Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 441: Ibrahimović

On October 23, 2011, the 9th round of the 2011-2012 Premier League season witnessed a Manchester derby, where reigning champions Manchester United hosted Manchester City at Old Trafford. In the first half, Mario Balotelli opened the scoring for City and famously revealed his undershirt with the message "Why always me?" This declaration stunned both the fans in the stadium and those watching on television.

In the 60th minute of the second half, Balotelli scored again, followed by Agüero making it 3-0. United pulled one back in the 81st minute, but the climax of the match came in the dying moments. David Silva scored and assisted, and Edin Džeko netted twice, resulting in a 6-1 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford. This match is considered one of the most humiliating defeats in United's history and helped City secure their first Premier League title.

This game is largely seen as the beginning of the end for Sir Alex Ferguson and his United dynasty. Although Ferguson reclaimed the Premier League title in the 2012-2013 season, many saw it as a brief resurgence rather than a sustained comeback.

On the evening of April 26, 2017, in a rescheduled match of the 2016-2017 Premier League season, José Mourinho led a newly restructured Manchester United team to Etihad Stadium. Bruno Fernandes single-handedly orchestrated a 5-0 demolition of Manchester City, scoring a hat-trick, providing an assist, and creating another goal. This comprehensive victory avenged the humiliating defeat at Old Trafford.

The Guardian confidently stated that this Manchester derby would be remembered as a milestone match, marking the resurgence of Manchester United and the dawn of a new era.

"After this battle, Bruno will be an irreplaceable king at the Theater of Dreams!"

...

Apart from praising Bruno for his hat-trick, The Guardian also published an analysis of the tactical setups of both teams. They believed that Mourinho's tactics in the first half effectively stifled City's attack and ball control, particularly highlighting the contributions of the double pivot, Fellaini and Kanté, in protecting the defense.

"City made critical tactical errors from the start, eager to replicate their 6-1 victory to improve their Champions League qualification hopes, but they lacked sufficient caution."

"Yaya Touré's foul on Bruno changed the course of the match. Before that, City had the upper hand, but Bruno's exceptional free-kick turned the foul into a scoring opportunity for United."

"Heroes are often born of their times, but they also create those times. Bruno's free-kick is proof of this; he single-handedly steered the game in United's favor, with City repeatedly making errors that United capitalized on to score."

"By halftime, trailing 0-3, City's chances of winning were virtually gone."

...

"At halftime, Guardiola made adjustments and urged his players to expand their attacking width. Initially, City seemed to be broadening their attack, especially on the flanks."

"But at this moment, whether due to immense pressure or an impulsive act, Yaya Touré committed a foolish handball, earning a second yellow card and a red card. This left City with ten men for the remaining half-hour."

"By then, the outcome was clear. United would win; the only question was by how many goals. Sadly, City failed to score and conceded five."

The Guardian viewed this match as United's best performance of the season, showcasing their attacking prowess and individual brilliance.

"This might not have been a perfect game, but it was a top-level contest. United's 5-0 victory over City proves their strength and potential."

However, The Guardian also reminded readers, "The score doesn't tell the whole story. Tonight's City wasn't the unstoppable force we know. They created chances but failed to capitalize on them."

...

The Manchester Evening News also devoted extensive coverage to this derby. Praising Bruno for his hat-trick and involvement in all five goals, they asserted that his performance at Etihad Stadium was legendary, akin to Andrei Kanchelskis's feats.

"With this performance at Etihad, Bruno has cemented his place among United legends, just like Kanchelskis."

The Manchester Evening News highlighted that United not only secured a 5-0 victory but also discovered a way to neutralize City by daring to attack them at Etihad.

"Although City had 62% possession compared to United's 38%, United's efficiency was superior, creating 18 shots with eight on target, scoring five. In contrast, City managed nine shots with only three on target."

...

The Manchester Evening News also analyzed the match statistics, noting that City's possession didn't significantly change before and after Touré's red card, indicating Mourinho's strategic approach.

"United's strategy proved effective. They didn't compete for possession but excelled in transitions, making City uncomfortable. While City seemed to control the game, they failed to create significant threats."

"United's tackles, fouls, and corners were on par with City, but City fell into United's offside traps more often."

"United's double the number of shots as City shows their superior offensive efficiency."

Facing Bruno, Agüero continued his recent slump, working hard but unable to find his form. Mourinho's tactics, with Kanté and Fellaini focusing on Agüero, significantly contributed to his subdued performance. The Argentine striker constantly faced challenges from United's formidable defenders.

...

The 5-0 victory against City brought a jubilant atmosphere to Carrington Training Complex. Players, coaches, and staff were all smiles, even the usually stern security guards at the entrance were unusually friendly.

Outside, the media and fans heaped praise on United, almost as if they had already won the Premier League title, despite six matches remaining and only a seven-point lead over Chelsea.

It's worth noting that in the 2011-2012 season, United had an eight-point lead over City with six games left but still lost the title. Yet, this history seemed forgotten in the euphoria of the moment.

However, the memory of that season and the long injury list cast a shadow over Bruno.

After the match, United announced Ibrahimović's injury: a severe ACL tear, ruling him out for the rest of the 2016-2017 season and most of 2017, with an earliest possible return in January 2018.

Injuries are the bane of all professional athletes. For Ibrahimović, who was about to turn 36, this injury could be career-altering, causing everyone to feel a chill of unease.

Who knows when it might be their turn to suffer a similar fate?

...

As someone who knew the future, Bruno was aware that Ibrahimović's career wouldn't end due to this injury, but it would still have a significant impact on him.

In football, such incidents are unavoidable, no matter how much one tries to avoid them.

Bruno, being a key player constantly targeted by opponents, faced relentless fouls and rough play.

What could he do?

Fear and retreat would only make him lose himself. That wouldn't be Bruno.

Every professional player, whether it's Ibrahimović today or someone else tomorrow, feels uneasy upon hearing about injuries because no one knows if they will be the next unlucky one.

But Bruno resolved in his heart to never back down, no matter what.

Injuries and aging are like two mountains pressing on every professional player's mind. But precisely because of this, he must work harder, be more diligent, and stronger.

He knew that weakness and fear only made things worse.

Death is the fairest thing in the world. Everyone will die, and life is a journey towards the grave. But precisely because of this, one should cherish every day of life.

The same goes for a footballer's career; no one can play forever. There will always be a day to leave the pitch.

So, Bruno cherished every day he could still play healthily more than anyone.

(End of Chapter)

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