Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 281: Immobile's Transformation

In football, morale is an elusive yet powerful force—intangible but significant. Before Bruno's goal, Juventus firmly controlled the game, suppressing Udinese. Leading 4-0 at halftime with an extra player on the field, Juventus seemed assured of victory.

However, everything changed after Bruno's spectacular goal. Despite being down to ten men, Udinese's spirits soared, and they began to consistently threaten Juventus's goal.

Following Bruno's successful dribble and cross, which led to a dangerous shot by Immobile, Juventus's subsequent attack was intercepted, leading to another Udinese counterattack.

It was Bruno again! Again, from the left flank!

It was clear now that Udinese was targeting Juventus's right side, using Bruno's speed to repeatedly assault Lichtsteiner. At 32 years old, Lichtsteiner, despite being in good shape, could not defy the natural decline in physical capabilities with age. Facing Bruno and Adnan's relentless pressure was becoming increasingly difficult.

Yes, Lichtsteiner wasn't just dealing with Bruno; Adnan, Udinese's original left midfielder, was also on the pitch. Additionally, Ashley Cole, who had somewhat recovered his form, occasionally joined in the attack.

Allegri was fully aware of this but finding a solution was proving difficult. Bruno's pairing with Adnan on the left side was becoming an insurmountable challenge for Juventus.

This time, Adnan brought the ball forward, struggling past Asamoah's challenge before passing to Bruno, following the familiar pattern.

Lichtsteiner came up to defend Bruno once more, facing a now familiar challenge.

This time, Bruno employed a different strategy. After receiving the ball, he feigned a left-side breakthrough before quickly shifting the ball to his right and accelerating. Lichtsteiner was easily outmaneuvered, unable to keep up. He attempted to grab Bruno's shirt but failed.

Khedira, anticipating the trouble, prepared to assist. As Bruno bypassed Lichtsteiner, Khedira stepped up.

The German midfielder intended to intercept but only witnessed Bruno, like a black-and-white flash, darting past him. Khedira managed to touch Bruno's shirt but couldn't hold him back as Bruno accelerated further.

A close-up shot showed Khedira's outstretched hand in a futile attempt to grab Bruno's shirt, but Bruno was already far ahead.

Udinese's local TV commentator screamed in excitement, "Wow! This speed is unmatched!"

Bruno sped past two defenders, approaching the penalty area with Rugani coming to intercept.

Seeing Bruno's relentless charge, Rugani desperately attempted a sliding tackle near the goal line. Meanwhile, Bruno passed the ball with his left foot, which deflected off Rugani's foot, bouncing dangerously towards the goal. Buffon almost missed the ball.

"Brilliant! Bruno is unstoppable on Juventus's right side!" Udinese's coach Guidolin grinned with satisfaction, contrasting Allegri's distressed expression. "This guy is too threatening!"

Two minutes later, Bruno was at it again. This time, Widmer dribbled towards the middle from the right, passing diagonally to Bruno.

Facing Lichtsteiner once more, Bruno's movements were now more complex. He feinted left and right multiple times, causing Lichtsteiner to stagger. Finally, Bruno pushed the ball forward and accelerated, leaving Lichtsteiner behind and creating space for a cross.

Bruno then curled the ball towards the goal with his left foot. Buffon, tracking the ball, initially prepared to catch it mid-air but quickly realized its arc was too high. The ball sailed over Buffon's head.

At the far post, Immobile, who recently joined Udinese during the winter transfer window, arrived just in time to volley the ball.

The spectators stood up, watching the goal intently. If Udinese scored, they'd only be two goals behind. This would be remarkable, having clawed back two goals while a man down.

Juventus fans, on the other hand, were anxious. If Udinese scored, their momentum would build, casting doubt on Juventus's ability to secure a win at the Friuli Stadium. With ten minutes remaining, Udinese had the capacity to score more goals.

With a loud "clang," the ball hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced down. Buffon scrambled to catch it, but Immobile was already celebrating.

The stands erupted in cheers. Although the fans couldn't see clearly, they trusted the players' reactions closest to the action. Juventus players protested, signaling the ball hadn't crossed the line, but the referee, after consulting the linesman, confirmed the goal.

"GOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!" "It's a goal!" "Immobile's shot crossed the line before Buffon caught it!" "2-4! Udinese has scored two consecutive goals!" "Incredible second half! Udinese, with ten men, has fought back from a 0-4 deficit to score two goals!" "Ciro Immobile scores in his first Serie A game back after a year and a half away!"

Immobile, overwhelmed with emotion, ran to hug Bruno, who assisted him. The nearly 26-year-old Italian striker, with tears in his eyes, thanked the 21-year-old Bruno repeatedly.

At this age, Immobile should be in his career prime, but his time in the Bundesliga and La Liga had been disastrous, labeled as a flop by the media.

Just as he began doubting his career, Udinese extended a lifeline. Guidolin brought him back to Italy, and within two weeks, he started against Juventus.

However, in the first half, due to the team's overall poor performance, he barely made an impact. Even in Udinese's limited attacks, his lack of chemistry with teammates made him look out of place.

Immobile started to question his abilities, considering giving up on the game. But then he saw Bruno, the team's star, and recent Ballon d'Or winner, running tirelessly.

That moment profoundly moved him, igniting a powerful determination. He realized why Bruno had led Udinese to such success—it wasn't just talent or team strength but relentless effort and never giving up.

Immobile saw his path forward: persistence and never giving up. He noticed the entire team was inspired, moving energetically, compensating for their numerical disadvantage.

Then, he witnessed Bruno's stunning solo goal, which rejuvenated the team and led to his own goal, reducing the deficit and giving hope of a comeback.

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