Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 452: Reassurance

At 3 PM GMT on May 21, 2017, the final ten matches of the 38th round of the Premier League kicked off simultaneously.

By noon, two to three hours before the match, Manchester United fans were already lining up to enter the stadium.

The official website of Manchester United had called on fans to come to Old Trafford to support the team, fill the stadium, and prepare to welcome the club's first English top league title in four years. This would be United's 21st English top league title and the 14th Premier League title in the club's history.

This call was met with some sour criticism from the media, as the tickets for this match had sold out half a month ago, making any additional calls for attendance unnecessary.

Even the cheapest tickets, originally priced at £40, were now being resold for £200, yet they were still in high demand.

According to predictions by The Times, if United won the title, nearly 500,000 Manchester United fans would flood Old Trafford and the surrounding areas.

As the most successful football club in England and one of the biggest globally, Manchester United boasts a massive fan base both domestically and internationally, unrivaled by any other Premier League team.

...

Moreover, Manchester United enjoys widespread support among the British upper class.

According to a report by The Sun, the VIP boxes at Old Trafford that night would be filled with celebrities. The Sun even listed a roster of prominent figures likely to attend: British Prime Minister Theresa May, Qatari King Tamim, American movie star Julia Roberts, sprinting legend Usain Bolt, world-renowned snooker champion Ding Junhui, and former United star David Beckham with his wife Victoria, among others.

Of course, United's own legends and executives, such as their owner Jassim, legendary coach Ferguson, and club ambassador Sir Bobby Charlton, would also be present.

This match, or more precisely, if United could win the title, would mark the first step in re-establishing their influence across the UK and the world after four years.

...

At 2:15 PM, the United team bus arrived at the stadium.

The players were greeted with thunderous cheers from the fans outside. The large screens inside the stadium broadcasted the team's arrival, drawing a huge cheer from the crowd.

Team captain Wayne Rooney and star midfielder Bruno Fernandes were the first to disembark. They were followed by Carrick, Rashford, Lingard, Mata, Kante, and the rest of the team.

Mourinho and his coaching staff were the last to get off the bus. Mourinho didn't give any interviews but flashed a "V" sign at the camera, which elicited excited shouts from the fans both at the stadium and watching on TV.

The scene then shifted to a police car leading a vehicle marked with the English FA's emblem arriving at Old Trafford.

Several FA staff members got out, one of them pushing a silver-gray travel case. They were escorted deep into the stadium's corridors.

They arrived at a room where one of them entered a code to open the case, revealing the Premier League trophy.

Seeing this, the stadium erupted in cheers.

The Premier League trophy had returned to Old Trafford after four years!

...

In the home team's locker room at Old Trafford, Mourinho clapped his hands, signaling everyone to stop what they were doing and listen.

"Although the media are hyping this match as crucial and important," Mourinho said loudly, "they're not entirely correct."

"This is our night of victory!" Mourinho punched the air. "It's that simple!"

Ten minutes later, amidst the deafening cheers inside and outside Old Trafford, referee Anthony Taylor blew the whistle to start the match.

The camera gave a close-up of the players' tunnel, where the Premier League trophy stood quietly.

...

"GOOOOOOOAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

A huge cheer erupted from the stands at Stamford Bridge.

In the 7th minute, Marcos Alonso's free kick hit the post, and Chelsea patiently reorganized their attack. Willian received the ball on the right side of the box and blasted it into the net, equalizing the score.

Yes, Chelsea had equalized because Sunderland had taken the lead in the 2nd minute. Larsson's free kick deflected off the wall and fell to Manquillo, who scored to give Sunderland the lead at Stamford Bridge.

However, Sunderland's lead lasted only five minutes before Chelsea's relentless attack broke through.

Chelsea didn't celebrate the equalizer too much, knowing that they still needed to win and rely on United dropping points to have any chance at the title.

The Chelsea fans, though, were thrilled with the quick equalizer.

...

Conte remained seated, turning to ask, "What's happening at United?"

"It's still 0-0."

Conte nodded, not saying much. Chelsea's title hopes were slim, hinging on United not winning.

The best scenario was United losing, which would mean Chelsea winning the title. If United drew, Chelsea would need to win by at least 21 goals to take the title.

This was practically impossible.

Conte's thoughts were interrupted by cheers from the Sunderland fans at Stamford Bridge, accompanied by boos from most of the stands.

Conte's face darkened. He knew this meant United had scored.

...

At Old Trafford, 14 minutes had passed unnoticed.

United unleashed their energy from the start, besieging Crystal Palace. But Palace held firm.

Though they had no stakes in the match, Palace played defensively, aiming to prevent United from scoring.

Palace and United have a complex relationship. In some ways, Palace acts like a satellite club for United. Zaha, a key player for Palace, was bought from United and loaned back before being sold to Palace again.

If United needed three points for the title, Palace might have conceded. But with United only needing a draw, Palace hoped to avoid losing.

Moreover, they were level with West Ham in points. A draw could improve their league position and earn them millions in bonuses.

Palace's defensive shield withstood United's onslaught repeatedly. Finally, a crack appeared.

Carrick advanced and sent a through ball. Bruno, moving quickly, slipped between two defenders and, under the hopeful eyes of the fans, fired a low shot into the net.

Old Trafford erupted in cheers.

Mourinho leaped high, vigorously waving his arms to celebrate the goal.

Finally, they had scored!

Well done, Bruno!

For Mourinho, Bruno's goal was a huge relief.

...

"Although Crystal Palace tried hard to stop United from scoring, they couldn't succeed. What a beautiful goal from Bruno!"

"Bruno Fernandes! He scores for United, a crucial goal! Look at Mourinho celebrating on the sideline as if he scored the goal himself..."

"This is Bruno's 37th Premier League goal this season, extending his lead in the European Golden Shoe race by two goals. He's highly likely to win the European Golden Shoe for the first time."

...

In the VIP boxes, celebrities and dignitaries applauded.

The camera zoomed in on the important guests.

The Prime Minister and the Qatari King high-fived.

United owner Jassim pumped his fist and hugged his friends, celebrating like a regular fan.

Beckham smiled and clapped, sharing a kiss with his wife, Victoria.

Usain Bolt, the sprinting legend known as "The Lightning Bolt," grinned widely, showing his white teeth.

...

With the goal breaking the deadlock, Mourinho breathed a sigh of relief and happily returned to his seat.

"What's happening at Chelsea?" assistant coach Faria asked.

"No need to worry about them," Mourinho replied.

Being the leader is comfortable. Just focus on your game, and let others envy you.

(End of the chapter)

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