Chapter 714: The Triumvirate Struggle
Confidence is an elusive yet transformative force—difficult to build, but once achieved, it changes everything.
After Manchester United's emphatic 7-1 aggregate victory over Barcelona, they carried their momentum into the 35th round of the Premier League, defeating Everton 4-0 at Goodison Park.
Mourinho, having seen the benefits of squad rotation, continued with this approach. Eight first-team regulars, including Harry Kane, Mbappé, and Rashford, started on the bench. However, Bruno, Maguire, and De Gea retained their spots in the starting lineup.
The rotated lineup featured Greenwood, Mahrez, and Lingard as the attacking trio, with Bruno, Mata, and Herrera in midfield. The defense consisted of Maguire, Smalling, Ashley Young, and Dalot.
Despite relying heavily on second-choice players, Manchester United overwhelmed Everton. After a goalless first half, Bruno provided a crucial assist to Rashford just four minutes into the second half to break the deadlock.
Bruno continued to dominate the midfield, drawing Everton's defense. In the 56th minute, Mata assisted Rashford for his second goal. Bruno orchestrated yet another move in the 71st minute, with Mata delivering the final ball for Kane to head home.
In the 88th minute, Bruno released a pass to Mbappé on the right. The Frenchman sprinted past defenders, rounded the goalkeeper, and slotted the ball into the net to seal the 4-0 victory.
...
April 24: The Critical Matches
On the evening of April 24, two key matches were played in the Premier League. Arsenal faced Wolverhampton away, while Manchester United hosted Manchester City.
These fixtures were part of the 31st round of postponed matches, seen as critical for the title race.
Before kickoff, Manchester United led the league with 91 points from 34 matches. Liverpool trailed with 88 points from 35 matches, while City sat third with 84 points from 34 matches.
A United victory over City would effectively secure their league title, leaving them six points ahead of Liverpool with three matches remaining and a superior goal difference.
For City, this was a do-or-die encounter. Trailing United by seven points, a loss would extinguish their title hopes. A draw or victory was essential to keep their faint chances alive.
Adding to City's urgency was their Champions League elimination by Tottenham in the quarterfinals. While City had secured the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final, such domestic honors would not satisfy the lofty ambitions of the Abu Dhabi ownership.
For Guardiola and City, this was a battle of survival.
...
The Match
United entered the derby riding the momentum of two consecutive 4-0 wins and an 11-match unbeaten streak. With home advantage, they aimed to strike a decisive blow in the title race.
But when the final whistle blew after 90 minutes, Bruno could only look up helplessly, feeling the bitter chill of defeat.
City, riding a 10-match winning streak in the league, played with the desperation of a team clinging to their last hope of survival. Mourinho anticipated this and set up to play defensively, relying on counterattacks.
United's strategy was clear: an early goal would allow them to retreat into a defensive setup and hit City on the break. Bruno, operating on the right, created early danger. One of his crosses reached Rashford, whose close-range header narrowly missed the post.
However, in the 15th minute, City seized their chance. On their first meaningful attack, Pogba delivered a pass to Bernardo Silva, who darted into United's box and slotted the ball past Luke Shaw and into the near corner.
City erupted in celebration, with Pogba taunting United fans at the corner flag, nearly inciting chaos.
This would prove to be the match's only goal.
...
Dominance Denied
After breaking the deadlock, City controlled possession with suffocating efficiency, leaving United struggling to win the ball back, let alone create chances.
Bruno, United's usual talisman, found himself isolated and ineffective. Beyond his early assist attempt to Rashford, he failed to make any meaningful impact.
City's midfield duo of Fernandinho and Pogba, along with the defensive line of Walker, Kompany, Laporte, and Zinchenko, nullified Bruno's threat.
From the moment Bernardo Silva scored, City's possession-based strategy ensured United had no space to exploit. Bruno, marked tightly, found no gaps to operate in.
For United, the match was a sobering reminder that their march to the title was far from assured. The fight for supremacy in the Premier League remained fierce, with every point now critical.
Manchester City's possession play was terrifying.
