Chapter 1012 The powerful Real Madrid
This game was indeed very eye-catching, attracting more attention than Villarreal's home game against Liverpool the next day.
After all, Manchester United and Real Madrid's influence in world football undoubtedly exceeds that of Liverpool and Villarreal.
The podium at the Bernabeu was filled with celebrities, even King Juan Carlos II of Spain came to watch the game and cheer for Real Madrid.
Such extraordinary high-standard treatment is nothing more than the hope of seeing Real Madrid complete an almost impossible comeback in their home stadium, creating a miracle and a myth.
As they entered the Bernabéu Stadium, the Manchester United players felt a surge of pressure, as if they were going to be the enemy of the entire world. Many of their hearts began to beat faster.
But there are always unexpected things. In the tense team, Bruno behaved like an outsider. Wearing the captain's armband and walking at the front of the team, he even waved to the roaring Real Madrid fans!
Of course, his action was naturally understood as a "provocation" to Real Madrid fans, and then he was met with even more crazy curses and boos from Real Madrid fans.
De Gea, who was walking behind Bruno, reached out and patted Bruno on the shoulder. Then, when Bruno turned around, he said to him, "Bruno, don't provoke them. It's not good for us..."
Bruno spread his hands and said aggrievedly, "I just wanted to be friendly..."
“…” De Gea was speechless after hearing Bruno’s answer.
Trying to be friendly at a time like this? No one would believe it!
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When the two teams shook hands before the game, every Manchester United player could feel the "power" from the Real Madrid players - power in the literal sense.
When the Real Madrid players shook hands with them, they squeezed their hands so hard that they felt pain.
This may be a psychological tactic, trying to use this little trick to continue to put pressure on Manchester United players and put them at a psychological disadvantage.
Bruno was pinched pretty hard. He didn't know about others, but after shaking hands, he couldn't help but grin and shake his hands.
He's the only one in the Manchester United squad who does that...
De Gea said to him: "See, I told you it's no good to piss them off..."
"Damn!" Bruno said, shaking his hands. "I didn't expect the players and fans to be so united against the same enemy!"
De Gea continued to kindly remind him, "You have to be careful, Bruno, this only happens outside the game. When they kick you in the game later, they will definitely not hold back. You have to learn to protect yourself and don't get hurt..."
Bruno shook his hands and nodded, "I see. Thanks for the reminder, David."
De Gea smiled and said: "You are the most indispensable person among us. If you are injured, even if we reach the final, we will not be happy."
"Well, you are also indispensable. Everyone is important." Bruno said to De Gea.
This is not modesty. As Manchester United's goalkeeper, De Gea's role in the game can be said to be the most important one. Especially today, Manchester United's tactics are defensive counterattacks. Defense is the most important. Only by defending the opponent's attack can an effective counterattack be launched.
Of course, it's not just De Gea who is important, every other player is also very important. The whole team is a whole, and everyone in this whole is of course important and indispensable.
But De Gea took Bruno's words as kindness and humility and smiled.
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After the start of the game, as Mourinho said, Real Madrid launched a fierce attack on Manchester United's goal.
Just two minutes into the game, they got a corner kick. After Manchester United cleared the corner kick, Mbappe appeared at the second point and shot directly from outside the penalty area, but the ball went wide.
Although it didn't go in, Mbappe's shot seemed like a declaration, telling Manchester United that this was the tone of the game!
In the fourth minute, Modric intercepted Cancelo's ball on the right side of the frontcourt, and the football fell at the feet of Toni Kroos. After the German international got the ball, he quickly passed it through, and Benzema had a one-on-one opportunity!
"Benzema! Good shot! One-on-one! A great opportunity for Real Madrid!" The commentator of Spanish TV shouted excitedly.
Faced with this one-on-one opportunity, De Gea rushed out.
Benzema shot from six meters away from the goal, and the ball flew towards the back point along the grass.
De Gea jumped in the wrong direction, and when he fell to the ground he could only stretch his legs as far as possible to expand the defensive area.
This subconscious action saved Manchester United's team. The football hit his foot and went wide of the goal.
During this attack, the Real Madrid fans in the stands were first excited, and then sighed.
