After his side’s impressive 2-0 friendly win over Arsenal, newly appointed Manchester United captain, Bruno Fernandes, expressed his pride in being given the armband and shared his expectations for the upcoming season. The Portugal midfielder played a key role in United’s victory, scoring the opener in his first game as the club’s leader, while Jadon Sancho added the second to seal a promising result.
When questioned about the captaincy, Fernandes revealed his desire to give his all and lead United to success in the coming campaign. He spoke about the manager’s decision and how the team was informed about the change in leadership.
“The manager wanted to tell the team together. It is really good to be the captain of Manchester United, it is a big achievement in my career, but now there is a lot of work to do,” said Fernandes.
Explaining the rationale behind Erik ten Hag’s choice, Fernandes highlighted the attributes that earned him the captaincy, including his work ethic, discipline, passion, and dedication to the team.
“(The approach) will be the same. I don’t need to change anything. You have to be as natural as you can because they all know me, they know I am really vocal, that I try to be open with everyone, be clear, and try to help in the best way I can,” said Fernandes.
As he reflects on the previous season, in which United finished third in the Premier League, secured the Carabao Cup, and reached the FA Cup final (though losing to Manchester City), Fernandes acknowledges the positive strides made by the team. He believes there is a strong foundation to build upon but emphasizes the need for United to demonstrate their status as a “big team” this season.
“We did a really good season. It was not successful, but I think that our season was good. We started in the wrong way. We had two bad results, our away games were not the best. We didn’t get the best results. But I think overall the season was good,” Fernandes remarked.
With a fresh start and valuable experience gained in the previous campaign, Fernandes asserts that the team must improve their game and display their prowess as a major footballing force. United’s rich history and prestigious status demand that they compete for every trophy they participate in, and Fernandes is determined to lead the charge in their pursuit of success.
“Manchester United have to fight for everything. This club deserves that. We know when you come to a club like this that you have to fight for all the trophies that you are included in. That’s what we have to do. Fight for them, try our best to win every game that we have, and that’s it,” concluded the ambitious captain.
With Bruno Fernandes at the helm and a team committed to achieving greatness, Manchester United’s fans eagerly await the new season, hopeful that their club will rise to the challenge and make their mark as one of the footballing giants.
