Manchester United are worried about the midfielder’s fitness after captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes was left out of the Portugal squad. federation of nations Game against Norway.
Fernandez started in Portugal’s 1-0 win over Wales last week but was replaced by Joao Neves in the closing stages and has now been ruled out of Sunday’s second game against Norway.
“Against Wales we played all the players available, but Bruno Fernandes came off with a complicated problem,” head coach Jorge Jesus told a news conference.
“We’ll see what happens before tomorrow. Experience tells me that not all players can recover on the third day, but it’s the same for Norway and for us.
“However, the players who come on and the players who may come off will offer just as much reassurance and that’s what I base my decision on.
“The medical team consider these two players to be of greatest concern, with Nuno Mendes likely to play.
“Another case [Fernandes] Treatment and recovery time involved. He has just come back from injury at Manchester United and told me he has been playing through pain for the past three games and that has hampered him.
“That was one of the things that stopped Bruno from performing at his best against Wales.”
Bruno Fernandes injury: What it means for Manchester United
Jesus’ words suggest Fernandes is resting as a precaution, with reports suggesting he could feature against Denmark on Thursday.
The best-case scenario for United is that his injury is deemed not serious enough to play the next two games and return to the club unscathed.
Manchester United will face Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday, October 10, with both struggling clubs eager to get their respective seasons started.