"De Gea made a fantastic save!" It was Lineker's turn to be excited. He shouted excitedly, "Well done!!"
He Wei was terrified, exclaiming, "Only four minutes into the game, and Real Madrid already had two shots, including one by Benzema that nearly went in... Real Madrid's determination to turn the tide at home was fully reflected in their swift attack. Can Manchester United withstand the onslaught of Real Madrid?"
………………
After a corner kick, Maguire jumped up and headed the ball out again, but the second point of the ball was again caught by a Real Madrid player. Casemiro passed the ball after getting the second point, and Mbappe shot directly from a long distance without stopping the ball, but missed again.
Soon afterwards, Real Madrid launched another attack and after continuous pressure, they got another corner kick opportunity. After Carvajal took the corner kick, Benzema shot from more than ten meters in front of the goal, but it went wide.
Then, in the 13th minute, Real Madrid had an even better chance. Modric sent a precise 30-meter lob pass, and Benzema chested the ball down after making a run!
"Benzema!! Watch out for this ball!"
Amid the commentators' exclamations of varying emotions, the French center forward jumped up less than six meters away from the goal and volleyed the ball with his right foot, but the ball hit De Gea's chest and bounced out!
"De Gea! He made another world-class save! He blocked the angle of Benzema's shot!" Lineker shouted.
"Benzema! What a pity, he missed a great opportunity!" The Spanish commentator held his head in his hands.
"This is incredibly tense... The game's only been going on for thirteen minutes, and Real Madrid already has two close-range chances to score. Too bad they didn't capitalize on either. But if Real Madrid keeps playing like this, they might be close to scoring..."
Even though He Wei was sitting in a studio thousands of miles away, he could still feel his heart beating fast. If someone else were commentating on the scene, their voice would probably be trembling at this moment.
I can’t even imagine how much pressure the Manchester United players who are playing on the field are under...
The TV broadcast happened to give close-up shots of several Manchester United players. In the close-up shots, these Manchester United players all looked solemn and nervous, and the sweat beads on their foreheads reflected the lights of the Bernabeu Stadium and were clearly visible.
Even Bruno, who looked relaxed before the game, became serious.
………………
The live TV broadcast was still showing the scene in which Benzema missed the opportunity just now, but the replay was suddenly cut out when it was just halfway through. What appeared in front of the TV viewers was the Frenchman almost lying on the ground in the penalty area, kicking the football.
This moment made many people who didn't react think that the replay had changed the angle, but in fact it was not. This was a brand new attack of Real Madrid!
Just as the live TV broadcast was replaying the previous attack, they had already hit the ball in front of Manchester United's goal again!
When Benzema used an unconventional shot, Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea once again used an unconventional move to save the ball.
This time, he used his feet to block Benzema's close and sure-fire shot!
"De Gea!"
But Lineker didn't have time to praise De Gea any further, because Real Madrid's attack wasn't over yet. After De Gea blocked the ball with his foot, it didn't fly out of the baseline or far out of the penalty area, but landed in the penalty area.
Vinicius and Van Dijk were fighting for the second point, and in the process, Vinicius fell in the penalty area.
After falling, he opened his arms to protest and complain to the referee, reminding the referee that this was a foul by Van Dijk.
But the referee, Osato, made no comment, even though he was only five meters away from the scene of the incident.
The Spanish commentator exclaimed: "This is a foul by Van Dijk! This is a penalty! This is definitely a penalty!!"
………………
The game did not stop because of this, Van Dijk kicked the ball out with a big foot.
Vinicius jumped up from the ground in anger, intending to rush towards Osato and ask him for an explanation.
During this process, he looked up and glanced at the football, then gave up the idea of looking for Asto - because he saw that the football fell at the feet of his teammate Casemiro, and a new round of attack was about to begin, so he had to move quickly.
He quickly turned his head to observe the positional relationship between himself and the opposing defender, making sure he was not offside, and then moved sideways to find an opening.
Casemiro didn't pass the ball to him, but to Modric.
After receiving the ball, Modric immediately passed it to Mbappé.
Mbappe received the ball while running, but instead of stopping the ball, he lightly kicked it with his heel following the direction of the ball!
The football rolled to the feet of Toni Kroos who ran into the open space!












