Chapter 596: All-Out Effort
Bruno glanced back at the ball, planning to adjust his speed and let the ball fall in front of him. The ball dropped behind him, and as he stretched his foot to control it, he felt a kick to his supporting leg. Despite the hit, he didn't fall, as it wasn't strong enough to disturb him.
He surged forward, continuing to control the ball. Just then, someone grabbed his jersey, pulling him back. He couldn't run any further.
The referee's whistle blew: foul by Real Madrid!
Isco had committed the foul and quickly ran away. The referee signaled a free kick for Manchester United, but their counter-attack opportunity was gone.
Bruno gave Isco a meaningful look as he retreated.
In the first half, Bruno hadn't received this kind of treatment. Real Madrid had played politely, with no yellow cards issued. This showed how his first-half performance had made them wary, prompting them to use underhanded tactics against him.
These moves indicated Real Madrid's high regard for him, as they couldn't stop Bruno with conventional means and resorted to these minor fouls.
As the game progressed, whenever Manchester United transitioned from defense to attack and Bruno got the ball in their half, at least two Real Madrid players would rush to foul him. They weren't even trying to steal the ball; their primary aim was to foul.
The fouls were minor, such as pulling jerseys, pushing, or tripping.
These didn't warrant cards but effectively disrupted Manchester United's fast breaks, causing their players to run in vain repeatedly.
Under such pressure, Bruno couldn't organize a single quick attack.
Realizing this, Bruno decided to reduce the time the ball stayed at his feet, rendering the fouls ineffective.
When the ball came to him again, he used his heel to pass it to Kante behind him, leaving the opponents no chance to foul. If they fouled off the ball, they would certainly get a yellow card.
Such tactical changes made Manchester United's already fast attack even quicker by minimizing ball retention time.
Kante passed the ball to Bruno, but the pass was weak, and Kroos was nearby. Seeing this, Kroos rushed in.
Kante immediately regretted the weak pass and stepped back to prepare for defense.
Bruno didn't give up on the ball, rushing forward with Kroos to contest it.
Most players in Bruno's position would clear the ball to escape the tight space or try to dribble out of Kroos's pressure.
But Bruno had other plans. Stepping towards the ball, he appeared ready to clear it or pull it back. Instead, he gently lifted the ball over Kroos's leg, sending it back to Kante.
Kante, who had stepped back, saw the ball coming and quickly controlled it. Following Bruno's signal, he passed the ball to the far side, breaking Real Madrid's pressing.
The crowd applauded Bruno's skill, but this wasn't his only brilliant moment.
As he moved forward, Valencia sent a long pass from the back. Bruno controlled the ball, and Casemiro was closing in fast.
Bruno didn't try to keep the ball or stop it.
After cushioning the ball with his left foot, he half-turned and used the outside of his right foot to flick it sideways, perfectly setting up Kante, who ran past him and continued the attack.
Real Madrid's players didn't expect such a pass, allowing Kante to break through with ease.
"Whoa!" United fans exclaimed in awe.
Commentators praised Bruno's technique and awareness.
"Brilliant!"
"What else can we say but beautiful?"
"Casemiro couldn't even touch Bruno's shirt, and the ball was already passed!"
"Bruno gave Real Madrid's maestros a lesson!"
Such praise echoed in the commentary box.
These moments continued throughout the match, with Mourinho often applauding Bruno's performances.
As Manchester United's coach for two seasons, Mourinho had seen Bruno's brilliance but never as frequently. Only against top-tier opponents, when Bruno was fully focused, did he deliver such stunning performances.
Bruno's display unsettled Real Madrid's players. They hadn't seen this level of skill in previous footage.
Previously, they thought Bruno was just an excellent playmaker. Now, they realized he was much more—undoubtedly one of the world's top midfielders.
When they expected him to control the ball, he would dribble past Casemiro. When they thought he was trapped, he would pass out of a tight spot. When they anticipated him taking time with a high ball, he would instantly set up a teammate.
Such performances were familiar to Real Madrid fans, reminiscent of Zidane, their current coach, who once dazzled them with similar brilliance.
Bruno knew Real Madrid was getting flustered by his fast play.
To capitalize on this, he pushed his teammates to speed up their attacks.
In the 60th minute, Real Madrid had just finished an attack, and Benzema's shot was caught by De Gea.
Seeing De Gea with the ball, Real Madrid players hurriedly retreated, aware of Manchester United's rapid counter-attacks.
With Real Madrid retreating quickly, De Gea didn't rush to release the ball. He waited for everyone to get into position, then launched a long kick forward.
Harry Kane challenged Ramos in the center and won, heading the ball back.
Bruno moved forward to receive the headed ball, controlling it with his foot.
Casemiro quickly pressured him, but Bruno didn't continue dribbling or wrestle with Casemiro. Instead, he feinted a left pass with his left foot, causing Casemiro to shift that way. Then, Bruno used his right foot to push the ball to the right, opposite to Casemiro's movement.
Casemiro couldn't adjust in time, and Bruno burst past him!
As Bruno bypassed Casemiro, he faced Modric close by.
Real Madrid's strategy was to have defenders close together, denying Bruno space for multiple dribbles. They aimed to intercept during his transitions.
Facing Modric, Bruno slowed down to stabilize his control, despite having just escaped Casemiro.
As Casemiro turned and Modric stepped up, Bruno horizontally passed the ball to the right.
Kante received it, and Bruno, now without the ball, easily slipped between the two defenders.
Manchester United surged forward, with even the defensive midfielder Kante crossing the halfway line. The fullbacks acted almost like wingers.
Manchester United's aggressive attack was a headache for many opponents and an opportunity for others.
Real Madrid had the ability to exploit such gaps, so they weren't panicking. They waited for Manchester United to leave openings.
(End of the chapter)
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