Chapter 593: Benzema
"Foul!!" The referee hadn't even said anything yet, but the Real Madrid fans in the stands leapt to their feet, pointing at Bruno on the field and shouting in unison.
Most players would hurriedly wave their hands to indicate they hadn't committed a foul, but Bruno didn't do that. He had no time to prove anything to others; he knew this was a good chance for Manchester United to attack!
Bruno didn't bother with the referee. If the referee called a foul, he'd deal with it then. Since there was no whistle, he would continue and send the ball forward. The game was still on!
As he got up, Ronaldo was still on the ground, raising his hands to indicate a foul. The referee did not grant the Real Madrid fans their wish, only motioning for Ronaldo to get up and then chasing after Bruno.
Manchester United's attack was on!
Bruno dribbled down the wing, with Cancelo providing support and Rashford ahead to receive the ball. In the center, Harry Kane had dropped back, and Kante was there as well. Further ahead, Bruno could send a long diagonal pass to Mbappe and Valencia on the right wing.
Due to Ronaldo losing the ball, Real Madrid's defensive recovery was hasty.
Bruno carried the ball forward for over twenty meters before anyone came to challenge him.
As soon as Casemiro appeared in front of him, Bruno passed the ball to Harry Kane, who had come back to help. Bruno then accelerated forward, creating the illusion of a one-two with Kane.
Real Madrid's defense was indeed drawn out. Kane seized the opportunity to pass the ball to Rashford on the wing.
Rashford crossed the ball, and Mbappe's header in the center went just wide.
Real Madrid escaped a dangerous situation, giving their fans more reason to be upset with the referee and Bruno. They were displeased that the referee hadn't called a foul and that Bruno's play was rough and unsportsmanlike.
"Seeing Ronaldo on the ground, can't you at least extend a hand to help him up or kick the ball out of play?"
Spanish commentators shared similar sentiments.
In the eyes of this commentator, the referee had long been biased towards Manchester United, a "black whistle."
When Bruno made that "rough and wild" tackle on Ronaldo earlier, the referee should have shown a yellow card, but he only gave a verbal warning.
This time, it was even worse—Ronaldo was kicked to the ground, yet the referee didn't even call a foul!
Since the referee wouldn't give Real Madrid and Ronaldo a fair call, the fans decided to take matters into their own hands!
Now, every time Bruno had the ball, the Kiev Olympic Stadium echoed with the synchronized boos of the Real Madrid fans.
While Real Madrid fans hated Bruno, Manchester United fans adored him. Whenever Real Madrid fans started booing Bruno, Manchester United fans would start singing.
One side booed, and the other sang, engaging in a contest of their own.
On TV, the replay of Bruno's tackle on Ronaldo was shown several times to clarify the controversial moment.
"There's nothing wrong with it! Not at all! It's a perfectly clean tackle! Bruno's body was fully extended and didn't even touch Ronaldo's shirt!"
The Spanish commentator, who had previously claimed it was a rough and unsportsmanlike foul, fell silent. From every angle, it was a flawless and clean tackle. Ronaldo's fall was due to tripping over the ball and inertia!
Real Madrid didn't slow their attack despite Ronaldo being stopped by Bruno. They continued to intensify their offense, attack after attack.
They needed to equalize before halftime. This season, Real Madrid had been trophyless in domestic competitions, making the Champions League their last hope for a title.
Entering halftime with a 0-1 score would bring great uncertainty to the second half and potentially cost them the championship.
A trophyless season was unacceptable to Real Madrid players, management, and fans alike.
So, they had to equalize before halftime, and taking the lead before the break would be even better.
Fortunately, they hadn't lost their composure, knowing that some things couldn't be forced.
Bruno's crucial defensive play was one of Manchester United's few highlights during this period. Most of the time, they were pinned in their half by the powerful Real Madrid, relying on long passes to organize attacks. Only Mbappe remained forward, with even Harry Kane and Rashford dropping back to defend.
