Manchester United Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes is reported to have been so upset by the club’s intention, which was short-lived to join the European Super League that he could have pushed for a move away from Old Trafford had the club stuck to its position of joining the Super League.
Manchester United was among the initial 12 clubs that signed up to the controversial super league concept in April this year, effectively creating a closed-door setup at the elite end of European football and destroying the competitive integrity of the sport, this would have brought to an end the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League to the 12 clubs.
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes threatened to leave. | PHOTO: Courtesy |
The public backlash received after the news of the league was immense and United, along with Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Serie A sides AC Milan, and Inter, together with La Liga side Atletico Madrid, withdrew within a few days of the launch. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus refused to concede, while Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Paris Saint-Germain had avoided controversy by not signing up in the first place.
Several months since the controversies, it appears the players themselves were as angered as anyone else. International sports media, The Athletic has reported that at Old Trafford, Bruno Fernandes – who scored 28 goals in all competitions last season to help United to second place in the Premier League – was so incensed by the concept of no relegation that he would have pushed to leave had the super league gone ahead.
| PHOTO: Courtesy |
It is reported that some players at Manchester United had wanted to publicly voice their anti-super league opinion but considered it a risk opposing their employers and potentially ending up liable for £300m losses incurred by the club if such comments could be deemed responsible for triggering the collapse.
The Athletic adds that United players had been informed of the plans, held in secrecy until the last minute, and remarkably, they were informed via Zoom during a day off. Ed Woodward and football director John Murtough tried to explain the benefits of the new competition, but the squad wanted answers and Luke Shaw is said to have believed the squad had been treated like children or even assets instead of human beings.
The Athletic also reports that the players were incredulous that such a huge decision had been made without their knowledge of any consultation and many were genuinely concerned about the potential backlash after UEFA threatened they would be banned from international tournaments.
Since joining Manchester United from Portugal side Sporting CP in January 2020, Fernandes has been one of the best players in the Premier League and an important factor in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side scoring 30 goals in just 59 appearances across all competitions and has always been a threat to opposition defence week in week out.
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