Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Udinese's Goal
Chapter 199: Udinese's Goal
On January 18, 2015, at 3 PM local time in Italy, a highly anticipated match kicked off at the Friuli Stadium. This was the 19th round of Serie A, with Udinese hosting relegation-threatened Cagliari.
This match marked Bruno's first game since being named to the FIFA Best XI. As the first player in Udinese's history to earn such an honor, the club held a ceremony before the match to celebrate his achievement. Bruno entered the field holding the trophy, receiving applause and cheers from over 40,000 fans at the stadium.
Once the match began, Bruno showed great enthusiasm on the pitch. As a member of last year's FIFA Best XI, Bruno was determined to prove he wasn't a fluke.
Cagliari, with a record of just 3 wins, 6 draws, and 9 losses from the first 18 rounds, was deeply entrenched in the relegation zone. Facing a full-strength and determined Udinese, they stood little chance.
In the first half, Bruno capitalized on a set-piece opportunity to give Udinese a 1-0 lead. In the second half, just recovered from the flu, team captain Di Natale scored from close range to make it 2-0. In stoppage time, Udinese scored again from a corner. Bruno's precise delivery found Di Natale, who sealed the final score at 3-0.
With 19 rounds completed, Udinese achieved an impressive record of 16 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, accumulating 50 points to lead the Serie A table. Achieving 50 points at the halfway mark is one of the top three records in Serie A history, surpassed only by Juventus in the 2005-2006 season and Inter Milan in the 2006-2007 season.
In the 2005-2006 season, Juventus, unstoppable before the Calciopoli scandal, amassed 52 points after 19 rounds. The following year, with Juventus relegated due to the scandal, Inter Milan dominated, achieving 51 points from 16 wins and 3 draws. These are the only teams with higher halfway points than Udinese this season.
Even last season's Juventus, which set a record with 102 points in a single season in Europe's top five leagues, had only 49 points at the halfway mark with 16 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.
Lorenzo, a reporter for the local Udine newspaper, praised Udinese's performance in his column: "Udinese is one of the strongest teams in Serie A in recent years, thanks to Coach Guidolin. This team, marked by his influence, deserves all the praise for their record of 16 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, accumulating 50 points in 19 rounds. I can't help but bow to Coach Guidolin; this is all thanks to his efforts!"
While it's normal for local media to praise Udinese, even Juventus' mouthpiece, "La Gazzetta dello Sport," lauded Guidolin and Udinese: "With 16 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, totaling 50 points, this score ranks among the top three in the history of Italy's top league. This is a dreamlike achievement for Udinese!"
Despite the media's accolades, Udinese remained composed in interviews. For instance, on January 21, Coach Guidolin sat in his office at the training base, giving a joint interview with local Udine media, Milan's "Gazzetta dello Sport" reporter Roderick, and the UK's "The Times" columnist Smith. Guidolin refused to discuss Udinese as this season's favorite for the Serie A title.
"Coach Guidolin, congratulations on Udinese's excellent performance. Can you talk about the team's goal for this season?" asked John, the local media reporter.
Guidolin pondered, "We are always working towards our set goals. Achieving these goals isn't easy; it requires the efforts of my coaching team, the players, and all the staff at the club. So far, we've done quite well. I am grateful to the club's staff and proud of the players' hard work and efforts."
"And what is your goal?" Roderick from "Gazzetta dello Sport" asked eagerly.
"Our goal is to secure a spot in the Champions League," Guidolin stated seriously.
The journalists' expressions were priceless.
"Wow!" exclaimed John from "Udine Daily." "Coach Guidolin, did I hear correctly? You're aiming for a Champions League spot? Are you sure you said the Champions League?"
"Yes," Guidolin responded with a surprised look, seemingly puzzled by the surprise. "Udinese is a small club with an annual budget of less than 50 million euros. Aiming for the Champions League is already a high goal."
Smith from "The Times" couldn't hold back and asked, "So, Coach Guidolin, even though Udinese has 50 points from 16 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, leading Juventus by 6 points, your goal is still only to secure a Champions League spot and not to compete for the league title?"
Guidolin smiled and nodded, "Yes."
"But I believe Udinese is fully capable of competing for the league title. Goals should evolve with the situation," Roderick from "Gazzetta dello Sport" argued, puzzled.
"If at the start of the season, Udinese set their goal as competing for a European spot, it would be understandable. But now, with their current record and form, they are certainly qualified to aim higher."
Guidolin laughed, "Thank you for your confidence in Udinese, but competing for the league title is too difficult for us. We are a small club with limited strength. Our current good performance doesn't guarantee anything. For example, last season, before the winter break, we were only 1 point behind Juventus. Even at the halfway mark, the gap was just 6 points. But by the end of the season, Juventus had 102 points, and we had only 76!"
He concluded, "The season is long. For a thin squad like Udinese, any main player's issue could affect our performance and ultimately our final results. We also have to consider the Champions League knockout stages."
The reporters were left speechless.
On January 22, "Gazzetta dello Sport" reporter Roderick published a report on his interview with Coach Guidolin, stating: "Frankly, I don't believe Udinese's goal should only be to secure a Champions League spot. Based on Serie A history, Udinese's performance this season, and external views, they are strong contenders for the league title."
The next day, "The Times" reporter Smith wrote in his column: "With 16 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss from 19 rounds, totaling 50 points, Udinese is considered one of the strongest Serie A teams in recent years. Coach Guidolin told us their goal is still to secure a European spot, which surprised us. After closely observing his expression, it was clear he was sincere. Despite their remarkable performance, he remains modest, which I find overly cautious."
"But I understand his reasoning, given their competition is Juventus. For other Italian teams, Juventus is formidable, having won Serie A three consecutive times, with last season's record-breaking 102 points. They earned 53 points in the second half of the season alone."
"However, last season's Juventus performance is unrepeatable. This season, Juventus is not as strong, with only 44 points, 5 fewer than the same period last season. While Udinese faces dual competitions, Juventus's challenge is greater, with three competitions to contend with, including the Italian Cup, where they've reached the quarterfinals. Udinese strategically abandoned the Italian Cup."
On the same day, "Udine Daily" also published a joint report on the interview, praising Guidolin as a modest coach. They insisted that Udinese's goal must be the Serie A title and suggested Guidolin was merely being humble.
Reading these reports, Bruno sighed and muttered, "What a bunch of clueless teammates."
(End of Chapter)
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