Bruno Fernandes heaped praise on his teammate Facundo Pellistri despite a disappointing night in Munich.
The young Uruguayan was granted just his second start as a Manchester United player in Wednesday’s group-stage opener vs. Bayern Munich, which unfortunately ended 4-3 in the Germans’ favour.
Pellistri is likely to be granted increased game time in the coming weeks as both Jadon Sancho and Antony are unavailable for selection, and it’s unclear when – or if – the pair will return to the fold.
Erik ten Hag has previously opted to deploy the ever-versatile Fernandes on the wing, and could do the same when Mason Mount is fit to play again, however, him starting Pellistri is a positive sign that the 21-year-old is now trusted enough to feature in such high-profile matches.
Fernandes lauds Pellistri
Pellistri has the full backing of his club captain too, as Fernandes told The United Stand: “Pellistri is one of the players that deserves his chances. He deserves a lot of credit for everything he’s been through and everything he has done for the team.
“He has always been available, he’s someone that’s always training hard, [and] he’s someone that deserves his chances. And he did well today, he did the job that the manager asked him to do, and we are really happy for him because he really deserved to get his chance.”
"He deserves a lot of credit for everything he does for the team!" 💪
Bruno says Facundo Pellistri deserves his chances, and praises his work ethic and commitment on the training ground. #mufc
Should he start more? 👇 pic.twitter.com/UNsZxPhue2
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) September 20, 2023
Footage courtesy of The United Stand.
Pellistri deserve more playing time