With Manchester United not in action across the weekend due to suffering FA Cup elimination, captain Bruno Fernandes travelled back to Portugal to watch a second division game
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was spotted watching a game in Portugal(Image: Getty Images)
Bruno Fernandes was spotted watching a Portuguese second division match on his free weekend without a Manchester United game. Fernandes, 31, jetted back to his homeland following United’s 1-1 draw against West Ham last Tuesday, a result that ended Michael Carrick’s four-match winning start as interim head coach.
And as the Reds were knocked out of the FA Cup with a third-round defeat to Brighton last month, they had a free weekend with no game.
Fernandes opted to take advantage of having a break by touching base back home. He did, however, shock fans on Sunday when he was pictured taking in a Liga Portugal 2 game.
United captain Fernandes was in the stands at Estadio Capital do Movel watching Pacos Ferreira draw 0-0 with Torreense. The Portugal international was seen covered in a green blanket and surrounded by family.
According to SportTV, Fernandes was there to cheer his friend and Pacos star Francisco Ramos, who moved back to Portugal last summer following a two-year spell at Polish side Radomiak Radom.
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Fernandes and Ramos are said to have been close for some time, dating back to sharing a dressing room while playing for the youth team set-up at Portugal. After Pacos were held to a goalless draw against Torreense, Ramos described Fernandes as someone who is “always special”.
Ramos, 30, said: “He is always special. He is someone connected to me and my family. In addition, it is always special to have a figure of this from our football watching us. He values Portuguese football, he values Pacos de Ferreira and I’m happy to have him close.”
Fernandes is set to jet back to the United Kingdom in due course as United prepare for next Monday’s Premier League fixture against Everton. The Reds return to action following a 13-day hiatus after the draw at West Ham, which saw them remain in fourth in the top flight table.
Carrick’s United were, however, on course for a first league defeat in 2026 up until Benjamin Sesko cancelled out Tomas Soucek’s 50th minute opener. Sesko converted Bryan Mbeumo’s cross in the 96th minute to rescue a point for the Reds, who move to nine unbeaten in the top flight.
Speaking post-West Ham, Carrick admitted he had mixed emotions on the result and the point.
“It’s mixed feelings,” Carrick said in his press conference. “We know we weren’t quite at our best and credit West Ham for that. We can be better, the boys are frustrated and disappointed with that, which is good to see.
“We found a late goal, it’s a great moment and another positive. We don’t want to have to pull on it and use it too often, but in the grand scheme of things, a point is something we can take. When you assess games over a five-match period, to only have one draw is a big positive but it’s mixed feelings.”
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2026-02-16 10:21:27
