Sunday, March 5, 2023

Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo

3:45 PM - Kickoff

The Gewiss Stadium filled steadily through the afternoon as supporters moved through the gates in groups, and the stands showed more blue and black than the scattered white patches where Udinese's traveling section was positioned behind the away goal.

Broadcast cameras panned across the bowl while crowds continued arriving, and the pre-match coverage showed establishing shots of Bergamo's skyline before cutting to the tunnel entrance where both teams would emerge shortly.

Inside the stadium's underbelly, footsteps echoed through concrete corridors as players made their final preparations, and the noise from above filtered down in waves that suggested the atmosphere was building properly for a Sunday afternoon fixture.

The away dressing room door opened and Atalanta's squad began filing out in their home black and blue, and Demien walked with the starting eleven while his hands hung loosely at his sides and his eyes stayed forward.

Cameras positioned along the tunnel captured the procession as both teams assembled in their designated positions, and the broadcast feed showed Demien standing in the middle of Atalanta's line while Udinese's players formed up opposite them.

The lead commentator's voice came through speakers in the production truck. "Here at the Gewiss Stadium for matchday twenty-five, Atalanta welcoming Udinese with one change to the starting eleven from Wednesday's Coppa Italia match."

"Walter gets the start in the attacking midfield role," his colleague added, and his tone was matter-of-fact. "First league start since November. Shape's familiar—four-two-three-one with the double pivot holding and the front four given freedom to rotate."

"Udinese sitting compact as expected," the first commentator continued. "Walace shielding that back four. They'll absorb pressure, look for transitions. Standard approach when you come to Bergamo."

The referee appeared at the tunnel entrance and signaled for both teams to prepare, and the noise from the stands grew louder as the crowd recognized the moment approaching.

Players adjusted their shirts one final time and the official checked his watch before nodding once, and both teams began moving toward the steps that led up to pitch level.

The sound crashed down as they emerged into daylight—twenty-three thousand voices creating walls of noise that pressed from all directions—and Demien walked onto the grass while his eyes scanned the pitch and his mind stayed quiet.

Children holding flags ran alongside the players during the traditional pre-match procession, and cameras tracked the movement while anthems played over the stadium speakers, and when the formalities ended both teams took their positions across the pitch.

Atalanta lined up in their 4-2-3-1 with Musso in goal, Tolói-Demiral-Djimsiti across the back three with Hateboer and Mæhle as wing-backs, Koopmeiners and De Roon sitting as the double pivot, Lookman wide left and Malinovskyi wide right flanking Demien centrally, and Højlund alone up front.

Udinese set up compactly with Walace shielding their back four and Lovrić positioned slightly ahead of him, and their shape was clearly designed to absorb pressure and force Atalanta wide rather than allowing central penetration.

The referee raised his whistle while both teams settled into their starting positions, and the stadium's noise held steady as the moment stretched.

Fweeeeeetttttttt!!!!!

The whistle blew and Højlund touched the ball backward to Demien who played it immediately to Koopmeiners, and the match began as Atalanta's midfield started circulating possession while Udinese dropped into their defensive shape.

0' - 14' |

Atalanta controlled the ball from the opening exchanges and moved it methodically across their back line and through midfield, but Udinese's compact structure made vertical penetration difficult because Walace sat directly in front of their defensive line and cut off the central passing lanes.

Koopmeiners received from Demiral and played it square to De Roon who was positioned fifteen yards deeper, and De Roon's pass went wide to Hateboer on the right flank because the central route toward Demien was blocked by Lovrić stepping up aggressively.

Hateboer drove forward along the touchline and crossed low toward the penalty area, but Udinese's center-back Jaka Bijol cleared it comfortably because Højlund was marked tightly by Rodrigo Becão and couldn't create separation.

The pattern repeated over the opening minutes as Atalanta circulated possession without finding clear openings, and Demien positioned himself constantly between Walace and Lovrić while his eyes scanned before receiving the ball.

In the sixth minute he dropped deeper to collect from Koopmeiners and his first touch took the ball away from Lovrić's pressing angle, and his second touch played it back to Tolói who had stepped forward from the defensive line, and the simple circulation kept possession without creating danger.

Udinese's defensive shape stayed disciplined while they absorbed pressure through numbers behind the ball, and their forwards Roberto Pereyra and Gerard Deulofeu sat on the edge of their own half waiting for transition opportunities rather than pressing Atalanta's defenders aggressively.

The system activated briefly in Demien's peripheral vision as he adjusted his positioning between the lines.

「ATTRIBUTE CHECK」

「Vision 74 | Composure 89」

The notification faded and he continued scanning while Atalanta worked the ball from right to left across their defensive third.

At the ninth minute Lookman received wide on the left and drove at Kingsley Ehizibue with pace, and the Udinese right-back retreated toward his own penalty area while staying goal-side of the winger, and when Lookman's cross came toward the near post Bijol headed it clear before Højlund could attack it.

A section of Atalanta's supporters in the Curva Nord began a chant that spread across the home sections, and the noise built while Udinese's traveling fans responded with their own songs from behind the away goal.

Demien kept finding space between Walace and Lovrić's positioning through small adjustments in his movement, and when he received the ball his touches were quick—one to control, one to release—because holding possession too long allowed Udinese's midfield to close him down and force turnovers.