Mbappe stayed forward because his defensive skills were nearly nonexistent. His presence in the back wouldn't help, so he stayed forward to pressure Real Madrid's defense.
With his incredible speed, Mbappe was a counterattacking ace. Real Madrid couldn't afford to ignore him!
Real Madrid launched a fierce attack on Manchester United's defense, fueled by continuous support from their fans.
Judging by their relentless offense, it seemed only a matter of time before Real Madrid won. Manchester United had no chance to retaliate, only to defend, defend, and defend some more.
Manchester United's defense was solid and had secured many victories through impenetrable defense. But now, they faced Real Madrid, one of the planet's most potent attacking teams, with top forwards like Ronaldo and Benzema, and stars like Bale on the bench. Few believed Manchester United could hold them off indefinitely.
Even Manchester United players doubted they could keep defending successfully.
Finally, Real Madrid equalized before halftime.
In the 37th minute, they launched a successful attack. Ronaldo was still tightly marked by Bruno, but this time, Ronaldo didn't confront Bruno directly. After drawing Bruno's attention, he quickly passed the ball to Modric in the middle.
Modric passed to Kroos, who became the primary attacking point for Real Madrid, with Ronaldo acting as a decoy.
This adjustment caught Manchester United off guard.
Seeing Ronaldo with the ball, everyone expected the attack to focus on him. But suddenly, the ball was switched to Manchester United's right flank and Real Madrid's left. Marcelo surged forward, and Kroos delivered a through ball. Marcelo penetrated the penalty area and made a cross!
Benzema was in position, stabbing the ball towards the goal!
De Gea dove to save it, but the ball hit his arm, deflected off the post, and squeezed through the gap between him and the near post.
"Goal!"
"GOOOOOOOOOOL!! GOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOL! GOL! GOL! GOL!! GOOOOOL!! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL——!!"
The Spanish commentator went wild, dragging out the word in a loud roar, showcasing impressive lung capacity.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!! Viva! Real Madrid! Viva! Karim Benzema! Viva!!" After shouting "goal" in one breath, he continued with rapid-fire exclamations, "He equalized for the team! Real Madrid has tied the game! This goal came at the perfect time! Real Madrid regained the initiative and advantage! Both teams are back on equal footing! Real Madrid now has a great chance to win! Because they equalized, this is a severe blow to Manchester United! Forward! Real Madrid!! You are invincible!!"
"Oh no! Real Madrid scored!" Wei He couldn't hide his disappointment and frustration in his commentary, "What a pity! De Gea got a hand on it, but it slipped through!"
"Marcelo… stay on him, don't let him cross… Benzema! Benzema!" British commentator Lineker exclaimed, "Oh no! Oh no! The ball is in… Benzema equalized for Real Madrid! Manchester United's lead is gone…"
In the commentary box, reactions varied as Benzema scored. The Spanish commentator stood with arms raised, while the British commentator buried his head in his hands on the table.
Neutral commentators were relatively calm but also praised Real Madrid's goal, making the match more exciting.
As neutrals, they didn't want to see one-sided matches. Who enjoys a lopsided game?
In the stands, Real Madrid fans celebrated wildly, shaking the Kiev Olympic Stadium. They chanted, "Real Madrid! Real Madrid!! Real Madrid!!!"
In contrast, many Manchester United fans held their heads in despair, looking dejected.
Their fears had come true. Although they had been worried, when it happened, they were still in shock.
Real Madrid players celebrated, surrounding Benzema with pats and cheers.
On the other side, Bruno was encouraging his teammates: "It's just one goal! We're still tied with them! We're not behind, there's nothing to worry about! The key now is to hold steady. There are only a few minutes left in the half. We absolutely can't concede again!"
He clapped loudly, shouting to his teammates to calm their nerves after conceding.
(End of the chapter)
Friends, if you enjoyed the novel, you can subscribe to my Patreon channel.
Until November 30st, get 40% off your subscription and 30% off your novel purchase.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10