Former Manchester United defender Rafael da Silva has lashed out at the current United squad for repeatedly finding excuses rather than improving. The Brazilian also lauded Bruno Fernandes and urged future Red Devils signings to reference the Portuguese midfielder as their role model.
In a recent interview discussion with The United Stand after Manchester United’s defeat to Spurs in the UEFA Europa League final, Rafael said (via United in Focus):
He added:
Since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson from Old Trafford in 2013, United have struggled to compete for major honors. Despite several managerial changes and tactical modifications, the club’s results have witnessed a decline.
Meanwhile, several past and present United players have attributed their poor performance to multiple factors in and around the club. While some have blamed the hierarchy, others have highlighted the shortcomings of Amorim’s tactical set-up.
In the Premier League this term, United have only amassed 39 points from 38 games and are placed 16th in the table. Meanwhile, despite their dreadful stint, Fernandes has delivered 19 goals and 19 assists in 56 outings.
Bruno Fernandes opened up on his future after the Europa League final defeat, saying he will be at Old Trafford until his services are no longer needed. The midfielder has been linked with a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League.
In an interview after the loss to Tottenham Hotspur, Fernandes said (via UtdPlug on X):
Fernandes has been Manchester United’s best and most consistent player since joining them in 2020. In 289 appearances, he has netted 98 goals and produced 86 assists for the Red Devils.
A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.
He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder’s ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese’s tactical mind. He feels France’s triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.
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