Chapter 592: The Battle of the GOATs
These worries gradually accumulated in the minds of many Manchester United players. At first, it might not have shown any effects, but over time, it became a heavy burden, weighing on their thoughts and actions. This is pressure—the pressure of leading makes players overthink.
In a major match like the Champions League final, overthinking is not a good thing.
At the beginning of the match, Manchester United had a fearless attitude, allowing them to play freely and show their best. But now, they were the ones with something to lose, while Real Madrid had nothing left to lose.
The roles were reversed, and naturally, their mentalities changed too. Real Madrid had no other option but to score, while Manchester United now had psychological burdens.
This Manchester United team was still too young. Many players lacked experience in major matches, especially the experience of holding an early lead in a Champions League final.
Everyone knew they needed to attack and try to score more, but they were also afraid of losing the ball—not by conceding goals but by losing possession. This mental burden made them play less freely than before.
For instance, Rashford initially planned to dribble past his opponent, but seeing Carvajal so close, he changed his mind and opted to pass. The hurried pass was too obvious and intercepted by Kroos.
Real Madrid seized the chance for a counterattack, and if it weren't for Bruno's timely defense, the turnover could have had serious consequences.
What kind of team is Real Madrid? They have been through countless major battles and have seen every type of opponent and situation.
They quickly noticed Manchester United's internal issues. Like a seasoned predator, they pressed harder when they sensed weakness, increasing their attacking pressure during Manchester United's hesitation.
During this period, Manchester United struggled while Real Madrid flourished, showcasing their powerful offense.
Bruno became one of the most frequently seen players on camera, mainly because Ronaldo often had the ball. Each time Ronaldo had the ball, the Spanish commentators became particularly excited. Although Ronaldo wasn't Spanish, he had become a symbol of Real Madrid football.
"Ronaldo has the ball! He's facing Bruno! Get past him!"
"Fake move! Beautiful! Just like that! Speed up! He can't outrun you, Cristiano!"
Real Madrid fans also reacted similarly. Whenever Ronaldo had the ball, the stands erupted with massive cheers, with over 20,000 fans chanting "Ronaldo! Ronaldo! Ronaldo!" in unison, creating a spectacular sight.
But they couldn't disturb Bruno.
Even though he was not yet 24, Bruno had experienced many big games. He had not only played in a Champions League final but also in a European Championship final, both top-level world competitions!
Ronaldo had the ball again and faked an outside move. Bruno remained unmoved, seemingly knowing it was a fake.
When Ronaldo saw that Bruno wasn't fooled, he faked another outside move, but Bruno still didn't budge.
However, Ronaldo couldn't afford to waste time with Bruno, as other Manchester United players were closing in. On his third attempt, he truly went outside. Bruno moved simultaneously with Ronaldo, sticking close after Ronaldo pushed the ball forward.
Ronaldo pretended to cross with his right foot, hoping to throw off Bruno's balance, then abruptly stopped and turned.
Normally, this sequence of fake moves would shake off the defender, but when Ronaldo turned back, he found Bruno still in front of him. It felt like all his moves were for nothing, as if he hadn't moved at all.
Ronaldo sighed internally, knowing he couldn't shake Bruno this time and would be surrounded by other defenders.
So he passed the ball back to Carvajal and moved towards the center. Carvajal tried to break through before crossing the ball.
In aerial duels, Real Madrid was at a disadvantage. Neither Benzema nor Isco could outjump Van Dijk or Maguire.
Maguire headed the ball out, but Real Madrid excelled at winning second balls. The ball fell to Casemiro, who passed to Modric instead of shooting, allowing Real Madrid to reorganize their attack.
Real Madrid continually pressed Manchester United's defense. During this period, Wei He could only praise Bruno's defensive skills, as he was hardly seen in attack.
To stabilize the defense, Bruno rarely pushed forward during Manchester United's attacks, instead staying back to organize play from deeper positions, resembling a true defensive midfielder.
Ronaldo found the match quite enjoyable, not just because Manchester United was stronger than expected but also because Bruno was a more formidable opponent than he had thought.
Having been teammates with Bruno on the national team for almost four years, winning the European Championship together two years ago, Ronaldo thought he knew Bruno well enough.
But this match showed him that Bruno not only had offensive talents that impressed even Ronaldo but also world-class defensive skills.
Ronaldo couldn't help but marvel internally—how could this kid be so strong? What can't he do?
However, these thoughts didn't make Ronaldo retreat. Instead, they made the game more interesting.
Everyone could see Ronaldo becoming more active, constantly calling for the ball, and his movements, already fast, became even quicker!
"Ronaldo has the ball! Easily gets past Rashford's defense!"
"Watching Ronaldo play brings a sense of security because when the ball is at his feet, it always threatens the opponent. He rarely loses possession easily!"
Everyone showered praise on Ronaldo, including the British commentators, who had to admit that the 33-year-old Ronaldo was still the top player in the world.
Since Bruno won the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2015, there had been talk of the "Big Three" in football.
Many fans compared Ronaldo, Yoshi, and Bruno to the "Big Three" in tennis, saying Ronaldo was football's Federer for his elegance, Yoshi was football's Nadal for his amazing talent and technical skills, and Bruno was football's Djokovic, the rising star dominating the current scene in terms of individual ability and stats, though his influence hadn't yet matched the other two.
However, most fans believed that Ronaldo, who had led his team to two consecutive Champions League titles, was the true GOAT (Greatest of All Time) in world football, much like Federer's return to the top in tennis.
Bruno noticed Ronaldo's increased intensity and more serious expression, even furrowing his brows. It seemed Ronaldo was going all out against him.
Bruno felt satisfied and, out of respect, decided to give his all to stop Ronaldo.
Real Madrid launched a counterattack. After intercepting Kane's pass to Mbappe, they quickly passed to the right wing, where Ronaldo received the ball near the halfway line.
He received the ball with his back to Rashford, using the outside of his foot to flick the ball behind him while turning quickly.
Ronaldo's speed was incredible. By the time he completed the turn, Rashford was too late to catch up.
With Rashford beaten, Ronaldo faced Cancelo's challenge. He shifted the ball to his left foot and accelerated, dodging Cancelo's tackle with a jump.
Seeing Ronaldo dribble past two players, Real Madrid fans erupted in deafening cheers.
Madrid's and Spain's commentators shouted excitedly, "Ronaldo! Ronaldo! He's past Rashford and Cancelo! Beautiful! An unstoppable Ronaldo!"
With Ronaldo past Cancelo, he faced Manchester United's central defenders. His teammates moved to support him, causing Manchester United's defenders to hesitate.
Should they defend Ronaldo, leaving space for Benzema, Isco, or Kroos? Or should they hold their positions and risk Ronaldo breaking through alone?
At that moment, Bruno sprinted in from behind.
In Bruno's mind, Ronaldo's every move was clear, each step replayed in slow motion. He could easily grasp Ronaldo's rhythm.
Once he locked onto this rhythm, all he had to do was wait for the right moment to tackle...
Ronaldo pushed the ball forward, his speed fluctuating slightly as he touched the ball.
This was Bruno's chance!
Just as Ronaldo's foot was about to touch the ball, Bruno slid in from the side, intercepting it cleanly!
Bruno's right foot blocked the ball, and Ronaldo's foot met strong resistance instead of the ball, causing him to stumble. The ball remained with Bruno.
(End of the chapter)
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