Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 443: Dominant Aerial Battle

The aerial duel had just ended, with Bruno still maintaining his header posture while Federico lay on the ground, having lost his balance. Federico, looking up at the sky, had only one thought: he's even stronger than before!

Swansea's Federico Fernández was no stranger to Bruno. Back in the 2013-2014 season, when Federico played for Napoli, he faced Bruno three times and knew his technical abilities well. Federico remembered that while Bruno was strong back then, he wasn't as all-rounded as he is now. At that time, heading was still one of Bruno's weaknesses.

Federico missed the first leg of Swansea's match against Manchester United this season due to suspension and didn't get to face Bruno. However, today he realized that the boy who wasn't good at heading had grown into a player who could dominate even against his own 1.9-meter frame.

After landing, Bruno ran straight towards the stand where Manchester United fans were gathered, waving his arms, and the fans responded with loud cheers.

"Manchester United! Manchester United! We are Manchester United!!"

Behind him, standing as a backdrop, were Ki Sung-Yueng and other Swansea players. Ki was extremely frustrated. The man he was supposed to mark had just scored right in front of him, and he could do nothing but watch.

...

As Bruno celebrated his goal with his teammates, Ki Sung-Yueng felt even more determined to show him some real defense. Federico sat up, watching Bruno celebrate. His face was expressionless, but inside, he shook his head. He had been thoroughly outmatched in the aerial duel. Bruno's sense of timing for the ball's drop was more precise than his own. Although Federico stood at 1.9 meters tall and was considered good in the air, he was outdone by a player shorter than him.

"You don't always win headers just by being taller or jumping higher," Federico thought, accepting his defeat.

"Bruno scores!! His 35th league goal this season, breaking the 22-year-old Premier League single-season scoring record!" the commentator exclaimed. "Manchester United leads Swansea 1-0 at Old Trafford! What a fantastic start for the home team!"

...

After celebrating with the fans, Bruno turned back to the pitch, grabbed Ashley Young, and praised him, "Great pass, Ashley!"

Swansea, now trailing, began their counterattack. As a relegation-threatened team, they desperately needed points to secure their place in the Premier League. Despite facing a strong team like Manchester United, they couldn't afford to give up, as time was running out. Including today, they only had three matches left in the season and needed at least three more points to stay up. However, this wasn't easy, considering they had only accumulated 31 points in 34 matches so far, averaging less than a point per game.

In the 18th minute, Ayew received a throw-in, bypassed Maguire and Blind, and took a shot that went wide. In the 20th minute, Sigurdsson's powerful long shot flew over the crossbar. In the 22nd minute, Llorente, closely marked by Maguire, managed a clever pass to Britton, whose shot was saved by De Gea and went out for a corner.

Swansea's offense picked up, reminding the audience that they were still a formidable team despite being in the relegation zone.

...

However, Manchester United wasn't about to let a relegation-threatened team dominate them at Old Trafford. Led by Bruno, they launched a counter-attack. But whenever they attacked, Swansea's foul tactics came into play. Rooney was knocked to the ground, with the opponent only receiving a verbal warning, causing boos from the crowd. Rashford then took a hit to his ankle but managed to shoot before limping to complain to the referee, who again issued only a verbal warning.

The referee's leniency encouraged Swansea, leading to another injury for the recently recovered Luke Shaw, who was substituted in the 28th minute. Shaw, once a promising left-back, found himself back in the "repair shop" after just half an hour of play.

Frustrated by Swansea's repeated fouls and the referee's leniency, United's young players began to lose their cool. When Maguire retaliated with a rough tackle, Swansea players demanded a yellow card. The referee obliged, booking Maguire.

...

This yellow card infuriated United. Mourinho protested on the sidelines, knowing that this yellow card would mean Maguire would be suspended for the next league match. Managing a team involves planning for more than just the current game.

United's players felt the referee's decision was unfair, given that Swansea's numerous fouls had gone unpunished. The first yellow card of the match went to the home team, making them feel like victims.

Inequality breeds discontent, not just in China but worldwide. United's players felt that either the referee should have consistently avoided issuing cards or penalized all infractions equally to curb Swansea's foul-heavy tactics from the start.

This yellow card didn't calm tensions; it fueled the already volatile atmosphere. Bruno had to pull Maguire aside, putting his arm around him to calm him down and prevent a second yellow card.

...

As play resumed, Swansea took their free kick, passing it to the middle rather than directly into the box. Ki Sung-Yueng received the ball but was immediately tackled by Bruno, who separated Ki from the ball, then used his body to shield it, sending Ki to the ground.

Ki waved his arms and yelled, hoping for a central free kick. The referee hesitated but decided against it. Ignoring the protesting Ki, Bruno took the ball forward, leading a United counter-attack.

Ki quickly got up to chase Bruno, who deliberately slowed down, waiting for Ki to catch up. Seeing Bruno slow down, Ki eagerly surged forward, attempting to tackle from the front. But Bruno suddenly braked, slightly raising his arms to create space, causing Ki to collide with Bruno's back and fall again.

Despite being taller, Ki Sung-Yueng was completely outmatched in physical duels with Bruno.

...

After the second collision, the referee still didn't blow the whistle, seeing it as a fair challenge. Bruno took advantage, advancing the ball and forcing a save from Fabianski, earning United a corner.

As Bruno glanced back at the fallen Ki, their eyes met, silently conveying their mutual hostility. Ki had targeted Bruno, and Bruno wasn't about to treat him kindly, especially considering their history.

This brief, silent confrontation was captured by the TV cameras, replaying the scene. "What an interesting moment," chuckled commentator Gary Lineker. "You can see the rivalry in their eyes!"

What seemed amusing to spectators was deadly serious to the players involved. From then on, every time Bruno had the ball, he felt Ki's defensive pressure, complete with fouls and small, dirty tactics. Ki was determined to bring Bruno down, but Bruno stayed on his feet.

On another possession, Ki blatantly kicked Bruno's calf, which would have felled most players. But Bruno, unfazed, kept moving, even setting up Rooney for a dangerous shot despite the foul.

(End of Chapter)

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