Chapter 603: Bruno Refuses to Give Up
After taking the lead, Real Madrid seemed to relax a bit. The situation looked too good for them: they were one goal ahead and had an extra player on the field. It seemed impossible for them to lose the match.
They believed Manchester United was just making a last-ditch effort, not something to worry about.
In this context, Bruno led Manchester United in playing their signature fast counter-attacking football.
Earlier, the Spanish commentator had proudly declared, "Maybe other teams don't know how to play with an extra man, but our Real Madrid won't have that problem! Real Madrid excels at controlling the ball. Now, with an extra player, their ball control will be even more effortless. They will dominate the game, passing the ball around to kill time. This match has no suspense!"
But he realized he had spoken too soon. The Manchester United players were like mad dogs, running tirelessly all over the field, pressing and surrounding Real Madrid players aggressively.
Their pressing was even more intense than at the start of the match!
Under such pressure, the slightly complacent Real Madrid players struggled. They couldn't maintain their ball control and instead gave Manchester United a few attacking opportunities.
On one occasion, after a front-field steal, Bruno sent a through ball to Ibrahimović, who turned and shot. If it weren't for Navas being alert and reacting quickly, their goal might have been breached.
Zidane had initially sat back down on the bench after taking the lead, but now he returned to the sidelines, expressing dissatisfaction with his team's defense.
Ramos shouted to remind his teammates, "Don't relax! The match isn't over! We haven't won yet!"
With his reminder, the Real Madrid players gradually refocused, once again showcasing their exceptional ball control skills.
...
By the 80th minute, the score was still 3-2, with Real Madrid leading.
Zidane made a substitution, bringing on Nacho for Benzema, clearly aiming to strengthen the defense.
Nacho didn't take up his usual center-back position but instead partnered with Casemiro as dual defensive midfielders.
With Casemiro and Nacho teaming up, Zidane was confident they could stop Bruno.
Mourinho, on the other hand, hadn't played his last card yet. He still clung to the hope that if they could equalize, they could drag the match into extra time, making that substitution valuable.
"It's the 80th minute! Ten minutes left in the match, and the score remains 3-2, with Real Madrid leading."
"Now they control the ball, and the Manchester United players can only chase after them, disadvantaged by being a man down, which is even more pronounced against a team like Real Madrid."
"For Manchester United, these might be the longest ten minutes they've ever endured. The glittering Champions League trophy is almost within reach, but after these ten minutes, it's destined for their opponents..."
...
The commentator wasn't just talking without reason.
On the pitch, Real Madrid players controlled the ball, passing it around and making Manchester United players run back and forth. Just when they seemed close to intercepting the ball, it was passed away.
At this stage of the match, many players were near exhaustion.
Moreover, this was the last match of the season. The fatigue accumulated throughout the season was showing in this game.
Manchester United had maintained an unbeaten record this season, meaning they reached the finals in every competition, playing the maximum number of matches possible.
In fact, this Champions League final was Manchester United's 65th match of the season!
Even with a deep squad and Mourinho rotating the lineup as much as possible, almost all of Manchester United's main players had played over 40 matches!
How many could still hold on until the end? What chance did they have of equalizing?
Even if they managed to equalize, so what? There would be another thirty minutes of extra time. Could a depleted and exhausted Manchester United withstand that?
Even if they made it to a penalty shootout, what chance did they have against the experienced Real Madrid players?
Their backup goalkeeper isn't better than Navas at saving penalties. They don't have many penalty specialists. Their mental toughness isn't superior to Real Madrid's veterans.
...
These questions plagued everyone, including some Manchester United players.
Many felt that fighting Real Madrid this hard was enough to maintain their dignity. Losing the match wouldn't be shameful. They had given their all but fell short at the end. There was no disgrace or regret in that.
As for Manchester United, their season had already been outstanding. They remained unbeaten, won the Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, League Cup, Premier League, and FA Cup. They reached the Champions League final and fought Real Madrid until the last moment.
Human effort has limits. There's no need to strive for something beyond your abilities. They could proudly accept the silver medals as the runners-up.
As outsiders said, "You lost the title, but you won the world's respect. You lost with honor!"
But there was one person who didn't think that way: Bruno!
No matter how Real Madrid moved the ball around, the Manchester United captain, Bruno, never tired of running. He seemed unfazed by Real Madrid's passing game.
He had started in Portugal's second division, played in Serie B, led an unknown Udinese to the pinnacle of Europe, and never backed down on the pitch. He was the creator of many "miracles."
...
As the match progressed another five minutes, the score was still 3-2, with Real Madrid leading.
During this time, Real Madrid clearly dominated possession. Once the ball was at their feet, it was tough for Manchester United to regain it, relying on rare turnovers.
Even when they did get the ball, Real Madrid had already regrouped defensively. Manchester United had to rebuild their attack from the back, making it very challenging.
Looking at Real Madrid's tight defense, with their three lines in perfect order, and considering their own team's situation, it was truly disheartening.
If the match continued this way, Manchester United might not score even with fifty more minutes.
The reality was that both teams were eager for the match to end soon. Real Madrid wanted to secure their victory, and Manchester United lacked the stamina for much more time. The next five minutes would be decisive.
There are several ways to break the deadlock, like set-pieces.
But Real Madrid controlled the game so well that Manchester United couldn't force fouls, rendering their free-kick specialists, including Bruno, useless.
Bruno felt that to break the deadlock, they had to stick to their pressing and counter-attacking strategy, catching Real Madrid off guard.
But this required the whole team's cooperation. Given their current stamina, even if they won the ball back, they might not have the energy to launch a quick counter-attack.
...
Now, the only players with good stamina besides himself were the recently substituted teammates, Romero, and Ibrahimović.
Romero, being a goalkeeper, couldn't join the full-field press and then rush forward to help in attack.
The only one who could keep up with his pace and help was Ibrahimović.
As for defense?
They couldn't give up. Even if Real Madrid passed the ball quickly, they had to find a way to intercept.
All the commentators were silent, including Andy Gray and He Wei. They couldn't think of any reason to stay optimistic.
If Manchester United really lost this match, they might have to resort to cliché phrases. Things like "glorious defeat," "life is tough but don't give up," or "being runners-up isn't bad"...
He took a moment to glance at the other stands. Real Madrid fans were already celebrating prematurely.
They were all standing, waving their arms, and singing Real Madrid's anthem.
"Real Madrid! Real Madrid!" their chants echoed through the Kyiv Olympic Stadium, making everyone who heard them pause.
Listen, listen to the victorious songs of Real Madrid fans!
...
In contrast, most Manchester United fans were silent. They sat dejectedly in their seats, seemingly accepting the reality: no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't defeat Real Madrid and win the title.
For them, perhaps reaching the Champions League final for the first time in seven years and hoping to win was a luxury.
But are they really content?
Is it that easy to reach a Champions League final?
They finally made it to a final and performed well, twice leading Real Madrid. They proved they could compete with the best in the world. Why couldn't they dream of winning the Champions League?
Why not?
Manchester United fans sat in this contradictory and painful state, unsure of what to do.
(END CHAPTER)
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