He was one of the rare bright spots in an otherwise dismal campaign that saw the Red Devils finish eighth in the Premier League and subsequently miss out on Champions League football.
However, Erik ten Hag’s men managed to salvage the season to some extent by winning the FA Cup trophy. Bruno Fernandes won plaudits for his efforts in helping our club win the FA Cup final against cross-town rivals Manchester City at Wembley in May, and he is expected to essay a similarly crucial role for his nation at the European Championships.
Roberto Martinez was speaking exclusively to Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE Podcast, where he was asked about Fernandes’ role in his team as well as some of the criticism the Manchester United skipper receives for his style of play.
“Essential”, Martinez told Rio Ferdinand in the FIVE Podcast while outlining Fernandes’ importance to the Portugal side at the upcoming European tournament.
Bruno Fernandes played a crucial role in helping Manchester United beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May.
“He’s had I think close to 9 assists in the 10 [qualifying] games. He has that capacity of doing what the game needs, the attribute of appreciating what the game needs. We had a game in Slovakia that was really tough, they surprised us with how high they were pressing us and they stopped us.
“And Bruno came up with certain positions and scored the winning goal. That’s what his quality allows him to do. He’s got this capacity to almost change slightly his positions and how he should affect the attacking play. [Yes] without the coach.”
This will be Fernandes’ second European Championship after debuting for Portugal in the 2020 edition. He has come a long way since his debut and is now arguably the most important cog in Roberto Martinez’s team.
The creative midfielder is heading into the Euro in some form. He was a stellar performer in Portugal’s warm-up game against Finland earlier this week, bagging a brace after coming off the bench in the 4-2 win. Martinez will be reliant on Fernandes’ quality, leadership and experience as he looks to lead The Selecao to the Euro title in his first major tournament in charge.
An avid sports writer coated in Manchester Red. Can often be found rambling on Twitter engaging in heated/constructive discussions. Waiting and yearning to see Manchester United get back to their glory days. Has a dream to take parents to Old Trafford one fine day.
