Portugal manager shares honest thoughts on Bruno Fernandes’ game against Wales after switching his position
Portugal’s head coach, Jorge Jesus, gave an honest take on Bruno Fernandes’ performance against Wales, saying the team “needed him more” during the Nations League match.
Fernandes played in a different spot in the lineup during Portugal’s 1-0 win over Wales on Thursday. The 32-year-old has usually shined in the number 10 role, where he’s scored 111 goals and made 106 assists over six seasons at Manchester United, showing just how important he is in the center of the field.
In the past, under coach Ruben Amorim, Fernandes tried out several positions – sometimes even as an inverted left winger – since the number 10 spot didn’t exist in that system. Now, about eight months after Amorim left Old Trafford, Jorge Jesus put Fernandes on the left side again, but also pointed out some areas he could improve in.
“Every game is different,” Jesus told RTP. “Ruben Amorim used him like that, and it’s a position he knows well. The main difference is that defensively, he has to drop deeper.” He added, “He could have been better with the ball. The team needed him more.”
After Joao Felix scored the only goal of the game, Fernandes shared what the coach wanted from him while playing as a more creative player from the side.
“I was rarely in the corridor,” he said. “When defending, I tracked the full-back and pressed higher up. But mostly, the coach wants a player who can connect the team, drop deep to help build play, support the striker and second striker, and create triangles in the center and on the wings.”
He continued, “The coach asked me to play this way for this game, and he’s told me I might play different roles. What matters most is helping the team.”
Fernandes added, “I’ll always give my best, no matter where the coach puts me.”
Portugal will be looking for another win on Sunday, September 27, against Norway, followed by a trip to Denmark on Thursday, October 1.