Bruno Fernandes was back in action for Portugal on Tuesday night ahead of Euro 2024 kicking-off, here’s how he fared.
As the news coming out of Manchester United is all management related, as Erik ten Hag is now set to stay at the club, Bruno Fernandes has been doing what he always does for Portugal and performed excellently.
The final warm-up game comes just days before he’ll be looking to begin a Euro 2024 campaign with Portugal, a campaign in which they’ll be supremely confident as well.
Facing Ireland on Tuesday, Fernandes made an assist for Joao Felix which opened the scoring and this was then followed by Old Trafford legend Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a brace to hand Roberto Martinez’s side a 3-0 win.
Here’s how Portuguese media reacted to Fernandes’ performance in the game.
What Portuguese media are saying about Bruno Fernandes
After yet another strong performance from Fernandes for his country, rightfully the Portuguese media only had praise for him.
Bola na Rede reviewed Fernandes’ performance positively and questioned if Portugal could even survive without him.
“Can the national team play without Bruno Fernandes? Of course, you can, but it’s not the same thing. At all. Once again, he didn’t shine as much as on other occasions, but he made the team shine. In the high moments of the team, he was there. In the low moments of the team, ditto. Today, at 9:28 p.m. on June 11, 2024, it is very difficult to imagine a competent Portugal without Bruno Fernandes on the field.”
This wasn’t the only outlet to laud the midfielder as ABola handed him a match rating of an eight before reviewing his evening.
“Nuclear. He is, without a doubt, the piece that makes the whole machine move. A kind of handyman in… perfection. Quality in transport, speed changes, guiding the rhythms of the game, lethal to watch (as in Félix’s goal), but also Gonçalo Inácio (45+3′) and Ronaldo (45+3′) who were not so effective. He missed the goal, but it was not for lack of commitment… there were so many times he threatened Kelleher’s goal.”
Finally, Mais Futebol was the other outlet to review the players individually and once more Fernandes was in line for praise.
“Bruno Fernandeswas one of the best of the Portuguese national team and helped unlock the game with several tears in front. He made the assistance for Félix’s 1-0, already after – and by way of example – in the move before the goal, having varied from the middle to the right to give a passing solution to Dalot.”
How did Bruno Fernandes play for Portugal?
Fernandes will be hopeful of lifting more silverware this summer after an FA Cup triumph with Manchester United and if Portugal are to follow suit, our No.8 will be right at the centre.
On Tuesday, he was handed a match rating of 8.5 from FotMob and played the entire 90 minutes, assisting one but creating a whopping six chances.
He boasted a 93% pass accuracy in doing so which is impressive given how creative he was while having 90 touches of the football.
Defensively Fernandes didn’t add much, but against a poor Ireland side under John O’Shea’s management, he wasn’t required to with potential United signing Joao Neves also impressing alongside him.