Chapter 431: A Crucial Victory
"I think Bruno is right," Kante stood up to support. He was always Bruno's loyal supporter in the team, no matter what Bruno said.
"I don't understand curses and such, but I don't think they matter much. If we let so-called curses affect us and don't win games, is it really the curse at work, or are we making mistakes ourselves?"
This statement was quite philosophical. Things like fortune-telling, curses, and superstitions—do we believe in them because they are effective, or are they effective because we believe in them? The saying "if you believe, it works" could just be a form of psychological suggestion.
If you believe in them, even coincidences will seem like manifestations. If you don't believe, then coincidences are just coincidences. Kante's words made his teammates ponder, and Bruno gave him a grateful look.
Even Lingard, who had previously insisted it was a curse, now frowned, considering Kante's words. The idea of a curse had a foothold in the team because most footballers were superstitious.
"In other words, even if it is a curse, I want to break free from it. I don't believe in such things," Bruno said to his teammates.
...
Back when Bruno was at Novara, facing the formidable Sassuolo, even his teammates thought they couldn't defeat the giant-like team. But Bruno didn't believe in such negativity, and they indeed turned the game around to win the Serie B championship.
When he decided to leave Novara, many top Serie A clubs and even Real Madrid showed interest in him. However, Bruno didn't follow conventional wisdom and transferred to the relatively unknown Udinese. There, he achieved the most glorious three seasons of his career, winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, Europa League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup, achieving a grand slam of club honors.
After finishing his three-year cycle at Udinese, everyone thought moving to the fallen giant Manchester United was a step down. But Bruno again went against the norm, insisted on joining, and ended up creating a fairytale-like reality with his teammates, setting a Premier League half-season record with 18 wins and 1 loss.
Indeed, he had always defied expectations, leaving "common sense," "logic," "reality," and "rationality" behind, leading a weaker Udinese to the top of Europe. So why couldn't he achieve even more with the far better-resourced Manchester United?
...
Mourinho noticed the improved atmosphere in the locker room and the players no longer seemed listless during training. He knew this was Bruno's doing. The change in the locker room must be linked to him, so he expressed his gratitude to Bruno during their pre-training chat.
With the improved team spirit, the fighting capability naturally returned, even though the team still faced numerous problems. For example, Ibrahimovic had a cold before the match against Chelsea and could only sit on the bench. Luke Shaw was sidelined for the third time this season, not even making the squad. With Jones, Mata, Rooney, and others already on the injury list, United had eight players out.
Despite these unfavorable factors, United still managed a clean 3-0 victory over Chelsea at home, avenging their 2-5 defeat at Stamford Bridge in the first half of the season.
In the seventh minute, Herrera sent a through ball from midfield, and Rashford outpaced David Luiz to slot the ball into the bottom left corner, giving United a 1-0 lead. This was Rashford's 16th goal in all competitions and his 10th in the Premier League this season.
In the 49th minute, Ashley Young intercepted the ball from Matic on the left, broke into the box, and after a slight deflection off Zouma, Herrera followed up with a powerful shot that deflected off Zouma into the net, making it 2-0. This was Herrera's first Premier League goal of the season.
...
Seeing United's performance, the commentator couldn't help but praise the characteristic of a young team: "When you have high hopes for them, they disappoint you. But when you lose hope, they surprise you. Before the match, everyone thought Chelsea, fighting to keep their title hopes alive, would easily bring down the struggling United. But here we are, with United leading 2-0 by the 49th minute. We see the familiar United—quick, mobile, and aggressive. Under United's pressure, Chelsea keeps making mistakes and can only defend passively..."
In the 69th minute, Chelsea was hit again. Bruno received the ball from Kante at the edge of the box, evaded Matic, and broke into the left side of the box. Facing the advancing Zouma, he took a strong shot, scoring and sealing the 3-0 win!
This goal ended Bruno's seven-game Premier League goal drought, bringing his league tally to 29 goals this season. In the past seven league games, Bruno had only scored one penalty, giving his pursuers like Kane and Ibrahimovic a chance to close the gap. This prolonged goal drought had hindered Bruno's scoring momentum, and his 10-game assist drought also reflected his dip in form.
...
"3-0! United have removed any suspense from this match and, possibly, from the Premier League title race! Although it's harsh on Chelsea, they didn't show the quality to beat United today. This win came at a crucial time for United, soothing their restless hearts," the commentator said.
Indeed, if anyone thought the recent slump was due to a curse, this victory proved otherwise. As Bruno said, even if there was a curse, they didn't believe in it!
At the final whistle, Old Trafford turned into a sea of joy. The dejected Chelsea fans quickly left, leaving the jubilant United fans to celebrate the victory. The United players embraced each other at the final whistle, understanding the significance of this match. Although it was only the 33rd round, with seven games remaining, this crucial six-pointer had brought them one step closer to the Premier League title.
...
After this match, Chelsea, with one more game played, trailed United by seven points, essentially ending their title hopes. Catching up seven points in six games against a dominant United seemed nearly impossible.
Despite media speculation about United's slump and impending collapse, the team had shown resilience. Throughout the season, United had been strong in the Premier League. Out of 31 matches, they had 26 wins, an 83.87% win rate!
In the Premier League's 25-year history, nine champions had fewer than 26 wins, and three had exactly 26. This means that in the past 24 years, achieving 26 wins almost guaranteed the title!
United had secured 82 out of a possible 93 points, averaging 2.645 points per game. At this rate, they could theoretically reach 100.5 points, becoming the first team in Premier League history to break the 100-point barrier.
...
Mourinho, standing on the sidelines, couldn't help but pump his fists in excitement. This victory was not just about revenge against his old club but also laying a solid foundation for United's league title. His assistant coach, Rui Faria, clapping beside him, said, "I don't think we need to hire someone for psychological counseling anymore, Jose. The boys did great, proving their mentality is strong! Bruno's story worked!"
Mourinho nodded vigorously. "That's why I insisted on bringing him to Old Trafford, Rui. He has a leadership quality, knows how to lead the team, and his experiences are persuasive. Bruno may be young, but he has the experience of winning titles, and that experience helps us now, at this crucial moment! We must win the league with seven games left!"
Faria turned his attention back to the celebrating players. He had interacted with these players extensively since joining the club last summer. He had witnessed their confusion upon arrival, their anxiety under pressure, and their joy after victories. As the assistant coach, he had helped the players transition from being called mercenaries to title contenders. Even though he had witnessed the entire journey, seeing the current scene still surprised him...
(End of Chapter)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10