Siddharth Juyal
Former Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov asks fans to have patience with out-of-form “world-class” midfielder Casemiro
Former Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov defended “world-class” player Casemiro amid his struggle with form and the criticisms that followed. The 31-year-old has been struggling in his overall performance as rumours about his regret for joining the Red Devils circulate.
Casemiro has received strong criticism for his inability to effectively impede opposing midfielders, as they consistently bypassed him rather easily. Many critical fanbase and football pundits have suggested that the player is regressing rather quickly as he ages.
However, the Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag has shown full faith in the Brazil captain as he plays regularly. United’s trouble has not helped the 31-year-old as the tactical imbalance in collective offence and defence is making many underperform.
Berbatov told Betfair (h/t Manchester Evening News) that Casemiro still has what it takes to provide world-class performances for United. He said:
“He [Casemiro] has shown at Real Madrid how highly rated he is, how he can play top, top football – he showed that at United in his first season. Time is going by and he’s getting older, so he needs to be smarter in how he plays the game. He’s still a presence that you can count on. Don’t write him off so quickly because he deserves to be given more time even when he’s not playing well. He’s a world-class player.”
United signed Casemiro from La Liga giants Real Madrid for £70m with £10m add-ons in the summer of 2022. The Brazilian star was sensational during the most successful era for Real as the Spanish club dominated Europe. Casemiro won the UEFA Champions League five times during his time at Madrid.
The 31-year-old also won La Liga, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Supercopa de Espana three times each. Furthermore, the Brazil international achieved a Copa del Rey trophy with the Spanish giants before joining the Red Devils.
Casemiro had a successful start at United, showcasing why he is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. The 31-year-old played a pivotal role in ending United’s six-year trophy drought by helping them win the Carabao Cup. The Brazilian scored the opening goal in the final against Newcastle United which ended in a 2-0 victory.
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Berbatov makes some valid points that the Brazilian has a lot of quality and experience to play a pivotal role. Nevertheless, Casemiro and United must adapt to eliminate the weaknesses that the opposition exploited.
The Brazilian international is the surprising leading goal scorer for the Red Devils so far this season. The 31-year-old has contributed with four goals and one assist in all competitions after appearing in 11 matches.