The pattern of play was clear after ten minutes: Atalanta dominating territory and possession while Udinese defended compactly and waited for mistakes they could exploit through counter-attacks.

14' |

The breakthrough opportunity came when Atalanta's passing rhythm increased and caught Udinese's midfield slightly disorganized.

Tolói stepped forward from the back line with the ball at his feet and his eyes forward, and Pereyra pressed him half-heartedly because closing too aggressively would create space behind him, and Tolói's pass came vertically into the space where Demien had positioned himself between Walace and Lovrić.

The pass was weighted perfectly and arrived at Demien's feet while Lovrić closed from behind, and his first touch came with his right foot while his body shape opened toward the left side of the pitch where space existed.

Lovrić arrived quickly and made contact from behind with his shoulder pressing into Demien's back, but the challenge wasn't strong enough to knock him off balance, and Demien's second touch came immediately while pivoting sharply on his left foot.

The movement activated instinctively as his right foot dragged the ball behind his standing leg while his body rotated ninety degrees, and the turn created immediate separation from Lovrić who had committed his weight forward and couldn't adjust quickly enough to the directional change.

「SKILL ACTIVATED」

「Johan Cruyff — Turn Innovator」

The space opened in front of him and suddenly Demien was facing forward with three yards between himself and Lovrić, and his vision registered Lookman making a run down the left channel while Ehizibue tracked him but with his body positioned too centrally.

The pass left Demien's right foot immediately with the weight and angle designed to hit Lookman's run perfectly, and the ball rolled across the grass into the space behind Ehizibue while Lookman accelerated onto it without breaking stride.

Lookman collected the ball in the left channel and drove toward the penalty area while Ehizibue recovered desperately, and when the Udinese defender closed him down Lookman cut inside sharply and forced Bijol to step out from the defensive line to provide cover.

The angle toward goal was blocked so Lookman played the ball back toward the edge of the penalty area where Koopmeiners had continued his run forward, but Walace intercepted the pass before it reached the Dutch midfielder and cleared it out for a corner.

The Gewiss Stadium reacted with appreciative noise for the sequence, and several fans in the lower tier stood while applauding the turn, and one supporter shouted "Dai! Dai!" while gesturing for more of the same.

Koopmeiners jogged past Demien while moving toward the corner flag and said, "Nice turn, keep doing that," and his voice was casual rather than effusive.

The broadcast coverage showed replays of the turn from multiple angles while the commentary team analyzed the technique without focusing on the player specifically.

"That's classic Cruyff there," the lead commentator said while the replay showed the drag-back and pivot. "Body shape opens up the pitch, standing leg plants, dragging foot takes it behind. Creates separation in tight spaces. Very effective when you're receiving between the lines like that."

"And the pass comes immediately after," his colleague added. "No hesitation once the turn beats the defender. Recognizes the winger's run, weight's perfect. Good combination play even if the final ball doesn't find its target."

The corner was delivered toward the near post but Udinese cleared it without difficulty, and play resumed with Atalanta continuing to control possession while searching for openings against the compact defensive structure.

15' - 26' |

Udinese created their first genuine opportunity in the eighteenth minute through transition after winning the ball in midfield.

Atalanta's build-up play broke down when Malinovskyi's pass toward Demien was intercepted by Walace, and the Brazilian midfielder immediately played it forward toward Pereyra who had dropped between Atalanta's midfield and defensive lines.

Pereyra received with his back to goal and turned quickly while De Roon closed from behind, and his pass came diagonally toward Deulofeu who had drifted inside from the left wing into the space behind Hateboer's advanced position.

Deulofeu collected the ball and drove forward with pace while Demiral recovered from Atalanta's back line to close him down, and when the Spanish forward cut inside onto his right foot his shot came low toward the near post with power and accuracy.

Musso reacted sharply and dove to his right while his hand pushed the ball away at full stretch, and the save drew applause from Atalanta's supporters because the shot had been struck cleanly and the angle was dangerous.

"Good save Musso!" someone shouted from the Curva Sud, and the goalkeeper raised one hand briefly in acknowledgment while getting back to his feet.

The ball went out for a corner and Udinese's supporters in the away section made noise for the first time properly, and their drums beat faster while white flags waved above the traveling fans.

Gasperini gestured from the touchline toward his defenders and shouted, "Stay tight! Don't give them space to turn!" and his voice carried across the pitch despite the crowd noise.

The corner was cleared by Djimsiti and play resumed with Atalanta retaking control of possession.

Over the next several minutes Atalanta continued dominating territory while Demien kept finding pockets between Walace and Lovrić's positioning, and his movement showed clear intelligence as he adjusted his runs to stay out of Walace's immediate shadow.

「TECHNIQUE IN EFFECT」

「Curve Run Timing (Epic)」

At the twenty-second minute he received from Koopmeiners in the right half-space and his first touch took him away from Lovrić's press, but Walace closed quickly from the side and forced Demien to play the ball backward to De Roon rather than attempting to turn forward, and the pattern showed Udinese's midfield was organized enough to limit his time on the ball even when he found space.

The match continued with Atalanta controlling possession but struggling to create clear chances against Udinese's compressed defensive shape, and the tension in the stadium grew slightly as the first half progressed without a breakthrough.

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