Chapter 429: A Curse?
The match's outcome severely dampened the morale and desire of Manchester United's players. Premier League broadcasts are among the best in the world, almost cinematic in quality. At this moment, the camera artistically focused on Mourinho. This top football manager stood motionless on the sidelines, his gaze towards the pitch unfocused and lost.
Behind him, the blurred stadium stands and the large screen, though fuzzy, clearly displayed the match status. Below the Hamburg crest was a score of 1, while under Manchester United's crest was a 0. This shot summed up everything: Manchester United was set to lose this game.
Indeed, despite trailing by just one goal, United had no chance to equalize. Had it not been for a fortunate last-minute penalty, United would have certainly suffered their second league defeat of the season.
...
Despite the poor performance, Mourinho did not shout or yell at his players in the locker room. He simply instructed them to eat, pack up, and board the bus. For such a match, he had no energy left for criticism. Initially, the players tried hard, and even after conceding, they didn't give up. But Bruno and Herrera hitting the post thrice each shattered the team's confidence.
In football, both players and coaches are often superstitious. Many players have rituals for which shoe to put on first or which foot to step onto the pitch with. Seeing Bruno and Herrera hit the post repeatedly, many couldn't help but think, "Maybe today's not our day."
This thought, while baseless, erodes confidence subconsciously. Even Bruno felt it was uncanny. As a spectator, he might have laughed at such misfortune, but as a trailing player, those three hits on the post were simply too cruel.
...
Bruno and Kanté both received yellow cards, meaning they would be suspended for the next match, further crushing United's spirit. As a team predominantly composed of young players, they lacked the experience to remain stable in adverse conditions. Facing such an eerie game, many were at a loss, forgetting even basic positioning.
Bruno passed the ball forward, an opportunity that normally would be seized, only to watch it go out of bounds. The players were disheartened, and so was Mourinho. This was the strangest match they had played all season, leaving everyone unsure of how to react.
On the team bus, Mourinho weakly waved a hand, "Day off tomorrow." No one cheered; they merely accepted it passively. Mourinho hoped the day off would help the players relax. Maybe their nerves had caused the bad luck, and some relaxation was necessary.
Looking at his dejected players, he shook his head and returned to his seat. Compared to the players, his worries were manifold.
...
After a day off, the team's first training session resumed. As the players changed in the locker room, Bruno walked in. It was common knowledge that Bruno arrived early before training to chat with Mourinho.
Today, the locker room atmosphere was still tense, with many players not yet recovering from the Everton match. "Bad news," Bruno announced upon entering. He could see everyone was already down, and though he didn't want to add to it, reality demanded it.
"The injury reports for Mata and Jones are out." Everyone looked up at him. "Jones has ruptured his ACL and will miss the rest of the season. The doctor said he needs at least six months to recover..."
There was a collective gasp. "Mata has a medial ligament strain and will be out for at least four weeks. It's uncertain if he will return before the end of the season."
After delivering the news, Bruno returned to his seat. The locker room, which had been suffocatingly silent, came back to life.
"A curse!" Lingard exclaimed, capturing everyone's attention, including Bruno's. "This has to be a curse! I don't know who's behind it, but think about it. Ever since the winter break, we've had terrible luck. Zlatan and Jones with serious injuries, Shaw's ongoing issues, and the captain... Then the suspensions, even Bruno's been suspended. Almost every game, we're missing someone... if this isn't a curse, what is?"
Lingard's outburst left some teammates with their mouths agape, others deep in thought. The locker room returned to its suffocating silence...
...
Fortunately, United's next Premier League match in the 32nd round was against bottom club Sunderland, an opponent relatively easy to deal with. Even without their midfield core, Bruno, the Red Devils secured a 3-0 victory at the Stadium of Light, pushing Sunderland further into despair.
After defeating Sunderland, United faced Anderlecht in the Europa League, traveling to Belgium. Though they ended their league winless streak against Sunderland, United still hadn't fully recovered. At the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, United seemed distracted, taking the lead through a Gundogan goal but failing to maintain control. After Anderlecht equalized, United became overly anxious, squandering several chances.
Bruno passed the ball forward several times, hoping to continue the attack, but teammates chose blind shots or forced breakthroughs, losing possession. Mourinho gestured for calm from the sidelines, but he couldn't control the players' emotions from there.
Seeing the team growing more desperate, Bruno stopped passing forward, opting for back passes instead. No matter the opportunities ahead, he kept the ball moving backward until his teammates calmed down. This cautious approach puzzled commentators, who thought United were content with a draw.
...
As the match neared its end, United started to regain some composure, but time was too short. They reluctantly accepted a 1-1 draw.
"You played terribly today!" Mourinho criticized in the locker room. "Is your mind still stuck in the last game?" He questioned several underperforming players, who could only look down in silence, knowing Mourinho's anger was no joke.
In less than three days, United would face Chelsea at home in a crucial Premier League match. This Round 33 match was seen as a potential title decider. Despite thrashing Chelsea 4-1 in the FA Cup earlier, United were still under pressure in the league. Losing to Chelsea again would not only mean being double-defeated by them in the league but also seeing their points gap shrink to just one, a nightmare for United who were fighting on multiple fronts.
This was why Mourinho was so furious, eager to criticize his team post-match.
...
As the league leaders, United faced immense pressure. Losing their top spot would make reclaiming it extremely difficult, and Mourinho doubted this young, inexperienced team could manage that.
Young and energetic, United could achieve miracles when performing well, just as they had earlier in the season, defeating strong teams. This momentum was both a strength and a vulnerability. Mourinho aimed to harness this double-edged sword, ensuring the team maintained their lead until the season's end to secure the title. However, this approach brought immense pressure, and Mourinho hoped the club's psychologists could help, alongside some good fortune.
Having failed to secure three points against West Brom and Everton, and now drawing with Anderlecht, how would United fare against stronger teams? Mourinho couldn't tolerate failure against expected wins. His goals extended beyond the Premier League title to making a mark in Europe. Though United led by four points, their remaining fixtures included tough opponents like Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Tottenham, with the latter three being away games.
Facing these strong teams away would be challenging, and Mourinho worried that immense pressure might lead to underperformance in those key matches...
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