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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has suffered another injury setback and will miss Portugal’s Nations League clash with Norway on Sunday.
Fernandes started Portugal’s 1-0 victory over Wales on Thursday but was forced off late in the game after suffering what manager Jorge Jesus described as a “complicated problem”.
The 32-year-old subsequently missed training on Saturday, with Portugal opting not to risk him in their second Nations League fixture of the international break.
Jesus said Fernandes had been playing through pain for Manchester United in recent matches, which affected his performance against Wales.
“In the game against Wales, we went in with all the available players but Bruno Fernandes came off with a complicated problem,” Jesus said.
“The other case [Fernandes] involves treatment and recovery time. He’s coming off an injury at United, and he told me he’s been playing with that pain for the last three games, which is hindering him.
“It was one of the factors that prevented Bruno from playing at his best against Wales.”
Jesus, however, stressed that the decision to leave Fernandes out was precautionary and said he expected the midfielder to recover in time for Portugal’s next game against Denmark on October 1.
“I’ve already spoken to him and I prefer not to risk it in this game so he’s fully fit for the Denmark match,” he said.
Portugal will face Norway again on October 4 after their meeting with Denmark, meaning Fernandes has two further opportunities to return during the international break.
The midfielder’s latest injury comes after he reportedly played through discomfort in his previous three matches for United.
Fernandes has also faced continued speculation over his future at Old Trafford, with his contract set to expire next summer and interest reportedly coming from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
For now, however, the immediate concern is his recovery, with the Portuguese set to undergo treatment and rehabilitation before a decision is made on his return.
