Portuguese Football in English
Bruno Fernandes burst onto the scene at Manchester United in January 2020 with a flurry of goals and assists, finding the target on 12 occasions through 23 appearances while teeing up a further eight efforts for grateful team-mates.
His role as a creative talisman for the Red Devils was quickly cemented, with his individual bar raised even further in the 2020-21 campaign. The Portugal international netted on 28 occasions that season and laid on another 17 strikes for those around him.
It was a bad night for Portuguese coaches in the Champions League 2nd qualifying round, with Jorge Jesus and Pedro Martins eliminated at an early stage of the competition with Fenerbahce and Olympiacos respectively.
Both managers saw their teams dumped out at home in return legs as 10-man Fener experienced plenty of bad luck as they lost in extra time to Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev in the Turkish capital Istanbul, while Pedro Martins’ Greek champions were embarrassed 4-0 in Piraeus by Israel’s Maccabi Haifa.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s romantic and nostalgic return to Manchester United last summer put the league on notice that the Red Devils meant business and was a sign that they were in the fight for the title. But it was not the fairytale story that United fans were hoping for.
Since the momentous unveiling of the Portuguese icon at Old Trafford, the 13-time Premier League champions have been in turmoil and reports suggest that Ronaldo wants out as he chases down one more league or European trophy to further cement his legendary status.
Portuguese youngster Fábio Silva has wasted little time making himself a hero at new club Anderlecht, after scoring just minutes after entering the action on his debut at the weekend.
Silva, who arrived in Belgium on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, came on with around ten minutes left to play as his new side led KV Oostende 1-0 on Sunday. Silva put the seal on the win with a brilliantly-taken goal two minutes from time, sending the home fans at Lotto Park into raptures at seeing their new signing make an impact.
As Manchester United prepare for the start of a new era under Erik ten Hag, the form of Bruno Fernandes will likely be a much-scrutinised issue ahead of the upcoming beginning of the Premier League season.
With just two weeks before United meet Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in their opening fixture, Fernandes spoke to SKY Sports from Australia, where the Red Devils have enjoyed a promising pre-season under new coach Ten Hag. Fernandes spoke about his impression of the Dutchman, as well as his own expectations following a below par season last term, as well as touching on the subject of Portugal captain Ronaldo.
