begun, and falling into a stalemate now didn't indicate any major problems. It was far from the time for desperate measures.
Ramos nodded, knowing he had to be more careful in the upcoming game. Situations like the earlier one should never happen again on the pitch!
Casemiro, meanwhile, was hanging his head in guilt. If he hadn't recklessly charged at Bruno, many problems wouldn't have arisen.
Ramos walked over and patted him on the back, urging him not to be too hard on himself.
Ronaldo stood near the midfield, looking back at the celebrating Manchester United players, especially Bruno, who was wearing the captain's armband.
He had thought Manchester United wasn't a big deal and that his team would win for sure. The match seemed uninteresting to him, with the only bit of excitement being his showdown with Bruno.
Many European media had said that today's Champions League final was not just a club match but also a battle for this year's Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year between him and Bruno.
After all, both were national teammates, and their national team achievements didn't separate them. Only their club performances could determine the winner.
Currently, Bruno and Manchester United were ahead in club performance. Real Madrid had a trophyless domestic season, while Manchester United had won the Premier League undefeated and also secured the FA Cup and League Cup.
The Champions League was Ronaldo's only hope to surpass Bruno!
But now, he realized he was wrong. His former club, Manchester United, had truly regained its status as a top European team, a formidable opponent that he and Real Madrid had to face with utmost seriousness!
In fact, Ronaldo thought Manchester United might be even stronger than Barcelona!
At this moment, he no longer cared about his duel with Bruno. Leading his team to defeat Manchester United and achieve a Champions League treble was the real accomplishment.
The Manchester United fans celebrated wildly, but the players' celebration was brief. After Bruno's words, they dispersed and prepared to resume the match.
Real Madrid's goalkeeper, Navas, kicked the ball out, sending it towards Benzema. Real Madrid quickly regained their composure, ready to restart the game.
Wei He, still excited, said, "This season, Manchester United had favorable draws in the Champions League knockout stage, never facing top giants. Shakhtar Donetsk is just a second-tier European team, Roma is an average Serie A team, and Manchester City has never proven themselves in the Champions League. Many believed Manchester United's advance to the final was due to luck, despite their dominance in the Premier League. Few thought they had the strength of top European clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona."
"But after these past twenty minutes, who can still say Manchester United is a team that relied on luck to reach the final? Who can say they can't beat Real Madrid? The Manchester United players have shown everyone through their actions that their dominance in England and their advance to the Champions League final were due to their immense strength! Even against the reigning Champions League kings, Real Madrid, they dared to fight head-on! They truly deserve the title of the Red Devils!"
The referee's whistle blew, and the match resumed.
Real Madrid surged forward aggressively, eager to score. They didn't even pass the ball back, pressing forward immediately after the kick-off.
Real Madrid's attack was like a rising tide.
Bruno commanded his teammates to fall back. He didn't want his team to concede a goal just minutes after scoring.
At the same time, Bruno pondered whether they could use Real Madrid's aggressive push to score another goal.
That's Bruno for you. While others might be satisfied with leading Real Madrid by one goal, Bruno was never content. He didn't think a one-goal lead over Real Madrid was impressive. Winning against Real Madrid was the real achievement.
Unfortunately, this time, Real Madrid didn't give Manchester United any chances. Varane and Ramos, the central defenders, resolutely stayed back. Marcelo and Carvajal, the full-backs, quickly retreated after their attacking runs. Clearly, they had been rattled by Manchester United's fast break.
In these few minutes, Manchester United defended with all their might while Real Madrid attacked with all their strength.
Ronaldo became active again, and his one-on-one duels with Bruno became the focus of attention.
In the previous encounters, Ronaldo had always emerged victorious, but Bruno got closer each time.
This time, as Ronaldo took the ball and tried to use his dribbling skills to break through Manchester United's defense, Bruno intercepted the ball just as he started his move!
"Whoa!!" The stands erupted in surprise.
This was the first time Bruno had won a one-on-one duel with Ronaldo, and it happened so suddenly and effortlessly.
Even Ronaldo was caught off guard. He hesitated for a moment, then tried to regain control, but Kante had already taken the ball.
Real Madrid's attack ended there.
Ronaldo quickly came back again, this time receiving the ball on the wing. He feinted past Rashford and moved towards the half-space.
Seeing Bruno charge forward, Ronaldo made a sudden stop, shifted the ball to the outside, and then quickly accelerated again. This brief pause threw Bruno off balance.
But Bruno's explosive power was incredible. Seeing Ronaldo accelerate again, he slid in from the side.
Even if it meant committing a foul, he had to stop Ronaldo!
Bruno got what he wanted. Just as Ronaldo was taking off, he was tackled to the ground. The ball was lost, and Ronaldo was down.
The referee's whistle blew; it was indeed a foul.
Real Madrid players surrounded the referee, demanding a card, but the referee seemed unwilling. He shook his head, rejecting their request.
The Spanish commentator was outraged, shouting, "What is this? This is murder! FIFA has said to protect Ronaldo, so why is the referee indifferent to such a foul, merely stopping the game? If I were the referee, I'd give that kid a red card! Because he harmed Ronaldo, the king of football, harming the sport itself and all fans who love beautiful football!"
He eagerly condemned Bruno, but his words did nothing to avenge Ronaldo.
Bruno got up, shrugged, and ran back without even a friendly gesture of helping Ronaldo up.
This move drew the ire of Real Madrid fans, and boos echoed through the stands for the first time.
Earlier, the match had been so thrilling that both sets of fans were focused on cheering their teams, not targeting the opposing fans.
But now, seeing their hero treated this way by Bruno, the Real Madrid fans were enraged.
Wei He, however, didn't think it was a severe foul. He said, "It was a foul, but not a serious one. Bruno went for the ball, didn't raise his foot or show his studs. It was an ordinary foul, and the referee was right not to show a card!"
Bruno's foul was a message to Ronaldo, warning him not to think he could easily break through. Next time he faced Bruno, he'd better think twice.
As he ran back, Bruno kept an eye on Ronaldo, silently demonstrating his resolve.
Ronaldo didn't see Bruno's silent demonstration, but he wasn't stupid. From the foul, he realized Bruno wouldn't go easy on him despite their off-field friendship.
Ronaldo got up, his ankle still aching. Though the bones were fine, the hard collision was painful.
Real Madrid got a free kick thirty-eight meters from the goal, but it was too far out for a direct shot, so they opted for a cross.
However, Modric's free kick was headed clear by Van Dijk, ending Real Madrid's attack.
Manchester United was leading, but their fans' joy was short-lived. After the goal, they quickly fell into deep anxiety.
Against an opponent like Real Madrid, a one-goal lead was never safe!
Even if Real Madrid equalized, it would only put both teams back on level terms. But the reality of leading made Manchester United fans anxious, thinking, "Since we're already ahead, why settle for an equalizer?"
Not only the fans but also the players had similar thoughts.
While the team agreed to keep attacking after taking the lead, aiming to extend their advantage, everyone worried about the possible scenarios: Real Madrid equalizing, their morale boosting from the equalizer, and then seizing the chance to overtake.
(End of the chapter)
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