Terrifying enough to evoke despair.
This was Pep Guardiola's masterpiece—a tactical symphony of tiki-taka, executed by world-class players at the pinnacle of their game. This was the apex of possession-based football in modern soccer.
Coupled with the City players' insatiable hunger for victory, their relentless movement and pinpoint passing left Manchester United with no chance to swarm or press collectively.
By the end of the match, City boasted an astounding 69% possession.
Bruno accepted the defeat with humility.
The only silver lining was that even with this loss, Manchester United still held a three-point lead atop the Premier League table.
...
"Hey, mate, are you alright?" Bernardo Silva approached Bruno with concern in his eyes.
"I'm fine," Bruno replied, shaking his head.
How could he be fine?
Bernardo knew better. Losing was never easy, and Bruno was not one to take it lightly.
Bernardo, who shared a good relationship with Bruno, understood him well. Beneath Bruno's seemingly composed and humble exterior lay a fiercely competitive spirit, a man who hated losing more than anything.
"This isn't on you, man. You did everything you could," Bernardo offered in consolation.
"I know." Bruno nodded. He was fully aware that City's strength, from player quality to managerial expertise, was on par with United's. The outcome of their encounters could easily swing either way, and no result would truly surprise him.
Yet knowing this didn't make it any easier.
Bruno despised losing. He craved victory.
The more Bruno tried to appear nonchalant, the more Bernardo could sense the frustration brewing inside him. But this was something only Bruno himself could process and overcome.
...
Bruno wasn't in the mood for chit-chat, not even with Bernardo Silva. His attention was drawn to his distraught teammates, many of whom were visibly upset.
For United, this defeat was particularly bitter, as it ended their legendary home unbeaten streak.
Since Mourinho took charge in 2016, United had not lost a single home match in 90 minutes—an 84-match unbeaten record shattered.
The 0-1 defeat to City marked United's second league loss of the season and reignited the title race. What had seemed like an inevitable triumph now required United to fend off fierce competition from Liverpool and City over the final three matches.
Bruno was disheartened, perhaps more than anyone.
Yet he understood the importance of moving forward.
"Alright, no use moping," Bruno said as he extended a hand to Maguire, who was sitting on the pitch, visibly dejected.
The English center-back had performed admirably, keeping Aguero quiet for most of the match. However, the same could not be said for Luke Shaw, who struggled to contain Bernardo Silva.
Grasping Bruno's hand, Maguire rose to his feet, his eyes red with frustration.
"Stay strong," Bruno encouraged. "Losing isn't the end. The important thing is to learn from it. If we're outplayed, we'll train harder and come back stronger next year."
Maguire nodded resolutely.
...
Bruno then turned to Luke Shaw, whose usual easygoing demeanor had been replaced with guilt and self-reproach.
"It's not the first time we've lost, mate. Don't beat yourself up over it," Bruno said with a forced smile.
"I… I panicked out there," Shaw stammered, his voice choked with emotion. "I could've done better, but…"
Shaw didn't cry, but the pain was evident on his face. He knew the media and fans would blame him for Bernardo Silva's match-winning goal.
Bruno patted Shaw on the shoulder and reassured him. "It's okay. We didn't get it right this time, but that's how it goes. The important thing now isn't to dwell on it—we don't have the luxury to sit around licking our wounds."
Shaw took a deep breath and nodded firmly, his spirits slightly lifted.
The season was far from over.
With the schedule now reaching its most grueling phase, United had to host Chelsea next, followed by two Champions League semi-final legs against Ajax. Then came their final two league matches and the FA Cup final. And if all went well, the Champions League final awaited them as well.
There was no time to sulk—only to regroup and keep pushing forward.
Bruno moved on to comfort Van Dijk and Gundogan.
...
On the sideline, Mourinho watched the scene unfold silently. Standing alongside his assistants, Faria and Carrick, he couldn't help but feel proud of Bruno's maturity.
They all knew Bruno's competitive nature. Losing hurt him more than anyone else.
Yet here he was, setting aside his own anguish to console his teammates one by one.
This was growth. This was leadership.
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