Pranav Nair
Bruno Fernandes opens up on his flawless penalty-taking record
Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has enjoyed an excellent start to life at Old Trafford.
Apart from his vision and knack of making and scoring goals, what stands out is his impressive penalty record.
Fernandes’ strike against Sevilla was his 19th straight goal from the spot for both Sporting Lisbon and United combined.
His ice-cool approach to spot-kicks has seen him get compared to the likes of Eric Cantona, Denis Irwin and Steve Bruce. The trio was famous for their penalties and the Portuguese now finds himself in elite company.
Speaking to UEFA.com (h/t Manchester United), Fernandes opened up on what makes him hard to stop from the spot. The 25-year-old insists there is no secret to his technique.
“I don’t have a secret.”
Rather, the midfielder adapts his approach according to the situation. Not only does Fernandes train a lot but he also pays close attention to the goalkeeper’s body language.
“Based on the match, and based on how I’m feeling on the pitch, I decide how to take a penalty.”
Comfortable yet unpredictable!
From the look of it, it is an approach that Fernandes has finely honed. In his own words, he sticks to what is comfortable. Given his record, it is hard to argue with his approach.
The fact that he can adapt to the situation is such a useful skill to have, especially in crunch situations.
Calm under pressure!
Fernandes believes that not having a predictable run-up or approach makes it hard for him to get pinned down. This uncertainty gives him an advantage when it comes to the goalkeepers topping him.
“If I change it every so often, it might make the goalkeeper uncertain.”
Of the eight penalties he has taken this season, Fernandes is in no doubt as to which of them were the most critical. He has stated that his opener against Leicester City and the winner against FC Copenhagen are the best of the lot.
“You could say that this [FC Copenhagen] penalty was decisive, as was the last one in the league [at Leicester].”
With Champions League qualification and a European semifinal on the line, there was no one better than Fernandes to ensure we come up on top and he duly delivered.
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Fernandes’ efforts saw him win his fourth Manchester United Player of the Month award. He has missed out on the gong just once since he joined the club in January.
